Protective Custody (6 page)

Eyeing him, she said, “Will you please stay out here? You're the target. Let's not give them something to aim at.”

She could tell he didn't like it, the conflicted look in his eyes a clear indication that he wanted to rush in and confront whatever danger might be in there.

But he wouldn't.

And she appreciated that.

Pulse pounding, Carly took the key from him with one hand and inserted the key into the lock. She pulled her
weapon with the other hand. Nothing had set off her internal alarm, but it never hurt to be prepared. She noticed Mason had his gun ready, too.

A quick twist opened the door, and she stepped inside, eyes scanning the room.

Empty.

“Clear,” she called. Then the heat hit her. “Why is it so hot in here?”

Nick and Mason followed her through the door. Before she could say anything, Mason pointed for Nick to stay back against the wall. Mason shut the door behind him. “Stay there while I check the bathroom.”

Nick grunted. “Is the air-conditioning working?”

Mason crossed the room to the bathroom, looked in and said, “Clear.”

Nick immediately headed to check the thermostat on the wall. “It's been cranked up to eighty-five degrees.” He readjusted it. “Remind me to ask Jean what that was all about.” He switched to business mode. “I'll need that laptop,” he said, pointing to his desk.

“Uh, not clear,” Mason called in quiet voice. “I've got a snake in here.”

“A snake? Are you sure?” She walked to the desk to get the laptop. “Do you need help?”

“Probably. It's a rattler. Be on the lookout out there in case he's got company.”

In the process of powering down the computer, Carly froze as she heard a slight hiss by her foot. She almost jerked away before she saw movement on the floor in front of the desk. Then she went still.

Very, very still.

Nick reached for the file cabinet. “Nick.” She kept her voice soft, low. He turned at the intensity, his hand hovering above the handle to the first drawer.

His eyes narrowed as he took in her completely still state. “What is it?”

“There's one under the desk.” She felt the movement of the air near her calf. It was that close. She couldn't help the slight tremor that shuddered through her. At any moment she expected to feel sharp fangs sink into her leg. “It could strike at any moment if I move. Get out of here, Nick.”

Nick blanched. “Not a chance. I'm not leaving you guys to face this alone.”

Mason looked over his shoulder as he backed from the entrance to the bathroom. “I think there's more than one in here, too. I see a tail behind the toilet. Another one is on the light fixture up above.”

In seconds Nick was on the phone with security explaining the situation—and the need for Animal Control—or an exterminator. And he needed it now. Within minutes or heads would roll. He never took his eyes from Carly.

Carly felt the reptile's tongue flick in and out by her ankle. Wishing she had boots on, she didn't dare look down. Would the pounding of her heart cause the snake to strike? Could it feel the blood surging through her veins? Then she spotted the one in front of the desk moving across the floor toward Nicholas.

“Nick,” she whispered, desperate to warn him but not do anything to set off the snake by her leg, “over there. Watch out.”

Mason had grabbed a towel from the rack and closed the bathroom door. He stuffed the towel into the crack at the bottom of the door while Nick moved toward Carly, a respectful eye on the snake headed toward the file cabinet.

“Stay away,” she whispered. “Don't get any closer to it. They're attracted to movement.” With willpower she didn't realize she possessed, she ignored the fear cramping
her stomach and reasoned that if she was bitten, she was only a few blocks from the hospital, where a few vials of antivenom would fix her right up.

A rattle sounded, and Carly sucked in a deep breath. Something had triggered the alarm of the one across the floor. Probably the vibrations of Nick's footsteps. It now lay coiled and ready to strike.

The one cozying up to her foot was still there. She closed her eyes.
Don't look, don't look
.

“I'm here. I'm not going to let him bite you.”

“Nick, these were meant for you. Get away.” She kept her voice low, barely pushing the words past lips that didn't want to move.

“Not a chance.”

A knock sounded on the door. “Animal Control.”

The coiled snake in the middle of the floor twitched and curled tighter, its tail shaking ferociously.

Nick grabbed the nearest trash can and moved toward the snake on the floor. “Everyone just stay still.” Carly watched him focus on the snake, knowing his timing had to be perfect. She looked at the snake's eyes. For some reason she remembered that science lesson on how to tell a poisonous snake from a nonpoisonous.

By their eyes. Round equaled nonpoisonous. Slanted equaled poisonous.

This snake definitely had slanted eyes. It was poisonous. Of course, the rattle had been the big clue.

Nick moved closer.

“Be careful, Nick,” Carly whispered to his back.

Closer.

The snake reared its head back, and Nick dropped the trash can. The sound of its head striking the metal reverberated through the room. On silent feet, he moved to the door and opened it.

Two men in protective gear entered. Nick said, “Get the one away from her first.”

They took in the scenario, and the one on the right said, “So this is the emergency. Wow.” Sucking in a deep breath, he said, “I'm Brad. This is Joe. How many?”

Nick exchanged a look with Mason, who whispered, “Two in the bathroom. Two—that we know of—out here. One of the two is under the trash can. The other is right by her leg.”

Joe approached Carly. He held a tool in his right hand. “Ma'am, just keep still.”

She flashed him a just-shut-up-and-hurry look. He got the message and held the tool out in front of him. In a soft voice, he explained, “These are snake tongs, ma'am. Basically, I'm going to use the clamp on the end to grab him, all right?”

“Fine,” she whispered. “Just do it.”

“Just stay still. If you move…”

Carly glared at him and sucked in a breath. “Right.”

The tongs reached out toward the head of the snake as it bobbed. The tongue flickered as the man made a gentle motion away from Carly's leg and the snake turned its attention toward the tongs.

Everyone stood statue still.

The tongs opened, operated by the squeeze handle. Then Joe pulled back. “I…I'm sorry. I can't do it. I'm new, and I'm afraid…” Sweat poured down his face and into his eyes as he licked his lips, gaze darting between Carly and the snake.

“Give me the tongs.” Brad snatched them from his partner and turned to Carly. “You ready?”

“Just get this thing away from me. Now!” she hissed.

Brad nodded and copied Joe's earlier move, holding the tongs over the head of the snake. Once again, the reptile bobbed close, tongue flicking at the motion.

Then in one lightning-fast move, Brad clamped the tongs around the base of the snake's head. She felt it try to lunge briefly toward her leg, but before she could even think about reacting, he had the reptile in the bag he'd brought with him.

Carly's knees weakened, but she couldn't collapse yet.

There might be more where those came from.

 

Fortunately, there weren't.

Thirty minutes later, the office was declared reptile-free. Now came the process of figuring out who had placed them there—and how.

Nicholas watched the surveillance video from the safety of the security room located in the back of the courthouse. “A lot of activity. A lot of security. How did he get in with a bag of snakes?”

Anger burned inside of him. Carly had almost been bitten. Granted, she might not have died, but she would have been dreadfully sick. Out of commission for a while. Because of him. Because of his job.

Just like his wife and sister. Possibly dead because of his job. At least, that was what he told himself. Because in spite of the fact that the police investigator had ruled it an accident, Nick had never been completely convinced.

He recalled the facts. A one-car accident on a rainy night. No evidence of foul play. The only skid marks had belonged to the Honda Pilot Miriam had been driving with his sister in the passenger seat.

The car Nick usually drove.

But why had she been going so fast, only to slam on the brakes and hydroplane off the road, colliding viciously with a telephone pole?

Miriam hated to speed. He used to tease her about being a “grandma” driver.

For her to have been going that fast… The only explanation he could come up with was that she was running from someone. She'd been scared. As a result, she'd wrecked and the two women had died.

That was no accident in Nick's book. That was murder.

But he had no proof, just a gut feeling. That hadn't been enough to convince the authorities. If he were honest, he couldn't blame them.

Finally, he'd called in a favor from a detective on the force. The man looked into it and declared he couldn't find any evidence that indicated it was anything but an accident.

“Of course, the physical evidence of the accident is gone, but after examining the photos and written reports… I'm sorry, Nick. It really looks like an accident.”

But Nick knew in his gut it wasn't.

Just like the snakes in his office weren't an accident. No, they were a message. One he got loud and clear. He shuddered. What if he'd had the kids with him? Or what if his secretary had entered for some reason?

These people were ruthless.

And it made him that much more determined to put them away for as long as possible.

Quitting wasn't in his vocabulary, and the sooner they realized that, the faster this would all be over.

He prayed that was the case, anyway.

A phone rang. The officer next to Nicholas snatched his cell phone from the clip on his belt. He listened. Then his face went pale. “We'll be right there.”

He hung up, his fingers fumbling with the device as he placed it back in the clip. “I think I know how the snakes got in.”

C
arly stared down at the body of the security guard. Anger filled her at the senseless killing. He'd been shot in the head, stripped of his uniform and tossed into the bathroom stall like yesterday's garbage. Again, the thought crossed her mind. Why kill him and not leave something like a bomb in Nick's office, since they had access to it? Why snakes? The snakes must have been more of a warning than an attempt to kill.

So, what was the attack on the house? Another message? A true try at killing him? Or something else? Carly's brain processed these thoughts as Nick slammed a fist against the wall and muttered something she couldn't hear. If he was praying, she hoped somebody was listening.

“Another example of complete and utter disregard for human life,” she muttered. Nicholas looked like granite. Trying to read his expression was like staring at a blank page. “Nick? What are you thinking?”

“That I want these people stopped, and I want them stopped yesterday.”

“We're working on that.”

His face softened slightly. “I know.”

The crime-scene unit arrived, and Carly stepped back. Mason pulled out his phone and started barking orders.

Nick placed a hand on her arm, and she looked up at him. His touch sent a shiver up her shoulder. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Are you ready to head to the safe house now?”

He blew out a sigh and transferred the hand on her arm to grasp the bridge of his nose with two fingers. “Yes, I think we're going to have to drop out of sight in order to keep people alive. I don't like it. I don't like being forced into—” He broke off and shook his head. “Well, no sense grumbling about it. We'll do what we've got to do, and that's that.”

She was quiet for a moment. “They had this planned.”

“What?”

“This was all planned. It had to be. How did they know you were going to be here today?”

He shot her a wry look. “I'm always here, Carly. Unfortunately, my schedule isn't one that I can alter very much. I might drive a different route to work or come in a little early on Monday, leave late on Tuesday, and so on, but for the most part, I'm here at this time of day. Anyone who knows me…or has been watching me…wouldn't have much trouble figuring that out.”

She frowned. “Okay. Point taken. But to be ready to act so fast.”

Mason walked up in time to hear her comment, and all three headed back to the security room. “They must have had someone watching the courthouse. Waiting for the judge to arrive. All it takes is a phone call. Then the guy pops the first security guard that comes his way, and the game is on.”

“And with all of the hoopla it took to get in and park…”

“By the time we got in the building, the person had plenty of time to get the message and let the snakes in.”

Nick's fingers curled into a fist. She watched his jaw clench, causing a muscle to jump. As he opened his mouth to say something, his cell phone rang.

Carly turned to Mason to suggest he check out the secretary's wild-goose chase while she and Nick finished the surveillance tapes.

“Excuse me?” Nick's deadly quiet question pulled her attention back to him.

He pressed a button on the iPhone screen to engage the speakerphone, and a mechanically disguised voice said, “You heard me, Judge. I have one of my men at your children's school. Watching them even as we speak. You think those two incompetent marshals can keep me from them if I want them?”

Mason grabbed his phone and stepped from the room. Carly knew he was calling Maria or Grady to alert them of the new developments.

Nick already had a trace on his phone. Every incoming and outgoing call would be recorded.

“You leave those kids out of this.” Nick's face had gone pale even as stark determination stamped his features. “They've got nothing to do with any of this.”

“Their mother and aunt didn't have anything to do with one of your cases, either, did they? And yet look where they ended up. You're messing with the same people, Judge, so you know how we work. Still want to take us on?”

Stunned, Carly drew in a swift breath and could only stare at Nick, her heart breaking at the harsh grief that stole his voice for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. “How do you know anything about that? Are you admitting to murdering my wife and sister?”

A harsh laugh echoed in the room. “You'd be surprised at what and who I know, what I've done—and what I'm capable of doing.”

The words slammed into the air. Nick shot Carly a haunted look and spoke into the phone,. “If anything happens to those kids, I'll see you dead.”

Another laugh. “Now, is that any way for a judge to talk?” The voice turned deadly. “I sent you a video. Either drop the case or be prepared to rule the way we want.”

“I'll rule according to the evidence.”

“That's what we figured. Watch the video, then decide. It might change your mind. Especially when you see the little bull's-eye on Lindsey's head.”

The loud click of the caller hanging up spurred everyone into motion.

Carly hit the door to find Mason pacing, his phone stuck to his ear. She got his attention. “Did you get a trace?”

In disgust, he shook his head. “They covered their tracks.”

She wasn't surprised. “What about Maria and Grady?”

“That's who I'm talking to now. Maria said Grady went with Christopher to class. She's with Lindsey and says everything is fine.”

Carly looked back to see Nick standing in the doorway, listening. His relief was visible. She turned back to Mason. “This time the threat was made against the children. I want them away from that school.”

“Working on it.” He listened a few more moments. “They're all four together now. Grady's going to get the car while Maria stays with the kids in the shelter of the building.”

“Good. Let's get more officers over there. Tell Maria and Grady to stay put until they see the cars—if they can.”

“Carly? I need you to see this.”

Nick's voice stopped her before she could issue the next order.

She turned to see that the pallor in his face had been replaced with a sickly green color.

She snatched the phone from his hand and pressed Play.

The children's school came into view, followed by video of the two marshals ushering Christopher and Lindsey into the building. The marshals blocked the view of the children, using their bodies as shields. She looked up at Nick, and he motioned her back to the phone. “Keep watching.”

The next shot was through a window of one of the classrooms. Lindsey walked in, and for a brief moment, she was a target. Carly knew the person taking the video could have sent a bullet crashing through the glass into the girl.

Nausea curled through her as Maria rushed over to the window and pulled the blinds. Carly would have done that before Lindsey had walked into the classroom. Doing it now could have been too late if the person with the camera had a sharp shooting rifle instead.

“Okay, the kids have officially been threatened. No more school, no more regularly scheduled activities, until this trial is over,” Carly said.

Her heart thumped and her breath caught in her throat at the dread she read on his face. She wanted to put her arms around him and offer him comfort. A fact that bothered her. She couldn't let her desire to grow close to Nick, the man, get in the way of her job, which was Nick the assignment. She was here for one thing and one thing only.

To keep him and his kids safe.

Any feelings she might have for him would have to be shelved.

“Mason, where are the kids now? Are they in the car yet?”

“Not yet. Maria's still waiting.”

She frowned. “He's taking too long. He wouldn't have been parked that far from the entrance. Can she see him?”

Mason handed her the phone. “I don't know. Here, I'm going to make sure everything's arranged for the safe house. You take over.”

Pressing the phone to her ear, she said, “Maria?”

“Yeah, something's going on. Grady shouldn't be taking this long.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Carly muttered. “Don't leave the kids. Give him a few more…”

“There he is.” She could hear the relief in her fellow marshal's voice. “And two police cruisers just pulled into the parking lot.”

“All right.” Carly looked up as Mason walked back into the room. “Hang on a second, and I'll tell you which safe house.”

Mason held up four fingers.

“Maria? Safe house number four.”

“Got it.”

“We'll meet you there. The cruisers will follow you and hold back traffic to make sure no one tails you to the safe house. You know the way.”

She hung up.

Nick looked ready to explode. She forced reassurance into her tone. “The kids are fine, Nick. You'll be with them within thirty minutes. Debbie is being taken to the house as we speak, and the children will join her within minutes.”

He paced from one end of the small room to the other. “I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have sent them to school. If something happens…”

She rested a hand on his arm, felt the tension radiating from the bunched muscles. “
Nothing
is going to happen.”

He jerked away. “You don't know that.”

Carly flinched as though he'd slapped her. He was right;
she didn't know that. After all, she'd thought Hank would pull through, had even laughed with him one last time before his heart stopped. Pulling in a calming breath, she said, “You're right. I don't. I…”

He held up a hand. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just want to see for myself.”

“Absolutely. So let's get going.”

Mason stepped back inside and motioned for them to follow him. Security coated the courthouse. The halls had been cleared. A police officer stood at each door, even the restrooms. They would make sure no one followed them out of the building. Mason, Carly and Nick would take the steps down to the parking garage. No elevators.

Mason led the way. Nick followed behind, and Carly brought up the rear.

Once in the garage, Mason got the car and brought it around. Carly and Nick hastened inside. Nick fastened his seat belt and asked, “Where is this safe house?”

Carly sat next to him in the backseat of the compact four-door car. Nick leaned toward her, his eyes intense, worry for the children visible. She felt something melt a little inside her when she saw the pain in his eyes.

“Just outside of town,” she said soothingly.

Mason accelerated, and the bright sun hit them as they exited the garage.

Carly reached across the six inches separating Nick's hand from hers and placed her palm over his fingers. He jumped, that muscle in his jaw working once more.

But he didn't pull away.

 

Nick watched her flush, but she didn't take her hand from his grasp. “Carly?” He needed her to talk. He needed noise, a distraction—anything to keep him from dwell
ing on what could happen to the children if the marshals guarding them failed to protect them. “Yeah?”

He barely heard her. “Are they safe with Maria and Grady? Would they put their lives on the line to protect them?” A pause. “Like you would?”

Her stormy blue eyes softened. “They're professionals, Nick. They'll do everything in their power to keep those kids safe, I promise. But—” she reached up to touch his cheek “—as soon as we have them back, we're not letting them out of our sight again, okay?”

We. Our. He liked her use of the possessive. Even as his heart climbed into his throat at the thought of what could happen to Lindsey and Christopher, having Carly by his side made all the difference in the world. “I need them to be safe,” he whispered and bent his head to touch her forehead with his.

“I know,” she whispered back. “And they will be. They
have
to be.”

He pulled away and stared down at her, wondering what was happening between them, even in the midst of this crisis. He saw that if Carly's determination had anything to do with the children's safety, all would be well.

But he knew the killers were just as determined.

And that scared him more than he ever thought possible. “God is in control,” he said. “They're in His care.”

She jerked away from him and snorted, a new fire in her gaze. “I'm sorry, but just because you believe God will keep anything from happening to them doesn't make it so. If we want them safe, we, as in the marshals, will have to see to it.”

For a moment, Nick felt extreme sadness. “Where's your faith, Carly?”

“Dead. As dead as Hank, my friend and mentor.”

He winced as he felt her pain scorch his heart. “What would Ian say about that?”

She barked a laugh. “My brother says a whole lot about that when I give him the chance.” A pause. “That's why I don't.”

Then she turned her back on him, effectively telling him that she was done talking. Their intimate moment seemed to be a figment of his imagination, the comfort he'd derived from her closeness gone.

Fine. He pulled out his cell and called his housekeeper, Stella Jefferson. She answered on the first ring. “Hello, Nick.”

He didn't spare any words. “We're going to have to go into a safe house. Do you and Carl want to join us or leave town for a while?”

“Oh, my.” She sighed. “We'll leave. That'll be two less people to be protected, taking their attention from you and the children. Yes, we'll go to my sister's in Arizona. We'll be fine.”

Emotion welled for his mother's friend. “Thank you for everything, I'll call when it's safe to come back.”

“Take care, dear.”

“You too.”

Nick hung up, leaned back and stared at the ceiling, praying desperate prayers that the children would be fine. That everyone would stay safe until the criminals could be brought to justice.