Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 1 of 2: Undercover Marriage\Collateral Damage\Forgotten Past (12 page)

The den door opened. The faint glow of the moon illuminated the hallway.

A second man's silhouette filled the door frame; he held a large-caliber weapon.

Surprise jolted Serena.

He aimed in their direction.

Serena aimed at the man in the doorway and pulled the trigger. He staggered back with a yelp of agony.

The other assailant fled, the sounds of his feet pounding on the wood floor barely discernible over the echo of noise battering at Serena's eardrums, making her head pulse with pain.

Josh sprinted after the intruder. “Stop!”

The retort of a single gunshot was muffled by the ringing in Serena's ears. The assailant screamed and crumpled to the ground.

The silence pressed in on Serena. Was Josh safe? Linda?

She lurched to her feet.

Then Josh was at her side, his strong hands on her shoulders.

“Are you hit?” His hands moved restlessly down her arms and back up to cup her face.

She shook her head then searched him for signs of injury. “You?”

“No.”

Relieved, she melted against him. His heart thudded against her cheek. A welcome sound that drowned out the echo of gunfire.

The attack had lasted only a minute or two, but Serena felt as if the siege had taken a year off her life.

Sirens drew close.

“Josh! Serena!” Linda's concerned cry broke them apart. She ran down the stairs and skidded to a halt on the hardwood floor.

“Here,” Josh called out. “By the front door. We're okay. You?”

“Good. Sounds like the cavalry is here.”

Josh tugged Serena to her feet, opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch. Red-and-blue lights flashed as several police cruisers screeched to a halt at the curb. Uniformed officers ran from their cars.

Releasing Serena, Josh stated his identity and took control of the situation, leading the officers into the house. Admiring Josh's calm, she tried to steady herself. Adrenaline still pumped edgy energy through her veins.

Not about to miss out on the action, Serena followed them back inside. Flashlights illuminated a man lying on the den rug, clutching his thigh where her bullet had torn a hole through his flesh. A dark crimson stain spilled onto the floor, pooling around him.

She crouched next to him and recited the Miranda before asking, “Who sent you? Who do you work for?”

“I need a doctor,” the man groaned.

“The lady asked you a question.” Josh stood next to Serena, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

“I want a lawyer!”

Serena blew out a frustrated breath. Protocol dictated she couldn't question him now that he had asked for legal representation. Her fingers curled.

“Paramedics are here,” an officer said from the doorway of the den.

“Come on,” Josh said, squeezing her shoulder. “Let's give them some room.”

They moved out of the way so a pair of EMTs could tend to the suspect's wound.

“Keep an officer with him,” Josh said to the nearest policeman. “We've had too many people working for the organization end up dead before we could get any information out of them.”

Linda appeared in the doorway and motioned to them.

Stepping into the entryway, Josh said, “What about the guy I shot in the kitchen?”

“He'll live,” Linda said with a dose of anger in her voice. “A shoulder wound. But he's not talking. Asked for his lawyer.”

“So did this one,” Serena said, gesturing toward the den. “How do you think they found us?”

Josh ran a hand down his face. “Either the leak in the office found out where we are or they were watching Eve Cardinalli's house and followed us back.”

Alarm sucked the breath from Serena's lungs. “Eve and Lonnie could be in danger!”

Josh whirled around and ran outside. Serena and Linda hurried after him.

Josh grabbed the nearest patrolman. “You need to get a unit out to Chesterfield. We have witnesses that need protection.”

“Yes, sir.” The officer took the address and called for a cruiser to go to Eve's house.

Linda dialed Eve's number. “I'm going to let Eve and Lonnie know what's going on. They need to take precautions.”

Serena poked Josh's arm. “Our cover's been blown.”

“Not necessarily. If we can keep these two thugs from talking to anyone until after the meeting with Fred Munders tomorrow, we should be good.”

Apprehension tightened the muscles in Serena's shoulders. She didn't like
ifs.
Ifs
were unpredictable. Tomorrow could be a trap, and Josh would be the one caught in the snare. She fought back a wave of panic.

“Jack? Susan?”

Trina and Darrell rushed over. Serena hid her gun behind her leg. Josh tucked his behind his back, slipping it into the waistband of his shorts. All along the street, neighbors stood on their porches, watching the chaotic scene unfolding at the new neighbor's house. Serena could only imagine how fearful they must be, thinking that their once safe and peaceful neighborhood had been touched by danger.

“Is everything okay?” A clump of Darrell's hair was standing straight up. “We heard gunshots.”

“I was so scared. And so thankful the boys are away at a sleepover.” Trina seized Serena's hand. “You must have been terrified!”

“I was,” Serena answered, realizing the truth in the words. No amount of training could prepare anyone for a real-life situation like they'd just experienced. Being trapped and cornered was an officer's worst nightmare. Her worst nightmare come to life. She shuddered.

The paramedics wheeled out one of the assailants.

“Oh, my.” Trina held a hand to her throat. “Who shot him?”

“I did,” Josh said. “I've got a concealed handgun license. Up in Alaska, everyone carries.”

Bless Josh for his quick reply. Serena smiled at her “husband.” “Jack's my hero.”

Trina turned to her husband. “Maybe you should get a gun. This neighborhood isn't as safe as we thought.”

“I'm sure this is an anomaly,” Linda said, joining them on the sidewalk. “Susan, Jack, the police would like a word.”

“Of course.” Serena smiled reassuringly at Trina. “It's all over now. You two head on home. Get some sleep before the alarm goes off. We're good.”

The couple left but didn't head to their house. Instead, they crossed the street to talk to the other neighbors. Serena hoped none of them noticed she was holding a gun. As she hurried up the front steps she pressed the weapon against her belly. The lights were back on in the house. Linda ushered them into the den and shut the door.

“I just talked to the chief. He isn't happy to hear about the break-in. He wants to pull the plug on this operation. The AG is chomping at the bit to indict Fred and Matilda Munders. The chief stalled him until noon.”

“Perfect,” Josh said with grim satisfaction. “That's plenty of time for my meeting with Munders.”

Serena's chest tightened. Her gaze sought Josh's. Tomorrow their undercover marriage would come to an end, one way or another.

With a shock, she realized she didn't want it to end.

She'd fallen in love with Josh. And she had no idea what to do about it.

TWELVE

“H
e's late,” Josh groused into his coffee cup, knowing the small microphone hidden in the button of his shirt would pick up his words despite the ambient noise of the coffee shop. Behind the counter, the hiss of steaming milk from the espresso machine competed with the low levels of conversation from the half dozen patrons and the overhead speakers pumping out soft classical music.

“Patience is a virtue,” Serena's soft and lyrical voice hummed into his ear through the earpiece he'd inserted before entering the Park Avenue Coffee Shop.

He was tempted to look over to where she sat in the corner booth by the barista station and make a face at her. But that would give away her position and put both of them in danger. He hated that she was here in the first place. Oh, he wanted the backup, but the thought of anything happening to her made his blood run cold. She might not be his “wife” but she was more than his partner. Their kisses hadn't been fake. Nor were the feelings swelling in his heart.

He glanced through the window to his left and watched the traffic drive by, the pedestrians going about their morning, and he kept an alert eye out for the suspect who they believed was the mastermind behind the illegal baby-adoption ring. “That particular virtue is overrated, as you well know.”

Serena's light chuckle tickled his ear. “Come on, Josh. It took us ten minutes longer than it should have to get here. Traffic's a bear this morning.”

True. Road construction had delayed their arrival. “I'll give him another fifteen minutes.”

“Then what? You gonna storm the castle?”

He smiled slightly at her attempt at levity. “Yeah, actually, that's exactly what I plan to do. Raid Munders's law firm and arrest him.”

“I wish you'd move farther inside, away from the window,” Serena said, concern evident in her tone. “You're too exposed there.”

They'd had this argument when they arrived. She'd wanted him to take one of the back corner tables. He'd wanted to sit outside. She'd worried one of Munders's thugs might use him as target practice. But Josh had wanted to sit where he could watch the street, see Munders coming.

They had compromised with a table inside by the window. Josh had promised Serena he'd keep a sharp lookout for any signs of a sniper.

The park was directly across the street, the trees thinned of their leaves on this hot summer day, and the low-lying rooftop of the redbrick building kitty-corner of the coffee shop was in plain view. A shooter would be easy to spot. So far, everything looked clear.

“Would you like a warm-up?”

Josh turned to the waitress standing beside the table holding a coffeepot. He slid his cup over. “Sure.”

She poured more of the dark French roast into the cup. The delicious smell of the bean rose in the air.

The bell over the door chimed.

His pulse spiked. He glanced up, expecting to see a short, gray-haired man. The photos they had of Fred Munders had been grainy and taken from a distance, but Josh was sure he'd recognize the lawyer on sight.

A woman pushing a stroller entered the coffeehouse.

Disappointment rushed through Josh. He picked up the coffee mug and blew on the steaming liquid before sipping the tasty brew.

Growing more impatient, he glanced at his watch again. “It's nearly ten-thirty. He's not going to show.”

Serena heaved a sigh.

Josh wasn't sure if it was with relief or disappointment.

“I think you're right. Let's wrap up this operation,” she said. He watched her slide out of the booth and walk toward the door. They'd worn their Jack and Susan Andrews outfits. Josh appreciated the way the hem of her skirt swirled around her knees when she walked. He watched the gentle sway of her hips as she left the coffee shop and headed down the street. He would miss seeing her in dresses every day when they went back to their regular jobs. He'd miss the affection and the companionship, as well.

“I'll meet you around back at the SUV,” he said softly before taking one last swig from the coffee cup. He then laid down enough cash to cover the coffee and a healthy tip before heading out the door.

When he reached the SUV, Serena was in the passenger seat with a cell phone pressed to her ear. “Really? That's fabulous. We'll be there as soon as we can. Please keep this to yourself for now. I'll explain when we get there.”

She hung up. Excitement fairly radiated from her. “That was the St. Louis crime lab. They've isolated another voice on the message Daniel left. The tech said there are one or two audible words.”

Josh's stomach clenched. They both had so much hope riding on recognizing the voice. But what if they couldn't? The disappointment would be a blow.

“We're going to Munders first,” he said. “Call the chief and let him know.”

“On it.”

While she made the call, Josh maneuvered the Suburban through the midmorning traffic of downtown St. Louis. The area was an eclectic mix of modern and historic architecture, some dating back as far as the late 1800s. Munders's law firm resided in a more modern skyscraper.

They met the chief, Agent Bishop and the attorney general at the nearest intersection. A team of agents comprised of U.S. marshals and FBI agents were preparing to breach the building. Josh parked the SUV. Then he and Serena joined the others.

Burke Trier slapped him on the back. “Glad you could join us.”

“Yeah, wouldn't miss it for the world,” Josh replied. He wished his team leader, Hunter Davis, could be in on taking down Munders. But he and his new bride were in hiding from Munders's men, waiting for the day when it would be safe for them to return to St. Louis.

Glancing around, Josh asked, “Where's Bud?”

“Called in sick,” Burke said with a shake of his head. “The man eats way too many carbs and enough fats to choke a horse. I'd be sick, too, if I ate like that.” He shuddered. “I'll be glad when he decides to really retire. I'm tired of my car always smelling like fast food.”

Josh didn't envy Burke his assignment of partnering with Bud. As a consultant, Bud's authority went only so far. He needed to be with an active-duty marshal when out in the field. Josh was thankful the chief had partnered him with Serena. Their time together had started out tense, but ever since she'd listened to Daniel's message, her attitude toward Josh had noticeably shifted.

Her words came back to him, each phrase like a stone in a tumbler, knocking against each other until their meaning gleamed like polished gems:
At some point you'll have to forgive yourself. Or you'll always be burdened by unnecessary guilt. You can regret not picking up the phone, but you don't get to feel guilty for his death.

“We have men stationed at every exit point,” the chief said, jerking Josh's thoughts back to the moment at hand.

“I want this handled properly,” the attorney general said while mopping his brow with a handkerchief. “We can't have any mistakes. This case is barely holding together as it is.”

“Yes, sir,” Josh replied as he donned a flak vest with the U.S. Marshals Service seal emblazoned on the front.

Serena put one on, as well. The vest looked out of place with the summer dress she wore. Her nervousness showed in the rapid beat of her pulse beneath her creamy skin, and it distracted him. He wanted to kiss away her anxiety, to take her in his arms and let her know he'd protect her with his life.

Agent Bishop cleared his throat.

Josh jerked his gaze away from his pretend wife and met the agent's knowing gaze. Clamping down his attraction to Serena, Josh said, “Do we have a floor plan for the offices?”

Bishop nodded and led them to the back of a dark-colored van. He unrolled the fourth-floor blueprints. “This is Munders's law firm.” He pointed to the far corner office. “We believe this is Fred Munders's office.”

Josh would head straight there. He wanted to be the one to arrest Fred Munders. He wanted closure on this case so they could concentrate on Daniel's murder. “We're set. Let's do this.”

They took the elevator to the fourth floor. When they stepped out, the place was deserted. No one manned the reception desk. The company's logo was no longer hanging on the wall. Chunks of plaster showed evidence that the sign had been forcibly removed. Josh's stomach plummeted.

They fanned out. Josh and Serena headed toward the far end of the hall, where the biggest office was located. Along the hallway all the offices were vacant. No people. No paperwork. Only desks and empty filing cabinets. Not even a stapler had been left behind.

With each step, anger tightened a knot in Josh's chest. The rats had abandoned ship.

They reached the corner office and pushed open the door. It, too, was devoid of anything but a desk, a chair and a credenza with its empty drawers open, taunting Josh. He let out a roar of frustration. He wanted to pick the chair up and throw it out the window. He shoved his weapon into its holster.

“Someone tipped them off.” Serena's calm voice brought Josh back from the edge.

Making a fist, Josh said, “Let's get out of here.”

When they were reassembled outside, Josh turned to the chief. “Who knew about this raid?”

“Only the people here. We've been planning this all morning, no one has been out of our sight. But Munders couldn't have evacuated the whole floor in that short amount of time. This was done before today, like he anticipated that raiding his offices was our next move.”

“Yeah. He probably had someone watching Eve Cardinalli's house. When we showed up there, he must have gotten spooked.”

“But we went there dressed as Jack and Susan,” Serena said with a pensive frown. “No way could anyone have known we were marshals unless they actually knew us.”

“The intruders you shot last night have been in isolation since being taken into custody,” the chief said. “Neither is talking.”

“Which leads us back to the leak in the department,” Josh said. “But who? We've been so careful.”

“Maybe the leak came from within the FBI and not the Marshals Service,” Serena offered.

“Hey, it's not coming out of my office,” Bishop insisted. “Only two people know about this operation. Me and my boss.”

“As much as I hate thinking that someone we work with is dirty,” Josh said. “There hadn't been a fed in the Marshals Service office at the time when Dylan McIntyre's flash drive disappeared off my desk. No, the leak is one of our own. Whoever it is discovered what we were up to and gave Munders the heads-up.”

“What about the adoption agency?” Serena questioned.

Josh met her gaze and saw the same suspicion in her eyes that was curling through him. “We'd better get over there.”

The chief gave the order to move the operation to the Perfect Family Adoption Agency. When they arrived at the brick building, the front door was ajar. Inside, it was empty and cleaned out, just like the law firm's offices.

Standing in the reception area, Josh turned to the chief. “This isn't good. They could be out of the country by now.”

With his phone in his hand, Agent Bishop said, “I'm sending agents to the airport, train station and bus depot.”

“Burke!” the chief called. “Have the local police put out a Be On the Look Out order for Fred Munders and his wife.”

“Yes, sir,” Burke said.

“And get me a list of the employees from both the law firm and this place,” the chief growled. “Someone's got to know where the Munderses have gone.”

Noting Serena had disappeared down the hall, Josh went in search of her and found her standing inside Mrs. Munders's office. The place was a disaster, with empty file folders strewn about the floor, drawers hanging open and the walls barren.

Serena stood in front of the blank spot where the collage of babies had hung. She glanced at him, her eyes teary.

“We'll never know where those babies came from or who they really belong to,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

His heart in his throat, he pulled her into his arms.

She willingly went, her whole body melting against him. She laid her cheek on his chest.

He was sure she could feel the thudding of his heart. He rubbed small circles on her back. “We'll find the babies and their mothers. We'll make this right, somehow.”

“I hope so. I can't help but think there are more young mothers like Lonnie who felt trapped and are being intimidated into giving up their children.”

“Let's concentrate on finding the Munderses,” Josh said. “They have the answers we need.”

They stood silent for a moment. With a start, he realized he was gently rocking her back and forth. He stilled, and would have stepped away but her arms tightened around him.

“I want to put this behind us so we can concentrate on finding Daniel's killer.”

A spasm of pain slashed through Josh. “We're closer than we were. As soon as we can, let's head to the crime lab to see what they discovered.”

Leaning back to look up at him, Serena's brown eyes regarded him steadily. “Promise me we won't stop looking for the person who murdered my brother.”

“I promise.” He'd let the investigation stagnate for too long while working on bringing down the illegal adoption ring.

Burke ran into the office. “Hey—”

Serena jerked out of Josh's arms. Reluctantly, he dropped his arms to his sides and stepped back.

Burke's eyebrows shot upward. “O-kay. I see how it is.”

“You don't see anything,” Josh growled. “What did you want?”

With a smirk, Burke said, “Right.” He gestured with his head. “The chief wants you.”

Serena walked past Burke, her head held high and her cheeks pink. Josh followed.

Burke fell into step beside him and elbowed him in the ribs. “So? You're sweet on Summers, huh?”

“Can it,” Josh snapped.