Missing the Stars: Chandler County

by Melissa Sinclair

  “I think your hunch could be right,” Cole said, the wheels turning in his head as he considered the possibility Halverson, the son of a bitch traitor, had left it there intentionally, but he felt the more likely option was he left it there and didn’t mean for her to find it. Which would have meant they had to move quickly because he knew she would figure it out eventually that he was involved. In fact, he probably shouldn’t have had the file, to begin with. As if she had forgotten they were in the room, she continued to pace, speaking out loud, but almost to herself. Like she was talking it through out loud to see if it made sense.

  “What if he left the folder there knowing I would look at it? He could have purposely let me wait for him so I would have time to look at the folder. He would have intentionally left little information. Which means what? Two possibilities. One, they never called, and he was playing me or two, they did get ahold of him, but he still doesn’t know where they are, because El Diablo wouldn’t have taken JD.” She paused in her pacing, and he knew she had worked through it finally. “No, that doesn’t track.”

  “What doesn’t?” Coop asked, clearly behind them a bit in figuring it out.

  “He shouldn’t have had that file if my parents called and asked for the SAC. It’s true that there was little information, but the call was for the senior agent. He knew I would figure it out if given an opportunity to do so.”

  “Bingo. You said JD doesn’t even know they’re alive, right?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “I think you need to consider it’s entirely possible he took JD to find you and tie up the loose end you created when you ran.” Cole couldn’t tiptoe around her feelings, or their feelings. He needed to be open and honest. “He thinks you’re the key.”

  “You could be right, but we already know he knows where I am. Why not just get rid of him then come for me, why toy with me?”

  “Because he’s a sadist, and he enjoys it. It’s like a game of cat and mouse. He could go for the throat right away, but what’s the fun. He’s narcissistic enough to believe he’s invincible.”

  “He’s narcissistic, but he’s also paranoid. To the extreme. He rarely lets anyone near him without careful vetting. That’s why it was strange I got into the inner circle so easily. I had assumed he wanted to sleep with me—nothing more. Given his reputation, it wasn’t a stretch. Now I think I was played all along.”

  “Unfortunately, it sounds like that may be the case.”

  “Shit. This is such a mess. When I thought I was volunteering, all along I was being steered to join the task force, to go undercover. Halverson took me under his wing as an agent with years under his belt, as a mentor.” She stopped pacing and scrunched her forehead as if something had just occurred to her. “I know he hasn’t gotten to them. Yet. I do believe if he had I would be dead. JD would be dead. You and Coop. Dead.”

  “If this is all a vendetta against your parents, the best way to get to them is to kill their children. Not only that but to kill them in a spectacular and horrible manner.”

  “But the end game is to kill them, right?” Jessie asked, rubbing her temples.

  “Maybe it is, or maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s to torture them by killing you,” Coop offered.

  “No. He wants them dead as well. Killing me won’t get them to come out of hiding.”

  “Yes, it would. They would strike fast and to the heart of his operation,” Cole said.

  “If Halverson doesn’t know where they are, then he wants to use me to get them to come out of hiding. It would be the best way to exact revenge. Take out their kids, with them watching and then take them out. Which means he will come for you both as well.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it.” Cole wasn’t about to let the drug lord take them all down, and judging by the look on Coop and Jessie’s faces, neither were they.

  “There is another other option—Halverson knows where they are but hasn’t told El Diablo. It could be his only bargaining chip.” Coop spoke quietly, but with conviction. “He must know after this is all done he’ll be disposed of. He’s a loose end as well.”

  “That’s a good point, and we know El Diablo comes unhinged if someone bests him. If he finds out Halverson knew and didn’t tell him? That won’t end well for Halverson. So, he would be screwed either way,” Jessie said thoughtfully.

  “The events of that day still don’t make sense to me,” Cole stated.

  “How so?”

  “There was a shootout when he was leaving the house after he killed two men inside the house?”

  “Right.”

  “Why would he leave the house with the drugs and money inside?” Coop asked, following Cole’s train of thought.

  “We presumed he was going to go back for it. Or he hadn’t intended on killing the guys inside, and he left in a hurry. He wouldn’t have panicked though. In fact, when he came outside, he looked calm as could be. I think he would have called for a clean-up crew to go in and secure the drugs and money. After he was safely away. I don’t know why he was there in person though. He’d been just gaining a foothold in that area, so maybe he was making an example of the men inside the house? I know from the reports that they were executed. El Diablo does like to get his hands bloody. He’s surrounded by guards, but he has a serious taste for violence.”

  “When he came outside, he ran into your parents.”

  “And your parents.”

  She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms, wincing at the contact to her bandaged arm. Cole was at her side before he realized he was moving. He tipped her chin up with a finger and looked her over.

  “Pain meds starting to wear off?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Stop trying to be tough. The burn is deep. I know it hurts.”

  “I’ll go to the pharmacy when it opens and fill the prescription for you,” Coop said.

  “No!” She nearly shouted the word, then as if realizing how loud her outburst was, she continued quietly, “I don’t like how the drugs make me feel. Unfocused. I need to be firing on all cylinders until I see this through.”

  Cole knew that was only part of why she was so adamant Coop not go. He could read through the attempt to cover it up pretty easily—which was an indication of how much pain she was in—her reaction was over the top because she didn’t want Coop out of their sight. Cole tended to agree with her on that thought. He didn’t want any of them out of their sight for the duration. At least not until this was all said and done. And after? After he might not let her out of his sight merely because in a short amount of time he’d gotten used to being around the gorgeous agent and was in no hurry to change that.

  “I can understand that, but we also need you able to function, and if you’re in pain you won’t be of use to us.” Harsh? A little bit.

  “I’ll take some Tylenol or Ibuprofen, but that’s it.”

  “Good enough. Any chance you’ll agree to resting for a couple hours?” The disgusted snort that came out of her mouth clearly squashed that idea.

  “Not on your life. However, if we could go—as a group—to town and get my car, that would be great. I have a change of clothes in there and some other stuff. Not to mention it’ll begin to look suspicious that it’s still sitting there. I definitely don’t want anyone to get too curious and look inside.”

  Cole didn’t really want to leave the house empty. If they were watching the house, who knows what sabotage could be accomplished while they were in town, but he suspected he knew what was in the back of her car and he didn’t want to leave the car there any longer than it had already been there. It was only a matter of time until the police showed up and had it towed and it would be more of a headache than it was worth to explain the firearms she was sure to have in the car. He said as much as they were locking up the house. Coop smirked and said he had notified the police when he went into town the previous night. Cole should have known his brother would cover it.

  “How did you know which car was mine?�
� she asked, her forehead creased.

  “I didn’t. I just told them JD’s sister was in town and snagged a ride here with Cole, who surprised me by coming home for a visit. I told them you were out with JD and Cole and planned to get it in the morning. It wouldn’t be hard to figure it out; they can just run your plates.” The fact that she didn’t think of that herself had Cole even more convinced she was hiding how much pain she was in.

  “They didn’t think it was strange she didn’t drive herself out here?”

  “If they did, they didn’t mention it. Just like they didn’t comment when they saw you in your boxers and Jessie in your T-shirt sans any other clothing when the barn was on fire.”

  Cole noticed Jessie’s cheeks flush slightly. He liked seeing the color in her cheeks, even if it meant she was embarrassed. She had been looking entirely too pale since the picture was sent to her. Actually, since the barn fire. They were all under a lot of stress.

  “Thin story or not, it’s still plausible. They don’t have a reason to second-guess the story. You didn’t mention that JD is missing?” Jessie was chewing on her plump bottom lip again. He remembered those lips on him and had to forcibly stop himself from thinking about it. “Anyway, let’s get going. I would like to have what little I do have at my disposal here for us to use.”

  As they were walking to the car, Cole heard a vehicle approaching. He smiled when he turned and saw the black hummer coming down the driveway. Jessie tensed and tried to step in front of him, her hand going for the Glock she had tucked into the waistband of the scrubs she’d worn home from the hospital. He had noticed the gun when he came into the kitchen earlier. She must have had it in her purse because it hadn’t been on her when they were in the barn making love. He wouldn’t have missed it as he stripped her bare. He put his hand on her wrist, effectively stopping her.

  “Easy there, tough guy, he’s a friend.” She visibly relaxed as he went to the side of the hummer to greet the new arrival.

  If she had thought Cole was attractive when he brooded, his face transformed, and he became a whole different person when he smiled. She stopped breathing at the sight of him smiling from ear to ear when the giant of a man climbed out of the sexy-as-hell black hummer.

  “Don’t forget to breathe,” Coop said while trying not to smile. She sucked in a breath and looked at him trying, unsuccessfully, to look irritated.

  “What? I was just on edge from the unexpected visitor.”

  “Liar. My brother has you all discombobulated.”

  “Discombobulated?” A million-dollar word that was one hundred percent accurate.

  “Yep.” He bumped hips with her and then walked toward the two men who were currently doing the manly handshake, half-hug thing that men often did.

  “Coop, Jessie, this is Harrison Black, my right-hand man at Port Investigations.” Cole looked at the buff man. Why did she detect a question in his statement to him?

  “Nice to meet you, I’ve heard great things about you,” Coop said, extending his hand to shake the other man’s.

  “Likewise.” Black’s voice was deep and husky. The voice combined with his muscular body and shaved head made for a tantalizing picture. If she hadn’t met Cole, she would have found him attractive and may have been interested in the dangerous looking man. The damn man had ruined her for all other men, and for some reason, the thought didn’t upset her nearly enough.

  “How’s everything on the home front?”

  “Everything’s fine. I left Pax in charge.”

  “Good choice. See, you have good instincts.” More innuendo was hidden in that statement. The behemoth crossed his arms, flexed them, and then sighed heavily before smiling tightly.

  “Fine. I accept your offer. But I want the name to be Port Black Investigations.”

  “Works for me. Coop…Jessie, meet my new partner, Harrison Black.” If Jessie thought the smile before had knocked her off her feet, she wasn’t prepared for the relieved expression on Cole’s face. It was as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. Clearly, he respected and trusted Harrison if he was going to make him a partner in his business, but it didn’t answer why he was there. At the farm. Standing toe-to-toe with the two Davenport men.

  “I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but why are you here?”

  “Cole called last night and asked me to come ASAP. I drove through the night.”

  “You made excellent time.” Cole looked at his watch with his eyebrows raised.

  “I was already en route when you called. After we pinged JD’s phone, I just had a bad feeling. Kept bugging me. I decided to come this way, and if things got ironed out before I got here, worst case I would just spend the night then go home. Then you called and said the barn had burned down. I knew I’d made the right call.”

  “Yeah. Port Black Investigations sounds pretty good right now.” It was obvious Harrison had impressed Cole by coming this way.

  “No shit, right? Anyway, I loaded the Hummer up with an arsenal.”

  “Music to my ears. I think we’re going to need it.” He looked at Jessie and then at Coop, before adding, “Listen, we were just about to head to town to get Jessie’s car. Want to stay here with Coop, get everything set up?” AKA watch my baby brother. Jessie figured Coop wasn’t really thrilled with being babysat, but he didn’t complain.

  “Sure. I have to hit the head if you don’t mind?”

  “I’ll show you where it’s at,” Coop said, then turned to look at Cole before he led Harrison to the house. “Don’t think I wasn’t aware you were bringing me to town in a vain effort to protect me. I wasn’t going to go with anyway. The fire investigator is coming here this morning. Remember?” Coop winked and then left.

  “Black seems really nice.”

  “Nice.” Cole laughed a little.

  “What? What’s wrong with what I said?”

  “Nothing. It’s just that nice isn’t an adjective people often use to describe Black.”

  “No. I imagine it isn’t. I imagine dangerous and sexy are used though.”

  “You think he’s sexy?”

  “If you like that look.” She smirked as she climbed into the car. She discovered it was fun trying to make him jealous but decided to put him out of his misery.

  “Don’t let the dangerous edge fool you. Inside he’s also a big teddy bear. Lethal when he needs to be. But he has a soft center.”

  “He’s been through a rough patch…I can see it in his eyes.”

  “Yeah. He was undercover for a while trying to take down a sex trafficking ring.”

  “Did he succeed?”

  “He did, but it took its toll.”

  “Hence why he isn’t an officer anymore?”

  “Yeah, he handed his badge in the day they took down the ring.”

  “I can respect that. Glad he landed in your lap.”

  “Me too. I was caught up in the tail end of that operation; it got ugly.”

  “I remember you mentioning it.”

  They had pulled into town and she saw her car in the parking lot where she left it. She found herself relieved it was still there. For some reason, she’d thought it would be missing—either towed or stolen—by who, she didn’t know. The paranoia was getting to her.

  “We aren’t going to be able to keep this quiet much longer.” She had her hand on the handle of the door and looked at him before she opened it. “Not after the barn fire.”

  “I know. I’m going to follow you back. Go straight back to the farm. Don’t deviate.”

  “Yes, sir.” She saluted him and laughed as she climbed out of the vehicle. It felt good to laugh. The man couldn’t help himself. He treated her like porcelain.

  It was cute how he thought he could boss her around. Like she wasn’t a federal agent who was fully capable of taking care of herself. A part of her thought it was kind of sweet. Even though she was more than capable of taking care of herself, it was nice that someone had her back, she hadn’t realized how much she wanted tha
t in her life. Who would have thought, strong and independent Jessie would want an alpha male in her life? She was shaking her head and smiling to herself while she dug her keys out of her pocket. With a glance back over her shoulder at Cole sitting in his car, she clicked the unlock button of her SUV, and her world exploded in a pile of metal and fire. As the concussion from the explosion threw her back and onto the pavement, there was little time to register what had happened before she blacked out.

  18

  Everything sounded like it was coming at her through a tunnel. Her ears were ringing, and someone was shouting at her as she tried to focus, but it was no use. Try as she might, she wasn’t able to make out the words—they were insistent, but too far away. She was able to decipher through the ringing the person saying her name over and over again. Fine, she thought, I hear you. She opened her eyes and squinted at the light. Her head was splitting, and the buzzing in her ears wouldn’t stop. She struggled to sit up even though hands were pressing into her to hold her down. It was the pressure on her body from those hands that had her fighting back and reaching for her gun.

  “Easy. It’s just me.” Finally, she registered the person who had been talking to her was Cole, and she allowed him to hold her against his body. “Better leave that gun right there, the police are going to be here any second. If I thought we could leave without answering any questions, I would have scooped you up and taken off. Unfortunately, I don’t think we have that option any longer. In fact, I think we’re going to have some explaining to do.”

  “All right, I get it, I’m with you. Just give me a second to get my bearings.” She winced from the pain of talking. The burn on her arm was screaming at her and was currently battling her head for first place in the pain department. “Stop crying, your tears are getting in my eyes.”

  “That’s not my tears.”

  “Well, what the hell is it then?”