by Laura Scott
“Wait—you can’t go alone,” Leah protested. “You need to take someone with you.”
“I know. And I’ll find someone.” He hadn’t heard from Deck since the night his buddy had been called out about a suspicious package, and he’d already bothered Caleb more than enough. He should probably give Jenna a call, since she knew the most about what was going on. And at least she’d know that he needed something more than menial labor.
She answered right away when he phoned her. “Hey, I was just about to call you,” she said.
“You were?” he asked in surprise. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Guess who we have in custody?” she asked.
His pulse jumped. “Joey Stainwhite?”
“You got it. Griff wants you to come in, since our pal Joey had a gun on him, one with the serial numbers filed off, the same make and model as the one used at the mall shooting. You never told me exactly why you wanted me to do the ballistics match for you, and I didn’t push for information. But it’s clear now that whatever case you’re working on has just intersected with ours.”
“Good news,” Isaac said, glancing toward Hawk’s bedroom. He didn’t want to leave Leah, Ben and Hawk here alone, but at the same time, he hated to call Caleb back again after he’d just left. “I’ll come in to talk to Stainwhite, but I need someone to come out here to keep my friend’s sister and her son safe.”
“Maybe give Declan a call?” she suggested.
“I can try. Tell Griff I’ll be there soon.” Isaac disconnected, thrilled to know that they finally had a break in the case.
He quickly dialed Deck’s phone and was frustrated when his buddy didn’t answer. There must be something going on, since Isaac hadn’t heard from him in a few days, but he left a terse message asking for a return call anyway. Then he turned and headed back toward Hawk’s bedroom.
Maybe if he gave his buddy his weapon to use, he could protect Leah and Ben for the short time Isaac was gone. Hawk was right-handed and the injury was to his left shoulder. And it wasn’t as if anyone knew they were even here. This cabin had proved to be safe over the past twenty-four hours, so staying here awhile longer shouldn’t matter.
Besides, grilling Joey Stainwhite wouldn’t take too long. Isaac could be there and back in a couple of hours.
He went in and proposed his plan. Leah didn’t look thrilled at the idea of his going in to talk to Joey Stainwhite, but she didn’t protest.
Hawk gladly took the gun and Isaac understood that his buddy no doubt felt unsettled without his own weapon, which he’d lost somewhere outside the shed. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Just see if you can get that guy to spill his guts, okay?”
“I’ll do my best,” Isaac promised.
Leah smiled weakly as she followed him out of Hawk’s room. “I know it’s silly, but be safe, okay?”
“I’m going to our headquarters,” he reminded her. “There’s nothing unsafe about it.”
“I know that logically.” She tapped her temple. “But I can’t seem to shake the bad feeling in my gut.”
“Oh, Leah,” he said with a sigh. He reached out, pulled her into his arms and was glad when she wrapped hers tightly around his waist. “I promise you, I’ll always be careful. I have too much to live for.” It hadn’t always been true. In those early days following Jeremy’s death, Isaac had been a little too reckless, figuring nothing could hurt him as much as losing his son.
But now Leah, Ben and even Hawk were counting on him.
And he’d discovered that life was very much worth living.
“I’ll pray for you,” Leah said, her voice muffled against his shirt.
“I appreciate that,” he said and meant it. “I’ve learned a lot about faith since meeting you, but I’m sure there’s more to know.”
Leah tipped her head back and gazed up at him. “I’d like to teach you once this is all over,” she said.
“I’ll take you up on that offer.” He lowered his head and kissed her, hoping to show her with actions rather than words how he felt.
“Mommy, are you kissing Mr. Isaac?” Ben asked.
Leah quickly broke off the kiss, color flagging her cheeks. “Um, yes. He’s leaving, so I’m kissing him goodbye.”
Isaac coughed to hide a laugh. “That’s right,” he said, striving for a serious tone.
Ben looked perplexed. “But that’s not the way you kiss Uncle Shane,” he said with childlike logic.
Isaac glanced at Leah, who was studiously ignoring him. “Yes, well, that’s because Isaac and I are friends and Uncle Shane is family. I think you should draw your uncle Shane a picture,” she said, changing the subject. “Just like you did for Mr. Isaac.”
“Okay.” Leah’s diversion worked and Ben ran over to get his paper and crayons.
Leah still looked embarrassed and Isaac decided not to push the issue, since he needed to leave. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised.
“I know.” She smiled and then turned to follow her son. It was difficult to let her go without another kiss.
But they’d have time later to talk. Right now, it was time to get to work.
* * *
The drive back to Milwaukee seemed to take forever, but it was only twenty-five minutes later when he pulled into the lot and parked his borrowed vehicle next to the police-issued ones.
Griff and Jenna were waiting for him when he strode inside.
“You better fill me in on what’s going on,” Griff said with a scowl.
“I know.” Isaac quickly described how Hawk’s undercover stint had gone bad and how he’d been shot. “I can give you more details later, but right now I need to know where Stainwhite was picked up,” he said to Griff.
His boss nodded and shrugged. “Actually, we got lucky. Someone called in an anonymous tip saying that Stainwhite would be at Stan’s Liquor Store, so we sent a couple of deputies, and sure enough, there he was.”
“A tip, huh?” Seemed odd that they’d get a call like that, although sometimes districts offered minor rewards for information, so maybe someone was desperate for a little cash. “Okay, let’s see what he has to say.”
“He’s in room 1 with his public defender. Take Reed with you.”
“Sure thing.” Protocol was always to have two deputies present during an interview, so he followed Jenna as they headed over to where Stainwhite and his lawyer were waiting.
“Hey, Steel, how’s it going?” Isaac said cheerfully.
Joey’s scowl deepened. “Only my friends call me Steel,” he said.
“Yeah, well, my friends call me Ice. Maybe you remember me better by that name.”
Recognition dawned in Joey’s sunken eyes. “You’re a cop now?” he asked incredulously.
“Yep, and I’m the guy who’s going to put you behind bars for attempted murder of a police officer.”
“No way will you be able to claim attempted murder,” the attorney declared.
“Yeah, I never tried to shoot no cop,” Joey protested. “You got the wrong guy.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong, Steel. Because I saw you inside Stan’s Liquor Store and watched you exchange a gun for a thick wad of cash. You saw me, came outside and stood in the middle of the road, firing directly at me in my car. I’m thinking the slug I pulled out of the seat is going to match that gun you had on you when you were arrested. I’ve got you cold, Steel. Who do you think the jury is going to believe? Me, a trusted cop, or a loser like you?”
All Joey’s bravado vanished as he realized there was no chance to escape the charges. The lawyer didn’t look too happy, either.
“Maybe we can do something for you,” Jenna said, leaning forward to brace her elbows on the table. “But we’ll need you to cooperate with us. Maybe tell us who all is involved in your little gun scheme?�
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“Will you take attempted murder of a police officer off the table if he does?” the attorney asked.
“No way. I’m not going to snitch for you,” Joey said abruptly, ignoring his lawyer. “He’ll kill me if I do.”
“Who will kill you? Shark?” Isaac pressed.
There was a flicker of recognition in Joey’s eyes a moment before he shook his head. “Don’t know anyone by that name,” he said, crossing his arms. “You may as well take me back to my cell, ’cause I’m not talking.”
Isaac exchanged a knowing glance with Jenna as Stainwhite’s attorney tried to talk some sense into his client.
But in the end, they didn’t get anything from him.
“I really thought he’d talk,” Jenna said with a heavy sigh.
“I know. I thought so, too.” Isaac glanced at his watch. “I gotta get back to Leah and Ben, but let me know if the ballistics match the slug I pulled out of my car, okay?”
“Will do,” his teammate agreed.
Isaac strode outside to his car, anxious to get back to the log cabin. He hadn’t gotten much from Stainwhite, but at least he knew the guy was off the streets for a while.
And there was always the chance that Steel might change his mind about spilling his guts after spending a few days behind bars.
* * *
Leah couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to get carried away in Isaac’s kiss. She was mortified that Ben had caught them. Her son had never seen her with a man other than his father.
Never seen her with a man, period.
She told herself to get a grip, that there was no reason to believe she’d scarred Ben for life or anything.
But she did worry about her son getting too attached to Isaac. Maybe now that Shane was here, Ben wouldn’t vie for Isaac’s attention as much.
“Leah? Do you have a minute?” her brother called.
She hurried over. “Sure. What’s up?”
“My phone battery is dead. Do you think you could charge it up with your adapters?”
“If it fits,” she said, taking his cell and peering at the connection. “You’re in luck. Looks to be the same kind that Isaac bought.”
She went into the kitchen to get the charger, then took it to Shane’s room. She plugged in the phone and handed it back to him. “You’re not thinking of contacting that ATF guy, are you?”
“Yeah, I am.” Shane stared at the cell for a minute. “I feel like I need to do something. We can’t just sit here and wait for something to happen.”
“Wait until Isaac gets here,” she suggested. “Maybe he’ll know something more that will help.”
“All right,” Shane conceded. “But the more I think about it, the more I believe you guys missed seeing Cameron Walker last night. He must have been there.”
Leah lifted her hands helplessly. “He could have been,” she agreed. “But I panicked when I saw your boss.”
“Understandable.” Shane yawned and blinked. “I don’t know why I’m so tired.”
“Your body is fighting off that nasty infection,” she murmured drily. “Take a nap. Your next dose isn’t due for another couple of hours.”
Shane pried his eyelids open. “Not until Isaac returns.”
At that moment she heard the sound of a car engine. “I think he might be back,” she said.
“Stay here,” Shane commanded as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. “I’ll check it out to make sure it’s him.”
Leah refrained from rolling her eyes, considering he’d just leaned heavily on her when he’d gotten up to use the bathroom. “Don’t be silly—stay here. I’ll peek through the window to make sure.”
Without waiting for him to respond, she walked over and parted the curtains with her fingertip, relieved to see Isaac driving the old familiar sedan up to the cabin.
He hadn’t been gone all that long, but the place had seemed empty without him.
Or maybe she’d just missed having him around.
“Don’t worry. It’s Isaac,” she said to Shane.
“Good. I hope he managed to get some new information.”
Isaac came in a few minutes later and headed straight for Shane’s room. “Hey, how’s it going?” he asked.
“You tell me,” Leah’s brother countered. “Tell me you got something to go on.”
“Unfortunately, I didn’t,” he responded. “Steel wouldn’t talk, despite his lawyer trying his best to convince him. He’s scared to death of Shark.”
“Figures,” Shane muttered. “So now what?”
“I guess that’s up to you,” Isaac said. “Do you think we can trust Cam Walker and your boss?”
“Can’t Griff help us?” Leah spoke up. “You said yourself that Shane’s case is intertwined with yours now.”
“Different jurisdictions,” her brother said with a grimace. “I’m not sure how well that will go over.”
“Griff has to be careful not to step on the Milwaukee P.D.’s toes,” Isaac said. “But he might be willing to offer some help.”
“I would hope so,” she said with exasperation.
“Mommy, there’s a man outside,” Ben said from the other room.
“What?” Her heart leaped into her throat and she rushed over to where her son was sitting on the bed surrounded by his toy cars. “Are you sure?” she whispered.
Ben nodded. “I was looking for the deers but saw a man instead.”
“I’m going to head outside to take a look,” Isaac said. “Get Ben and take him into Shane’s room.”
She didn’t need to be told twice. She scooped her son into her arms, allowing him to grab a couple of his toy cars to bring along, before following Isaac into the other room.
“I need my gun, just in case,” Isaac said, reaching over Shane’s lap for the weapon. “Stay down until I call all clear.”
“Will do.”
Leah swallowed hard and held Ben close. In the time they’d been here, they hadn’t seen any other occupants, but surely they weren’t the only ones around. It was highly likely that Ben had seen someone harmless, since it was broad daylight.
She desperately wanted to believe that the man Ben had seen didn’t intend to harm them, but deep down, she feared the worst.
That whoever had shot Shane had managed to find them.
SIXTEEN
Isaac moved silently through the wooded area around their cabin, his weapon held down at his side. Maybe he was overreacting to what Ben had seen, but he’d feel better once he knew for sure who was out there.
At first he didn’t see anyone at all, but then he caught a glimpse of a man wearing a knit cap, standing behind a tree. Isaac’s gut tightened in warning. Anyone innocent wouldn’t be hiding like that.
Whoever this guy might be, he was clearly up to no good.
Isaac stayed in the shadows, moving so that he could get a better angle to see the man’s face. He debated going back inside the cabin, but at that moment the guy moved out from behind the tree. He crouched low and ran across to a different set of trees, farther away.
Isaac frowned when he realized the man had gone to an area directly across from their cabin. From this new position he could watch the doorway.
A slow burn of anger had Isaac gripping his weapon tightly. He needed to take this guy out of the picture, but he would have to take a wide route in order to come up from behind and catch him unaware.
Hopefully, he’d be too busy watching the cabin to realize Isaac was behind him.
He hoped and prayed Leah and Ben would stay hidden beside Shane and keep away from the front door.
Moving slowly, Isaac melted into the trees and made his way round to get behind him. The trek took longer than he’d anticipated, and he still couldn’t get a clear glimp
se of the man’s face.
When he finally had the guy in his line of vision, just a few feet ahead, he stealthily crept up behind him.
Isaac let out a soundless breath and then made his move, jumping forward and shoving against the man’s back so that he was pinned against the tree. He pressed his gun against the guy’s temple. “Don’t move or I’ll shoot. Drop your weapon—slow and easy so I don’t flinch and accidentally kill you.”
The man’s body went tense, but he did as Isaac commanded, holding his gun out from his right side and dropping it to the ground. “Listen, my name is Lieutenant Nash and I’m with the Fifth District Police,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re in the middle of, but you need to let me go so I can do my job. Innocent lives are at stake.”
“Yeah, I’m well aware of the illegal gunrunning scam that is being partially funded with confiscated weapons from your precinct,” Isaac said in a low tone. “And I don’t trust you, so put your hands behind your head.”
“You’re making a big mistake,” Lieutenant Nash said as he once again complied with Isaac’s directive. “I’m not the leak inside the department. Trey Birchwood was the one leaking information. You have the wrong man.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but we’re not going to have this conversation right here.” Isaac frantically considered what he could use to tie him up with, since he hadn’t thought to bring rope or duct tape. He tugged on the string from his sweatshirt hood, thinking it was better than nothing.
And he’d have to trust that Nash didn’t have a death wish and wouldn’t try to run.
Just then Isaac noticed another man approaching the cabin from the other direction, wearing an ATF jacket. Cameron Walker? Most likely.
He took Nash’s right wrist and twisted his arm behind his back, holding the gun at his side. He needed two hands to tie him up and didn’t want to drop his weapon even for a second.
“Hey, good work,” the ATF agent said as Isaac prodded Nash to walk toward the clearing. “You caught our dirty cop.”
Isaac nodded, unable to deny that it certainly seemed that way. “Hold a gun on him while I tie him up,” he said to Walker. “Nash, get down on the ground with your hands behind your back.”