“Do you think they killed him? It would help if we could see his face, but the perspective is all wrong.” Leigh leaned forward, placing her elbow on her knee and her chin in her palm. “Crazy girl. I’d ground her for the next ten years if she were mine.” Worry and longing filled his sister’s voice.
Making an easy decision he pulled out his cell and took a picture of the drawing. Joe had done his part and played by the rules. He would have given his life for his job. What had it gotten him? Nothing.
To think that these two assholes could be even remotely connected to the bastard who’d kidnapped his cousin enraged him.
He sent the photo to Rick, who likely waited to see what Cara and Leigh found. He’d dedicated his life to upholding the law, but what good were rules when the men who governed the laws pissed all over them?
He would put his trust in those who’d gone to wall for his family. And speaking of my family… He looked to his sister. “Leigh.”
“Uh oh.” Yeah, if anyone could read the meaning in his tone, his sister would.
“Be on your toes. As of right now, they don’t have any reason to pay attention to you. Keep it that way, or I’ll have you under lock and key in no time. No snooping and, for heaven’s sake, do not go out to Mary’s place alone. Promise me.” He met her gaze with his.
“I promise. I can’t stand the thought of her out there in danger. If they had seen her, she would have met the same fate, wouldn’t she?” The glimmer of tears shone in her eyes.
“As much as it kills me to say it, yeah. Her body would be at the bottom of the quarry pond. There’s no way Dale would let a witness walk away, no matter how innocent. He has too much to lose. I wish we knew exactly what he’s up to.”
His phone signaled a new message from Rick. It read a single word. Fuck. It echoed his exact thoughts.
“I need to go. It’s getting late. Keep me updated, and I promise to behave. You have too much to worry about and I won’t add to that.” Leigh hugged him and then rose to leave. “Give pickle a kiss for me.” He watched her go and trusted her words as the door shut behind her.
“Any idea where we go with this? I know you’d prefer to go through the proper channels, but I’m not sure we can go the legal route.” Cara moved from where she leaned on the arm of the couch to sit beside him. She leaned over and looked at the photo. The barest trace of her scent tempted him.
“After the week I’ve had? I only have one option. There’s no one I can trust except family. That’s Dark Horse. They may not be related by DNA, but there’s no one else I can depend on. It’s too important. Too deadly.” He closed the folder and leaned back.
“DNA doesn’t have a damn thing to do with it.” She continued, “You are a part of Rick’s family now. He always goes to the wall and, if need be, further for those he’s claimed. Bound by blood or not, the MacDonald clan became part of Dark Horse before Rick even knew he was going into business.”
“I can’t think of anyone else I’d want at my back in something this dangerous.” He met her serious gaze.
“We’ll help anyway we can, and I know Rick will back my words in a heartbeat. You know Trent will, too.” Loyalty and quiet, absolute faith laced her words. It, and a seductive whiff of her fragrance, tempted him with things he couldn’t have.
He stood and walked to the window. Where did they go from here? He remembered the taste of her mouth and the feel of her body in his hands, but it had all been for show. In all likelihood, not one moment of the desire he’d felt for her that night meant a single thing to her.
He reminded himself that she was so much more than a pretty face and focused elsewhere. “So. Mayhem, huh?”
“Ah.” She said that one short, simple sound as if he answered some unspoken question. “Not who you expected, was I?”
“No you weren’t. Don’t get me wrong, it was a pleasant surprise, but no, you weren’t anything like I expected when they referred to another badass named Mayhem.” He shook his head and turned back around to face her.
She stood and walked back to Kylie’s memory wall. “The guys have called me that for so long now, I don’t even notice.”
He couldn’t help but ask the burning question. “So, how did you get the name? Were you a medic in the Guard?” Picturing her behind fortress walls, placing bandages on wounds and checking temperatures, he walked over to stand closer but held himself back. He feared that if he caught that sweet scent, he’d be drawn in against his will.
“Nope. Transport. Put me behind the wheel of any vehicle, no matter how big, and I can drive it. There was a tiny little incident outside Bagram, and the guys have called me Mayhem since.” There was something in the way she said the word tiny that made him pause. She faced him with a cheeky grin.
He imagined her bending over in her fatigues to tie a shoelace and an entire platoon of marching soldiers stumbling when the first row of men caught sight of the sexy view.
But, wait. Did she say Bagram? That was in Afghanistan. Maybe, thanks to her innocent looking face, she had been swarmed by orphans begging for food each time they went into town?
He crossed his arms. “Tiny incident? I have to hear this one.” He smiled, waited for her story and prepared to laugh.
“A big part of what we did was PSD. Personal Security Detachment. We were escorting a General en route to Bagram. I drove the lead vehicle, a gun truck. We were just outside the city limits when a Toyota Hilux came barreling from around a crumbling building. The Toyota, it looks a lot like the Tacomas we have here in the states. Anyway, the terrorists had mounted a heavy machine gun in the bed. Crazy assholes loaded that pickup with ten men. Two of them stood in the bed, holding onto the roll bar for dear life, armed with rocket propelled grenades, and a third readied to fire the heavy machine gun. The moment the truck stopped, directly in front of our convoy, the three in back took aim and the truck doors opened. I didn’t know what weapons the others had inside, but it couldn’t have been good. I knew the moment their feet hit the sand, they’d take aim on us as well. I couldn’t let them get those doors open or launch those grenades so I stomped on the gas and plowed into the truck.”
Joe’s smile fell from his face as her story continued. She wasn’t boasting. She stood there talking about taking part in a war as if she were talking about going to work. Speechless, he waited for the rest of her tale.
“Holloway was in my truck, acting as my gunner. You should have heard him yelling at me. I still don’t have a clue what he said. I can’t tell you if he was cheering me on or cursing my name. Rick acted as our Tactical Commander and he’d been speechless, if you can imagine that. After it was over, Holloway said he didn’t know whether to kill me or kiss me. Rick just shook his head and hugged me tight.
“The General was six vehicles back and heard all the noise, but couldn’t see a thing. The coms were full of chatter. He asked what all the chaos was and someone said ‘Never fear. Cara May handled it, sir.’
“All he heard was May. He bellowed that someone had better put an end to the mayhem, and someone else replied that Cara May handled the mayhem. So, I became Cara Mayhem, and then later just Mayhem.” She cocked her head and looked at him with an odd expression. She shook her head wryly and with a single finger pushing up on his chin, she closed his open jaw. He hadn’t realized he’d dropped it, but judging by the shock he felt, he was lucky it hadn’t hit the floor.
“They were going to fire on you? Launch grenades at you?” He couldn’t wrap his mind around it.
“Joe, we were in theater, at war. I was a soldier. I was fired at many times. Each day, when we left the base, we walked in danger. We’d travel south, clear the only road of IED’s and later that day on our return, we had to clear that same path again. Nothing, not even a dead animal on the roadside could be taken for granted. Everything was filled with deadly potential. That was our job.”
Holy hell. He could barely wrap his head around the idea. But for her it hadn’t been an idea or a movie. It had been her r
eality. She lived it. Every instinct he had railed against the idea. Women were meant to be appreciated, even cosseted. They were mothers, sisters and daughters. Yes, they could be strong, independent as well, but damn it, they shouldn’t ever have to go to fucking war. That was a man’s job.
Yet, she’d volunteered and stood here amused at him for his bigotry.
Silence loomed heavy until a dark shadow replaced her amusement at him. “I appreciate you having my back when Boyd appeared. It caught me off guard. We have a very ugly history and for a moment I let him get the better of me. I guarantee it won’t happen again.”
She awed him. She’d seen the uglier faces of the world time and time again but remained a beautiful, kind soul. “Not a problem. I appreciate you not letting me annihilate him on the spot. I’m not sure I’ve ever lost my temper that quickly.” Her stunning eyes trapped him. Her petal pink mouth made him hunger for one more taste.
“I apologize for climbing you like a tree. I threw myself at you like a total hussy. During the darkest times in the desert, I promised myself that I’d never play games and I’d always be honest about what I wanted. Whether we were in a dangerous situation or not, that didn’t give me the right to go after you like a cat in heat.” She tucked a strand of hair behind a perfect ear.
“Anytime.” What had she done to him? He sounded like a bumbling thirteen-year old. “What I mean is, I wasn’t just being nice when I said you handled the situation in the best possible way. In a split second, you assessed a dangerous situation and decided how to best handle it.” He couldn’t resist reaching out to see if her hair was as soft as he remembered. He allowed himself a moment to run the end of a lock through his fingers. Then he let it go. “Twice you came to my rescue. You impressed the hell out of me.”
She took a single step closer and, if he wasn’t mistaken, she looked to his mouth. “So…do you want to go out sometime? We could go out for a quiet dinner or we could do something fun and take Kylie. I’d be happy either way.” She sucked on her bottom lip and stepped in even closer. He caught the scent that he craved but could not indulge in. She’d said the one word sure to throw cold water on his libido.
Kylie.
When her mother died he’d made a silent vow that his daughter must always come first.
“Ah. I can’t. As tempting as the offer is, I can’t fit a relationship, or even a date, into my life right now. So, thank you, but no.”
He expected to see disappointment mar her pretty features. He was wrong. An utterly charming, crooked grin spread across her face and she leaned up to kiss his cheek. The simple sweetness of it nearly brought him to his knees. Then, clueless to her devastating impact on his senses, she stepped back. “Okay. The offer stands if you change your mind or find room in your chaotic life.” She picked up her purse and then stopped with one hand on his doorknob. “Joe? I was impressed too, in more ways than one.” Then she winked at him and walked out his door without looking back. All the while, he stood there dumbstruck and speechless.
“Momma? What do you say we walk over, and get lunch at the new coffee shop? I heard the desserts are to die for.” Cara held the door to the doctor’s office open and waited for her mother to walk out. “It’s a pretty day. We should enjoy the sun before the stormy weather comes tomorrow.” She held the door open even wider with her foot and put on her sunglasses.
“It’s the wrong direction. You parked too far away. I’ll never make it there and back.” As soon as her mother stepped through the door she leaned harder on her cane. For her orthopedic doctor she’d been full of gracious smiles. The moment they’d exited the exam room, those had been replaced with the sour frown that seemed to be reserved for Cara alone.
“I think we both deserve a treat. It’s only two doors down. If you want to go sit and eat, when we’re finished I’ll run and get the car to pick you up. Front door service.” She’d tired of this game, but felt trapped in their routine.
“Hmph. I suppose, if you want to eat out so badly that you’d drag your crippled mother halfway across town for a piece of cake.” She slung a purse the size of Texas over her shoulder and readjusted her cane. “You know, you really should watch your calories. If you’re not careful, you’ll have to buy a larger size wardrobe.”
Cara released the door after her mother was clear. “Momma that wasn’t nice. I was trying to treat you. I thought you might like something to eat other than my cooking.” And if anything, Cara’s shorts had felt a little loose when she’d put them on that morning. Their constant bickering killed her appetite.
She walked patiently beside her mother as she shuffled down the sidewalk with a pained gait. Cara swore her mother did it on purpose, but she had no idea why.
When they finally made the short distance, she held the door open. Her mother limped in and collapsed into the nearest chair with a huff. Not bothering to hide her frustration any longer, Cara shook her head and followed. She went to the counter and ordered for both of them.
“Anne wants to meet us for dinner after church tonight. I hope you’ll wear something more appropriate than shorts.” Her mother looked down her nose at Cara as if she’d gone out of the house in Daisy Dukes.
“There’s nothing wrong with my shorts, Mother.” She’d known she’d likely get an earful for the choice, but expecting the ninety-degree temperature combined with eighty percent humidity, she hadn’t cared. And they were perfectly decent. The khaki shorts came past mid-thigh and she paired them with a light blouse and sandals.
“Well. I don’t see how you ever expect to catch a man, if you insist on dressing like one.” The server set their plates on the table and made a hasty departure. “I can’t imagine you plan to work for the rest of your life.”
“No, not forever. Eventually I’ll probably want to retire. But that’ll be a long time from now and has nothing to do with my relationship status. I like to stay busy. We’ve had this discussion.” Yet again, her appetite disappeared.
“Your daddy would turn over in his grave if he knew. Why after all he gave to provide for us.” Her mother took a dainty bite of her salad. How bad was it that she’d rather hike through the desert with her fifty-pound pack than listen to her mother’s scorn? Some days Cara wondered if her mother started these conversations on purpose.
Cara decided to try the evasion tactic today. If only it worked as well on her mother as it had in Afghanistan. “I won’t be able to make it to church or dinner tonight. I have plans.”
Her mother set her fork down and sat up straighter. “Do these plans involve a man?”
Cara’s words slipped out before she could stop them. “Yes. Several of them.” She smiled innocently and took a bite of her sandwich which suddenly tasted delicious. They finished their lunch in silence, which suited Cara just fine.
“Take your time and finish. I’m going to walk back and get the car.” Maybe a few minutes outside would help get her anger under control. Without another word, she left her mother at the table, taking her half-eaten cookie with her.
I will not feel guilty. I will not feel guilty.
She repeated the mantra as she passed the doctor’s office on her way back.
Determined to get over the ugly emotion, she put the last bite of cookie in her mouth. The treat turned to sawdust in her mouth. The hair on the back her neck rose. It had been a long time since she’d felt such a strong sense of being watched.
She didn’t like it one bit.
Purposely, she stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk and dropped her purse. She righted herself, straightened her hair and looked around in front of her. Nothing appeared out of place. She bent over to straighten her sandal, which in reality, was just fine and looked behind her.
There was something or someone not quite right across the street and two buildings down from the coffee shop. A man leaned back in the shade of an alcove, with his hands in his pockets as if waiting for someone or something. His pose appeared casual, but something struck her as out of place.
; She straightened and continued on her way, reviewing the image in her mind. Something about the building nagged at her. He’d been standing in front of the old thrift store which had been out of business for several years. There were plenty of reasons for someone to stand in front of it. It could be nothing. Hell, it was likely nothing.
She decided that wasn’t enough to take to Trent and Rick, but she’d stay on her toes, just the same. Even though on days like this one, she wanted to strangle her mother, she’d do anything to keep her safe.
Chapter Four
“Katie! Can we see the horses?” Joe followed his daughter across the grass at a slower pace. Pretty, feminine laughter greeted his ears as he neared Trent’s home. The low, husky tones wrapped around him as he looked for the source. He walked around an enormous horse trailer attached to Trent’s truck and stopped. There, in the yard, not far from the front door, Cara sat on the ground with a tangle of puppies in her lap. Furry little bodies wriggled and vied for her attention.
He couldn’t say he blamed them. With sun-kissed cheeks and her hair shining in the bright evening light, she was temptation defined. He shaded his eyes against the intense setting sun and sighed.
Trouble. Pure trouble waits for me...
“Daddy! Look! Oh! I like that one. And that one. Can I have one?” Kylie’s excited chatter bubbled and he couldn’t help but smile as she all but shook with excitement.
Kate stood beside the Cara dogpile and smiled. “Are you sure you don’t want one? How about two? They could keep each other company. I know you’d make a good fur-momma.”
Cara shook her head in denial. “As much as I’d love to, I can’t. My mother would have a conniption. I’m having enough trouble with her as it is. And as soon as she’s finished recovering I’ll have to go back to juggling school and work. It wouldn’t be fair to any of the little babies.” She held a black and white ball of fur up to her face and it licked her neck. “They are precious.”
Catching Cara: Dark Horse, Inc: Book 2 Page 7