Shelby's Secret (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 4) (9 page)

“About the same time we were discovering the second crime scene.”

Madge looked up from the picture and frowned. “So you actually found another scene? Was it just like the video?”

“Exactly the same. This guy is really getting a taste for it.”

“Jesus,” she muttered again.

“He’s working his way up to Shelby herself. You understand that, right?”

“That poor girl.” Madge stroked a thumb over the picture. Then she raised a sad gaze to meet his. “What else can we do to protect Shelby and Rebecca?”

“I have a plan, but I need you on board before I approach Shelby because she’ll look for your opinion, and I need it to match mine.” Mike knew he looked hard and inflexible, but the woman in front of him gave him the same look. Nothing would happen unless she okayed it. And Mike respected her for it.

“Let’s hear this plan.”

He told her. And explained the where, the what, and the who, before providing a couple of phone numbers.

She gave him a narrowed-eye look. “Can you keep her safe?”

“I can. If, for even one moment, I felt she’d be safer somewhere else, that’s where I’d take her. And if our boy is skilled enough to follow me, then he’ll be in my playground, and that’s a place he’ll regret for the rest of his short life.”

“I don’t want a world of hurt—” she said quietly, “—I want dead. For Shelby and for those poor girls he mutilated.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Understood.”

***

Shelby was waterlogged. Even though Rebecca didn’t smile, she splashed around and did handstands—everything that a normal happy child did while swimming. They’d taken a break and eaten some gourmet sandwiches with apple slices and caramel.

Rebecca was finally slowing down thirty minutes later when Madge called her name from the house. She climbed out and headed inside.

Shelby took the opportunity to do a couple of laps to work out the kinks. Taking off, she swam laps until her arms burned and her lungs begged for more air. Popping up, she whipped her hair out of her eyes and that’s when she saw him.

Standing in the sun like some pagan warrior in jeans. He stood at the edge of the pool with his arms crossed, waiting patiently for her attention. She offered up a tentative smile. “I didn’t know you were coming over today.”

“It’s not a social visit.” He held out his hand.

She hesitated for a brief moment. Touching Mike was hard. Shelby felt things at a mere touch that she thought she’d never feel again. That reaction was dangerous to her peace of mind, not to mention her sudden clamoring libido.

But he stood patiently, hand out, waiting.

“I’ll get you all wet,” she warned.

“It’s over a hundred degrees out, Shel. I’ll dry without a problem.”

So she reached up and his big warm palm enclosed hers and he pulled her, one-handed, from the water as if she weighed nothing. He wrapped a towel around her bikini-clad body faster than she could process the fact she was already out of the water.

She moved to the shade and sat on one of the chairs to dry out a little. “Have there been any new developments in the case?”

Mike sat across from her. He leaned over with his elbows on his knees and looked at her. “Something happened that needs immediate action.”

His expression was one she couldn’t really decipher. Her breath caught. “Another murder?”

“Not yet.”

Shelby searched his face. She did and didn’t want to know what he might say, but she couldn’t help but ask. “What happened, Mike?”

“There’s been a kidnapping. Unless we find that girl soon, she will be the third victim. We’ve got all the best detectives on the situation, plus a host of patrol officers that are solely dedicated to her case.”

She gasped and put a hand to her mouth to somehow hold in the horror she felt. “How can you be so sure? I mean, are you positive it’s related to what’s happening now?”

After pulling the picture out of his pocket, Mike extended it.

She took it from his hand and quickly looked down. And immediately wished she hadn’t. “Oh no.”

“The resemblance is uncanny.”

“He took her because she looks like me,” she said it flatly. It was the only reason that made sense. “So what does this mean for us? I mean, Madge hired off-duty officers, so we have extra security. What else can we do?”

“Cancel the concert.”

Shelby shook her head. “I can’t do that. Not only would it be devastating to my fans, but that kills my plans for Rebecca. I need the money those concerts will bring.”

He narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Is your life worth a pile of cash?”

“My life is about that little girl inside and anything I can do to make her life better, I will do. And that includes making sure these concerts go off perfectly so I can retire and take care of her.”

He nodded, but the frown remained.

Shelby had an idea he’d already known her answer.

“Then I have an alternative for your safety and Rebecca’s.”

Shelby couldn’t help but be wary. She was already in what she considered protective custody, what more could he want? Posting officers inside the house was out of the question, doing so would scare Rebecca. “What’s your idea?”

“You and Rebecca come with me. Today. Now, as a matter of fact. I have a place up north that’s secure. Only one person at the department knows where it is, and I can see anything that’s coming. I can keep an eye on you and Rebecca, and you’ll be safe until the concert.”

Shelby shook her head. “I can’t just run off with you to God-knows-where. I have to rehearse and prepare for the shows. The band needs me at some point, and a thousand different things still need to be done.”

“And Madge will handle them all. This is non-negotiable, Shelby. I’ve already spoken to the Chief and the Mayor. Both agree getting you out of town would be best for the safety of the public.”

“I’m considered a public menace?” That made her feel lower than a snake’s belly—the thought that she was somehow bringing all this horror to the city she loved.

“It’s a fact someone out there is obsessed with you to the point of killing innocent women to get your attention. While that isn’t your fault, being locked up in a gilded cage that is easily accessible to this guy isn’t wise. Especially since his cooling-off period is getting shorter.”

Shelby swept around her hand, encompassing the house. “We have men with guns patrolling the grounds. How is that easily accessible?”

“This guy is clearly smart, Shel. He’s methodical, meticulous, and patient. That is a deadly combination. Add that you’re his ultimate target, and those are odds I don’t like. I can protect you, but I want you and Rebecca on my home turf.”

“How can you protect us better than my guys?”

“They don’t have my training. I looked over their background checks. None have any military service, and none of them have ever been in a situation where they’ve had to take a life. That means they’ll hesitate. And if they do, even if it’s only a second, then people die.”

“And you won’t hesitate?” Shelby wanted to understand, because she was chilled by the hard resolve in his voice. He was serious, and he was deadly. She could see all of that written on his face and in his body language.

“No.”

His intention was there, stark in its simplicity. He was telling her that he’d kill for her. Or maybe not her, maybe for the dead women or the woman that he was sure would be next. And even while the topic chilled her, his hard resolve warmed her heart. Truth was, she trusted him. Even after all these years, she knew deep down he’d always be that rock for her. And here he was proving it, yet again. “What about when I come back for the concert?”

“Extra security is already planned for the concerts. Checkpoints will be stationed at the entrance of the arena to make sure everyone coming and going gets a thorough search. A lot of that is normal procedure, but we’ll have undercover officers there as well, milling in the crowd and looking for potential threats.”

“I don’t want anyone else hurt because of me.”

“Then come away with me. Let me protect you both and get you out of reach. We need time for forensics to come back, and we need this guy to think you’re still here, hiding out until the concerts. Security will remain in place and act normally.”

“And you think that will work?”

“He’s watching this place. Waiting for glimpses of you. We know that, otherwise he couldn’t have followed your hairdresser to plant that letter. He’ll think you’re still here if everyone acts as if you are.”

Shelby took a deep breath. She wanted to go with him, and not only because she was scared of this killer. She wanted to be with him, even if he was just acting as a bodyguard. The chance to be close to him was a temptation she didn’t want to resist. She’d loved Mike once, but she’d walked away. As the years passed, she realized she’d walked away from the best thing she’d ever had.

Maybe this was her second chance. Or maybe it was the worst decision she could make, but she was doing it. Mike would protect her and Rebecca and make sure nothing happened to them. And if something…more…happened between them during the time away?

Well, a girl could always hope.

Chapter 8

“Now listen,” Zach Steele said above the noise. He was amazed that animals still came around their cabin in Flagstaff, with as much ruckus as the three kids made. And with his friend Mike’s eminent arrival with Shelby Lynn, he needed to lay some ground rules. “I expect you kids to be nice. None of your usual shenanigans around this girl, Rebecca. Am I clear?”

Three heads nodded. The oldest boy grinned and gave a thumbs-up, and the twin girls just giggled.

“Did he just say shenanigans?” Jesse asked.

Zach heard him and glared at his best friend. “Now get outside and play.” He dismissed the kids and turned to the three adults grinning from the kitchen table. “What?”

His wife, Elizabeth, smiled openly and gave him a wink. Her pale blond hair was piled lazily on her head, giving him an intriguing view of her very sensitive ear lobes. Zach might have to nibble on those later.
 

The view made him want to kick out everyone and kiss her. And maybe more.

“Just marveling over the new vocab word,” Jesse said, his grin stretching across his face. “I wasn’t even sure you knew words over two syllables.”

“You leave him alone,” Lily said, punching the big man in the shoulder. Jesse’s wife was unsuccessfully hiding her own grin. “Or I’ll pull out the video of you changing the twin’s diapers again. Zach loves that video.”

“I think I’d like that,” Zach said. “The sounds of Jesse gagging, along with the faces he made, would brighten my day.”

“Hey, when did I become the bad guy?”

Lily laughed out loud and the gaiety made his Beth laugh as well.
 

Zach was possessive as hell, and didn’t like sharing his family. But Beth and Lily with their pretty heads together laughing was just about the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He even put up with his best friend making fun of him.

“So what kind of trouble are we expecting?” Jesse asked.

“And who is the woman Mike is bringing home?” Beth asked. “He never brings anyone to his cabin.”

“And we’ve looked,” Lily said. Her grin was full of fun.

Zach sighed. He’d been putting off this discussion for as long as he could, but since Mike was arriving with his cargo in a couple of hours, he couldn’t anymore. And the whole thing was going to be a pain in the ass. He really hoped this sick fuck followed them up, because then he’d have something interesting to do. And between him, Jesse, and Mike, there was no way in hell that asshole was leaving their mountain alive. End of story. End of problem.

He addressed Jesse first because he knew he’d never get a word in after he told the ladies who, exactly, was coming. “Mike’s not really expecting any trouble. But just to be safe, we should make sure all the cameras are operational and put up a couple of perimeter trip wires for a bit of extra warning.

“Great,” Beth said. “That means you’ll stick Xavier and me in the bunker if you see a scorpion, while you run around and play hero.”

Jesse snorted, and Lily smiled. Then Jesse said, “How about Lily, the twins and I, go into the bunker with Xavier, and I give you my gun to help Zach?”

“Over my dead body,” Zach growled. His heart did a flip at even the thought of his Beth being near another psycho. The first time it happened was enough to give him premature gray hair. Hence the bunker. But she was right, if he saw so much as a cross-eyed bear she and their son were going in. Nothing and no one was going near his family until he made sure it was safe.

“Tell us about the woman,” Lily said. “What’s she like? Has Mike talked much about her?”

Zach sighed. This was it. Time for the explosion. “He’s bringing up Shelby Lynn with her adopted daughter.”

Beth and Lily gaped in a moment of stunned silence. He really wished his wife would close her mouth, it was giving him ideas. He grinned.
 

Jesse stood and moved away, as if he too expected something.