KIDNAPPED, A Romantic Suspense Novel (17 page)

Rage surged through him.

Images of Samantha’s soft body, bloodied and battered, as Nicky’s had been when he found him flashed through Jake’s mind. Let anyone touch one hair on either of their heads, and they were dead men.

As he watched her, pain and sadness crossed her face. He wondered what she was thinking as she pushed past her brother. His gaze followed her to the cabinet where she pulled out a cartoon movie.

“Nicky,” she called him to her. “Why don’t we let you watch something fun while Jake and I talk to my brothers?”

Nicky looked up at him, excitement in his eyes. “I go watch cartoons, Big Partner?”

Jake nodded and gave him a little nudge. “Go find out all about American cartoons.”

“Is it Bugs the rabbit Sami?”

“Bugs Bunny? No. I thought you might like to watch Robin Hood.” She glanced at Jake, then followed the little boy into the back room. “When we get you back to the city, we’ll see if we can find some Bugs Bunny and Road Runner cartoons for you.”

“Sami asked me to look into the tax records of the Kreshnin outfit.” Luke said as he sat at the kitchen table, pulling papers out of the thick file he’d brought with him. His brother flanked him.

Jake continued to watch Sami settle Nicky in the back room for a moment. Why couldn’t this be his reality? A woman he wanted to spend time with. A child he wanted to see learn and grow. An isolated cabin in the country. Her two brothers.

Okay. Not everything about the situation was ideal, but even he could have a fantasy, couldn’t he?

Shoving his daydream aside, he joined her brothers at the table.  He sat across from them.

“She wanted to know what irregularities I could uncover. I checked on that and with the immigration office.”

“And what did you find?” Samantha leaned over the table, between her brothers and Jake.

The urge to touch her rounded bottom, overwhelmed him. Oh hell, how long did he really have to enjoy her company? Brothers be damned.

He scooted his chair back. Slipping his hand over her bottom to her far hip, he edged her to perch on his knee. Her face registered her curiosity, but she didn’t protest.

Matt glared at him. Jake let it fall off him like water off a duck.

God, she felt so good.

Rubbing his hand over her jean-clad thigh, Jake enjoyed the feel of Sami’s rounded bottom on his lap. They all listened to Luke bring them up to date on what he’d learned about the Kreshnins activities since arriving in the United States.

Jake eyed Luke suspiciously. “How did you find this out?”

“Most information is available to the person with the right clearance codes.”

Jake looked from Luke to Samantha. “Clearance codes? Don’t tell me he works for the CIA.”

“No. The Treasury Department and Homeland Security.” She grinned at him. “Luke’s an investigator stationed in the mid-west.”

Jake closed his eyes and groaned. “Another cop.”

Samantha laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. “Face it Mr. Kidnapper, the fates blessed you when they chose me as your victim.”

Jake opened his eyes. She smiled at him. Even in the midst of this mess, she found a way to lighten his spirit. He glanced at her brothers. Angry glares stared at him. “Or cursed me, sweetheart.”

Sami swallowed hard as Jake’s words caused tears to fill her eyes. Did he really think she’d cursed him? If he only knew how much she already believed that about herself. She inched forward to leave his lap.

He tightened his grip on her waist, keeping her seated.

Okay, he wanted her to stay. She’d stay, for now. Not because he demanded it, but because she sensed he needed her. She’d always been a sucker for someone needing her.

When this was finished, she really needed to get therapy
.

“Luke.” Sami cringed inwardly at the shrill sound in her voice. She cleared her throat. “Did you find out about their tax returns?”

“The tax returns they file are on their restaurant’s business and are completely on the up and up.”

Sami’s heart sank. “Damn it. I thought we could get them on something there.”

“Those are the legitimate taxes, sweetheart.” Jake emphasized his words with a squeeze to her hip. Her heart lightened a little at the gesture. “We’re interested in what they’re not paying taxes on.”

“Like Al Capone?”

Luke nodded. “Just like him.” He handed a paper to her. “Seems our friends the Kreshnins live way above their means. Homes in the richest part of town, summer homes in Florida. Mercedes for them and members of their crew. Given their opulent life style, I’m surprised no one has started an investigation before this.”

Sami and Jake exchanged knowing looks. “Luke? Who could prevent a federal investigation by your department?”

“The Justice Department.”

Jake muttered a few oaths that matched the same thing she was thinking.

Matt cleared his throat. “Who in your department knew you were in deep cover, Carlisle?”

Jake ran his hand over his face and beard. “Captain Bridges, his contact in the DA’s office, and my old partner, Bill Doyle.”

“Bridges is dead. This Doyle, how sure of him are you?”

“He turned in an old partner for taking bribe money, about twelve years ago. I can’t imagine the Russians turned him.”

Matt back sat in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table.

Sami knew her brother well. She could almost see the wheels turning inside his head. His mind was working out a plan. She glanced at Jake. He matched her brother’s look.  Sadness and fear filled her. In another time, these two would probably have been good friends. Now, the fact they were thinking along the same lines scared her. Whatever plan they were formulating couldn’t be good.

“The District Attorney contact? Any good?” Luke asked from across the table.

Jake shrugged. “Natalie Johnson, a lower level assistant. She doesn’t have much juice, but I doubt she’s given this to the higher ups. My assignment came through her. Natalie’s mother is a third generation Russian. Her hairdresser’s aunt complained about people from the old country threatening her husband’s business. They were paying out half their profits. Seems this old lady didn’t like sharing her hard-earned money. She told Natalie’s mother, who in turn asked her to look into the allegations. Ms. Johnson approached Bridges who threw the assignment to me. I don’t know if the girl learned how deep undercover I’d gotten.”

“We’ll keep her as a backup plan.” Matt stared Jake right in the eye. “No need in getting someone with untainted hands in the middle of this, unless we have no other choice.”

“Agreed. Enough innocents have been hurt already.”

Sami turned to study Jake. “Did you ever hurt any innocent people while you worked for the Kreshnins?”

Those piercing blue eyes stared steadily at her. “Except for leaving Nicky in long enough to get tortured, no. The only people I had to rough up as part of my cover were low level hoods and drug dealers who worked for the gang, Samantha.”

“Good.” She gulped hard.

It mattered very much to her that he’d held onto his police ethics while undercover. For years she’d heard from her brothers about undercover cops who became as bad as the people they were supposed to be infiltrating. She didn’t want to contemplate why it mattered so much to her that Jake hadn’t crossed over that line, she just knew it did.

“The problem is that I have no idea who sold me out,” Jake muttered. “It’s the reason I couldn’t take Nicky into the ER that first night. I couldn’t risk someone calling the cops and bringing in the person on the Kreshnins payroll.”

“That’s why you took me.” Sami grinned a little at him.

“Yes, it was.” He gave her that smoldering, I-want-to-take-you-to-bed-right-now look again. Sami suddenly wished her brothers would disappear.

Luke tapped Sami on the shoulder, breaking the spell Jake held over her. “If I could find out from my end who is protecting the Kreshnins, we could get a federal task force to investigate them.”

“That’s a good long-term idea, Luke,” Jake agreed. “I have a feeling Petrov Kreshnin has tentacles that reach far into the government. He learned one thing from all his years working with the KGB and the Soviet’s bureaucratic system. Low paid, over worked middle management people can be bought at a low price and the information they provide could be invaluable.”

“As good as the idea is, Luke, we don’t have the time or luxury to wait for some congressional committee to call for a special investigation.” Matt shook his head. “We need something faster.”

“Why?” Sami, asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“It’s imperative we collapse our trap around the whole extortion ring at once, so no one who could be a threat to Nicky escapes.” Jake pulled her farther back onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

Sami managed to smother the sigh that surged through her at the warmth and security his body offered.

“We need something to draw them out,” Luke suggested.

“Something they won’t be able to resist,” Matt added, staring intently at Jake.

“It’ll have to be in an area where we can control the meeting.” Jake rubbed Sami’s arm and returned the stare as if he could read her brother’s thoughts.

Matt leaned his elbows onto the table, his intense gaze fixed on Jake. “We have only two things to offer as bait.”

Jake nodded. “It’s the only thing guaranteed to get all the players out in the open.”

Sami looked from Jake, then to Matt, then finally back to Jake. They’d made their decision. She clenched her hands in her lap to still their shaking. Her heart sank with the realization of what they planned, even as she asked, “What’s the bait?”

“Not what, sweetheart. Who.”

She tried to move away.

He held her still.

“No,” she whispered.

Jake lifted her chin until her wavering gaze met his more steady one. “Your brothers are going to offer to turn Nicky and me over to the Kreshnins.

Samantha surged off Jake’s lap. This time he didn’t try to stop her. She stepped away and stared at him. “No! You can’t do that. They’ll kill both of you.”

Jake hated to see her hurting. He especially hated being the cause of her pain. He reached for her hand. She took another step out of his reach. Damn. If her brothers weren’t sitting at the table watching, he’d chase after her. Right now, he could only reassure her nothing bad would happen.

“Samantha, they’re only going to
offer
to hand both of us over. Nicky will be nowhere near this meeting. He’ll be with you. I promise.”

“Oh, but you’ll be right in the middle of it, won’t you?”

He nodded, watching fear and anger flash across her face. The knowledge that his welfare mattered to her thrilled him. It also scared him to death. “Yes, sweetheart. It’s important that I help close down this ring. It’s my job.”

“You could let someone else clean it all up. You don’t
need
to be the one doing the dangerous stuff this time.” She retreated a few more steps.

“I have to be there, Samantha.”

“Why? Wasn’t getting shot bad enough to nearly die once enough for you?”

The pain in her words tore at him. “To point out everyone I know to be involved in the extortion ring. It’s what I’ve worked for the past three years, sweetheart.”

Samantha marched to the door, grabbed her coat, then looked at all three of them. “Why don’t you hang a sign around your neck, saying, here I am, shoot me?”

Jake watched as she fled out the door, cringing when it slammed shut behind her. He stood to go after her.

“Let her be alone for a while, Carlisle,” Matt said from behind him. “It’s her way. She always walks when she’s upset.”

Luke nodded. “She likes to work her problems out that way.”

Jake sat in his chair, trusting her brothers knew Samantha better than he did. If she didn’t return by the time they finalized their plans, he’d find her and make her understand how much he needed to be there to make sure Nicky’s tormentors got the punishment they deserved and could never come after the kid again.

“What kind of weapon are you packing?” Matt asked.

Jake almost laughed. The guy worked like a bulldog with a bone, always down to business. Under different circumstances, they’d probably be good friends.

“A P-255 Glock.”

Matt whistled. “Planning to put some big holes in people, aren’t ya?”

Jake looked into the room where Nicky sat entranced by the movie. Then he glanced at the door Samantha had just stormed out. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

* * *

Sami marched out through the trees surrounding the house. Her tennis shoes crushed the soaked leaves from autumn’s annual shedding. Most of the early snowfall had melted during the day, leaving mud and soggy leaves in its wake. In another month or so, a snowfall of yesterday’s size would linger for weeks.

Maybe she’d teach Nicky how to make a snowman then.

She exhaled long and slow. Who was she kidding? If they all survived this, the Child Protective Services would scoop him up right out of sight.

She slowed her pace, leaning against a semi-dry tree trunk to watch the inside of the cabin. Jake and her brothers still sat at the table making their big plans.

Only, their plan sucked
.

He still had to be the lone wolf. He still had to put himself in harm’s way. Couldn’t he see how much she and Nicky needed him?

How had he done this to her? She hadn’t asked him to kidnap her. It wasn’t her idea to spend her days patching Nicky and him, get shot at and hide from police. And never had she planned on falling in love with him.

Sami waited for her breathing to catch up with her heart and her mind.

Great. What a really stupid thing to do, Samantha. Fall in love with a man who is determined to get himself killed in the line of duty.

Sami turned and kicked the tree. She had no idea if her heart could handle being broken again. The scars still felt too new.

As the moon cast its light over the darkened forest, she watched her brothers file out of the cabin. They shook hands with Jake. Three hours before they’d tried to tear him apart. Now they acted like long lost buddies. Even growing up with her brothers, she still couldn’t figure men out, much less make intelligent choices about them.