LITMIR.BIZ

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      * * *

      Cole watched Alyssa. Something shifted in her eyes, making them dark and unreadable. It’d been a long time since he’d connected this strongly with a woman. Not since he’d received the Dear John letter in his first tour of duty two years ago. On his thirty-first birthday, no less. On that day he’d said goodbye to a potential wife and family. After the daily worry over his safety in Iraq, Laura said she couldn’t handle having the same angst when he returned to his job as a U.S. Marshal, putting him in danger every day.

      Now he was out of practice when it came to women. But not so out of practice that he didn’t recognize interest when he saw it. Her eyes had heated up and flashed an awareness of him for a brief moment. Of that he was certain.

      Now she just looked sad. Wounded. So wounded. And he wanted to help her. To find out what made her tick. To ask why she’d shut down so fast. But Dani was scrutinizing his every move the way a parent would watch a baby needing to be coddled. He didn’t need more of that kind of scrutiny from his family. They’d had him under a microscope since he’d come home from Iraq. Maybe waiting for him to crack up and fall apart.

      He would keep things professional and settle for finding out why Alyssa ended up on that rock with him in the middle of a winter storm. “If we’re going to help you, we’ll need to know what happened tonight.”

      “It’s a long story,” she answered vaguely.

      Not unusual. Getting a client to share what was frequently an emotional topic—or at the least very personal—was often the hardest part of helping them.

      He sat back to give her more space and make her feel more comfortable. “We have time. Start at the beginning and be honest with us. No matter what the problem is, we won’t judge you.”

      She looked warily at him and pulled the blanket tighter as if she felt a need to protect herself. He glanced at Dani. She’d already noticed Alyssa’s uneasiness and had reached out to squeeze her hand.

      “We’ve all made mistakes,” Dani said. “Or have things in our lives we don’t want to share with others. What you tell us stays with us and the rest of our family.”

      Alyssa squared her shoulders and that steely resolve he’d seen at the beach returned to her face. “I guess it started when my husband died.”

      A husband, huh? Unexpected.

      No way Cole would’ve missed seeing a wedding ring, but he glanced at her hand to be sure. Just like he’d thought. Her finger was bare and didn’t have a telltale circle from recent wear, meaning her loss happened a while ago.

      “He was a police officer,” Alyssa continued. “He was found murdered in his patrol car. A bullet to his chest and a stash of meth in his possession. The sheriff’s department investigated and when his tox screen came back positive for meth, they dug deeper. They discovered he’d worked as part of a drug ring. His role was to tell the rest of the organization when a bust was coming so they escaped arrest.” She ran a hand over her face.

      “That must’ve been hard to find out.” Dani patted Alyssa’s knee.

      “It was, but then tonight I overheard his former partner, Nolan Saunders, basically admit to killing Todd and framing him with the drugs.” Her tone was cool again, like the freezing rain that had pelted them on the beach, and she calmly recited the events. As if his death was of no consequence to her. But he saw the tremble of her hands and the pain in her eyes that she was trying desperately to hide.

      “His partner?” Dani asked, a compassionate look on his younger sister’s face. “Had you suspected him before?”

      Alyssa wearily shook her head. Dani squeezed Alyssa’s hand again.

      Cole was grateful Dani was here. She was such a comforter, always ready to help others, and she was making this easier on Alyssa while he had to ask the hard questions. “How long has it been since your husband was killed?”

      “Two years.” Alyssa clasped her trembling hands together. “That’s when Nolan really got involved in our lives. He said he’d promised Todd he’d look after me and the kids.”

      “So you have children,” Dani said.

      Alyssa’s smile softened, her expression melting with love. She wasn’t at all the detached woman she’d tried so hard to portray tonight. “Twins. A boy and girl. They’re seven. They’re at home with my friend Paula.” Alyssa shifted on the sofa. “I really should call her to tell her I’m running late.”

      Dani grabbed a notepad. “Give me her number, and I’ll let her know you’re with us so you can keep telling Cole about what happened.”

      Alyssa rattled off the number, and Dani stepped a few feet away to call.

      “You were saying that Saunders helped you and the twins out,” Cole said, hating the thought of a killer anywhere near this woman.

      She nodded. “I only worked part time when Todd was alive. When he died, he left behind a mountain of debts, and after the investigation his death benefits were denied. We weren’t left with much, but we had enough for me to renew my real-estate license.” Her back went up again as if she needed to prove she could be strong. “We lived in one side of Nolan’s duplex, and after Todd died Nolan let us stay there rent free. He also helps with the kids. He picks them up from school and watches them when I have to show properties outside school hours.” She looked up and tears glistened in her eyes. “Now I don’t know what I’ll do.”

      Cole fisted his hands. He couldn’t wait to investigate this Nolan guy and see that he paid for his crimes and for the way he’d hurt Alyssa. “So you believe Saunders is involved in the drug trade?”

      “Yes. He was arguing with another officer, Frank Gibson, who wanted out of their operation. Nolan said if Frank bailed on them, he’d end up a homicide statistic like Todd.” She shivered under the blanket and tugged it tighter.

      It wasn’t hard to see how afraid Alyssa was of Saunders, but this statement by the officer wasn’t proof that Saunders had killed her husband. Saunders could simply be using the homicide to build his street cred.

      “But he didn’t actually say he killed Todd,” Cole clarified.

      “No. It was implied. As much as I don’t want to believe he killed Todd, I think he did. Plus Frank sounded upset. Like he was worried they’d kill him, too, if he tried to bail on them.”

      “So how did they end up chasing you?” Dani asked as she rejoined them.

      Alyssa looked at Dani. “Is Paula okay with me being late?”

      Dani nodded. “She’ll stay as long as you need.”

      “So about the men, how’d you see them?” Cole asked, bringing them back.

      “I’m a runner. I don’t usually run in the evenings, but I overslept this morning. I had a stressful day and I called Paula to watch the kids so I could run it off. I decided to take the scenic trail overlooking the beach to tire myself out before bed. That’s when I heard them arguing on the path below me. After I heard what they’d said, I tried not to make any noise as I headed for my car. But I fell and that alerted them that I was there. When they came after me, I ran.”

      Cole thought about the men at the beach and their conversation. They never mentioned specifically looking for Alyssa. Not even looking for a woman. They’d just used the words “person” and “anyone.” “And did they know it was you?”

      “When Nolan told the other men to chase me, he said get him, so I don’t think he knows it was me.” She shivered. “Now I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. I mean, what do I do? I can’t report what I heard to the police department. Nolan’s father is the police chief. The whole department could be involved in this for all I know.” Her teeth started chattering.

      Police chief? Well, that raised the stakes and made this even more complicated. Cole wanted to keep questioning

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