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Bounty Hunter
Lynette Eason
ON A KILLER’S TRAILWhile on a mission to bring his sister’s killer to justice, bounty hunter Riley Martelli spots a missing FBI agent in a Colorado national park. When he calls in the tip, he’s joined in his search by Special Agent Harper Prentiss. Harper, aided by her faithful German Shepard, is determined to locate the missing agent…without falling for the charms of the handsome bounty hunter. Working together is the best option to find their targets, but it also doubles the danger they're in. With a killer looming large, poised to end their search for good, can Riley and Harper unite to find both men without becoming the next victims?Classified K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.
ON A KILLER’S TRAIL
While on a mission to bring his sister’s killer to justice, bounty hunter Riley Martelli spots a missing FBI agent in a Colorado national park. When he calls in the tip, he’s joined in his search by Special Agent Harper Prentiss. Harper, aided by her faithful German shepherd, is determined to locate the missing agent...without falling for the charms of the handsome bounty hunter. Working together is the best option to find their targets, but it also doubles the danger they’re in. With a killer looming large, poised to end their search for good, can Riley and Harper unite to find both men without becoming the next victims?
“I’ll do my best to help find your sister’s killer.”
He studied her then looked away for a brief moment while he considered the idea. All of her resources at his disposal. That would be a huge help. He nodded and captured her gaze with his.
“All right,” he said and held out his hand, “if your boss agrees, I’m willing to go with that.”
She shook his hand and the feel of her soft fingers within his grasp made him wonder if his heart would survive the deal.
Riley looked up from Harper’s pretty eyes. If he stared into them for too long, she muddled his thoughts.
His eyes landed on a figure near the door and he froze for half a second then leaped to his feet.
* * *
CLASSIFIED K-9 UNIT:
These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners
Guardian—Terri Reed, April 2017
Sheriff—Laura Scott, May 2017
Special Agent—Valerie Hansen, June 2017
Bounty Hunter—Lynette Eason, July 2017
Bodyguard—Shirlee McCoy, August 2017
Tracker—Lenora Worth, September 2017
Classified K-9 Unit Christmas—Terri Reed and Lenora Worth, December 2017
Dear Reader (#u0bb84125-697c-52ec-852b-88e88e8af7ba),
Thank you so much for joining me on Riley and Harper’s journey to catch the bad guys and find true love. Riley had a hard time with his sister’s murder (who wouldn’t?) and Harper had grown up in a tough situation. But she’d made peace with it and now trusted God to lead her. Riley was mad at God about the whole situation, but gradually sees that while on this earth, people with free will are going to make bad choices that affect other people’s lives in ways that irrevocably change them...and not always for the better. He decided he didn’t want Van to “win” and was able to move past the bitterness and anger in order to find peace and joy and a new life with Harper and Asher. I pray if there’s bitterness and anger in your life, you can find the same joy and peace, a life filled with God’s blessings and goodness. I hope you’ll look for the other books in this series. They’re all written by different, talented authors! Books 5 and 6 release after this one so be sure to tune in to find out what happens to Jake and Penny Potter! I love to hear from readers. Find me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/lynette.eason (http://www.facebook.com/lynette.eason) or Twitter at @lynetteeason (https://twitter.com/lynetteeason). My website is www.lynetteeason.com (http://www.lynetteeason.com), where you can learn more about me and my books!
Blessings to you,
LYNETTE EASON is a bestselling, award-winning author who makes her home in South Carolina with her husband and two teenage children. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and teaching at various writing conferences around the country. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Lynette can often be found online interacting with her readers. You can find her at Facebook.com/lynette.eason (https://www.facebook.com/lynette.eason) and on Twitter, @lynetteeason (https://twitter.com/LynetteEason).
Bounty Hunter
Lynette Eason
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
—Romans 12:19
Dedicated to all of the K-9 officers, two-legged and four, who put their lives on the line on a daily basis.
Contents
Cover (#u2c7408c7-d637-5c6a-8225-3ea0655f96fd)
Back Cover Text (#u40dba3d0-aaf7-5016-ad00-1c5b7bb31462)
Introduction (#u3061bd79-ed9e-58e3-99e8-c5a393e8c550)
Dear Reader (#u9aafc05a-218d-5317-8061-8c942ff2c11a)
About the Author (#u55b0c1f2-cfe1-5885-9d37-75871b02b9fa)
Title Page (#u05a581d5-891b-5a4b-bd47-e2ba2b5a6238)
Bible Verse (#u54f8c706-bf4f-566d-be4f-f3d8962ba1e2)
Dedication (#uf7054954-a8ca-559f-b0f7-8699f48ae604)
ONE (#u155eb498-7bdc-5fbe-9369-b2798489e1d9)
TWO (#uc6da3f70-3ffe-50d7-b479-350cce3f6eae)
THREE (#ua84c0b5b-df44-5a51-b948-2fe595cdf124)
FOUR (#uc15e05f1-4bea-563d-bf82-aa57f8f6d7eb)
FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
ONE (#u0bb84125-697c-52ec-852b-88e88e8af7ba)
A simple twitch of his finger and his sister’s killer would be gone. His two-month quest to find Van Blackman would be over. Riley Martelli took one more long look at the man in his sights then lowered the weapon.
But he could never kill someone in cold blood. Not even the man who’d murdered his sister and put his six-year-old nephew, Asher, in the hospital with a bullet lodged near his spine.
Being a bounty hunter could be a dangerous line of work. Sometimes more dangerous than his days of being a beat cop.
It definitely had its ups and downs. Bringing in fugitives topped his list of things that made life worth living. But the stakes had never been higher. He just had to figure out how to capture Blackman without getting killed.
In the last year since changing professions, he’d been through some tough times and barely escaped with his life.
And yet none of that had dampened his determination to bring those fleeing the law to justice.
Especially this one. This one was personal.
Which was why he now found himself outside the small town of Drum Creek, Colorado, just as the sun was getting ready to go down. With little daylight left, Riley needed to quickly figure out how to approach the man and safely bring him in.
Van knelt, but Riley couldn’t see what he was doing. Soon, small puffs of smoke drifted from the patch of ground. Was he building a fire? Did that mean he was planning to stay for a while?
Riley settled the gun back on his shoulder and got a better look with the scope. Van crouched over the small flame, pushing the contents as though trying to encourage a larger blaze. Riley lowered the weapon.
Now, in a very secluded area of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, Van moved to stand next to a black SUV just a few yards ahead of him. Grand Lake was calm and serene behind him. A sense of peace and satisfaction flooded Riley even as his adrenaline spiked. It might be July in Colorado, but it was cold at night, dropping into the forties. Van wore a black ski cap pulled low over his ears, but his tall height and broad shoulders were harder to disguise. Riley’s heart pounded. Finally, he was going to make his sister’s killer pay. He shifted the rifle on his shoulder for one more look through the scope. He scanned his prey’s body, watched the way he held his hands. His target kept touching his hip, which meant he probably had a gun there.
The man turned and Riley now had a full-on view of his face—and his heart stuttered.
It wasn’t Van Blackman.
Disappointment shot through him. He had the wrong man. Riley lowered the rifle with a frustrated sigh. Then frowned and lifted it to stare through the scope once again. The man’s face was familiar. Where had he seen him before? Television? Yeah, that was it. Could it be—? He focused again.
Yep. That was the missing FBI agent that had been all over the news lately. Morrow was his last name. Jack? Jeff? No, Jake. Jake Morrow. And there was a hundred thousand dollars being offered as a reward for his safe return.
It had been reported that he’d been kidnapped by the Dupree crime family and that he might have escaped, but still needed help.
The Dupree family had long been on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, and from what Riley had been able to piece together, the feds had almost managed to capture them. Only things had gone wrong in a raid on a warehouse in Los Angeles.
While tracking Reginald Dupree and his uncle Angus Dupree, Morrow had disappeared from the warehouse. From what Riley remembered, a Dupree helicopter was able to get away during the shootout. It was suspected that Morrow was on that chopper, held against his will by Angus. Reginald and two of his associates had subsequently been arrested and were still in custody.
The weird thing was, Jake had been spotted all over the country, but the last report had him near Billings, Montana. So, of all places for him to show up, why here?
Riley lowered the rifle yet again and stood. “Special Agent Jake Morrow?”
The man froze and Riley raised his hands, along with the rifle, over his head and started walking slowly toward him. He stayed on the path that led to the little campsite clearing, bypassing the large rocks and tangled bushes as well as enormous trees. “I’m Riley Martelli. I’m a bounty hunter and I’ve been tracking a guy. I thought you were him. Imagine my surprise when you turned—”
The man palmed his weapon in a move so fast Riley didn’t have time to blink. Morrow aimed the gun at him. Riley’s street training didn’t allow him to freeze, he just dove behind the nearest tree as the gun cracked.
The bullet pinged off the large trunk, sending debris stinging against his face. “Hey! I’m one of the good guys! What are you doing?” Another bullet zipped past him and he raised his own rifle to his shoulder once again. “Stop shooting! I’m not trying to hurt you!” He peered around the rock, his blood pumping. His eyes met Morrow’s and the man glared at him for another few seconds before he raised his weapon once again to aim it at Riley’s face.
Riley pulled back just as another pop sounded then he heard the engine of the SUV roar to life.
Riley rose to his feet once again and watched the agent drive away while his heart thundered in his ears. Why had Agent Morrow reacted that way? Had he not heard him calling out to him? Of course he’d heard and still opened fire. His aim had been deliberate. Close shots that meant business. If the look in his eyes meant anything, Jake Morrow wasn’t lost and he definitely didn’t want to be found.
Riley reached for his cell phone, checked that he had a signal, and went to the news website. The number he’d seen on the television last night regarding reporting tips for Jake Morrow sightings was on the home page. He tapped the number and lifted his phone to his ear.
* * *
FBI Special Agent Harper Prentiss lowered her feet from her desk and leaned forward, her attention totally focused on what she was hearing. She’d been about to walk out the door to head home for the evening when the call had come through. Could this finally be the tip they were waiting for? “Tell me again. I want to make sure I didn’t miss anything.” And that his story didn’t change.
The man on the other side of the conversation had identified himself as Riley Martelli and said he’d spotted Jake Morrow in Drum Creek, Colorado. Skepticism was her first reaction. They’d had so many bogus tips that her head hadn’t stopped spinning with all the information she’d had to sift through. But the more this guy talked, the more she wondered if he’d really seen Jake.
He repeated the story word for word. The details didn’t change. Nothing left out, nothing added.
They had to check it out.
“Hold on a second.”
“Sure.”
She did a quick Google search. It was about a ten-hour drive to Drum Creek. If they left within the hour, they’d have time for a couple of hours of sleep before jumping on the case. She pondered taking the choppers, but they’d need their vehicles for the dogs.
Then again, she wanted to get there before too much time passed and Jake had a chance to move on. Or, there was another option. One that made the most logistical sense. “All right, I’ll tell you what. If I take a chopper, I can be there within a couple of hours. The others drive up with the vehicles and meet me there, but at least I can start searching.”
“No sense in hurrying,” Riley Martelli answered. “You’re going to want to start your search where I last saw him, I’m sure. There’s no searching in the dark. Not in that area, trust me.”
“Give me the location.”
“Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s about an hour and forty minutes from Denver and about fifteen minutes from Drum Creek. It’s got tons of camping areas, lakes and other great hiding places. I repeat, you won’t find him in the dark.”
Harper bit her lip, her frustration raging. She didn’t want to have to wait until morning to start looking for Jake, but apparently she wasn’t going to have a choice. They could chopper in lights and other equipment, but that was still risky. They could miss something important on the fringes of the light.
No, they’d have to start the search at dawn. “All right, we can be there first thing in the morning. Can you recommend a place to stay that can accommodate six team members and six dogs?”
“Sure. There’s a hotel in downtown Drum Creek. I’m staying there right now. The owner is a friend of mine. What do you need? Six rooms?”
“Yes.” Harper worried her bottom lip with her teeth. They had to be careful how they approached this. They still didn’t know what they were dealing with. Was Special Agent Morrow an agent in need of help or was he a double agent, actually working for the very mafia kingpin they’d been trying to put away for months now? She just didn’t know. But she was going to find out.
“Keep this confidential, will you? We’re going to make a big enough splash with our vehicles and the dogs, but if you can help us fly as far under the radar as possible, that would be great.”
Keeping the press and the public unaware of their classified missions was the only way to ensure the success of the team. However, with the dogs, the handlers had to be identifiable in certain situations so the FBI provided a variety of uniforms and gear for different occasions. Max West, their team leader, would have to figure out the best option for this situation.
“I’ll do my best and I’ll reserve the rooms for you,” the bounty hunter was saying. “Like I said, the guy who owns the hotel and works the early morning desk is a friend of mine. He can keep his mouth shut—and if you park in the back, your vehicles won’t be seen from the main road.”
“Perfect.”
“I’ll meet you in the lobby at 5:30 sharp. Sunrise is around 5:45. If we get out of town and head into the park early, there won’t be a lot of traffic or inquiries.”
“Good. Our vehicles are black Suburbans. No flashy logos or anything.” But the dogs would attract attention. They gathered stares wherever they went. She sighed. Well, they could only do their best.
“Sounds good.”
“Thank you, Mr. Martelli.”
“Call me Riley.”
“All right, Riley, see you in the morning.”
She hung up and sent an email to her team. She was a member of the elite FBI Tactical K-9 Unit. While the FBI started its K-9 program many years ago, the Tactical K-9 Unit was started by the agency ten years ago in response to the increased levels of terrorism haunting the country. They ultimately answered to the FBI Director, but her team was special in that they had very little micromanaging from above. They were good at their jobs and the director knew it. He left them alone, only requiring debriefs as necessary from their team leader.
Harper’s computer dinged as the responses came in. Good, everyone would be ready to leave by five this afternoon. They’d drive to Colorado, check into the hotel, sleep a couple of hours and be ready to roll by 5:30 a.m. She shut the laptop and placed it in her bag.
They had to find Jake. He’d disappeared in the shootout with the Dupree kingpin and his uncle, Angus Dupree, in Los Angeles, California. Jake’s Malinois, Buddy, was injured in the shootout and was slowly recovering. Unfortunately, as smart as he was, he couldn’t talk and tell them what happened or where his partner went. It was up to Jake’s team to find him and bring him home.
Or bring him to justice.
* * *
Riley glanced at his watch. 5:28. On any other morning, it would be too early for the motel to have breakfast ready, but he had requested that pastries and juice be available for the team. Since the two of them were friends, the manager had been happy to oblige and had even added scrambled eggs and bacon to the spread. Special agents milled around the buffet, their expressions solemn, determined and ready for anything. Each one had a highly trained, working dog. He didn’t see how they would be able to fly under the radar, but working in the early morning hours while most people still slept or late into the evening would help.
His gaze moved back to the woman who had captured his interest the moment she’d entered the breakfast area. She was one of two females in the group and he assumed she was the one he’d spoken to on the phone yesterday.
Harper Prentiss. He liked her name and thought it suited her. She looked to be in her late twenties. Her dark hair was cut short, but in a style that flattered her face. Her blue eyes had locked with his just moments before and he figured she’d be heading his way after she finished her bagel. He swallowed another sip of coffee. He hadn’t expected her to be so pretty.
Special Agent Prentiss took her last bite and walked over. Her German shepherd stayed at her heel and sat when Harper stopped in front of him. “Riley Martelli?”
He stood and held out a hand. “Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re here early.”
“I like to be prepared.”
A faint smile curved her lips and small creases formed at the corners of her eyes. “Thank you for reserving the rooms. We needed them by the time we got here.”
“Hope you got some rest.”
“A few hours, but we’re used to going without when we have to.” She looked around and he noticed the others clearing their trash. Her gaze landed back on his. “We’ll be ready to roll in just a few minutes.”
“All right. Your vehicles look like they’ll hold up to the rugged terrain.”
“They will.” She paused. “This is an afterthought, but I don’t suppose you got a picture of the guy you saw?”
“Nope, but his face has been plastered all over the news and that was the guy.”
“And he shot at you,” she murmured.
“He did. And kept shooting even after I identified myself with my arms up and my weapon held over my head. Trust me, he wasn’t interested in being helped. The bullets he fired weren’t warning shots. They were way too close for comfort. If he could have killed me, he would have. He wanted me dead.”
She frowned and exchanged a look of concern with the man on her left. He’d been listening to the exchange and now he nodded and stood. “Guys? Let’s do a quick introduction and get going. You all about ready?”
A chorus of yeses answered him. One by one, each team member stepped up to introduce himself and his partner. A tall, green-eyed agent with short blond hair held out a hand. “I’m Leo Gallagher.” He gestured to the chocolate Lab at his side. “This is True. Nice to meet you.”
Riley nodded. Next was the other pretty woman on the team. “Julianne Martinez and Thunder.” The foxhound’s ears twitched at his name and he looked up at her. She patted his head and they followed Leo out the door.
“Max West.” He was the one who’d stood and told them all to head out. Max was tall with short blond hair and blue eyes. He had a wicked-looking scar on his left cheek and Riley couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. “This is Opal.”
Riley shook his hand.
Harper leaned over as Max headed out the door. “Max is the boss,” she whispered. “Everything goes through him.”
“Right.”
All of the agents were friendly enough, but the walls were there. Riley didn’t take it personally. He’d been in law enforcement once upon a time so he got it. They didn’t know anything about him. He could be some thrill seeker who got his kicks by calling in false leads and making everyone jump through hoops. He’d have to prove himself, or at least prove he wasn’t mistaken—or lying—about spotting Morrow.
Another tall, muscular man stepped up and held out a hand. “Ian Slade.” He scratched the ears of the Belgian Malinois at his side. “This is King. Thanks for your help.” He moved on toward the door.
“And last, but not least, I’m Zeke Morrow and this guy here is Cheetah.” The Australian shepherd was a gorgeous animal. All of the dogs were.
“Morrow?” Riley asked.
“Jake’s my brother.”
“Okay, then. I hope we find him fast.”
“That makes all of us.” Zeke’s lips flattened and he walked out the door.
Harper sighed and met Riley’s gaze. “He’s having a hard time.”
“I’m sure,” Riley murmured.
“Now that you’ve met the team, we can get going. We’re all ready to find Jake and put this case to bed. Why don’t you ride with me? Star here has her own area in the vehicle.”
He nodded and followed her out the door to climb into the passenger seat. Star slipped into the back and Harper slid into the driver’s seat. Leo and True walked over. “Is there room for us? There’s no reason to take all the vehicles.”
“Of course. There’s room for True in there with Star for this ride. It’s not that long a trip according to the GPS.” They climbed in and True settled into the designated area with Star. The custom-designed vehicle came with a climate-controlled spot where the dogs had been trained to ride.
The other agents and dogs dispersed themselves between two of the other vehicles. Harper cranked the Chevy and pulled out of the hotel parking lot.
For the next twenty minutes, the three of them made small talk and he learned Harper had graduated from high school and then gone straight into the army. “You didn’t want to make a career of it?”
“Nope, just wanted my degree in Criminal Justice. As soon as I had that and the loans paid off I got out and applied to the FBI. I had pretty decent grades in high school, but nothing that stood out so the army made sense for me. My dad took off when I was little and my mom found her comfort at the bottom of a bottle and eventually died from alcohol poisoning.” She slid a glance at him. “My options were pretty limited. I just knew I didn’t want to be like either of my parents.”
“You’re pretty open about all that.”
She shrugged and smiled. “I’ve come to grips with it. Every once in a while I’ll get asked to do a demonstration at a school and instead of just making it all about the dog, I decided that sharing about my past might help someone make better decisions for their future. Kind of a �you might have it bad right now at home, but that doesn’t have to define your future’ thing.”
Riley found himself fascinated by Harper after that short snippet. Fascinated and wanting to know more about her. Which made him leery. He’d just met her so why did she hold such attraction for him? “Where’d you grow up?” he asked before he could bite his tongue on the question.
“In San Diego.”
“Any brothers and sisters?”
“No, I’m an only child.” Her lips twisted. “I was kind of sad about it when I was younger, but all things considered, it was better that way.” She shot him a glance. “What about you?”
His heart aching, he cleared his throat. “I had a sister. She was killed two months ago by Van Blackman, the guy I’m chasing.”
She snapped her head around to look at him then jerked her gaze back to the road. He heard Leo let out a slow breath in the backseat.
“I’m sorry,” Harper said softly.
Leo reached forward and patted him on the shoulder. “I am, too.”
“Thanks. She’s the reason I’m in Drum Creek. I’m originally from Denver, but I got word that my sister’s killer was spotted around this vicinity so headed over the night before last. I thought I saw Van coming out of the general store and followed him. Turned out to be your guy. He looks real similar to Jake Morrow—big build, a few inches over six feet, same hair color...” He shrugged. “Dress them in practically identical clothing and they could almost pass for twins.”
“You left out some of the story last night.”
He shrugged. “The parts I left out weren’t important at the time.” He pointed. “Turn here.”
She did and followed the dirt path around the lake and to a small area where he directed her to park. “This is where I parked the other day or I would have been able to follow him out of the park. I’m familiar with this area so knew he wasn’t going far once he got past that boulder up there. Unfortunately, he drove and was able to get away.” The trees swayed in the summer breeze and right now, the area looked like something one would see on a postcard. Harper shut off the engine and the others behind her did the same.
Once they were all out of the vehicles, they let the dogs take care of business then Harper pulled a baseball cap from a plastic bag and held it in front of Star’s nose. The dog got a good whiff and Harper replaced the hat in the bag then turned to Riley. “I see what you mean about not searching at night. The terrain is rugged. It would be pitch-black at night. Even with large lights and other equipment brought in to help with the search, there’d be no guarantee you wouldn’t miss something.”
“Exactly.”
“All right, lead the way.”
Riley made his way down the trail he’d followed Morrow on yesterday just before lunch. The others fell into step behind him, fanning out, letting their animals sniff and search along the way.
Riley finally reached the area where he’d seen Morrow. “Tell the others to stay back. You don’t want to compromise the scene.”
She lifted a brow but turned and did as he asked. The others stopped.
“Sorry,” he said. “I guess you know how to work a scene.”
“We do.”
She opened the bag and held the hat out to her shepherd again. After she got a whiff, the dog stepped forward, nose to the ground, then in the air. Star went a little ways then sat and gave a low bark right next to the remains of the small campfire. She seemed almost disappointed that it had been so easy and not a challenge to her superior skills.
Special Agent Harper Prentiss turned those electric blue eyes on him. “Well, well, what do you know?” She turned to the others. “He was here.”
“Good,” Riley said. “Because I really need that reward money.”
Harper blinked in surprise, but didn’t pursue the matter. “Okay. Well then, I guess we’ll have to see that you get it. Hopefully, between the seven of us, we’ll pinpoint Jake’s location before nightfall. And you’ll get your reward money.”
Riley grimaced. He’d sounded very greedy but he’d have to explain his reasons for his desperation later. He grasped her arm in a gentle grip. “I don’t mind staying with you and helping guide you in this area, but you need to know something.”
“What?”
“Your danger level is going to skyrocket if you hang around me.”
“Because...?”
“Van Blackman’s not only my sister’s killer, he’s vowed to kill me, too.”
TWO (#u0bb84125-697c-52ec-852b-88e88e8af7ba)
Harper’s eyes widened. “Why is he gunning for you?”
“Blackman knows I won’t rest until he’s either in prison or dead. And he knows I’m the one that’s most determined to see that one of those two things happen. He’s just as insistent that they won’t. He sent me a note saying that if I continued to come after him, he’d see me dead, but if I let him go, he’d disappear and I’d never hear from him again.”
“I see. And you can’t let him go.”
“That’s not even on the radar. And not just because he killed my sister and shot my nephew, although that’s a huge part of it.”
“What’s the other part?” she asked.
Riley’s jaw clenched and his brown eyes flashed. “He’ll do it again if he isn’t stopped.”
“Yeah.” She drew in a breath. “All right, thanks for the warning. I’ll talk to Max, but I have a feeling he’ll say that we’ll take our chances. You know this area and we need someone that can help guide us.” She paused. “Why is he hanging around here? Why doesn’t he just leave?”
Riley shook his head. “Believe me, I’ve asked myself that same question. He has a vehicle, but I’m not sure how much money he has. The only thing I can figure is that he knows Denver and the park like the back of his hand. He’s comfortable here. He also knows that if he leaves, I’ll be right behind him. I think he’s tired of running and just wants to see me dead so he can get on with his life.”
She nodded slowly. “Makes sense.”
“Yeah. It actually makes things easier for me, believe it or not.” He turned to walk toward Ian and she frowned while she stared at the bounty hunter’s broad back. His blunt statement that he needed the reward money bothered her. Sure, a hundred grand was a lot of money, a fortune for some people. But still...
Disappointment streaked through her. She didn’t know why she expected Riley to be different. But she did. What was it that made her want to hold him to a higher standard? She shook her head.
Then wariness flowed through her as another thought surfaced. Could this be some sort of a setup? A distraction from what they needed to be focused on? According to Star, Jake had definitely been in the area—and recently. But what if Riley was working with Morrow? Could he be a part of the Dupree crime family himself? She pulled her phone from the clip on her belt and sent a text to Dylan O’Leary: Background on Riley Martelli needed ASAP. Dylan was the unit’s technical guru. Based in Billings, Montana, he kept the unit running smoothly. He could do anything with a computer and find just about any information needed.
She discreetly snapped a picture of Riley while he was talking with Ian then sent that to Dylan as well.
On it.
She smiled at his immediate response and knew she’d have everything she needed before too long. She turned her attention back to Riley. He was looking her way and motioned her over.
Harper clipped her phone back to her belt and went to see what they’d found. Star stayed at her side.
“Where are we?”
Ian nodded to a small area on the ground. “Someone built a fire here and Star says it was Jake.”
“He was camping out here.” It wasn’t a question.
“Maybe, but when I followed him to this spot, he didn’t have any kind of camping gear set up,” Riley replied. “He simply started a fire.”
Harper frowned. “But why?”
“Maybe he was bored and passing the time. Who knows?”
Harper squatted next to the doused fire. “Or he was burning something he didn’t want anyone else to see.” She picked up a small stick and separated the ashes. Bits of white paper were noticeable. “A note?”
“Again...maybe,” Riley responded.
“Some of the pieces aren’t completely burned and have writing on them.” She glanced up at him. “You might have had him running before he could finish the job.” Using the stick, she managed to flip one of the larger pieces of paper. “Potter,” she said, then gasped. “Hey, this could have something to do with Penny.”
“Who’s Penny?” Riley asked.
“The mother of Jake Morrow’s child.”
“Whoa.”
“Yeah.” Harper sighed and stood. “We’ve been looking for her and her son, Kevin, because we figure she can lead us to Jake. He was spotted at her home near Billings just a few days ago, but ran when we got there.”
“Wait a minute, if he was at her house—and here at the national park—then he’s definitely not a captive of the Dupree family. And if he’s not a captive and needs help—because he sure didn’t want mine yesterday—then what’s he doing? Why isn’t he reaching out to you?”
“We’ve pondered all of that, of course, but we just don’t know.” She had her thoughts, but kept them to herself for now. “He’s not a captive,” Harper said. “That much we do know.” The question was, was he a double agent? As much as she didn’t want to believe it, she couldn’t help but think he might be working for the Duprees. She just couldn’t figure out any other reason for Jake to be acting the way he was.
Even if he was worried about Penny and needed to find her, all he had to do was ask and they’d all join in the search for her. As a team. But he was working alone and seemed to want to keep it that way.
“So, like you said, you stay on her trail and let her lead you to Morrow—or in this case, let Morrow come to you if you catch up with Penny first,” Riley mused.
“That’s the plan.”
“All right,” Max said. He motioned for the team to gather round. “Let’s get this area processed. We’ll do it ourselves and make sure it’s done right.” They retrieved the necessary supplies from the vehicles, moved in and got busy working on it.
Harper’s phone buzzed and she pulled it up to look at the screen.
A message from Dylan. Still working on your request, but this anonymous text just came in and wanted to get it to you straightaway. Forwarding it now.
She waited. The team had been receiving anonymous texts leading them to various places around the country. The person sending the texts seemed to want to help find Jake. However, remaining anonymous was obviously more important to the sender. And they were very skilled at making sure they stayed that way. Even Dylan hadn’t been able to track the texts.
The buzz came again. Find Morrow’s toddler and find Jake. That simple.
She resisted the urge to snort. Right...that simple. If only. Harper pondered the fact that Penny had run when all the trouble with Jake started and they had figured out that the missing agent was most likely looking for her. Only a month ago, they’d gone to Penny’s house and had run into Jake doing the same thing. Only he’d bolted when he saw them. Which made no sense to her.
So if Jake was in the park, that was a good indication that Penny and her child were here as well. But where? And why Colorado? She glanced back at the pile of ashes then texted Dylan again. See if Penny has any connections here in Colorado, please. Let me know ASAP.
Sure thing.
Thanks. So how are the wedding plans progressing? Dylan was madly in love with Zara Fielding. Zara was a former team intern who was currently training at Quantico to become an agent. She was also Dylan’s fiancée.
Beautifully. Haven’t talked to her in a couple of days so I’m going through withdrawal. If you talk to her, tell her to call me.
Will do.
TTYL.
“Hey guys,” she called, “we’ve gotten another anonymous text.” The others gathered around her and she shared the message.
“I’d really like to know who’s sending these,” Ian muttered.
“Dylan will figure it out eventually. Let’s finish up here and see what the lab can come up with.”
For the next three hours, they worked the scene, but Morrow was obviously long gone and nothing else turned up that she would consider helpful. Finally, Harper sighed and walked over to Max. “I think we’re done here, what do you think?”
“I think you’re right.” He motioned the others over. When everyone was within hearing distance, he asked, “Anyone else hungry? My breakfast wore off long ago.”
Chimes of agreement rolled in and Harper looked at Riley. “Any place in town you can recommend?”
“Of course. The motel opens their restaurant for lunch. Then there’s the Drum Creek Café that serves burgers, fries, shakes and salads. Or if you want something a bit fancier, there’s Twilights right on the edge of town overlooking a small lake.” His eyes held hers. “It’s a great place for a date.”
Ian had a coughing fit. Max snorted. Harper blinked and heat invaded her cheeks. “I don’t need fancy since I don’t do dates,” she said. “The café works for me. What about you guys?”
They swallowed their mirth and nodded. Harper could almost see Ian biting holes in his tongue to keep from commenting. She shot him a warning glare. He grinned then turned to help gather their gear and together they hiked back to the vehicles. Riley walked with Max, the two of them talking. Max would fill her in later if it was something she needed to know.
But what was that comment about a date? Seriously?
Ian stepped over beside her and nudged her with a small grin. “It’s a good place for a date,” he drawled. “Wonder if he has anyone in mind?”
She slugged him in the arm and he laughed while he jogged ahead. At least he’d waited until he was out of Riley’s earshot before he let loose with the teasing.
While she walked, Harper pushed Ian’s ribbing aside and pondered her reaction to the good-looking bounty hunter. She admitted her attraction and questioned her sanity at the same time. She had no business letting herself be drawn to this man since she still had questions about his motives and whether or not he could be working with Jake. She didn’t really think so, but...
Harper gave herself a mental shake and held the door for Star to hop in. She was not attracted to him. There.
Riley settled into the passenger seat with Leo and True behind them again. Once Harper was in the driver’s seat and headed down the road, she glanced at her handsome passenger. “Are you going to eat with us?”
“No. I have something I need to take care of.”
“What’s that?”
He shrugged. “Just...something. Personal stuff.”
She raised a brow but kept silent. It was none of her business after all. A short time later, she pulled in front of the café and Riley opened his door. He turned back to her. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”
“I will. Thank you for leading us out there today.”
“You’re welcome.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to get going.” He shifted then rubbed a hand over his chin. “Will you let me know if I can collect the reward money?”
Harper frowned. “Sure. If we find Jake here due to your call, we’ll get your money to you.”
He flushed. “I know I sound money-hungry. It’s not that, it’s just my—”
“It’s really not my business. I’ll be in touch.”
Riley nodded then exhaled sharply. “Right. Thanks.” He climbed out and shut the door. She watched him walk to his car and sighed. Why had she interrupted him?
Because his great place for a date comment still rang in her ears. And because she didn’t think she’d mind one bit going on a date with him.
Even though she didn’t date. And even though she might want to. No, she didn’t. Because she was not attracted to him, she reminded herself. She had a job to do. Period.
A rap on her window made her jump. When she turned, Max was waiting for her. She lowered the window. “You coming?” he asked.
She turned to see Riley pull away from the parking lot and made up her mind. “I want to check on something first if that’s all right.”
He frowned. “What?”
“I’m going to follow him. I want to see where he’s going. I’m still not a hundred percent convinced he’s not somehow working with Jake.”
Max gave a slow nod. “Might not be a bad idea. You want some backup?”
“Not yet. I’ll call if I need you.”
* * *
Riley cruised down I-70 toward Denver and thought about the morning. He was hungry but would get something in the hospital cafeteria. His need to see his nephew ate at him. And he needed an update from the doctors.
But he couldn’t help the groan that slipped from his throat. “A great place for a date? Really?” His eyes had locked on Harper’s and that was what he’d thought. And that was what had come out of his mouth. He shook his head. He wasn’t usually so free with his words. But there was just something about her...
He sighed.
He didn’t need to focus on that. Instead, he needed to keep his attention on his nephew and helping him heal. A budding attraction for the pretty FBI agent would only distract him and neither he nor his nephew needed that right now. Priorities, he reminded himself. Priorities.
An hour and forty-five minutes later, he arrived in Denver and pulled into the hospital parking lot. He turned the vehicle off and simply sat there a moment. He wanted to pray, to beg God for guidance, money and healing for his nephew, but...
He wanted to believe that God was who He said He was. But so much had happened in the last year that made him question his faith. Made him wonder if he believed in a God who either wasn’t all-powerful or just didn’t really care about what was going on with him personally. He pushed out of his truck. No time to ponder the heavy stuff. Asher was waiting for him.
Riley walked through the doors of the hospital. He made his way to Asher’s floor and headed for the child’s room. As he passed the nursing station, the men and women greeted him. “Glad to see you back. Asher’s been asking for you. His teacher is here, too.”
“Thanks.”
He opened the door and found his mother sitting in the chair she’d occupied since his sister’s death and Asher’s admittance into the hospital. Her needles clicked softly and a ball of yarn spilled from the bag next to her chair. A dark haired, dark-eyed woman sat on the edge of Asher’s bed. The little guy held a card in his hand and others spilled over his lap and the smile on his face was worth more than gold.
“Hi, I didn’t realize he had company,” Riley said as he leaned over and kissed the top of his mother’s head.
“I’m Beth Smith,” the woman said. “I was Asher’s first grade teacher last year. I heard about what happened and about two weeks ago rounded up his classmates and friends. We had a card-making party for Asher and I was very excited to be able to bring them to him today.”
Riley shook her hand. “That’s very kind.”
“I miss them, Uncle Riley.”
He smoothed the child’s hair from his forehead. “I know you do, buddy. Maybe some of them can come see you soon since you’re feeling better.”
“That would be awesome.”
Riley smiled at the enthusiasm.
“Can I have a puppy, too?”
“A puppy?”
Asher turned those thick-lashed blue eyes on him. “I really think I need a puppy. It can keep me company and make me feel like laughing again.”
Mrs. Smith gasped and Riley saw tears in her eyes before she looked away.
His heart clenched and he found it hard to draw in breath around the grief that filled him. He cleared his throat. “We’ll have to see. I’m not making any promises, but we’ll talk about it when you get out of the hospital. Deal?”
“Deal.”
And Riley was going to do whatever it took to make sure Asher felt like laughing again.
“Hey, you know what?” he said.
“What?”
“I met someone who has a dog. You want me to ask her to bring it up here?”
Asher’s eyes widened. “Today?”
“Probably not today, but maybe soon?”
“Yes, please, Uncle Riley. That would be double awesome!”
“Okay, then.”
“What kind of dog?” he asked.
“She’s a police dog. She helps sniff out the bad guys.”
“Wow,” Asher breathed.
“A police dog?” Mrs. Smith asked.
Riley nodded. “Yes.”
“I have a group of summer campers who are thinking about going into law enforcement. Their favorite topic has been K-9s and their work with the different areas of law enforcement.”
“Where are you doing the camp?”
“Out at the national park. We’re in the part where they have cabins and decent restroom facilities.”
“Roughing it, huh?”
She laughed. “Not too bad.”
“I wish I could go to camp,” Asher said softly.
Riley squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s aim for next summer, okay?”
Asher nodded. “Where I can go and learn about being a police officer so I can catch the bad guys?”
“Sure.”
Mrs. Smith kissed Asher’s cheek and rose. “Well, I suppose I need to say my goodbyes.” She gathered her purse and walked toward the door. “I only managed to slip away from the camp for a short time and need to get back. Asher, I’ll check back in on you soon.”
Asher waved. “Bye, Mrs. Smith. Thank you for coming to see me.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” She smiled and Asher’s lids drooped. The visit had tired him out. Riley said one more goodbye to Mrs. Smith then sat with Asher and held him until he dozed off. It didn’t take long. He slid off the bed and turned to his mother who still worked with the needle and yarn. “Another blanket?”
“Yes.” She looked up and gave him a weary smile. “It keeps me busy and helps me think. And besides, they’re selling pretty well at the little consignment store Sheila runs. She keeps asking for more.”
Sheila, his mother’s best friend, worked at a consignment store in downtown Denver. She’d encouraged his mother to let her sell some of her items and to everyone’s surprise, it had turned into a full-time job keeping up with the demand.
“Now that we’re alone, is there any change? Any updates?” His gaze went back to Asher, who was dwarfed by the large bed. The boy appeared to be sleeping comfortably.
His mother laid her knitting aside and rubbed her eyes. “No, son, you know nothing’s going to change without the surgery. The doctor said he’s strong enough for it now—he’s recovered nicely from the bullet in his shoulder and now they just need to get in and get the other one out.”
He nodded. Of course he knew that, but each day that went by, he hoped. Hoped his nephew’s spine would heal on its own, that he would sit up in the bed, whole and happy again. Riley vaguely wondered how long it took for hope to finally dry up. “I wish Dad was here.”
Tears sprang to his mother’s eyes and Riley wished he’d kept his mouth shut. His father had passed away two years ago after a short battle with brain cancer.
She swiped a stray tear. “I do, too, son. Are you any closer to catching Van?” she asked.
He rubbed his eyes. “Yes. I think so. I have a good idea where to look for him now.” He fell silent for a moment. “That was nice of Mrs. Smith to drop by.”
“Very nice. Asher looked forward to it all morning.”
Riley reached for her hand and held it, noticing the texture of her still-smooth skin, feeling the warmth of her fingers. A hand that had wiped his tears and cleaned his little boy knees and elbows, had cradled him in her arms when his prom date had stood him up. He was a man who still wanted—if not needed—his mother and her comfort. He wondered if he should be ashamed to admit that. “How are you feeling? Are you taking your medicine?”
“I am.” She had a heart condition that required daily medication. One reason she felt she couldn’t handle full custody of Asher and why Riley had agreed to be the one to take him should anything happen to his sister. He’d never thought he would be in the position he now found himself. He swallowed and stepped next to the child to run a hand over Asher’s sweet face. The boy opened his eyes.
And smiled. “You’re still here.”
Riley’s heart tripped over itself at the love and trust reflected there. He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Asher’s forehead. “Sure I am. How are you doing, Champ?”
“I want to go outside and play.”
Riley’s throat tightened on the tears that wanted to flow on behalf of the little boy he loved so much. “Soon, Asher. I sure hope you can do that soon.”
“Me, too.”
“Maybe we can get a wheelchair and roll you outside in a little while.”
“Okay.” Asher closed his eyes again then opened them when the door opened and the doctor walked in. The boy reached for Riley’s hand and held on but there was no fear in his blue eyes. For that Riley was grateful. He’d promised Asher that everyone in the hospital was there to help him walk again and Asher believed him. For now.
The doctor started to speak and Riley fingered one of the tubes running out of the little guy’s body. Fresh fury rocked him. He drew in a deep breath. God, where are You? Where were You? Why didn’t You protect them?
THREE (#u0bb84125-697c-52ec-852b-88e88e8af7ba)
Harper frowned as she waited on Riley to come back out of the room he’d entered.
They were on the pediatric floor and Harper would admit, once she realized he was heading for the hospital, she’d thought he might be meeting a woman who worked there. A girlfriend nurse or doctor. Then she wondered why that was her first thought. She finally admitted it was because she wanted to know if there was someone special in his life. She grimaced. Why did it matter? It was not like she wanted him to act on his subtle hint about going to the restaurant on a date. Not with her, anyway. Did she?
She did.
And she didn’t.
She loved her job and knew she was good at it, but deep down, in a place she would only admit to herself, she wanted more. But she was afraid she just wasn’t meant to have a family of her own. And right now wasn’t the time to think about it. Conflicted, she pushed the thoughts away and focused on the reason she was there.
Once they’d arrived on the floor, the fact that everyone greeted Riley warmly seemed to support the theory that he was a regular visitor. But he hadn’t spoken to any of the women there other than to offer a brief wave and a smile. He’d gone into one of the rooms followed by the doctor shortly thereafter. Her curiosity ramped up into high gear.
But one thing was settled. He definitely wasn’t meeting Jake Morrow. So who? The woman who’d walked out wiping tears from her cheeks? She definitely looked like someone who might be Riley’s type. Pretty, with a sweet smile she’d shot at the nursing station as she’d passed by.
Harper stayed where she could see the door and waited. Ten minutes later, her patience paid off. The doctor stepped out and she waited for him to walk her way. “Excuse me?”
He stopped. “Yes?” He looked to be in his midforties and was a good-looking guy with kind green eyes.
Harper flashed her badge. “I’m investigating a case. Do you know Riley Martelli?”
“Of course. He’s Asher’s uncle. A better guy you’ll never meet.”
The glowing endorsement eased her nerves a bit. “That’s good to hear. And your patient is Asher?”
The kind eyes hardened. “Yes.”
“Can you tell me what happened to him?”
“No. HIPAA laws and all that.” Harper frowned and the doc lifted a brow. “But it was all over the news. You didn’t see it?”
“I’m not from around here. Can you fill me in?”
He hesitated and shrugged. “I can tell you what was on the news. Asher caught two bullets when a stalker went after his mother.”
Harper gasped. “That’s horrible.” Even though she’d seen a lot of awful in her line of work, she would never become numb to murder.
He nodded. “Charlotte, Asher’s mother, died almost instantly with a bullet that went through her heart. Asher pulled through. One of the bullets is lodged very near his spine and he needs some pretty tricky surgery to remove it. The one that went through his shoulder did some damage, but nothing major.”
“But he’ll be all right?”
“He’s already pretty well recovered from that one. Until we can get the bullet from his back, though, he won’t be able to walk. And yes, all of that was on the news—well, on television in a press conference, I guess you would say. After Charlotte was killed, her mother went on television and told the story. She then begged people to be on the lookout for Van Blackman and to call the police if he was spotted.”
“Did it help? Her plea?”
The doctor shrugged. “They got some leads but nothing that panned out.” His nostrils flared. “And so he’s walking around a free man while that little boy now has no mother and can’t get out of that bed.” His eyes flashed in fury at the injustice and Harper tried to process the words and push aside her shock.
“When is he supposed to have the surgery?” she asked.
“We’ve been waiting for him to heal enough to handle it. When he first got here, we didn’t think he was going to make it, but he’s pulled through like a champ.” He smiled proudly. “In fact, that’s his new nickname around here. Champ. We’re still waiting to see when we can schedule the surgery.”
“Doctor? Special Agent Prentiss?”
She froze and grimaced. Busted. She turned to find Riley staring at her. “I told you to call me Harper.”
He raised a brow. “Harper. What are you doing here?”
She opened her mouth then shut it. What could she say?
His hands went to his hips and he frowned. “Did you follow me?”
“Yes.”
“But...why?”
Harper glanced at the doctor who looked decidedly uncomfortable. She offered him a small smile. “Thank you.”
“Sure.” He escaped quickly.
Harper looked back at the glowering Riley. “I don’t blame you for being mad. I just had to make sure you weren’t meeting with Jake Morrow.”
“Meeting with Ja—” He ran a hand through his reddish blond hair. “Why would I be meeting with the man who shot at me?”
He was either truly confused or an Oscar worthy performer. “I don’t want to take you away from your nephew, but is there somewhere we can go to talk? When you’re finished?” Her phone buzzed but she ignored it for the moment.
He stared at her a moment longer then shrugged. “Let me tell my mother and Asher what I’m doing. We can go down to the cafeteria and get a sandwich. I’m starving.”
“Sure.”
He started to walk away then turned back. “Hey, do you have Star with you?”
“Yes. She’s in the car. Why?” She’d wanted to remain inconspicuous. Walking in with Star would have made her stand out like a sore thumb. The dog was fine in the temperature-controlled area of the vehicle.
“I’ll tell you in a minute.”
He was gone all of thirty seconds before he returned. “I was going to ask you to bring Star up to see Asher, but he’s sleeping deeply. I don’t want to disturb him.”
“I’m happy to bring Star to see him. Just let me know when.” They walked to the elevator. “So the doctor told me a little bit about what happened. He said Asher is your nephew.”
“Yes.”
“And Van Blackman, the man you mentioned, killed your sister. He shot your nephew, too.” The doctor had given her the information, but she wanted to hear it from Riley. Guilt pierced her. She remembered him trying to tell her why he wanted the reward money and she’d cut him off.
“Yes. He stalked her for months before he finally snapped and opened fire on them in the grocery store parking lot. She died and I now have custody of Asher.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He nodded and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “I am, too.”
Harper bit her lip. “Asher’s why you need the money, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. The medical bills are piling up. The insurance plan my sister had wasn’t a very good one and Asher needs surgery. Extensive, expensive surgery. We’ve had a few people donate to a fund that was set up, but that money’s running out and it’s getting harder and harder to pay the bills.”
Her heart went out to him. How awful.
Harper’s phone rang again and this time she pulled it from the clip on her belt. “Excuse me. Why don’t you get in line and get your food? Go ahead and eat if I’m not back in time.”
“You want anything? You didn’t have time to eat if you followed me here.”
“Get me whatever you’re having. I’m not picky.”
“Chicken salad?”
“Sure, and don’t wait on me to eat. I never know how long I’ll be when I get on the phone with Dylan.” She hit the button to answer the phone before it could go to voice mail. “Prentiss here.”
“Harper, this is Dylan.”
“What do you have?”
“Your guy, Riley Martelli, is clean. I couldn’t come up with anything that connected him with Jake Morrow or anyone else that would throw up red flags. He was actually a cop for several years before he became a bounty hunter.”
“What? He never mentioned that.” She cut her eyes to him as he stood at the counter placing his order. Yeah, she could see him in some form of law enforcement. He had that aura about him.
“Yep. A decorated officer, too.”
“Why’d he quit?”
“I don’t know. There’s nothing in his record to indicate what made him change careers. Whatever the reason, he’s still catching the bad guys and putting them away. I did find out that his sister was murdered—”
“I know that part. He told me.”
“He told you she had a stalker? And that he has sole custody of his nephew?”
“Yes.”
“All right, then. Let’s move to Penny.”
“What about her?”
“Nothing. Meaning I couldn’t find anything that might connect her to Colorado. No relatives, no job, no credit card action.”
Harper pressed her thumb to her forehead where the beginning of a headache gathered. “Which might be exactly why she came here. For the very fact there was nothing in her past or present to lead anyone to think she’d run here.”
“True. What else do you need?”
“Nothing. I needed what you just gave me.” The assurance that Riley was on the up and up being the most important piece of intel. She was rather surprised at the intense relief that flowed through her.
“Great. Then I’ve got one more thing for you.”
“I’m ready.”
“I just got off the phone with Max. We’ve got the evidence in house and will be going through it shortly.”
“Keep me updated.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks, Dylan.”
She hung up. The fact that the evidence was already back at headquarters amazed her although it really shouldn’t. Their unit’s resources by far surpassed anyone else’s. By helicopter, the flight time was probably slightly over an hour. Which meant they should have more information about the evidence by dinnertime.
In the meantime, assuming she had Max’s okay, she needed to see how Riley felt about striking a deal with the FBI.
FOUR (#u0bb84125-697c-52ec-852b-88e88e8af7ba)
Riley finished off his sandwich and sweet tea then leaned back to watch Harper get started on hers. She’d settled into her chair and eyed his empty plate. “Guess you were hungry?”
“I know you told me not to wait, but I still feel guilty for finishing before you even sat down. Guess I was starved.”
“I’m glad you went ahead and ate.”
He munched an apple while he waited for her to eat then say whatever was on her mind. Halfway through her sandwich, she finally looked up. “Sorry, looks like I was hungry, too.”
He fell silent, thinking. She got up to refill her drink and when she came back he caught her eye. “Why would you think I was working with Morrow?” he asked.
She sighed. “You were so focused on the money.” A shrug. “I don’t know. I thought maybe you were helping him somehow.”
“What do you think now?”
“I think you need the money for Asher. I’m sorry I was so suspicious and so quick to judge. I guess I so rarely come across someone who isn’t willing to do just about anything for money that I can’t recognize someone who doesn’t have dollar signs in his eyes.”
“The dollar signs are there, just not for personal gain. Unless seeing my nephew walk again falls into that category.” His eyes narrowed on her. “I’m guessing my background check came back clean?”
She huffed out a low laugh. “Yes, it did. It also revealed something interesting about you.”
“That I was a cop?”
“Are you a mind reader, too?”
He shook his head with a small smile. “No, it’s just common sense—and it’s not a secret. A simple background check would reveal it.”
It was. “So, why the career change?”
He sighed and shrugged. “For several reasons. There wasn’t any dramatic thing that happened. No specific incident that compelled me to turn in my resignation, I just...got tired.”
“Of?”
“Recycling the criminals.”
“Oh.”
“I would arrest someone and then see them back on the street a week later. I was like, what’s the point? So I started thinking about what I could do that would really make a real difference.”
“But you were making a difference. Just the very nature of your presence, in your uniform, would be a deterrent to some people thinking of committing a crime.”
He nodded. “I know. I agree. Uniformed officers are important and I’m not knocking them or what they do. I’m just saying for me, personally, I wanted to do something a little different. And being a bounty hunter seemed to fit the bill.”
She took another bite of the sandwich then ate a handful of chips. “Do you miss it?”
“I miss certain aspects of it. You know how it is. When you’re a cop, you’re a part of a team. A whole culture that you can only be a part of if you’re wearing the badge. You know what I mean?”
“Yes, I do,” she murmured.
“I miss that connection with the others. Bounty hunting can be a lonely profession.”
“You think you’ll ever go back?”
Riley paused then nodded. “Maybe. One day.” He stood. “But right now I’ve got to focus on finding my sister’s killer. I hope you find Morrow.”
She held up a hand. “Wait, don’t leave yet. Sit back down, please?”
Curious, he sank back into the chair. “What is it?”
“Do you think we could help each other?”
He lifted a brow. “What do you have in mind?”
“Morrow was last seen by you. No more tips have come in since yours. You know those woods and the mountains out there, don’t you?”
He gave a slow nod. “I’ve been going camping there since I could walk. First with my dad and uncles then with friends. Certain areas of it anyway. Why?”
“I have a feeling Jake’s hiding out there.”
“Well, I know for a fact Blackman is out here somewhere. I had a tip that he’d been spotted in Drum Creek. I’ve made a lot of friends in Drum Creek over the years. The owner of the general store, Paul Nelson, and my dad were good friends. Paul called me yesterday and said he’d seen Blackman in the store and he’d bought camping supplies. Said he was going to be hanging around until his business was finished.”
“What business?”
“Good question. I haven’t really figured that out yet, but...” He shrugged. “Anyway, the national park is the only place around Drum Creek that one would need camping supplies so I’m going to search every last acre if that’s what it takes.”
Harper frowned. “That could take a long time.”
He sighed. “The truth is, there are so many places to hide it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Same thing with your guy. It’s going to take time.”
“I realize that, but we have to do something. Sitting around waiting on leads to come in isn’t an option. Not when we know there’s a good possibility Jake is hiding nearby.” She rubbed her forehead. “My question is why he’s sticking around here when he knows he’s been spotted. What is his purpose in staying unless he doesn’t think he needs to leave? Or doesn’t care that he’s been seen?”
“He cared enough to shoot at me.”
“What if he didn’t believe you were who you said you were? What if he thought you were working with the men who kidnapped him?”
“I suppose that’s a possibility,” he conceded.
“The anonymous person sending the texts seemed to think Jake was looking for Penny.”
He quirked a brow. “Is Penny here in Colorado?”
“Not that we know of. What we do know is that Jake’s not going to come to us, so we’re just going to have to go find him. If you’ll help us comb that area and lead us to where he might find a hiding place, I’ll do my best to make all of our resources available to you to help find your sister’s killer. I’ll have to have my boss okay that, of course, but I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
He studied her then looked away for a brief moment while he considered the idea. All of her resources at his disposal. That would be a huge help. He nodded and captured her gaze with his. “All right,” he said and held out his hand. “If your boss agrees, I’m willing to go with that.”
She shook his hand and the feel of her soft fingers within his grasp made him wonder if his heart would survive the deal.
Riley looked up from Harper’s pretty blue eyes. If he stared into them for too long, she muddled his thoughts.
His gaze landed on a figure near the door and he froze for half a second then leaped to his feet.
Harper jerked. “What is it?”
“Van Blackman.” He bolted from the table and the man spun on his heels to dart out the door.
He heard Harper give chase as well. “Blackman, stop!”
“Federal agent,” Harper called. “Stop now!”
Blackman kept going. Riley pounded after him. What was he doing at the hospital? Had he come to do something to Asher? To finish him off? Fury nearly blinded him and threatened to steal his common sense and self-control. Riley didn’t slow, but Blackman was fast. Van pushed past people in the hospital, grabbed one man and shoved him in front of Riley. Riley caught the elderly man on a stumble. “Sorry, sir. Are you all right?”
“I think so.”
Riley made sure the gentleman had his balance, losing precious seconds of the chase while Blackman lunged out of the hospital exit.
Harper raced past him. Riley fell in behind her and together they dashed out into the hot Colorado sun and ran down the sidewalk. He rounded the corner just in time to see Van jump into a car and speed off.
“No!” Riley skidded to a stop and tried to see the license plate, but Blackman was already turning the corner. “No,” he rasped as he caught his breath.
Harper had run farther than he, only now she was walking back toward him, speaking into her phone. “...green Ford. Four doors, older model. Heading south on Platte Street. Right.” She stopped in front of him. “Are you okay?”
“Just mad he got away again. I can’t believe he showed up here. He’s following me. He’s doing his best to push my buttons.” He drew in a deep breath. “I refuse to let him do that.”
“Good. Let’s get Blackman’s picture to hospital security and ask them to keep an eye out for him. Especially when you’re in the building.”
“That’s a good idea.” Riley clenched his fingers into fists. “He waited until I saw him. Stood there and simply waited for me to look up. He wanted me to know he was there, watching.”
“He’s definitely taunting you if that’s the case.”
“It’s the case.” Riley rubbed a hand over his face and pictured him catching Van and pummeling him into oblivion. No, death would be too easy for the man. He wanted him in prison for the rest of his life where Riley would make sure he constantly reminded the man why he was there. He planned to make prison worse than death for Blackman.
An uncomfortable niggle at his conscience reminded him that it wasn’t his place to extract revenge for his sister’s murder. It was just his job to bring the man in.
Right. He had a feeling he was going to have to keep telling himself that over and over before he had Blackman in custody.
* * *
Harper sat on the bed in her hotel room back in Drum Creek and opened the laptop she was never without. She’d shed her gear and flexed her shoulders. The vest weighed quite a bit, but she refused to go without it when on duty. And right now, she wondered if she should even take it off at all.
Jake Morrow was an outlier. She had no idea what he might or might not do. If he would shoot at a man who’d clearly identified himself as trying to help him, he might decide he didn’t want her—or the team’s—help, either.
Her ankle knife and service weapon lay on top of the vest within easy reach should she need them.
Star lounged at the foot of the bed, her head on her paws, eyes following Harper’s every move. Harper scratched her faithful partner’s ears then logged in to the secure software that she had access to. She pulled up the profile of the man she’d been looking for. His blue eyes stared back at her and she desperately searched her memory for even just one good thing to remember about him. But the mental search turned up nothing. As it did every time.
She sighed and shut the laptop. Her father was gone from her life. He’d chosen to leave when she was four. Not only leave, but he’d apparently never looked back. So why did she care about where he was, what he was doing—and if he had other children? She’d made something of her life without his help and was proud of that fact.
Still, when she was honest with herself, she would admit the rejection hurt. And that made it hard to picture herself married with children. And while she was being honest, she would also admit it was what she wanted. A husband to love and who loved her. A house full of children and a couple of dogs.
She had Star, of course, and loved the animal, but she wanted a puppy, maybe even several puppies. She smiled at the image then frowned. There was no need to go down that emotional road. It was a dream that had very little chance of coming true. After all, where would she find someone who understood her profession? And not only understood it, but would be willing to put up with it?
Riley’s face came to the forefront of her mind and she grimaced. She didn’t need to think about Riley. Because if she did, she’d have to admit to the attraction she knew was there. Okay, she could admit it.
But the timing was all wrong. Pursuing a romance at this moment was not an option. Her goal, first and foremost, was to find Jake Morrow.
Unfortunately, her mind wanted to investigate the attraction she’d just acknowledged.
Fine. She leaned back and closed her eyes, picturing the bounty hunter with the chocolate-colored eyes that could draw her in and make her want to stay.
Riley Martelli. How would she describe him?
He was a fighter, a survivor. She liked that about him. After all he’d been through with his nephew in the hospital and needing surgery, and his sister killed by a stalker, he pushed through his grief. Or allowed the grief to push him?
Maybe.
He was good-looking in a rugged sort of way, intelligent, loyal, compassionate. And loved fiercely and fully. And he’d lost greatly.
Compared to him, she didn’t think she’d had it quite so bad. Her father may have left her, but at least he was still alive somewhere. God, I’m struggling. Struggling with You, and with this case. I need Your help, and I almost don’t even want to ask for it because part of me is simply afraid You’re not listening. But she knew better than that. God was there. He was real and He cared about what she was going through. She had to believe that no matter what.
She sighed and let her mind jump to Jake Morrow.
She’d never liked him all that much even though she’d admired his skills as an agent. He’d definitely been one of the best agents she’d worked with. But as a person, a man? Not so much.
One of her earlier encounters popped to the forefront of her mind. He’d pressed her to go out with him and when she’d refused, he’d continued to push until she’d told him in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t interested. He’d laughed and backed off, hands held as though she were aiming a weapon at him. “Chill, Harper. Man, you’re uptight, aren’t you? Loosen up and live a little.” His words had been light, but the look in his eye had stayed with her and she’d slept with her gun nearby for several weeks after that incident. But he’d left her alone, seemed to forget all about it, and they’d worked well together in spite of the incident.
She sent a group text to the team. Have any of you guys heard from Zara? I think Dylan’s missing her. He said something about going through withdrawals earlier today.
Nope.
Nada.
Negative.
Each response made her frown, but Zara was in training at Quantico. The rigorous schedule didn’t leave much room for anything else.
But surely she could send a text to her fiancГ©.
Harper sent the woman a text of her own. Call Dylan. He misses you.
Her eyes grew heavy and she drifted.
Until she heard something at her door. The knob jiggled. Her adrenaline immediately spiked and she sat up. Star was already on the floor facing the door. She gave a low woof. Harper put a hand on the animal’s neck. “Stay,” she whispered. Star didn’t move. Harper glanced at the bedside clock. She’d been asleep most of the night still dressed in yesterday’s clothes. Now it was close to six in the morning.
And someone was lurking outside her door.
She slipped to the window and moved the curtain enough so she could see outside.
Nothing was visible in her line of sight. She wrapped her fingers tighter around the butt of her weapon and stood to the side of the door.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand and she jerked, her heart pounding in her chest.
Star lunged at the door and barked. Harper spun back to pay attention. Someone was out there. But who? She strode to the end table, grabbed her phone, then sent both Ian and Riley a group text: Someone’s at my door. Can you see who it is?
Looking now, came Riley’s response.
Don’t see anything, Ian’s text read. Coming out of my room now.
Got my door open and don’t see anything, Riley said.
Harper snapped Star’s leash on her collar and, using the hem of her shirt, slowly opened the door. She pointed to the knob. “Find, girl.” The German shepherd sniffed the area Harper indicated then bolted from the room. Harper kept a tight grip on the leash, stepped out and shut the door behind her.
Ian and Riley were already there.
“Nothing here,” Ian said. He held the leash to King, the energetic Malinois. The dog was ready to work.
Star pulled at the leash, too. “Star says differently.” She and Ian let the dogs have their lead. Harper, with Ian right beside her, followed the animals along the edge of the building, passing room after room. The men trailed behind her and she knew they had her back.
Star came to the end of the building and rounded the corner. Harper went more cautiously, gripping the leash with her left hand and her weapon with her right. She glanced at Ian and he nodded. Star whined and headed for the bushes across the parking lot. King joined her. A man shot out from behind them.
“Federal agent! Stop!”
Ian gave the same command.
The fleeing figure, dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved black shirt, ignored them both and darted toward a dark pickup truck parked at the edge of the hotel asphalt lot. Star and King gave chase, but he threw himself behind the wheel and the engine roared to life.
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