Love Inspired Suspense July 2015 #1 (5 page)

Now all he had to do was take a small enough dose of painkiller to allow his own brain to function properly and they'd be a formidable team.

Visualizing himself and Daniella as a team caught him by surprise. They had little if anything in common, so why was he seeing her as part of his work, let alone his life?

Because the effects of this injury have addled me
, he concluded. That aberration would surely pass.

His smile waned.
It had better.
In his line of work, letting a pretty face distract him could be fatal.

* * *

Since there was a logo on the door of the SUV that matched the patches on Isaac's uniform shirt, it was easy for Daniella to tell which official vehicle belonged to the K-9 cop. None of the responding agencies had pulled into the apartment driveway. Consequently, the street was blocked both ways.

She looked to him as they walked. “How did you know to park so far away?”

“I didn't. I moved my car for safety when I put Abby inside.”

“Oh. I thought for a second...”

“That I was part of the plotting against you?”

“I never considered it seriously,” she alibied. “I'm just jumpy.”

“That's perfectly understandable.”

“What else can you tell me about my father? You're absolutely positive he's out of prison?”

“Yes. His attorney filed an appeal and got his sentence reduced because of some glitch in the gathering of evidence at the crime scene. He pleaded guilty to providing the plans for the explosive device but insisted some of his cronies had actually made, planted and detonated it because they wanted to get rid of
him
, not your mother.”

“Then why did he send me into the house at just the right moment to save my life?”

“He claimed it was a coincidence.”

That statement gave her pause. Finally, she said, “If that's true, you know what it means, don't you?”

Isaac nodded as he opened and held the passenger door for her. “Yes. If he was being honest about his innocence, he wasn't showing his love, like you thought, by keeping you away from your mother's car.”

As she slipped into the seat, she wished there weren't unshed tears threatening to trickle down her cheeks.

Daniella waited until Isaac was behind the wheel before she commented further. “Dad set that bomb. I know he did. The expression on his face wasn't surprise or shock after it went off, it was victory.”

She sniffled and swiped at her damp cheeks. “He killed Mom as surely as I'm sitting here.” Sighing, she stared out the SUV's window.

“That doesn't really explain why he'd be causing you trouble after all this time,” Isaac offered.

“Sure it does. That man never forgave a soul. After I testified against him he swore he'd get even. That's why I agreed to go into witness protection in the first place.”

“You believe he meant what he said?”

Daniella huffed and set her jaw. “Oh, yeah. Of all the things he ever told me, that's the one promise I know he intends to keep.”

“I'm sorry,” Isaac said.

She knew she'd start to sob if she saw pity in the officer's eyes, so she kept staring out the window.

The voice on the phone had been unmistakable. Her father was on her trail and closing in. Every moment that passed was one more she had managed to eke out.

And brought her one more breath closer to her last if Terence Fagan had his way.

FIVE

O
nce they were past the beltway, the country quickly turned to farmland. Isaac waited to give the pastoral scenes a chance to calm his companion. When he finally spoke, it seemed to startle her.

“How're you doing?”

“Oh!” Her head whipped around. “Sorry. I guess I was daydreaming.”

“That's better than some of the things you could have been thinking about. We're almost home.”

“It's pretty out here. I just have trouble picturing you as a farmer.”

He chuckled. “I'm not. My sister, brother and I inherited the place from an aunt and decided to fix it up to sell. That was five years ago and we're still there.”

“
We?
You don't live alone?”

Isaac could see her relief. He laughed. “Nope. I'm not inviting you home for disreputable reasons. My sister, Becky, will see to it that Jake and I behave. I can guarantee it.”

“Are they older or younger than you?”

“Jake's older. Becky's younger, but not by much. Our parents had us close together so we'd get along better, and it apparently worked because they're my best friends.”

“Except for Abby, you mean.”

“Right. Abs and I are best buds.”

“How long have you worked with her?”

“A little over two years, counting the training. I was recruited for the K-9 unit by General Margaret Meyer after I left my other government job.”

“Which was?”

Her expression was so open and innocent looking he answered without hesitation. “I worked for the CIA.”

“You were a
spook
?”

Letting his amusement show, he shook his head. “Actually, I spent most of my time training dogs to be sent into the field, until someone decided I belonged in an office, organizing the whole project.”

“No wonder you wanted to get a different job. I couldn't stand being stuck behind a desk, either.” She took a deep breath and released it with a whoosh. “What am I going to do? I love being a trauma nurse and working ER.”

“So, you tell that to the marshals and insist they find you another similar position.”

“What if they won't? Suppose they feel it's too dangerous? I mean, wouldn't that make it easier to trace me?”

“Maybe, maybe not. Don't borrow trouble, Daniella. There's enough of it already around.”

“That sounds biblical.”

“Probably. My folks were pretty religious.”

“Were? Are they gone?”

“Sadly, yes. They were both killed in a traffic accident while all of us were stationed away. Jake was a marine and Becky flew for the air force.”

“Really? That's impressive. I'm sure you all made your parents proud.” Her smile faded and Isaac could see the light going out of her eyes. “My mother was always proud of me but I could never please my father.”

“That doesn't mean you weren't worthy,” Isaac told her. “It just means that he wasn't a normal dad. You can't blame yourself for his shortcomings.”

“I don't, but...”

“No
buts
about it. I've only known you for a little while and I can see you're an extraordinary person. You've overcome adversity to finish college and go on to a rewarding career. You're well liked at work and best of all, Abby thinks you're wonderful. I saw her licking your hands back at your place.”

“She's a sweetheart. I was trying to pet her and she seemed to take to me right away.”

That makes two of us
, Isaac thought. There was something about Daniella that had spoken to his heart the moment he'd met her.

Whether or not that was for the best remained to be seen.

* * *

The old farmhouse was far more charming than Daniella had expected. Basically a simplified Victorian, it sported a fresh coat of white paint with red shutters and trim, plus window boxes of early flowers like tulips and pansies.

She grinned. “It's lovely. No wonder you all decided to stay here.”

“Believe me, it didn't look half this good when we inherited it,” Isaac replied. “Jake has done wonders with the place.”

“He must be very talented.”

Isaac laughed. “So he claims.”

“Sibling rivalry? I have no experience with brothers or sisters. I'd think you'd be proud of him, though.”

“I am. We just like to needle each other. You'll see.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Our sister, Becky, is the worst.”

“You're sure they won't mind my stopping here for a few days, at least until I have new instructions from the marshals? I mean, I wouldn't want to make trouble.”

“Believe me, there's no way you'll make more trouble than the three of us can stir up. We love to tease each other and pull practical jokes.”

A tall, stalwart man in a T-shirt and jeans appeared at the side of the house, waved and started their way. Daniella could see the family resemblance even though the second man needed a shave. In spite of this one's rugged image, she judged Isaac to be slightly better-looking.

Jake trotted out to the SUV with a hammer in his hand, peered in at Isaac's passenger and broke into a face-splitting grin. “Whoa! Good one, bro. You head for the office to work even though you're stove-in and bring home a pretty lady. That's what I call a good job.”

Stove-in was right.
Moving stiff-legged on his injured side, Isaac climbed from behind the wheel. Daniella had opened her own door at the same time so he introduced her to his brother with a wave. “This is Jake, as you've probably guessed. Jake, Daniella Dunne. Becky's a lot prettier than he is. And more polite.”

Jake wiped his hand on his jeans before shaking hands with her, then looked over at his brother. “Girlfriend or damsel in distress?”

“Damsel, definitely,” Daniella answered for him. “The distress part is true, too.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Jake's grin faded. “How can we help you?”

“I'll take care of Ms. Dunne,” Isaac interjected. “I'm going to put her things in Becky's room for now. Later, the women can work out whatever arrangements suit them.”

“Ooooh-kay. You play cop while I finish nailing up the new cabinets in the washroom.” Jake started away, then stopped and turned. “Don't run off and forget Abby. I'd hate to see you get so involved with a pretty face that your dog suffers.”

“I'd never do that,” Isaac insisted. Clenching his jaw, he let the little beagle out of the traveling crate he sometimes used and removed her working harness before releasing her and picking up his houseguest's tote.

Abby's sharp yaps brought larger dogs running. Daniella ducked behind Isaac, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders.

“Don't let the dogs scare you,” he told her. “They're as gentle as Abs. They just look ferocious.”

When she said, “They sound like it, too,” her host laughed.

“Stand still and let them sniff you. After that you'll be considered one of the family.”

A wiggling brown nose the size of the diaphragm on the business end of a stethoscope touched the knee of her jeans. “I think he smells Puddy.”

“That's no problem. We have plenty of cats in the barn and the dogs treat them all with respect, even the kittens.”

“You're sure? This one has teeth as big as a wolf.”

“The better to protect you with, my dear, to paraphrase the old fairy tale. Make friends with these dogs and any one of them will defend you to the death.”

“Interesting choice of words.” She rolled her eyes. “What breeds are they?”

“Those two brown-and-black ones are large mutt crossed with very large mutt,” Isaac said with a smile. “The third is probably shepherd and yellow Lab. We stick to purebreds for K-9 work because their talents are more predictable, but in private life I like to rescue needy animals.”

“Well, I feel like a juicy bone about to be served for supper,” she joked, beginning to relax as her furry new acquaintances lost interest in her and dashed off in pursuit of Abby.

Glancing at the open yard, Daniella wished there were more trees and bushes to hide behind. Then again, the lack of a lot of vegetation near the house also meant no one could jump out to pounce on her. On them.

She eyed the long driveway. “You're sure nobody followed us?”

“I'm sure. When I called in to tell my boss what I was doing, I asked for a few of my buddies to run interference, just in case. None of them spotted trouble or they'd have radioed me.”

“That's a relief,” she said. And it was. Except it was also temporary. Everything in her life was. She was out of a job due to having been identified, she had no home because the apartment was known to her worst enemy, and all her efforts at staying in the shadows had been for nothing. She didn't even have Puddy anymore, and he was the closest thing she had to a real, true friend. One thing was certain. She could not just abandon the cat any more than this K-9 officer would ever give up Abby.

Following Isaac up the wooden front steps to the covered porch, Daniella stopped him with a touch. “Tomorrow, I'm going back to rescue my cat,” she said flatly.

“You couldn't find him today. What makes you think you'll succeed tomorrow?”

“Because I'll be going into my apartment alone.”

“Over my dead body,” Isaac countered.

“Hopefully, it won't come to that,” she shot back cynically, calmer now that she'd made a decision to act. Anything was better than feeling helpless and vulnerable.

“Not funny.”

“It wasn't meant to be. The more I think about it, the more I realize Puddy was scared of you as well as the dog. If you stay outside and I go in by myself, he should come out of hiding.”

“That's assuming he's still in the apartment.”

“Yes. It is. I don't buy your idea that somebody let him out. He's always been an indoor kitty. Chances are he wouldn't have run out even if the door was left open.”

“Do you have a death wish?” Isaac asked, frowning.

Daniella shook her head. “Tell me. What would you do if Abby was lost in your house and you were about to move away? Would you leave her with food and water and turn your back on her?”

“That's different.”

“No, it isn't.” She blinked to clear her vision and try to regain more control of her turbulent emotions. “That cat has been my sole companion for over five years. I am not abandoning him. Period. Understand?”

When she saw that she had convinced Isaac, she brushed past him and entered the house. If she failed to honor her commitment to a helpless animal, how could she ever hope to be trusted with the kind of love and acceptance for which she yearned? It was the little things in life that formed a person's character. Sure, traumatic events played a role, but it was small kindnesses and daily thanksgiving that truly shaped people's lives.

And evil acts that tore them apart, she thought sadly. There was nothing she could do to erase the damage her father had done, nor could she forget his wickedness.

But that didn't mean she was going to surrender—to him or to her fear. She wasn't in this alone anymore. Whether he knew it yet or not, Isaac Black was clearly on her side.

Picturing him boldly stepping between her and the news people, despite his injured leg, she let her imagination equip him with armor and weapons and a trusty steed—tricolored, with floppy ears and a wagging tail!

A combination of nerves and a sense of the absurd brought giggles, then snickers and finally tears that rolled down Daniella's cheeks as she doubled up laughing.

“Would you mind telling me why you find my house so funny?” Isaac asked, sounding a tad miffed.

She could not, would not, tell him, of course. What she did manage to say was, “It's not you or your house. It's me. I think I may be wound a little tight.”

He nodded. “Come on. I'll show you to your room and you can rest. I may not be technically at work but I have plenty to do on my laptop.” He pointed as they passed a ground-floor room. “If you need me, I'll probably be in there.”

“If you give me your cell number I can just phone you,” she said, feeling quite clever for having thought of it.

He dropped her tote at the foot of the stairs. “You brought your cell phone?”

“Of course.”

“Give it to me.”

“No. I may need it.”

“So your father can call you again or so he can trace your whereabouts through it?”

“What? That's just TV nonsense, isn't it?” Nevertheless, she placed her phone in his outstretched hand and watched as he removed the battery and the tiny information-processing card.

“I'll turn this over to my people and see if they can trace your last incoming call. That would be your father, right?”

Mute and subdued, she nodded. In the space of a few moments she had gone from strong and resolute to scared witless again. Her emotions weren't merely on a roller coaster, they were taking a ride on a spaceship that had run out of rocket fuel halfway to the moon and was now plummeting to earth, where it would smash to smithereens.

Daniella gritted her teeth. The imaginary rocket hadn't crashed yet. The ending wasn't written in stone because she wasn't done fighting. Not by a long shot.

Straightening and thrusting back her shoulders, she stood firm and faced Isaac. “I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

Surprisingly, his stern features softened as he admitted, “No, but I did. The error is mine. I should have confiscated your phone back at the apartment and turned it over to the authorities.”

“Why didn't you?”

“I'd like to blame my injury or the meds I'd been on for the pain but that won't fly—with my boss or with me.” He made a face. “As much as I hate to even think it, I suspect I was concentrating too much on you.”

“Me?”

She noted the rosy color infusing his cheeks and guessed what he might mean before he said, “Yes, Daniella. You. Only not as a victim or a suspect, as an appealing young woman who interested me. That was my mistake. I promise it won't happen again.”