Devoted Defender (15 page)

“Yeah, of course.” Mac walked off to go help Jen.

Caleb hoped that one day his brother could find happiness like what he had found. As he looked over at Annie with her long hair blowing in the wind with Buddy right beside her with his Frisbee, he thanked God for sending such an amazing woman into his life.

**

Annie took in the festive atmosphere as the barbeque was in full force in Caleb’s backyard. Caleb had insisted on having everyone over. There had been so much darkness and fear, it felt amazing to sit in the sun with a big glass of lemonade and hear the laughter from the people surrounding her—friends and family. Things she didn’t really have before. And now it all seemed like it could be possible.

Caleb looked over from the grill and gave her a big smile. He loved her. That much she knew, and she loved him back. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced in her life.

She glanced over and saw Hope approaching with Sasha close by her side. For a moment her pulse kicked up, but then she had to remind herself that this nightmare was over.

Hope grabbed her in a big hug. “How’re you doing?”

“Much better. I’m sleeping through the night for the first time in a long time.”

Sasha smiled at her. “I wanted to apologize again for causing you any distress. That was never my intent. I am so sorry for everything you’ve gone through.”

“I appreciate your apology, but Hope helped me understand that you were just trying to do your job.”

“And that’s what I plan to do. I plan to prosecute Damon Vaughn to the fullest extent of the law. He will never be able to hurt you again. I feel like justice will get served. And to me that’s very important.”

Gabby walked over to them. “Can I join you ladies? I feel like we’re kind of outnumbered by the guys here.”

Caleb had invited all of his officers except Mike. Who, according to Caleb, was currently in jail.

“Who is that handsome dark haired mysterious man talking to Gabe?” Sasha asked.

“That’s Kane. He’s with the DEA,” Annie said. And she could tell by the look on Sasha’s face that Sasha might have taken an interest in Kane.

“I could introduce you,” Hope offered.

“Sure. Maybe later,” Sasha said.

“Annie, can you help me out with something in the kitchen for just a quick minute?” Gabby asked.

“Sure.” She followed Gabby inside the house.

“I actually just wanted to get you alone for a minute,” Gabby said.

“What’s going on?”

“I know I was kinda hard on you when we first met. I’m pretty protective of my brothers. As you know, we lost our parents, and we’re a tight knit unit.”

Annie smiled. “Believe me, I know that.”

“But I wanted you to know that I want you here. I’ve never seen my brother this happy. When he’s around you, there’s real joy in his eyes.”

Hearing Gabby’s heartfelt words touched her.

“I have to tell you, Annie, when he came back from Afghanistan from his final deployment, we thought for a while that we might not ever get our brother back. I know he dealt with many things during the war. And he bounced back eventually. But now he seems like the fog of war has finally lifted off of him. And I think I have you to thank for that.”

“Well, it works both ways, because he helped me get over the fears of my past. So we are growing stronger together.”

“I’m not much of a hugger,” Gabby said. “But for this, I’ll make an exception.” Gabby reached out and gave her a tight hug.

“Thanks, Gabby. It means a lot.”

Caleb walked into the kitchen and his eyes widened. “Uh oh. What’s going on in here?”

“Nothing. Just a minute of girl talk,” Gabby said as she looked at Annie.

“Good. Cause I’m about to serve up the food. So come back out and grab a plate.”

“I’ll go and see if Mac needs any help.” Gabby walked out of the kitchen leaving them alone.

“Seriously, was she giving you a hard time?” Caleb asked her.

“No. Just the opposite, actually.”

“Great, because I can’t have my little sister giving my girlfriend grief.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Now let’s go celebrate. We have so much to be thankful for.”

Ten months later

“Buddy, sit.” Annie held up the treat and the black lab sat dutifully. She’d been spending a lot of time with Buddy and had come a long way with his training. But more than anything else, she just enjoyed his love and company. Even more than that, she enjoyed the love and company of his owner.

“So you ready to take them on a walk?” Caleb asked as he walked into the room.

“Definitely.” She’d settled down very easily in Maxwell. She had a small apartment and had been working full time at Pa’s Diner. It was nothing that she thought she’d ever wanted, but turned out to be everything she needed.

Caleb leashed up Buddy and Bailey and handed her Buddy’s leash. “So I saw Mitzi when I was in town. She mentioned that your lease would be expiring in three months.”

“Yes. But I already talked to her, and she said I could renew it if I wanted. I really like it there, so I think it makes the most sense to stay put. I hate moving, and it’s big enough for me.” They headed down the sidewalk walking side by side with the dogs. She didn’t think things could get any better than they were.

“About that. I don’t want you to renew the lease.”

“Why in the world not? You thought that apartment was the perfect fit for me.”

He shook his head. “I did think it was perfect. But it’s not anymore.”

“Why not?”

He stopped and turned toward her. “Because of this.” He dropped down on one knee, and when he did, both dogs sat down beside him.

Her pulse thumped wildly as she realized what he was doing.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple, but elegant square cut diamond. “Annie Thomas, you’re everything that I never thought I could possibly find in one person. You’re strong, beautiful, smart and talented. But most of all, I love your caring and devoted heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you will have me. Annie, will you marry me?”

As he said the words, Buddy lifted his big furry black paw up in the air and that did it. Tears of joy fell down her cheeks. “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”

He stood up and slid the ring on her finger and the dogs barked in approval.

“I love you so much, Caleb.”

“I love you, too.”

He kissed her with the promise of the rest of their lifetimes together. No longer weighed down by the past, she opened up her heart fully to the man she loved.

Book 1: Lethal Action (Hope & Gabe)

Book 2: Devoted Defender (Annie & Caleb)

Book 3: (Jen & Mac)

Excerpt from Lethal Action: Danger in the Deep South Book 1

Five years. Hope Finch was celebrating her fifth year anniversary as an attorney at the prestigious New York law firm of Rice and Taylor by chugging down another cup of lukewarm coffee. She’d lost count at mug number six. As a fifth year associate, she still had a lot to prove. Not only to the firm, but to herself as well.

She glanced at the clock on her computer screen and saw that she’d worked late into the night and skipped dinner again. Nothing unusual for her. The Wakefield trial was taking up all of her time—and then some. But there was no way she was going to say she couldn’t handle the workload. As a midlevel associate, she should be able to run with the big boys. Or at least pretend like she could. If that meant coffee would be her only source of sustenance then so be it. If she wanted to make partner within three years, then she had to stick to the game plan.

Hope shutdown her computer and grabbed her laptop bag embroidered with the bright red R&T logo. It was very possible she’d still put in a little bit more time working tonight at home. Also part of her normal routine.

The big New York City law firm was relatively quiet for a weeknight. Only a couple of other associates were working away in their offices. She felt a tiny shred of guilt for leaving, but then quickly dismissed it. She was still on track for getting all of her work done in time for trial and sleep was necessary. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes right now. There was too much on the line. Both for her client and for her.

When the cold winter New York air blew against her face, she was glad to be headed home to her cozy apartment. It cost her a good chunk of her lawyer salary, but it was worth it. She paid a hefty price to be close to her office, and she still lived in a five hundred foot box.

Cinching her pink pea coat tightly around her waist, she walked quickly down the dark street. Even at this hour, there were still plenty of people walking around. She loved the anonymity and hustle and bustle of the city. It gave her the freedom she felt like she’d earned. She never understood how people could live in small towns where everyone knew every detail about your life. If she had it her way, no one would know anything about her. Except what she chose to share with them.

When she arrived at her high-rise apartment door, she turned the key in the lock, and dropped her bag on the floor. Immediately, she kicked off her tall heels and unbuttoned her grey suit jacket. Home sweet home. It wasn’t much, but it was hers, and for that she was proud.

She started to reach for the light switch but a strong hand grabbed her wrist throwing her off balance. She screamed as her pulse thumped wildly. The hand moved to her mouth and the other wrapped securely around her waist pulling her into him. The intruder stood behind her, and she couldn’t see him.

This was it. This man was going to kill her. He was strong. She was no match for him. In that moment, she found herself clicking back through the events of her life like a movie reel. Her horrible childhood front and center. Not enough time to make all of her dreams come true and to fully recover from her past. Wondering how much time she still had left. And filled with regret. She fought harder.

“Stop struggling. I’m not here to hurt you,” he said. “I’m Special Agent Gabe Marino. I’m a federal agent. I work for the FBI.”

The FBI? What was an FBI agent doing in her apartment? She didn’t believe him, so she kept fighting. She bit down hard on his hand, and he let out a groan. Unfortunately, he didn’t let go. Not willing to give up, she gathered up her strength and stomped on his foot.

Nothing was working though.

“Listen to me, Ms. Finch. I am going to drop my arms and step away from you. Don’t scream.” He slowly pulled his hand away from her mouth and loosened his grip. Then he turned on the lights, and she got her first look at her assailant. He was tall with short dark hair and chocolate colored eyes. He wore a dark suit and a striped navy tie. He looked the part of an FBI agent, but he could be anyone.

“Here, let me show you.” He slowly reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his credentials. He showed her his FBI badge and identification.

His identification looked legitimate, but she also knew it was easy to forge credentials if you had the right resources. She didn’t believe him yet. “Why would an FBI agent resort to breaking and entering?” she asked.

“I didn’t break into your apartment. Actually, I have a warrant.” He reached into his pocket and handed it to her. “Go ahead, take a look.”

She didn’t want to take her eyes off of him, but she glanced down quickly and read the warrant. This guy might actually be legitimate. The fact that he hadn’t hurt her yet added to his credibility. But what if he was trying to gain her trust only to hurt her? Hadn’t she had enough struggles in her life?

“What do you want with me?”

He stood with his hands in his pockets. “Information. I need to know what your involvement is with Carlos Nola.”

She took a step back providing her a little distance. “Mr. Nola is a board member of Wakefield Corporation. My biggest client at Rice and Taylor. Or I guess I should say that Wakefield Corporation is technically a client of my firm. Not me specifically. I work on their cases. Have since I started working there.”

“I know that.”

“If you know so much about me, then why did you have to break into my apartment? Why not set up a meeting with me at the firm?”

“Because I needed to be discreet. I’m working on a very sensitive case.”

“I don’t understand what you’re after here.” She looked up into his dark eyes and wondered what was really going on. If he was really FBI and asking questions about her client, that couldn’t be good. He definitely had her attention.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Ms. Finch.”

She crossed her arms not appreciative of his bossy tone. “I’m not saying another word, Mr. Marino, until you explain why you’re really here. If you really are a federal agent then you know that I can’t reveal privileged information about my firm’s client, Wakefield Corporation.”

“It’s not Wakefield I’m that interested in. At least not directly. It’s Carlos Nola. Like I said, I have a reasonable suspicion that you’re involved with him and his questionable business practices. You’ll get much more leniency if you work with us rather than if you try to protect him. So let me help you.”

Could this really be happening? What was Nola involved in that was getting this scrutiny from the FBI? “Mr. Nola lives in Georgia. I’ve worked with him, and met him about five or so times in person, and every single time he was entirely professional. I would like to help you, but I really have no idea what you’re talking about. He’s a legitimate businessman. Respected in his community.”

“This is about what is going on in his community—Maxwell, Georgia. That’s where Wakefield’s home office is.”

“I’m well aware of that,” she shot back. She wasn’t telling this suit anything. She wasn’t guilty, so that led her to believe that he was purely on a fishing expedition. She’d worked enough government investigations of big corporations to sense when there was actual evidence. If he had solid evidence he certainly wouldn’t be hounding her.

“And you’re sure there’s nothing you want to tell me?” He took a step toward her.

“How do I even know you’re from the FBI? For all I know you work for Cyber Future.”

“Ah.” He smiled. “No, I’m definitely a federal agent. How is the litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future going?”

“That is not your concern, Mr. Marino. Now I’m going to have to ask you to leave my apartment.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yes. Please leave.”

He cocked his head to the side. “If you are innocent, it’s in your best interest not to say we had this conversation with anyone at your law firm. And if you’re working with Nola, you’re in danger. So don’t say that you haven’t been officially warned. This conversation isn’t over, though. We’ll be speaking again soon.”

Before she could say anything he turned and walked out of her door.

“No, we won’t,” she said to out loud to herself.

What should she do? Should she tell the partners at the firm? No. First, she needed to figure out what was really going on. And that’s exactly what she planned to do. If she went to her supervising partner at the firm right now he might pull her off the case. So she’d have to get to the bottom of this on her own. A constant theme of her life.

The litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future had gotten ugly. The breach of contract case should have been all business and routine, but it had gotten personal between both the executives and the lawyers representing the two companies. Cyber Future wanted to take down her client. Cyber Future was quickly becoming a competitor of Wakefield. Was Cyber Future behind this FBI inquiry? She certainly wouldn’t put it past them. Cyber Future was out for blood.

**

Gabe Marino wrapped his navy scarf tightly around his neck and let out a deep breath. Hope Finch knew that he didn’t have a solid case against her. Even getting the warrant was difficult. She put on a good show that was for sure. When she looked at him with her big brown eyes and played dumb, he almost believed her. She would have most people fully believing her innocence, but she’d been working with Nola for five years. She admitted that much herself.

He’d been watching her for the past few days. All she did was go back and forth from the office keeping very long hours. It didn’t even appear that she even took a lunch break. He pictured her eating some microwavable meal at her desk and drinking coffee made in a fancy espresso machine purchased by the law firm.

He hadn’t really known what to expect. Her file had made clear that she was a rising star at Rice and Taylor. She’d graduated top of her law school class. Obviously smart. She was also an attractive woman. Not that he was taking particular note of that. Every time he’d seen her over the past few days she’d worn her long blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Her suits looked expensive. Maybe even designer. But he wasn’t surprised given that she worked at one of the most prestigious law firms in the city and had the stellar salary to match. She would need to look the part. Her salary made his look laughable. It irked him that big firm lawyers were so grossly overpaid as they defended massive corporations. Meanwhile, federal agents who often put their lives on the line were often barely making ends meet.

He had a job to do, and he couldn’t help the feeling that Hope was right in the middle of it all. He didn’t believe in coincidences. Too many unanswered questions made him uneasy. Was she part of the plot that Nola was cooking up, or was she in potential danger? Gabe believed that Nola was running several illegal businesses in Maxwell using Wakefield resources to help him. Those businesses included drug trafficking and money laundering. All things that had no place in Maxwell.

As he walked to his hotel, he tried to focus. The cold New York City weather was messing with his brain. He could never live up there, and he couldn’t get back to Georgia soon enough.

This case was personal for him. He worked in the Atlanta field office of the FBI, but he was born and raised in Maxwell, Georgia. And he planned to always live there. The commute to Atlanta was forty five minutes. But it was well worth the drive and extra gas to live in Maxwell and maintain his quiet lifestyle. A lifestyle that was threatened by people like Carlos Nola.

There was something sinister going on in his town—the town he loved. And he intended to stop it. Hope Finch might be the key to unraveling the entire mystery. She knew more than she was letting on. She had to.

Carlos Nola was up to no good. Gabe knew that Nola was using Wakefield Corporation to help further his criminal enterprise that was infecting Maxwell. What he didn’t know is if it was only Nola who was involved. How far did Nola’s influence reach?

Hope had been telling the truth about her meetings with Nola. His research indicated that they’d met recently in New York and periodically at her firm before that. Even if she wasn’t working for him as part of his criminal ventures, she could still be useful in his investigation. As one of the Wakefield lawyers, she’d have unprecedented access to Nola. He wasn’t giving up on her. There was still a lot of work to do. And Hope Finch was the center of it all.

**

Hope didn’t know what to think when she’d gotten the email from her boss, Sam Upton, telling her that they needed to meet first thing in the morning. Sam was the partner in charge of the litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future. Hope worried that she’d done something wrong. She recounted the work she’d completed over the past week. Nothing stood out in her mind that she could’ve messed up, but Sam was such an important partner at the firm she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Not even a small one. If he removed her from the case, she’d be devastated.

She took a deep breath and smoothed down her suit jacket before walking to his office. His door was open, but she still knocked. Sam was nice enough to work for, but there was still a gulf between him being a partner and her being a mid-level associate. A pretty gigantic gulf—he held all the power, and she held none.

“Come in, Hope,” he said. Sam wore a custom made navy suit and blue striped tie. He’d been working at the firm for decades, and his personal tailor often visited him at the office.