Fatal Disclosure (15 page)

Mark leaned closer to her. “You said you wished you could get off the island for a few days. This may be what you need. You can rest and try to sort out everything that’s happened to you. Then when we get back, your studio will be ready, and you can move back in.”

She said silent for a moment and appeared to be debating his invitation. “You’re sure your sister won’t mind?”

“Of course not. She’ll love having you there. What do you say?”

A smile lit her face. “I say I’d like to go to Raleigh with you.”

His heart pounded, but he managed to keep his emotions in check. “It’s 2:00 a.m. now. I’ll call headquarters and tell them to get a helicopter on the way. We’ll go by your house and pick up some clothes on our way out to the airfield.” He gave a curt nod. “If all goes well, we should be able to have breakfast in Raleigh.”

Scott took her by the arm and helped her to her feet. “You can wait in the hallway outside your room while I get anything you need to take with you.”

“I appreciate that, Scott.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “What are big brothers for? Now come on and let’s get you ready for your trip.”

Mark watched as Scott and Brock left the kitchen with Betsy. He could hardly believe that Betsy had agreed to go home with him, and it thrilled him. He would have the opportunity to give her a glimpse into his life. She would meet his sister and see where he worked.

When he had known Betsy in Memphis, he had never talked about his personal life, and she knew very little about him. He was glad she was going to get to know what had made him the person he had become. But mainly he wanted to keep her safe, and he intended to do everything he could to see that she remained alive and well. He just hoped the smugglers didn’t get wind of Betsy’s whereabouts. She needed some time to recover from all she’d been through, and he intended to make sure that happened.

* * *

He rolled over, glanced at the clock on the bedside table and reached for his ringing cell phone. It had to be important for somebody to be calling at three in the morning.

“Hello,” he growled.

“We have a problem.”

He sat up in bed and frowned. “What?”

“Clive’s dead.”

“Dead?” he bellowed and jumped from the bed. “How did that happen?”

“I don’t know yet. I was waiting on the next street for him when I heard sirens. I got as close as I could to the house without being seen. Brock Gentry and Scott Michaels were in the backyard at Treasury’s with that guy that’s been hanging around with Betsy. I could see Clive’s body on the ground, and I hightailed it out of there.”

He pounded his fist against the wall and cursed under his breath. “Anything else I need to know?”

“Yeah… I went back to the Blue Pelican and stayed for a while. Then I drove back by the bed-and-breakfast. Betsy and her friend were just leaving. I followed them to her house. Then they went to the airstrip. They got on a helicopter and took off for the mainland.”

“This isn’t good. If she’s gone, that means she probably has the flash drive with her.” He paced for a moment before he stopped. “Okay, there’s nothing we can do now. We need to concentrate on getting that new shipment out of here. Until then, make sure your informant keeps us up-to-date on anything dealing with Betsy.”

“Right, boss.”

“Betsy has to come home sometime. And when she does, we’ll be waiting for her. She’ll wish she’d given me that flash drive the first time I asked. The next time I won’t be so nice.”

He disconnected the call and walked to the window. Darkness still covered Ocracoke, but he doubted he could go back to sleep. Thoughts of his partners on the mainland and what they would do when they found out he had allowed a DEA agent to steal all their records troubled him. There was only one thing to do. Get the last shipment to the mainland and get away from this island. He had enough money to disappear and live quietly for the rest of his life.

There was still the question of Betsy. He sank down in a chair, propped his elbows on the arms and tented his fingers. He tapped them together while he tried to decide how he was going to repay her for all the trouble she’d caused him.

* * *

Within an hour of making the decision to go to Raleigh, Betsy and Mark boarded the helicopter used for emergencies on the island and flew to the mainland. From there, another helicopter sent by Mark’s superior picked them up and transported them to Raleigh.

At the Raleigh field office of the DEA, Mark left her in the break room and disappeared into his superior’s office. An hour later she felt as if she was fading fast. Even two cups of coffee hadn’t helped.

She raised her hand to her mouth in an attempt to stifle a yawn just as Mark walked into the room. The man who Betsy had caught a glimpse of in the hallway earlier entered behind him. She pushed to her feet and stood beside Mark.

“Betsy, I’d like you to meet William Fowler. He’s the head of this field office.”

He smiled and held out his hand. “I’m happy to meet you, Ms. Michaels. Mark has told me what an ordeal you’ve had for the past few days. I want you to know our office will do everything we can to find the people who have terrorized you.”

Betsy placed her hand in his. “Thank you, Mr. Fowler. Mark has gone beyond the call of duty in protecting me. I really appreciate it.”

Mr. Fowler nodded his agreement. “Mark is one of our top agents. He never gives up until he’s closed a case, and I know he won’t give up on this one, either. Of course, Agent Draper’s death was a tragedy for us, but I’m glad you were able to give us the information he died protecting.”

“From what I understand, the contents of the flash drive were in some kind of code. I hope your experts can figure it out.”

“I’m sure they will.” He glanced at his watch and then at Mark. “Since you’ve both been up all night, go get something to eat and get some rest. As soon as we know anything, I’ll let you know.”

Mark rubbed the back of his neck and wiggled his shoulders. “I know Betsy is tired, but I’ll stay if you need me.”

Mr. Fowler shook his head. “No. You go on home, and I’ll call you if we find out anything.” He smiled at Betsy. “It was nice meeting you. I hope we can catch these guys so you will feel safe again.”

“Me, too,” she said. “And thank you again.”

Betsy reached for her purse hanging on the back of her chair, looped it over her shoulder, and turned back to Mark. His tired eyes glanced at the clock on the wall. “I called my sister when we got to Raleigh. She’s a nurse and worked the night shift at the hospital, so she should be getting off work in about an hour. I told her we’d meet her at home. I may have time to fix breakfast for all of us before she gets there.”

“You’re going to cook?” Betsy couldn’t control the laugh rumbling in her throat.

“Why is that so funny?”

She shook her head and laughed again. “A big strong man who chases drug dealers for a living? I can’t believe you’d even know your way around a kitchen.”

He laughed and took her by the arm. “Come with me, and I’ll introduce you to my culinary skills. I guarantee you’ve never tasted anything like my cooking.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” She glanced up at him, and her heart raced.

What had happened to her in the last few days? A week ago, she couldn’t even think of Mark without getting angry. Now she looked forward to every minute they spent together. She knew the time would come when he would leave, but she didn’t want to think about that now.

All she wanted was to enjoy being with him. When he did leave, she would be left with good memories, not those like she had carried from Memphis. She just hoped in the future when she recalled the good times it would be enough to soothe her heartache at not having him in her life.

ELEVEN

B
etsy almost had to pinch herself to believe she sat at the kitchen table in Mark’s house and watched him bustle about like a master chef. Her stomach growled at the aroma of frying bacon and perking coffee. She pressed her hands against her abdomen and sighed.

“I don’t know when I’ve ever been so hungry. Everything smells so good.”

He flipped a pancake in the pan on the stove, grabbed the coffee pot and poured her another cup of coffee. “Give me a few more minutes and we’ll be ready.” He glanced at the clock on the wall above the refrigerator. “Laura ought to be here any minute.”

She took a sip and set the cup back in its saucer. “Laura? I don’t think you’ve ever told me your sister’s name. In fact, I don’t think you ever mentioned having a sister before.”

He turned from the stove with a platter of pancakes and set it on the table. The muscle in his jaw twitched, and he reached back for the dish containing the bacon. He didn’t speak until he’d set the food on the table and slid into his chair. “I’m sorry, Betsy.”

“Sorry for what?”

He took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. “With the kind of job I have, it’s a good idea to keep your private life out of the picture. The people I investigate wouldn’t hesitate to hurt Laura if they thought they could get to me. That’s why I don’t talk about her.”

Betsy leaned back in her chair and tried not to let her expression convey her puzzlement. Truth was, Mark baffled her. He’d demonstrated his bravery in the past few days, and at times she’d sensed he might care about her. But Mark’s thoughts and feelings still remained a mystery to her.

After a moment, she forced a smile to her face and sat up. “Now that I think about it, I used to rattle on and on about my family when we were in Memphis, and you never mentioned yours. I assumed you didn’t have any.”

He nodded. “I should have told you, but I guess old habits are hard to break.”

The back door suddenly opened, and a woman’s voice rang out. “Anybody home?”

Mark sprang from his chair, dashed across the room, and threw his arms around his sister. Betsy tried to get a look at her, but Mark’s body blocked her view. “Laura, I’m so glad to see you,” he said.

“It’s good to have you home. Now where’s your friend?”

He stepped to her side but kept his arm around her shoulders. Betsy’s gaze raked the willowy brunette dressed in green scrubs. With their dark hair and eyes, anyone could see the family resemblance. Mark glanced down at his sister, and his eyes beamed with love. “Betsy, this is my sister, Laura.”

Smiling, Laura stepped forward with her hand extended. “It’s so good to meet you, Betsy. Mark has told me so much about you.”

Betsy pushed to her feet and took Laura’s hand. “I hope it’s all been good. Although I’m afraid I’ve been quite a bother to him for the past few days. He’s had to spend his time protecting me. In fact, he’s saved my life three times.”

A startled expression crossed Laura’s face. “He didn’t tell me that.”

Mark shook his head and motioned to the food on the table. “It was nothing. Now go get washed up and come eat your breakfast. I’ve cooked all this food, and I don’t want it to get cold.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” Laura clicked her heels together, gave him a salute and winked at Betsy. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

He waved his hands at her to shoo her from the kitchen. “I’ll pour you a cup of coffee while we wait for you.”

By the time Mark had set the coffee at Laura’s place she reentered the room and dropped into her chair. She inhaled deeply and smiled. “This looks so good. Mark inherited our mother’s cooking skills, but I’m afraid I didn’t. I can hardly wait for him to come home so I can have a decent meal.”

“I’m learning all kinds of things about Mark I didn’t know.” Betsy cast a glance at him, but he looked away.

“He’s a wonderful brother,” Laura said, and then clasped her hands in her lap. “But before we eat, I would like to say grace. Do you mind, Betsy?”

“Not at all. We say grace at every meal at home.”

Mark quirked a brow. “When did you start praying, Laura?”

She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “I’ve been going to church with a friend for the last few months, and I’ve turned my life over to God. I pray all the time now. I’m glad you’re home so I can tell you about it.”

Betsy reached out and squeezed Laura’s arm. “That’s wonderful. My faith is very important to me. I don’t know how anybody gets through a day without knowing God is with them.”

Laura gave a slight nod and looked toward her brother. “I don’t, either. Now if you’ll bow your heads, I’ll say grace.”

“All right,” Mark mumbled.

They bowed their heads and Laura began to pray. “Dear God, thank You for this day and the food You’ve set before us. Thank You for bringing my brother home safely again. I pray You will continue to protect him and guard his steps. And thank You, Lord, for our new friend Betsy and for saving her life. I pray we can all be a blessing to each other. Amen.”

Betsy opened her eyes and glanced around the table. A smile curled Laura’s lips as she picked up the platter of pancakes and speared two of them. Mark didn’t make eye contact with either of them and seemed to be in a world of his own. She wondered what he was thinking and how the news of Laura’s newfound faith had affected him.

Her stomach growled again, and she laughed. “I’d forgotten how hungry I am.” She took the platter from Laura and slid two pancakes onto her plate before passing it to Mark. “Now let’s see if Mark is as good a cook as you say.”

Thirty minutes later, Betsy knew Laura hadn’t exaggerated about Mark’s cooking. She’d never felt so stuffed and content. Now, as she drained her coffee cup, exhaustion began to seep through her body. Laura, on the other hand, looked as if she was ready to run a 5K race.

Laura pushed back from the table, stood and stretched. “You’ve both been up all night, and I know you’re tired. I’ll show Betsy to her room, and then I’ll do the dishes.”

Mark shook his head and reached for their plates. “No, I’m okay. You’ve been working all night at the hospital. I’ll clean up here while you show Betsy to the guest room. I need to check in with headquarters before I get a few hours of sleep.”

Betsy picked up her plate and handed it to him. “Breakfast was great, Mark, and thank you for all you’ve done for me this past week.”