Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls) (12 page)

Just as Ellie would have to find another way to search this house. Though the police and an intruder had already searched it.

She stood. Their knees bumped, but she didn’t fall back, even as his much, much larger body loomed over her.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult,” he said.

So much for playing it cool. She would make a terrible spy.

“My job might not seem like much to you, but I’ve had too many lean years to risk losing a steady paycheck and medical benefits. I have a daughter and grandmother to look after. I’m glad to help you in any way that doesn’t compromise my position.” She clamped her lips together to keep them from trembling, but they both knew she was lying. It didn’t matter. Her daughter and grandmother were too vulnerable. Her family’s lives depended on her doing exactly as instructed.

Grant frowned down at her. The anger in his expression made her regret their conflict on more than a professional level. Maybe it was for the best. But she liked him. Really liked him. He was kind and brave and solid. If it weren’t for the situation driving them apart, she’d be tempted to break her
no casual sex
rule. Just thinking the word
sex
with Grant this close brought images to mind. Hot images. Scorching images.

Images that had no part in her life, especially in its current state of crisis.

Warm, she tugged at the neck of her sweatshirt. Nan was right, as usual. Ellie had been celibate too long. Maybe if she found that file and no one got hurt, she and Grant could just . . .

There was no way he’d be interested in her after she acted like such an uptight bitch.

“Are you going to tell your boss I have Lee’s files?” he asked.

No way. If those files were somewhere in the house, she wanted them to stay right here for her to steal.

“If he asks, I’m going to say I didn’t see any of Lee’s files in the house.” She raised her chin. “Which is the truth, though I hate relying on a technicality. I trust that if you should come across some of the firm’s files, you won’t keep them from me too long. Can you live with that?”

“I don’t have much of a choice.” His mouth tightened and guilt threatened to break her resolve. “I will get that information.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

The baby’s cries penetrated the office door.

“I should probably get back to my renovations.” She leaned to the side and gave the door beyond his big body a pointed look. Maybe he’d run to the baby, and she’d have a few seconds to linger in Lee’s office.

He opened the door and stepped back to allow her to exit first. Damn.

“Do you do all the work yourself?” he asked.

“As much as I can. There are some jobs that require more than one person. I have a couple of small contractors I use when I run across something I can’t handle.” Though tonight, she’d like nothing better than to take out her frustrations with a sledgehammer.

“I bet there isn’t much you can’t handle.” The corner of his mouth tilted in a wry almost-smile.

“You’d be surprised.” Ellie’s mind went to the night before, the gun in her back, and the threat to her family.

The baby’s cries drew Grant down the hall. Ellie let him pass. As she walked out, she made notes of all the places the file could be hidden. It was a long list. A frighteningly long list. The old Victorian house had lots of nooks and crannies. Were there five or six bedrooms? How would she ever get full access to the house?

“Don’t hesitate to call if you need a sitter,” she offered as she followed him.

“Julia and your grandmother already made that clear,” he called over his shoulder.

Ahead of her, his broad shoulders filled the narrow hall, and she was tempted to drag him back into the office and tell him all about last night. But she couldn’t risk it.

She was being watched.

Chapter Thirteen

Fully dressed under the duvet, Julia waited. The house had been quiet for an hour. Her mom hadn’t even worked on the house the last two nights. She seemed anxious and exhausted in a way that sent guilt washing over Julia. They were all still sad about what happened to the Barretts.

Now that Mrs. Barrett was gone, Julia wasn’t even sure she still wanted to be part of the figure skating team. It was fun, but Julia had no illusions about her skills. She was novice material, which was fine. School took up so much time, she didn’t need one more serious activity. Mrs. Barrett had made the lessons and occasional competition fun. But the club hadn’t decided which coach was going to take over her students. Some of the instructors were downright scary-intense.

She suppressed her guilt with a hot dose of anger. She’d asked about going to a concert the following weekend, and Mom had refused. So the band was total screamo and their last live concert video showed some pretty wild fan behavior. They’d put out the fire in the mosh pit, and no one had gotten seriously hurt. But Mom didn’t want to hear any of that. She’d never change. If Julia had to hear her lecture one more time . . .
It isn’t you I don’t trust. It’s everyone else. You’re only fifteen.
She’d heard those words so often, they echoed in her brain. Well, tonight was going to be different. Julia was going out with Taylor. She was going to have fun like all her friends.

The Barretts’ deaths were totally random. A senseless and bizarre event that illustrated life wasn’t something to be wasted. Julia wasn’t going to sit at home until she went to college. Who knew what could happen tomorrow? She was going to live a little.

Her phone vibrated. She read the text from Taylor:
outside.

But first she had to get out of the house without waking her mother or grandmother. Nan’s hearing wasn’t great, and Mom was a sound sleeper. But Julia wouldn’t take a deep breath until she was in Taylor’s car driving far away from her house.

Later, she’d have to sneak back inside. No. She wasn’t going to ruin her night by worrying. Live in the moment, Taylor said. He’d been sneaking out of his parents’ house for years.

Julia peeled back the comforter and slipped out of bed. She tucked pillows under the blanket and shaped them as much like a person as possible. Standing back, she checked the effect and tugged the comforter a little higher. She propped her hands on her hips and surveyed her work. Good enough for a cursory inspection in the dark. Time to go. Nerves and excitement flapped together. She pressed a hand to her stomach, willing it to chill out. She’d been waiting all year to be alone with Taylor. Tonight it was going to happen.

Carrying her boots and purse, she tiptoed down the hallway. Stepping over the creaky step, she crept downstairs and lifted her jacket from the coat tree in the foyer.

She turned the deadbolt slowly to minimize the click
as she opened the door. Stepping outside, she pulled the door closed with equal care. The house behind her sat silent and dark as she slid her arms into her jacket, zipped it to her chin, and stepped into her boots.

Where was Taylor? Still within an arm’s reach of her front door, she scanned the street and spotted his old Camry parked at the curb halfway down the block. The windshield reflected the black night sky. She edged closer. Her foot hit the first step.

Something crunched in the half-frozen snow. The hair on the back of her neck tickled. Ridiculous. Only she would sneak out to meet a boy and then get scared when he showed up. Hunching against the cold, she walked down the driveway and into the shadow of a tree. The umbrella of branches overhead blocked the overcast sky.

“Psst.”

Julia froze and whispered into the darkness. “Taylor?”

He should go. He’d been sitting down the street from the Barretts’ house all fucking evening, looking for any opportunity to get back in. But no one was coming out tonight. In fact, more people seemed to be gathering in there, and that damned dog was back. If he was getting back into that house, he’d have to take the stupid dog out.

Movement caught his attention at the front of the neighbor’s house. He dropped his hand.

Interesting. Good thing he hadn’t left.

Donnie ducked below the dashboard of the stolen sedan and watched the girl step off her porch. He couldn’t risk using his van after yesterday’s shit-acular break-in.

Parked a block away, he couldn’t see her features. He reached for the binoculars on the passenger seat and held them to his face. Still hard to be 100 percent certain in the dark, but that looked like the girl who’d been walking home from the school bus stop while he’d been breaking into the Barretts’ house.

She hadn’t seen his face. Once he’d spotted her, he’d kept his head inside the van, and she’d been totally focused on her texting.

In the narrow field of his binoculars, she took another step. Her head swiveled back and forth, as if she was looking up and down the street for someone.

Sneaking out? Bad girl.

She was a nice little piece, and he had a thing for bad girls. They needed to be punished. If she ventured a little closer, maybe Donnie would take her for a little ride. One-way, of course. He hadn’t had anything that young and innocent since before he went to prison.

The fact that his new girlfriend actually liked the pain and humiliation he dished out took some of the excitement out of their sessions. So did her age. Bitch was at least thirty. But this little thing was fresh and would be terrified. Picturing her screams stifled in her throat by a ball gag, he touched his groin. She’d also be an excellent bargaining piece. Donnie bet her mom would do anything for him if he had her daughter.

Donnie licked his lips. The brunette started down the sidewalk toward him.

Yes.

Finally, he was going to have some luck go his way. Patience. She had to come closer. So close he could grab her without risking her getting away. The last thing he needed was one more loose kid who could identify him. He reached for the door handle.

Almost.

Come here, baby. I have something for you.

Grant lapped the downstairs, passing through the kitchen and family room for the hundredth time that night. Baby legs kicked restlessly as he shifted Faith to his other shoulder. She lifted her head and complained until Grant bounced on his toes and rubbed her back. He’d tried to put her in the swing earlier, but she was having none of that. Maybe he’d try again in an hour. Until then, he continued his forced nightly march.

On the bright side, he couldn’t have nightmares while he was awake.

With a jingle of dog tags, AnnaBelle jumped to her feet and trotted to the front window. The fur on the back of her neck rose as she inhaled for a woof.

Grant caught her collar. He did
not
want Carson up, too. “Shh.”

He tracked the dog’s line of sight. A dark figure stood in the shadow of a tree on the front lawn. Anger bristled in Grant’s chest. He hurried up to Hannah’s room. He knocked softly and opened the door.

Hannah lifted her head. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s out front.” He held the baby toward her. “Take Faith.”

Hannah swung her legs off the bed. In flannel pajama pants and a Syracuse University sweatshirt, she looked like a college student. “Got her. Do you want me to call the police?”

“Not yet.” Grant headed for the door. “Could be anyone.” Plus, whoever was out there wouldn’t stand and wait while the cops pulled into the driveway. Grant didn’t want him to get away.

Hannah followed him downstairs into the foyer, jiggling the baby in her arms as Grant stepped into his boots. He stopped at the front door to peer out the sidelight. The shadow was still there, unmoving, waiting. Grant went to the kitchen and slipped out the back door. He gave his eyes a minute to adjust to the lack of light, though the snowy ground brightened the landscape. Hiding behind the tree trunk, the tall, thin figure looked male from his posture and size. His dark clothes stood out in stark relief against the dirty snow. Beyond him, another figure, smaller and more slender, walked in the opposite direction on the sidewalk.

“Psst,” the figure whispered.

He was definitely not walking a dog or doing anything else innocent.

Grant stepped into the yard. Snowpack crunched underfoot. Sneaking up on the watcher would be impossible. He sprinted in a crouch. The guy whirled to face him. Under a black knit hat, his shocked eyes widened. He threw a panicked hook punch. Grant ducked under the wild arc, caught him in a tackle, and took him down to the ground. Grant landed on top. Levering a knee under his body, he flipped the guy onto his belly, locked an arm behind his back, and patted him down.

“Are you armed?” Turning pockets inside out, Grant discovered a wallet and keys. No weapons. No drugs.

“No, man,” the guy panted. “What the fuck? Who are you?”

“I’ll ask the questions,” Grant said. He applied weight to the knee on the guy’s back. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”

“Nothing,” the guy in the snow whined. “Ow. That hurts, man.”

Grant levered his arm higher. “Don’t lie to me.”

“OK, OK. Stop.” The guy’s voice rose in nervous pain. “I’m here for Julia. We’re supposed to go out.”

Ah, shit.
Grant had interrupted a late-night rendezvous. “At midnight?”

Silence answered his question.

Grant had just been sucked into a situation that would be awkward with a capital
A
. After he’d refused to give her Lee’s files earlier, the last thing he needed was more conflict with Ellie. “What’s your name?”

“Taylor.”

Grant didn’t need the rest explained. Julia was sneaking out to meet this boy. Footsteps scraped on pavement. Julia stood on the sidewalk. The porch light spilled onto the snow in the front yard, highlighting the horror and humiliation on her face.

“Get up.” Grant stood, pulling the young man to his feet but keeping his arm behind his back. He frog-marched him across Ellie’s lawn.

“You can’t.” In the yellow light, Julia’s eyes begged.

“I’m sorry, Julia.” Grant released Taylor and knocked on the door. “I don’t have any options here.”

“She’s going to kill me.” The girl shrank back into the corner.

“I doubt that,” Grant said, but he wasn’t looking forward to delivering this bit of news to a woman who owned a shotgun.

Barely fifteen seconds passed before Ellie opened the door. She took in the scene in one sweep of her gaze. Her eyes went from worried to pissed in the span of one blink. She stepped back and gestured to the interior of the house. “Let’s do this inside.”

Yeah. There was nothing warm and fuzzy about Ellie tonight.

Taylor hesitated. His feet turned as if he was going to bolt, but Grant caught him by the collar. “No, you don’t.”

He guided Taylor to follow Ellie into the kitchen.

In pajama bottoms and an oversize T-shirt, she paced the kitchen. Anger pressed the blood from her lips. Her hair was tousled, her eyes shadowed with stress and fatigue that seemed too ingrained to be caused entirely by one night’s activities. As much as Grant wanted to know what was keeping Ellie awake, first they had to deal with the disaster in front of them. One clusterfuck at a time.

Ellie stopped and faced her daughter. “Would you like to explain why you were outside with this boy at midnight?”

“We were going out,” Julia mumbled.

“So he didn’t kidnap you from your bed?” Ellie asked in a wry tone.

Julia shook her head.

Still holding Taylor’s wallet, Grant opened it. The bright kitchen light revealed Taylor’s young age. Picking up a pen and a grocery store receipt on the kitchen table, Grant copied the boy’s name and address from the driver’s license.

“Do you want to keep him?” he asked Ellie.

Ellie looked over the license. “So you’re Taylor. You’re over eighteen. Did you know Julia isn’t sixteen yet? I could call the police.”

“You can’t!” Red splotches colored Julia’s pale cheeks. “It was all my idea.”

Sweat beaded on the boy’s forehead. He shoved shaking hands into his front pockets.