In the Shadow of Vengeance (8 page)

Then Danny Merlot's black eye, bloody lip, and bruised body etched itself into his calm. The bastards better run fast and far, because Noah wasn't going to rest until he gave them a taste of their own medicine.

He opened the door and stepped out of the truck. He needed answers, and Adam could help him find them. As he half-jogged up the walk, he kicked himself for showing up empty handed. He should have at least had Raúl make a bouquet for Calista and include a stuffed animal for Anna.

Calista McNeil was the only woman on the planet who had the power to settle Adam down. Noah might be angry with his brother, but he sure as hell liked his choice in women. And his six-year-old niece stole his heart the instant they met. He needed to get over his tiff with Adam just so he could spend more time with Calista and Anna.

He raised his hand to knock and the door swung open. Adam stood still, his shoulders tense. Of course he'd known the instant Noah drove up and had been watching him.

“Hey, is this a bad time?”

“What's happened?” he asked, and moved away from the door, allowing Noah to enter.

“Not family related. I know it's late, but I need to talk to you.”

There were times Noah needed to eat a little crow and this was one of them.

A blob of pink sprinted down the stairs. Anna took a flying leap off the third step into Noah's arms and he stumbled backward. Adam stuck out a hand and balanced him.

“Uncle Noah, you missed everything.”

Shit.
This was Anna's big recital day. Of course, his niece celebrated every moment in her life from grand tea parties to Macy dog's pretend birthday.

“Yes, I did. I had to work.”

Calista came from the kitchen with a dish towel in her hands. “I taped it. Your uncle Noah can watch it over and over again with you.”

He swallowed, which made his brother shake with unleashed laughter.

Adam raised his arms and Anna jumped into her father's arms. “Let's not torture Noah, or he won't come back.” He set Anna down and glanced at Calista. “Whose turn?”

“I'll take this one,” she said, and reached for Anna's hand. “Kiss your dad and Uncle Noah good night.”

“Can't Uncle Noah put me to bed?”

“Maybe another time.” Calista took her daughter's hand.

Adam kissed her on the cheek. When Noah leaned down for a kiss, she placed her hand at his cheek and whispered, “You can like her. She's nice, Uncle Noah.”

“Who?”

Anna cupped a small hand over her mouth and again whispered, “The woman you like to kiss. It's okay to like her.”

Noah's heart rate pounded hard between his ears as he stared at Anna.

Adam reached for his daughter and she went to him. “Is that all you need to tell him?” he asked.

She nodded, then grabbed Calista's hand. “'Night, Uncle Noah.”

He followed their progress up the stairs. Once out of sight, he said, “I thought she stopped doing that?”

“It comes and goes.”

“Still freaks me out.”

“Yeah, but it changes how I see the world, too. I have a great bottle of Scotch that should help.”

He followed Adam into the living room. A drink was the last thing he needed but he accepted it, taking a sip. “This supernatural crap is going to turn me into an alcoholic.”

His brother let out a low, deep laugh. “Wait until you have children. The supernatural crap will be a walk in the park.” He placed his glass on the table and studied Noah. “You look like shit. What's going on?”

Noah gulped down the rest of his drink and briefed Adam on the events of the last few hours. When he mentioned Danny's attack, the friendly, loving father and husband sitting across from him morphed into an angry, dangerous soldier. Adam was lethal when he needed to be. The gang members better hope he got to them before Adam.

“Danny is going to be fine in a couple of weeks. As for his attackers, I'll give you everything I have on them, but don't kill them until I get a chance to talk to them.”

Adam twirled the shot glass between his palms. “So who is messing with Elizabeth Merlot, and does it have anything to do with Danny?”

“On the surface, everything fits. Some junkie targeted Elizabeth on the train because she was the closest to him. Maybe the whole teapot thing was just your ordinary break-and-enter. We showed up unexpectedly and the guy took off before he could really take anything. But why her place? Elizabeth is raising two kids on her own and doesn't have a lot of money.”

“And Danny went looking for these guys, and that pissed them off so they beat the crap out of him,” Adam added. “So what has you so wound up?”

Noah pressed his thumbs at his temples. “More supernatural crap I can't explain.” He met his brother's gaze. “How much do you remember about Jared's interaction with Evan Nash?”

“Everything.”

“Evan may be talking to Danny.”

Adam's eyebrow lifted and his neck muscles tensed. “That's—”

“Fucked up? Yeah. So now you see why I'm trying to connect some dots.”

“How does he even know about Nash?”

“He doesn't. He mentioned the name Evan. I showed him a photo and he ID'd him as the man in his room.”

“So you're thinking this has something to do with Mendoza? The bastard is isolated from the inmates and doesn't have any visitors.”

“There are ways to get information in and out even from a facility as secure as his.”

“There are only a few people in the prison he has contact with and I'm watching all of them. Mendoza isn't your threat.”

“Maybe.” Noah reached inside his leather jacket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “This is everything I have on Elizabeth Merlot. She is clean as a brand-new whistle.”

“You want me to check into Danny's mom? Why?”

“She's lying to me.”

Adam stiffened and narrowed his eyes. “Bro, that's not a reason for a thorough background check. She has a right to her privacy.”

“I know that, but—”

“People lie, Noah, for all kinds of reasons. Not all of those reasons are bad.”

“Something is really off with her. I noticed it the first time we met. She's closed off, extremely protective of her children …”

“As am I. That makes me an attentive parent. She's raising her kids on her own. Of course she is a little overprotective.”

“Adam, it's more than that. I feel it here,” he said, pressing a hand at his stomach. “Somehow, all this is connected to her, but I can't protect her or Danny unless I know what I'm up against.”

“Have you tried talking to her?”

“She doesn't like me very much.”

Adam let out a loud gruff chuckle from the back of his throat. “Well, it's about time a woman isn't licking your bootstraps.” He lifted the Scotch bottle and tipped off his glass. “I'll dig a little and see what pops. But, Noah, if you're expecting honesty from others, you have to give it.”

“I do.”

“If that's true, you would have come clean about your fears, a.k.a. Evan Nash, with Ms. Merlot.”

“Hell no. The expression on Elizabeth's face was a deer in the headlights when she noticed the teapot. She wants to run. If she does, then there will be no one around to protect them from whatever the hell is making me feel like this. She may not think she needs my help, but damn it to hell, I'm sticking to her like glue anyway.”

“I need to get Erin and Danny out of Baltimore. Now! It's not safe for us here.” Elizabeth shot up from the kitchen chair, almost knocking it to the floor. She planted her hands on her hips and glared at Derek, who sat calmly placing the papers back in his briefcase. “I don't see the problem. Three years ago, you offered. What's changed?”

“Three years ago, we thought your cover was compromised. It wasn't then, nor is it now.” He stood. “I know you're worried about Danny, but there isn't anything solid to justify relocation.”

“You're wrong. This isn't just about Danny buying that gun and getting beat up. There is something else going on here.” She pulled her hair back, twisted it in a bun, and allowed it to drape down her back. The simple action kept her from picking up the salt shaker and heaving it at the damn man's head. She'd had her fill of thickheaded men this week. Her patience was on a thin thread.

“I'm not asking for a new identity. I work for a national chain of hotels. Why can't I be transferred to someplace like Seattle or even Hawaii? I can be an event planner anywhere.”

“Elizabeth, you know the rules. Just because your kid is going through a rough patch—”

“A rough patch? You call an eye so swollen he can't even see out of it a rough patch?” She stalked around the island. “One of those damn rules was you were going to protect my children.”

“I'm sorry. Bad choice of words.” He pulled a chair out from the table. “Please, sit. What happened to Danny was terrible, and I'm not making light of it. All I'm saying is that it doesn't have anything to do with—”

“It has everything to do with the price on my head.”

“Our sources haven't heard anything for a couple of years; no recent chatter, nothing to indicate your cover has been compromised. I'm not saying we can't work something out in time. The only way we could make a transfer in your timetable is if your life were in danger.”

“So I just wait around until one of us is hurt again or killed.”

She slammed a hand over her mouth, bent at the waist, and tried to fill her lungs. Tears filled her eyes and she didn't care. Since she found the teapot on the table two nights ago, she couldn't relax. Every nail pop or floor creak made her jump. Danny kept her company most of the day, but nights were the worst. Her eyes popped open every five minutes. She would dash out of bed and check and recheck the alarm. She stalked her kids while they slept. Everything in her pushed to run, and fast. And Danny's words
he was there to hurt you and he or someone else will be back
haunted her waking hours and gave her the worst nightmares if she dared fall asleep.

Derek cleared his throat. “Look, maybe I can arrange for someone to stay close for the time being until things return to normal.”

Elizabeth let out a heavy breath. “I don't need a babysitter, Derek. I need you to listen to me. I don't have any proof, but something is coming and I don't want to be here when it arrives.”

“Just because a teapot was left out on the table? You're jumping at rabbits. Give me something concrete. Until then—”

“This conversation is going in circles. I know what I have to do. Maybe you should leave, Derek. Now.”

The floor seemed to crumble out from under her. She had only one protector and she was about to kick him out of her house.

Derek didn't believe her. His every feature screamed she was overreacting. Maybe she was slowly turning stark raving mad. The only thing she trusted about herself above all else was her maternal instinct. It never overreacted.

She had been living like a ghost for years. The experience had taught her how to live off the grid. If Derek wouldn't help her, then she would do it all on her own because it was up to her to protect her children.

“We can work this out.”

A shadow appeared across the entrance of the kitchen. “I think the woman asked you to leave.”

Noah's large frame took up the doorway, his eyes dark and his stance rigid. Erin, who stood behind him, slipped under his arm. She dropped her backpack into an empty chair and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth.

“Look who I found on our doorstep.” She gave a quick hug, then said, “Hi, you,” to Derek, with a big smile.

Shit.
How much did Noah and Erin hear of their conversation? One glance at Derek and she knew the same thought was on his mind.

“How's it going, Tinkerbell?” He grabbed his case, and with one arm, pulled Erin into his shoulder while eyeing Elizabeth over the top of the girl's head. “I came by to drop some stuff off for your mom.”

Erin strolled over to the stove and lifted the lid of the Dutch oven. She took in a whiff and a big grin crossed her lips. “Carne asado, my favorite.”

The tension in the room was palpable, but her daughter plowed right through it.

Before Elizabeth could catch her eye and give Erin a definite
don't you dare
look, she blurted out, “There's plenty. Detective McNeil and Derek, can you stay for dinner?” She turned to Noah. “You've met Derek before, right?”

This forced the men who were shooting angry glares at each other to at least pretend to get along.

“Sure,” Derek said, holding out his hand. “Detective McNeil, it's good to see you again. What brings you back into the neighborhood?”

Noah ignored the hand, his demeanor growing more combative. It was as if he didn't trust Derek. Again he was putting his nose in where it didn't belong.

Elizabeth stepped in between them. “Erin, Danny has been asking about you for the last hour. I think he's tired of my company. Why don't you take him up some juice while I finish up with Derek?”

For once, Erin took the hint. She reached into the refrigerator and grabbed two large juice boxes, shrugged her backpack over one shoulder, and left the kitchen.

Elizabeth wanted to slip into the closest chair and bury her head in her hands. Instead, she turned to Noah and did her best to keep the frustration out of her voice.

“What are you doing here?”

“Danny asked me to drop by, and you and I need to talk.”

“You could have called to check with me.”

“I figured he cleared it with you first.” He relaxed his stance and leaned against the counter. “Is that something else for the list?”

The heat in her gut rushed into her cheeks. Damn man. He had to remind her of the kiss. Instead of boxing him in his stupid nose, she turned toward the stove and hid the blush in the steam. Okay, so fear wasn't the only thing keeping her awake at night—and unhinged during the day. That one kiss had derailed the little calm she had left, making everything else so overwhelming.