Healing Love: Saints Protection & Investigation (27 page)

“Fine, just go kill each other and see if I care,” she groused, angry at both of them.

The two men stepped through the front door onto the porch, Cam closing the door behind them. “Gonna lay it out and then you do what you gotta do. I’m a brother also, so I get where you’re coming from but, just letting you know, that was the last punch I’ll let you land.”

Jobe pursed his lips but, for the man who saved his sister’s life, he was willing to hear what Cam had to say.

“The picture you showed me captured me from the moment my eyes landed on it, but I told myself it was just because it made me angry to think of a woman being snatched and scared. Got down there and swear to God, she had a will of steel and she was all I could think about. I kept my mind on the mission and we made it. Along the way, we got to know each other real well. Talked a lot, shared a lot. It started as a way to pass the time and try to keep her mind off of what I figured was following us.”

At this, Jobe’s eyes gave away the distress he felt at having his sister in such danger.

“But it wasn’t until the end that we decided we wanted to see if what we had could go anywhere.”

“Did you two—”

“Not goin’ there, bro. Whatever happened was consensual and between two adults. If Miriam wants to discuss it with you, that’s her choice, but I’m not going to stand out here on my front porch with my woman inside on the couch with a knot on her head and discuss any particulars.”

Jobe held his gaze for a moment, his emotions warring inside for the woman he still felt like was his little sister and the realization that she was the same age as his wife. Heaving a sigh, he lifted his hand in conciliation toward Cam, who shook it willingly.

“Now, let’s get down to what’s happening. In just a bit, I’m taking her to Jack’s where we’re all meeting. Jack’ll keep you and Tony in the loop. We’ll get on it with our DEA, CIA, and FBI contacts and see if we can identify who made the call. My place here is wired, watched, and fuckin’ impervious. She’s quit her job at the hospital—”

“What?” Jobe growled. “Shit, she’s not telling the family a goddamn thing!”

“I think it’s just happened, but she can talk to you about that. Bottom line, she’s escorted at all times and we’re keeping you aware of everything.”

Jobe nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I appreciate it, man.” Sighing heavily again, he said, “I’d better go in there and make up with my sister, before heading back to my pregnant wife who’s gonna flip out when I tell her I clocked Miriam in the head.”

Cam chuckled, not envying the man having to deal with two irritated women. “Come on in. I’ll get the coffee.”

*

While Cam poured
the coffee, Miriam sat with her brother, trying to stay mad but, the truth was, she knew he cared.

“My head is fine,” she assured for the third time, taking the ice pack down to show him that she was not sporting a bruise.

“I just want you safe, sis. I’m not having you get rescued only to have you live in fear.”

“I’m trying to find a counselor now, but I want one with victim experience. And PTSD experience,” she added. “Just because I’m a nurse and understand about PTSD doesn’t mean that I’m going to conquer it quickly.”

“How bad is it, sis?”

Sighing deeply, she glanced over at Cam, receiving his reassuring gaze. “Some anxiety, a few panic attacks, nightmares. Sometimes just a general irritability with people. That’s what I felt all the time at work.”

Jobe walked over, enveloping his sister in his arms. Kissing the top of her head, he reiterated, “I want you safe.”

“I know, I know,” she said, as Cam handed her a cup. She took a sip and immediately smiled at him. “Cream and sugar?” she asked.

“I seem to remember hearing that somewhere,” he grinned.

“Okay, I can see you two don’t need me, but Cam—”

“I got you covered, Jobe. As soon as we are at Jack’s, he’s gonna patch into Tony’s place.”

Jobe nodded his agreement, leaned over and kissed Miriam and then headed out of the house. Her eyes followed his departure before turning back to Cam. “So, are you going to tell me what you two talked about on the porch?”

Cam lifted her up from the sofa, twisted with her in his arms before he sat down and settled her on his lap. His eyes drifted up to her forehead where he was pleased to see only a slight bruise, before coming back to meet her gaze.

“I laid it out for him, how it was for us down there. How we got to know each other, talk, and discover that we wanted to take a chance on building on that.”

Sucking her lips in, she asked, “Did you tell him that we—”

“No,
cariña
. That’s yours to share if you want to, but for me…that night was just for us.”

Smiling, she took a sip of her coffee, fixed just the way she liked it. “Good answer,” she mumbled.

Glancing at the clock on the TV, he said, “We’ve got to get going, babe. You jump into the shower first, don’t worry about getting fancy, and I’ll be right behind you.”

“Fancy? I think after most of your friends saw me looking pretty rough, just having clean clothes and clean hair will be fancy enough.”

She stood and walked to the hall entrance before turning to look over her shoulder, her gaze pinning him to the spot. “Cam, thank you…for taking care of me.”

He walked over and kissed the top of her head. “I’d take care of you no matter what. But you’re mine and I definitely take care of what is mine.”

*

Miriam’s eyes were
wide as Cam turned off the road, stopping at a security gate to gain entrance before driving down the long driveway toward Jack’s house. He had told her about Jack’s place but it was different seeing it in person. The cedar, oak, and maple trees were thick on either side of the drive until they came into a clearing and she saw a huge, two-story, log cabin with a wide front porch. Two chimneys, one on each end, stood as sentinels to the imposing structure. Several trucks and SUVs were already lining the circular driveway in front and Cam pulled his right up next to the others.

Licking her lips nervously, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. Before she had time to blink, Cam was at her door assisting her to the ground.

Throwing his arm around her protectively, he said, “Come on, babe. You’ll be fine.”

Stepping through the front door, she looked around at the cavernous space. The living room on the left was two-stories with a stone fireplace on the inside wall and large windows on the two walls facing the outside. The panoramic view of the mountains behind Jack’s woods was spectacular. The furniture was oversized but, considering the size of men lounging on it, she knew it had been bought with them in mind. Dark, exposed wood was everywhere and the few pieces of artwork on the walls were expensive but not ostentatious.

Mixed in with the very masculine décor were some colorful throw pillows, flowers on the mantle, and a few knick-knacks that she assumed belonged to Bethany.

One of the men—tall, dark, with a thick, neatly trimmed beard—stood and headed directly to her, with his hand out. “Miriam? Jack Bryant. Welcome to my home.”

Smiling up at him, she said, “Thank you. It’s absolutely breathtaking here.”

He smiled back at her before shifting his gaze to Cam. “You got her phone?”

Cam pulled it out as the other men were gathering around. “Luke, see what you can get out of this,” he said.

Luke was a handsome, dark-haired man, not nearly the size of Cam, but Miriam easily recognized his strength in his lean, muscular body. He shook her hand as well and then disappeared down the hall.

Bart, Blaise, Monty, and Marc had all met her before, each kissing her cheek in greeting, before they followed Luke.

The last man walked over, a huge smile on his face. “I guess I’m the last one to meet the lovely and, from what I hear, very brave Ms. Delaro. I’m Chad.” Of all of the men, he seemed the one that would smile the most, easily cracking a joke or just enjoying himself with friends.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” she said sincerely, then watched as he also followed the others.
I wonder what’s down that hall?
Before she had time to think too long on it, she heard soft footsteps coming from the right. Turning her head, she saw a long, heavy, wooden table in the dining area and just then a beautiful woman came from the kitchen carrying a tray.

“Here, babe, let me get that,” Jack said, walking over to take it from the woman. While he moved to set it on the coffee table near the large sofas, the smiling woman rushed over and engulfed Miriam in a hug.

“I’m so glad to meet you,” she exclaimed. “I’m Bethany.” By this time Jack had returned and, with his arm around Bethany, pulled her front into his side.

“Hi,” she answered, smiling at the warm greeting. Unsure what to do next, Miriam glanced up at Cam who caught her expression of uncertainty.

“Jack and I are going to head down to where we all meet and work on finding out who called and where the threat is coming from. You and Bethany will have a chance to get to know each other and then we’ll come back and probably have some questions for you.”

Nodding, she said, “That’s fine. You go do…whatever it is that you do.”

Laughing, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before following Jack down the same hall.

The two women made themselves comfortable on the sofas, finding that they could easily curl their legs up under them with all the room.

Bethany grinned as she said, “I’m just getting used to living in a house with what I call giant furniture.”

Laughing, Miriam nodded as she looked around the beautiful room once more. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Whenever I meet one of Cam’s friends, it seems as though they are all as big as him! I feel like a shrimp!”

“I hear you,” Bethany smiled. “Me too!”

“Cam told me a little about you, but I didn’t know that you two had gotten together.”

“That’s right. I met Cam when he was working on a case with Jack and then he left to go get you just before the other case was solved.”

“Is it weird, having Jack’s business right here at his home?”

Laughing, Bethany exclaimed, “Oh, not at all. I own the Mountville Cabin rentals and wedding venue on the property next to Jack’s and so I’m used to living where my work is also. And I’m safer when he’s traveling.”

Seeing Miriam hesitate, Bethany also added, “And let’s face it, I’ve got the best eye-candy to look at when they’re here meeting!”

Unable to contain her laugh, Miriam nodded, “Oh, yeah. I noticed that.”

After a few more minutes of casual conversation, Bethany asked, “I understand that you’re a nurse?”

“Yes. Well, an unemployed nurse at the moment.” She watched the other woman cock her head to the side in question, so she continued, “I turned in my notice at the large hospital. I was just burned out and have decided to find a position that seems right for me.”

“I think that’s wise,” Bethany agreed. “Do you have something in mind?”

Taking another sip of coffee, Miriam responded, “My sister-in-law’s mother had a stroke and needed some in-home care for a while. I did that in the evenings just to help out and discovered that I really enjoyed it. I actually like working with geriatric patients and so I might see what’s available.”

“You know, my grandmother is in a memory care nursing home near here. She was just placed there a little while ago and I visit several times a week. She still remembers me most of the time…unless she thinks I’m her sister, Helen. You ought to visit with me sometime. I know they’re looking for nurses.”

Miriam felt a spark of interest that she had not felt in several weeks. “I’d like that…a lot, actually.”

D
ownstairs in the
large conference room, the men sat around the table, faces grim at the news from Luke.

“It’s definitely from a stateside phone,” he said. “Burner. No trace.”

“Can you tell from where?” Jack asked.

“Got a read from the towers. Call came from Texas, near the Houston region.”

Luke pulled up the intel provided by the DEA on the Sinaloan cartel’s reach into the United States and sent it to the tablets each man had in front of them.