Best Served Cold

by Rebecca Deel

  “Agreed. What’s your preference?”

  “Safe house. Stella won’t want to bring trouble to Eli’s doorstep.”

  “I thought about Eli and Jon, as well. Jon’s out because his wife, Dana, isn’t comfortable around men she doesn’t know.”

  Nate paused at the foot of the stairs. “Worse than Ivy?”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s why Jon is so protective of her. A safe house would be best. I’m considering asking Eli to take Del and Ivy to Otter Creek. His wife, Brenna, is an author. She might agree to do a book signing at the store.”

  “You think the girls will go for that?”

  “Del and Ivy will know why we’re arranging the book signing, but they both love Brenna’s books and have been eager to meet her. This is a great excuse to arrange it and get our wives out of danger.”

  “Not to mention having a Navy SEAL for a bodyguard.”

  “A definite benefit of the arrangement.”

  “Would Jon be willing to go as well?” Alex asked over the comm system.

  “As long as he can bring Dana. He refuses to be away from her overnight unless she can stay with Brenna.”

  Must be tough to do his job. Fortress missions didn’t include regular office hours. “Two SEALs are better than one, especially if you don’t have anyone from Delta to watch your back.”

  All his teammates chuckled.

  “I’ll call Eli,” Josh said. “Ask if he and Jon can help us out. Nate, contact Brent about the safe house.”

  “Copy that.” Nate stepped outside and pulled out his cell phone. His call was answered seconds later.

  “What do you need, Nate?”

  “Safe house. Our location’s been compromised and my girlfriend now has a contract on her head.”

  “I’ll get back to you in two minutes.”

  Nate sat on the Adirondack chair and let some of the adrenaline bleed off. The wind had turned brisk, a welcome temperature change given the layers he’d been wearing while pursuing his target.

  A minute later, his cell phone vibrated. “Armstrong.”

  “I’m sending the address of the safe house to your email.”

  “It can’t be a place where we’ll endanger someone else. Stella can’t handle that.”

  “You won’t. The cabin’s on five acres of land on the outskirts of Murfreesboro. It’s about twenty miles from your current location. The cabin belongs to Micah Winter and you know how paranoid he is. This place is off the grid with a top-of-the-line security system and a panic room.” He paused. “The place only has three bedrooms. I assume your whole team is in town.”

  “We hope to send Josh and Alex’s wives back to Otter Creek with Eli and Jon. What about Micah and his family?”

  “They’re staying in Sophie’s house. She wanted to be closer to her store.”

  Perfect. He didn’t want to endanger Sophie or Nathan, Micah’s son. “How will we get in? I can’t believe Winter has a hide-a-key anywhere on his property.” The logistics coordinator for Fortress used to be a Secret Service agent. His family’s safety was always uppermost in his mind. A hidden key was an open invitation for trouble, not something Micah would ever do.

  “I’ll meet you. Micah said there was food in the pantry and weapons in the panic room.”

  “I owe you one, Brent.”

  “No debt, Nate. You’re one of mine. I take care of my people and those who are important to them. I’ll see you at the cabin.”

  He slid his phone into his pocket. Time for him to pack the rest of his gear and get his girlfriend, Del, and Ivy to safety. Come morning, they would develop a plan of action.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Stella woke as the sun rose. She glanced around the pretty room, frowned for a moment. Memories of the night before surged to the forefront. They were staying in Micah Winter’s cabin because the other location had been compromised.

  Time to get up. She had a killer to catch. Stella threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  She breathed deep, relieved her ribs weren’t as sore. Now if the bruising on her face was fading as fast, she might not scare little kids or make people think she was a battered woman. She’d seen the hateful looks sent Nate’s direction when they were in the cafe. People thought he was the one who hurt her. Nate Armstrong was a good man and deserved respect.

  Stella hurried through her shower, tugged on jeans, a turtleneck shirt and a light sweater, and laced up her tennis shoes. A quick glance in the mirror while she brushed out her hair made her scrunch her nose. Great. Still colorful enough her makeup couldn’t hide the damage to her face. Good thing she wasn’t a vain woman or she’d be tempted to hide behind a mask for the rest of the week.

  She opened the bedroom door and followed the low rumble of voices into the kitchen. The conversation stopped mid-sentence when Stella walked into the room.

  Eli Wolfe and his SEAL partner, Jon Smith, both scowled when they saw her face. Yeah, she looked pretty bad, a fact confirmed by the shocked expressions on the faces of the two women sitting beside them. The small brunette sheltered beneath Jon’s arm bit her lip, her expression haunted, as she pressed closer to his side. The tough SEAL leaned over and kissed the top of her head. A story there. Maybe Nate would tell her about it later.

  “Tell me you did some damage to the lowlife who hurt you, sugar.” Eli stood and crossed the room to stand by her side. He slid an arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze.

  “Not enough to stop him from killing my supervisor.”

  “I’m sorry, Stella.” He turned her so her face caught the sunlight streaming through the window. He growled. “He did a number on you. I’m surprised your jaw isn’t wired shut.” With a shake of his head, he returned to the second brunette.

  “Are you hungry, sweetheart?” Nate brought her a steaming mug of tea.

  “Starving. Something smells delicious.”

  “Breakfast casserole,” Ivy said from the shelter of Alex’s arms. “Nate cooked for all of us again.”

  At the slightly higher pitch of her voice, Stella realized Ivy was still uncomfortable with Eli and Jon. Could make the trip to Otter Creek difficult for her. Stella felt bad about putting her friend in such a stressful situation for her, but better that than lose Ivy to the people targeting her and Deke. At least the SEALs weren’t totally unknown to Ivy and Alex trusted the two men with her safety. “That sounds great.”

  “I’ll fix you a plate,” Nate murmured as he leaned down for a quick kiss. “Do you want juice to drink?”

  She shook her head and lifted her mug. “This will be fine.” Stella sat in a vacant chair beside Del.

  Her friend said, “Stella, meet Brenna Mason Wolfe and her sister, Dana Smith. Ladies, this is Stella Grayson. She’s a U.S. marshal.”

  Though she forced a smile to her lips, Stella’s heart sank remembering she had surrendered her credentials. “Nice to meet both of you. Brenna, I love reading your books. I’ve been a fan since your first book was published.”

  “It’s always nice to meet one of my readers. I have a new book coming out next month.”

  “I’ll look forward to reading it.” From the looks of things, she might have plenty of time to read since she’d been suspended. Unless, of course, the killer was captured.

  “If you give me an address, I’ll have my publisher send you an advanced copy.”

  “It’s really good,” Dana said, a smile curving her lips. “I badgered Brenna into letting me be her Beta reader.”

  “If you need another one, Brenna, I’ll volunteer,” Del said. “Always happy to help the authors who keep me in business.”

  A laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Stella thought about where to have the book sent as Nate placed a filled plate and utensils in front of her. She didn’t know where she’d be for the next few weeks. She couldn’t go home and didn’t know if she would have to relocate again for safety. “Send it to Del at her bookstore. Once this mess is resolved, I’m
spending time in Otter Creek.”

  Nate’s head swiveled her direction. She thought she’d see surprise on his face. Instead, she noticed a look of intense satisfaction in his expression. She might not know precisely what Nate had in mind for their future, but she had a good idea. At least, she hoped she did. All she knew for sure was she wanted this relationship to work. She had never known anyone like her Delta warrior.

  “Cal’s been interrogating your visitor,” Jon said. “Cannon’s spilling his guts, but he doesn’t have anything to add to what Nate convinced him to share last night. He will, however, never see the outside of a jail cell. He confessed to multiple murders.” He shook his head in disgust. “He’s dumb as a rock. It’s amazing he was never caught before now.”

  Deke frowned. “How do you know all that?”

  “Called in a favor with Cal and watched the interrogation from the viewing room.” His expression darkened. “We needed to know if he had accomplices who would target Del and Ivy.”

  “Did he?” Stella asked.

  He shook his head. “Dude’s a loner.”

  Good news for her friends, but Cannon was probably the first in a long line of potential assassins pointed her direction. Her gaze shifted to Nate.

  “We’ll deal with all of them,” he said.

  But for how long? She couldn’t live her life this way and it was no way for Nate to live. He would refuse to leave her side until the killer was behind bars and Stella’s name was cleared. He deserved a real life. Nate had to look over his shoulder because of his own job. How could she ask him to watch for people targeting her who might come after him, too?

  “Trust me.” Nate’s steady gaze held hers.

  “I brought my computer,” Jon said. “Do you need me to do a search for you?”

  Josh poured more coffee into his mug. “We already have Zane running the marshals in Stella’s office. We need to know who contacted Cannon. The number’s probably for a burner phone, but it has to be checked.”

  “What else?”

  “Look through his financial records. See if someone made a down payment on this hit or if there were other contracts offered from the same phone number.”

  “If I find the account?”

  “Drain it,” Nate said. “No hit man will be willing to carry out the contract without compensation.”

  “I’ll see what I can find.”

  Eli stood. “We should go. We’ll wait for Del and Ivy at the SUV.” He squeezed Stella’s shoulder. “Hang in there, sugar. These Army grunts are the best in the business, even if they’re not SEALs.”

  Quinn snorted. “Watch it, frog boy.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m shaking in my combat boots.” Eli escorted his wife out the front door, followed by Jon and Dana.

  “Quinn and I will take Del and Ivy’s bags to the SUV,” Rio said. The two men headed for the hallway.

  “I don’t want to go,” Ivy said, her face pressed against Alex’s neck.

  “You have classes to teach tomorrow, angel. You and Del have to go back today, anyway.”

  “Can’t we just drive ourselves like we’d planned?”

  “Ivy.” Alex’s voice was soft.

  She glanced up at him, a mutinous look on her face.

  “You know Eli and Jon. Both of them would give their lives to protect you and Del and their wives. For our peace of mind, we need them to go with you. We trusted our lives to Eli and Jon more than once on the battlefield. We trust them with yours. You have your cell phone, sweetheart. If you need me, call.”

  Ivy sighed. “It’s good we have unlimited minutes on our plan.”

  He chuckled. “Come with me, angel. I need to say goodbye properly.”

  She hugged Stella. “Stay safe. Come to Otter Creek as soon as you can.”

  “Count on it.”

  Alex led his wife out the back door.

  Stella frowned. “I didn’t have a chance to see her charm bracelet.”

  Del laughed. “Don’t worry. Anytime Alex is away from her, he brings Ivy another charm. You may see the new one before she does and see the rest when you come home.”

  Home. Stella’s heart turned over in her chest. Did she want Otter Creek to be home? Her gaze shifted to Nate. His life and home were there. Her boyfriend caught her staring at him and winked. She didn’t want to let this man go. Resolve stiffened her spine. She wasn’t giving him up without a fight. No case was perfect. There must be evidence to exonerate her and put the real killer behind bars. All they needed was time.

  “My turn to steal kisses before you leave, sweetheart.” Josh said to Del, his eyes twinkling.

  Del hugged Stella. “See you soon, Stella. Make this guy pay.”

  “Have fun with Brenna. I’m envious, you know. I’d love to spend time with her.”

  “You’ll have time later, baby,” Nate said.

  Del turned to Nate. “Take care of yourself and my friend. No new injuries on either of you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Once Josh and Del left, Nate dropped into the seat beside Stella. “Eat, sweetheart. Zane sent information.”

  “What kind?” she asked between bites.

  “Background research on your colleagues.”

  She paused, fork halfway to her mouth. “Including Deke?”

  “Stupid not to,” her partner said as he refilled his coffee mug. “These guys are smart.”

  “You wouldn’t frame me,” she insisted.

  “Everybody has a price, Stel.”

  “I don’t believe that of you.”

  “If someone came after me, you’d be the subject of an investigation.”

  “Zane cleared him, baby.” Nate pushed her plate closer, a reminder to eat.

  She resumed eating her breakfast, knowing her body needed fuel although she wasn’t hungry. She hated dragging Deke’s name through the mud. He was the finest, most honorable law enforcement officer she knew aside from Josh. Then again, she believed all the marshals in her office were as well and one of them probably attacked her. The question was why? What shouldn’t she have interfered in?

  Based on her conversations with Nate and the rest of Durango, there were two choices. The attack related to a witness security case or the special investigation. She leaned in favor of the leak. The person who leaked the information had risked a lot. What she didn’t understand was why. She and Deke found no evidence payoffs in the men’s accounts unless they had accounts in another name or an offshore account. She wondered if Jon’s extraordinary computer skills would give them an edge she could get. She needed proof to stay out of prison. To keep her friends safe, they needed to unravel this problem fast.

  Josh, Alex, Rio, and Quinn streamed into the kitchen. Rio and Quinn sat at the table. Josh grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and tossed a second one to Alex.

  “They’ll call when they reach Otter Creek,” Josh said. “If anything happens on the drive, we’ll be the first to know. Ethan and Nick are meeting them halfway so they have another layer of protection. Try not to worry, Stella. We’ve done everything we can to safeguard them.” He sent her a pointed glance. “No, Del and Ivy didn’t want us to drive them. They wanted us to help you. Stop feeling guilty.”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Didn’t have to.” Alex tossed his empty bottle into the trash. “Stella, Ivy was fine when she left. Eli and Jon know what she went through. Dana’s been through something similar. They will take care of her.”

  “You should be with her.”

  “As soon as we nail the killer, we’ll all go home.”

  “Talked to your family today, Deke?” Quinn asked.

  The marshal’s face lit. “Bella and Dora are having a blast with their grandparents. Andrea said they’re going to the beach today. The girls want to chase seagulls.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Stella murmured. She wished she was on the beach today instead of combing through the lives of marshals.

  “Would you like going to the beach, sw
eetheart?” Nate laid his hand across the back of her chair.

  Her head whipped his direction. “Are you serious?”

  “I want to spend time with you, Stella. I don’t care where we are or where we go.”

  “Do we need to leave?” Rio asked, his tone sardonic.

  “Shut up, Rio.” Nate’s gaze stayed locked on Stella. “Your choice, baby.”

  She smiled. While distracting her from her concern over Del and Ivy’s safety, he gave her something to look forward to. Did he know how special he was? “I want to go to Otter Creek. Let’s save the beach for warmer weather.”

  “Now that you settled your vacation plans, how about tackling this pesky problem of unmasking a killer.” This from Quinn. “I have a date Friday night that I don’t want to cancel.”

  Alex snorted. “What did you bribe her with?”

  His spotter scowled. “Hey, maybe the rest of us want what you and Josh have with your wives.”

  Rio clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll find the right one, bro. Be patient.”

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say the lady is hiding.”

  “Back to the business at hand,” Josh said. “Once they reach Otter Creek, Jon and Eli will set up at Alex’s place.” He eyed his friend. “He’s got the most room with his mini-mansion.”

  “It’s a four-bedroom house with a big yard. Hardly a mansion.”

  Nate frowned. “Can Ivy handle Eli and Jon living in her house?”

  “Del will stay with her,” Alex said. “She’ll go from the college to Del’s store. One of the SEALs will watch her during the day while the other one will be with Del. Ethan will have officers Ivy knows watching as well. She knows what to do if anyone makes her uneasy.”

  Josh sat at the end of the table. “Zane did preliminary research overnight. He’s a couple layers deep, but he wanted to give us what he had. First is Pete Kelly. Stella, what do you know about him?”

  “He’s been with our office a year. He transferred in from Denver.”

  “Kelly’s single, but he’s dated the same woman for six years,” Deke added.