She grinned. “What are you saying?”
He propped up on one elbow and stared down at her. She was beautiful in more ways
than he deserved. “I was thinking you and Con could have a thing. A serious thing
that could eventually end in marriage.”
“That is the lamest marriage proposal I’ve ever had.” Then she laughed. “What would
Emmett and NCS think of that?”
“I don’t give a damn. They’d just have to live with it.”
She laughed.
“Well?” he asked, knowing he could hurt her again if she ever found out the truth
about him but unable to stop himself. “Will you marry Con someday?”
“Yes, I’ll marry Con. Will that make me a bigamist?”
“Not in the eyes of the law. I’m officially dead.” He leaned down and kissed her before
sitting up and swinging his legs off the side of the bed. Where were his pants?
“Wait. Where are you going?”
“I have a few things to take care of.”
“Now?”
“Yeah. The sooner, the better. Trust me.”
“You mean you have to get Emmett’s blessing?” She eyed him cautiously.
“Something like that. It’s already six in the morning in Virginia. Emmett will be
up and about.”
“You can’t do it from here?”
“No, baby.” He brushed her lips with a light kiss. “And we don’t want to scandalize
Orchard Bluff by broadcasting our affair, either. I need some time to clear Con’s
good name.” And blow the Rooster to bits without making Willow the least bit suspicious.
She shook her head. “This is a ridiculous situation.” She sounded totally happy.
“Yeah, it is. Isn’t it great?”
She laughed. “You are coming back? Promise not to leave without telling me?”
“No way. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”
* * *
By seven, Willow was up, showered, breakfasted, dressed, and ready to head downstairs
to start making caramel. Spookie was back to her lively self. Jack was back.
Jack is back!
Even with the added complications of this new cover, Willow would have to assume as
Con’s future wife, her world was perfect and sweet.
She hummed to herself as she grabbed a clean apron from the dryer and tied it around
her waist.
When will we be able to share the details?
She wanted to tell Drew and Staci. Was convinced that they had to. Staci deserved
to be free of her guilt and Drew would be ecstatic.
In time,
Willow told herself.
Give Jack a little time to work out the details.
She thought about Emmett Nelson and frowned. That liar.
Her cell phone vibrated. As she grabbed it from the counter her heart danced with
hope that Jack was calling. She wanted to trust him, but part of her feared he’d run
out on her. There was something he was hiding from her. Something that made him uneasy.
It was a text from her mother.
Be extra careful today. I still have the bad feeling. And it’s getting worse.
Willow had been so happy, she hadn’t felt any foreboding. Had glossed over it. But
now that her mom had prompted her …
No. It couldn’t be. Her mom was probably reacting to Jack. Both Willow and her mom
had to be. Still, she’d have to warn him and keep an eye on him, just to be on the
safe side.
She texted her mom back, saying she’d be on her guard. The phone rang in her hand
before she could put it down. She glanced at the screen. Still not Jack. Shane.
Her heart fell. She didn’t want to talk to Shane, of all people. But she probably
owed it to him to pick up and see if he sounded okay.
“Willow,” he said when she answered. “I’m calling to apologize. I can’t believe I
crapped out on you again last night. For the second date in a row. I’m usually not
such a lightweight. The accident’s affecting me worse than I thought.” He sounded
very much alive and okay.
Which was a big relief. If she’d killed him or hurt him in some permanent way she’d
never forgive herself. She was feeling guilty enough as it was about drugging him.
At least his allergies shouldn’t be bothering him.
Small mercies. And a lot of justifying going on by her.
“There’s no need to apologize.” There really wasn’t, especially given that she was
the guilty party.
“To be honest, I’m not just calling to beg your forgiveness. I have a situation here
and hoped you could help me out. You’re the first person I thought of.
“Someone dumped off a litter of kittens last night. I found them in a sack at the
end of my driveway this morning.”
“What!” Now she was indignant. “Kittens?”
“Yeah, I know. Terrible. People do horrible, cruel things. They’re not even weaned
and it was a cold night last night, too. They could’ve frozen to death.”
“Oh no. How are they?” Now she was mad and indignant, and worried, too. Who would
harm kittens? Why didn’t people think to find them good homes? People who couldn’t
be bothered made her sick.
He paused. “They’re okay.” Hesitation echoed in his voice. “I’ve done my best for
them. I made them a bed and put them in the apple shed where they’ll be warm. But
I have a mean old tom around. I can’t keep them.
“If I don’t watch them every minute, he’s bound to get them. And with my head the
way it’s been the last few days, I’m not the best guy to guard them, nurse them into
full health, and find them homes right now.
“I was hoping you could take them. Just until the weekend when the crowds show up.
I’m sure I could find them good homes then.”
She was already reaching for her coat. “I’ll be right over.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Jack watched Kennett’s apple barn and house from a hidden location in the orchard
across the street a safe distance away. If the Rooster followed his morning routine,
any minute now he’d come out of the house and head to the barn. He’d open the old-fashioned
till Grant had kept for atmosphere as much as to store business proceeds.
That one small action would set off an explosive that would make it appear as if the
space heater in the apple barn had ignited some gas Kennett kept there and
kaboom
! Horrible SMASH assassin dead.
When the fire marshal did his official inspection, he’d discover Kennett’s secret
pesticides had exploded. Grant Cooper’s good name would be ruined forever. But at
least his body would be found.
And then Con and Willow could live happily ever after. After that scandal over Kennett,
Con would look damn good by comparison.
Jack rocked back on his heels. He didn’t take ending a life lightly. Right now he
didn’t look at it as ending Kennett’s. He preferred to think of the lives he was ultimately
saving.
Everything was going to plan. Until Willow’s car came into view and he heard the crunch
of gravel as she turned up Kennett’s driveway.
Jack’s heart stopped. This didn’t feel right. What was Willow doing at Kennett’s so
early in the morning? Especially after last night.
Willow jumped out of her car just as Kennett stepped out from his house. He grabbed
Willow and gave her a hug as Jack’s worry grew and his rage kicked in. Kennett said
something to Willow. Jack had a CIA-grade pair of listening ears, earpieces that magnified
sound from yards away, but he still couldn’t pick up what Willow and Kennett were
saying to each other. Instead, he picked up an earsplitting buzz.
Kennett, that suspicious bastard, was no doubt jamming them. Kennett slid his arm
around Willow’s shoulder and guided her toward the apple shed.
Shit.
Jack hit the kill switch on his explosive device. He’d never take a chance with Willow’s
life. He wouldn’t be the guy who blew her up. Exploded her world with his lovemaking,
sure, but not the other.
Jack’s spy senses were on high alert. Something felt terribly wrong. He jumped out
of the squat he was in and took off at a run toward the barn.
* * *
Inside, the barn was dimly lit and the Sense was going crazy inside Willow in a way
it never had before. And yet everything seemed calm and safe.
Jack.
She couldn’t help worrying about him, and yet this felt different. It felt personal.
That was ridiculous. Unless, of course, Shane really was a dangerous enemy spy. Jack
had assured her that his only mission here was to see her and make sure she was safe.
But from what? Or who? She had to get the kittens and get out of here.
“Where are they?” she asked as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. She didn’t see
any kittens or hear any mewing.
Shane took her arm. “This way. Behind the till, where I could watch them.”
* * *
Jack peeked into the apple barn through a crack in the door as Kennett led Willow
toward the trapdoor of the bomb shelter.
Damn.
Jack couldn’t let Kennett get Willow down there. That would be certain death. If
Kennett was taking Willow to his operation headquarters, it only meant one thing—he
was going to kill her. Maybe torture her first for intel. Or use her to draw Jack
out. Then stash her in the freezer with Grant Cooper.
Jack pushed the apple-shed door open just enough to get the barrel of his gun through.
He drew a bead on Kennett. This was close range for Jack and he was a damn good shot.
Totally precise. At this distance there was no need for calculations or worrying about
wind speed, curvature of the Earth, any of those complications of a long-range shot.
It should have been an easy kill. Except for Willow standing too near Kennett for
Jack’s comfort. If she’d been a stranger, he could have hit his shot without a worry.
But this was a bit like a surgeon operating on his own wife or child.
And then there was the matter of escaping without Willow seeing him.
As Jack weighed his options he heard barking and the heavy pounding of large dogs
racing toward him. He looked over his shoulder just in time. Buddy and Duke were barreling
toward him, teeth bared and looking decidedly unfriendly and out for blood. Jack knew
well-trained dogs when he saw them. Without Willow with him or unless Kennett called
them off, they were going to eat Jack alive. And alert Kennett to his presence.
He had no choice. Cursing to himself, he slid into the barn and slammed the door behind
him just as Buddy and Duke pounded against it, barking and sounding as if they’d like
to take a bite out of it and wouldn’t stop their battering until they broke in and
finished Jack off. So this was how they showed their gratitude for the sexual frustration
he’d given them?
Come on, boys. I gave you a merry chase. Be good sports.
Kennett looked up at Jack, pushed Willow behind him, and drew a pistol. Jack pointed
his Beretta M9 back.
Showdown at the apple barn.
It didn’t quite have the ring of
the OK Corral.
In that instant, Jack knew he should shoot Kennett. He would have if Willow hadn’t
been behind Kennett. In this case, putting her directly behind him was as effective
as using her as a shield. Jack couldn’t shoot Kennett without risking an unintentional
Quigley, killing two with one bullet.
Kennett held his gun in one hand and the other arm out to keep Willow behind him,
ostensibly out of danger. “Stay behind me, Willow. I’ll protect you.” Kennett’s voice
was as smooth as the polished surface of a perfect Red Delicious apple. “Finally come
to finish the job? Didn’t count on my dogs? That’s poor planning for such a reputed
assassin. I expected better from you. RIOT only hires the best.”
“What?” Willow peered around Kennett’s shoulder, eyes wide. “Assassin,” she whispered.
“RIOT?”
Jack cursed beneath his breath.
Kennett barked a command to his dogs. The assault on the shed door stopped and silence
echoed in the room. Still in a protective stance, he stepped back into Willow. “That
man is a dangerous assassin sent to kill me. Isn’t that right, Con?”
Willow shook her head. “No! Why?”
“I work for the CIA,” Kennett said. “I’ve been deep undercover infiltrating a dangerous
terrorist cell that’s planning to bomb an important summit meeting.”
“A terrorist cell here? In Orchard Bluff?” Willow sounded as completely surprised
as she should have.
She was definitely playing along, playing the innocent. But she was looking at Jack
and that gun of his with terror in her eyes.
“What better place? They’ve been passing explosives through here from Canada.” Like
the pro he was, he kept his gun precisely aimed at Jack. If Kennett fired, Jack was
dead on contact.
Jack was busily planning his own shot and method of attack and escape.
Willow looked stunned. Jack couldn’t tell how much she believed Kennett.
“That man”—Kennett pointed at Jack—“works for the enemy and has been assigned to kill
me.” He laughed confidently and grinned.
Kennett wasn’t at all scared. He was high on the adrenaline of the situation. So was
Jack, but he had Willow to worry about and that complicated things.
“But he’s Aldo’s cousin,” Willow protested.
Jack couldn’t tell whether she was protecting him or not or what she was up to. But
he didn’t like the look of betrayal in her eyes.
Kennett laughed. “No, he’s a killer who’s been altered by plastic surgery to look
like Sariel, a CIA assassin who was killed in an explosion in Ciudad del Este. RIOT
has been using him to confuse us and get close enough to kill our agents.”
What the hell?
Jack couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kennett was accusing him of being the bad
guy? Why would Kennett pretend to be the good guy? Unless it was to build Willow’s
trust until he could kill her quietly. After he took care of Jack. The old divide
and conquer strategy.
“Willow, don’t listen to him.” Jack stared into her eyes.
She was staring back at him as if she didn’t know him anymore.
Damn it all to hell! This is exactly what I’ve been afraid of.
“Wills, you know who I am,” he said.
She was staring at him as if taking inventory and cataloging all the ways he was different
from her Jack. As if she believed Kennett and his lies. She didn’t reply, just stared
at Jack mutely.