Navy SEAL Surrender (4 page)

“Everybody. Other than the sheriff, Mabel and me, no one talks to him. Ever. No one ever told you why he didn’t go to A&M?”

“I assumed he changed his mind. Neither of us were good in school.”

“But you knew he lost his scholarship, right?”

John’s poker face melted.

“Your dad never said anything?”

“He didn’t talk too much about Brian.” John dropped his gaze to the tabletop.

“In other words, you didn’t ask because you didn’t want to hear.”

“I’m listening now.”

“The town was upset about Mrs. Cook’s death. It didn’t matter that it was an accident. They wanted Brian punished. So there were outcries and editorials demanding consequences. Teachers withdrew their letters of recommendations.”

“They could do that?” he asked in a hurt whisper.

“The university suddenly didn’t have a full scholarship. They reduced it to about a thousand dollars. He couldn’t finance the rest.”

Disbelief, astonishment, anger—a ton of emotion took charge and marched across his face. “You can count on my help. Whatever it takes. We’ll find your daughter and clear Brian.”

“I don’t know what you can do, John. The police and rangers have an Amber Alert. No one saw anything, no clues, no prints, no way to find her. It’s like she just disappeared.”

Alicia saw his fists tighten, ready to do battle to defend his family. It had been a while since she’d felt someone was completely on her side.

“I can help. Trust me.”

The harsh tightness across his face softened. His hand took hers and she saw a glimpse of a friend. It had been a while since she’d depended on anyone. She nodded, realizing that trusting him was second nature. She’d run to the Double Bar because he was home.

Chapter Five

“Tell me what happened after I left and what we’re up against.” John paced the kitchen, keeping his dad’s napping form in his peripheral vision. He didn’t want him upset.

After the first couple of stories, John barely listened to Alicia’s recounting of how the town had treated Brian. He was still stuck on his brother’s arrest. Instead of calling a lawyer, Brian had phoned Alicia.

What was up with that? Was it his way of keeping his family informed without talking to John? Warning Alicia? She thought they were being framed. “Do the police know who Brian called?”

“I’m not sure.” She looked as confused as he felt.

Cute and confused, with that worry line emphasized between her brows. Now wasn’t the time for an attraction, and neither was the future. Alicia claimed there was nothing between her and Brian, and she thought they were only friends. They were clearly closer than either wanted to admit. They always had been.

“What did Brian say, exactly?”

She put her fingertips to her temples, concentrating. “They pulled him over, found Lauren’s bear and crown behind his seat—the one I said she had with her when they...when they took her. The Aubrey police would be coming to the house to talk to me.”

“You sort of buried the lead, Alicia. I think Brian called to warn you not to go home.”

“Do you think they left something at my house?” She shook her head and her long hair fell forward, covering her face. “The media has already taken Shauna’s side and is insinuating that I arranged for Lauren’s kidnapping to get the ransom money. Do you believe they’re going to arrest me? I haven’t done anything.”

He didn’t have time to be sensitive, so blunt would have to work. “If Shauna’s gone to the trouble to frame you for faking a kidnapping, don’t you think they’d plant evidence to implicate you?” He let that info take root. “You’ve got two choices. Turn yourself in and hope it can all be sorted out legally.”

She looked up, eyes wide with fright. “If I’m in jail, no one will be looking for Lauren.”

John didn’t correct her. Everyone had looked for her daughter. To clear Brian, he would do more than just look. He’d find her. “Then hide.”

“How can I hide? I don’t have any money and I can’t go anywhere. Dad’s car is fairly easy to spot.”

“I can help with that.” He stood, glancing to the living room to verify his dad was still asleep. When he turned back, she stood touching distance in front of him. But she didn’t reach out, and neither did he.

“Johnny, I can’t ask you to help more than just buying the car. Your dad needs you.”

“Don’t bother, Alicia. You need my help. More important, the only way to clear Brian is to find your daughter. And I need
you
to make that happen.”

“Thanks isn’t enough.” She launched herself and hugged him. “What should I do?”

John awkwardly set her away, not trusting himself to hold her close. The next few days were going to be hard enough. “We’ll put your car in the shed, and if they look, I’ll tell them you sold it to me.”

“What’s next?” She removed the key ring from her pocket, clutching it like a lifeline.

“Do you have a smartphone?”

“Yes.”

“Book yourself on the next flight to San Antonio. Don’t browse anything out of state. If the FBI’s not involved yet, we want to keep the search for you in Texas. When you’re done, take the battery out and leave it in Dad’s things. Someplace you’d normally have access when you check on him.”

“You want them to think I’m running. They won’t believe it. They know I wouldn’t go anywhere without Lauren.”

“Did you think you’d be set up for her kidnapping?” He could see she was terrified. Her daughter had been abducted. Even if she was certain of who took her, there was still a deep fear of making a mistake. Doubt that she could be wrong.

It happened to him on every mission. Especially the ones that cost a man’s life. Questioning your decisions would drive you insane. So you couldn’t question. Someone like Alicia needed someone to help make those decisions. As long as he was around to take the blame, she wouldn’t have to question if
she
did the right thing.

“And what if they release Brian or if asking me questions would help them find where Lauren is?”

“I don’t know if they have enough evidence to hold Brian. They might release him, watch who he contacts, hoping they’re right and that he’ll lead them to the person holding your daughter. But more important, I need you with me to find Lauren.”

“You really think this is the best way? Running?”

“Hiding. Staying under wraps until we gather all the facts and know who’s involved. There are a lot of places to disappear on the ranch tonight. I’ll get you somewhere safer tomorrow.”

“Where?” The word was muffled in defeat as she covered her mouth with slim fingers.

“Adams’s property tonight. Brian and I played there all the time. They won’t think you’re arrogant enough to hide right under their noses.”

“Johnny.” She gently took his arm before he could walk past her. “What happens if they find me?”

He sank into the bluest eyes he could remember. A face that he’d tried his best to let go. She’d never lied to him, always had faith in him. He was the one who’d turned his back on her, not trusting.

“Believe me, they won’t. I know what I’m doing. I’ve hidden in a lot places worse than Aubrey, Texas. No one finds me when I dig in.”

He reached for his cell, dialing the number Mabel had written on the notepad stuck to the fridge. “It’s John. Change of plans—can you pack a bag and come stay with Dad overnight? Thanks.”

“Brian called to warn me. Did he keep you out of the loop on purpose? No one knows you’re here, do they?” Alicia asked once he’d hung up.

“That’s our ace in the hole. They’ll all be watching Brian and they think you’re alone. I won’t lie to you, Alicia. It’s going to get rough, and plenty of people are going to say worse things than the accusations on television.”

He glanced over his shoulder into the living room. His dad looked straight at him, smiling, and gave him a thumbs-up. If there had been doubts about leaving his dad to help Alicia before, there weren’t any longer.

“I want my daughter back and I’m willing to do anything to make that happen. I trust you, Johnny.”

“Good.”

The real question was if he could trust himself.

Chapter Six

“Where’s my mommy?” the kid asked for the hundredth time since she’d been hauled here kicking and screaming.

Tory had been sure they’d be caught before leaving Aubrey. But the dark windows and loud speakers of her ex’s car had covered their escape and the kid’s screaming. Then country back roads had hidden them again.

Lauren had cried until they’d convinced her of the lie. Part of the cover-up. Part of Patrick’s brilliant plan. Part of their attempt to never be caught. Tell the kid her mother was testing her and would “rescue” her after they finished the game. It was no big deal. She could pretend she was on an adventure.

“Can’t you make that kid shut up?” Her ex-boyfriend charged toward the little girl, but Tory stepped between them to calm him down. He turned and threw himself on the tattered cushions of the broken-down couch.

“What do you want me to do? You know if we hurt her we don’t get paid.” She should never have told Patrick that she’d help. And should have never have gone back to her ex to assist her pulling off this stupid plan. The bum always thought he was the boss, and he had the muscles to convince you. “Go back in the bedroom, honey, and play with your new toys.”

“But can’t I have a drink?” the kid asked. “When’s this game going to be over?”

“Later, sweetheart.” Tory scooted her inside the room and flipped the newly installed bolt to keep her there.

She passed too close and her ex’s thick hand wrapped around her wrist. The same one he’d fractured last spring. It still hurt if she twisted it the wrong way and especially hurt when she tried to pull free. The bastard knew that. She’d yelped loud enough the first couple of times he’d grabbed her like this.

“The news thinks that kid’s mother snatched her for the money.”

“It’s working just like I said it would,” she agreed, hoping he’d let go before she cried from his tight grip.

“So I’ve been rethinkin’ our arrangement. We can get more money. That idiot Weber is loaded.”

“I’m not so sure. Seems kinda dicey.” How would she explain this to Patrick?

“What can he do to us if we demand more? It’s not like he can waltz to the police or his wife and tell them everything. This is a sure bet. We’re in charge and he has to do what we say.”

“I don’t know if we should. My way seems like it’s safer. We take the money and the mom takes the blame.” She had to convince him to stay with the original agreement. She wasn’t risking everything for half the pittance he thought they’d agreed to last week. She’d follow the plan, take all the money, leave this blustering jackass hanging and run off with Patrick.

“My way, we get lots more dough. I’ve seen them do this on TV lots of times.”

He wanted to be in charge. How could she make it
his
plan? Her wrist was aching but she didn’t pull away. She cozied up to the slime bucket, giving him full view of the extra cleavage in the tight shirt Patrick couldn’t resist. “Don’t they always get caught on TV?”

“Only if they leave DNA or somethin’, and we’re in the clear. That stupid Weber left his prints and gave us the bear to plant. We used gloves.”

“But, honey.” She tried to sound sweet in spite of the shooting pain in her arm. “You know I already took the ransom note you worked so hard on.”

“We can make another.”

Patrick had instructed them to let Lauren cut and glue the letters together. It had taken a long time, but only the kid’s prints were on the paper. That one little thing had taken a four-year-old two solid mornings and afternoons to put together. Small pieces of paper needed to be thrown away and it had been her idea to leave them at Alicia’s house. The scissors, magazines and scraps had been left on the kid’s play table in Lauren’s very own bedroom.

“Getting the kid to do it again will take a couple of more days,” she said sweetly.

The lummox heaved her to his sweaty chest. Tory couldn’t deny he had a great body. And wasn’t bad to look at. That was why she’d been with him so long. If he could just control his mean streak and stop stinkin’ like horses, she wouldn’t mind getting together with him while she waited for all this to be over. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked backward. His hot breath landed between her breasts as she landed on his lap.

She knew what would come. She’d told Patrick, practically begged him to let her ask someone else. This was their best option, he’d explained. No one would look too closely if her ex moved back in, but they’d ask lots of questions if it was a stranger. Especially a stranger who moved in at the same time the kid disappeared.

So this way was smarter, and Patrick couldn’t get mad if the inevitable happened. She’d let her ex have his way. Keep him happy and hopefully get him to forget about changing the plan. With any luck, he wouldn’t knock her around too much in the process.

Tory bit her lip and held her breath, preparing herself. Three more days and she’d be flying first-class to Paris with Patrick. Her imagination drifted, picturing another lover, more skilled, gentler. She fell backward, dropping to the floor when suddenly released.

“What did I do?”

“You don’t ever do nothin’.” He shoved off the couch, kicking out with his boot.

Tory saw the red-faced rage burst from her partner and covered her face, prepared for the mean left punch she’d received many, many times. It didn’t come. She timidly stood, uncertain what would happen. She’d never seen him like this. A backhand to the side of her cheek spun her across the arm of the couch.

“Get out of here before I really show you what I think,” he bellowed.

Tory ran to the kid’s door, twisted the bolt and darted inside. She’d been frightened of the jerk before, but never like this. That anger she’d seen ripped into his heart—if he still had one.

The bastard who exploded wasn’t her ex-boyfriend. He was worse. She didn’t know what he’d become or what drugs he was doing now, but he’d turned into an angry striking machine.

She shrank to the floor, leaning against the thin wall, her mind whirling with ways to get out of this mess. She couldn’t go back out there and pretend to like that monster.

Three more days. Could she do this for even one?

For Paris? For Patrick? She could do it for him. She would do it for a million dollars. But now she had to come up with a story about her face. She was certain it would be black-and-blue when she went to work the next day. She needed to pretend everything was normal and not give the police any reason to question her.

A cool little hand soothed her hot cheek. “Are you okay, Tory? Your face is sunburned.”

“Yeah. Just a little scared. I’m going to sleep in here tonight.”

“Are you scared of the big man, too? He yells loud like Grandma Weber.” Her small four-year-old hand covered her mouth. “Oops. She yells more when I call her Grandma.”

Lauren’s embarrassed giggle was sweet, but not enough to make Tory forget who’d just hit her into the next county.

Nothing in the room would slide in front of the door. Nothing to use for protection. Just a mattress on the floor and plastic blocks in the corner. Tory heard determined footsteps heading their direction. She braced herself against the thin door.

Silence.

Click.

The bastard had locked her in with their prisoner, and her cell was in her purse in the kitchen.

“I’ll take care of the money arrangements, Tory. You manage the runt,” he shouted through the wood. “And you ain’t going to work no more. I ain’t no babysitter.”

She allowed Lauren to crawl in her lap, hugging the little girl close. This wasn’t the plan.

Lauren tugged on Tory’s shirtfront to get her attention. “How long is Mommy going to be gone? I don’t like it here.”

“Me neither, sweetie. Me neither.”