“That was easier than I expected.”
Shelby walked toward Ryan’s Equinox carrying Chloe, the building that housed ARCpoint Labs behind them.
Ryan nodded. “I’d envisioned needles and lots of tears.”
“Me, too.” But now DNA testing involved a simple saliva test, swabbing the inside of the cheek with what looked like a Q-tip.
After getting the subpoena two days ago, Shelby had done some research. The Seattle area had several options for labs. She’d decided to use ARCpoint because of its glowing reviews. She’d made a good choice.
Ryan pressed the key fob and the locks clicked. After buckling Chloe into her car seat, Shelby slid into the front.
Ryan started the engine. “Are you in a hurry to get back to the diner?”
“Not especially.” Tessa and the other ladies would have everything under control. “Why?”
“What do you say we stop for an early lunch in Bellevue?”
“Sounds good.” Not because she was hungry. They’d had breakfast at the diner right before leaving for Seattle. But the idea of lunch away was too appealing to resist.
During the week since she’d brought Chloe home, she hadn’t gone anywhere except the bank and grocery store. Ryan had put a stop to even that after he was attacked last Thursday night, insisting she not go anywhere without him.
She had to agree. No sense making herself a target more than she already was. But she was getting antsy. She lived in one of the most beautiful areas of the country and couldn’t even get out to enjoy it.
No matter how busy she’d been, she’d always managed to carve out time to be in nature. It was how she recharged. Even sitting for fifteen minutes in the park downtown calmed her thoughts and lifted her spirits.
As Ryan guided his vehicle up the ramp to I-90, Shelby twisted to look at Chloe in the backseat. She was sitting quietly, clutching her stuffed seal. They’d brought it into the lab, planning to try to distract her from anything frightening or unpleasant. They hadn’t even needed it.
Shelby straightened in her seat. “I’m glad we’re not going right back to North Bend. Getting out has been good for Chloe. Other than a handful of trips down to the diner, she’s been cooped up in the apartment since I brought her home.”
Ryan nodded. “I know it’s hard.”
The seriousness in his tone pulled her gaze to his face. Something told her he wasn’t just talking about Chloe. For the second time, he’d seen past the surface to know what she was feeling. With that sensitivity, in addition to his good looks, it was no wonder women lost their heads and hearts around him.
Addy had said he was a ladies’ man. So far, Shelby had seen several sides of him—determined opponent, loving uncle, vigilant protector. But she hadn’t seen the Ryan that Addy described.
Of course, he wouldn’t have any reason to show her that side of him. He likely had his pick of exotic, drop-dead gorgeous women, like those who worked in his father’s clubs.
Women like Mia and Addy.
She drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, getting away has been good for me, too.”
As she stared out the window, she let her gaze slide along the horizon. It was one of those rare clear days without a drop of rain in the forecast and visibility that stretched into the surrounding counties. Mountains rose all around, their craggy forms topped in white, sunshine spilling over their rocky slopes. To the south, one towered high above the others.
She smiled. “We picked the perfect day. Mount Rainier is even out.” As she said the words, pain stabbed through her. Aunt Bea loved the times when rain, mist and clouds didn’t obscure the scenery.
Shelby always missed her aunt, but some moments were worse than others. Like standing alone in the diner before anyone else arrived, as remnants of conversations echoed through her mind. Or driving past her aunt’s church, where Aunt Bea had proudly showed off Shelby to her friends, saying she’d never make it without her niece.
Even the things that hit her out of the blue, like when she’d pass Aunt Bea’s favorite flavored coffee in Safeway and be slapped with the image of her aunt sitting at the table in the apartment, hands wrapped around her steaming mug, Bible open in front of her.
“What do you think of Applebee’s?” Ryan’s words cut into her thoughts.
“Sounds good.”
Ryan exited in Bellevue, where the restaurant was right off the interstate. After he’d pulled into a space, she glanced around the parking lot. Ryan did, too.
It wasn’t necessary. No one knew where they’d gone. Dave Jenkins had stopped at the diner for coffee, then insisted on following them in his cruiser. He hadn’t turned back until he’d trailed them some distance up I-90.
Inside the restaurant, the hostess seated them immediately. At eleven in the morning, more than half of the tables were empty. A young boy sat in a booster seat at the table next to them, a plate of chicken tenders and fries in front of him. He looked to be a little older than Chloe. The adults with him were obviously a couple. They had that glow about them, that I’m-in-love sentiment radiating from them every time they looked at each other.
After the server left with their drink orders, Shelby opened her menu to search for something for Chloe. It was her first time ordering from the child’s menu. Over the next few weeks, she was going to experience a lot of firsts.
She settled on a grilled cheese sandwich and ordered a chicken Caesar salad for herself. When she finished, Chloe was twisted in her high chair, watching the little boy. Shelby followed her gaze. The three people at the next table formed the perfect image of a happy family.
For several moments, she let her gaze linger. That happy-family concept had never been a part of her childhood, even on holidays. Her father ruled the home with an iron fist, critical of everyone, and her mother spent most of her days incapacitated with depression and anxiety.
And Mia had been thinking about moving back in with them.
“You look like you’re deep in thought.”
She shook her head. “I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that Mia had decided to live with our parents.”
But it was true. Shelby had phoned them last night before going to bed, and her mother had confirmed what Addy had said. Mia had called two days before she was killed to say she was moving to Arizona and bringing Chloe with her. Her mother hadn’t mentioned it at Mia’s funeral. Of course, she’d hardly said a handful of words. She’d been almost catatonic, likely on some serious tranquilizers and antidepressants.
Ryan leaned forward, forearms resting on the table. “Maybe when she gave up on having a life with my brother, she figured she’d be better off going somewhere else, making a fresh start.”
“If I wanted to make a new start, the last thing I’d do is move in with my parents.”
“You sound pretty adamant.”
“I am.” She heaved a sigh. “I don’t mean to make it sound horrible. A lot of people had it way worse than I did. My parents weren’t abusive. Not physically, anyway.”
The server approached with two glasses of tea and a small carton of milk. Ryan opened the top, then helped hold it while Chloe took some sips.
When his eyes met Shelby’s, they held understanding. “Emotional and mental abuse can be just as bad.”
She shrugged. “Even that makes it sound worse than it was.” She didn’t want him to think she was broken or something. “I just didn’t have a normal childhood. As long as I can remember, my mom suffered with debilitating depression, so my older sister pretty much raised me.” Shelby frowned. “As a kid, I was sure she hated me. Now I know she resented being tied down and took that frustration out on me.”
“What about your dad?”
“He was just hard on everybody.” Except Mia.
Each of them responded differently. Shelby tried that much harder. Lauren lashed out in anger. And their mom gave up rather than facing what she perceived as her own failures.
“You know how with some people, no matter what you do and how hard you try, you should have somehow done better?”
“I’ve met some of those.”
She nodded. “That’s my dad. Anyhow, Lauren escaped at eighteen, and from then on, I took care of myself and Mia.”
“How old were you?”
“Twelve.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility to place on a twelve-year-old.”
She shrugged. She didn’t want pity any more than she wanted him to think she was broken. “It helped shape me into a responsible adult.”
Their meals arrived, and she steered the conversation toward lighter topics. What had possessed her to spill all that to Ryan, anyway? She was usually more guarded than that. But his way of looking into her soul made anything less than full honesty seem pointless.
When they left the restaurant, it wasn’t even noon yet. Ryan would have plenty of time to take her home and make it back to the base before two.
“Thank you for lunch.” He’d insisted on paying in spite of her objections.
He shifted Chloe to his other hip to retrieve his keys. “It’s the least I could do. If it weren’t for my father, you wouldn’t have had to go out. Besides, I enjoyed it. It was nice getting to know you better.”
The smile he gave her sent a quiver through her insides. She silently scolded herself. Of course, he’d want to know her better. They’d be co-parenting their niece for the next seventeen years—hopefully.
She watched him strap Chloe into her car seat. “I enjoyed it, too. My dinner with Mia and Chloe was going to be my first time out in about six months, unless you count doctor’s appointments.”
He closed the door and straightened. “Your aunt.”
She nodded. During both of her times in North Bend, her life had revolved around Aunt Bea. As a result, she had dozens of acquaintances but no close friends.
She slid into the passenger seat and watched him take his place behind the wheel. “I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t trade one moment with her for all the activities in the world.”
“It sounds like you guys were close.”
“We were. I spent a lot of weekends with her. Sometimes Lauren and Mia came, too, but usually it was just me. Mia was too young to hang around the diner, and Lauren was pretty busy with school and chores. Once Lauren left home, I didn’t get to go as often. But those earlier visits had already shaped my future. At least they helped cancel out some of the damage that living with my dad had done.”
He pulled from the parking lot and made his way toward the I-90 ramp. “I had someone in my life like that, too—my best friend’s father. Weekends with my mom, I always got together with Kyle. My dad forbade the friendship. He was afraid the Gordon family would be a bad influence on me, like I’d go renegade and join the military or something.”
She laughed. “Fortunately for you, his fears were realized.”
“Yeah. Mr. Gordon is the reason I ended up enlisting instead of working in my dad’s clubs.” He accelerated up the ramp and merged with traffic. “So tell me about your aunt.”
She pursed her lips. “I’ve told you a lot about me. Now it’s your turn.”
“Mom and Dad divorced when I was seven. He married Dorothy three years later.”
“So she’s your stepmother.”
He nodded. “A few months after that, my dad started exposing me to the family business.”
Her mouth dropped. “He took a ten-or eleven-year-old to his clubs?”
“Not while they were open. But he did include me in some of his meetings. As far as everything I’ve done with the Navy, it’s either boring or classified.” He grinned. “So tell me about your aunt.”
She heaved a sigh. Their sharing was definitely lopsided. But she could talk about Aunt Bea forever. “She was amazing. Everyone loved her. No matter who she ran into, she always had a kind and encouraging word.”
“She sounds like an awesome lady.”
“She was. We both loved nature, so we did a lot of hiking while she still had the strength. Over the years, we’ve hit all the famous trails around here—Rattlesnake Ledge, Mailbox Peak, Kamikaze Falls, Mount Si, you name it.” She glanced over at him. “Do you enjoy hiking?” She hoped so. It was an activity she planned to do with Chloe when she got old enough.
“I do. Kyle and I did it a lot when we were teenagers and when I would come back here on leave. Until we both got married.”
Married? He wasn’t still married, or he’d have mentioned it. Based on what Addy had said, it was hard to imagine any woman succeeding in getting a ring on his finger.
Ryan continued. “Kyle’s wife loved strenuous outdoor activities, but mine hated them. And she didn’t want me doing anything that took me away from her, which is understandable. Being married to a military guy isn’t easy.”
“How long were you married?”
“Five years. In the six years since we split, I’ve gotten back into hiking. Fortunately, Kyle’s wife and I get along well, so she doesn’t mind me tagging along.”
“Maybe we can make it a foursome. Or a fivesome.” Sadness settled over her. “Aunt Bea would have loved to introduce Chloe to the trails around here. Hiking was one of her favorite activities. She always said that being up on a mountain made her feel closer to God.”
“What about you?”
She gave him a rueful smile. “It made me feel closer to my aunt.”
“I thought you were a church girl. When we first met, you talked about taking Chloe to church.”
“I didn’t say my church. I said my aunt’s.” She frowned over at him. “So are you going to judge me now?”
Though he’d apologized, his initial condemnation was still fresh in her mind. So was the feeling of inferiority it had dredged up. All through her childhood, nothing she’d done was ever good enough. She wasn’t smart like Lauren or pretty like Mia. Driving herself to succeed had boosted her flagging self-esteem but never brought the approval she’d craved from her father.
As an adult, she liked to think she’d overcome all that. She had, except for those rare occasions when she faced circumstances like this. Or perfect people like Ryan.
One side of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. “‘Judge not, lest ye be not judged.’ If I judged you for your lack of church attendance, someone would have to judge me.”
So Ryan’s promise to take Chloe to church was the same as hers—starting something new rather than continuing a long-held habit. For the time being, neither of them had to follow through with their words. Chloe wasn’t leaving the safety of the apartment.
Ryan took the North Bend exit, then navigated the turnabout. When he pulled into the alley, Barry’s Challenger sat next to the Camaro. Addy had apparently taken Shelby’s advice and invited him over. Hopefully she’d had a good enough time to not still be miffed.
Shelby stepped from the SUV and opened the back door. Chloe’s eyes were closed, her mouth slack. The seal was lying in her lap, one of her arms resting across it.
She unclipped the straps and lifted the little girl as gently as possible. Chloe stirred, then lay her head against Shelby’s shoulder with a soft sigh.
Ryan stepped up next to her. “I’ll see you safely inside.”
“Thanks.” At the bottom of the stairs, she shifted Chloe to one hip and gripped the handrail. When she was halfway to the top, a breeze lifted a sheet of paper that was affixed to the door. Her chest tightened.
“Someone was here.” Ryan’s voice came from right behind her.
A sense of vulnerability swept through her, and she scanned the area. The only vehicles at that end of the alley were hers, Ryan’s, Addy’s and Barry’s. From her vantage point several feet above the ground, she could see down the alley and railroad tracks a good distance in both directions. No one was loitering nearby. Unless someone was watching them from the woods.
When she glanced back at Ryan, tension emanated from him. He was wearing a light windbreaker-type jacket. Did he have his weapon underneath?
He nodded toward the door. “Get Chloe into the apartment.”
She stepped onto the landing and jammed the key into the lock, casting uneasy glances at the paper. It was a single page, folded in half, “Shelby” printed across the front. Whatever message the sheet contained was hidden inside.
Maybe someone had tried to make a delivery and couldn’t get Addy to the door. Shelby had contacted a handyman to install the peephole, but it wouldn’t happen until this afternoon. So Addy would have had no way of checking who was there.
No, if the visitor was a delivery person, they would have taken the package to the diner and had someone sign for it there.
When Shelby swung open the door, a high-pitched tone prompted her to enter her code. Addy had armed the alarm. Even though Chloe wasn’t there, it was a good habit to get into. Ryan closed the door behind her, still outside.
Addy swiveled her head. “Everything okay?”
She was on the couch, Barry next to her. He had one arm draped around her shoulders. She’d apparently gotten over her annoyance with him.
“There’s a sheet of paper taped to the door. You guys didn’t hear anything, did you?”
Addy shook her head.
Barry twisted to face Shelby more fully. “There was something taped to the door when I got here.”
“You didn’t mention it.” Addy’s eyes held accusation.
Barry held up both hands. “It had Shelby’s name on it. I don’t mess with people’s mail or personal messages.”
Before Addy could respond, the door swung open, and Ryan stepped inside. “Call the police.”
Shelby tensed at the urgency in his tone. “Did you read it?”
“I lifted it by one corner.”
“What does it say?”
“Paraphrasing? He’s watching. Knows what time we left this morning. Saw Dave follow us out.”
Shelby began to pace. “What’s that telling us that we don’t already know? Addy has seen him twice. You chased him.”
“There’s more. He said someday, there’ll be no one here to protect you.”
His jaw tightened, the muscles working in the side of his face.
“And Chloe might become collateral damage.”
Ryan opened his eyes, then pushed himself into a seated position, stifling a groan.
He’d always been a restless sleeper, shifting positions throughout the night. Since Shelby’s couch was a little less than six feet long and he was an inch over, the flat-on-his-back position was out. So he slept on his right side, legs bent, spine against the cushioned back of the couch. Every morning, he woke up stiff, his shoulder aching and his back muscles tight.
But he’d sleep on a tile floor without a sleeping bag if it meant keeping Shelby and Chloe safe.
The investigation of Wednesday’s note had led nowhere. The security footage had shown someone climb the stairs wearing a ski mask, a bulky jacket and a pair of gloves, affix the paper to the door and hurry back down. Twelve minutes later, Barry had arrived.
No one in the diner had noticed anything. Other than two small frosted windows in the diner’s kitchen, the only windows facing the alley were in the kitchen and dining room upstairs. Addy had been reading to Chloe at the time, sitting on the couch with her back to the door, so she hadn’t seen anything, either.
Evidence was nonexistent—no prints and nothing distinctive about the handwriting. The note was written in block letters, all caps, using a fine-tipped Sharpie.
Ryan rose and crossed the room to peer out the front window. The sun wasn’t up yet. But the streetlights, aided by a half-moon, reflected off a blanket of white. Wednesday they’d enjoyed a day of beautiful weather. Yesterday they’d paid for it with rain that began before lunch and continued through the rest of the day. By evening, it had turned to snow. Now it was Friday, and the temperature was a good twenty degrees colder than it had been just forty-eight hours ago.
He padded carefully toward the bathroom, the only sound the creaking of the wood floors. Since he had to report for duty at seven, he’d have to leave well before daybreak. He’d showered last night, hoping to slip out this morning without disturbing anyone.
After dressing in his camouflage uniform and slipping on the matching cap, he programmed the Keurig for a single cup and took a box of granola from the pantry. The coffee was Shelby’s. The cereal was his, along with the walnuts and banana he added. So far, he’d stopped twice for groceries. Both times Shelby had tried to pay him. Both times he’d told her they’d settle up later. He’d delay “later” as long as possible.
Shelby hadn’t hinted at her financial position, but it had to be shaky. When he’d mentioned life insurance, she’d told him Mia hadn’t had any. He’d never had to pay for a funeral, but he knew they weren’t cheap. Neither were security systems. Or lawyers. Unless she had a nice nest egg accumulated, she had to be hurting.
After pouring a liberal amount of milk over his cereal, then doctoring his coffee with cream, he sat at the kitchen table. Down the hall, a door creaked open.
Great. If it was Addy he’d disturbed, he’d never hear the end of it.
He plunged the utensil into the bowl and brought a generous spoonful to his mouth. If he’d awoken Addy, she’d just have to deal with it. A minimal amount of noise in the morning was a small price to pay for the security he provided.
But it wasn’t Addy who appeared in the doorway a half minute later. Shelby drew to a sudden stop, eyebrows lifting behind a stray curl that had fallen into her face.
“You’re still here.” She ran her fingers through her hair, and a flush crept up her cheeks, as though she’d become suddenly conscious of her appearance.
She had nothing to worry about. She was cute. Her eyes were sleepy, half-shielded by fringed lids. Mussed curls flowed down each side of her face and tumbled over her shoulders.
She moved closer, the legs of her lavender flannel pajamas slightly too long. With each step, they brushed against the floor with a soft shhh. Her toes peeked out, the nails painted a sparkly shade of copper.
“Sorry I woke you.”
“Better me than Addy.” She grinned. “I think she’d just as soon shoot you as look at you.”
That was an understatement. Her hatred was almost palpable. Now he was getting it from two directions. Yesterday, Barry had stopped in for another visit, and several times, Ryan had caught the man staring, eyes narrowed. Barry’s animosity made no sense, but he knew the source of Addy’s.
“You know what they say about a woman scorned.”
“Uh-huh.” She nodded in that way women do when they have inside information. Or think they do.
“Addy’s a major flirt, and she’s not used to being turned down. When she tried it with me, I let her know right away I wasn’t interested.” He spooned some cereal into his mouth.
“Really?”
“You seem surprised.”
She shrugged. “I’d assumed she was one of your conquests who didn’t handle it well when it was time to move on.”
One of his conquests? Where had that come from? “Addy and I never had a relationship. She’s not my type.”
“Who is your type?”
The way she snapped her mouth closed told him she wished she could unask the question that had just slipped out.
He took another bite, chewing slowly. Who was his type? Someone sensitive, unselfish, caring. Someone ambitious but willing to give of herself, strong but flexible enough to adapt to whatever life threw her way.
He’d just mentally described Shelby.
He stabbed the spoon into what was left of his cereal and turned over the contents, stirring them together. The first time he’d learned that Dana had cheated on him, he’d been deployed. For several days, he’d stumbled around in a daze, sure he was going to wake up at any moment and learn it was all a bad dream.
The second time...yeah, he was idiot. He’d taken her back, unable to resist the tears and pleas and apologies. The second time should have been easier. It wasn’t. For months, he’d alternated between wanting to put his fist through something and longing to curl into a fetal position until the pain and anger and self-reproach dissipated. Six years later, the memories still had the power to rattle his world.
He met her gaze. “No one.” No one at all.
She broke eye contact. “The snow has stopped.”
“You looked out the window?”
“A quick peek through the miniblind slats.”
Yeah, the bedrooms had blinds behind the curtains, the only rooms in the apartment that did. But he still didn’t like it. “You need to be careful.”
She rested her elbows on the table, fingers entwined. “If someone wanted to shoot me through the window, they’d do it while I’m in the diner.”
The diner windows had blinds, but during business hours, they were always open. And though Shelby had agreed to remain in the back as much as possible, she still had to interact with her customers.
If his dad was the one behind the threats, firing into a crowded diner wasn’t his style. He’d figure out a way to do it that didn’t involve other people, despite the threat in the note. Robert McConnell’s attacks were always focused. His guys were good at what they did.
As he spooned the last bite of cereal into his mouth, Shelby glanced at the digital clock on the stove, then reached for his empty bowl. “I’ve got this. You need to get going. With the snow, it’ll take longer.”
“Thanks.”
She walked with him to the door, where he punched in the code to disarm the alarm. She’d given it to him last night, knowing he’d be heading out early.
“Drive carefully.”
“I will.” As he twisted the knob, bittersweet memories punched him in the gut. Enjoying conversation over breakfast instead of staring at an empty chair. Acknowledging the wish for a good day, rather than leaving a silent, empty apartment. Getting that hug and kiss goodbye. Even during those times Dana was unfaithful, she’d always been good at pretending.
Instead of giving him a hug and kiss, Shelby wiggled upraised fingers. He waved back, then turned to go down the stairs. The door closed softly behind him, the dead bolt sliding into place a second later. He didn’t have to caution her to lock the door and set the alarm. She was as safety-conscious as he was.
When he reached the ground, he scanned his surroundings. The soft glow of the exterior building lights spilled into the alley. Footprints marred the freshly-fallen snow. Someone had walked up the alley, disappeared between Addy’s Camaro and Shelby’s Town Car, then retraced their steps.
He approached, hand on his weapon. Addy’s Camaro was covered with two inches of snow, Shelby’s Town Car next to it. When he stepped between the vehicles, he skidded to a halt. A four-foot-by-two-foot area near the Town Car’s wheel well had been wiped clean, as if someone had lain down, then moved closer.
Dread slid down his throat, lining his stomach with lead. Someone had tampered with Shelby’s car.
He touched the flashlight app on his phone, then lowered himself to the ground at the front bumper. When he directed the beam toward each wheel, the brake lines looked intact. But a cylindrical object was attached to the frame on the driver’s side. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled away, his legs threatening to collapse. He needed to call the police. But first, he had to alert Shelby.
If what he’d seen was a bomb, it was likely rigged to explode when she started the car or hit the brakes or accelerator. But if it detonated prematurely, it could wipe out the diner. He had to get everyone away from the building. He ran up the stairs two at a time and pounded on the door, shouting for Shelby to open it.
When she did, fear filled her eyes. “What—”
“Get Chloe and Addy. I think someone planted a bomb under your car. We’ve got to get out of here.”
Her eyes grew even rounder, and her jaw went slack.
“Go. Now.”
His command spurred her to action. She spun and disappeared down the hall as he dialed 911. Shelby’s voice reached him, tinged with panic. Addy responded, sleep and confusion slurring her words. Soon Chloe began to cry.
As he finished with the dispatcher, Shelby hurried from the bedroom with Chloe wrapped in a blanket. “There’s no time to get dressed.” She flung the words over her shoulder. “Grab a coat and shoes.”
Shelby shoved Chloe into his arms, then ran back down the hall to disappear into her own room. A minute later, both women met him in the living room, boots accessorizing their pajamas. Shelby took two coats from the rack by the door, handed one to Addy, then returned to pull an afghan from the back of the couch.
After checking his own vehicle, he helped the women inside and drove a block away. The next task was notifying the base. He wouldn’t make it in at seven. Maybe not at all.
By the time the King County bomb squad arrived with their explosives-detection canine, the police had everything in a one-block radius roped off with caution tape.
Addy leaned forward in the backseat. “We need to get Chloe away from North Bend. Let me take her.”
Ryan frowned. “Not an option.” For a lot of reasons.
“You need to quit being stubborn and think about what’s best for Chloe.”
He tamped down his annoyance, resisting the urge to boot Addy from the truck and make her wait outside. She was frustrated, like the rest of them. The feeling of helplessness was getting to them all.
“My parents’ farm is safe. My dad has guns. So do his farm hands.”
The thought of Addy driving Chloe there alone was scary, but the picture she painted was appealing—sprawling fields and pastures, view open for miles, two or three armed men at every building, a mini militia. And Chloe tucked away safely inside the house.
Of course, Addy could be exaggerating. Maybe that protection was nothing more than an old farmer with a .22 and a couple of guys with pellet guns. The truth was probably somewhere between.
But what waited in Idaho was irrelevant. “Custody hasn’t been decided yet. Until the courts sort this out, no one can disappear with her.”
He restarted the engine and put the heater on full blast. Over the next hour and a half, he repeated the action numerous times. With temperatures in the high thirties, the warmth was dissipating within minutes of turning off the truck.
Chloe started to cry again, and Addy tried to soothe her. “I think she’s hungry.”
Ryan checked the clock on the dash. “It’s almost seven thirty. Let’s head over to Twede’s for some breakfast. My treat. It’ll probably be a while before they let anyone cross the perimeter.”
Shelby looked down at her flannel-covered legs. “Addy and I are in our pajamas.”
“You look fine. Button your coat and no one will notice.”
She gave him a get-real look and crossed her arms. She had a point. Twede’s Cafe, featured in the TV series Twin Peaks, did pretty brisk business. She’d be sure to run into people she knew.
“Come on, Shelby. You had a bomb scare at five thirty in the morning. No one expects you to be dressed, makeup on and hair styled.”
She heaved a sigh, worry settling into her features. “This story’s going to spread from one end of town to the other by lunchtime.” She let her head fall back against the seat. “I can handle being closed for the day. But what impact will it have on my future business?”
He reached across the console to squeeze her shoulder. “Don’t you think your customers are loyal enough to return as soon as the caution tape comes down?”
She lifted her brows. “If you knew someone had a bomb planted at their business, would you patronize it?”
He winced. No matter how much people liked Shelby, if they believed affiliating with her would endanger them or their families, they’d go elsewhere.
Chloe cried louder, and Ryan put the Equinox into gear. Whether Shelby wanted to eat or not, he needed to get his niece fed. He pulled into Twede’s parking lot a few minutes later. When the café opened at eight, they were the first ones in. The two women slid into one of the white vinyl booths opposite one another, and Ryan took his place next to Shelby. Chloe sat in a high chair at the end.
When their meals arrived, the little girl dug into her scrambled eggs and toast with gusto. Within twenty minutes, every morsel was gone. Addy and Shelby didn’t do as well with their omelets. They could have shared a meal and still had leftovers.
Their conversation was as subdued as their eating. Finally, Addy rose from the table and walked to the restroom. Shelby stared past him to where people were lined up at the bar on chrome-and-red-vinyl stools.
“We’ll get through this.” He took her hand, which rested on the seat between them.
She entwined her fingers with his and squeezed, as if clinging to a lifeline. “How?”
“I don’t know. But whatever happens, you won’t be facing it alone. They’ll catch whoever’s doing this.”
Her eyes met his, searching for assurances he didn’t know how to give. “I’ve read everything I could find about your father. Police have watched him for years but haven’t caught him in anything.”
“This morning, he got careless, or someone did. He left tracks.”
She pursed her lips. “Anyone who knows my routine knows I don’t go out until after the diner closes. The snow would have melted by then.”
Her gaze shifted, and he turned to see Addy walking toward them. Shelby gave a small tug of her hand. He held on a moment longer, then released her.
By the time they headed back to the diner, law-enforcement officials were removing the caution tape. Ryan waved down the bomb-squad vehicle as it moved through the parking lot, then jumped from the Equinox.
“What did you find?”
“Definitely a bomb, homemade, probably amateur.”
“How was it supposed to detonate?”
“There’s no timer, and it wasn’t wired to the brakes or ignition system. Seems to have a tilt fuse.”
“What’s that?” During his twenty years with the Navy, he’d never dealt with munitions.
“Usually has a mercury switch. One end has the mercury, the other has two electrical contacts linked to a battery and bomb. When it’s tilted, like with the hills around here, the mercury slides down the tube, closes the circuit and...ka-boom!”
Ryan flinched at the last word.
“We’ll have more details in the next few days.”
As the vehicle pulled onto North Bend Way, Ryan stared after it. The expert had said it was homemade. Amateur.
Nothing his father did was amateur. When he set out to kill someone, he succeeded. And his guys were in and out without a trace. His victims didn’t know they’d been targeted until it was too late. If this was his father’s people, heads were going to roll. Robert McConnell didn’t tolerate mistakes.
The bomb-squad vehicle disappeared from view, and Ryan climbed back into the Equinox. Mia had said something was going on at the club and his father became the number-one suspect. But maybe they were looking in the wrong direction.
Whether it was his father, a patron of his club, or someone else entirely, it didn’t matter. Someone had tried to kill Shelby.
Amateur or professional. Skilled or not.
Someone wanted her dead.