Deadly Cover-Up

Now, all of those feelings were back in full force and hitting him all at once.

“It’s really me, Ben,” the woman said softly, her voice breaking into his reverie. “I promise. Remember how we used to picnic on the beach and you used to go diving for spiny lobster while I stayed on shore, reading the latest romance novel?”

He shook his head. “Plenty of people do that.”

“Do plenty of people stop in the middle of grabbing lobsters to arrest a guy for taking fourteen lobsters over the limit?”

Her question astounded him. Few people knew about that arrest. He usually didn’t bother with marine violations since the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or the coast guard kept most folks in compliance with the law, but that particular lobster violation had really bothered him, so he had made the stop. The perpetrator had turned out to be a high-powered congressman from New York State with plenty of pull—so much so that he had managed to keep the arrest out of the news. The politician had paid a large fine and quietly returned to his home state.

Ben raised an eyebrow as his stomach did a flip-flop. Could it be true? Was Jordan Kendrick still alive? Part of him wanted to believe it, yet he had so many questions, and pain inundated him from head to toe. If she had been alive all this time, why hadn’t she contacted him? Had Jordan or someone else faked her death? Why would she do it? What frightful necessity would have driven her to such lengths?

Was the love they’d shared real or just a fallacy?

He watched her shift from one foot to another. She was uncomfortable, too. When she spoke, her voice trembled. “Remember when I cooked those ribs on the grill, and I completely burned them up? Flames were shooting out of the grill, and you rushed out and drenched the charcoal, convinced I was about to burn your house down. By the time we got the mess cleaned up, the rest of the food was also ruined. We ended up going out to eat at that barbeque place you like so much—Robbie’s, the restaurant on Pine Street down in Palm Valley. We were nearly starving by the time we arrived, and I’d never seen you eat so much. Then we went back to my place and watched old black-and-white movies until midnight. Despite the fire, it turned out to be one fantastic evening.”

It was her.

Nobody else would know those details. Jordan was alive! Ben felt his heartbeat accelerate, and the sound seemed to be roaring in his ears. He stood there motionless for several seconds as the fact that she hadn’t died nine months ago washed over him. “Where have you been? How can this be true?” He took a step forward.

She took a step back and put up her hands. “I’m alone, I promise. And unarmed. Can you put that gun down?”

Ben quickly engaged the safety and laid the weapon on the table. He wanted to reach for her and pull her into his arms, but he instantly sensed that she wouldn’t welcome his embrace. He wasn’t even sure if she would allow his touch. She seemed poised to run and was acting like a terrified rabbit being chased through a forest. Her eyes were wide, and he noticed blood on her arm and shirt. How had she gotten injured? His heart continued to beat frantically against his chest, and he took another step toward her.

She jerked and took a step back. Her eyes darted around the room, apparently seeking a quick retreat, and her features showed her insecurity and doubt. Her hands fisted and unfisted as if she couldn’t quite stand still. Was she going to bolt, now that she had finally approached him?

He sensed her hesitance and fear, and he put up his hands in a motion of surrender. When he spoke, he kept his voice soft, almost like a whisper. “Is it really you?” he asked again, still not quite believing it.

“Yeah, it’s me. I promise.”

Even though she wouldn’t let him touch her, his eyes consumed her. She had changed so much. A wariness covered her face that worried him, and fine lines of stress were clearly visible around her eyes and mouth. The weight loss made her cheekbones more prominent, but her lips were still full and elegant. Her clothes were stained and torn, and her hands had started shaking. He could see that her nails were shredded, and she had several scrapes on her hands and knees. Still, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His heart fluttered, and he slowly dropped his hands.

“How are you alive?” he whispered.

“It’s a long story.”

A host of emotions played across his chest. Why had she deceived him? And why had she waited nine months before contacting him? Anger bubbled to the surface before he could stop it. “A long story? Really? I spoke at your funeral nine months ago and now you appear out of nowhere and say hello like we were passing acquaintances? I thought you were dead!”

She backed even farther away from him until she was almost in the corner, and he instantly regretted letting the anger escape. He might be justified in his ire, but Jordan had always been a caring and loving woman. There had to be a good reason for what she’d done. He needed to give her the benefit of the doubt, at least until he knew what had happened and she’d had a chance to explain.

She bit her bottom lip, a motion that was pure Jordan and so familiar to him. His whole body felt like it was on the verge of exploding. How was she here, standing in front of him? His brain still couldn’t seem to comprehend it. Yet, here she was, living and breathing right in his living room, and apparently scared to death about something or someone by the way she was acting. He tried again, softening his voice. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell. This is just a bit hard for me to process.” He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration and lowered his voice even further. He wanted to touch her so badly. “How?” he stammered. “How are you here? How are you alive?”

She glanced around the room as if verifying the exits, and he could see her wide blue eyes. Only they weren’t blue—they were brown now. She was definitely wearing contacts. But her high thin eyebrows and perky nose hadn’t changed, and the sprinkle of freckles was still scattered across her face. However, there were dark splashes under her eyes that looked stress-induced, and her skin had lost its healthy tone. He took another step forward, and finally she didn’t retreat as he advanced. He moved slowly, purposefully, and reached over and lightly touched her face with the pads of his fingers. This time, she didn’t back away. Soft skin met his trembling fingertips. Yes, she was definitely real. And she smelled like Jordan—a sweet mixture of lavender and mint. His heart was beating so hard it felt like a bass drum in his chest. Could this really be happening? Could the love of his life really still be alive and standing before him?

Jordan covered his large hand with her smaller one and squeezed it, then glanced around nervously, again making sure they were alone and nobody had followed her. She knew it would be hard on Ben if she decided to approach him, and now she had to give him time to accept it. Still, she wasn’t happy about bringing him into her problems, and doing so was causing her a great deal of angst. Only nine short months ago, they had been planning their wedding. Now she was on the run and her life was in danger, and she had just put Ben’s life in danger as well by coming back into his life. It didn’t sit well with her, but she had run out of options.

Seeing Ben again did funny things to her insides. She still loved him, and she missed him terribly. Losing him had been her biggest regret when the US Marshals had helped her fake her death and enter the witness protection program. She had joined in the first place to protect him, and she still thought she had made the right decision at the time. Ben had believed she was gone forever, but that had been a small price to pay to keep him safe. Yet now, everything had changed. She was still being hunted, and she had no doubt that even though the man that had chased her at the grocery store had died, there would be others not far behind. The marshals who had promised to protect her had failed miserably, and she was out of options. She’d left the safe house in South Carolina and returned to Jacksonville, Florida, where all of her problems had originated in the first place. She’d purposefully made the choice to come home so she could continue investigating her case, but the decision to return still caused knots in her insides. She didn’t want to put Ben in danger again, but the threat against her was very real and growing exponentially, and she didn’t know what else to do.

Jordan ran her hands up and down her arms in a halfhearted motion of comfort. She was scared, even more so now than nine months ago when this all began. She was a scientist, not a law enforcement officer. The foe she faced was malevolent and powerful. Could a lone sheriff’s deputy really do anything to stop the wave of terror that was filling her life? She bit her bottom lip, trying to calm the battle that was raging within her. Ben was good at his job—very good. She had seen him accomplish amazing things within his unit and help a lot of people. They had dated for over a year, and she felt like she had really gotten to know him during that time. Ben was amazing. He was caring and honest. He was the love of her life, and in her book, the most attractive man on the planet. But he was only one man. And she didn’t want him dead.

She was assailed by doubts. She had made a mistake. She should never have come to Ben’s house today. She needed to face these problems on her own—not drag Ben into them with her. She was strong and capable, and she just needed more time to think everything through. Her eyes darted to the door, and she turned, ready to run.

“Don’t go,” Ben said firmly.

Jordan turned back and glanced into his eyes. She saw a host of emotions all swimming together in those brown depths, but confusion and caring trumped them all. The confidence she saw was almost her undoing. She was completely terrified and didn’t know where else to turn. And she was fooling herself. She wasn’t able to do this on her own. She hadn’t seen anyone following her to his house, but she still didn’t feel comfortable staying out in the open for very long. She needed to disappear, but since WITSEC was no longer a possibility, she definitely needed Ben’s help. She had no choice. She had nowhere else to go.

Would Ben help her? She refused to guess at his feelings. His expression alone showed how truly overwhelmed he was by her appearance. Still, he had loved her once. But she had lost the ability to read him or tell what he was thinking. She hoped he would help, but she wasn’t banking on his cooperation.

She let out a breath. “I don’t know if we can talk here. It might not be safe.” She stepped back, glanced out the living room window, then pulled the curtains closed so that no one could see in.

He raised his eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”

“My life is in danger, Ben. That’s why I disappeared in the first place. I’ve been in the federal witness protection program ever since the boating accident.”

He shook his head, surprise splashed across his features. “WITSEC? Why? I don’t understand. I had no idea. I mean, I know you were having some problems at the lab, but nothing that was so bad it would force you into hiding…”

“They’ll come after you, too, if they see us together. I… I didn’t want to put you in danger.” She looked back at his face, which had been so dear to her. It was filled with confusion and hurt. His expression and her internal battles nearly overwhelmed her with the desire to throw herself into his arms and seek refuge in his embrace. She had always felt safe and secure around Ben. He was a big bear of a man, with broad shoulders and an athletic build that made it seem like he could handle whatever the world threw at him.

Yet, once again, doubts assailed her. This was wrong. She should have found a different way. Whether he could handle it or not, she had no right to drag him into the middle of her problems. She still had a little money left. Perhaps the solution was simply leaving Florida altogether and never coming back. If she left now, her case would never be resolved, but at least she would still have her life.

She paced a bit, still unsure.

Up until now, she’d always been good at solving her own difficulties. She would just have to do it once more. She was smart and creative. She’d graduated at the top of her class for her bachelor’s degree and had earned the top marks for her master’s and doctorate degrees, as well. Yet, after nine months, she was no closer to fixing her problems than she had been on that fateful day when she had gone into WITSEC in the first place. Being smart didn’t make her invincible. And she needed help. Desperately.

What should she do? The question ate at her and made her stomach twist in knots. As her emotions played tug-of-war, she met Ben’s eyes once more, but the pain and confusion she saw in his eyes was her undoing. “I shouldn’t be here. This was a mistake—a big one,” she murmured. Her eyes darted around the room one last time, and she started heading toward the back door.

THREE

Ben moved to block her, his voice firm. “No, this wasn’t a mistake. Now that I know you’re really alive, if you run, I’ll find you. That’s a promise. But you can save me the trouble. Tell me what’s going on, Jordie. Let me in.”

“I can’t.” Jordan took a few more steps but he grasped her arm and stopped her. Although he wasn’t holding her tightly, she cried out at his touch. Without realizing it, his hand was only a few inches from her wound.

He loosened his grip but didn’t let go completely and moved closer so he could examine her arm. “Good grief! You’ve been shot!” He shifted his hold but still didn’t release her and gently led her back toward his bathroom. She blew out a frustrated breath, but finally gave in to his tender urging. He flipped on the light, then reached under the sink and pulled out a first aid kit. “We need to get you to a hospital,” he said softly, caring in his voice.

“No. I won’t go.”

“That’s crazy!” he said vehemently, yet still his voice was hushed. “You need medical attention.”

“They require proof of identity and money, both of which I don’t have.”

“I’ll pay,” Ben responded quickly. More doubt filled her mind. Her enemies would definitely find her and kill her if she walked through the doors of a hospital. Hospitals also kept records and were forced to report bullet wounds. Sure, they had rules about confidentiality, but those rules couldn’t protect her. Her adversary was just too powerful. She glanced nervously around the small bathroom. She should leave. Now. Somehow, she would figure a way out of this herself. “No,” she said forcefully. “I’m not going to any hospital. I’ll take care of it. I really am sorry I bothered you.” She tried to keep the desperation from her voice, but she heard it quaver.

Ben quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, Jordan. You win. We’ll do it your way.” He took a step forward as if he was going to take her in his arms, but she stiffened, and her reaction stopped him. She wouldn’t meet his eye, so he just stood there, ostensibly waiting for her to acknowledge him. Finally, he touched her chin and gently lifted it until their eyes met.

She would not cry in front of him, she thought fiercely, even though she was suddenly lost in the depths of his chocolate-brown eyes. The caring and concern she saw reflected there was nearly her undoing.

Somehow, he seemed to understand that now wasn’t the time to push for answers. He turned his focus to her arm, got some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls and lightly started cleaning her wound. He continued in silence for several minutes, his touch comforting. When he finally did speak, his voice was calm and soft, almost soothing.

“So, it looks like the bullet went straight through. You’ve got an entrance wound here, and an exit wound here.” He touched her skin gently, showing her. “As far as bullet wounds go, this is a pretty simple one that looks like it just did some basic muscle damage. It missed the bone completely. It’s gonna hurt for a while, but you’ll heal up in a few weeks or so.” He put some antibiotic on both wounds, then pulled the skin closed with butterfly bandages. “You should still get it checked by a medical professional. I’m no doctor. If you get stitches, the scar won’t be as bad, but you’d have to get them pretty soon.” She said nothing, not wanting to argue, and thankfully he let the subject drop.

He finished by wrapping gauze around her arm and gently taping the end. Then he cleaned and bandaged her scraped knees and hands, frowning at the bruises he saw on her legs. Finally, he handed her a few extra bandages and the small tube of antibiotic for later, and she pocketed them. “I’ve got some pain reliever in the kitchen. How about we go get some for you?”

She nodded, finally feeling comfortable enough to relax a bit under Ben’s ministrations. Her arm really did hurt, but it was the least of her worries. The stress and fear that she had been carrying for the last several months suddenly overcame her, and all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and disappear. At least she was somewhat safe for the moment and Ben was nearby. She let him lead her into the kitchen, where he gave her some ibuprofen and a glass of water.

“You need to eat something when you take that medicine so it won’t hurt your stomach. What can I fix you?”

His tone was kind, and his offer sincere, but she didn’t feel hungry. What she felt was tired. Her lack of sleep and constant vigilance were catching up to her. Still, she recognized the truth in his words and didn’t want to deal with a stomachache on top of everything else.

“Maybe just something simple. Do you have any crackers and peanut butter? I know how much you love that snack.”

He nodded and pulled out a sleeve of wheat crackers, a knife and a half-eaten jar of creamy peanut butter. Ben could put peanut butter on anything and ate it by the spoonful when they had been dating. Those were fond memories. He liked the natural variety that didn’t have any added ingredients but the peanuts themselves, and she had ditched her old brand and started buying the same jar, simply to have some on hand whenever he was around. After a few months, she had learned to love it almost as much as he did.

She slathered a couple of crackers in the sticky stuff and looked up as she took her first bite. He was still watching her every move, but his eyes held some undefinable emotion that she couldn’t quite pin down. There was a time when she had been able to read him like a book, but that was before she had led him on such an emotional roller coaster. She wondered fleetingly if he could ever forgive her for her actions. She took another bite, pushing that thought aside for now. At this point, survival had to come first. Everything else had to wait.

“You’re about to fall down with exhaustion, Jordan. You’re safe here. I’ll make sure of it. Why don’t you sleep for a while? We can talk after you’ve had a chance to rest.” He drew his lips into a thin line. “You can have the guest bedroom. The sheets are clean. I promise.”

She bit her bottom lip again as she considered his offer, then finished off her crackers. She couldn’t go on much longer without sleep, and she really had nowhere else to go. “I do need some sleep, Ben, but you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone that I’m here. I’ve already put you in danger just by coming to your house. I don’t want to put anybody else’s life in jeopardy, too.”

Ben stood up a little straighter. “I am a law enforcement officer, you know. I work with a good bunch of deputies. Whatever you’re facing, we can help….”

“No.” She steeled her voice. “If you can’t promise me, then I can’t stay. Those are my terms. I feel guilty enough already for involving you.”

He took a step back and put up his hands again. Apparently, he realized that arguing was futile, at least at this point. “Alright, Jordan. We’re going to play by your rules. For now, that is, until you tell me what’s going on and we talk it through.”

“Thank you, Ben.” She nodded her head, trying to keep the weariness at bay. “Sleep sounds good. I promise I’ll explain everything as soon as I rest a bit.” She was tempted to give him a kiss on the cheek but decided against it. She had hurt him terribly, and she no longer had the right to kiss him or even show him affection. For all she knew, he had moved on and was dating someone new. The last thing she wanted to do was cause a rift in any relationship he was pursuing on top of everything else. The idea of him with someone different was a painful one, however, and a wave of jealousy swept over her that she hadn’t expected. She was so tired. Every emotion she was feeling was amplified by ten.

She needed rest. She’d been to his house several times when they were dating, so she knew the layout. She gave him one last smile, then padded back to the bedroom he’d offered and was asleep within minutes of her head touching the pillow.

Ben stood in the doorway, watching Jordan sleep. He couldn’t believe how drastically his life had changed in the last few hours. She was alive! Yet, she was a shadow of her former self and filled with fear and apprehension. It hurt his heart to see the condition she was in, and the way she kept pushing him away every time he tried to reach out. She was obviously terrified of something or someone, and his first instinct had been to call on his team at the Sheriff’s Office. But he hadn’t. He wanted to respect her wishes, at least for now, until he truly understood whatever danger she was facing. There would be plenty of time to call later after they had a long talk and she explained everything. Besides, Jordan was very independent and always tried to solve her own problems. Her enemy must be powerful indeed, if she had gone so far as to leave the safety of WITSEC and reach out to him for help. He knew instinctively that if he broke his word and called his team before she was ready, he would break the tenuous connection they currently had between them, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Ben took a deep breath and stretched, trying to ease some of the tension that had settled across his shoulder blades. He considered going to bed himself, even though it was a tad early, but he didn’t think he could sleep, knowing Jordan was alive and in his house. There were too many unanswered questions spinning around in his mind. Who had shot her? And what if she woke up, had second thoughts and decided to disappear again? She’d already tried to leave a couple of times during their short conversation. He just couldn’t allow that to happen—not after he had just gotten her back. He’d meant what he’d said, too—now that he knew she was alive, if she disappeared on him again, he wouldn’t stop looking until he found her.

The solution was simple. He turned on the light in his hallway, grabbed the latest Lee Child book that he was reading and his sidearm, and sank down onto the floor, right outside her door. He leaned his head back against the doorjamb and blew out a breath. There was only one way for someone to hurt Jordan on his watch, and that would be by crawling over his body. There was a bedroom window, but it was tightly locked, and he was a light sleeper. If he did manage to snooze, he would definitely wake up if someone tried to open the window or sneak by him. Since she was so scared of something or someone, maybe when she woke up she would feel more at ease knowing that he was here, right outside the doorway with his weapon, protecting her.

Dear, God, help me know how to help Jordan. Please let her get the rest she needs and help her to trust me so I can do my best to get her out of whatever mess she’s in. Thank you for bringing her back to me. Amen.

The prayer was short but heartfelt. His faith was strong. He knew God was faithful and would help them with whatever they were facing. He turned his head and let his eyes roam over Jordan’s face, remembering every detail. She was still sleeping soundly. He felt like he could watch her sleep all night. As relieved as he was that she was alive and back in his life, he was also wondering how he could ever trust her again. He knew the WITSEC rules, but although she had mentioned some problems at work before her disappearance, she’d never given any indication that she was mixed up with something as dangerous as a federal crime that required witness protection. Why hadn’t she told him? Had he ever really known her? He shifted. Even if they were able to solve whatever problems she was facing, it would be quite a while before he would be able to stop worrying that she was going to disappear without a trace a second time, just like she had nine months ago.