Justice Undercover Page 10

  “Boots are not conducive for swimming.”

  “You think?” He chuckled. He looked into those dancing blue eyes and wondered if she knew how scared he’d been.

  She smiled back.

  He lifted himself on top of the metal shelf, his boot finding a sturdy landing. A bar stretched across in front of him and he used it to hold on. He’d feel much better when he was out of this pit.

  Kylie removed her cell from her back pocket and water poured out. “Guess this is useless.”

  “Mine is on my ATV. I’ll get you a new one as soon as we get out of here.”

  “You don’t have to buy me one, but I appreciate the offer. We should be able to get out over there.” She pointed to the old road that he’d spotted earlier. She nodded to the old piece of machinery. “What is this, anyway?”

  “A crusher. It breaks up big hunks of rock into small pieces that can be loaded in trucks and hauled out. This machine is ancient.”

  “You can tell by all the rust. No wonder they didn’t drag it out of here. Makes me wonder if it was broken-down before the quarry even closed.”

  “Could be. Dad said it closed in the seventies. I always remember the quarry being full of water. That’s why my parents always warned us kids not to come out here.”

  “It’s almost pretty,” she said wistfully. “A house on top of that hill over there would be absolutely gorgeous.”

  Megan died here. He didn’t want to have anything to do with this place. His thoughts must’ve shown on his face, for Kylie suddenly got a funny expression.

  “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “I understand.” She didn’t go on about putting her foot in her mouth. It was one thing he liked about her. Some people actually made a situation worse by not letting it go. They liked to talk and talk, but not Kylie.

  She drew a deep breath. “I’m going to sit down a minute.” With both hands, she pulled herself onto the lip surrounding a big metal hopper. “If I can get up here.”

  Luke reached to help her up, his hand grazing her arm, when she rolled over onto the useless equipment. It was an innocent brush, but the burn of the touch remained noticeably long. Well, now he was really cracking up. Must be the near-death experience that made him react in a weird way. “Thank you for helping me get my foot unstuck on the cliff.”

  “No problem.”

  “Where did you learn to climb like that?”

  She looked out at the water. “I used to work out at the gym a lot.”

  “It paid off. For me, at least. First, I get my boot stuck and then I’m a terrible swimmer. You must think I’m a pathetic Ranger.”

  “No way. Everyone has their days. Even a Texas Ranger.”

  “Don’t say that to my team members.” Some people thought law enforcers were some kind of heroes. Maybe that was just in the movies and cop shows. The truth was he did work with a lot of smart officers, but at the end of the day, they were all just people.

  She smirked, and suddenly he felt silly for mentioning it.

  “You’re a good law officer.”

  “You don’t even know me.” Luke watched as a drop of water rolled down her face. He was tempted to wipe it away, but didn’t want her to think he was crossing a professional line. “You watch a lot of TV dramas?”

  Again, she glanced away. “I can just tell.”

  He’d regained his energy. It was time to go. Wouldn’t this look great if Jax O’Neill showed up right now. His coworker would good-naturedly harass him because his nanny had helped rescue him. Luke stepped back into the water. “I’m rested.”

  “Me, too. But I wasn’t swimming in cowboy boots.” She plopped down into water and instantly jerked her arm. “Ow. What was that?”

  Luke moved her way, pushing around the side of the conveyor. “What?”

  Kylie grabbed her arm—blood trickled from the back of it. “Something sharp sticking out.”

  “Let me see.” The cut was shallow, but probably stung a good bit. “Doesn’t look deep. I have a first-aid kit in my truck. When we get back, we’ll apply antibiotic cream and a bandage to keep it covered.”

  “I just scraped it. I don’t think I’ll need a bandage.” She sighed and looked back to what she had caught it on. “Well, at least that metal doesn’t look rusted.”

  A small shiny silver box reflected below the water’s surface. Luke tugged on the box. It moved but was stuck on something.

  “That hasn’t been down here long,” Kylie said.

  She was right. He pulled again, shimmied it loose then finally yanked it free. He kept his balance on the side of the machine as he set the box on the top. The metal container had two clasps, and he flipped them up and tugged the lid open.

  Even through the layers of plastic, the color of green hundred-dollar bills showed clearly.

  Kylie’s sharp intake of breath mirrored his feelings exactly. “That’s a lot of money.”

  “Now we know what that man was doing out here. And he’ll be back.”

  NINE

  Kylie moved toward shore with the case of money in her grip. The clunky case made swimming difficult, and she began to bounce forward on her toes until she could wade out of the quarry. Both of them were silent as they navigated through the water, as Luke was undoubtedly considering the same questions she was. Where did the money come from, and what did the hidden cash have to do with Megan?

  The old road ahead of them was covered in mud and overgrown with weeds, but once they stepped onto the mossy shore, relief fell over her. “What are we going to do with this?”

  Water poured from Luke as he took the box from her. “First, let’s get back to my parents’ house and get out of these wet clothes. I don’t know how much money is in here, but evidently enough to make murder attractive.”

  “You can say that again.” Kylie stepped carefully, testing to see if the rock was slippery.

  “I don’t know how much money is in here...” He shook his head. “Never mind. Corny joke. Come on. We’ve got a long walk.”

  “I don’t know if you caught on earlier, but I drove your truck. I parked it by the gate.” At his look, she continued. “You left without talking to me, and I have no vehicle.”

  “So this is my fault?”

  “Pretty much.” She hurried to keep up with him, solid ground under their feet.

  He looked over his shoulder, their gazes connected and he shook his head.

  “Yeah, and it’s probably nearly a mile to the truck by the time we walk around the quarry.” Her T-shirt was plastered to her, and she pulled the material away from her skin and shook it out. Her hair fell across her face, making her wish for the short pixie style she used to have while with the US Marshals. Not that she cared. She wasn’t trying to win a beauty contest, but she didn’t like that dirty feeling. Squishy shoes were the worst. Dirt clings to wet shoes. She’d need to change as soon as they got back.

  Her eyes locked onto the money case again. “Luke?”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t slow his pace.

  “Do you think your sister had anything to do with this money?”

  His steps faltered. “What are you asking?”

  “You know. Not trying to insinuate anything, but it’s apparent something was going on out here the night Megan was killed. Was she into anything illegal?”

  This time he stopped in his tracks, pain and anger written across his face. “My sister was a stay-at-home mom and the nicest lady you’d ever meet.”

  She was treading on dangerous ground, but she had to ask again. “I have to assume her death had to do with the money. If she wasn’t into anything illegal, could this be blackmail money? Or maybe she saw something illegal going on and followed someone out here?”

  He shoved his hands through his wet hair and remained calm despite the ache he had to be enduring. “I’ve considered al
l kinds of scenarios that would’ve brought Megan out here that night. But I can’t imagine she was into anything illegal or knowingly put herself in danger. I’ve learned from being in law enforcement that nice people can have skeletons in their closets. But it’s not possible sweet Megan was into anything criminal.”

  Good. “If anyone accused my sister Tina of being into anything illegal, I would never buy it. So if not Megan, then Tommy?”

  “That’s my thought, too. If only he were here so he could be questioned. This case may be more complicated than I originally thought.”

  * * *

  Luke wanted to get back to his parents’ house, but he needed to know if their shooter had been injured. The guy would be easier to locate if he showed up at a hospital.

  Kylie walked up behind him. “What are you looking for?”

  “Signs to see if our man took a hit.” He continued to explore the area for any evidence of blood.

  She began to help him by scouring the trail to the trees. As much as he hated to admit it, his nanny had proven to be a big asset. She’d found the case of money, and he’d probably be dead if she hadn’t helped him on the cliffs. “What makes you think the guy took a bullet?”

  “I can’t be sure because it all happened so fast, but he appeared to be holding his hand. If he wasn’t hurt, he would’ve stayed around and finished us off.”

  Luke sobered at the thought. They were easy pickings while hanging on the side of that cliff. “Hey, I want to thank you again.”

  She waved a hand at him. “It was nothing.”

  “That’s not true. I really appreciate you having my back.” Maybe because he was investigating his sister’s death, or the rift with his parents had taken its toll, but he needed to acknowledge his gratitude—something he rarely attempted. “It’s not often you find someone you trust.”

  “You’re welcome.” She moved closer, but her eyes were on the ground. “Here. Blood.” She bent over and looked at milkweed covering the ground.

  But Luke wasn’t looking at the evidence. Her shirt had ridden up her back when she leaned over. Luke blinked. “What happened to you?”

  “What?” She stood and yanked her shirt down past her waistband. “Nothing.”

  Scars. Red and dimpled scars covered her beautiful skin. He hadn’t been trying to look, but when she’d bent over, his gaze had automatically gone there. “Kylie.” His voice hardened. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Let it go. It didn’t happen today.” She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm.

  “That looks like a burn. Did an ex-boyfriend or husband do this to you?”

  She jerked her arm free. “Of course not.”

  “Why won’t you tell me?” The scars were none of his business, but what could be so bad she didn’t want to tell? Obviously, they weren’t from surgery or a medical procedure. Jax had questioned him last night about Kylie and her background, but Luke had defended her, telling his colleague that his nanny was an innocent bystander.

  She glanced at the ground as if still searching for clues, but he knew better.

  “Kylie.” He came and stood in front of her so she couldn’t ignore him. “What is it?”

  She turned away.

  “Hey.” With his fingers, he lifted her chin. Blue eyes full of emotion stared back at him. “What aren’t you telling me? I can help.”

  Her skin trembled under his touch, but she didn’t pull away. “I can’t.”

  “Can’t what? Talk to me?” First Megan and now Kylie. What did he do to make women not be able to confide in him? It’d been two years since he’d dated anyone, but surely, he wasn’t that rusty. Why couldn’t people trust him with the truth? His hand dropped to his side, but he kept his gaze trained on her, searching for a hint of what she could be hiding from him.

  Her shoulders tightened and she pressed her arms close against herself.

  He rubbed his hands up and down her chilly arms. “I’m sorry. You’re freezing. Let’s get you back to the house. I never should’ve involved you in this case. You would’ve been safer far away in another town.”

  She stepped back, rigid and flushed. “Let’s go.”

  He stared at her back as she walked away. What did he say wrong?

  At first, he’d thought Kylie was frightened, but he took another glance. The averted eyes, the slight stutter. She was great with the kids, but ever since she had protected the twins at the zoo, he’d wondered about his nanny. She had training. Maybe a self-defense class, but his gut told him it was something else. Not only good with a gun, but also carried one. Law enforcement, maybe. But why keep that a secret?

  Before he had time to consider his actions, he asked, “Are you some kind of law officer?”

  “What?” Her steps faltered as she turned around. The blush on her cheeks told him he wasn’t going to like her answer.

  * * *

  Kylie’s mouth went dry. What had prompted that question? She answered carefully. “No, I’m not.” At least, not anymore.

  He cocked his head, and his gaze bore into her. “Be honest with me.”

  There’s that word. Honest. She hadn’t lied to the Ranger, but she hadn’t exactly been forthcoming, either. She wanted to be honest. She’d been upstanding and truthful her whole life, until she went in hiding. The last three years, her whole life had been a lie. Could she trust him?

  His eyebrows drew together, his gaze searching hers.

  No. Yes... Maybe. She still wasn’t certain what Megan’s death had to do with Hal Alcott and the Coffey family’s murder. She’d gone three years without telling anyone, so she wasn’t going to cave now. She needed to be sure. “Don’t you need to call the hospitals or something to see if anyone checks in with a gunshot wound?”

  He frowned. “I do. But don’t think I’ll forget about how you didn’t answer me.”

  She didn’t suspect he would forget. But at least it’d buy her time.

  He hiked over to his ATV, which was hidden behind some shrubs, and she heard him grumble something to himself. He walked back out of the brush with the phone to his ear. “Can you hear me now?”

  Luke continued to talk, so he must be getting reception. She only heard bits and pieces, but enough to know he was telling someone what had happened. As he talked, she continued to search for more clues that might lead to their attacker. In a couple of places, the grass appeared knocked down, like someone had walked or run through it.

  Of course, that could be from Luke when he came through here earlier.

  A dark splotch showed on a blade of grass. She leaned over and examined it more closely. Blood. She pointed to the grass and mouthed, “Here’s more.”

  Luke nodded and continued his phone conversation. Evidently the person had a lot of questions for him. They didn’t need to lose the spot, so she piled four small rocks a couple of feet away.

  After he clicked off the phone, his brown eyes continued to search her face. “Call made. Back to my question. Who are you really?”

  She was probably giving away that she was hiding something under his scrutiny. Her mouth went dry. “I’m afraid to be honest.”

  That must’ve surprised him, for his head snapped up. “Afraid of me? You can trust me.”

  Trust him. But how did she know? How did she know whether he would tell unless he knew her identity? She’d had it. She must trust someone if she was ever going to catch Hal Alcott or whoever else was behind the attacks.

  “Will you promise not to tell anyone?”

  His brows furrowed. “How can I say until I know what you’re keeping from me? If you’ve done something illegal, I must tell.”

  “It’s not illegal per se.”

  He sighed and rubbed his hands through his still-damp hair. “Someone killed my sister, tried to kidnap Braden and Zoe and shot at both of us. I’m tired. If you know something that woul
d help solve this case, please—I need to know.”

  Always a sucker for the word please and she could see the toll the case was taking on him. So help her, this better not get her killed. “I used to be a Deputy US Marshal.”

  He didn’t flinch. “Define used to be.”

  She’d opened this can of worms, so there was no backing up now. “I’m presumed dead. By the US Marshals, my family, everyone.”

  “Why?” He was a man of few words.

  “Are you familiar with the deputy who was killed in witness protection during Hal Alcott’s trial?”

  “You’re that deputy.”

  It wasn’t a question, but she answered, anyway. “Yes. Deputy US Marshal Melody Garner. I didn’t die.”

  “Evidently not.” He turned and started stalking toward his truck. “Why are you in hiding?”

  She hurried to keep up. She hadn’t mentioned being in hiding, but guessed that much was obvious. She plowed ahead, not holding anything back. “Luke, I saw Hal Alcott the night of the explosion. I was hurt. Burned.” She grabbed his arm to stop him from walking away. “Fighting for my life and lying in a pile of rubble. Hal strode right up to the aftermath, hot pockets of the safe house still burning, looked at Lori Coffey and her two kids and me. No emotion, no remorse. Not trying to save anyone. I watched him leave.”

  Luke’s features hardened. From anger or disbelief, she couldn’t tell. “Are you sure it was Hal?”

  “Yes. One-hundred-percent positive. It’s why I came to work for you. Brandon, Lori’s husband, disappeared after he’d confided in her about Hal’s illegal activities. Lori was to testify. Since Megan’s husband disappeared shortly before her death, I thought there might be a connection.”

  “And since you were using my family in your own investigation, did you find anything?”

  Ouch. “No, I didn’t.”