Army Ranger Redemption (15 page)

The whisper turned into a lowered male voice. “We can’t do it again, not with those two snooping around.”

“I’ll make it worth your while, just like last time.”

The other speaker snorted softly. “Didn’t work out that great twenty-five years ago.”

Scarlett’s muscles froze and she held her breath.

“Not my problem. I can take care of her, but you gotta get rid of him—and it all has to look like an accident.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard. He’s got that gimpy leg and I heard he’s kinda messed up in the head.”

She backed up one step, the hand holding her wineglass, trembling.

The fire door above her burst open and Jim called down. “Hello?”

Terrified Jim would say her name, she spun around, taking the first step. Her toe hit the edge and she dropped her wineglass.

It shattered into a million pieces and broadcast her presence in the stairwell—loud and clear.

Chapter Fourteen

Jim jumped when he heard the crash of broken glass echo in the stairwell. Taking a step forward, he drew in a breath to call out to Scarlett. A split second later she appeared before him, her face white, a finger held to her lips.

Then he heard it. Heavy footsteps from the floors above.

Jim widened the door and grabbed Scarlett’s arm when she reached him and pulled her into the lobby.

She gasped out one word: “Run.”

If they were running from the people coming down those stairs, they wouldn’t get very far. Jim pulled Scarlett in his wake as he careened down the hallway, looking for an out.

A supply room door stood open and Jim pushed Scarlett into the small room and yanked the door closed behind them. He braced his shoulder against the door in case it didn’t lock and shoved his hand in his pocket and withdrew his Glock.

With his other arm, he held Scarlett against his chest where her heart pounded in rhythm with his.

His muscles coiled when the door to the stairwell crashed open, and Scarlett’s body stiffened in his arms. He put his lips close to her ear, the damp tendrils of her hair tickling his nose. “Shh.”

The carpet in the hallway muffled the footsteps heading their way, but to his ears they sounded like a herd of elephants.

He didn’t know what the hell Scarlett had been running from, but the panic on her face told him everything he needed to know.

As the footsteps drew near, Jim licked his lips, his trigger finger tensing. The door handle went down and stopped with a click.

A bead of sweat traced Jim’s hairline and dripped off his jaw.

Scarlett’s warm breath permeated his T-shirt, but she didn’t let out one sound.

The footsteps moved away, and Jim wedged his finger beneath Scarlett’s chin and shook his head.

Would the men be waiting for them in the hallway? Did they know he and Scarlett had ducked into this closet? He pressed his ear against the door, barely discerning a murmur of voices. He and Scarlett would camp out in this little room all night if they had to—not the end to the evening he’d been anticipating.

With his back to the door, he slid to the floor, taking Scarlett with him. The maid’s cart and the shelves stacked with towels gave him just enough room to sit with his knees bent.

He pulled Scarlett between his legs, and she rested her back against his chest, her head falling onto his shoulder. He kissed her temple and whispered, “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

He tightened his arms around her. He wanted the whole story, but he wanted to keep her safe more. They had time and he was patient. Hadn’t he waited for his death in a filthy prison for nine months?

Over an hour later, Jim nudged Scarlett. “Are you sleeping?”

“Dozing. Can we talk now?”

“I think it’s safe to leave our self-imposed captivity.”

Twisting around, she placed her hands on either side of his face. “How are you doing? No flashbacks? No seizures?”

“Not even a twinge.” Bracing one hand against the door, he rose to his feet and stretched as much as he could. He helped Scarlett up and rubbed her back.

“Just stay behind me while I open the door.” He pulled out his gun and leveled it in front of him.

“Do you think they could still be out there? Waiting? Watching?”

“I think they went out the side door, so maybe they think we ran outside. I haven’t heard any noises on this end of the hallway, but keep yourself hidden behind me.”

He pushed down on the door handle, holding his breath. Then he eased it open a crack and peered through it.

“I think we’re good.” He widened the door and stepped into the hallway, gripping his gun at his side. “We’re taking the elevator. Just keep moving and run if I tell you to run.”

He jabbed the elevator button to call the car and let out a breath when the doors opened immediately on the lobby floor. He urged Scarlett into the elevator ahead of him and crowded her into the corner until the doors closed.

For several more tense minutes, they rode the elevator to their floor and Jim didn’t take another breath until he slammed the door to their room behind them.

Scarlett collapsed, throwing herself across the bed, one arm flung over her face.

He sat on the edge of the mattress and rubbed her foot. “What happened in the stairwell?”

She took a few more shaky breaths and hoisted herself up on her elbows. “Two men are planning to get rid of us.”

Jim hardened his jaw but didn’t stop massaging Scarlett’s cold, bare foot. “What men? Did you recognize them?”

“I couldn’t see them. They were whispering and talking so softly, I couldn’t distinguish their voices. The only reason I heard what they were saying was because of the acoustics in the stairwell.”

“Why do they want to get rid of us? What else did they say?”

“Because we’re meddling.” She sat up and dug her fingers into his biceps. “They’re planning more kidnappings.”

“What?”

“They said something about repeating what they did twenty-five years ago. We have to tell Sheriff Musgrove. We have to warn everyone.”

His hand moved up her leg and stroked her calf. “If they just put a target on your back, you’re getting out of Timberline. Maybe I should’ve let them catch up to us so we could’ve identified them.”

“They may know who I am, anyway.” She fell back on the bed and hugged a pillow to her chest. “I dropped that glass of wine. They don’t have to be rocket scientists to trace that back to the bar.”

“Did you know the bartender?”

“No.”

“So, if he tells them anything at all, he’s going to say a woman with dark hair bought a glass of wine? Not a lot to go on.”

“We don’t have a lot to go on either, do we? Have you heard anything about Dax’s condition?”

“I called the hospital when I was waiting for you to get your wine, and he’s the same.”

“Why did you come downstairs to find me?”

“You know, it’s funny. I had a feeling something wasn’t right, or maybe I wasn’t happy with the idea of you wandering around on your own after everything that happened.”

“Maybe I’m rubbing off on you. I’m the one with the ESP. How’d you even know I was in the stairwell?”

“I had just stepped off the elevator and saw you go through the door. There were a bunch of people waiting for the elevator, so I couldn’t get your attention.” His hand slipped up to her thigh. “And you’re definitely rubbing off on me.”

“I—I think one of the men was my uncle.”

“How are we going to prove that? How are we going to prove anything?” He stretched out beside her. “Maybe it’s time to call that FBI agent and tell him what we know.”

“Which isn’t a whole lot.”

“Maybe he knows something that can make sense of what we’ve been grasping at. He’s the one that made the connection between the Lords of Chaos and the drug trafficking.”

“I’ll call him tomorrow.” She yawned. “This was supposed to be a relaxing getaway. I don’t even have my glass of wine.”

He trailed his hand up her body and slipped it beneath her T-shirt. He cupped one of her bare breasts in his hand, swiping the pad of his thumb across her peaked nipple. “I have ways of relaxing you that don’t involve hot tubs or alcohol.”

She sighed and her eyelashes fluttered. “We do have some unfinished business, don’t we?”

“The thought of that unfinished business is the only thing that kept me sane in that supply closet.” He rolled up her T-shirt and flicked his tongue inside her navel.

She combed her fingers through his hair. “Do you know what would relax me right now?”

Rolling his head to the side, he looked up at her through narrowed eyes. “Don’t tell me watching TV.”

She scooted out from beneath him and pushed him onto his back. Then she straddled him, yanked up his T-shirt and dragged her fingernails along his chest.

As she rocked against his erection, she whispered, “Forget TV. I have all the entertainment I need right at my fingertips.”

He closed his eyes and let her entertain him.

* * *

S
CARLETT
KICKED
THE
tangled covers from her legs and rubbed her eyes. Through the closed bathroom door, she heard the shower running.

She scrambled from the bed. If Jim planned to boot her out of Timberline, she planned to get her fill of him first.

She crept into the bathroom, filled with citrus-scented steam, and whipped aside the shower curtain.

Jim grabbed her and pulled her under the stream of warm water.

She let out a yelp, and he laughed. “If you thought you could surprise an army ranger sniper, you’ve got another think coming, woman.”

She kissed away a rivulet of water sliding down the flat planes of his chest. “Why did you sneak away?”

“Sneak?” He ran soapy hands down her back. “I got a call from the hospital about Dax and figured I’d better get ready.”

“Is it bad news?” She dug her fingers into his sides.

“No. Not good news, either. He’s still unconscious. They just called to tell me he’s been moved to the main hospital.”

“Are you going to visit him today?”

“Yeah. Like you said last night, he might be aware of what’s going on around him.” He kissed her. “I’ll leave the shower to you.”

She finished showering by herself, but it had gotten a lot cooler without Jim...and a lot less interesting.

By the time she got out, he was dressed and looking at his phone with his eyebrows drawn over his nose.

“Is it Dax?”

He looked up. “A strange text from an unknown number.”

“Really?” She tucked her towel around her body. Coming up behind him, she stood on her tiptoes and peered over his shoulder. “What’s it say?”

Find the drugs, stop the kidnappings. Begin at the beginning.

“What?” She dropped to her heels. “Who sent that? What does it mean?”

He pulled out a chair and sat on the edge, tapping his phone against his chin. “Let’s think about it for a minute. The Lords of Chaos were selling drugs back then. Even Gary Binder was involved at a low level and he was eliminated.”

“And that drug trade had something to do with the kidnappings.”

“The Lords had to be getting the drugs from somewhere because they weren’t producers, and they had to be getting the money to buy the drugs from somewhere.”

“Other criminal activities?” She massaged her temples. “How do the kidnappings fit in?”

Jim snapped his fingers. “Or the Lords paid in trade.”

“What does that mean?”

“The Lords were doing something for the drug providers in exchange for product.”

“Like what? Fixing their bikes?”

“Like kidnapping.”

Scarlett clutched the towel around her waist. “Do you think the Lords of Chaos kidnapped those kids in exchange for the drugs?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“A-and who supplied the drugs?”

“Think about it.”

“My uncle.”

“Bingo.” Jim pressed the tip of his index finger in the middle of her forehead.

“But that would mean he ordered the kidnappings. Why? Why would Uncle Danny want to kidnap three children?”

“I don’t know, but the conversation you heard in the stairwell last night indicates that he wants to do it again.”

“Oh, no.” She shook her head, the wet ends of her hair flicking droplets of water here and there. “This town can’t go through something like that again. When Wyatt Carson kidnapped those kids, it just about tore Timberline apart at the seams.”

“So, back to the text.” He drummed his fingers on the credenza. “It sounds like there are some drugs missing.”

“Once those drugs are found, they can be payoff for another round of kidnappings, but what’s the purpose of the kidnappings? Where are those three—Kayla, Stevie and Heather?”

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m thinking it had to be some child-trafficking ring.”

“My uncle?” She twisted the corner of her towel between two fingers. “I know he’s not a good guy, but that?”

“What else? If some sicko was just murdering kids, he’d do it himself. Why go through some elaborate scheme of using drugs to compensate a bunch of bikers to kidnap the children?”

“And why those bikers?” Shivering, she crossed her arms.

Jim tucked her towel around her body. “Go get dressed and dry your hair. You’re getting chilled.”

“This conversation isn’t helping.” She turned and scurried back to the bathroom. “And I’m going with you to see Dax.”

An hour later, after checking out via the TV, they slipped out of the hotel.

Scarlett watched the hotel entrance in her rearview mirror as she drove out of the parking lot. “If that was Danny in the stairwell, he can’t know for sure that I was the one listening to him. I’m so glad you didn’t call out my name.”

“Me, too, but you need to watch your back.”

“We both do.” She tugged on the sleeve of his flannel shirt. “Do you think anyone’s going to notice we’re wearing the same clothes as yesterday?”

“I don’t think it matters unless you want to go home and change.”

“That’s okay. I at least had a shower.”

“I remember.” He brushed one knuckle down her thigh.

“Jim, about last night...” She bit her bottom lip.

He squeezed her leg above her knee. “A night to remember.”

Her nose tingled and she nodded. “I’ll never forget it.”

And maybe that’s all she’d ever have of Jim Kennedy—the memories. Would they be enough?

* * *

S
CARLETT
PULLED
INTO
the parking lot of the main hospital, which was around the corner from the emergency entrance. Jim checked in at the reception desk on the ICU floor, and the nurse gave him Dax’s room number and the go-ahead to visit him.

When Jim pushed open the door, he froze and Scarlett bumped into him.

Jim asked, “Who are you?”

Scarlett peered around Jim’s large frame and met the heated gaze of a redhead sitting next to Dax’s bed.

“Who the hell are you? If you take one more step into this room, I’m going to scream bloody murder for the nurse.”

“Whoa.” Jim held up one hand. “I’m Dax’s brother, Jim Kennedy.”

The redhead gave Jim the once-over and the deep lines around her mouth softened. “You’re J.T. I see it now. You look just like my man—maybe a little softer around the edges.”