He’d known going back to Shelby’s place was a bad idea. But he had not anticipated the gunman would be waiting for them. He’d hoped to have enough time to convince Shelby to pack a bag for herself and Eva so they could get out of there.
“I don’t understand,” Shelby whispered as he drove as fast as possible away from her house. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” He took several turns, dividing his attention between the road ahead and watching their six in the rearview mirror. He was glad they were in a gray Jeep, though. His cherry-red truck would have been far too noticeable.
“Mommy?” Eva’s voice was laced with fear. Glancing at her in the rearview mirror, he saw she’d clapped her hands over her ears, orange cracker crumbs staining the blond tresses she’d inherited from her mother.
“It’s okay, we’re fine.” He injected confidence into his tone, even though he had no idea where the threat was coming from.
“Mr. Aiden is going to take us on a little ride,” Shelby added, turning in her seat to smile reassuringly at her daughter. “Won’t that be fun?”
Eva shook her head. “I wanna go home.”
He hated knowing this innocent child was in danger. Shelby too. Once he hit the interstate, he headed south.
“Where are we going?” Shelby asked in a hushed tone.
“The American Lodge. It’s a motel that isn’t too far from the Finnegan homestead.” At her confused look, he clarified. “My family home in Brookland.”
Shelby tossed a worried glance back at her daughter. “Is it necessary to go that far? Brookland is an hour away from our home.”
“Yes.” He tried to soften his tone so she couldn’t accuse him of barking orders. “I’m truly concerned about your safety, Shelby. My oldest brother Rhy is captain of the tactical team. His wife is pregnant, due sometime this month, so I can’t risk bringing danger to their doorstep. But the motel is close enough that Rhy can drive over to talk to us. We need to decide our next steps in figuring out who is behind these shootings.”
She frowned. “Shouldn’t we call the Oshkosh police? Isn’t it their job to investigate crimes?”
It was a good point. “You’re right. It’s important for them to be included. Call and report gunfire at your address. Let them know you and Eva are safe, but that you’re too afraid to return home.”
“Okay.” She quickly made the call. He listened while she described the incident, adding that there had been gunfire at the cemetery too. After listening for a moment, she said, “I understand. We’ll be there soon to make a statement.”
He shook his head as she disconnected from the call. “That’s not happening. We can’t stick around. I’m concerned the gunman will anticipate you showing up at the local precinct.”
She bit her lower lip. “You make it sound like this guy has superpowers or something.”
Or something. “Not superpowers, but he is determined to eliminate you as a threat.” He glanced at her again. “You’re sure you don’t know why?”
She threw up her hands in frustration. “How could I? I’m a fourth-grade schoolteacher. That’s hardly a career that invites violence.”
“Any parents giving you trouble lately?”
She scoffed. “Seriously? You think a parent upset with their son’s or daughter’s grades is going to shoot at me?”
He had to admit it was far-fetched. Then again, she had been targeted by gunfire. Twice. He knew better than most how some people could be irrational and emotionally unstable.
Continuing south on the interstate, he took the next exit. After going a mile or so, he got back on the interstate, keeping an eye on the road behind him to be sure they weren’t followed. Looking back, the black SUV that had braked when he had must have been following them earlier. When he’d gotten off the interstate, they likely continued on, knowing where Shelby lived and reaching the house ahead of them.
When he was finally certain they’d escaped without being tailed, he dug his cell phone from his pocket. His phone wasn’t linked to the Jeep’s computer, so he couldn’t use the hands-free functionality. Using his thumb, he scrolled to Rhy’s name and called his brother, placing the call on speaker.
“What’s up, Aiden?” his brother asked.
“I need a favor.”
“Of course.” As the oldest of nine siblings, his brother Rhy had moved home along with his second oldest brother, Tarin, to hold the family together after they’d lost their parents in a tragic accident eleven years ago. Aiden and his twin Alanna had been seventeen at the time, and their youngest sister, Elly, only fourteen. The entire Finnegan family dedicated themselves to being first responders. “What do you need?”
“I’m with a friend, Shelby, and her three-year-old daughter, Eva. They’re in danger. I’m taking them to the American Lodge, but I’d like you to meet with us to determine next steps.”
“What kind of danger?” Rhy asked with concern. “What’s going on?”
“Two episodes of gunfire. One at her father’s funeral, the other at her home. We may need help with clothes and other items for them too.”
“Maybe you should bring them to the homestead,” Rhy said.
“Nope.” He frowned. “It’s not an option to put Devon and your baby in danger.”
“Yeah, I hear you.” Rhy sounded frustrated. “Okay, I’ll call and get the rooms at the American Lodge squared away. We’ll take care of clothes and other items once you get settled.”
“Thanks, Rhy. We’ll be there in an hour.”
“Got it. Drive safe.” Rhy ended the call.
“I hav’ta go to the bathroom,” Eva announced.
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She was squirming in her car seat, indicating he needed to get off the interstate as quickly as possible. “Okay. Hang on. We’ll get to the bathroom soon.”
Thankfully, there was an exit with both a gas station and truck stop diner. He left the freeway, then drove straight to the gas station.
“I gotta go right now!” Panic underlined Eva’s tone.
He’d barely stopped the SUV when Shelby jumped out and opened Eva’s door. She had the little girl out of the car seat in a flash, hurrying her toward the building. He needed to put gas in the tank but threw the gearshift into park and killed the engine. He slid out of the Jeep and followed them inside, just to be safe.
Standing near the restroom doorway, he could hear Shelby taking care of her daughter. “You can’t always wait until the last minute, sweetie. You need to tell me you have to go ahead of time.”
“I did,” Eva insisted. Aiden found himself smiling at her logic. A minute or two probably seemed like a long time to a three-year-old.
“Okay, let’s wash up. You’re orange from head to toe.”
Several customers walked by, eyeing him curiously as he stood in his dress blues outside the restroom. He made a mental note to have Rhy bring him a change of clothes too. Wearing his formal uniform brought undue attention.
Something he’d rather avoid.
When the bathroom door opened, Shelby looked surprised to see him standing there. He took a step back, then gestured at the store shelves. “Is there anything you’d like to buy?”
She frowned, then shook her head. “Nothing here. My feet are killing me, though.”
“My family will help get us a change of clothes, shoes, and whatever else you need.” He took a step forward. “Two things. I need you to ditch your phone. And to stay behind me at all times. Okay?”
“My phone?”
“It could be tracked.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “Please.”
She huffed but went ahead and powered down her phone, then dropped it into the trash. When they passed a small toy section, Eva grabbed a doll. “I want this one.”
“You have dolls at home,” Shelby reminded her.
“But we can’t go back there yet,” he said in a low voice. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to buy it for her.”
Her scowl indicated she wasn’t thrilled, but she nodded. “Only this once, though. She can’t have everything she wants.”
“Understood.” He’d experienced that with Brady’s son, Caleb. The kid wanted everything in sight, and when he had to choose only one thing between everything the gift shop had to offer, it had taken the six-year-old an unbearably long time to decide on the stuffed penguin. Chosen, no doubt, because of the way the siblings teased Kyleigh’s husband, Bax, calling him Penguin.
He took the doll from Eva and carried it to the counter. He paid in cash, then ushered them out to the Jeep. He took another few minutes to fill the gas tank, then drove back onto the freeway.
In the back seat, Eva talked to her doll. To his surprise, Shelby reached out to rest her hand on his arm. “Thank you. For keeping us safe.”
“Anytime.” He swallowed hard, trying not to read more into her gratitude than he should. Shelby was beautiful, but as his subordinate’s widow, she was way off-limits. And he also knew she wouldn’t be interested in him that way.
Until now, they’d only been acquaintances. After all of this, he hoped she’d at least view him as a friend.
The rest of the trip to Brookland was uneventful. He had not noticed anyone following them, but he had taken a long circular route to the American Lodge motel just in case.
Shelby eyed the two-story white motel curiously but didn’t protest. She lifted Eva out of the car seat and held her hand. “Stay with me.”
“Okay.” Eva held her new doll close as he gestured for mother and daughter to go into the lobby first. He recognized the former firefighter Gary Campbell behind the counter.
“Rhy told me to expect you,” Gary said by way of greeting. “I have two connecting rooms on the ground floor.” He pulled out two key cards and slid them across the counter.
“Thanks, Gary,” Aiden took the keys, handing one to Shelby. “This is Shelby and her daughter, Eva. Shelby, this is Gary Campbell. He’s a former firefighter turned motel owner.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Shelby’s smile appeared strained. No doubt the events of the day were catching up to her. “Thanks for the rooms.”
“Anytime.” Gary waved a hand. “Finnegans and Callahans get a special discount.”
“Callahans?” Shelby echoed in confusion.
“Our cousins.” Aiden waved a hand. “Not important right now. Thanks again, Gary.”
“Anytime,” Gary repeated as they turned to leave.
Their rooms were located toward the end of the lower level. Gary had installed security cameras, and Aiden was grateful for the added layer of safety they’d provide. Not as good as the security system Rhy had installed at the homestead, but better than nothing.
“I think it’s weird that your family gets special rates for a motel,” Shelby said as he unlocked the door to her room. “Especially since you live in the area.”
This probably wasn’t the time to explain how much danger his family had faced over the past year. Not that their jobs as first responders didn’t often put them in the line of fire, but his siblings had faced more than their fair share of danger.
Ironically, it appeared to be his turn to protect someone from danger.
Shelby kicked off her shoes with a soft groan. “I’m never wearing heels again.”
He nodded in sympathy and tugged at his starched collar. “I get it. I can’t wait to get out of this uniform.”
She sighed and plopped down onto the bed. “I feel like I’ve stepped into a nightmare.”
“I understand.” He rested his hand on her shoulder, then glanced over to where Eva was dancing around with her doll. “Give me a few minutes to talk to Rhy, okay? He’ll bring us food and a change of clothes.”
“He has a three-year-old daughter too?” she asked.
“No. You’ll need to make a list of what you’d like with sizes for both you and Eva.” He crossed over to unlock the connecting door. “I’ll give you privacy, but you also need to keep this unlocked in case I need to reach you in a hurry.”
She paled but nodded. “Okay.”
He dropped to his knees beside her. “Hey, try not to worry. I’m sorry you’re going through this, but please know my only goal is to keep you and Eva safe.”
“Safe from what?” Her wide blue eyes clung to his. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Nothing makes sense.”
“I don’t either. But several of my brothers are cops, and Brady is with the FBI. We’ll figure out who’s behind this.”
“Eight siblings, right?” She shook her head. “Emmitt mentioned you had eight siblings.”
“Including a twin sister.” He offered a crooked smile. “The good news is that family is important to us. We’ll all work together to keep you and Eva safe.”
“Okay, thank you.” She appeared to pull herself together. “I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
He patted her knee, then rose to his feet. “Make that list. Things will be better once we’ve eaten and are comfortable.”
She nodded. As he waited, he found himself running through the events in his mind. A shooter had staked out her father’s funeral and then shown up at her house.
He found it difficult to imagine a grade-school teacher making enemies, which had him thinking of her father.
And her deceased husband.
Back when Emmitt had died, there had been some rumblings about the shooting not being an accident. But the army investigator assigned to the case had not agreed. Now that Shelby had been targeted, he couldn’t help wondering if this was related to Emmitt’s death. Or something involving her father.
As far as her dad was concerned, it wasn’t unheard of to make enemies in the armed forces. Even in the National Guard. Yet investigating a sergeant major and a former sergeant would not be easy. He didn’t have access to military personnel records.
Would Brady? He wasn’t sure the FBI could get what they’d need. He blew out a breath. One of these men had created an enemy who felt the need to eliminate Shelby and her daughter.
They just needed to figure out who and why.
A seemingly impossible task.
As much as Shelby didn’t like the idea of Aiden’s family buying her clothing, the thought of wearing the uncomfortable dress shoes for any length of time was enough to have her making the list of things for them to buy. Thankfully, Eva was easy.
“Here.” She thrust the scrap of paper at Aiden. “Tell your brother thanks from me. I’ll pay him back once I’m able to return home.”
“Don’t worry about that.” He took the list, then turned away. “Rhy? We’re at the American Lodge. I’m texting you a list of things we need.”
Shelby turned on the television, grateful to find a station with cartoons. Normally, she limited her daughter’s screen time, but today was an exception to the rule.
Her thoughts returned to her father’s funeral. Leaving so abruptly seemed wrong. Like she wasn’t honoring him in the way he deserved.
Then again, if her dad was still alive, would this even be happening? She honestly didn’t think so.
Turning from the cartoon, she caught Aiden’s intense brown gaze on her. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Why? She had no idea. It wasn’t like her to be so keenly aware of a man.
“Do you and Eva like Italian?” he asked, the phone still to his ear.
“Yes, but make it something simple like spaghetti or pizza. She can be picky sometimes.”
“No problem.” Aiden’s smile softened his features. “Spaghetti is perfect, thanks.”
A minute later, he disconnected from the call. “Stay here for a few minutes. I need to get into my room and unlock the other side of the connecting door.”
“Sure.” She was touched that he’d cared enough to get them two rooms. Emmitt had considered Aiden to be an honorable guy, someone he liked reporting to. After everything that had transpired today, she had to agree.
“I’m hungry,” Eva announced again. “Dolly is hungry too.”
“We’re having spaghetti for dinner.” She sat beside Eva along the end of the bed closest to the television. “One of your favorites.”
“Yum!” Eva smiled as she held up the plastic doll. “Dolly likes spaghetti too.”
She smiled, brushing a strand of Eva’s light-blond hair away from her cheek. Now that the danger was over, her fingers trembled at the near miss. She’d never survive losing her daughter.
Never.
Hugging Eva close, she found herself whispering a silent prayer for the little girl’s safety. Prayers hadn’t come easy over the two years since losing Emmitt. She’d stopped attending church and had claimed she was too busy with her job and raising a small child when some of the parishioners had called to express their concerns over her absence.
She’d tried to attend services after Emmitt’s death. But each time she’d taken her seat in the pew, her eyes would fill with tears. It wasn’t as if Emmitt had always been able to accompany her to church on a regular basis, especially not while he was deployed.
But she’d stopped going just the same.
Glancing down at Eva now, she felt ashamed of how she’d pushed aside her faith.
“Everything okay?” Aiden’s voice startled her from her thoughts. Eva squirmed out of her arms.
How could they be? She was sitting in a motel over an hour from her home because she’d been shot at twice.
As if reading her mind, Aiden came over to sit beside her. “Silly question, I know. But Rhy, Tarin, and Brady are all coming to meet with us. We’ll talk things through and come up with a plan of action.”
“Sounds good.” She forced a smile. “I hope there’s not a quiz. You’ve mentioned Rhy twice, but who exactly are Tarin and Brady?”
“I’ll give you the rundown on the sibs. Rhy is the oldest, he’s married to Devon who is pregnant with their first child. Tarin is a detective with MPD and is married to Joy, who is also pregnant. Brady is an FBI agent, and he’s married to Grace. They have a six-year-old son named Caleb.” He paused, then added, “Kyleigh is a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Deputy, married to ADA Bax Scala. Quinn is with the Coast Guard and married to Sami who is also a cop. Colin is a firefighter and is married to Faye, a doctor in the emergency department at Trinity Medical Center. My twin sister, Alanna, is a nurse at the same hospital; she’s engaged to Reed Carmichael who is also a cop. And finally there’s Elly, the youngest, who is an EMT.”
“Wow. Lots of cops,” she murmured.
“Exactly. Which is why I know we’ll get to the bottom of this.” He gave her a quick hug, then stood. “We’ll eat first.”
Despite the fear and worry, her stomach felt hollow with hunger. Probably because she hadn’t eaten much prior to the funeral.
Aiden’s phone buzzed. After reading the text message, he crossed over to peer through the window. “They’re here.”
The three Finnegan men shared similar facial features to Aiden. Tarin in particular shared the same red hair. She personally thought Aiden was the most handsome of the group, but maybe that was only because he wore his dress uniform.
Stupid to be swayed by a military uniform. After losing Emmitt, she’d vowed to stay far away from those who served in the armed forces. Easy enough to do since she wasn’t ready to date anyway. And being a schoolteacher wasn’t conducive to meeting soldiers.
After Aiden had introduced them, they all crowded into Aiden’s room. He handed her the bag containing their new clothing, so she hurried to the bathroom to change. Aiden did the same, and she sighed in relief to have soft running shoes on her feet and comfy jeans to wear.
She, Eva, and Aiden sat around the small table while the rest of the Finnegans sat along the edge of the bed.
Aiden surprised her by bowing his head to say grace. “Dear Lord, we thank You for this food we are about to eat and for the way You have kept us safe in Your loving care. We ask for Your continued guidance as we take Your chosen path. Amen.”
“Amen,” she whispered.
Aiden’s smile warmed her heart. As they ate, the three Finnegans spoke in low tones. Finally, Brady said, “I tried to dig into the sergeant major’s background. Even as a federal agent, I’m not allowed to have access to his personnel records. I mean, I could request them if there was a reason to suspect suspicious behavior.”
She pierced him with a sharp look. “My father wasn’t involved in anything illegal.”
Brady lifted his hands. “I never said he was. I’m just trying to understand why someone would target you at his funeral and again at your home.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. But maybe you should look at soldiers who left my father’s command under protest. Anyone who may have been dishonorably discharged.”
“That’s an idea,” Aiden admitted.
“It is, but I don’t know that I’ll have access to that intel either,” Brady said.
“I know a guy who transferred from the National Guard to work for army intelligence,” Aiden said thoughtfully. “His name is Tom Mitchell. Maybe he can help us.”
“Call him,” Brady advised.
“We brought you new cell phones and cash too,” Tarin said. He hadn’t said much, making Shelby think he was the quietest one of the bunch. “You’ll want to take precautions from this point forward.”
Aiden nodded. “We used Shelby’s phone in the car, then ditched it at a gas station. We should be safe here.”
“I also brought a spare weapon from the gun safe.” Her eyes widened when Rhy handed Aiden a gun and holster.
“You need to keep that away from Eva,” she said sharply.
“Of course.” Aiden took a moment to strap on the belt holster. “Okay, now that we have the basics covered, what else can we do to find this guy?”
“I’m digging into crimes that involve army service men and women,” Tarin said. “Brady is doing the same but on a federal level.”
“I’ll chip in, too, but Devon is still on bedrest.” Rhy looked apologetic. “She has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, and I have a feeling they’re going to induce her.”
“Since she only has three weeks to go, I think that’s wise,” Aiden said. “Don’t worry, we can always call Kyleigh, Sami, or Reed for backup if needed.”
The way Aiden’s family jumped in to help made Shelby realize maybe there were perks to having so many siblings. She figured Aiden was never lonely.
About an hour later, the Finnegans left. The small motel room was quiet without the three additional men sitting there.
“I should give Eva a bath.” She helped Aiden clear away the mess from their spaghetti dinner. She smiled and added, “Pretty sure she still has fish cracker crumbs in her hair.”
“That’s fine.” Aiden handed her the canvas bag of clothing. “They added some things for Eva. Toys and a change of clothes.”
“Okay, thanks.” She gratefully took the items. “We’ll say good night, then. After Eva’s bath, I’ll put her to bed.”
Aiden nodded. “Good night.”
Oddly, she didn’t want to leave him. Eva loved taking baths, though, so soon she had the little girl clean and dressed in footie pajamas. Perfect for a November night.
Shelby stretched out on the bed beside her daughter. Her mind whirled, but eventually pure exhaustion sucked her in.
It seemed like just a second later when she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard a male voice whispering in her ear, “Wake up. We need to get out of here right now.”
What? She blinked at him through the darkness. His grim expression indicated this was no joke. She wanted to ask more, but he put a finger to his lips, indicating the need for silence.
She shoved her feet into the running shoes, then grabbed her coat. Aiden thrust the bag of clothing into her hands, then gestured to Eva. His gaze asked if she could carry the girl.
With a nod, she looped the strap of the canvas bag over her shoulder, then carefully picked up the sleeping toddler. Eva protested, then snuggled against her.
Aiden drew her close, then edged to the door leading outside as a crack of gunfire shattered the silence of the night.