10

Slade waited for Skylar to settle into the checkered vinyl booth before sitting across from her. With his back against the wall, he swept his gaze over the diner’s few occupants. Some sat eating, others sipped beverages. He didn’t much care what they were doing as long as he and Skylar had ample space. What he had to say didn’t need to be overheard.

As the tempting scents of pancakes and frying bacon and eggs made Slade’s stomach rumble, the waitress arrived. Skylar produced a weary smile and ordered a decaf coffee and a meal. Slade asked for a regular coffee, a western omelet with extra cheddar cheese, and a couple of sides.

The young waitress scribbled on a notepad, nodded and smiled. “Be right back.”

With the preliminaries taken care of, Slade clasped his hands and eased back in his seat, keeping close watch on the front entryway. No signs of Barnes or Mayhew, or any of the generic thugs Barnes used to do his bidding but he would remain vigilant.

Convinced they were safe for now, he returned his attention to Skylar. “How are you holding up?”

Drawing in a deep breath, she shrugged. “I’m not used to fearing for my life.” She unrolled utensils and placed the paper napkin in her lap. “It’s not a good feeling.”

No. He supposed it wasn’t. He’d chosen his career as a police officer, and then he’d decided to remain in a dangerous profession when he’d formed Trinity Security. Skylar, however, was an unwilling and untrained participant in a potentially deadly scenario.

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry you’ve been caught up in this,” Slade said.

“It’s not your fault.”

At least she didn’t blame him. That pleased him, probably more than it should. The day’s tension eased a little.

The coffees arrived, and Skylar added two creams and then a packet of sugar. Her slender fingers held a spoon as she stirred the steaming liquid. A bell sounded above the front door, and Skylar jumped, dropping the utensil.

Slade placed a hand on hers. Cold. Her skin felt like ice. “It’s all right.” He probably shouldn’t be touching her, but he didn’t regret his knee-jerk reaction. She needed reassurance. “You can relax. I’m keeping an eye out. It’s not Barnes. A customer exited the building.”

A slight blush tinged Skylar’s cheeks, and she eased her hand away. “I don’t usually overreact to everyday noises.”

“I wouldn’t think so. Not after the way you’ve handled yourself through all this. You’re a strong, confident woman.”

She opened her mouth, sucked in air, and then closed it as if unsure how to respond. Good. He meant to keep her distracted. If she mulled over what had transpired today for too long, she might shut down. He needed her cognizant for their impending conversation.

“You ready to talk?” Slade asked.

“I should warn Willow about Aston first.” Skylar withdrew her cellphone and started to dial.

“No need. Willow is safe, for now. I contacted her father when I found out Barnes was targeting her. Hayworth said he would send her out of town for a while.”

“He did? Neither of them told me what was going on.”

“I asked for their discretion. The less people who know about this, the better.”

Skylar nodded, tucked away her phone, and then laced her fingers around her coffee mug. “Thank you for protecting her.”

“I don’t want anyone getting hurt. I would’ve warned you, too, had I known Barnes might’ve mistaken you for Willow.”

“Who is Aston Barnes anyway?”

Slade leaned forward. “He’s a lowlife criminal adept at pretending to be an upstanding citizen. He has ties to Forest Lake’s town council. He coordinates and attends high-profile society events. Meanwhile, he uses his in-depth computer skills to circumvent traditional means of employment.”

Slade swept his gaze over the restaurant’s diners and then re-zoned in on Skylar. “Last year, Barnes hacked into a life insurance beneficiary database and discovered my sister, Sarah, had received a half million dollars when her husband passed away.” He paused, letting this information sink in before continuing. “Barnes took great measures to plan and execute my niece’s abduction. He held Lily three days in a sweltering hot, filthy hunting shack until Sarah paid the ransom.”

Skylar shivered. “He’s a monster. Why isn’t he in jail?”

“Multiple agencies worked together coordinating efforts to gather evidence, including the FBI, but Barnes covered his tracks. He had concrete alibis. He made certain Lily couldn’t ID him or anyone working with him. They wore masks and gloves. Generic clothing.”

“Couldn’t they find DNA in the shed where she was held? A stray hair or something?”

“They might have found trace evidence if Barnes hadn’t burned down the shack. But all that remain are ashes. And there’s no indication that Barnes accessed the other buildings on the hunt club’s property. As far as the authorities are concerned, all evidence is circumstantial.”

“But you’re certain he’s responsible for Lily’s abduction?”

“I’m positive. When he was identified as a suspect, I studied the case files, collaborated with federal agents. I spent time with the type of men Barnes employs—men with unsavory pasts motivated by greed and earthly desires—and then pretended to be like them. With the help of a few contacts, I went undercover and made it known I was looking for a fast track to money, acted as if I was willing to bulldoze anyone in my way. Barnes liked my style, hired me. Wasn’t long before he began bragging about his unorthodox dealings, including the one involving Sarah and Lily.”

Skylar’s face paled. “That must’ve been awful for you. How can you stand being around him?”

“It’s been difficult, I’ll admit. But for the sake of his victims, I’ve bided my time. He’s been hurting people for too long. He’ll be exposed in due time.”

“Why wait? Why not go to the police with me now? Aston will go to prison where he belongs.”

“Trust me. He will, but not yet.” Slade’s resolve hardened. “Without the insurance money, Sarah had to sell her house to pay her husband’s medical expenses. Her entire savings is gone. She and Lily have been living with me for the past couple of months. I love having them close, but Sarah needs her independence. She deserves her own life.” He drew in a breath. “If Barnes is arrested before I recover my sister’s money, she’ll never see it again. She and Lily won’t have the secure future they deserve.”

Slade would like to ride in on a white horse, be the invincible man, and make everything right again. Except, he hadn’t ever ridden a horse, and he was far from heroic. If he’d been anything close, Lily would’ve been spared her unending nightmares. Sarah wouldn’t cry herself to sleep at night.

Fisting his hands, Slade shoved aside useless regrets and refocused. “We lost the money trail after tracing it through multiple trust funds set up through shell companies in at least three different countries. This goes deep. This money has bounced around like a ping-pong ball. But, I recently obtained the password to Barnes’s laptop. I need to access the hard drive and look for the account where the money landed. Once I find it, we’ll go to the police together.”

“And then your undercover justice will be served.”

“God willing and if you trust me, it will.”

“You’re asking for a lot of trust in a short amount of time. Do your clients trust you from the get-go?”

“They have to. It’s in the contract. Hesitating to follow my orders can mean the difference between life and death.”

“So, are you saying if I choose to stay with you I have to do everything you tell me?” She leaned forward, a challenge sparking in her gorgeous green eyes.

Whoa. Yes, her eyes were passionate, mesmerizing even. But, gorgeous? That moved his initial attraction to an entirely different playing field. Better be careful. Distractions like that could wreak havoc during a protection detail. “I’m saying, in return for your cooperation, I will protect you.” He chose his next words carefully. “But during the heat of the moment my directives are not up for discussion.”

Her gaze held steady, but her face flushed. “I won’t be bossed around or set aside like a fragile doll. I have a vested interest in Aston’s arrest, which makes me an equal partner.”

Slade scraped a hand across the nape of his neck. Again, he admired Skylar’s spunk, but she was in too deep already. “Barnes will try to kill you if he knows you’re still alive. I won’t place you in further danger.”

She lifted a brow. “Since when is that your call?”

“Since you landed in my arms. Desperate and afraid.” He softened his tone, removing the edge. “I promised you everything would be all right, and I fully intend on remaining by your side until it is.”