Kitabı oku: «In His Safekeeping», sayfa 4

“I’d like to hear it. I need to know everything I can. Some little bit of information might not seem important to you, but it could mean a great deal to me. So, if you could start at the beginning…”

Tara shifted her weight in the chair, but allowed the comforting sensation of his hand to remain on hers. She didn’t like talking about herself, certainly not to a stranger and especially not to someone like this very disconcerting man who made her heart beat a little faster and her pulse race.

“Well…I guess it started when I answered a help wanted ad in the newspaper. Green Valley Construction was looking for a secretary. I had just graduated from college with a degree in something practical that would guarantee me a secure future…something my mother had insisted on.”

She knew that bitterness had crept into her voice, but she had not been able to control it. It was an old wound and at the same time a fresh one that still hurt. From the time her father had deserted her until the time she’d made the decision to testify against John Vincent, her mother had made every attempt to control her life. All during her school years her mother had denied her permission to participate in extracurricular activities.

Her mother’s excuses fell into two categories—either it was a waste of money or else her mother suddenly developed an illness and Tara had to stay home to take care of her. She knew her mother wasn’t really sick, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Things had gotten better when she had been able to get her own apartment after graduating from college and getting a full-time job, but she hadn’t been able to escape her mother’s continuous attempts to dominate her and the constant meddling.

“I got the job and eventually was promoted to the position of John Vincent’s administrative assistant and finally the company office manager. As his assistant I had access to more company information than when I was a secretary. As the office manager I had access to all the company records including the books. That’s when I came across the irregularities in his accounting.”

“What did you do then?” Her tone of voice told him as much as her facial expression when she mentioned her mother’s connection with her choice of educational pursuits and career. Part of his job was to read people quickly and make judgments based on that assessment. She obviously had a very strained relationship with the woman. How deep did the problem go and how much of her life had been affected by it? Questions he would have to put aside until some other time.

“I wasn’t sure if I was interpreting the information correctly, so I finally went to the company’s outside CPA with what I’d found. Phil Winthrope and I—”

“Phil Winthrope was the fifth witness killed. I didn’t realize you knew him before the trial. Did you know any of the others?”

She glanced at the floor, then back at Brad. A sadness covered her face as she spoke. “I didn’t know Phil well, we only had the occasional business contact. He seemed like a nice man. Did he…uh…leave any family? A wife or children?”

“No, no immediate family.”

“I didn’t know any of the other witnesses before the trial.” She shifted her weight as if trying to find a more comfortable position before continuing. “Phil looked over what I brought him and agreed with my conclusions. John Vincent had been systematically looting the pension fund and was also keeping a double set of books as far as taxes were concerned.”

“Did the two of you ever discuss what to do about this discovery or did you both just sort of ignore it?”

A quick flash of anger darted across her face. “Ignore it? Are you accusing me of condoning John’s actions?”

He remained calm despite her outburst. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just trying to get a clear picture of the sequence of events.”

She took a deep breath, held it a moment, then expelled it. “I…I guess I’m just a little on edge.”

“That’s certainly understandable.” He extended a comforting smile and waited for her to continue.

“Neither Phil nor I had an opportunity to do anything about it. The very next day I was approached by the D.A.’s office. They said they were conducting an investigation into John’s activities and questioned me about what I knew. I didn’t know what to do or say. I knew the books had been manipulated, but I really didn’t know for a fact that it was John who had done it. They had me served with a subpoena to testify before a grand jury along with several other potential witnesses. I gave them the information about the books. The grand jury findings were presented and John Vincent was arrested on numerous charges. I was called on to testify at the trial, and the rest, as they say, is history. At that moment my life became chaos. I thought everything would have returned to normal by now.” A look of sadness darted across her features and her voice dropped to a mere whisper. “But I was wrong.”

Brad studied her for a moment. She had already been through so much. In some ways she seemed so in need of protection and so vulnerable. Yet there was an inner strength that radiated from her, something he felt even though he couldn’t clearly define it. Each passing minute proved to be added fuel to a flame of desire that had started as nothing more than a sensual spark. He rose to his feet under the guise of taking another peek around the corner of the drapes, all the while telling himself this is business…this is business. It was a refrain that continued to repeat in his mind as he stared at the parking lot.

A quick jolt of adrenaline shot through Brad’s body. He stared at the car with the headlights off slowly making its way along the row of motel rooms. A flashlight beam came from the car window, shining on each of the cars parked in front of the rooms.

Chapter Four

Brad flipped off the light switch. His words came out fast and emphatic. “Get into the bathroom. Lie down in the bathtub and stay there.”

“What’s the matter? Is something—”

“Don’t argue with me!” The demanding growl in his voice said as much as his words. “Do it!” He watched just long enough to see Tara disappear into the bathroom and close the door. He moved quickly and efficiently. He pulled the 9mm from his holster and clicked off the safety. He wedged a straight-back chair beneath the door handle. Using the large overstuffed chair as a shield, he crouched in the corner. The adrenaline continued to pump through his body.

He drew in a calming breath, then slowly pulled aside the bottom of the drape. He watched as the flashlight beam fell on his car, then continued down the row. A moment later the slow-moving vehicle made its way back up the rooms across the way, then came to a halt.

Brad scanned the parking lot, taking in everything. His senses tingled with nervous energy. Every few seconds he glanced at the bathroom door to make sure it was still closed. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkened car. His pulse rate jumped into high gear.

The figure moved toward the room across the way, then an angry female voice reverberated through the night air, accompanied by a loud banging on the motel-room door. “Open up right now, Sam…you lousy excuse for a husband. I know you’re in there with that Mary Anne person. And this isn’t the first time, either!”

Brad leaned back against the wall. He emitted a sigh of relief followed by an amused chuckle as he slipped the handgun back into his holster. He hurried to the bathroom and yanked open the door. Tara stood just on the other side, her startled expression showing her surprise at his sudden appearance.

Her voice quavered as she spoke. “Are you all right? Is everything—” she glanced through the opened door into the bedroom “—under control?”

“What are you doing standing here?” His words demanded without his tone being too harsh. “I told you to get down inside the bathtub and stay there.”

Surprise and confusion flashed across her face. “But I’m in the bathroom like you said, and the door was closed.”

“What I said was for you to lie down in the bathtub. The door and wall might not have been enough protection if bullets had come flying through the air.” He eyed her carefully, making a pointed statement with his question. “Don’t you agree?”

“But they didn’t—”

“That’s not the point. They could have.” He grabbed her shoulders, holding them firmly in his grip. He stared at her, trying to pull together the proper words. He felt the tension in her muscles. It matched the tension that filled the air between them as they stood facing each other—a tension as much sexual energy and attraction as it was a clash of wills and the effect of the danger.

“We need to get something clear right now.” Brad’s words were very matter-of-fact, his attitude all business. “This is my area of expertise. I expect to have my instructions obeyed without hesitation or questions. This is very serious business. Remember the car bomb? Your life could depend on your immediate response to my orders.”

“Your orders?” The irritation raced through Tara’s body. “Just who do you think you are to be ordering me around?” She scowled at him for a moment, then jerked away from the electricity of his touch and brushed past him as she left the bathroom.

He caught up with her, grabbing her arm to bring her to a halt. His response was to the point, his irritation matching hers. “I think I’m the man who’s trying to save your life. Who do you think I am?”

She glared angrily at him, but he stood his ground and refused to back down. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. He seemed to be able to turn on his aggressive manner in the blink of an eye. And giving her orders…well, it was far too reminiscent of her mother’s domination and Danny’s controlling behavior for her to comfortably accept it. Intellectually she knew he was right in his concerns, but her emotional reaction to his take-charge attitude left her uneasy. And her reaction to the magnetic sex appeal of this dynamic and very handsome man left her equally uneasy.

Tara held his eye contact, refusing to look away. A shiver crept up her spine. It was more than the tantalizing physical contact where he still had hold of her arm. He seemed to be looking inside her as if searching out her hidden secrets. The intensity in his blue eyes sent an uncomfortable tremor through her body. He was right about the danger, but obeying his orders without question called for a level of trust she wasn’t sure she knew how to give regardless of whether she wanted to or not.

Brad Harrison had her confused. He was a virtual stranger who burst uninvited into her world, tried to take control of her life and demanded that she trust him. Yet his unwavering gaze sent a ripple of desire through her body unlike anything she had ever experienced. She realized there was a lot more at stake here than a question of control. The concerns for her safety and the need to identify a murderer had already begun to take a toll on her nerves.

But that wasn’t all. She feared there would eventually be a much larger toll to pay—an emotional one—if she didn’t keep her desires under tight control. Every time he touched her a sensual rush coursed through her body. Her skin tingled and a shortness of breath caught in her lungs. It was totally inappropriate for the situation and equally out of character for her. But, for reasons she could not clearly fathom, she had made the decision to tentatively trust this very sexy and desirable man. Hopefully it would not be the biggest mistake of her life…or worse yet, the last decision she would ever make.

“You’re right.” She drew in a steadying breath. “This is your area of expertise. I, on the other hand, don’t have any experience in being stalked…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced at the floor. “If that’s an appropriate term for what’s happening.” She regained eye contact with him. “This may be business as usual for you, but it’s all very new and very frightening for me.”

“I know this is difficult for you.” He softened his tone as he reluctantly let go of her arm, breaking the delectable physical contact between them. “These particular circumstances aren’t exactly normal operating procedure for me, either.”

Brad found himself in an awkward position totally unlike any situation he’d ever been in before. The heightened tension crackled in the air…a tension made up of equal parts sexual desire, emotional turmoil and professional ethics. This is business…this is business… The mantra played through his mind, but it did nothing to still the effect she had on him.

The stress of the situation was getting to him. It wasn’t just the proximity of this desirable woman. There were the suspicions and confusion that had been mounting ever since he made the connection between the deaths of the witnesses. His supervisor, Thom Satterly, had dismissed his concerns as not valid for reasons he still found very perplexing and difficult to accept. The fact that two of the witnesses had been put into the Witness Security Program was enough for Thom. He declared that no one would be able to find them, therefore the conspiracy Brad thought he had uncovered didn’t exist. Thom pronounced it a strange coincidence and nothing more.

He had been disturbed by Thom’s flat refusal to look into the case further, a factor that continued to pick at his consciousness. Without Thom’s authorization, there would be no official consideration given to the plot Brad believed existed. He found Thom’s actions very perplexing and highly suspicious. He could take his suspicions over Thom’s head, but not without some solid proof, which he didn’t have…yet.

He didn’t know who he could trust or where he could turn for help in protecting the one remaining witness. And running beneath all that was an ever-increasing attraction to this beguiling woman who didn’t seem to have any idea just how attractive and tantalizing she was. He reached out and lightly touched her cheek, allowed his fingertips to linger for a brief moment, then quickly withdrew his hand. He grabbed his jacket from the foot of the bed and pulled it on.

He turned toward her, brushed his fingertips gently against her cheek, then placed his hands on her shoulders. “Tara…” He plumbed the depths of her eyes. She exuded a fascinating combination of inner strength wrapped in vulnerability that did not diminish the sensual pull she exerted on him. He drew her closer, almost an involuntary gesture. “Get some sleep tonight and try not to worry. Everything is going to be all right. I’ll stop by first thing in the morning and bring you some breakfast.”

And then the desire he couldn’t stop, an impulse he couldn’t resist. He leaned his head toward hers and brushed a soft kiss against her mouth. It was all he had intended to do, just a quick gesture. But the moment his lips touched hers he knew he wanted far more. He captured her mouth and immediately felt her body stiffen, but she did not pull away. A moment later she responded to his kiss, sending an earthy sensuality through him and igniting every nerve ending in his body. He hadn’t known what would happen when he gave in to his desires, but this certainly exceeded any expectations on his part. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his as the kiss deepened.

The breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded. He had caught her completely off guard, sweeping her away on a heated wave of exhilaration. As handsome, sexy and desirable as she found him it never crossed her mind that he would try to kiss her. It seemed so out of place considering the circumstances, but she couldn’t have stopped him even if she’d wanted to. And wanting to stop him was the last thing on her mind. She had never had anyone convey such a level of sensuality with just a kiss.

It was Brad who came to his senses and finally broke off the delicious kiss in an attempt to cool down the burning desire churning deep inside him. He took a step back as he tried to catch his breath. He cupped her face with his hands. A slight flush spread across her cheeks. Her hazel eyes sparkled. His gaze dropped to her slightly parted kiss-swollen lips. He wanted more, so much more, but he knew he didn’t dare.

“Uh…Tara…” He dropped his hands to his sides and took a couple of steps backward. “I…uh…well, I’ll see you in the morning.” Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and went out the door. He walked straight to his car while raking his gaze across the parking lot. Everything appeared exactly as it had when he’d left the room to get the ice and soft drinks. He slid in behind the steering wheel, took a calming breath and started the engine.

Brad drove his car to the entrance of the motel, parked and sat there. He watched the cars passing by on the street while trying to collect his thoughts. The sensation of his lips on hers still lingered with him. And he wanted more. He knew he had to get out of her room as much for his own well-being as anything else. He had overstepped the boundaries and now he needed to get his priorities in order. Her life was in danger and it was up to him to protect her, not take advantage of the situation.

He had never conducted himself in anything less than a strictly professional manner, had never allowed himself to become personally involved with any of the witnesses. His only personal involvement had been his pride in his work. But somehow, after only a few hours of face-to-face contact, Tara Ford had gotten under his skin. She had become very personal for him…far more than simply a case number.

He shoved his thoughts back to the situation at hand. She had to be the key to what was happening. She was certainly the easiest of the witnesses to find, yet she was the only one still alive. There had to be a reason and he had to find out what it was. And as much as he didn’t want to believe, there was still a possibility that her involvement wasn’t completely innocent.

“WHAT THE HELL’S going on? I turn on the television to get the late-night news and plastered all over the screen is a news story about Tara Ford’s car blowing up in the parking lot of a restaurant. Only she’s still alive and well. And she isn’t home. I told you there was a deputy marshal who was suspicious. Well, any suspicions he may have had will now be clearly confirmed. Is that what you call taking care of things?”

“I swear I didn’t know Pat was going to do that. He didn’t let me know what he had planned.”

“You were supposed to have handled this a long time ago and you didn’t. Okay, I let you go to the outside and get someone to do it. Granted, he did a good job with Phil Winthrope, but this time he screwed up big. It was a very sloppy job handled like a rank amateur. Do I have to do everything myself?”

“I’ll set something up with him. Give me a couple of days.”

“Another couple of days? Why not a couple of weeks or a couple of months? We don’t know where she is other than the fact that she’s obviously in hiding. This has gone from bad to worse.”

He heard the click then the phone line went dead. He nervously drummed his fingers against the desk, then reached for his little black book, looked up Pat’s number and dialed the phone.

GET SOME SLEEP TONIGHT and try not to worry. Brad’s words from the night before echoed through Tara’s mind as she stepped out of the shower. If only it was that easy. She had just spent a restless night, getting very little sleep. The reasons were twofold.

First and foremost in her mind was the lingering sensation still on her lips as a result of his kiss. It had been the most wonderful kiss she had ever experienced—a heart-pounding, take-your-breath-away excitement that left her weak in the knees and wanting more.

But on a more practical note, she had also spent part of the night worrying about what the day would bring. She glanced at the clock—it was six-thirty. She didn’t know when to expect Brad other than his mention of bringing her breakfast. She dressed quickly so she would be ready for whatever he had in mind when he arrived. She looked around at the meager necessities she had purchased. One thing for sure, it wouldn’t take her very long to pack.

The motel room came equipped with a small coffeepot. She turned on television and made some coffee. She tried to relax, drink her coffee and watch the early-morning news, but her mind kept wandering as one concern after another invaded her thoughts.

Suddenly Tara jerked upright in her chair. A picture of the restaurant parking lot and the burned remains of her car filled the television screen. She listened intently as the reporter talked about the explosion. A cold stab of fear pierced her body as she continued to watch the news story.

The registered owner of the vehicle, Tara Ford, and her fiancé, Don McMillan, had just finished dinner at the restaurant when the explosion occurred.

The reporter had given her name on the air. Why hadn’t Brad just insisted they leave right away before the police arrived rather than stay so that she had to give her name? Surely the car was beyond being identifiable and couldn’t be traced to her. Foreboding jittered through her body, followed by a sick churning in the pit of her stomach.

A noise from outside startled her. She peeked out the side of the drapes, but it was just the normal morning activities. Every time she heard voices or car doors she jumped to attention only to find it was nothing more than the occupants of the other rooms checking out. She paced up and down the small room, peeking out from behind the drapes every few minutes. And each time she did, her anxiety level increased.

She didn’t know what she felt, but whatever it was, she didn’t like it. One moment it seemed like trepidation, then the next it turned to panic. And underlying all were thoughts of Brad Harrison. He charged into her life, told her she was in danger right before her car blew up, then he rushed her away to a motel—all within a few short hours. Everything had happened so fast that she didn’t have time to really consider all her options…or even if she had any.

A soft knock on the door sent a nervous rush through her body. She looked through the peephole. The relief flowed over her when she saw Brad standing on the other side of the door.

“Come in.” She stepped aside so he could enter.

“Good morning.” Brad quickly closed the door behind him. “I brought breakfast.” He indicated the paper bag and the two foam containers as he set them on the table.

He turned to face her, captivated by her natural beauty yet bothered by the apprehension that covered her features. “Did you sleep okay last night?”

“I suppose so.” Her answer lacked any enthusiasm.

“You sound less than sure.” The thought danced through his mind that her wakefulness was due to the kiss he had initiated. She had been upset by his actions. He tentatively reached out and touched her cheek. “Are you all right?”

“Just a little on edge, I guess.” A tremor of anxiety jittered through her body. “The truth is, I didn’t sleep very well at all. I’ve been awake since about five this morning.” She looked up at him, trying desperately to maintain her composure. She gestured toward the television. “I saw a story on the news this morning about my car. They said my name.” She saw a hint of displeasure dart through his eyes, but his expression gave away nothing about his inner thoughts or feelings. “Why couldn’t we have left before the police arrived?” Her frightened words pleaded with him for some sort of explanation. “My car was burned beyond recognition. No one would have known we were there.”

“That’s not true. If we had simply disappeared, you’d now have the police looking for you. The people in the restaurant knew you by name and saw us together. And even though your car was a mess, the vehicle identification could still be established and the registered owner determined without much difficulty. Our having left the scene before talking to the police would have created more problems than just a news story. We have to maintain as low a profile as possible—” he glanced at the television “—even though it seems to be getting harder to do, and that does not include having your name on a police bulletin as being wanted for questioning in connection with a car bombing.”

He drew in a deep breath and slowly expelled it. He wanted to be able to bring her some good news, but that wasn’t the case. “I’m sorry, Tara, but you’ll need to stay here another day. By tomorrow I should have other arrangements that will be safe.”

“I see.” The disappointment rang clearly in her voice. She seemed to withdraw inside herself, as if all the life had gone out of it. Her gaze lingered on the floor, then she looked up and made eye contact with him.

“What’s…what’s going to happen next? When will I be able to go home? To go back to my job?” A little sob caught in her throat. “To go back to a normal life?”

Her obvious distress tugged at his emotions. He’d been in similar situations before with protected witnesses who were feeling the pressure of the circumstances surrounding the trial, but she had already been through that. It wasn’t fair for her to have to be going through it again.

“I don’t have an answer for you. This is a unique situation, at least it is for me. The steps normally taken to protect a witness don’t apply here. I’m not able to make use of the vast resources of the Marshals Service, not yet—not until I’m sure of who I can trust.”

He placed his hands on her shoulders, then drew her into his arms in an attempt to provide her with some comfort. He gently hugged her, holding her trembling body against his as he spoke in a soft, soothing voice. “I know this is very difficult for you and I’m sorry you have to go through it. With someone having placed a bomb in your car it’s no longer a matter of if you’re in danger. You are in danger and I have to do everything I can to protect you.”

The car bomb…his wife dead…his failure to protect her. The guilt he continued to carry around with him surfaced again but slowly gave way to the memory of the heated kiss he had shared with Tara. As much as he didn’t want it to be so, he could not deny his very real attraction to her. He had dated several women since his wife’s death, but it had been as much out of loneliness as out of any real interest in any of them beyond the superficial. But Tara was different. Somehow he had to make sure that he didn’t fail again. He had to see that no harm came to her.

He lifted her chin until he could see her eyes. “You do understand why you need to stay here for another day, don’t you?”

“Yes.” There was nothing left for her to say. She had resigned herself to the situation. Circumstances forced her to place the ultimate trust in this stranger…to trust him with her life. Could she be allowing a physical attraction to a sexy man cloud her thinking? She wasn’t sure. She hoped not.

He reluctantly released her from his embrace and tried to inject a lighter mood with an upbeat attitude. “Come on, let’s eat the breakfast I brought before it gets cold.” He put his arm around her shoulder and walked her to the small table. “I brought some coffee, orange juice, yogurt, French toast and bacon. I hope there’s something here that you like.”

“That sounds fine. I’m hungry.”

Those may have been her words, but her actions said otherwise. He watched as she spent more time poking at her food than eating anything. He tried to alleviate the tension by making idle conversation, but he had difficulty drawing her out of her shell. Even though he wanted to stay with her, he knew he couldn’t. He finished eating, then stood up to leave.

“I have things I need to do in the office, but I’ll be back at lunchtime. Is there anything special you’d like for lunch?”

“I noticed a coffee shop across the street. Couldn’t we go there for lunch? I don’t know anyone in Tacoma, so there’s no reason for anyone to recognize me. We’d be there less than an hour.” She offered a hopeful smile that came off as more strained than anything else. “It feels like the walls are beginning to close in on me.”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t take that chance. I’ll get you out of here by tomorrow. Just hang in for one more day.” He put his arm around her shoulder again and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Do you think you can do that?”

She attempted a chuckle, but it came out more bittersweet than upbeat. “Do I have a choice?”

He saw the resignation in her eyes and heard it in her voice. As it had the night before, it tugged at his emotions in a way that made him decidedly uncomfortable. “No, I’m afraid you don’t. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Tara watched as he climbed in his car and drove out of the parking lot. As soon as his car was out of sight, she slumped into the large chair in the corner. She couldn’t even open the drapes to let in the daylight for fear someone would see her. He had also cautioned her about letting in housekeeping to clean the room.

She closed her eyes. The heated kiss from the night before still lingered on her lips and burned in her senses. It fueled her desires where Brad Harrison was concerned…desires she knew were totally inappropriate and equally impractical. He was not the type of man for her. She wanted someone settled, someone who would treat her as an equal partner in a relationship, someone whose life wasn’t filled with danger. She shook her head in an attempt to rid her mind of the errant thoughts.

She had to pull herself together. For someone who had lived a life devoid of taking chances, the last year had certainly made up for that. Sitting around feeling sorry for herself was not going to accomplish anything. Somehow she had to make a contribution to Brad’s efforts to protect her, not just sit by, doing nothing, with her fate in someone else’s hands. There had to be something she could do other than hiding in a motel room. She glanced at her watch. It was eight o’clock and time for her to be at work.