“Now that you have your coffee”—Drake pointed at a worn plaid couch—“have a seat and tell me what this is all about.” He tried not to sound demanding, but it came out as an order, and she cringed.
Great. Nice way to start.
She glanced up at the loft, likely checking on the kids, making sure they couldn’t hear. Admirable. But he wished she would just come out with whatever had happened.
He also wished he wasn’t distracted by her disheveled state even more than the put-together woman he’d first laid eyes on. Her hair was messed up with curls that had somehow come to life. Her suit was rumpled, her makeup streaked. She looked so different. More approachable. More attractive.
Just what he needed. “Let’s get started.”
She headed to the couch that had been in his parents’ basement rec room for years. The stories it could tell.
She sat near a pile of colorful blankets knitted by his mother and wrapped her fingers around the mug. She took a sip of the coffee and didn’t gag. Most people did with as strong as he made it. More brownie points in her favor.
She rested the mug on the arm of the couch. “Before we start can you tell me if you’ve heard anything about Kirk?”
“All I know is that he didn’t answer the door and nothing from Malone yet. So go ahead and tell me what happened at the house.”
She gave a sharp nod. “While I was babysitting, I discovered some very disturbing things in Kirk’s basement. I’m certain now that he’s The Clipper.”
“The serial killer?” Drake’s words shot out and up an octave.
“Shh.” She spun to look up the steps. “The children will hear you.”
Shh? Seriously. How could he pipe down when she’d just told him Kirk Gentry was The Clipper? The Clipper, for Pete’s sake! Made him one seriously bad dude.
“Erik did a preliminary search on the guy, and he seems like an upstanding citizen, but appearances can be deceiving.” He’d seen it often enough as a deputy. People who seemed on the up-and-up aided and abetted fugitives all the time, often lying right to his face. He’d lived it though, that trusting people came hard to him.
He took a beat to internalize her news. “Why do you think that?”
She started to reach for her purse, then dropped her hand. “I forgot I trashed my phone. I took pictures at Kirk’s house that’ll explain everything. They’re in my iCloud account. Do you have a way to access the internet without giving away our location?”
He gaped at her. “You took pictures?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“There you were thinking Gentry was The Clipper, and you calmly took pictures. Seriously? Takes a lot of courage to stay cool enough to snap photos in a situation like that.”
“Trust me, I was far from calm, but I knew without concrete information the police wouldn’t take action. But I needed proof, so they didn’t laugh at me again.”
“Again?”
“Long story.” She tried to wave off her concern, but a hue of unease darkened eyes that, in the glow of the flames, he could see were ringed in black. “About that internet access.”
Okay, subject change. Not so subtle either. What was she withholding from him? Or was it really nothing and she was just still shaken from the whole night? What person wouldn’t be? Shoot. This discovery was unsettling him. Would unsettle his brothers, too, when they heard.
If she was right. Big if. Huge if.
He grabbed his iPad from the table. “Use this. We have an encrypted VPN, so the connection is secure.”
“VPN?” She took the iPad and blinked up at him.
“Virtual Private Network,” he said. “Our internet connections are routed through a virtually untraceable connection. We’ll use emails via the VPN to communicate with the outside world.”
“Why can’t you make an internet call on that same VPN thing? I mean, I know you can use the internet to make calls,” she added. “And you have the VPN, so I figured a call from here wouldn’t be tracked.”
“What you’re talking about is Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP, and you’re right. These calls are hard to trace, but companies who own the app used to make the calls are allowing law enforcement access to call data. If that’s true, then an officer like Gentry could potentially access the data too.”
“I thought burner phones were safe?”
He shook his head. “No call is completely untraceable especially since we’re dealing with a cop. I have a fresh phone, and it would take Gentry a long time and a lot of luck to trace the calls. But since there is even a chance, I won’t risk making a call from here unless it’s a life or death situation.”
“Thanks for explaining.” She flipped open the iPad case and held it so tightly her fingertips turned white.
He wanted to do something to help her let go of her fear, but that was going to be up to her. She’d have to trust him and his brothers to keep her safe, and that would take time as she got to know them.
She tapped the screen with her free hand, her tongue peeking out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. She looked like an adorable kitten, and the cute sight belied the rigid set to her shoulders.
She took a sharp breath and looked up. “Kirk’s wife went missing about a month ago. He said she took off, didn’t want to be a mother and wife anymore. But I always got the feeling that something bad happened to her, and he was involved.”
She paused and took a long sip of the coffee. “So tonight, when I was putting Willow to bed, I had a creepy conversation with her about her father polishing her nails. From there she revealed the fact that he hid their basement by installing a bookcase where the door was once located.”
Okay, weird. “So you went into this basement?”
She nodded, her eyes tortured. “And I found the belongings that he reported his wife as having with her when she disappeared. Here’s a picture of her things.” She handed him the tablet.
The picture on the screen was of a large wooden shelf. It held a pink tote bag with the name Tracey embroidered in the canvas, a small purse in some designer fabric he couldn’t name, and a blue rain jacket.
Drake met Natalie’s gaze. “So it looks like she might not have taken off. Could even mean Gentry killed her, but that’s not as extreme as being a serial killer.”
Natalie set down her mug, and a hint of coconut rose up to greet him.
“I also found this.” She swiped to the right on the iPad and looked up at him.
The next photo she revealed displayed a multi-compartment storage case similar to the one where he stored screws and other small fasteners out in his workshop. It was sitting on a crowded workbench. The drawers were pulled out, and each drawer held a bottle of nail polish, all different shades.
“They’re in order of the colors used on the women The Clipper murdered,” she said, her tone flat and emotionless as she dropped back down to the couch.
What in the world? Could she be right? Was this guy The Clipper?
Drake could hardly wrap his head around the idea, but he called up what he knew of the investigation. The nail polish details hadn’t been in the news. Of that, he was certain. He and his brothers had been following the case closely. Very closely, as it was the biggest investigation to ever hit Portland, and each of them wanted to be in on it.
How could a social worker possess this information?
He watched her, waiting for any sign of duplicity, but didn’t see any deceit in her eyes. “How do you know the order?”
“I overheard it. I didn’t mean to listen but…” She shrugged. “I was in a PPB detective’s office to talk about one of my children they’d arrested. He’s one of the detectives on The Clipper task force. He got a phone call and stepped into the hallway to take it. But he didn’t close the door all the way as he discussed the list of colors.” She rubbed her forehead. “He doesn’t know I heard him, and I haven’t told anyone other than you and Malone.”
That detective should’ve been more careful, and Natalie shouldn’t have listened, but Drake would’ve likely done the same thing.
“And you’re sure this is the correct order?” Or are you wanting it to be? Want to be one of those people who attach themselves to a famous investigation?
“Positive.” The single word rang out in the room, and she glanced up at the stairs.
Her adamant tone spoke to something deeper. Maybe as a female, she was empathizing more with the victims than he could. Or it could just be because she knew Gentry and now suspected him of heinous crimes.
Either way, Drake believed her and believed that he was now looking at protecting her from a man who’d killed four women and maybe his wife too. A serial killer who a major joint agency task force that included highly respected FBI agents had been working hard to find and had struck out. A seriously bad dude.
This news changed things. Everything.
Drake needed time to plan, but one thing was clear. Crystal clear. There might be a task force investigating The Clipper, but they wouldn’t have the resources to protect Natalie and the kids, and Drake and Erik alone couldn’t keep them safe from a cunning killer. They needed their brothers on the job.
He started pacing. Thinking. On one of his trips past the couch, he stopped to look at Natalie. She peered up at him, those unusual eyes boring into him. Into every emotion he was feeling right now and intensifying them.
His phone signaled an email, and he grabbed it from his pocket to see a message from Malone. “Excellent. Malone is working with Detective Londyn Steele. She’s one of the members of the inter-agency task force hunting down The Clipper.”
“I’ve worked with her before. Seems like you think it’s a good thing Malone called her.”
“She’s an excellent detective. Tough but fair. My parents have been friends with her family for years. They own Steele Guardians and provide security guards for businesses in the area.”
“Does she say if Kirk is in custody?”
“No, but she wants to interview you ASAP.”
“Perfect.”
Was it so perfect? “One thing you should think about. There’s a chance you could be arrested for kidnapping.”
“I don’t care.” Ferocity blazed in her eyes. “If Kirk’s The Clipper or he killed his wife, he has to be stopped no matter what happens to me. Let me get my shoes so I’m ready to go.”
She jumped to her feet. “Wait. The children. We can’t take them with us.”
“Erik can’t babysit and protect them at the same time,” Drake said.
She glanced up the stairs. “Maybe Londyn should come here.”
“Too risky. We’ll get my family out here. My parents can watch the kids.”
“Now?” Natalie asked. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Detectives don’t sleep when they are hunting a serial killer.” He riveted in on her gaze and widened his stance. “From this moment forward until Gentry is behind bars, no matter the time—day or night—we’ll be here to protect you and the kids. That goes not only for me, but for my brothers too. Once I share your situation, they’ll hightail it out here.”
“I understand calling your brothers. You all do this for a living. But your parents? I can’t impose on them too.”
“Trust me.” He almost laughed at the thought of the conversation with his mother. “My mom will be glad to be needed. And my dad is former law enforcement, so he understands. He’ll want to get in on the action if he can.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.” He tapped the email account for his oldest brother Aiden and offered a prayer. For the kids’ safety. For Natalie’s safety. For the ability to protect them, and for the skills to outsmart a very cunning killer.
Overwhelmed. That was the only word Natalie could use to describe her emotions several hours later as she stared across the loft at the sleeping children. She’d been close to losing it since her discoveries in the basement, and she was barely clinging to sanity now.
Instead of melting down while they waited for the Byrd family to arrive, Natalie had come up here to check on the children. She was pleased to see all three were fast asleep, and the loft was nice and warm from the fireplace.
She reached for her shoes and sat down on the empty bed to slip her aching feet into them. And then she did what she should’ve done from the moment Willow had told her about polishing her nails.
Prayed. Enthusiastically. Almost desperately.
“Why, Father?” she whispered but didn’t expect an answer. She’d learned over the years that God didn’t often explain, and she really didn’t need to know the whys. She just needed to know it was. To see what was happening. Find out His purpose. Find out what His plans were and carry them out.
In this case, she wanted to understand His purpose in bringing her together with the children, and with Drake and his family.
This situation was so different for her. She was a loner. She only needed God in her life, and things were just the way she wanted them. A cute townhouse, small and efficient so it didn’t take much time to clean. It left her more time for her huge caseload. Her clients needed other people. They needed her, but it was a one-way street. Her mother had almost obliterated the need for love or companionship in Natalie’s life. Then Gina’s murder erased that need, and Natalie vowed never to love again. No point. It always ended up in agonizing pain.
She glanced at Willow’s little freckled face. At Sadie’s button nose. At Logan’s plump cheeks. God’s creations, all of them. They needed each other. They needed parents. She knew that. Felt it even. And if their father was a killer, it was her job to find someone to love these children, give them companionship and care. They needed to know someone cared if they lived or died.
Natalie would find it for them, and in the meantime, she would protect them. With every fiber of her being, she would be their staunchest advocate.
Feeling more resolved, motivated, and dedicated, she tiptoed to the door and closed it firmly behind her.
Deep male voices carried up the steps. Drake shushed the guys, and they lowered their voices. She looked over the railing to see a golden lab sitting at attention at Drake’s feet and two broad-shouldered guys shedding windbreakers, both with dark hair and features resembling Drake.
Buff. Handsome. Drake’s older brothers. Seeing them all together, the confidence they exuded, she had to swallow. If these strapping guys couldn’t keep her and the children safe, no one could.
She took a breath and started down the stairs. All gazes pinned to her, and the conversation stopped.
Her stomach tightened. Were they talking about something they didn’t want her to hear? Was it about her? About the children? Did they discover something on the internet? Like maybe that The Clipper had killed her sister, and Natalie had withheld that info from them.
Gina was married and had taken her husband’s last name. Not that Natalie ever saw him. He didn’t like how Natalie wouldn’t let Gina’s death go. He’d moved on. Too quickly for Natalie’s liking. Still, connections between Natalie and Gina could be found. Natalie knew that for certain as she’d found them while searching for information on Gina’s killer.
And these looks directed her way. Wow. The intensity was almost frightening, and her steps faltered.
No. She wouldn’t let them intimidate her. She’d just sworn to take care of these children and find them the life they deserved. Plus, she’d vowed years ago to find her sister’s killer. She wouldn’t let a few intense guys stand in her way, no matter what they’d found. No matter what they thought of her.
She ran her gaze over the men, making sure they knew that she wasn’t daunted. They all wore what must be their work uniform of a black polo shirt with the team’s logo on their chest and the cargo kind of pants that she’d seen police officers wear.
Drake knelt by the dog and patted his head. “Erik’s dog, Pong. He’s an electronics sniffer dog.”
“A what?” she asked.
“He sniffs out hidden electronics like flash drives and memory cards that can otherwise be missed in a search.”
“Interesting.”
“Plus, he’s just a fun guy to have around. The kids might like him.” Drake smiled lovingly at the dog and ruffled his fur, leaving it sticking up at odd angles. “And he’s great at alerting us to unwanted visitors.” Drake looked up at her. “These are my other brothers, in case you haven’t figured that out. Erik’s standing watch out at the road.”
She stepped to the closest guy and shoved out her hand. “Natalie Dunn.”
“Brendan Byrd.” He smiled, looking very much like an older version of Drake. He clasped her hand tightly and gave it a vigorous shake.
She tried not to wince and looked at the other guy, Aiden, and mentally put the brothers in alphabetical order.
“C is missing,” she said.
“That would be Clay,” Aiden said. “He’s keeping tabs on Gentry.”
“So she knows, huh?” Drake looked at her. “Erik tell you?”
“About your order? Yeah. It’s cute.” She smiled at them.
They groaned.
“From a naming point of view,” she added. “It would make my job so much easier to keep children’s names straight if all parents did that.”
“But not from a living with it point of view.” Drake focused on Aiden. “Are Mom and Dad on the way?”
“Should be pulling up any minute.”
“Mom has agreed to keep an eye on the kids, so we can head to an interview with Malone and Londyn Steele.”
“You worried about legal blowback?” Brendan asked. “I mean, inviting Malone to the meeting and all.”
“I was just going to ask the same thing,” Natalie said, as this was the first she was hearing of it.
Drake returned his focus to her. “You may not care what happens to you right now, but you could later on. So I thought it would be good to have Malone sit in on the meeting.”
“Thank you,” she said, touched that he was thinking of her. She interacted with a lot of people in her job, and it was rare to find selfless people. Several of her fellow social workers and Malone were an exception to that, and now it appeared as if Drake and maybe his family were too.
“And us?” Aiden asked. “What do you want us to do?”
“Protection detail for the kids, of course,” Drake said. “And get started brainstorming a plan of action so when we get back, we can hit the ground running. Not only do we need to protect Natalie and the kids, but it appears as if Gentry somehow escaped the police, and we’re going to need to find him.”
“He what?” Natalie swallowed to control her fear.
“Didn’t Clay have eyes on the guy?” Aiden asked.
Drake nodded. “He says Gentry was moving around in the house until the police arrived, so Clay doesn’t know how the guy disappeared, but he did.”
Brendan drew in a deep breath. “Out the back, I suppose.”
“I’m sure we’ll learn more when we meet with Londyn.” Drake changed his focus to Natalie. “We’ll get going the minute Mom and Dad arrive. I’ve arranged to meet at the Veritas Center.”
“The lab?” Natalie asked. “Why there?”
“We office out of the center, and the building is as secure as a fortress,” Drake said. “Top-of-the-line security system and an armed guard at all times.”
“Couldn’t we just meet Londyn at the police station?” Natalie asked.
“If Gentry thinks you’re a witness to the evidence you found in his basement, he might head over there,” Drake said.
“Oh, right.” She needed to stop questioning these professionals, who obviously knew what they were doing. “I didn’t think of that.”
“That’s why you pay us the big bucks.” Brendan grinned.
“Oh, payment.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “I’m so embarrassed. Here I am thinking you’ll take care of us, and I didn’t even think to ask for your continued help or consider your payment.”
Drake waved his hand. “We’ll do this pro bono.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.” She ran her gaze over the group.
“We’re glad to do it, right guys?” Aiden asked.
The others didn’t hesitate but nodded.
“But I—”
“Hey,” Brendan said, a smile forming. “Think of it this way. We get to be involved in hunting down an elusive serial killer. None of us got to do that in law enforcement. As much as we hate what the guy’s done, it’ll be exciting to be involved in bringing the creep to justice.”
“Exciting isn’t the word I’d use.” Drake frowned at his older brother.
“Okay fine. A challenge.”
“Better,” Drake said.
“Then thank you.” Natalie smiled at the men. “Let me know if I can repay you in any other way.”
“Honestly, the best way to repay us is to do what we tell you to do.” Drake stepped closer to her. “Not question anything we ask, but just act. If indeed we are dealing with The Clipper, then we have a very cunning adversary, and everyone needs to be alert at all times.”
She nodded and then thought about the meeting he planned to hold when they returned. “I don’t mean to be questioning your decisions right off the bat, but if we meet in here, the children might overhear.”
“I have a heated workshop,” Drake said. “We’ll use that space.”
“I brought some whiteboards and lights.” Brendan tipped his head at the door.
“Great,” Drake said. “Someone get them set up.”
Aiden arched an eyebrow. “Make me a cup of coffee while I unload, and I’m glad to do it.”
“Sure thing.” Drake faced Brendan. “And if you’d relieve Erik at the road so he can continue his deep dive on Gentry and his wife, that would be great.”
“Offer me the same deal,” Brendan said, sounding a bit more laid back. “But none of that spoon-stands-up-in-the-mug kind of coffee you like to drink. Make it palatable.”
Drake mocked offense. “You guys just don’t know how coffee’s supposed to taste.”
“We don’t need the extra caffeine you crave.” Brendan zipped up his jacket and headed for the door. He and Aiden exited like a strong hurricane wind.
She was blessed that Malone knew these men. They seemed capable and willing to protect her and the children. Even so, she would still remain involved in her own and the children’s safety and in bringing Kirk to justice. She couldn’t leave everything up to them. Especially since her sister was The Clipper’s first victim, and Natalie had a personal interest in seeing this man locked behind bars for the rest of his life.