Easy Prey (Love-Inspired Suspense) (15 page)

Jonah squeezed her hand gently, then let go.

“Elise?”

She looked over at him. Was that love for her in his eyes?

“Will you tell me why you married Martin?”

SIXTEEN

S
he was up and off the couch before he realized. “I should get to bed. I have to get up and catch a tiger in the morning.”

Jonah knew she wasn’t feeling good. It was barely nine and she likely did need sleep, but he felt like if they didn’t talk about this now, the chance would slip from his fingers. “Don’t go, Elise. Don’t leave now. I feel we’re finally getting somewhere.”

She looked...scared. Why, he didn’t know. There was obviously something here that she didn’t want to get out. “What do you want from me?”

She didn’t want to know the answer to that. Jonah wasn’t going to put that on her now, when she was hurt and exhausted. He was trying to give her some semblance of peace, since talking to his mother hadn’t managed to do so.

Jonah stepped closer to her, just in case her fear got the better of her and she decided to run. Again.

When he had her attention, he said, “There’s a reason why I’ve never married, Elise. There’s a reason why I’ve never found anyone else.” He let that sink in. “When I left for the marines, I knew the next time I saw you that things would be completely different for us. What I didn’t know was that it would take this long for that to happen.”

Elise was shaking her head even before he was done. “No, I don’t believe you. I’m not the reason you’ve been alone all this time. I can’t be. Don’t put that on me, Jonah.”

“I’m not trying to load you with guilt, and I don’t feel like I’ve been alone. That’s not what I’m saying. My life has been full, with work and...” Okay, so there wasn’t much else. But part of him felt like maybe he’d always been waiting for Elise. “I’m just really glad you’re here now, and I don’t want to lose you.”

Her face softened. “I don’t want to lose you, either.”

“Then I need an answer to my question. Now.” He waited a second. “Did you love Martin?”

“Yes.”

Jonah flinched. He didn’t want to betray his true feelings, but it was too late now. He’d already told her the truth of why he left for the marines. If she didn’t feel the same way, he would deal with it. Eventually he’d figure out how to get over her, even though in nearly twenty years he hadn’t managed it.

“But not in the way you think.” She bit her lip and looked down. “Martin...” She sighed. “He understood I didn’t love him the way I should have. The way a wife should. He was rebelling. You’d left, and your mother was pressuring him to quit drinking, to quit partying. I think he figured that if he married me it would be the perfect comeuppance to her.”

“Why would you say yes to that?” Martin had used her?

She blew out a breath and looked at the window, where the blinds were closed against the night sky. “I didn’t think of it like that. All I could think was that I’d get what I’d always wanted. Maybe not exactly what I imagined, but a facsimile of love, and family, at least. I would finally have everything I’d never had growing up. ”

She looked up at him, her chin raised, daring him to think badly of her. “I was selfish. Looks like I really was just out for the Rivers money, after all.”

“Elise—”

“Turns out your mom was right. My mom. Fix. The whole town. Even Martin knew the real reason we got married. He got to throw it in your mom’s face when I moved in to the pool house with him, and I got to pretend I was the princess living large.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well, it’s true. You’re the only one who didn’t see it.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“I just did.” She screamed it, and Jonah flinched.

He shook his head. “You were a kid barely out of high school.”

“I was an adult.”

“That doesn’t mean you were mature enough to make that decision. It’s why I left. I knew you were too young, and so was I. We both had a lot of growing up to do, and I naively thought you would know. That you’d wait.”

“How was I supposed to know that’s what you wanted me to do?”

Now, finally, they were getting somewhere. “That stung, didn’t it?”

“You know it did.”

Jonah folded his arms across his chest, heavy with ache. “I didn’t know you’d marry Martin.”

“I didn’t know you would just leave me, and never look back!” Her face was red, her eyes filled with tears.

“So you just gave up, took the first offer that came along?”

“I had to.” She sucked in a breath. “It hurt too much.”

“Because I left you?” The ache in Jonah’s chest got worse.

“Because you abandoned me to them. Suddenly I had no defense, no one on my side.”

“Except Martin.”

“He didn’t feel the way you did, you know that.” She bit her trembling lip. “I was so scared. So alone.”

Jonah wanted to gather her in his arms, but he didn’t. They had to finish this.

“I knew you’d forget about me and never come back. I knew you’d realize I wasn’t worth it, so I married Martin. We were friends at least. But then he
died
. And the kicker is, it was better.”

“Being a single mom?”

“I had to rely on God. I had to be strong even though I was so scared, and I did it, Jonah. I did it, and Nathan thrived. I had to know I didn’t need you or I’d have always relied on you, for everything. You’d have been my strength, instead of the Lord. It would have torn me apart to live like that, so wrapped up in you.”

She swiped the tears from her face. “It hurt. And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but after Martin died, I knew I couldn’t be that selfish kid anymore. I needed the space to find out who I was with no one to lean on. I had to know I could take care of Nathan on my own. That I could give and not always expect things to be handed to me. I know I’m not a good person, but now at least I know God loves me and so I can be better. In Him.”

Jonah stepped closer. “I loved you with a childish love a long time ago. Now you’re grown. You’re strong, you’re a fantastic mom and a wonderful woman, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know you now, Elise.”

She looked like she didn’t know if she should be happy, or still upset. “But...”

Jonah smiled, touched both her cheeks and held her head in his hands. She was still so little, she brought out all the protective instincts he had inside him. The feelings he had for her now were so much more than before, in maturity and in strength.

“No buts. I just wanted you to know how much of a pleasure this has been. And I’m so sorry you’ve been hurt.” Multiple times, and he hated seeing her scared and knowing she was in danger. “I’m going to make this better for you, because I want us to have the chance to see what could be between us now.” He paused a beat. “And I need to know if that’s what you want, too.”

Elise smiled, even while Jonah wiped tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’d like the chance to see if this could work now.”

Jonah lowered his head, finally free to show her how he felt. She’d had enough words from him, and he’d been more open with her than with anyone in his life. But she was special, and she would forever hold that part of him.

When he was a hairbreadth from her lips, the doorbell rang.

Jonah groaned low in his throat and touched her forehead with his. “I’m sure they’ll go away if we’re quiet.”

He felt her shake with silent laughter.

He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and went to answer the door.

* * *

Elise stood back while Jonah opened the door. Deputy Marshal Shelder strode in, a grocery sack swinging from her hand. “Special delivery.” Jonah grabbed the sack and rummaged in it before looking up at Hailey, incredulous. “A mullet wig?”

Elise burst out laughing. Jonah’s head whipped around and he glared at her. She swallowed the humor and saw Hailey was also fighting it. Elise cleared her throat. “So when’s the meeting?”

Hailey answered. “Tonight.” But Elise looked at Jonah.

“Seriously?” She was supposed to go to sleep while he went with Fix to catch the animal trader? “Were you planning on telling me this was happening tonight, or was I meant to just wake up tomorrow to find it all over?”

Jonah said, “I was going to tell you.”

“Really?” Her mind was spinning, especially after she’d finally admitted how totally selfish she’d been in assuming her chance with Jonah had been over and marrying his brother just to escape her life. Everyone had something they regretted, but hers was like the elephant in the room she couldn’t ever escape. Especially not now she was back with Jonah.

Well, with—as in, they were in the same room. Not
with.

Now that the fog of anticipating his kiss had passed, all the old fears were resurfacing.

“I’m going to go change.”

He strode away down the hall, and Elise stood there feeling like a lemon. Did he think she shouldn’t worry? That she wasn’t scared for him? He was going into a dangerous situation, just like always. It was the choice he’d made, because he was the kind of man who put his life in danger to protect people. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.

And it didn’t mean she hadn’t stayed up many nights over the years, worrying if he was okay. Praying he would be, even if she never saw him again.

The fact that they could be together now was little more than a dream, and everything she’d ever wanted. She knew she didn’t deserve it, but everything she had was by the grace of God. Jonah’s love wouldn’t be any different.

“You okay?”

Elise shook off her thoughts and looked at Hailey. “Sure.”

“I didn’t...interrupt anything, did I?”

Like Jonah’s hands on her face? His lips touching her forehead.

“I did!” Hailey clapped.

Elise laughed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, okay? Things are far from established, but better than they were.” She glanced at the closed door to his bedroom. “We cleared the air some.”

Hailey had a knowing smile on her face. “I see that.”

And though she’d expected Jonah to dislike her for being such an awful person, he didn’t. Sure, she tried to be better now. But that was yet more grace.

Jonah strode back out, and Elise burst out laughing. He’d smashed a beanie on the mullet wig, and his big frame was dwarfed by an even bigger lumberjack shirt so that he looked like a giant. The jeans were standard Western wear over scuffed brown boots.

He narrowed his eyes at her, a glint of humor there. “Don’t even say it.”

Elise bit her lips together and shook her head.

“Okay, I’m ready.” He scratched under the wig and then stowed his phone and keys in his pocket. “Truck?”

Hailey motioned over her shoulder at the front door. “My dad’s.” She tossed him a set of keys and he caught them in one move.

Elise’s stomach lurched, jumping to sit as a lump in her throat. She didn’t want to say goodbye, suddenly overwhelmed with wondering if he would come home or not.

Like his brother.

Her goodbye the last time she saw Martin hadn’t been the stuff of fairy tales. Most military spouses probably shared an emotional goodbye. Theirs was stilted at best. Martin had been desperate to prove he was as much a man as his older brother. It had taken Elise a long time to swallow the fact that Martin had known she was in love with Jonah.

Especially considering his final words to her.

It isn’t like you want me around, Lise.
He’d been at the front door of the pool house, looking back at her over his shoulder.
Maybe while I’m gone you’ll discover you feel something for me, too.

That was when she’d realized Martin loved her the same way she loved Jonah. She’d successfully torn their family apart, and she was going to have to tell Jonah that, too. Eventually he would know the whole truth, and then she would have to put the strength of his feelings to the test. If she didn’t walk away again. But what was the point in staying if he didn’t love her enough to forgive her of that much?

She would understand completely if he couldn’t.

Jonah stopped in front of her. “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

His eyes were serious, but the long hair was almost comical. Elise reached up and straightened the wig and wool hat, so the ends hung to the same length and were not lopsided.

Jonah grinned. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

The humor didn’t last. Standing with Jonah now, saying goodbye, Elise knew she’d been putting off the real reason she had wanted to come home. Now that she was back in town, she needed to visit Martin’s grave. She needed to apologize for what she’d done to him, and for her responsibility for his death. To finally say sorry, and a proper goodbye.

Jonah grabbed her hand. He bowed his head and started to pray before she even realized that was what he was doing. His words were rusty, like praying was awkward, but she loved that he wanted to do it. She needed it so badly right now.

When he looked up again, Elise said, “Thank you.”

Hailey was still at the door, waiting for Jonah to leave so she could take up her station as Elise’s protector for the night. Jonah hesitated, like he wasn’t quite ready to go. He wasn’t going to kiss her—as much as she might want him to—not while his teammate was in the room.

“I’ll see you later?”

Elise nodded. “Be careful.”

The door shut, and he was gone. Elise sighed, glanced at Hailey and opened her mouth to say something.

The front door opened. Jonah strode back in, his gaze determined as he walked right up to her. Right into her space.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

SEVENTEEN

J
onah sat in the passenger seat while Fix drove out of town, along the highway that stretched east toward Idaho. He fought for focus, but every so often he remembered the feel of Elise’s lips against his, and his mouth curved in a smile.

Fix, on the other hand, was hardly smiling. Elise’s brother’s hands shook the whole time he gripped the wheel. After an hour, he pulled off onto a dirt road.

Fix had attached a closed trailer to the back of his truck, and Jonah was anxious to get on with the evening’s main event. They were going to meet one of the trader’s associates, and then transport the animals to the possession of the trader so he could take them out of town.

It should be a simple handoff, but Jonah had to stay alert. So much could go awry.

For now they were in Fix’s truck that smelled like take-out fries. Jonah pulled out his phone and turned the brightness all the way down. It was how his team was keeping track of his GPS location, but he didn’t need it ringing, so he turned it to vibrate.

A voice came through the earpiece hidden by his hair—which made the itchy mullet slightly more bearable, he had to admit. “Can I get a microphone check?”

Jonah said to Fix, “You ever meet this guy before, the trader’s associate?”

Fix shook his head.

Through the earpiece, Jonah heard, “I read you loud and clear.”

Elise’s brother pulled to the side of the road. “Never seen the guy, but I’ve spoken to him on the phone. Don’t know who he is, but he ain’t young.”

“This where we meet him?”

Fix nodded.

The earpiece voice said, “Perimeter has been established, we are now going radio silent.”

Jonah had no clue where, in the middle of nowhere on a tiny dirt lane surrounded by trees, an entire team of marshals was hiding. A helicopter was way too noisy, and obvious. Any vehicle on this road would stick out, and potentially scare away the trader’s associate whom they were meeting. Likely the response time would be closer to a minute than seconds. He’d have to be on his guard, but that was what operations like this one entailed. The danger was clear, and the chance he could be outed as a federal agent was high.

Headlights in the side mirrors.

Fix cracked his door, so Jonah did the same. The hair and hat covered a lot of his face, but his features still showed. Hopefully whoever this was, he wasn’t prevalent in the community, because he’d know exactly who Jonah was.

He kept his head down as the truck—considerably newer than Fix’s—pulled up alongside theirs, so the trailers were side by side. A heavy door slammed, and the man strode around the back of the trailer. The face under the ball cap was shadowed, but Jonah saw stubbled cheeks belonging to a man probably in his seventies. Lean, but not taller than Jonah. Green army jacket, just as Elise had described of the flash of her attacker before she’d fallen out the window.

Was this the man who’d shot at her by his mailbox, the man who tried to stab her?

Jonah’s hands curled into fists. He stayed beside the trailer and pulled out his phone, out of sight, typing a message with the license plate of the truck and a note about it possibly being Elise’s attacker.

The man cracked his trailer door open. “You boys ready to haul all this? There’s a beast in here, so you’ll be glad there’s two of you.” His words were chatty, but his tone was anything but.

The voice was graveled, but it did sound somewhat familiar. Still, in the dark it wasn’t hard for either of them to hide who they really were.

Jonah kept Fix between him and the trader’s associate while they hauled three cages of tiny monkeys, two birds huddled together and a thing that looked like a small brown leopard, but without the spots.

“That one bites.”

Jonah glanced over and saw the man was grinning.

“Just kidding.”

They stowed the cages in Fix’s trailer, which smelled like animal waste. Except when they’d asked prior to tonight, he claimed he’d never done this before. What else had Fix lied about?

“One more.”

Jonah strode back to the other trailer and looked inside. At the very back was a huge cage with a sleeping... Shera? The tiger Elise was supposed to catch tomorrow morning was seemingly asleep right in front of him.

“That one’ll kill ya soon as look at ya.”

Maybe. Four hundred pounds wasn’t anything to sneeze at—Elise had explained—but it was old and blind. Did it even have teeth?

He climbed in and tried not to look scared as he moved toward the tiger.

Behind him, Fix laughed. “I’ll let you do the honors, dude.”

“Thanks.” Jonah rolled his eyes. He hauled on the cage, sliding it. The scraping sound was loud in the close confines of the trailer. He stopped, but the animal didn’t move. In the beam of the trader’s flashlight he saw Shera’s nose twitch, and then the visible breath as she blew out hot air into the cold night.

Please, God, do not let her wake up.

They were going to have to lift the cage if they wanted to get it from one trailer to the other. Could the two of them even manage it?

He lifted his end while Fix did the same. When they’d set the cage inside Fix’s trailer, the trader’s associate said, “You have the address where you’re taking these?”

Fix patted his pocket. “Got it right here.”

Elise’s brother was supposed to drive the animals to the Idaho border, where they’d meet up with the trader. Evidently the man was getting ready to move his operation east, out of state, since things were getting too heated around here.

Jonah just had to catch him before that happened.

“Great.” The trader’s associate lifted his chin, and moonlight shone on his face.

It was Jonah’s neighbor. The old soldier. He’d wondered if Tucker could have been behind the shooting, but his neighbor had claimed an alibi—one the police were supposed to have checked out.

Before Jonah could react, Tucker pulled a Glock with a silencer from behind his back and shot Fix. The muted sound was followed by the thud of Fix hitting the ground.

Jonah crouched to retrieve the revolver from his ankle holster. Tucker swung his leg out in a kick, which Jonah shifted to avoid. He rolled to the side, coming up with his gun out in front of him. They both fired.

The trader flew backward, as did Jonah. He saw stars spread across the sky, and the cloud of his breath puffing out as he tried to breathe against the ache of a bullet hitting his vest. His gun was out of his hand. He shouldn’t have let go of it when he fell back, but he couldn’t do anything about that now. Was the trader dead?

Jonah looked around for his gun, listening for Tucker’s footsteps.

A twig snapped.

Tucker kicked Jonah in the ribs. Jonah didn’t see a gun.

He jumped up, ignoring the weight of the bruise pressing on his chest. His fist made contact with Tucker’s jaw. The wig shifted, throwing hair across his vision. Tucker kicked out again, a vicious roundhouse. Fire shot through Jonah’s ribs, but he stood his ground and threw punch after punch.

Tucker grunted and hit back. The man was strong, even at seventy. There was no way he’d let his military training go. This man was too accurate for that.

But Jonah didn’t like losing.

Tucker stumbled back, turning. Jonah readied himself for another punch, but Tucker turned, swinging something in his grip.

The rotten tree limb shattered against Jonah’s skull, and he hit the ground.

* * *

Hailey’s phone rang.

Elise cut off what she’d been about to say and let her answer it. She really liked the female marshal, and they’d been sharing stories of being a single mom. Despite the differences in their kids, and their situations, there were a lot of similarities.

Hailey got up from the couch and put the phone to her ear as she strode toward the hall. “Shelder.”

Sam got up off the rug where he’d been snoozing and came to sit beside her. He whined.

“What is—”

The front door blew in.

Elise got up off the couch as Hailey went flying. The marshal hit the ground, and her phone landed three feet beyond her, shattering on Jonah’s tile floor. Hailey groaned, her eyes searching the room until they locked on Elise. “Run.”

Elise didn’t hesitate. Closest to her was the stairs. She didn’t think, she just bounded up, followed by Sam.

A boom of noise and the step below her shattered, blasting splinters everywhere.
Sam?
The dog ran past her, as though he’d decided to lead the way instead of following.

Smoke laced the air, and she coughed, her legs screaming with the strain of taking huge steps. She hit the upstairs landing and stumbled, turning right just as the wall at the top of the stairs was hit with another shotgun blast.

Debris showered the hall as she sprinted after Sam—for Jonah’s bedroom. She slammed the door shut even though it wasn’t much protection against those huge rounds. A phone was beside his bed. She snatched the handset from the base and dialed. There was no tone.

She pressed the buttons, frantic to make it work, but it didn’t.

Sam went to the window and barked.

Gunshots from downstairs rang out. They were answered by another blast from the shotgun. Who was chasing her?
God, don’t let Hailey get hurt because of me.

Hailey was still down there. How badly was she injured? Elise didn’t hear any more gunshots. Was she dead? Was this guy going to finally kill her, after making Hailey another statistic of a federal agent shot while on duty?

Footsteps bounded toward the bedroom door.

Elise ran for the window, flipped the latch and slid it open. The cold air chilled the sweat of exertion. How could she help Hailey?

The bedroom door flew open and a man with a shotgun stepped in, swinging it one way and then the other. She didn’t wait around to see who it was.

Sam jumped out the window. She heard his nails scrabble on the roof overhang above the porch. Elise jumped after him. She hit the porch roof, rolled and slammed against the ground. Pain shot up to her hips and Sam barked.

“Shhh.” She forced herself to stand without crying out at the pain and followed him. This guy had tried to kill her so many times over the past few days that there was just no way she’d let him get away with it now. They had to get out of there.

God, keep Hailey safe.

The man bellowed out the window. Elise ran after Sam, the only light coming from Jonah’s downstairs windows. Jonah’s house wasn’t close to anything else, his closest neighbor on the hill. The neighbor’s ranch lights were on. Should she head there to call for help? Should she hide in the barn?

Someone grabbed her. “Elise.”

It was Parker. Elise forced herself to quit struggling against his grip.

“Let’s go.”

She went with him, allowing him to drag her along faster than she could run. Around the house they headed toward the back door. Sam glanced back as if to spur them on. “Is Hailey okay?”

“She’s doing her job. She’ll catch up.”

“To us, or the guy with the shotgun?”

She’d have met him on the stairs if she’d come up after him, and he hadn’t come out the window. “Is Jonah okay? What’s happening?”

Parker yanked on her arm. “You’re giving away our position with your chatter.” He scanned the area, then reached up and touched a button on his collar. His voice was low when he said, “Go ahead.”

His gaze never stilled, and he repeatedly shifted her so she was behind him. Sam spun in circles, watching every direction for an intruder. Man and dog never stopped moving, and it made Elise’s head spin. Her legs were screaming with each movement, but she didn’t think she was badly injured beyond bumps and bruises—to go with the passel of injuries she already had.

When was she going to be able to get some rest?

“Copy that.”

She looked at Parker. “What now?”

“Jonah was ambushed. The team is on-scene, but he’s already gone. The trader’s associate took him in Fix’s truck with the animals.”

So he was alive? “And Fix?”

“Your brother is in critical condition. He’s been airlifted to the hospital.”

She felt it so strongly, the blow was almost physical. “If Jonah’s in danger, why are you here with me? Go and help him!”

Parker’s eyebrow rose.

“What are you just standing here for?”

The former SEAL grabbed her arm and hauled her along.

Elise gasped. “Where’s Nathan? You were supposed to be keeping him safe. Where is he?”

“Your son is fine. He’s at the marshal’s office for the night since everyone’s on duty.” Parker glanced at the night sky, like he was praying for patience.

“We have to go back and help Hailey.”

He almost looked as if he agreed, but then he said, “Marshal Shelder can take care of herself, and backup is on its way.”

A shotgun blast echoed through the house, followed by a woman crying out.

Elise nearly burst with the need to go help, even though she didn’t know how she was supposed to do that.

“Okay.” Parker leaned in close. “Run to the barn.” He clicked the button on his throat, the one connected to his earpiece. “I’m doubling back for Shelder.”

He looked at her. “Go. Now.”

Elise didn’t wait around. She wanted him to go and help Hailey. Pumping her arms and legs—again—Elise ran for the safety of the barn. The man hadn’t come out of the house, right? She’d be safe there.

But what was happening to Jonah?

The catalyst of all this was her. This job. Her return to town. She’d set all this in motion, hadn’t she? It sure felt that way. Jonah wouldn’t even be involved if it wasn’t for her. He’d have turned the investigation over to the local police and moved on to the next case.

Once again she’d said goodbye to a man and watched him go...to his death.

God, why am I so selfish?

She’d wanted this to be over so badly she’d pushed aside the reality of Jonah being in danger. Sure, he didn’t have a “safe” job, but he’d lasted this long because he was good at it. If he got hurt tonight, would he blame her for this, too?

Elise crept into the barn. It was pitch-black, and smelled like a car garage but with an undertone of hay and animals. Hands out in front of her, she felt her way along the outside edge with tentative steps. Still, twice she walked her shin into something. Finally Elise hissed, and stopped.