Undercover Daddy (12 page)

Oh, yeah. He understood that all too well. “I’m not going to let anything happen to him.”

She looked up at him, and he could feel the attraction rear its head. The last time, though, that he’d acted on that attraction had been minutes before the shooting. If he hadn’t been making out with Elaina in the hall, he might have spotted the gunman before he took aim.

And that was the reason Luke didn’t go any closer.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. But she lifted her hand, palm out in a
stop
gesture. “This is the conversation we were about to have after we nearly had sex. You backed away from me then, too. Not physically, but I could feel it.” She paused. “Luke, that had nothing to do with me trying to keep custody of Christopher.”

“I know it didn’t.” And it was time for him to apologize. His lust had nearly gotten her killed.

But the apology was put on hold when his phone rang. Since it could be an update on Rusty or the escaped prisoners, Luke quickly answered it.

“It’s Sheriff Dawson. I have a problem. My wife was in a car accident. Nothing serious, but the doctor here wants to transfer her to the hospital in Luling for a CAT scan. I have to leave to be with her.”

“How can I help?”

“Well, I have no one to cover my office, and I have a prisoner. A man I had to arrest this morning for taking a baseball bat to his brother. I can’t leave him here alone, and I don’t trust the security guard who let the other two escape.”

Neither did Luke. “What about your deputy?”

“He’s at Elaina’s house still standing guard so no one will get inside, but I’ve got to pull him from that duty and have him come here to the station. I’ve called the sheriff in a neighboring county, and he’s planning to send some help, but it’d go easier for me if you could go to Elaina’s house and stand guard until the federal agents show up to search the place.”

The mental debate started, but it wasn’t much of a debate. Those federal agents were likely tied up with apprehending the escaped prisoners. Plus, Elaina’s house needed to be searched, and it needed to be guarded. He couldn’t risk any of their suspects getting in to search for Kevin’s software modifications—especially since they’d left critical items in the car in the garage when they’d made a mad dash to get out of there and come to safe house. Luke needed to find the modifications to discover the identity of T. They might be the key to making sure Elaina and Christopher were truly safe.

Luke checked his watch. “I’ll be there in about two hours,” he assured the sheriff.

Sheriff Dawson thanked him and hung up.

“Where are you going?” Elaina asked.

“To your house. The deputy guarding it is being pulled. I’ll wait for backup to arrive, and while I’m doing that, I’ll search the place.”

“I could help you.”

He was already shaking his head before she finished. “Too dangerous.”

“It’s broad daylight, and the search will go faster if there are two of us. Besides, I know what I brought to the house from San Antonio. You don’t. For you, it’d be like a needle in a haystack.”

“Those two men are on the loose,” Luke quickly reminded her.

“Those two men have been on the loose for over a year,” Elaina reminded him. “Christopher could stay here with Theresa, where they’ll be safe. I could watch your back. You could watch mine.”

She was right about one thing—the search would go a hell of a lot faster if she was there with him.

“It makes sense,” she argued. “If we don’t find anything in a couple of hours, then you can bring me back. Five hours,” she said, obviously bargaining now.

Luke debated with himself some more. He weighted the consequences. And he finally nodded. “Five hours.”

“I’ll get my purse and tell Theresa.”

Luke reached for his shoulder holster and gun. He prayed he wouldn’t need it, and while he was praying, he added one more thing.

He hoped he wasn’t leading Elaina right back into the path of a killer.

Elaina finished her call to Theresa and told Luke what she’d learned. “Christopher just finished eating his snack, and Theresa is about to put him down for his nap.”

“How long will he sleep?” Luke asked.

“At least an hour, maybe longer. Don’t worry. Christopher is used to being with Theresa all day. He won’t be upset that I’m not there.”

“Good. That’s one less thing to worry about.”

Yes, one less thing.

She checked her watch. What would have normally been a forty-five-minute drive to her house turned into nearly double that amount of time.

Before they’d even gotten in the car, Luke had told her that he would have to take a circuitous route to make sure they weren’t being followed, and he was true to his word. One hour and fifty minutes after they’d kissed Christopher goodbye and drove away from the safe house, they finally pulled into her driveway.

“What now?” Luke mumbled when he saw the activity in front of them.

Elaina had expected to see yellow crime scene tape stretched around her property. And it was there, being assaulted by the winter wind. She’d also expected to see boarded up windows, and someone had indeed taken care of that chore. But her expectations hadn’t stopped there. She’d expected to see a deputy or some other law enforcement official.

That, she didn’t see.

But Gary was on her front porch, his hand poised in the air as if he were about to knock on the door.

Luke obviously didn’t care for Gary’s presence because he slammed on the brakes and came to a loud, screeching halt mere inches from the porch steps. That got Gary’s attention. The man whirled around to face them, and he certainly looked guilty of something.

“Wait in the car,” Luke told her. In the same motion, he drew his gun and got out. “This is crime scene, and you’re trespassing.”

Elaina lowered the window so she could hear everything they were saying.

“I, uh, know, but I saw the deputy leave, and I wanted to make sure Elaina wasn’t here alone,” Gary insisted.

“She’s not.”

“Oh. Okay.” He peered into the car and waved at her. That was friendly enough, but the glare he turned on Luke wasn’t so friendly. “You can put that gun away.”

Luke didn’t. “How long has the deputy been gone?”

“Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. I was watching out the window, and when I saw him drive away, I got dressed and came over.”

“To make sure Elaina wasn’t here alone,” Luke repeated, and he sounded totally skeptical.

“The crime scene guys have been here. They’ve already processed the house and the grounds,” Gary continued.

“
Processed?
” More skepticism and a lot of suspicion from Luke.

“I watch a lot of cop shows,” Gary explained. “That’s the term they use.”

“It’s the right term,” Luke verified. “But if you watch cop shows, then you know you should never step foot in a crime scene. Go home, Gary, and stay away until you hear otherwise from me.”

Gary took a step toward Luke, and there was nothing submissive about it. Elaina noted the combative stance that was no doubt a result of his military training.

“I’m not sure why Elaina ever married you,” Gary said, moving even closer to Luke.

“That’s not your concern. Go. Home,” Luke repeated.

The two men stood there, as if sizing each other up, but with Luke armed, Gary must have decided this wasn’t a fight he could win. He lifted his hands in a suit-yourself gesture, cursed and stormed off the porch. Luke didn’t take his eyes off him until Gary was back in his own house.

“You can get out now,” Luke let Elaina know.

He carried that edgy, dangerous tone through to what he said to her. But once their eyes met, something inside him settled. Well, a little anyway. Luke lowered his gun a fraction, but he eased her behind him while they approached the front door.

“That deputy shouldn’t have left until I got here,” Luke mumbled. “Another minute or two and Gary would have probably been inside snooping around.”

Luke tested the doorknob and cursed. “It’s unlocked.”

Elaina groaned. It was bad enough that the deputy had left early, but it was careless to leave the place unlocked. Of course, with all activity from the crime scene guys, it wouldn’t have been difficult for someone to sneak in.

And then she heard the sound of someone talking.

Luke obviously did, as well. He pushed her to the side and threw open the door. Despite Luke’s attempt to keep her out of the line of fire, Elaina could see inside her house.

Carrie was in her living room.

“What are you doing here?” Luke demanded.

Carrie turned toward them and froze. That’s when Elaina saw that her assistant had the phone in her hand. Not her own personal phone but Elaina’s house phone.

“Elaina,” Carrie said, the breath all in her voice. She put down the phone and stared at Luke’s gun. “I used the emergency key you gave me to let myself in.”

Luke gave her a questioning glance, and Elaina nodded to verify that she had indeed given Carrie a key.

“I was trying to call you.” Carrie hitched her shoulder toward the phone. “I can’t find my cell phone.”

And Elaina knew why. When Luke had first told her that the Justice Department had an interest in Carrie’s phone, Elaina had totally dismissed it. But since the shooting, she wasn’t feeling nearly as trusting, and she wasn’t dismissing it now.

Carrie rushed to her and gave her a hard hug. “God, I heard about the shooting, but I had no idea it was this bad. There’s glass everywhere in the kitchen and nursery. Are Christopher and you all right?”

“We’re fine.” Elaina pulled away so she could face Carrie. “But you shouldn’t be here.”

Carrie nodded. “I know, but I was so scared when I heard the news. I couldn’t stay away.” She looked around the room. “Maybe I can help you clean up the place.”

“It can’t be cleaned yet,” Luke insisted. He reholstered his gun, but he kept his hand on it. “You really should go.”

Carrie nodded, but she didn’t look in total agreement. “Okay, but call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” But Elaina knew she wouldn’t. Not unless her assistant was cleared as a suspect.

The moment that Carrie was out the door, Luke locked it and engaged the security system. He didn’t stop there. He stormed through the house, checking each room. It wasn’t a speedy process because he looked in every closet and beneath the beds. Apparently satisfied that no one else had let themselves in, he went to her phone. The one that Carrie had been using when they walked in.

Elaina watched as he pressed redial, and he held the phone between so both of them could hear. There were four rings before the answering machine kicked in. “Hi, you’ve reached Brenda. I’m not here right now, but leave a message at the beep.”

Luke dropped the phone back into the cradle.

“Brenda,” Elaina and he repeated in unison.

It was Elaina who continued. “Maybe Carrie thought Brenda would know how to get in touch with me.”

“Or maybe she was giving Brenda an update of what she did or didn’t find in the house. Maybe the women are working together for this T person.”

Elaina’s imagination began to run wild. She’d worked side by side with Carrie for a year, but did that mean anything? Carrie was being secretive about her application to Rice. Why wouldn’t Carrie tell her something like that, especially since the woman discussed everything else with Elaina?

“But I don’t know what Carrie would have found that I couldn’t,” Elaina commented.

“We left the box of files in the car in the garage,” Luke reminded her. “She might have been trying to get another peek at them. Don’t worry. That box won’t be staying here. I’m taking it back with us to the safe house. We’ll go over the files tonight.”

“While we’re here, I’ll get some clothes and things. We didn’t have much with us when we left.”

Dreading what she knew she would see, Elaina went into the nursery. Carrie had been right. There was glass all over the floor and markings on the wall to indicate where bullets had been removed. It was sickening. Her baby’s room was now a crime scene.

“I won’t be able to live here again,” Elaina said softly. But she obviously didn’t say it nearly soft enough.

“I understand,” Luke responded.

She looked over her shoulder at him. He was close. Very close. And he was watching her.

“I’ll be okay,” she insisted.

“Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?”

She frowned at his astute observation. Even though Luke hadn’t known her long, he obviously
knew
her. Maybe all the danger and forced camaraderie could do that. Maybe that’s why she felt so connected to him.

Luke reached out and pulled her into his arms. She felt stronger and weaker all at the same time. She also felt as if she owed him a gigantic thank-you.

“Despite the dramatic and crazy intrusion you made into my fake life, I’m glad you’re here and on my side,” Elaina confessed.

She would deal with the consequences of his presence after all of this was over. And she had no doubt that there would be consequences.

Since his arms were giving her a little too much comfort, and since the closeness was a reminder of how hotly attracted she was to him, Elaina eased back slightly. “I’ll start going through the things in my bedroom.”

He nodded and let her slip out of his embrace. Just like that, she felt the loss, and she cursed herself for it. She wasn’t just getting close to Luke; she was falling hard for him.

And that couldn’t happen.

Hadn’t her disastrous relationship with Kevin taught her anything? She had lousy taste in men, and Luke might be good father material, but he’d made it clear that he wasn’t looking for a personal involvement with her.

Well, at least he’d made it clear in the beginning. But maybe like her, he’d had a change of heart.

It was stupid, but that caused her to smile, and she carried that smile into her bedroom to begin the search. The smile soon faded. The room looked almost exactly the way they’d left it. The mattress was on the floor where Luke had left it. Pictures had been knocked off the dresser.

Elaina walked past all of that and went into her closet. She did a quick inventory to figure out if she’d brought any of the items with her when she fled her old life. She’d already given Luke the files and a few other things, but she went through each item of clothing and each pair of shoes. It didn’t take her long to decide that all of her things were less than a year old. Because she’d been running for her life at the time, she hadn’t brought much with her.

Giving up on the closet, she went into the bathroom to check her cosmetics. Again, this room was as they’d left it, with a bath towel draped across the edge of the sink. It was next to Luke’s leather toiletry bag. Elaina started to stoop to look in the cabinet beneath the sink, but something in the unzipped toiletry bag caught her eye.

A small square-shaped gold-foil packet.

Elaina actually picked it up to verify what it was. Though it wasn’t necessary. She knew it was a condom.

She felt as if someone had slapped her.

Her thought raced back to the night before, to the hot and heavy kissing session in the hall. Luke and she had nearly had sex. In fact, the only thing that had stopped him was there was no condom.

Or so he’d said.

But this proved otherwise.

Mercy, had he lied to her? Elaina didn’t want to believe that. In fact, she refused to believe it. Luke had been just as aroused and ready as she’d been. If he’d known about the condom, he would have used it.

Wouldn’t he?

Elaina didn’t have time to ponder that particular question because there was a frantic knock at the door. She rushed out of the bathroom to find Luke already on his way to the front of the house. He had his gun drawn.

He motioned for Elaina to duck back in the bedroom, and she did. But she stayed near the door so she could see what was happening.

“Who’s there?” Luke called out.

“Me, Brenda.”

Elaina didn’t know whether to groan or curse. Obviously, her friends, neighbors and possible enemies weren’t concerned about traipsing onto a crime scene.

“Guys?” Brenda’s pounding became louder and more insistent. “You really need to let me in
now.
”

“Why?” Luke answered.

“Because there are two people sitting in a car just a half block up. I got a glimpse inside as I jogged past them, and both are armed. Elaina, I think your shooter is back.”