LITMIR.BIZ

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of Derrick Justice’s houseboat, he stared over the Columbia River, letting the rhythmic flow of the river melt away his terrible day. Okay, so maybe it hadn’t been terrible. Just stressful. Something he never thought he’d say about an early dinner with his siblings, but since they’d all married, he felt out of place at family gatherings.

      “Get used to it,” he mumbled to himself. You’re not marriage material. This is your life now. A life that would be filled with watching all of them making doe eyes at each other and playing touchy-feely. It was enough to gag him.

      The hardest to take was his twin, Dani. He’d always been able to count on her to stand in solidarity with him. But now, she’d gone to the other side, too. In the two months since she’d married Luke Baldwin, Derrick had hardly seen her outside of work at the family’s private investigation agency.

      He drew in a deep breath, let it out and watched the vapor swirl up then disappear into the haze. He propped his arms behind his head and noticed long fingers of the fog creep over the edge of his second-story deck. Soon it would surround him and he wouldn’t be able to see a thing. Perfect. Just the way he wanted it tonight.

      His phone chimed. He glanced at the screen. Not someone he knew, but the call could be related to a case so he answered. “Derrick Justice.”

      “Derrick.” The whispered voice hit him like a Mack truck, and air whooshed out of his lungs. He shook his head in disbelief.

      Was it really her, or had all these thoughts of marriage parading through his head tonight unearthed a memory he’d rather avoid? Holding his breath, he waited for her to speak again.

      “Derrick, are you there?” Her voice was stronger this time.

      Gina.

      A chill settled over him, and he thought about hanging up. He didn’t need to talk to the woman who’d walked out on him. Especially not today when he was already crabby about family members leaving him behind.

      “A man is going to kill me unless you help me,” she whispered.

      “What man?” He came to his feet to pace the deck.

      “My brother was murdered. The killer just shot my friend Lilly right in front of me. I grabbed Sophia and ran. Derrick, she’s only seven months old. He’ll hurt her, too. I can’t fail her. But he’s...” Her voice fell off in a strangled sob.

      The Gina he’d known was calm, levelheaded and not prone to exaggeration. Self-reliant, asking for help only as a last resort. She also didn’t panic. Unless the situation called for it. The threat must be real.

      Unease curdled his dinner. “Where are you?”

      “Jantzen Beach. I’m hiding behind Coffee to Go’s Dumpster.”

      “Did you call the police?”

      “Yes, but I’m afraid the fog will slow them down and they won’t get here in time.”

      “I’m on my way. Make sure your phone is set to vibrate so it won’t be heard if I need to call you.”

      “Thank you,” he heard her say as he disconnected.

      Dropping his phone in his pocket, he charged inside and headed straight to his bedroom. He grabbed his gun from the drawer and filled his pocket with ammo. No telling how much he might need.

      On the way to the main door, he snatched his car keys from a hook. Running cross-country would be faster than getting his car out of the garage and driving, but he’d need his car to pull off the safe rescue of a woman with a child.

      Child. Gina has a child.

      A vice gripped his heart. She had a baby. Should’ve been his child. His daughter.

      “Too bad,” he mumbled as he climbed into his SUV. She didn’t want you, now, did she?

      Once on the road to the mall, doing fifty in a thirty-five zone, he speed-dialed Dani. It was foolhardy enough to go into a dangerous situation without backup, but the situation was too dangerous for him to wait. Still, he needed to let one of his siblings know where he was going.

      “Derrick,” she answered on the third ring.

      He quickly explained the situation. “Gina called the police, but this is a potential homicide, so call Mitch, too.” Their sister, Kat’s, husband was a Portland homicide detective. “I’ll call you as soon as I have anything else to report.”

      “Be careful.”

      “Always.”

      He turned into the strip mall’s lot, his focus going straight to the coffee shop at the far end of the mall. Hazy mist clung to the concrete, inching up the siding as if planning to devour it, while windows on the darkened stores stared blankly back at him. He crawled through the lot, not spotting any movement.

      Had Gina fabricated this incident? Played him? If so, what did she want with him? Only one way to find out.

      He parked at the end of the building and got out. He drew his weapon, and after a careful sweep of the area, rounded the corner. Sliding along the building to protect his back, he glanced into the service alley. Light filtered through the moisture-laden air from a streetlight in the distance, but nothing moved. He chanced a longer look, and once he was confident he wouldn’t be ambushed, he flattened his back against the wall again and eased toward the Dumpster.

      Toward Gina.

      A few more steps took him to the back side of the metal container angled against the building. In the corner, large, terrified eyes peered up at him. Eyes he’d stared into for two years in college and once figured he spend his life looking into.

      Gina.

      She cowered in the corner, a sleeping baby clutched to her chest.

      “Derrick,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

      She wasn’t faking her terror. Someone was after her, and she needed him.

      Correction. She needs your help, not you.

      The thought helped him steel himself for her touch, and he offered his hand. As he’d expected, when she slipped soft fingers into his, it burned all the way to his heart. Their eyes met and held. He suddenly wanted to let go of common sense, of their past, the pain and heartache, and draw her into a comforting hug to erase the misery from her eyes.

      She shivered violently, pulling her gaze free, breaking the intensity of the moment and bringing him back to his senses. She wore only a heavy sweater and jeans. Shrugging out of his jacket, he settled it over her shoulders. She burrowed into the fleece lining without a word.

      “Are you okay?” he asked.

      “It’s a long story. Can we get out of here before I explain?”

      He opened his mouth to agree, but something rustled behind him and he spun to search the area. Darkness met his gaze—he saw no one. But then heavy footsteps pulled his focus to the distance. They pounded nearer, their cadence laden with caution.

      The killer? Of course. Who else would it be on a night like this and after the mall has closed?

      “He’s coming. We have to move.” Derrick scanned the alley for an escape route. Nothing presented itself without leaving them exposed. If the footsteps belonged to the man trailing Gina, they were trapped.

      Derrick needed a plan and needed one fast. He grabbed Gina’s arm and pulled her from behind the Dumpster, a surefire death trap if the killer caught them back here. He looked around, his mind waffling as he decided what to do.

      The footfalls neared, echoing into the night before disappearing.

      Derrick had to act. Now! Even if he failed.

      He drew Gina down the alley then moved her into an alcove and settled her back against the wall. He stepped in front of her, hiding her from the attacker’s view, his back to the killer. He didn’t like exposing his back, but what else could he do? He had to protect her and

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