Deadly Identity (17 page)

Sitting back, she put her hands against her eyes
as the tears trailed down her face. “This is too good to believe. It really is,” she said tremulously.

Cade had to stop touching her. “It's real, Rachel. All of it. Your mom is coming here. That will help you and her a lot.”

Rachel rubbed her tears from her eyes. “It's like a fairy tale, Cade. I would never have believed this could happen. Not in my wildest dreams.” She searched his warm, inviting gray gaze. “I—I don't know what to say….”

Cade grazed her damp cheek with his fingers. “This is the beginning of a new chapter in your life.” Cade withdrew his fingers because if he didn't, he would sweep Rachel into his arms and take her to his bed. He didn't want to take advantage of her shock and joy. No, he wanted her for all the right reasons. And he wanted her on her time and terms.

Wild tingles flitted across Rachel's cheek where Cade had gently stroked her flesh. How badly she craved his touch! And now, it was even more wonderful because in the future, she might openly be able to go to him. Rachel dreamed of sharing with Cade her love for him and Jenny. Maybe they could be a family. She knew this was possible because of the burning look in his hooded gaze. That look sent rivulets of heated promise from her heart to the center of her core. Rachel had never felt this kind of desire in her life. She realized that she really hadn't loved Payson at all; it had been simply what her mother had called
“puppy love.”
This
was real. Rachel held his intense look—the look of a man wanting his woman in all ways.

“I'm just overwhelmed,” Rachel admitted with a husky laugh. Drying her cheeks, she felt shaky with joy. “I can't believe this, Cade. This is so generous of you and your family. My faith in people's goodness has been restored.”

As he forced himself to keep his hands around the mug of coffee, Cade felt his heart pounding heavily in his chest. “No one deserves this more than you and your family.”

“Will my brothers know about this? Will Brenda tell them?”

“Probably, in time, but not right now. Like I said, the paperwork and approval hurdles need to happen first. If I read between the lines of what Brenda told the captain, the rest of your family will be notified once your mother has been moved out here.”

“That's going to make Mom so happy,” Rachel quavered, thinking about the ramifications of this sudden shift in FBI policy. “This will blow her away.”

Cade held up his hand. “You can tell her about it, but don't talk about a date because it could be sooner or later.”

Nodding, Rachel said, “Of course.” She gave Cade a smile.

Rachel's face changed dramatically when she was
happy and smiling, Cade thought, just now realizing how depressed and unhappy she'd been before. And yet, Cade hadn't seen it or sensed it. Rachel had taken the witness protection program to heart. She had changed in so many ways. What he saw now, tore the breath from him and made his heart gallop like a wild stallion racing free across the land.

Shaking her head, Rachel murmured, “I just can't believe all of this, Cade. I owe you and Captain Henderson so much.”

The quiver in her husky voice tore at Cade. Reaching out, he captured her hand. “Listen,” he told her gravely, “I didn't do anything. Captain Henderson did it all. One of these days, soon, we'll have him and his wife out here for dinner and you can thank him in person.”

“I'd love to,” Rachel said, squeezing his hand in return. How natural it felt to have this kind of intimacy with Cade. She didn't want it to stop here. Rachel's hands literally itched to be free to explore Cade from the top of his head down to his feet. As heat raced up her neck and into her cheeks, Rachel avoided Cade's gaze and released his hand. “We always had huge dinners at home. Mom would invite our friends and neighbors to Sunday dinner. It was a busy, but a happy day. I would help her in the kitchen. We were able to catch up with our friends and neighbors. Every week, another farm family would host the Sunday dinner. That way, no one family had to
feed an army by themselves.” Rachel smiled fondly in remembrance of those happier times.

“Well,” Cade said, “I see no reason why we can't start that same kind of Sunday gathering. People get cabin fever here in the winter and that would be a great time to initiate it. People would have something to look forward to.”

Rachel couldn't find words to express her gratitude. “I feel as if this is all a dream,” Rachel whispered unsteadily as she gazed warmly around the kitchen. “I can't think of a time when I was happier than I am here.” She gave Jenny a loving look as she sat in her playpen with her red dragon. Glancing over at Cade, Rachel swallowed hard and added, “And to be here with you. I was so green and stupid to run off with Payson. I realize that now. And more than anything, you're a man I never believed could exist. You're my hero, Cade. You make me want to look at having a relationship once more. Before meeting you, I wanted nothing to do with men.”

Cade kept a steel grip on his thoughts. He had to be careful. Rachel was coming out of a long nightmare journey and years of hiding. The woman who glowed with newfound hope in the chair next to him reminded him of an angel who had come to earth.
My angel.
And he'd never forget when she'd sung “The Angel's Song,” one of his favorite Christmas hymns.

Cade began in a subdued tone, “Give yourself the
time you need to be yourself once again. You've had a lot of years of hiding, Rachel. You've grown and matured but now you need space to explore yourself in a safe, protected environment. Our relationship will define itself over time.”

She closed her eyes, her hands clasped to her lips. “I've had so many dreams of me and my family being together once more.” Tears momentarily blurred Cade's strong, rugged face. Rachel added in a strained voice, “My heart feels like it's going to explode with happiness. I have so much to look forward to if Dirk is caught before he can do us harm.”

R
ACHEL WATCHED THE SNOW
falling and twirling past the window. It had snowed last night and this morning. The white stuff was everywhere. But even the endless winter couldn't dampen her spirits.

“Mom?” Rachel could barely keep the joy out of her voice as she stood at the kitchen sink, phone in hand. It was April first, the day she could talk with her mother for ten minutes. How she wanted all of this to end!

“Hi, honey. I'm packed and ready to come out your way starting tomorrow morning!”

“Isn't it wonderful? Brenda must have called you.”

“I talked to her yesterday, and she said I'll be picked up at 8:00 a.m. for my flight out to Cheyenne.”

Rachel closed her eyes with a deep sense of relief. “I just can't believe all the good things that are happening, Mom. Finally, there's a break. We get a break!”

“From what Brenda said, it's all thanks to the man whose baby you're caring for.”

“Yes…Cade.” Rachel gulped and opened her eyes. “He's wonderful, Mom. I—I think I'm falling in love with him even though we haven't discussed anything like that.”

“He's a good man, Rachel,” Daisy said in a more serious tone. “And I'm sure things have been so chaotic you haven't had time to talk to one another.”

“I've made so many mistakes in the past. I'm afraid I'll make more.”

“Young people make plenty of mistakes. I made mine. I ran away from home for a week until the police found me in Des Moines, Iowa, and brought me home.” Daisy chuckled over those memories.

Eyes widening, Rachel said, “You never told us about that!”

“Why would I?” She gave a hearty laugh. “Then you'd get the big idea to run off, too.”

“Well, it's nice to know that you weren't perfect.”

“No one is,” Daisy told her. “The key is in forgiving yourself and getting your children through that chaotic period. We all go through tough times, Rachel. And some of us make more serious mistakes than others. I believe firmly that as you mature, you find your way into a better life. And look at you! Brenda said you were in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I've never been there, but I'm sure looking forward to being on a ranch near you.”

Laughing, Rachel felt another layer of dread and
heaviness melting off her shoulders. “Ranches and farms are similar, Mom. You'll love it here. The whole family is wonderful. Cade's mother is teaching me the basics of quilting and I'm actually completing a little baby quilt for Jenny.”

“Wonderful!” Daisy said. “You know, your grand mother was a quilting queen.”

“I know,” Rachel sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table. “I'm so glad we have all her quilts. I remember the wedding-ring pattern she made for my birthday when I turned twelve. Grams said I was a young lady now and I needed a young woman's quilt.”

“I remember,” Daisy said, a faraway sound in her voice as she recalled those happy days. “Your grams and I sat down when you were in school and went through all your scrapbooks. Grams saw how much you loved flowers and landscapes. She wanted to make a quilt for you that reflected what you loved. I can't tell you how many times she traveled around Iowa to the quilting stores looking for just the right fabrics for it.”

“That quilt has always been my favorite,” Rachel whispered, a catch in her tone. “There are so many flowers in each circle.”

“She worked a year on that one for you, but it was worth it,” Daisy murmured. “Quilting is in your DNA. I'm hoping when Payson gets caught that we
can all be together as a family again. That we can get on with our lives….”

Suddenly, a “pop” sound came through the phone she held.

“Mom?”

Nothing. She heard the cell phone drop to the floor. Her heart raced with fear. Was that a gun? Standing, Rachel gripped the phone so hard her hand hurt. “Mom? Mom?” Her voice cracked. Dread jagged through her. “Mom?” she screamed.

The connection went dead.

Shocked, Rachel stared at the phone. Her world tilted crazily. Stunned, she was momentarily paralyzed. What had happened to her mother? With a cry, Rachel shakily punched in the numbers to Brenda, her handler.

“Brenda?” Rachel asked, her voice wobbly.

“Yes. What's wrong, Rachel? You sound upset.”

The words tore out of her mouth as Rachel told her what had happened. There was sudden silence.

“You're sure?” Brenda demanded.

“Yes! Yes, I'm sure! My mother, Brenda. My God, something's wrong. I just feel it in my gut.”

“I'll get local law enforcement over to her apartment pronto. You hang up. I'll call you on your cell as soon as I know what's going down.”

The phone receiver clicked off. Rachel's world had gone from bright and hopeful to the worst nightmare she could imagine. Tears jammed her eyes. Her
mother… She didn't want to believe that Dirk could have found her. Hand pressed to her lips, Rachel sobbed once. She had to get hold of herself! How had Dirk, or whoever it was, found her mother? And how much of the conversation on the phone had he overheard?

Cade!
She had to get to Cade right away. This changed everything. Rachel sat down, suddenly traumatized by the weight she'd carried for so many years alone. This meant only one thing: that Dirk had somehow found her mother and he would now find her. Rachel tried to slow down her thoughts and think clearly.

Her cell phone rang. Rachel jerked her hand off it, as if burned. Brenda.

“H-hello,” Rachel stumbled.

“I've got the police going over to Daisy's apartment, Rachel. Are you absolutely sure you heard a gun being fired?”

“It was a popping sound. The cell connection went dead. What else am I to assume?”

“I don't know. There's too many unanswered questions right now.”

“I'm so scared she's been hurt….” Rachel said brokenly. A wave of grief made her shudder. Rachel had lived with the possibility that both of them could die. Now, it was coming true.

“I don't know. As soon as I hear something from
the detectives, I'll let you know. Just stay calm and do not move, you hear me?”

Nodding, Rachel wiped the tears from her eyes. “Y-yes, I understand, Brenda. Just find out about my mom.”

 

C
ADE HAD JUST ENTERED
the kitchen an hour later after being called by Captain Henderson. He found Rachel at the table, sobbing, her face hidden in her long, artistic fingers. Without a word, he walked swiftly over to her chair and crouched down, his hands on her shoulders.

“Rachel?”

She lifted her hands from her face. “Oh, Cade, something happened to my mom. Someone…I don't know who…shot her…” She fell into his arms, weeping.

“When I heard I came straight home. I'm sorry, Rachel…come here…” Cade held her tightly against him. She shook like a leaf in some terrible storm. He looked around the kitchen, his mind like a bear trap considering all the possibilities. Henderson had called him on the radio and he'd come directly to the ranch. The FBI had confirmed that Rachel's mother had died of one gunshot to the head. The shooter hadn't been identified. Cade hadn't been sure how much Rachel knew until now. Gently moving his hand across her hair and shaking shoulders, he could feel her pain and terror.

No one knew how Payson had found Rachel's mother in Florida. A good computer hacker could get into any type of records and information, even the FBI files. He would bet his life that was what had happened. It would be easy for Payson to find Daisy. And Rachel…

“Oh, Cade,” Rachel mumbled, lifting her head from his shoulder, “Brenda called me a few minutes ago and told me my mom was dead. She's dead….”

“I know, I know,” Cade whispered, sadness moving through him. He slid his fingers across her cheeks in an effort to try and dry some of her tears. “I'm so sorry, Rachel. So sorry.” Looking into her eyes so filled with grief and shock, Cade realized everything had to change. His protectiveness ballooned to new heights. He loved Rachel. He wanted her at his side for the rest of his life. He wanted to keep her safe. And he wanted Jenny and his parents safe, as well. “We'll get through this together, Rachel. You aren't alone. You have friends here. Family who loves you. Somehow, we'll sort out what's happening and you are going to be safe. You hear me?”

The words barely had an impact on Rachel. She sat there, her hands on the shoulders of his jacket. His gray eyes reminded her of a predatory eagle on a hunt. As she clung to his intense look, her fingers automatically tightened on the material of his jacket. “My mom is dead….” It was all she could think. So
many past happy moments with her fled before her eyes and heart.

“Listen to me,” Cade said, giving Rachel a small shake to get her to focus, “tell me what happened in that phone call. What did your mother say?”

Rachel gulped back her grief and tried to focus. Just having his hands on her shoulders gave her stability. Choking out the entire phone call with her mother, she noticed Cade's every reaction. “Someone shot her, Cade. In cold blood… They never spoke to me. They just hung up the phone. All I heard was a click and then the connection ended.”

Payson would do the same to Rachel, and Cade knew it. He kept his suspicions to himself, tried to soothe by stroking her pale cheek. Under no circumstances could she know the terror he felt. He'd already lost one woman he'd loved. Cade was damned if he was going to lose Rachel now.

Captain Henderson had ordered him to remain with Rachel at the ranch until some kind of viable plan, with all the information from the FBI, could be cobbled together. “Listen, we'll take this a step at a time. Together, Rachel. I want you in my life. Always.” Cade wanted to say more, but now was not the time. He wasn't even sure she heard him. Her eyes were glazed; she was traumatized, so Cade repeated himself until she seemed to grasp what he was saying.

“First things first,” Cade told her gently. “Let me
work with Brenda. I'll be here all the time, Rachel. I'm not leaving your side. My mother will take Jenny over to their home for the next few days.”

“No,” she sobbed. “Don't take Jenny, too! I—I couldn't stand losing her, too. I'll be okay, Cade. I can care for her, I promise.”

Something tore within Cade's heart. Just the high pitch of Rachel's voice, the desperation in her gaze, ripped him up inwardly. “Okay, we'll keep Jenny here. I was just worried for you. Maybe you need some time alone, some space because of what happened.”

Shaking her head, Rachel placed her hands on his shoulders. “Cade, I need Jenny. I lost my baby. Now I've lost my mother. Jenny helps me stay sane through all of this. If you take her…”

“She stays with us,” he promised her in a thick tone.

The cell phone on the table rang.

Rachel stared at it as if it were a rattlesnake ready to strike at her.

Cade stood and picked it up.

“This is Deputy Sheriff Cade Garner.”

Rachel sat there looking up at him. He seemed so calm and in charge. A sense of protection enveloped Rachel as never before. She listened as Cade talked with her handler from the FBI. When he was done, he punched off the cell and laid it back on the table.

Cade brought a chair over to where Rachel was
sitting. “Brenda said the detectives have found no evidence that it was Payson.”

Nodding, Rachel sat back in the chair, eyes closed. The only thing she felt was Cade's large, warm, rough hands around hers. The world she lived in had been destroyed in seconds. All that was left were her brothers, Cade and Jenny. “What will they do with my mom's body?”

“Brenda said she would be flown back to Iowa and buried from your family farm.” Frowning, he added in a lower voice, “I'm sorry, but Brenda said you can't be there for the funeral. She's afraid Payson, or a hit man he's hired, might be waiting for you.”

Rachel sat up and blinked away her tears. Holding on to Cade's hand was like holding on to the only reality that was left to her. “He'll still find me.”

“You don't know that,” Cade said in a sterner tone. Rachel looked haunted, and there was nothing he could do to change that. “Brenda is wondering how much, if anything, the gunman heard of the conversation you two were having.”

“We talked about Jackson Hole,” Rachel said dully, her voice a monotone. “If he heard that then…”

“We don't know if he heard anything,” Cade said. He gently pushed away several strands of hair from her brow.

“I'm so afraid for all of you now, Cade.” Rachel's mind honed in on those she'd come to love in the past months. She stared into Cade's stormy gray eyes.
Suddenly, she realized with a jolt that she loved him. Unequivocally. Forever. There was so much good and kindness in Cade. He was the light and Payson was the darkness that had stained her life. And now, someone had taken her mother's life. Daisy Donovan did not deserve this kind of death. Rachel knew her brothers would reel from this news, and they would rightfully blame her.

Cupping her cheek with his hand, Cade rasped, “Don't you worry about that, okay? You have enough to handle right now, Rachel. I'm here. We'll protect you. Neither Payson nor his hit man is going to get to you. I promise you that.”

Hearing the steel in his voice, Rachel came out of her shock. The grim set of Cade's mouth, the fierce look in his eyes convinced her to believe him. “For so long,” Rachel quavered, “I've run and survived on my own, Cade. I don't want your family harmed. I—I couldn't stand it if Dirk found me. I know he'd kill your parents…Jenny…oh, my God, I don't want her hurt like my mother was!”

“Shhh,” Cade whispered, framing her face now. “Don't go there, Rachel. Don't. This time, there's help around you. We'll circle the wagons and we'll protect you. My family knows how to defend themselves, so stop worrying about that. And I'll never allow Jenny or you ever to be hurt by that sonofabitch.” Cade would give his life for them without a second thought. And deep in his gut, he knew Payson was behind this
killing. He didn't know how, but he knew it. Cade was sure the convict was coming here. Somehow, the bastard had found out everything. The stalking had begun. Cade knew he would stand between Payson and Rachel and his baby daughter. And if necessary, he'd take the bullets for them.