The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Heath started the coffee. He stretched, feeling the muscles pull in his lower back. Camilla had taken the main bedroom, and he’d ended up on the couch, since the second bedroom was a kid’s room for Ranger and Sarah’s daughter. He’d gotten spoiled having a comfy bed to come home to most nights in his apartment in Arlington, or maybe he was too old to be sleeping on a lumpy sofa.
He’d tossed and turned most of the night; his brain wouldn’t shut down. The pressing thought of who was after Camilla repeated itself over and over, yet he couldn’t find any rhyme or reason for someone to be after her. From everything she had told him, and from what Officer Dandridge was able to piece together, there wasn’t a single reason anybody would try to hurt her, much less take her life.
Heath was good at puzzles. Enjoyed figuring out the intricacies and details of piecing clues together, determining where each piece went until he could view the entire picture with clarity. Except this particular puzzle seemed to have a whole lot of missing components, and until he figured out where the individual pieces interlocked, he couldn’t determine what the whole picture was, and it drove him crazy.
He leaned his shoulder against the exposed brick by the large window, and watched the skyline as dawn painted the sky with vivid hues, and drew in a ragged breath. It wouldn’t be long before he’d have to wake Camilla, and hit the road for Shiloh Springs. Besides, it was his fault. He’d been so wrapped up in Cam, he’d forgotten about confiscating her phone. It was a stupid rookie mistake; one he prayed wouldn’t cost them.
“Heath?”
Turning, he spotted Camilla standing at the end of the hall, dressed in a pretty feminine sleepshirt with lace edging along her collarbones, the deep blue color highlighting her tousled blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. She looked like she’d just tumbled out of bed after a night in the arms of a lover, sleepy eyed and still gorgeous, and sweetly innocent wrapped in a decadent package. Darn, if he didn’t wish he could sweep her off her feet and carry her back to bed.
“Morning, sunshine. Hope you got a good night’s sleep, because we’re hitting the road soon.”
“Not without coffee. If you want me awake enough to function, I’m gonna need a large infusion of caffeine.”
He smiled. “It should be ready any time. You want breakfast?”
“Ugh, no. I can’t eat first thing when I wake up. Coffee and e-mails are my morning routine. I don’t mind if you want something though.”
“I only eat breakfast when I’m in Shiloh Springs, and that’s only because Momma would have a conniption fit if I tried to leave the house without fueling up. I’m more of a grab a large coffee and a doughnut on the way to work kind of guy.”
She sauntered past him into the kitchen, and reached up into the cupboard, exposing a long length of sexy leg, and Heath swallowed past the lump in his throat. This was why he’d avoided spending any time with her. The pull the woman had on him was inexplicable. He’d dated his fair share before and after he’d left Texas. Shoot, probably more than his share, if he was honest. He wasn’t a hound dog, but he loved women. A little feminine company helped make being away from home tolerable. Yet not a single one of them made him feel the way Camilla did with a simple smile or the touch of her hand in his.
He was a goner, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. Fighting the attraction hadn’t worked. Goodness knows he’d tried. Distance only made things harder. His daddy told him long ago when he met the right woman, he’d know it immediately, like being struck by lightning, instantaneous and no denying it. Maybe he should have listened to his old man, because fighting the overwhelming need to be with Camilla hadn’t worked. Every single day since he’d met her at the Big House, he’d done his darnedest to keep her from getting under his skin.
Now he knew better, because she’d burrowed straight into his heart, and he wasn’t fighting it anymore.
She pulled two coffee mugs out, sat them next to the coffeemaker, and began searching for the sugar bowl. Heath had noted she liked her coffee on the sweet side, and heard her sigh of relief as she found it. Picking the coffee pot up, she filled the two cups and handed him one. After adding several spoons of sweetener to hers, she leaned her hip against the counter and took a long swallow.
“We’ve got time for a shower if you want one before we leave. Uncle Gator dropped off a car for us last night. It’ll get us to Shiloh Springs and should be untraceable. It’s one of the undercover cars Carpenter Security uses for stakeouts, so it’s rather unremarkable in appearance, but he assures me the engine can fly.”
“Your family seems to be good at overcoming pretty insurmountable obstacles without breaking a sweat. I still have nightmares about Evan kidnapping Jamie, yet all the Boudreaus rallied around, came up with a plan to get her back, and implemented everything perfectly. Must be a family trait.”
“We’ve had a lot of experience overcoming some insurmountable obstacles. But we’ve had some mighty fine living examples. Uncle Gator raised his four sons and his daughter with the same morals and integrity that Douglas and Ms. Patti taught us. Our Uncle Hank taught his family, too. Having those things ingrained into our everyday life, seeing those living examples being true to their teachings, it changes you in fundamental ways. Maybe someday I’ll tell you how much living with Dad and Momma changed me.”
“I’d like that.”
He couldn’t help watching the way she kept glancing his way through half-lowered lids, or the sweet blush that stained her cheeks. As much as they needed to hit the road, he wished they had another day or two, maybe get to spend some quiet time simply talking and getting to know each other. Instead, it seemed every minute since she’d been shot had been packed with a frenetic mishmash of activity.
When he looked at her arm, he noted the bandage was missing. The area where the bullet had grazed her skin looked fine. A little pink along the edges, but that was to be expected with a traumatic injury. The larger bandage on her forehead had been replaced with a Band-Aid, the color blending into her skin tone and making it almost disappear from a distance.
“How’s your arm feeling? The stitches giving you any problems?”
Camilla glanced over at her arm, frowning. “It’s okay. A little stiff when I got up, but overall, nothing I can’t handle. And before you ask, yes, I’m taking my antibiotics.”
“What about the pain med? Do you need it?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t bother me enough to need it.”
Heath’s phone rang, and he walked over to the coffee table in front of the sofa where he’d laid it, looking at the caller ID. “I need to take this.”
“I’ll go and grab a shower and get dressed.” She carried her coffee cup with her down the hall and Heath watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked away and sighed before answering the call.
“Hey, bro. What’s up?”
“Me, that’s what’s up at this ungodly hour. Do you know what time it is in Portland?” Shiloh’s aggravated tone had Heath smiling. His brother wasn’t known for being Mr. Bright and Chipper first thing in the morning.
“Yes, I know what time it is in Portland. Why are you calling me this early?”
Shiloh’s sigh was audible over the phone. “I’m frustrated and need to vent. I swear, it’s like Renee’s taunting me, begging me to catch her. Every time I get close, her trail vanishes like a bloody puff of smoke. It’s almost like she’s psychic, because I don’t know how she figures out when I get close.”
“Maybe she is.”
“Is what?”
Heath chuckled at his brother’s aggravated tone. “Maybe she is psychic. And before you start, yep, I know ninety-nine percent of those claiming some kind of ability are charlatans and frauds. But I’ve met one or two people who have a genuine gift. Remember the woman Uncle Gator told us about here in New Orleans? The one who’s married to the private investigator? She’s the real deal.
“Whoa, wait a second. Did you say here in New Orleans? What are you doing there, bro?”
“Have you talked to the folks recently?”
“No. I’ve been up here running around like an idiot, trying to catch up to Renee or Elizabeth. It’s hard to keep the name straight. I’ve got the feeling she’s going to be bolting soon, leaving the city. Probably changing her name again. Why?”
Heath breathed in a deep breath before answering. “Camilla’s gotten herself in a bit of a bind, and I’m playing bodyguard. And before you ask, no, I don’t need you to come and help. I’ve got things covered. We’re on our way to Shiloh Springs, just taking a bit of a circuitous route.”
There was a long moment of silence before Shiloh asked, “What kind of trouble are we talking about? I can do some digging from this end. I’ve got my computer and my contacts, all at your disposal, if you need me.”
The corners of Heath’s lips tilted upward. He wasn’t surprised by his brother’s offer of help. Pretty much every single one of his brothers offered their assistance before he’d caught the plane to North Carolina. Even Nica had offered to drop everything and go with him, assuring him she wouldn’t have any problem missing a few classes.
I really love my family.
“Thanks, but you concentrate on finding Renee. We’ve looked for her for so long, and this is the first time anybody’s gotten this close. Focus on bringing her home. I can handle Camilla.”
He heard an outraged harrumph behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see Camilla standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. Great, now he’d have to explain his comment. Though at the twinkle in her eyes, maybe he wouldn’t.
“You sure?”
“We’re heading for the Big House in a few minutes. Uncle Gator loaned us one of Carpenter’s undercover cars, so we shouldn’t catch a tail. Once we hit Shiloh Springs, I’m betting the family circles the wagons and nobody’s getting past them to take another shot at her.”
“Wait, somebody shot at Camilla? I thought when you said you were playing bodyguard, you meant simply doing babysitting duty, chauffeuring her around, trying to gain a few brownie points with your gal. Truthfully, bro, how serious is this?”
Heath scratched his chin, felt the raspy growth, and wondered if he had time for a shave before they headed out. “Don’t know yet. Somebody took a shot at her outside her townhouse. Bullet scraped her arm, and a possible second one tore a groove in her forehead. Brought her home from the hospital and found a rattler in her bed.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Heath watched Camilla pour another cup of coffee and add a ton of sugar, turn and give him a wink, before sitting on one of the dining chairs. She seemed to be handling everything pretty well this morning, all things considered, he mused.
“Are you even listening to me?” Shiloh’s voice was filled with amusement. “Or did Camilla walk into the room and your tongue’s hanging on the floor?”
“Yes, yes, and yes. Call me if you find anything about Renee or if you need me.”
“I will. I’m only a call away if things get hairy.”
Heath chuckled at Shiloh’s lack of a goodbye. He’d bet his mind was already on his hunt for their brother’s sister, though he’d always thought of Renee as his sister too, even though they’d never met.
“Who’s Renee?” Camilla’s sweet smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, and Heath had the fleeting impression she was jealous. Yeah, right.
“Renee is Lucas’ younger sister. They were separated when they were kids and put into the foster care system. We’ve been looking for her for a long time. Finally got a promising lead. Shiloh’s on the west coast, in Portland, following up to see if we might be able to reunite them.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s a long time to be looking for one person.”
He nodded and stood, walking into the kitchen and refilling his cup. “She’s family.”
“Wouldn’t the state have records? Once children go into the foster system, they are required to keep meticulous records on every move that child makes, until they’re eighteen. I did a lot of research on this for a book. Unfortunately, there are kids that fall through the cracks, some are runaways, others end up in the grasp of human traffickers or drugs. But she couldn’t just fall off the face of the earth.”
“All the records are gone. Nothing in the state’s database. Zilch. Ditto on any paper records. The office where her case was handled for the first couple of years burned to the ground in the midst of their files being transferred into the computer system. Lucas was told there was a backlog of paperwork, but I think that’s a crock. I think it’s a little too coincidental. Sometimes a coincidence is a coincidence, and sometimes it’s somebody having something to hide.”
Camilla took a sip of her coffee, staring into space, and he wondered what she was thinking. She had a sharp brain and intelligence to spare. He loved her mind and her creativity. During the night, he’d downloaded one of her books and read it, unable to put it down once he started. That was the other reason, besides the cramped sofa, he hadn’t slept. The way she made every scene come alive intrigued him, and the emotion shared between the hero and heroine was hot and steamy.
“Any idea if she got adopted? Or did she remain in foster care?”
Heath shook his head. “We haven’t found any adoption records filed in Texas or anywhere else. Lucas has been searching for years. Ever clue he gets, it’s like one step forward and two steps back. With some help from Dad’s army buddies, there was a lead in Cincinnati. By the time he got there, she’d ghosted.”
“That’s awful. My heart’s breaking for him. I can’t imagine knowing you have a sibling out in the world somewhere, somebody you love, and having no way to contact them.”
“It’s the reason Lucas never changed his last name, on the off chance Renee might be looking for him. He’s a Boudreau in every way that matters, and Momma and Dad fully agreed with his decision.” Heath took a drink of his coffee before continuing. “It was a fluke how we got the lead on Renee, or Elizabeth. That was the name she used in Cincinnati. Personally, I think she had to get out of town so fast she never had the chance to change her ID, so she’s using the same name in Portland.”
“What happened?”
“I got assigned a newbie with the agency. Young buck who’d transferred in from Portland, Oregon. Working a stakeout and shooting the bull when he mentioned this girl he’d been seeing before he got transferred to Virginia. She’d moved into the apartment building where he lived, and they’d talked a bit. I felt like I’d been hit by an eighteen-wheeler when he mentioned the girl’s name.”
Camilla’s eyes lit up at this attempt at humor. “Lemme guess, Elizabeth.”
“Ding, ding, ding. Give the girl a prize. Same first and last name. Description matched. Chuck even had a picture, one of her working out in the building’s gym. She looks like Lucas. It can’t be a coincidence. Same auburn hair, same features. Unless Renee has a doppelgänger, it’s her.”
Camilla’s eyes widened. “Shoot. If you didn’t have to babysit me, you’d be in Portland right now, wouldn’t you?”
“Stop. I’m exactly where I want to be. Lucas couldn’t leave. Shiloh volunteered to check into the tip, see if it’s really her.” Heath chuckled and leaned back in the chair, linking his hands on his stomach. “She’s giving him fits, running him ragged. He plans on questioning her as soon as he can pin her down in one place long enough. Better happen sooner rather than later because he feels she’s about to bolt.”
“I hope he finds out it’s really her. Beth told me Lucas and Jill are finally together. It would be awesome if he reunited with his long-lost sister, too.”
Heath smiled at the wistful tone in her voice. “I love seeing my brother so happy. It’s been hard, living so far away from them, but the last few times I talked to Lucas, he’d seemed—distant. I think his heart wasn’t in the big city anymore. Plus, he’d been pining for Jill, though he’d never have admitted it. It took some work, true, and a bit of matchmaking on my mother’s part, but he finally realized what he’d been missing all along.”
Camilla stared into her coffee cup. “Want some breakfast before we leave? I can cook something.”
“Might be better if we grabbed something on the road. It’ll take several hours to drive to Shiloh Springs, and I want to get us there. I’ll feel a lot better once we’re at the ranch.”
She stood and rinsed her coffee cup. “I’ll go get dressed. I won’t be long.”
Heath watched her stride down the hall to the bedroom, and felt a tinge of regret that her life had been disrupted. Turned upside-down by some idiot with a gun. Dandridge better pray he caught whoever was after Camilla before Gator found out who was behind the attempt on her life. Gator wouldn’t hesitate to contact Heath once he finished his search for the culprit. Then the real hunt would begin, and Heath wouldn’t hesitate in eliminating anyone who threatened Camilla. No matter what it took.