Protecting Her Secret Son Page 19

  “Nothing that helps us pin him down,” Detective Hertz said.

  “You want to run.” Daniel folded his arms over his chest.

  Her heart pinched at the accusations in his eyes, the disappointment. “Want isn’t the right word,” she replied.

  He moved, taking a knee in front of her. “Don’t.” He took her hands. “You run now and you’re running forever. Run and Loffler died for nothing.”

  She kept her gaze on Daniel. “Go for the jugular much?”

  “It only hurts because you know it’s true.” He tried to smile and failed.

  She sighed, wishing with every fiber of her being that she could just curl into his strength and forget everything else.

  “I’m here for you and Aiden, sweetheart. You’re not alone.”

  She wasn’t sure when she’d heard sweeter words. There had been plenty of loneliness in her life before Daniel. Then it hit her. “The bastard.” She gripped Daniel’s hands. “He could have killed me when he shot Gary.”

  “What are you saying?”

  She swore again, pushing a hand through her hair as it all clicked. “He wrote that stupid demand to keep the normal routine so he could figure out who was important to me.” She should have seen the tactic sooner. “He tossed the house that day just to be an ass.”

  “But he said you took something from him.”

  She stared at Daniel. “What?” The detective echoed her question.

  “Oh, crap.” Daniel pulled out his phone. “Stanwood called. After we rescued Aiden. I meant to send over the recording and Mom called. I’m sorry.”

  He played it for them, had Shannon laughing bitterly. “I only took the settlement Gary negotiated. I even left my ring.” She gave herself a mental shake. “It doesn’t change anything. He’s likely to kill you next just to torture me.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  “Not if I leave.” As she said it now, mad as hell, a new idea sparked. “Hear me out,” she said as both men protested. “Let’s say I try to bolt, make it obvious I’m leaving because I’m panicked. That means I’m not here to see my friends die. He would follow me.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “For a man like Bradley, saving face is as vital as air and water.”

  “And if he’s just being an ass, as you say?”

  “He’s not. This is a classic Stanwood game of cat and mouse.” She saw Daniel’s deep blue eyes turn hard, his jaw set. “If you want to get your hands on him, I should guide him away.”

  Neither man said anything so she pressed on. “Waiting only drags this out,” she said, willing them both to understand. “The longer Bradley stays here, the more of a threat he is to everyone who knows me.”

  Daniel folded his arms over his chest. “Lay it out for me. How do you see this going?”

  “I go back to my place with Aiden. We pack up fast, essentials only, and load the car with a couple of suitcases. Drive by the construction office, take a minute to quit and ask for my pay and then hit the road.” She’d walked him through her actual plan, minus the truth of her fake identity, alternate bank account and the emergency fund she kept in reserve to cover last-minute airfare out of the country.

  “It’s a big risk,” Daniel said, scowling.

  She knew it, knew how she’d change it up if Bradley did take the bait. “It will only look like I’m alone,” she reminded him with far more bravado than she felt.

  “Better if you go to Marburg first,” the detective said, warming to the idea.

  She checked her watch. “How late are they open on Saturday?”

  “Trust me, they’ll make time for you.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  She’d slipped Bradley’s noose once but she wasn’t foolish enough to think it would be easy to do it again. Putting herself out on a limb was a huge peril. Aiden compounded the danger exponentially. He was a person now. Though she’d loved him desperately during her pregnancy, the bond and her devotion to him only strengthened with each day. “We have to try or Aiden will never have a chance at a normal life.”

  “I don’t want him in the car,” Hertz said. “I won’t put a child in jeopardy.”

  “If Aiden stays here, I guess that makes it look like you’ll turn around,” Daniel said. “Let’s work it so I meet her at a rest stop or something.” His gaze held hers. “That way I can bring you back here where you belong.”

  How could she argue with him when he said things like that? Still, she didn’t want him out there in the line of fire. “I’ll turn around the minute police have him,” she said.

  He didn’t look entirely convinced, though he relented. They spent another few minutes fine-tuning her plan and the timing, adjusting for the best route based on traffic cameras to monitor her progress and anyone on her tail.

  Daniel protested once more. “I don’t like her out there alone while your team sits back watching. Stanwood struck fast and close when he shot Loffler. He’s got no reason to change that approach with Shannon.”

  “Daniel.”

  “Can’t we use a decoy?” he asked Hertz. “Use Shannon for part of it, the decoy for the rest. Make the switch at the construction office. He’s not expecting her to run, doesn’t know her plan, so no one on his payroll would be watching there.”

  “And where will you hide Shannon?”

  “She can stay at my parents’ place.”

  The detective groaned.

  “It’s perfect,” Daniel said, warming to the suggestion. “Gated community. An apartment over the garage,” he added, ticking off the points on his fingers. “She can stay there, off the radar until you drop a net over Stanwood.”

  “Let me make some calls.” Detective Hertz moved behind Grant’s desk and picked up the landline.

  Within another half hour, they had a plan they all agreed on. Feeling hopeful, Shannon and Daniel went out to gather Aiden and start putting things into motion.

  Chapter 10

  The decoy mission had to wait until Monday afternoon because of Daniel’s shift as well as the construction office rule about no work on Sundays. The extra day gave them more time to make sure the switch went smoothly. They’d agreed that Daniel would go back to shift work once the decoy left town, presumably because Shannon no longer needed his protection.

  Daniel entertained Aiden Monday morning while Shannon met with the Marburg attorney and made arrangements for the financial windfall. He had no illusions that she’d updated her will and what should happen with Aiden should Bradley succeed. The journal and other papers Gary had left her she’d brought home to read through later. Daniel thought she’d likely have time on her hands in the days to come. Though he knew Loffler’s last words haunted her, she was continually frustrated by her inability to decipher what Loffler must have hoped she would see.

  If Aiden noticed anything off at the construction office—they’d arrived in his mom’s car and left with Daniel in his truck—it didn’t seem to bother him. She’d told Daniel that Aiden’s nightmare on Saturday night was shorter than the night before. Last night, Aiden had slept through without so much as a whimper. With every normal behavior from her son, Daniel noticed Shannon relaxing more.

  “I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend your last day before going back on shift,” she said as they finally passed through the security gate at his parents’ neighborhood.

  He checked the rearview mirror, confirming Aiden was absorbed with his truck. “Better than worrying about you out on the road with nothing but traffic cameras,” he said quietly.

  “You’re sure your parents don’t mind?”

  “Not in the slightest. You’ll be lucky if my mom doesn’t drive you out of town for real. She’s likely to fall in love with Aiden on sight.” He sure had. “All her friends are having grandkids and my brother
and I hear it all the time that we need to catch up.”

  Turning into the drive, he heard Shannon’s wistful sigh.

  He hadn’t looked at the three-story stone house with the warm red trim through objective eyes in years. “It’s always been home,” he said. “My dad didn’t build this one, though he’s remodeled every room to Mom’s standards over the years. The garage is around back.”

  “Where are we?” Aiden asked from the back seat. “Can we go home, Mommy?”

  The second question edged closer to a whine.

  “Soon,” she said, her gaze taking in the view.

  “I left my best dump truck.” Aiden rubbed at his eyes with a fist.

  “We packed your trucks,” she said. “Daniel put it in the back. You’ll see when we get inside.”

  While her son twisted around in his booster seat, straining to spot the luggage in the back of the pickup, she sent Daniel a smirk. “Thank you. Leaving behind any of the trucks would have put a wrench in my getaway plan.”

  “What’s a getaway?”

  He laughed. Her son didn’t miss much. Daniel followed the wide drive to park behind the house. He cut the engine and swiveled in the seat. “Right now, a getaway is hanging out in a new place for a couple of days. Ready for an adventure, buddy?”

  “Yes!” Aiden pushed at the seat belt. “Let’s go.”

  “Can’t fault his enthusiasm.”

  Shannon smiled. “He was about two when I did a three-sixty trying to stop for a traffic light during an ice storm. I was all freaked out, white knuckles on the wheel, and he was in the back clapping and shouting, ‘Again!’”

  When Aiden and his truck were out of the booster seat, Daniel pointed to the steps at the side of a three-car detached garage. “Explore first or luggage first? Your choice.”

  “Explore!” Aiden jumped forward with both feet, then thrust a hand high in the air. “Charge!”

  Daniel led them up the steps with Shannon bringing up the rear. He unlocked the apartment door and pushed it open. “Welcome, young squire.”

  Aiden raced forward. It wasn’t as big as her place, but with luck they wouldn’t be stuck here long. Daniel studied Shannon’s face as she stepped into the apartment. He felt like a kid again, mentally crossing his fingers and hoping for a stamp of approval for a job well-done. “I’ll get your security system set up in a few minutes.”

  He’d built this place with his father. It was where he’d learned valuable lessons in planning a full project. His dad had let him plan the space and together they’d fine-tuned the details until it became a guest suite. Over the years, he’d lived here, then his brother and various relatives who’d stopped in for holiday, vacations or while passing through on business trips. Though it wasn’t five-star by any means, it was practical and, more important for Shannon and Aiden, it was safe.

  A wall with an archway in the center neatly bisected the space, leaving the living and kitchen areas up front with a view over the driveway. Two small bedrooms and a full bath were on the other side of the wall, with windows that overlooked the yard.

  “It’s lovely. Smart design,” she said.

  Pride swelled up inside him at her words. He had to remind himself he was a grown man rather than a kid. “It was a practice project. Not a ton of space.”

  “It’s more than enough,” she interrupted. “Right, Aiden?”

  Daniel tried to view the space through a stranger’s eyes. At first, the small apartment had been a hodgepodge of furniture phased out of the main house. Over the years, his mother had systematically updated the furnishings and decor into a cohesive style and she’d made it a comfortable space. One he knew she used for herself occasionally.

  Aiden ran straight to the mission-style couch and scrambled up, bouncing a little on the cushions as he shrugged off his small backpack. “You can read me a story.”

  “In a little bit,” Shannon said. “Mommy and Daniel need to talk a minute first.”

  “Not you.” Aiden’s pale eyebrows dipped into a frown over the brown eyes. “Daniel.”

  “How about we get the luggage first?” Charmed and more than a little pleased the kid asked for him, he wanted to do it.

  “’Kay.” Aiden hopped down, ran for the door.

  When they had the luggage up, Aiden went right back to the couch. Waved the book.

  “On my way.” Knowing it was foolish to get attached, he couldn’t seem to unhook himself from the boy or his mother. Didn’t want to.

  “You don’t have to,” she whispered. “You know he understands work and obligations.”

  “It’s fine. Things won’t fall apart in the next fifteen minutes.” He sat down beside Aiden and opened the book about a bear having fun at school.

  The boy snuggled into him while he read and he heard Shannon moving about in the bedrooms. The moment was so comfortable, he decided to analyze the feeling later and just let himself enjoy it. The polite move would have been to help her unpack, except she managed that task with the same efficiency she managed everything else.

  As he reluctantly closed the book, the story over, a knock drew his attention to the front door.

  “Who’s there?” Aiden asked, a little fear creeping into his voice.

  Daniel held out his hand. “Let’s go find out.”

  Together they opened the door to his mother’s smiling face. “Hi, Mom.”

  He introduced her to Aiden and she crouched down to shake the boy’s smaller hand.

  “Pleased to meet you, Aiden,” she said. “You can call me Tess.”

  Aiden smiled shyly, gripping Daniel’s hand tightly. Retirement agreed with his mom. As did her new painting hobby she’d left behind to come check on him. Her shoulder-length sandy brown hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, secured with a soft blue scarf. She wore faded jeans smudged with paint and similar paint colors stained her fingertips, but her open yellow button down and white T-shirt were spotless.

  “Am I interrupting?”

  “No.” She wouldn’t have let him turn her away if he’d tried. He invited her in and when Shannon came into the front room, he caught the sudden flutter of nerves when her eyes went wide and she fluffed her bangs. He made the introductions, wishing he could ease that perpetual worry she carried around since Loffler died. “Thanks so much for this, Mrs. Jennings,” Shannon said. “I hope we won’t be underfoot for too long.”

  “Nonsense. And call me Tess. Daniel built this place with his father ages ago and I’m happier when it’s getting good use.”

  That notorious mom look slid over the three of them and Daniel could practically hear the gears clicking along in his mother’s head. She’d have the wedding invitations planned by morning if he wasn’t careful. “I need to get back to the site and Shannon—”

  “Shannon and I can get acquainted while you’re gone,” his mother finished for him. “Why don’t the three of you join us at the house for dinner tonight?”

  Daniel bristled, wary of the way she’d worded the invitation to make them a unit. He glanced at Shannon, but she replied with a gracious acceptance before he could offer a believable excuse.

  “Wonderful.” His mom crouched again to speak to Aiden. “Do you like fried chicken? It was Daniel’s favorite when he was little.”

  Daniel managed to smile, though he wanted to roll his eyes like a teenager. “Sounds great, Mom.” He turned to Shannon and Aiden. “I’ll be back in a bit. If you need me to pick up anything on the way over, just send a text.”

  Taking his mother’s elbow, he steered her out of the apartment and down the steps.

  “She’s pretty.”

  “Pretty tough,” he said as casually as possible. That toughness under the pretty surface kept pulling him in deeper and he didn’t want to surface for a lifetime.

  “Single moms oft
en are.”

  At the bottom of the steps, he pulled out his keys. “No matchmaking,” he warned her. Shannon had said she could love him. He wanted to give that “could” a chance to grow without any nudges or interference.

  Tess gave him an arch glare. “When have I ever?”

  She hadn’t, not really, though she made no secret of the fact that she wanted him to settle down and give her grandchildren. He wasn’t opposed to the idea of a wife and family, he just hadn’t found a woman willing to step into the role with him.

  “I’m just making it clear.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Have you known her long?”

  He didn’t care for the sly glint in her eyes. “She’s been with the company for three years or so. Does great work.”

  “And you always help out our employees with housing?”

  Now he did roll his eyes. “Things haven’t been going well for her, Mom,” he heard himself say. “I can’t talk about it, but she needed an assist.”

  “She needed you.” She reached up and patted his cheek in that way mothers had. He’d seen Shannon do the same with Aiden. “You’re a good man, Daniel, and whatever the situation with Shannon and her son, I’m sure you’re doing what’s best for them. It’s who you are.” Clearly sensing his discomfort, she opened his truck door for him. “Just make sure you think about what’s best for you, too.”

  Thinking of what was best for him circled through his mind all afternoon as he walked the job site and caught up with the progress. He wasn’t happy to still be wrestling with the absent flooring. He needed to get a final answer out of Shannon, because on this one he didn’t like anything as much as his first choice.

  “Will we get Shannon back on site soon?” Ed asked. “No one’s faster at the finishing touches.”

  “I can hope.” Everyone knew he’d wanted this one done and fast. It wasn’t the first time a remodel had slipped past the target deadline. Unfortunately in this case, his dad was keeping a running total of loss numbers for every hour of delays. If the project stalled out for another few days while he was on shift, Daniel would never hear the end of it.