Dead Heat (16 page)

“Good. Then I can do this and not have to answer any questions.” He turned to her and gave her a quick possessive kiss. “I have to go meet with the attorney. Then we’ll be ready to head out.” He gave her another quick kiss on the lips before heading over to the lovely young attorney who was clearly unable to keep her eyes off Cy.

“Okay, Sis, I like him.” Cy smiled and rocked back on his heels. “He’s the only boyfriend with enough balls to talk to me.”

'Men.' Paige thought as she rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.

The three black Suburbans pulled to a stop at the side entrance of the Federal Courthouse. Three U.S. Marshals cleared the way while Cy and Cole sandwiched Paige. Ahmed and Will surrounded Kenna. As soon as they cleared security, Paige slipped her hand into Kenna’s for support.

McKenna Mason had practiced in this courthouse before. She had told Paige the last time she stepped foot in here she had won a case. It had to be good luck. Paige looked at her and took in her exterior. Her face was relaxed and confident. Her stride was strong and sure. Her hair and dress remained perfect. But Paige felt the tremors in her hand. She gave Kenna a gentle squeeze.

“You’ll do great. You’re the best attorney I have ever met and the best one to ever practice in Keeneston!” She was rewarded by a quick laugh and a return squeeze of the hand.

“Thanks. I am so glad you’re here. Cole is testifying first, then me. After I can get it over with, I will have to thank your brother too.” Kenna glanced over her shoulder and took a quick look at Cy. “He is rather scary looking.”

“It’s the cold stare. He’s actually sweet as can be.” Paige laughed when Kenna snorted.

They followed Ahmed into a private conference room on the fourth floor. “This isn’t the right floor. The courtroom is on the fifth floor.”

“For security we wanted you close, but not obvious. You would normally be in the conference room directly above. Just in case anyone got any ideas, we wanted you hidden. One of the Marshals will be in the courtroom to signal us when you are needed. At that time, we will bring you upstairs,” Ahmed told her. “Your attorney is downstairs talking with the judge. Cole will be going first.” He turned to Cole, “You’ll head down there in fifteen minutes.”

Kenna and Will took a seat at the far side of the room near the back door. Four Marshals, Cy, Cole, Paige, and finally Ahmed filed into the room. The Marshals stood by the doors and Paige took a seat next to Cole to start the process of waiting.

Paige was worried sick the whole time Cole was gone. He’d been gone for three hours and she was running out of stories to tell Kenna. Her goal had been to take her mind off the testimony and to make her laugh if possible. Ahmed pulled out his phone and looked at it the same time the Marshals did. The room held its breath waiting to hear the news.

“Cole has finished. He’s on his way down now. Kenna, it’s time for us to take you up.” Ahmed stood up as did the four Marshals. Kenna took a deep breath and looked around the room.

“Thanks Paige. I would be tearing out my hair if you hadn’t been here.” She kissed Will and followed Ahmed out the door.

“I can’t thank you enough.” Will wrapped Paige up in a hug. “I kept on trying to think of things to say. But there was no way I could have talked for three hours like you did. You kept her relaxed and you kept me relaxed. Now, do you think you can talk for another three hours to keep me sane?” Will laughed.

“I’ll try.” She turned when the door opened and rushed to Cole and gave him a hug. “How did it go?”

“It was fine. Just answered lots of questions.” Cole turned to Will and slapped him on his back. “Kenna will do great. She may not have to be up there as long as I was.”

A knock on the door sounded. Cole and Cy shoved Paige behind them. There was silence in the room until another knock sounded.

“Parker, you in there?” Paige felt Cole let out a breath and smiled as he unlocked the door.

A man in his late fifties with gray hair in the classic side part cut and generic black suit walked into the room. He and Cole shook hands.

“Ah, well that pretty young lady is McKenna Mason,” Cole gestured to Will, “and this is her husband, Will Ashton. Will, this is my contact in D.C., Director Phillip Salmond. And this is Paige Davies.”

Paige smiled and shook the man’s hand. She couldn’t help but feel slighted though. Cole used no identifier when he introduced her. She couldn’t help but feel slightly insecure about where their relationship stood.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. I hear you’re having a tough time yourself. How are you doing?”

“I am managing. Thank you. I luckily have a lot of family and town support.”

“Yes, your family is pretty remarkable. I almost feel sorry for the guy not knowing what he was getting into. I bet you don’t scare easily being raised with all those boys. And as for your town, I am fascinated. How did they learn about the New York operation?”

Before Paige could answer, Phillip’s phone beeped. He pulled it out of the inside pocket of his suit and read the message.

“They got about thirty more minutes with Ms. Mason. I am being called up to review some documents before I go on the stand. Before I go, I have to tell you, Mr. Ashton, that I am a big fan. I tried to make it to every game when you were playing in D.C. Well, it was nice to meet you all and I am sure I’ll see you at the trial.” He shook hands again with Parker, “Let me know if you need any additional resources to look after Miss Davies here. I’ll be more than happy to send them to you.”

“Thank you sir. I will keep you updated.”

Paige paced the small room and kept her eye on the clock hanging on the back wall. It had been thirty-five minutes since Agent Salmond left. The whole room was anxiously awaiting Kenna’s return. Cole talked to Will about football to distract him from the fact that time had ground to a halt. After what seemed like an eternity, which was really only three more minutes, the door unlocked and Kenna walked through.

Her face was still masked in lawyer mode, but her nails were no longer digging into her palms. Will rushed to her and wrapped her up in a hug.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am fine. I am glad to have it done with. It seemed like they were more interested in the technical stuff from Cole than my testimony. But, it really took a lot out of me. Not counting having the pregnancy sleepiness. Are we staying here or going home tonight? Either way, I just want a bed.”

Paige saw Ahmed step out into the hall as she gave Kenna a hug. “Are they going to have to call Dani?” She asked Kenna.

“No, I don’t think so. The case seems pretty iron clad. I think the defendants will just start turning on each other. Bob and Senator Bruce are going to come out with the worst of it. That is, unless Cole can catch the assassin and find out who hired him. I think the Vice Mayor is an idiot and he’ll probably be the first to turn for a reduced sentence. Especially since I don’t think he’s smart enough to plan any of this.”

“The plane is being fueled right now and will be ready to depart in fifteen minutes. The Marshals are bringing the cars around now. We’ll be in Keeneston in time for dinner,” Ahmed said as she walked back into the room.

“Good, let’s go home.” Will slid his arm around Kenna and tucked her under his shoulder as they headed out the door.

Chapter Twelve

Paige was exhausted. After arriving in Lexington, they had driven to Marshall’s house to pick up Chuck. Now they were finally headed back to her apartment to pick up some clothes to take to her parents’ house. She had gotten only a couple hours of restless sleep last night and, even though it was only seven at night, she was ready for some food and to go to bed.

Cole pulled the Explorer into the back parking lot and opened the door for her. She leaned on him as they gave Chuck a quick walk and then headed up the back staircase. Paige had already dug her key out and had to blink a couple of times to get the lock to stop moving around. She pushed open the door and gasped.

“What is it?” Cole shoved his way past her and froze. The kitchen was clean. It was spotless. She figured on the new door and windows, but there were new plates, artwork, table and chairs.

Paige was speechless. She walked through the kitchen with her hand skimming the new countertops and entered the living room. Her mom had obviously been part of the fairy godmothers that swooped in and fixed the place up. Now she knew what the phone tree was about the other night. It wasn’t for the typical food, but to help fix her place up. There were pictures from her mother’s living room hanging on the walls and a couple of her grandmother’s blankets lying across a new couch.

“This is amazing.” Cole turned round and round checking out the handy work.

Paige made her way down the hall and toward her bedroom filled with the love that came from having a great family and caring friends. As she walked toward her bedroom, all thoughts of the day left and were replaced with a deep desire for her bed and the sleep that would soon follow. She hadn’t been in her bedroom since the shootout and didn’t know what to expect. She pushed open the door and screamed.

A man in khaki pants, white dress shirt, and black ski mask stood in the center of her room with a gun leveled at her. She heard Cole yell her name, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. She was caught in the cold stare that dug into her from behind the ski mask. That stare held her rooted in place. She would recognize those dead brown eyes anywhere.

“Please don’t shoot up my apartment again,” Paige squeaked out. All she could think about was all the work people did to fix her apartment and hoped it wasn’t ruined again.

“There is no 'again'. This is the last time we’ll meet.” He pulled the hammer back and Paige knew this was it. She prayed the Hail Mary and closed her eyes. Her mind flashed to her family and then to Cole. She was overtaken with the sadness of knowing she would never see them again. The sadness was so heavy it prevented her from breathing.

Suddenly her breath was taken from her as she was knocked off her feet by a seventy-five pound freight train rushing past her. A dark blur of fur and teeth flew past her and Chuck growled in a way she had never heard. It was so deep and vicious the hair on her arms stood up as she watched the dog leap into the air in front of her. Chuck landed a vicious bite on the assassin’s arm. Paige’s view of Chuck was blocked when a shot rang out. She heard glass shattering and then nothing more as Cole tackled her to the ground while reaching for his gun.

Cole pinned her to the ground with his body preventing her from seeing what was going on. Even through the blood racing through her head, she could tell there was silence. Cole jumped off of her and ran to the window looking out the back.

“Dammit!” Cole shouted as he looked out the broken window. He leveled his gun and fired off a couple of rounds and then turned, “He got away. Good news, he’s bleeding. Bad news, your azalea bush is squashed from where he jumped out the window.”

Paige couldn’t pay attention to what Cole was saying as tears filled her eyes. Chuck wasn’t moving. She crawled toward his still body, fearful of what she would find as Cole kept talking and making phone calls.

“Chuck. Chuck! Can you hear me buddy?” She cried as she got closer. Tears blinded her as she reached him.

“Oh no, Paige. Is he shot?” Cole was by her side and she grabbed onto his shirt as she shook with tears.

“I don’t know. He’s not moving and when I called him he didn’t respond.” Paige placed her hand on his face and stroked his face. “Chuck? Come on sweetie, please be okay.” She felt the weight of the situation settle on her as she buried her face in his neck and cried for her best friend.

“I am so sorry, sweetheart. He saved your life and I will never be able to thank him for it. Why don’t you sit down here on the bed and I will take care of him for you.” Cole helped her to the bed and then went back to Chuck. “You were a good boy, my friend.” He ran a hand down Chuck’s head before bending down and sliding an arm under Chuck’s neck. He slid his other arm under his back legs. As he went to pick him up, Paige heard the unmistakable sound of a whine.

“Cole?” Paige’s breath caught in her throat. The tears streaming down her face slowed and she strained to see if she had just imagined the sound.

“Chuck?” He ran his hands over her dog and turned to her with a smile. “There’s no blood!”

Paige dropped to the floor next to them and placed her ear to Chuck’s chest. “There’s a heartbeat!” She had never known such relief in all her life. New tears started flowing down her face as she covered Chuck’s body with hers and whispered what a good boy he was to him.

“Chuck was probably knocked unconscious by the gunman when he attacked.” Cole leaned down and yelled, "Hey!" into Chuck’s ear and was rewarded with a small lick. “Thank God!” Cole caught Paige as she flung herself at him, tears of joy rolling down her face.

Chuck’s eyes fluttered open and he whined again before mustering up a single tail thump. Paige gently petted his head and told him what a hero he was.

“Paige, it may be time to put you in a safe house.” She didn’t want to admit he was right. She was petrified. All she could see when she closed her eyes was the barrel of the gun and those cold eyes. But right now she was tired, so very tired.