Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #1 (47 page)

“Why are you questioning that I would help her? She's family.”

Jonah huffed out a breath. She was the same way with animals, unrelentingly compassionate even when she'd been bitten. Repeatedly. The woman just wasn't going to quit giving until it killed her.

“Same old Jonah.” Elise laughed. “You just can't share your real feelings, can you?”

“Who says I'm not sharing them? Maybe you're just looking for the wrong thing.”

She frowned. “What are you saying?”

Jonah shrugged. “Never mind.”

If she wasn't going to try and figure it out, then it wasn't worth explaining and making a complete fool of himself.

“Let's just get some of this done.”

He turned in time to see a dark-dressed figure sprint between the remainder of two buildings. A man.

“Stay here.” Jonah ran after him.

NINE

J
onah's boots pounded the concrete and Elise watched him follow the dark figure until he was out of sight. Stay here? That was all she was supposed to do? She glanced around, surveying the run-down zoo with the eyes of someone who'd had a harrowing two days. And it wasn't over.

She shivered, her gaze darting from shadow to shadow without stopping as she turned in a circle. Silver eyes flashed with the reflection of the setting sun, and Shera padded into view. Elise stepped, slow and careful, toward her. She crouched. Would the old tiger even recognize her scent?

The tiger's footfalls were hesitant, as though she knew there were hidden obstacles everywhere that her blind eyes couldn't see. Elise let her breath out slowly. Shera tilted her head and then walked closer.

Elise kept her voice low. “I should have got the tranquilizer from my backpack.” The animal didn't know she was planning to subdue it. “I only wanted to say hi.”

The tiger stopped arm's reach away from Elise.

“I don't have any food. You look hungry.” Which, with a tiger, was never good. “I feel bad for the local wildlife, or whatever else you've been snacking on.”

The tiger waited. Elise looked down one side and then moved right without stepping to look down the tiger's other flank. “You seem okay. I don't see anything that needs treating, but you're probably cold. How about I—”

Shera shifted, her sightless gaze moving to peer over Elise's shoulder. The tiger was off and running before she could even react. Elise turned to scold Jonah for scaring her away, but it was Fix who stepped into view.

Her brother had aged far more than the almost twenty years since she'd seen him. He'd been lanky but healthy the last time she'd seen him. Now he was thin, too thin. His hair hung in clumps, covering the top of his ears and his forehead under the threadbare knit cap on his head. His old army jacket was frayed and hung loosely over dirty jeans and scuffed boots.

Elise had hardly lived the high life as a single mom struggling in a small sanctuary that existed on donations, but she knew then she'd fared better than her brother.

“Fix.”

He kept walking until he was right in front of her. Elise backed up a step, intimidated by his stance. She saw his eyes flare at her retreat, and decided she'd better hold her ground.

“Fix.”

Jonah was off chasing him. What was he going to do when he found them? Her brother needed to go, but she wanted time with him, too. What was she supposed to do?

Her brother looked her up and down. “I heard you were hurt, but you look like you're doing okay.”

Elise's side was bruised from the attack, but he probably didn't want the whole story. He looked ready to get out of there. “Why are you in so much trouble? The marshals are after you.”

Fix glanced around. “Got in deep with some guys. They're into everything. First I was doing odd jobs because I need the money. Janessa found out she was pregnant, so I needed more. Doctors' appointments and vitamins and all that stuff.” He sniffed. “Now they're trying to get me on some stupid charge that was overblown by the police.”

Elise doubted it was a mistake if Fix's darting eyes and evasive twitching were anything to go by. If it was the police who were chasing him, then maybe. For Jonah and his team of marshals to be involved meant it was a big deal. Fix had to have skipped a court appearance or be evading arrest to be on the run from a fugitive-apprehension task force like the one Jonah ran—or so Hailey had explained to her when she told Elise what their team did.

Fix's mouth moved from a pressed line to curl up the way it did when he wasn't impressed. “I see you don't believe me. Don't much care, though. I heard you were all tight with Marshal Rivers. Yeah, just like old times, right?”

Elise stood her ground. “Does Janessa need anything? I can help.” She wasn't going to tell him about Nathan. Not when she wasn't even certain she was safe around her brother. Her own flesh and blood.

God, why did You give me a family that barely tolerated me when things were good?

“We don't need your charity. You're probably raking it in, or getting close to Rivers again, working on your big payout, huh?”

“It's not like that. It never was.” Elise sighed. “You knew that then. I don't know why all of a sudden you'd think that now.”

“I know you always thought you were better than us. Trailing after those rich boys like hundred-dollar bills would fall out of their pockets. Thinking you're better than where you came from.”

“I am better than where I came from. And so are you. For that matter, so is Mom. She just never cared to do more than drink away her life.”

“You betrayed her. You spat on our family even before you married Martin, then you moved in to that mansion so you could better pretend to be one of them.” Fix's eyes flashed. “Why couldn't you just stay away? Now the feds are breathing down Mom's neck. Janessa is stressed out, and it's not good for the baby.”

“I never meant for her to get upset. I didn't tell Jonah to send his people to the trailer. None of this has anything to do with me.” She lifted her arms and then let them drop back to her sides. “If anything, this is about you evading capture.”

First Jonah, and now her brother. Why did everyone seem to think she was the cause of this? Even the newspaper reporter thought she had something to do with exotic animal trading, as though she would stoop to something that despicable. It was unthinkable. People who traded helpless animals like that were the worst kind of humans, deliberately harming—not only physically, but more often emotionally—a living being God had created.

Elise hated the fact someone had been doing that at the zoo she'd so loved as a child. She'd spent hours taking care of the animals, working alongside the zookeeper who'd been killed during the flood.

She knew he'd had enough time to transfer the larger animals and ones that required constant care out of town when the evacuation order had been given. The handful of ones that required only regular care were sent to Sienna's ranch.

So why had he gone back to an empty zoo? Had it been for more nefarious purposes?

The image of Zane Ford, wearing that fedora he'd never taken off, desperately trying to save what he could of the zoo and being swallowed up by a rush of floodwaters, flew across her mind. What he must have been through, just to save the thing he loved most in the world.Elise could imagine the man going out like that. A hero to the end.

Elise turned back to Fix. “Jonah will be back any minute. He ran after you.” She didn't want him to escape justice. Not if he was going to end up hurting someone. But she also didn't want to be exactly what he thought she was—the one who betrayed her family.

Elise was stuck in the middle. Fix going to jail was right, but she didn't have to like it.

“It's just like you to stick up for him.” He shoved her then. Elise lifted her arms, bracing herself even though she had no idea what was coming. Fix's body twisted with his shoulder, and his fist swung toward her face.

* * *

Jonah saw the punch coming seconds before Fix moved. He ducked out from behind the wall and ran at Elise's brother. Before Fix's fist could make contact with her, Jonah slammed into the man he'd been chasing for weeks.

Fix rolled, the momentum taking both him and Jonah over rocks and other sharp debris that cut into Jonah's shoulders and back. But they didn't stop. Not until Jonah had the hold on Fix that he wanted. Finally he had the man pinned, arms behind his back while Jonah pulled cuffs from his back pocket. When Fix was secured, Jonah lifted him to sit on the ground, legs outstretched in front of him.

Jonah set one hand on his gun, and said, “Talk.”

He'd already sent a text to his team, when he first doubled back and saw Fix approach Elise and the tiger. He'd waited to see what the man would reveal to his sister, but stepped in the minute it escalated to violence. The rest of his people should be there within ten minutes.

Fix hunched his shoulders and looked up, his flat gaze on Jonah as though daring him to do something in front of Elise that would make her hate both of them. If Fix thought Jonah wasn't entirely able to push aside his personal feelings, then the man had a lot to learn about how he operated as a US marshal.

Jonah stared back, his look equally as flat as Fix's. “I want to know who you're working with.”

“You think I'm just going to tell you? Just like that?”

“I think you will if you want to make sure your family is kept safe while you're in jail. If you're wrapped up in what I think you are, this isn't just about you.” Jonah paused. “So tell me what you know about exotic animal trading.”

Fix snorted. “Stupid reporter. Got what he deserved, didn't he?”

“Did you kill him?”

Elise gasped, but despite asking the question, Jonah didn't actually think Fix had done the job. It was way too professional for that. Fix wasn't more than an opportunist looking for a quick dollar.

“I didn't kill him. Don't you dare put that on me. I was miles away.”

“I suppose you had an alibi, too?”

Fix sniffed. “I could get one.”

He probably could. The man knew enough people he could pay to swear under oath that Fix was elsewhere at the time of the murder. Fix had likely been up to something else at the time. But what?

“Tell me what you know about the reporter's article.”

When Fix didn't say anything, Elise stepped forward. “Was the zoo a holdover for animals being illegally bought and sold?” Her voice was high and tight, with an edge of emotion she only just had a rein on.

Fix looked up at her. Not the look one would expect from an older brother only recently reunited with his sister. But then, Fix had never thought much of little Elise. She'd adored him, and he'd brushed off her affection at best.

He turned to Jonah. “I'm not giving you his name.”

“Because you don't know, or because it's your only leverage?”

“I want a deal.”

Of course he did. Everyone wanted to make a bargain when they had nothing left. No criminal he'd ever met was willing to accept the consequences of their actions. They only ever wanted to escape justice.

“Just tell me about the zoo right now.”

Fix worked his jaw from side to side. “The reporter died because he knew too much. Shouldn't have dipped his nose in if he couldn't protect himself, should he?”

“If you're worried the same will happen to you, being in custody comes with our protection.”

“That's exactly why you're not taking me in.” Fix's mouth pressed into a tight line. “I can't afford to be on paper where he'll get to me. Why do you think the bomb in the office exploded all the evidence? It's why I was coming here.”

“Not because you heard your sister was back in town, or because you worried someone would get hurt.” Jonah figured Fix had been heading there to get the evidence for himself before it was destroyed so he'd actually have concrete leverage when the time came.

“I'm dead if I can't give him a reason to keep me alive.”

Elise whispered, “I can't believe you'd be a part of this.”

“I needed the money.” Fix turned his hard stare to his sister. “And now I'm dead because of it.”

Jonah said, “Why is he doing this?”

“Wrapping things up.” Fix glanced around, like the man he was talking about might be listening. “Starting fresh somewhere else, doesn't want to leave lose ends.”

Elise stepped in front of Jonah. “And you don't care that he's trying to kill me, too?”

Jonah was glad she didn't mention Nathan. He didn't want Fix to get any ideas about using his nephew in all this.

“Why would I?” Fix shrugged, belligerence clear on his face. “It's not like you cared at all about us while you were living the high life.”

Parker, Ames and Hanning made their approach, surrounding them. When Parker reached Elise, Jonah nodded without taking his gaze from Fix.

“Why don't we step over here?” Parker's words weren't a question. He held Elise's elbow as he led her away from her brother.

Every criminal they chased was considered a flight risk, and Fix was no exception. But the opportunity to get to the bottom of this couldn't be ignored. If they took Fix into custody, then Elise would still be in danger, and her brother would likely shut down and desist giving them any more intel. Fix knew who was behind this, he just didn't want to give it up.

But if Jonah could get on the inside, he had a chance to catch the man for himself and end the danger to Elise.

He studied Fix, wondering just how connected the man was. Between the person at the root of the illegal animal trading and the person who had killed the reporter and shot at Elise, Jonah figured there were at least two involved. Fix would make the third, an expendable extra at best, given that he had little to no skills to speak of aside from time and what came out of his mouth. Fix had always been able to talk his way out of trouble—it was why his mom was so sweet on him, at the expense of Elise.

Fix's eyes narrowed. Jonah didn't much care if he didn't like the look on his face. “You have this guy's number?”

Fix said, “Supposed to do a job for him soon.”

Jonah figured there wasn't a lot of time if the illegal animal trader was wrapping up his operation and moving it elsewhere. Jonah needed to beat this guy to the trigger if he was going to keep Elise—and Nathan—safe. And if he secured Fix's cooperation now, he would still be able to ensure justice for the crimes Fix had committed later.

The fact that the job had become personal wasn't lost on him. Jonah could be objective, but that was going to go out the window fast, and everyone on his team knew it. If he didn't finish this, the window of opportunity would close. The trader would move on to the next place never to be found, and Elise would be dead.