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  “ Just tell me, Bradford,” she urged, moving a step closer to him. “ Tell me who did this to Rainy.”

  He withdrew a handgun from inside his jacket and aimed it directly at her. “ I’ m afraid I wouldn’ t even trust the devil himself with that information. And since you’ re going to hell post haste, I’ ll just keep that to myself.”

  “ Let my daughter go,” she urged, the panic gaining a foothold now. “ It’ s me you want out of the way.” Building anxiety punched a big hole in her bravado.

  “ That’ s true.” He nodded succinctly. “ But you see, the plan is to get rid of both of you and then pin it on Major Mike Bridges. He couldn’ t have his family, so he killed them.” He shook his head sadly. “ Happens all the time. Such a shame. His showing back up in your life at this particular juncture provided a definite advantage for me.”

  “ Don’ t hurt her,” Kayla warned. “ Just let her go.”

  “ Mommy!”

  Kayla held up her hand, urging her baby to keep quiet.

  “ Step out of the way, Ryan, and I’ ll make it quick. I want you to take the image of your child’ s death to your grave with you. It’ s my gift to you.”

  Kayla had to do something and lunging toward him would only temporarily delay the inevitable.

  “ You mean like the gift you gave Dawn.” Kayla jerked her head toward the young woman who stood only a few feet away, her weapon still trained on Kayla. “ I can imagine every child’ s wish would be for their mother to be murdered before she even had a chance to get to know her.”

  “ Rainy should have left it alone,” Bradford snarled. “ Her death was necessary.”

  “ And if Alex and Josie and the others don’ t just walk away, are you going to kill them all?”

  “ We have ways to conceal our deeds.”

  She nodded. “ Like with Rainy. Your assassin, the Cipher, caused her to have that accident. She died without ever having known about her child. Without having seen her daughter. Do you have any idea how badly Rainy wanted children? Do you even care how what you’ d done tore her apart?”

  “ Rainy Carrington was of no consequence once we had what we wanted from her. Just like Reagan. He outlived his usefulness as well.” He leveled his weapon. “ Now, step aside.”

  Kayla dove for his midsection.

  A shot exploded.

  She and Bradford hit the ground.

  She scrambled to get free… to see if Jazz was hit.

  Bradford made no attempt to stop her frantic movements. Kayla stared down at him. His eyes were open wide as if in surprise. Crimson had spread across his white shirtfront.

  He’ d been shot. His own weapon remained clutched in his hand. Kayla snatched it away from him and spun around. Her daughter was fine, her knees hugged to her chest in a protective manner. Thank God.

  Kayla’ s gaze swung to Dawn O’ Shaughnessy. She hadn’ t moved, her posture still in the firing stance, her weapon clasped in both hands, ready to fire again.

  Kayla lifted Bradford’ s weapon, took aim at the younger woman. “ Drop it,” she ordered.

  Dawn looked at her for several seconds before she moved.

  She didn’ t utter a single word. She simply turned her back on Kayla just like before and walked away, eventually disappearing into the rocky landscape.

  Kayla resisted the urge to run after her. She had to make sure her baby was all right. Couldn’ t leave her here alone… even if Bradford was dead… there could be others.

  Suddenly her daughter was in her arms.

  Kayla dropped to her knees and held her child tight against her, chanted the words bursting in her chest over and over. I love you. God, I love you. Thank God you’ re safe.

  “ Looks like I missed all the action.”

  Kayla looked up to find Peter Hadden crouching down to check Bradford’ s carotid pulse.

  “ He’ s dead,” she said flatly, too damned emotionally drained to infuse any inflection into her voice.

  “ Definitely.” Hadden stood, peered down at the motionless body and then stepped around him. “ What happened?” He looked down at Jazz, who peeked up at him from against her mother’ s shoulder.

  “ He kidnapped my daughter,” Kayla repeated what she’ d told him on the phone. She got to her feet, bringing Jazz up with her. “ He knew I was closing in on him. He’ s the one who shot Christine and he was involved in Rainy’ s murder. He used my daughter to lure me here.” Kayla squeezed her eyes shut and held on to her child even tighter. She thanked God over and over again for sparing their lives.

  “ So you killed him?” Hadden suggested, his gaze settling on the weapon he assumed she’ d used.

  Kayla knew she couldn’ t answer that question without further consideration. “ I… I don’ t know exactly what happened. He had the gun. I lunged at him… a weapon discharged… and he was dead.” She gestured behind him. “ My weapon’ s over there somewhere.”

  Hadden grunted thoughtfully. “ Self-defense.”

  Kayla felt suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline was draining, leaving her as weak as a kitten. “ Yeah. Self-defense.”

  “ How about I drive you two to the hospital and get you checked out.” He placed a warm, strong hand on Kayla’ s arm. “ I’ ll call someone from campus security to come guard the body until someone from your office and forensics can get over here.”

  The hospital.

  “ Oh, God.” Her gaze collided with Hadden’ s. “ Christine. We have to let her security know that her life is in danger. Bradford— ” she nodded to the dead guy “ — said he’ d made the arrangements already.”

  “ Doing that now.” Hadden flipped open his phone and made the call. Next he called the guard shack and summoned security.

  Kayla ushered a trembling Jazz toward her Jeep.

  “ I’ ll drive,” Hadden insisted.

  He escorted both Kayla and Jazz to his car. “ Why don’ t you sit in the back with Jazz?”

  Jazz looked up at him as if startled by his use of her name.

  “ It’ s okay, sweetie,” Kayla assured her. “ Detective Hadden is a friend.”

  As Jazz scooted into the back seat, Kayla’ s gaze locked with Hadden’ s across the top of the car.

  He was a friend.

  A very good friend, whom she’ d turned to instinctively in her worst hour.

  But she still couldn’ t tell him about Dawn.

  Not yet.

  Maybe not ever.

  Chapter 13

  H adden delivered Kayla and Jazz to her home just as the sun dropped behind the mountains that evening.

  She’ d never felt so exhausted in her entire life. Jazz had fallen asleep against her in the back seat of his car. Kayla peered down at her now, so damned grateful that she was safe. Neither of them had been injured, discounting her bruised cheek where Dawn had slugged her.

  From his position behind the steering wheel, Hadden turned back to her and asked, “ Do you think I’ ll wake her if I carry her in?”

  “ We can give it a try.”

  He got out and went around to the passenger side of the vehicle. The door opened and in one fluid motion he reached inside and scooped her daughter into his big, strong arms. Jazz stirred but resettled against his broad shoulder.

  Kayla scooted out and hurried to unlock the front door. She led the way to Jazz’ s bedroom and quickly turned back the covers.

  “ Rest, sweetie,” she whispered against her child’ s forehead as she tucked her in with soft pink blankets and sheets alive with colorful butterflies.

  Jazz murmured something inaudible then drifted back to sleep. Though both were physically unharmed, Jazz had been extremely upset. Rightfully so. The pediatrician on call had suggested a mild sedative to get her through the night. Kayla had refused any help of that kind since she needed to keep a clear head about her. There was too much she had to sort out… too many loose ends still dangling. Thank God Hadden had been in Casa Grande giving his statement to the D.A. regarding the shootout at
the U-Store-It. She really hadn’ t expected him to reach her and Jazz in time to help but she’ d needed to try. Mostly she’ d needed someone to know.

  She eased out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her. Voices in the living room dragged her attention there. Kayla heaved a weary sigh and headed in that direction. The voices were too low to make out. If she were to hazard a guess she would say her partner had arrived to demand to know what the hell had been going on.

  Give the lady a cigar.

  Jim Harkey stood, hands on hips, in the middle of her living room looking madder than hell and ready to take it out on someone.

  He pinched his lips together and shook his head when Kayla moved into the room.

  “ What the hell you doing, L.T.? Trying to get yourself killed? You should’ ve called me for backup. I am your partner.”

  Kayla walked straight up to the big guy and gave him a bear hug. “ I did what I had to do,” she told him, a new wave of emotions rushing over her.

  “ I told him you had no choice,” Hadden interjected, his voice the epitome of reason.

  Kayla shifted to him, abruptly remembering the way he’ d looked at her as he’ d undressed her last night. God, had it been just last night? His arms had made her feel safer than she had in too long to recall.

  Heat stirred deep inside her, in spite of the horrendous day she’ d had. She needed that warmth right now. Needed it so badly. But that couldn’ t happen tonight… maybe not ever again.

  “ He’ s right.” She turned back to her partner, not wanting to start melting right there in front of God and everyone. Continuing to stare into Hadden’ s blue bedroom eyes would definitely prompt exactly that reaction. “ There was nothing else I could do,” she assured her partner. “ I couldn’ t risk putting in a call to you or dispatch. That kind of move might have been anticipated ahead of time. On the other hand, there was no reason for anyone to suspect I would call Hadden.”

  Jim sniffed, not completely convinced. “ Investigator Devon needs a statement from you.” Jim gave her a knowing look. “ He’ s madder than hell that you left the scene.” When Kayla would have attempted some acceptable excuse, he added, “ But I smoothed things over with him, told him that getting to the hospital ASAP was necessary. All I can say is you’ d better act like you were injured when he comes fishing around for your report.”

  Kayla nodded. “ Gotcha.”

  He snapped his fingers. “ Damn. I almost forgot. Betsy Stone committed suicide this afternoon.” He shuddered visibly. “ The sheriff believes the attorney who visited her slipped her some cyanide capsules.” A grimace furrowed his face. “ Hell of a way to go.”

  “ Did they get a description of the attorney?” She knew it was Bradford, but she needed to determine if the authorities had identified him yet. She didn’ t actually see that as a problem. He couldn’ t be connected to Athena Academy at this point other than the fact that his death had occurred there. There was always the chance the episode could stir up those rumors Shannon Conner had started. Maybe she’ d better give Tory a call for some damage control.

  “ Got him on video and lifted prints from the interview room where they met,” Jim said. “ Funny thing is— ” he scratched his chin “ — the guy looked a hell of a lot like the stiff the M.E. hauled to the morgue from that hoity-toity school you used to attend.”

  “ It’ s him.” Kayla folded her arms over her chest in hopes of holding herself upright. Damn, she was beat. “ Carl Bradford kidnapped my daughter in an attempt to lure me into his trap.”

  Jim tipped her chin up and studied her cheek. “ Did the old bastard do that to you?” He wouldn’ t bother asking why Bradford would have wanted to lure her anywhere. Jim understood that about her “ unofficial” investigation into Rainy’ s death.

  Kayla shrugged. “ Who knows? Things were happening pretty fast and I was worried about Jazz.”

  Jim’ s gaze narrowed suspiciously. “ It’ s over now, right?”

  She offered a halfhearted shrug. “ Pretty much.”

  Clearly that wasn’ t exactly the response he’ d hoped for. “ I guess I’ d better get going.” He sauntered to the door then hesitated. “ Make sure you get ahold of Devon first thing in the morning.” He gave her a meaningful look. “ And try to stay out of trouble.”

  He worried about her. That touched her more than he could know. “ Will do.” She could feel an interview with the sheriff coming on. Two shootings in the space of one week. He didn’ t like those kinds of odds.

  Kayla waggled her fingers at Jim as he opened the door. He gave Hadden a nod the way men do when they make an exit and don’ t want to bother with what they consider unnecessary pleasantries.

  “ Are you going to tell me what really happened?”

  She turned to face Hadden, not really surprised that he didn’ t plan to give up on his pursuit of the facts. “ I’ m not sure how much I can tell you,” she said in all honesty. “ There are parts I don’ t even understand.”

  “ Why don’ t you try starting at the beginning,” he suggested as he took a step in her direction.

  That sweet glow of heat he always generated shimmered through her again. This thing between them had gotten completely out of hand. But it damn sure felt nice.

  “ How about we talk about this tomorrow? I’ m really beat.” And right now, this instant, she could use some distance to try and recover her perspective on a number of things. Dawn O’ Shaughnessy for one.

  For a second or so she wasn’ t sure he would let it go quite so easily, but he finally caved.

  “ All right. For now,” he clarified.

  Relief made her knees weak. Or maybe it was the way he looked at her. Damn, he was handsome. And she could definitely deal with those big strong arms tonight.

  But she needed that distance. Had to get her head back on straight. Too much had happened too fast. She also needed to feel her daughter in her arms tonight. Today had been far too close.

  Hadden pressed a kiss to her forehead. “ Call me,” he murmured, “ when you’ re ready to talk.”

  His thumb slid across her cheek before he let go.

  He left. Kayla stood there, her eyes closed, her heart fluttering wildly. There was a lot she had to do before she could go where he threatened to take her.

  Lots and lots to do.

  First and foremost, she had to make sure she could take the risk. She needed to call the gang… fill them in on all that had taken place. Take care of Jazz. Find a way to apologize to Mike for behaving like a jealous kid. Boy, she had her work cut out for her.

  A soft rap on the front door dragged her attention there. She scrubbed her hands over her face and took a deep breath in preparation for facing her family. She’ d called her sister and her mother from the hospital to let them know that Jazz was fine. Mary had promised to call the choir director at church. Word traveled fast in a small town, especially when a child went missing.

  Her new company would no doubt be the Ryan cavalry.

  Sure enough, her sister and her family, along with Kayla’ s mom and dad, poured into the house. A five-course meal, all packaged neatly in covered plastic containers, was placed on her kitchen table. That’ s what the Ryans and their people did when they got nervous, they cooked. Well, all the Ryans except Kayla. She’ d somehow missed out on that genetic trait.

  No one wanted to risk disturbing Jazz, so little peeks were taken around the edge of her bedroom door and then the entire family rendezvoused in the living room.

  “ She’ ll be fine,” Kayla’ s mother said with a nod. “ She’ s a strong girl.”

  Kayla’ s father put his arm around his wife’ s shoulder. “ Good and strong.” His dark gaze settled on Kayla. “ Like her mother.”

  Kayla tried not to cry but she couldn’ t help herself. Her parents held her and then Mary plowed her way through for a hug of her own.

  “ I was scared to death,” Mary whispered.

  Kayla couldn’ t answer.

  M
ary drew back and looked at her. “ But I knew if anyone could save her, you could. The spirit is with you, sister.”

  Her parents seconded Mary’ s assertion. “ Your grandmother’ s spirit guides you,” her mother added.

  Kayla’ s grandmother— her mother’ s mother— had always urged Kayla to follow her instincts. Apparently the lady had known what she was talking about.

  “ Now, you must eat,” Kayla’ s father urged. “ You need to replenish your strength.”

  Kayla swiped her eyes. “ I don’ t know if I can.”

  Her mother laughed. “ Please, Kayla, a Ryan can always eat. It’ s in the genes.”

  Kayla had to laugh with her when she noticed her father was already unwrapping her mother’ s broccoli casserole.

  So she nibbled. Let her family fuss over her, as they needed to.

  Oddly she couldn’ t help thinking of Hadden— and wishing he was there, too.

  When her folks were convinced Kayla was really all right, hugs were exchanged and her family left in a flurry of parting queries: Are you sure you don’ t want one of us to stay with you? and Is there anything else we can do to help?

  Kayla sagged against the closed door when everyone was at last gone. She wasn’ t sure she had the strength to figure out a response to another single question.

  Hot tea. That would do the trick. Wine was out of the question though she could sorely use some about now.

  She had just put the kettle on the stove when a firm knock resonated from the front door yet again.

  Kayla heaved a sigh and headed in that direction. What now? Surely Investigator Devon hadn’ t decided to get his statement tonight. She checked the viewfinder and her breath caught.

  Alex and Justin.

  Jesus, she’ d forgotten Alex was flying in from D.C.

  Kayla jerked the door open. “ You’ re here.” It was all she could think to say.

  “ Kayla, are you all right?” Alex surveyed her from head to toe. “ We heard about what happened with Bradford.”

  Kayla pulled Alex into a hug, couldn’ t resist. “ I’ m okay.”

  “ Thank God.” Alex drew back to look at her. “ And Jazz is all right?”