Protecting His Secret Son Read online

  “Not sure how. The SUV we left in the muck belongs to Hawk. Although we were using my SUV last night. I guess it’s possible the sports car took down my license plate number.”

  “Hmm.” Matt looked thoughtful.

  “Wait a minute.” Mike pulled his cell phone from his shirt pocket. “If they did get my plate number, then it’s possible they tracked my mobile phone.”

  Matt whistled under his breath. “It’s not easy to trace a cell phone. Cop connections?”

  Mike grimaced, unable to deny it. He lowered his window and tossed his phone out onto the side of the road. “I should have thought of it earlier. My carelessness almost got us killed.”

  “Hey, there’s no way you could have known they’d track your phone,” Matt protested. “Cut yourself a little slack.”

  Mike shook his head and stared at the landscape flashing past his window. He’d forced Shayla to get rid of her phone but hadn’t done the same with his own.

  Mistakes like that were unacceptable.

  As much the nickname his brothers had tagged him with over the past few months annoyed him, he was forced to acknowledge that he’d earned it. After all, he’d decided to seek the truth about his father’s murder on his own time, without telling them.

  In a very lone-wolf type of way.

  But now Shayla and Brodie needed his protection. Between his self-imposed duty to find the man responsible for killing Max Callahan and his desire to keep Shayla and Brodie safe from harm, he couldn’t afford to be a lone wolf.

  He needed his family’s help.

  The Dark Knights were responsible for his father’s murder and also, he believed, for the danger Shayla and Brodie were in. The two issues were interwoven in a complex pattern he still couldn’t quite decipher.

  But it occurred to him that after four years he was finally close to uncovering the truth. He only hoped that identifying the man who’d pulled the trigger wouldn’t put the future he wanted to build with Shayla and Brodie at risk.

  * * *

  Shayla couldn’t seem to get warm, despite the heat pouring in through the air vents. And if she was cold, it was likely Brodie was, too.

  What if he got sick? His pediatrician was down in Nashville. A really nice guy, with kids of his own, by the name of Dr. David Pikna. She swallowed hard, battling a wave of panic.

  It didn’t make sense to worry about something that hadn’t happened yet. Besides, she was fairly certain there were competent physicians in the area if she needed one. Maybe Dr. Pikna could refer her to someone here if needed.

  She let out her breath in a soundless sigh. Never before had she been prone to panic attacks.

  Then again, she’d never been shot at three times in less than two days, either.

  And as far as she could tell, they were no closer to figuring out who might be responsible.

  The way Mike had tossed out his cell phone had impressed her. She knew he was taking the attacks seriously. Then she inwardly groaned.

  “Mike?”

  He glanced over his shoulder at her. “What?”

  “Your number was the one we gave the hospital. How will they get in touch with me if my dad’s condition changes?”

  “We’ll give them the number of one of the disposable phones as soon as we get back to the cabin.”

  “I can pick up a couple more if needed,” Matt offered.

  “Sounds good. I guess I should have brought them along.” Mike’s expression was filled with self-reproach.

  Shayla reached up to lightly touch his arm. “If you had done that, I’m sure they would have got wrecked by the river water. Everything worked out for the better.”

  “Not everything.” Mike turned to stare out his window again. “But I’ll do better going forward.”

  She caught Matt’s gaze in the rearview mirror, seeing concern in his eyes. She lifted one shoulder in a helpless shrug, having no idea what to say or do to make Mike feel better.

  One thing for sure, no way was Duncan behind any of this. Her brother loved her and Brodie. He’d never put her or his nephew in danger.

  Deep down, Mike had to know that, too.

  Twenty minutes later Matt pulled into the rutted driveway leading to Hawk’s cabin. She unbuckled Brodie from the booster seat and lifted him out onto the ground. Matt opened the back of the SUV and Duchess bounded out, coming over to sniff at Brodie and then at Shayla, as well. Then she sat right in front of them, as if it was her job to protect them from harm.

  “It must be amazing to work with a K-9 partner.” Shayla rubbed Duchess between her tall ears.

  “I’m fortunate to have Duchess,” Matt agreed.

  Mike lifted the two bags of groceries from the back seat and wordlessly carried them inside. She frowned, leaning down to take Brodie’s hand.

  “He’s mad at himself, not at you,” Matt offered. “Don’t take it personally.”

  “I won’t.” She forced a smile.

  “How old is your son?” Matt asked in a casual tone.

  She hesitated, knowing if she told the truth he’d know that Mike was Brodie’s father. “Excuse me,” she said, leaning down to take Brodie’s hand. “Brodie needs a hot bath and I’d like to get you that list. Have you ever shopped for kids clothing before?”

  “For my son, yes. But he’s only eighteen months old.”

  “Well, Brodie wears clothes in a 5T size. They go from twelve months, to eighteen months, like your son, and from there the sizes jump into toddler sizes, like 2T, 3T, et cetera.”

  “Five-T, huh?” She could practically see him doing the math in his head. “I think I can manage that.” Matt unbuckled the booster seat from his vehicle and carried it inside.

  She scribbled a quick list and then handed it to Matt. She felt guilty for deceiving him, but decided Brodie was Mike’s secret to tell.

  Mike had put the groceries away and come over to talk to Matt. “Before you leave, I need a favor.”

  “Another one?” Matt pretended to be put out. “Now what?”

  “I have a box in my home office that I need you to bring here. You can stop for the clothes along the way.”

  “Yeah, why not?” Matt shrugged.

  “Here’s my key.” Mike handed over a small house key. “Thanks, bro.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Shayla watched Matt drive away, wondering how long it would take before he returned.

  Too long, and Brodie needed to get warm and dry now, not an hour or two from now. “Bath time, kiddo,” she told him.

  “Okay.” Thankfully, Brodie didn’t give her any trouble. She scooped the sleeping bag off his twin bed and took him into the bathroom. Hawk didn’t have any bubbles, so she’d used a dash of dish soap to create some. Brodie laughed and played, only putting up a fuss when it was time to wash his hair.

  She dried him off with a towel and then wrapped him in the sleeping bag. Carrying him in the bulky bag wasn’t easy, but she managed to get him into the living room near his building blocks.

  While he played, she went back into the bathroom to wrap a dry towel around her shoulders in an effort to ward off a chill. Returning to the living room, she found one of the disposable cell phones Mike had charged the previous day and used it to call the hospital.

  The nurse was nice enough to take down the new number. “I’ll update your contact information in our system and write it down for your dad, okay?”

  “That would be great,” Shayla said with relief. “How’s he doing?”

  “He’s resting at the moment, but his vital signs are stable. There’s no sign of bleeding and his chest incisions look good. If he continues like this, I’m sure he’ll go to a regular floor bed tomorrow.”

  “So soon?” Shayla couldn’t hide her apprehension. It was inconceivable that her father could have his chest opened, his heart operated on and be
out of the ICU in twenty-four hours. “There’s no rush, is there?”

  “No, but it’s very typical that open-heart patients only stay a day in the ICU. It’s better for them to be on a regular unit where they can get up and walk around. Don’t worry, Dr. Torres is a great doctor. He’ll do what’s right for your dad.”

  “Okay, and that reminds me, make sure Dr. Torres gets my new number, as well.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “Oh, one more thing. Has my brother been in to see him?”

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen anyone, but my shift just started at three o’clock.”

  “Okay, it’s not a big deal. I was just curious. Thanks again.” Shayla ended the call, hoping her father’s condition would continue to improve.

  “No sign of Duncan?”

  Mike’s voice had her whirling around in surprise. She hadn’t heard him come in behind her. She noticed he hadn’t changed his clothes but held a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt in his hand.

  “No. Duncan hasn’t been in to visit, but the nurse says Dad is doing really well.” She smiled, wondering why things seemed so awkward between them. “How about I throw in a frozen pizza for dinner?”

  “Whatever you and Brodie would like is fine with me.” He hesitated and then gestured to the bathroom. “I’m going to take a quick shower. Hopefully, Matt will return soon.”

  “I know.” She tightened her grip on the towel she’d wrapped around her shoulders. “Brodie is warm, that’s what counts. What’s in the box you asked Matt to pick up?”

  “Just notes and stuff.” He didn’t elaborate, turning away and disappearing into the bathroom.

  Crossing over to the living room, she watched Brodie play. Being safe here at the cabin had helped her feel more in control of her emotions. Gazing down at her son, she thought the best time to tell Brodie the news would be right after dinner.

  The next hour dragged by slowly. Her damp clothes were drying stiffly against her skin, driving her crazy. Finally she heard the sound of a car engine. “Is that Matt?”

  “Finally, huh?” Mike looked relieved.

  She took the bag of clothing from Matt and pulled out Brodie’s things first. In addition to a pair of jeans and a rugby shirt with Spider-Man on the front, he’d included a pair of Spider-Man pajamas. “These look perfect, thanks.”

  “No problem.” Matt smiled as Brodie picked up the Spider-Man shirt with excitement.

  She took Brodie into the guest bedroom, so she could help him get dressed, then took out the plain jeans and sweatshirt she’d asked for. After sending Brodie out by Mike and Matt, she carried the items into the bathroom for her turn in the shower.

  Being warm and dressed in dry clothes felt wonderful. She joined Mike, Matt and Brodie in the kitchen.

  “Give those to me,” Mike said, reaching for her wet clothes. “Hawk has a small washer and dryer in the bedroom.”

  The luxury surprised her but she nodded gratefully. “Thanks.”

  She looked curiously at the paper box sitting on top of the table. “Do you know what’s inside?”

  Matt shook his head. “Nope. But I’m heading out. Noah and Mitch will be here soon to drop off Hawk’s vehicle.”

  “Okay.” She hoped her relief that he was leaving wasn’t too obvious. As she walked Matt do the door, she picked up the cell phone she’d used to call the hospital and tucked it into her pocket.

  “Play wif me,” Brodie said, coming into the living room. With a smile, she crouched down to play with Brodie. A few minutes later the phone vibrated in her hand. She quickly lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Shay?” Her brother’s voice sounded faint and weak.

  “Duncan?” She jumped to her feet, glancing furtively over her shoulder to make sure Mike couldn’t overhear. Thankfully he was preoccupied with looking in the box Matt had brought from his home office.

  Leaving Brodie with his blocks, she moved into the spare bedroom, closing the door behind her. “Where are you? Are you all right?”

  “Are you still with Callahan?”

  “Yes,” she responded cautiously. “He’s keeping me and Brodie safe.”

  “Good. Stay with him, understand? Don’t go anywhere alone.”

  “I won’t, but you’re scaring me, Duncan. What’s going on? Tell me where you are and we’ll come get you. We’ll stay safe, together.”

  “I can’t. I just needed to hear your voice, but I have to go. Stay safe, you hear?” He abruptly ended the call.

  As before, she tried to call him back, but he didn’t answer. This time, his phone wouldn’t accept messages.

  The only good thing about the call was that she knew her brother was still alive.

  But despite being shot at three times now, she knew her brother was in even greater danger.

  Danger he seemed determined to face alone.

  NINE

  One by one, Mike pulled each item he’d collected out of the box, knowing it was time to come clean with his siblings. Four years ago, when he’d started investigating his father’s murder, he’d realized that his family had all had the same idea.

  But they had full-time jobs, too, just as he did.

  His only advantage was that he worked for himself. Oh, he still needed to eat and pay his mortgage, but he could pick and choose what cases to take on. The flexibility of his private investigator role offered him opportunities his brothers and sister didn’t have.

  He wasn’t proud of how he’d taken the information his siblings had uncovered without their knowledge, but reviewing everything together had been the best way for him to wrap his mind around all aspects of the case. Each of his siblings had identified specific details pertinent to the investigation.

  Clues that he now had here at his fingertips.

  He glanced over to make sure Brodie was okay in the living room, then sat down to begin reading.

  The bedroom door opened abruptly. Shayla emerged, looking pale and shaken. She held one of the disposable phones in her hand and he quickly went over to her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She lifted her stricken gaze to his. “I heard from Duncan. He told me to stay with you, to not go anywhere alone.”

  “Duncan?” He tried to tamp down the incredulous tone in his voice. “He called you on the disposable phone? How is that possible?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “But I know it was him. Who else knows I’m with you?”

  He cupped her shoulders in his hands. “Shayla, this is important. No one has that number. So how did your brother use it to reach you?”

  “I gave the number to the hospital,” she offered. “I made sure the nurse had it and asked that she write it down for my dad, too. Maybe Duncan called in to check on our dad and got the number from them?”

  “I guess that’s possible.” He felt relieved at the explanation but still didn’t like it. What if someone else used the same tactic? The very idea made his blood run cold. “Tell me exactly what Duncan said.”

  She shook her head and set the phone on the kitchen table. “I already did! He didn’t say much of anything, other than asking if I was okay and still with you. He told me to stay close and not go anywhere alone. I begged him to tell me where he was, so that we could come get him, but he refused and basically hung up on me.”

  The hurt in her voice made him wince. He gently pulled her into his arms, wishing he could say something to make her feel better.

  To his surprise, Shayla wrapped her arms around his waist, burrowed her face into the hollow of his shoulder and hung on tight. He reveled in being able to hold her in his arms again, after four years of being apart.

  She fitted perfectly, as if this was where she belonged.

  He closed his eyes, wishing for a moment he could go back in time to do things differently. Having Sh
ayla and Brodie here now was a second chance he was eternally grateful for. Yet he still grieved for everything that he’d missed.

  Regrets were a useless waste of time, so he did his best to keep himself focused on the future.

  Stroking his hand over her back, he rested his cheek against her hair. “I promise to do everything possible to keep you and Brodie safe, Shayla.”

  “I know.” Her words were muffled against his chest.

  He couldn’t help himself from kissing her temple, the way he had earlier.

  She lifted her head to look up at him. He lightly pushed the hair away from her forehead. “At least I know Duncan is still alive. That’s more than we knew a few days ago.”

  He nodded, cupping her cheek in one hand. “I’m happy to know that, too. Don’t worry, we’ll find him.”

  “How?” she whispered. “We don’t know anything about who’s behind all of this.”

  It pained him to admit she was right. He knew the Dark Knights were involved but obtaining the proof he needed to convince his cop brothers to take action was proving impossible. He lightly stroked her silky-soft skin with his thumb. “I don’t know, but I won’t stop until I figure it out.”

  The corner of her mouth tipped in a lopsided smile. “I’m so glad to be here with you, Mike.”

  “Me, too.” He searched her gaze for a moment then gently leaned down to capture her mouth with his. She tasted wonderful, exactly the way he remembered.

  And when she kissed him back, his heart soared with hope and anticipation. Was it possible she still had feelings for him, the way he did for her?

  The sound of wheels crunching on the gravel driveway had him reluctantly raising his head. “Sorry, Shayla, my brothers have rotten timing,” he whispered.

  “It’s fine.” She looked flustered as she pulled out of his arms, smoothing her hair away from her face and taking a step back. “I have to check on Brodie anyway. And get the pizza in the oven. He’ll no doubt be complaining that he’s hungry soon.”

  Mike nodded, watching as she walked away to check on their son. He stood for a long moment wondering how she felt about their kiss. She hadn’t pulled away, but she hadn’t looked him directly in the eye afterward, either.