Security Blanket (5 page)

Was there reason for concern?

“Duran didn’t physically hurt me,” Marin explained. “But he’s one of the reasons I’ve tried to keep where I live secret. I was in Dallas for a while, but when he showed up, I moved to Fort Worth. The man frightens me because his desperation seems almost as intense as his determination to find Dexter.”

Lucky’s mouth tightened. “Duran probably knows about the chemical weapon’s components surfacing on the black market. He might try to contact you again.”

He paused, took a step toward her, halving the distance between them. “Marin, you have a lot to deal with, and you’re not a hundred percent. Right now, just concentrate on recovering and getting through the interview that your parents set up.”

Marin wanted to argue, but he was right. She also wanted to turn down Lucky’s offer to pose as Noah’s father. But she couldn’t do that, either. She couldn’t let her anger and pride cause her to lose custody. However, there was something she could do.

Something to put some distance between her and Lucky.

“All right,” Marin agreed. “I’ll check with the doctor and see how soon I can be discharged. Then, once he gives me the okay, I’ll call a cab to take Noah and me to the ranch. When I know the exact time and place of the interview, I’ll phone you and you can meet me at the psychologist’s office. If all goes well, maybe it won’t take more than an hour or two.”

Lucky pulled in a deep breath and eased down on the bed beside her. The mattress creaked softly. “I should be at the ranch with you.”

“No.” Marin didn’t even have to think about that—the tug in her belly had convinced her of that. “My parents will be expecting us to be a loving couple. In fact, they won’t just be expecting it, they’ll be looking for anything they can use against me to force me to return home for good.”

“You need me there with you,” he insisted.

She met his stare. The tug got worse. So, Marin dodged those lethal gray eyes. “I don’t want to be coddled.”

“Good.” He leaned in, so close that it forced her to make eye contact again. “Because I’m not the coddling type.”

No. He wasn’t. There was a dangerous edge about him, and despite the gentleness he was showing her son, Marin didn’t think this was his normal way of dealing with things. Lucky Bacelli was a lifetime bad boy.

The tug became a full-fledged pull.

Marin drew back. She had to. Because there was no room in her life for a man, especially this man who could make her feel things she didn’t want to feel.

He inched even closer. “Marin, I’m not giving you a choice about this. I’m coming to the ranch with Noah and you.”

His adamancy didn’t sit well with her. Especially after all the things he’d just admitted.

Then, it hit her.

She finally got why Lucky was so adamant. “You think Dexter had something to do with that explosion on the train?”

He gave a crisp nod. “Who else?”

“Not Dexter. My brother wouldn’t hurt me,” she informed him.

“If not him, then someone who was trying to stop me from getting to him. And that person didn’t care if you or Noah got hurt in the process.”

Lucky snared her gaze. “Marin, what I’m saying is that Noah and you could still be in serious danger.”

Lucky caught on to Marin’s arm to help steady her as she walked through the door of her old room at her parents’ ranch. But Marin would have no part of accepting his help. With Noah clutched in her arms, she moved out of Lucky’s grip and tossed him a warning glance.

He tossed her one of his own.

“We aren’t going to pull this off if you’re shooting daggers at me,” he mumbled.

She’d been giving him the silent treatment since they left the hospital an hour earlier. And because Noah had hardly made a peep the entire trip to the ranch, it’d been a very quiet drive in the rental car she’d arranged so that they wouldn’t be in the same vehicle with her parents.

Lucky wasn’t sure what to say to her anyway. Truth was, he had let her down. He’d gone onto that train to follow her, and even though he’d gotten Noah and her out of the burning debris, that wasn’t going to negate one simple fact.

Marin didn’t trust him.

Heck, she didn’t even like him.

And that would make these next forty-eight hours damn uncomfortable.

His opinion about that didn’t change when he glanced around the room. There were plenty of signs of Marin’s life here. Her earlier life, that is, when she was still her parents’ daughter. Several framed pictures of her sat on the dresser. In one she wore a pale pink promlike dress; in another, a dark blue graduation gown. But the photo in the middle, the one most prominently displayed was a shot of her standing between her parents. It was the most recent of the photographs, probably taken just shortly before her move to Dallas–Fort Worth.

She looked miserable.

“I figured all of this stuff would have been put in storage,” Marin grumbled. “Instead, they’ve made it a sort of shrine.”

They had indeed.

From the background investigation Lucky had run on her, Marin had left Willow Ridge in a hurry after a bitter argument with her parents over her relationship with Randall, the jerk her parents had thankfully never met. Before that, she’d lived and worked just a few miles away, running her CPA business from an office on Main Street in Willow Ridge. Her apartment had been over her office, and according to a former town resident that Lucky had interviewed, Marin’s parents had visited her every day.

Marin had then met Randall while on a short business trip to New Orleans. The problems with her parents had started when Marin began dating him and had refused to bring him home so they could meet him. Maybe she’d done that because subconsciously she hadn’t trusted Randall, but it probably had more to do with the fact that her parents had disapproved of all of her previous relationships.

This fake one would be no different.

“Obviously, we can’t ask for separate rooms,” Marin grumbled.

She was right about that. But at least the suite was big, thank goodness. Probably at least four hundred square feet, with a bathroom on one side. On the other there was a sitting room that had been converted to a nursery—complete with a crib and changing table.

There was only one bed though, covered with a garnet-red comforter.

Lucky followed the direction of Marin’s gaze—the bed had obviously caught her attention, as well.

“Only two days,” he reminded her.

Her heavy sigh reminded him that those two days would seem like an eternity. It was also a reminder that he should at least try to do some damage control because Lucky was positive that things could get a lot worse than they already were.

Lucky took off his leather jacket and placed it over the back of a chair that was perched in front of an antique desk. He adjusted the compact-size handgun that he had tucked in a slide holster at the back of his jeans.

Marin’s gaze went racing to his holster. “Is that a gun?” she asked.

“Yes. I always carry it. I’m a PI, remember?”

She opened her mouth, closed it and turned away.

Great. Now, they had another issue. “We have to talk,” Lucky insisted.

Another sigh. Marin sank down onto the edge of the bed and lay Noah next to her. The little boy didn’t stay put, however. He rolled onto his stomach and tried to crawl away, but Marin caught on to him. Soon the tiny floral pattern in the comforter caught his eye, and Noah stopped crawling and began to pick at the embroidery.

“There really isn’t anything to talk about,” Marin countered. “I think you’ve made everything perfectly clear.”

But then, her gaze came to his again. Lucky didn’t exactly see a carte blanche acceptance there, but he did see and feel a slight change in her. She probably knew her animosity, though warranted, wasn’t going to do them any good.

“You really think Noah and I are still in danger?” she asked.

He considered his answer. “Yes. And if I could do anything to change that, I would.”

She wearily pushed her hair away from her bandaged forehead. “So would I. I even thought if I distanced myself from you that the danger would go away.” Marin waved him off when Lucky started to respond to that. “But if the danger is connected to Dexter and the people who might want him and that chemical weapon, then no matter where I am, the danger will find me.”

Marin stared at him. “How do I stop the danger from finding Noah?”

Since this wasn’t going to be an easy answer, Lucky sat down beside her. “I won’t let anything happen to Noah, understand?”

She shook her head. Then, swallowed hard. “I can’t lose him.”

“I know.” And because he truly understood her concern and fear, Lucky reached out and slid his arm around her.

Marin stiffened, and for a moment he thought she might push him away. She didn’t. But she didn’t exactly melt into his arms, either. Still, this contact was better than the silent treatment.

Wasn’t it?

Lucky rethought that when she looked at him. Just like that, he felt the hard punch of attraction. A punch he’d been trying to ward off since the first time he’d watched Marin with his surveillance equipment. Of course, he hadn’t spoken to her then. At that time, he’d merely thought of her as Dexter Sheppard’s sister who might have been hiding her brother’s whereabouts. But she was more than that now.

And that wasn’t good.

Lucky couldn’t lose focus. He owed it to Kinley to find her killer, and he owed it to Noah to keep him safe. He couldn’t do either if he was daydreaming about having sex with Marin.

But that little reminder didn’t really help.

Next to him, Marin was warm, soft, and her scent was stirring things in him that were best left alone.

“On the train, you said you were hitting on me,” she commented, her voice practically a whisper as if discussing a secret. “Why did you lie about that?”

Now, that riled him. “Who said I lied?”

“You were following me to find Dexter.”

“And I was hitting on you. Despite what you think of me, I can do two things at once.”

She frowned and glanced down at the close contact. “Is that what you’re doing now—hitting on me?” And it wasn’t exactly an invitation to continue.

The knock at the door stopped anything stupid he was about to say. Or do. Like kiss her blind just to prove the attraction that was already way too obvious.

“It’s me,” the visitor called out.

“My grandmother,” Marin provided, and she got up to open the door.

The petite woman who gave Marin a long hug was an older version of Lois, Marin’s mother. Except unlike Lois, this woman had some warmth about her. Of course, Marin had come all this way to see her, so obviously there wasn’t the tension she had with her parents.

Lucky got to his feet, as well, though he didn’t move far from the bed in case Noah crawled closer to the edge.

“I’m Helen,” the woman said, introducing herself to Lucky. Her dusty-blue eyes were as easy as her smile. “Welcome to Willow Ridge.”

Her eye contact was hospitable, unlike the frostiness he’d gotten from Marin’s parents when they’d arrived minutes earlier. Helen’s scrutiny lasted only a few seconds though before the woman’s attention landed on Noah. She smiled again. No. She
beamed
and went to the bed to sit next to her great-grandson.

“My, my, now aren’t you a handsome-looking young man,” Helen concluded. Noah stared at her a moment before he returned the smile. That caused Helen to giggle with delight, and she scooped up the little boy in her arms. “Why don’t we go out on the patio and have a little visit.”

Lucky was about to question whether Marin was up to going outside, but she followed her grandmother to a pair of French doors that thankfully led to a glass enclosed patio. No sting of the winter wind here. It was warm, cozy and had an incredible view of the west pasture that was green with winter rye grass. With the sun just starting to set, the room was filled with golden light.

“How are you feeling?” Helen asked, her attention going back to Marin. The older woman dropped down into one of the white wicker chairs.

“I’m fine,” Marin assured her, taking the love seat next to her grandmother and son.

Everyone in that sunroom knew that was a lie. The dark smudgy circles beneath Marin’s eyes revealed her draining fatigue. And then there was that bandage on her forehead, a stark reminder of how close she’d come to being killed. It would take Lucky a lifetime or two to forgive himself for not being able to stop what had happened.

“How are you feeling?” Marin countered.

Helen gave her a short-lived smile and showered Noah’s cheeks with kisses. “I figured the only way to get you here was to tell you I was under the weather.”

Marin mumbled something under her breath. Then, huffed. “When you called Lizette earlier this week and asked her to give me a message, you said you were sick, not under the weather.
Sick.
I was worried about you.”

“I know, and considering what happened on the train, I’m sorry. But I’m not sorry you’re here.” Helen paused a moment. “All of these problems with your folks need to be worked out, and this was the only way I could think to do it.”

“Grandma, it didn’t resolve anything. Mom and Dad are trying to take Noah from me.”

“I know, and I’m sorry about that, too. I did try to stop them, but you know how your mother is when she gets an idea in her head.” The smile returned. “But they’ll forget all about custody and such when Dexter comes home.”

That grabbed Lucky’s complete attention. “You think Dexter’s alive?”

“Of course. And he won’t miss the chance to see his sister and nephew. I figure Dexter’s been waiting for the best time to make his homecoming, and that time is now.”

Lucky was about to agree, but Helen continued before he could speak. “I don’t guess you’ll be joining the family for dinner tonight?”

“No,” Marin immediately answered. “Mom and Dad might have blackmailed me into staying here, but there’s nothing in that judge’s order that says I have to socialize with the people trying to take my son.”

“I thought you’d feel that way. I’ll make sure the cook brings in some trays for you two and some baby goodies for our little man here.” Helen tipped her head toward the bedroom. “It’s my guess that your folks have your suite bugged.”

Lucky and Marin just stared at her.

Helen continued, “I heard them talking when they got back from the hospital after they saw you. Don’t know where the bug is, but I’ll bet my favorite broach that they put one somewhere in the bedroom.”

“Why would they do that?” Lucky asked.

“Because they’re suspicious. I don’t know where Howard got the notion, but he thinks Lucky here is only out to break your heart. My advice, be careful what you say. And be just as careful what you do. Don’t give Howard and Lois any ammunition to take this little boy. Because with a judge who’s your dad’s fishing buddy, they already have enough.”

Marin groaned softly and started to get up. “I’ll look for the bug.”

Lucky put his hand on her shoulder and eased her back down. “I’ll do it.”

“You might not want to do that,” Helen volunteered. “I mean, you could think of a bug as a golden opportunity to give Howard and my often misguided daughter a dose of their own medicine. After all, they’re using deceit to try to force Marin back here. Why don’t you prove to them that you have nothing to hide, that you are what you say you are?”

Lucky could think of a reason—because it would be damn impossible to stay “in character” 24/7. He would have to disarm that eavesdropping device.

His cell phone rang. He considered letting it go to voice mail. Until he spotted the name on the caller ID.

“I have to take this,” he told Marin, and since he couldn’t go into the bugged bedroom, he stepped outside so he could have some privacy.

Winter came right at him. The wind felt like razor blades whipping at his shirt and jeans. But that didn’t stop him. This call was exactly what he’d been waiting for.

“Cal,” Lucky answered. As in Special Agent Cal Rico from the Justice Department. Just as important, Cal was his best friend and had been since they’d grown up together in San Antonio. “Please tell me you have good news about that train explosion.”

“Some.” But Cal immediately paused. “It looks as though someone left a homemade explosive device in a suitcase in one of the storage lockers near the lounge car.”

The car where they’d been sitting.

“I don’t suppose you saw anyone suspicious carrying a black leather suitcase?” Cal asked.

“No.” But then, Lucky had been preoccupied with Marin. He’d allowed the attraction he felt for her to stop him from doing his job. And his job had been to make sure that no one had followed him while he’d been following Marin.

Obviously, he’d failed big-time.

“Did any of the other passengers notice the suitcase-carrying bomber?” Lucky leaned his shoulder against the sunroom glass, hoping he’d absorb some of the heat. Inside, Marin and her grandmother were still talking.

“No, but I’m about to start reviewing the surveillance disks.”

That caught Lucky’s attention. “What exactly was recorded?”

“All the main areas on the train itself, and the two depots where the train stopped in Fort Worth and then in Dallas.”

Good. It was what he wanted to hear. “So anyone who boarded should be on that surveillance?”

“Should be. Of course, that doesn’t rule out a person who was already on the train. The person could have been hiding there for a while just so they wouldn’t be so obvious on surveillance.”