The Baby Bargain (14 page)

“What about Dara and Trina?”

Megan didn’t want it to be any of them, but someone was framing her and she had to
be realistic. “I hired Dara not long after Cole was born. She’s friendly but quiet.
The animals usually love her. I’ve seen her calm frightened and snarling dogs and
cats.” She shrugged. “Never had any problems with her.”

Megan sliced the onion, holding back the tears. Just onion tears, she told herself.
“I hired Trina about four months ago. She helps Jillian and Dara, plus she cleans
the kennels and does some back-office work. She’s very outgoing, and she’s looking
into getting a technician certification like Dara. She’s good with the animals, a
reliable worker. The only issue we ever had with her is Monday morning lateness or
hangovers. But she’s young.” Meg picked up her iced tea and took a drink. “And since
I talked to her about that, she’s showing up on time and ready to work.”

“How did Trina take it when you talked to her about her tardiness?”

She sighed. “Defensive posture that softened as we talked. And it never happened again.”

“Have you noticed any difference in any of their behavior in the last few weeks?”

Megan thought about it, then dropped her shoulders. “Since the night you walked into
my office with Ellie, I’ve been distracted.” She closed her eyes, realizing the utter
truth. “Selfish. I was selfish to keep Cole from you, and once you showed up, I was
selfish again, only thinking about me and Cole, not paying enough attention to my
employees to see if one of them was upset or angry.”

Adam set down his glass. “Meg—”

“No, don’t try to make this okay, Adam. I’m serious. I didn’t tell you about Cole,
not because I couldn’t find you. I could have at least tried. I was afraid of rejection,
pure and simple. And now this. Someone is very angry with me. I thought it was Nathan—”

He cut off her words by taking hold of her shoulders. “It might still be Nathan. He
could be paying someone in your office. Money can coax some people into betraying
their friends.”

Pain filled her throat, made it hard to get the words out. “That doesn’t make it any
better. Friends don’t turn on friends for money.”

Who was doing this to her? Why?

“I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

Chapter Sixteen

Adam watched Megan turn away from him. He didn’t like it. He took hold of her hand.
“You trust me. We’ll find out who is betraying you together.”

She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I mean it. I know I didn’t
trust you when I should have, but I appreciate you being here now.”

His pulse sped up. It was time for Adam to man up and tell her how he felt. “I’m in
this for the long haul. I’m going to be there for you and for our son whenever you
need me.”

Her eyes softened. “I’m not doubting your commitment to Cole. I can drive him to L.A.
on weekends. I’m hoping you’ll let me stay with him until he’s older. I’m just not
ready to be that far away overnight.”

Adam studied Cole, who was watching his parents as he stacked the plastic containers.

“No,” he said.

Meg’s face blanched.

“Maybe a hotel, just so I’ll be nearby if—”

“Megan.” Her hand was so cold. Gently, he stroked her palm with his thumb. “I’ve been
thinking, and we’re not shuffling our son around like a package. I’ll figure out something
with the business. I can either relocate Once A Marine Security Agency here, or I’ll
set up a satellite office in Raven’s Cove and split my time between them. With Sienna
running the office in L.A., that could work. We’re the parents, we make the sacrifices.
Not the kid.”

She stared up at him. “I have to stop doing that. Stop thinking you’re going to act
like my father did. You’re not going to send support checks with
For the leech
written in the memo line.”

“ ’Leech’?” Adam repeated, fighting to get his anger under control.

Cole looked up at him, his eyes wide. Adam smiled, trying to reassure him. The boy
went back to playing.

Adam pulled Megan’s hand into both of his. “Catherine let you see that?”

Megan shook her head. “I used to look for the envelopes. I wanted to believe that
my dad would send me something, a note maybe, and my mom wasn’t giving it to me. I
saw a few of his checks, always with something like that on the memo line.”

No wonder she’d had a hard time trusting him with Cole. “Where does your father live
now?”

She frowned. “I don’t know. Last I heard he was in Chicago.” Then she shrugged. “He
doesn’t matter. And it’s not him doing this, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I wasn’t, but I think I’ll have my other guy, Cooper Sims, go pay him a visit.” Adam
smiled to himself. Cooper was a scary son of a bitch. Resolving that problem in his
mind, he went back to figuring out who was framing her. “Did anyone in your office
know Nathan tried to blackmail you?”

Meg pulled her hand from of him. “No. I was alone when he came in. That’s one of the
reasons I think Nathan’s behind it. Maybe he paid off Dara or Trina.”

“Or Jillian.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Or her.”

Adam couldn’t stand not touching her. As Cole opened and closed the cupboard door,
Adam put his hand on Meg’s back and asked, “Did you confide in anyone else?”

“At the fund-raising gala. I told Lawrence. He said he’d talk to Nathan…” She trailed
off, her eyes narrowing. “He’d already have decided he was giving a deposition for
Nathan.”

Adam opened his mouth. Then Megan held up her hand, so he shut it. Waited.

“Then there were the things he said to me in the parking lot on the day of the deposition.
And then Bridget said she saw him and Trina at her café.”

Her face flooded with angry color, making her blue eyes stand out. Adam watched her
fit the puzzle together. She was amazing, beautiful, smart, and strong. Yeah, she
missed that her mentor was betraying her, but people rarely saw danger in someone
they had trusted for a long time. Now that she did see it, she was facing it square
on. That was all kinds of sexy. Except that a man she had counted as a friend and
mentor had betrayed her.

Megan sucked in a breath. “All this time, I thought we were friends. Turns out he’s
been pissed that I went out on my own and that Debbie moved his most famous client,
Celtic Fire, to my care.” She shook her head. “I thought he was proud of me.”

“We’ll get him, Meg. He’s been clever, but I have an idea.”

She tilted her head up. “What?”

“Go into work tomorrow morning. Tell your staff you’ll be in late Tuesday morning
because you’re going to the sheriff’s station. The sheriff believes they have new
evidence that will not only clear you, but that will also lead them to who really
stole Celtic Fire.”

“We lie?”

“Yes. And see if it flushes anyone out. My guys and I will track all three of them.
Tonight, after Cole goes to bed, we’re going to install some equipment in your office:
cameras, recorders, stealth tracking for anyone who uses a cell phone within range.
Assuming it’s Trina, and I’m betting it is, she’ll call or text the person she’s working
with.”

“Lawrence.”

He reached up to push her hair behind her shoulder. “I think it is. I saw the way
he looked at you at the gala. Possessive as hell. Plus at the barbecue yesterday,
when you were in the dunk tank, Lawrence told me you had tried to convince him Cole
was his kid.”

Her eyes burned with fury. “I never did that. Never. You’re on the birth certificate.
I never had sex with Lawrence. He asked me out, but I turned him down.” Pressing her
lips tight, she turned to watch Cole playing.

Adam moved closer to her. “Meg, look at me.”

She lifted her gaze.

“I didn’t believe him.”

She blinked. “You suspected him before that, didn’t you?”

“I had a background done on him, too. I told you, he looked at you in a way that made
me want to slam his face through a brick wall, but I didn’t want to piss you off.”

“I suppose that would have ruined my desire to have sex with you that night,” she
said dryly.

Adam didn’t want her to think he only wanted her for that. “You have always been more
than sex to me. But I couldn’t handle my real feelings for you.” His throat closed
up at the thought of it, but he refused to give in. “Once we clear your name, I want
to tell you why I’m so screwed up. I’m not going to lie to you—I’ve never told anyone,
couldn’t talk about it. With you, I want to try.” His gut cramped. Once he did it,
if he could do it, she might leave him. Could even refuse to allow him around their
son. It would be a risk to tell her.

But he remembered her last night. She had cared enough to give him her body, accepting
him as he was. The risk was worth it.

“Just think about it, okay? You don’t have to listen if you don’t want to. I won’t
pressure you for more if you’re done with me.”

Cole started to whine.

“Our son’s hungry. I’ll go start the barbecue.”

…

Megan was still reeling as she set the alarm exactly as Adam had taught her. They
cooked burgers, ate, and laughed, then Megan had brought out her photos of Cole from
his birth on. The three of them looked at them together.

Adam had touched the picture of newborn Cole, his face wistful.

After they gave Cole a bath and put him in bed, he had drawn her in his arms and kissed
her. She still tingled in all the right places. He said it would take a few hours
to get her office wired and then he’d be home.

Home.

When he came home, she planned to tell him she wanted to build a life with him. She
didn’t know what it was exactly that tormented him, but she trusted that it was something
she could accept. He was sharing more of himself and, in time, he’d be able to tell
her what it was.

Feeling happier than she had in a long time, she went into the kitchen and poured
herself a glass of wine. Just as she set the bottle down, something brushed against
her leg. She looked down and laughed. Ellie sat next to her, the big stuffed puppy
that she had won for Cole hanging out of her mouth. She rubbed the dog’s ear. “Did
you adopt that as your baby, Ellie?”

Her tail wagged and she ducked her head.

“You’re a sweet girl. I’m sure Cole won’t mind sharing his toy with you.” Megan walked
over to Max and hunkered down to pet him. He pressed his long muzzle into the curve
of her neck. She stroked his fur, a wave of love for him filling her chest. From the
first time she brought him home, he’d become a part of her family. He protected them,
loved them, played with them, and kept an eye on Cole.

She smiled at the memory of Adam and Cole playing Frisbee with Max tonight. The dog
loved Frisbee. Ellie had sat with Megan and watched Max running after the flying disc
and leaping to catch it. He rarely missed.

Her phone rang, snapping her back to the present.

She found her cell on the kitchen counter and saw from caller ID that it was Bridget.
Grinning, she put the phone to her ear. “Hey. You on a break?”

“Dinner break. Got your text, what’s up?”

The dogs wandered down the hall to Cole’s room. Megan picked up her wine and headed
to the living room couch. “Two things.” She had so much to tell her. “The good news
first. Adam told me tonight…” She launched into the story, feeling like a teenager
talking about her boyfriend. The only thing she left out of the discussion was whatever
gave Adam nightmares. That was no one else’s business.

“He better not break your heart, or my little Cole’s heart. I don’t care if he’s some
kind of trained killer, I will rip his liver out and—”

Megan cut her off when she heard a key in her front door. “I think that’s Adam now.
I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Fine, but make it tonight. I want to know everything.”

She smiled. “Okay. ’Bye.” She hung up and rose just as Max tore out of the room, a
low warning growl building in his chest.

“Max, it’s just—” Her words died in her throat as the door opened. It wasn’t Adam.

It was Lawrence.

Max skidded to a halt in front of Megan, clearly recognizing Lawrence’s scent. He
stopped growling but whined, sensing something was off.

“What the hell are you doing coming into my house? How did you get a key?” Her thoughts
went from frozen to spinning wildly. They suspected Lawrence of working with Trina
to set her up. Now he was coming into her house. As much as she didn’t want to believe
Lawrence was after her, she had no choice.

Lawrence shut the door. “You think changing the locks would stop me? Easy enough to
get a copy of the new key.” He shoved his keys in his pocket. “I need to talk to you.
This is important, Megan. Serious. You need to listen.”

“You need to leave,” she said. She had to get him out of her house. He wasn’t dangerous,
he wouldn’t hurt her, but she felt uneasy. And Cole was in bed. She wasn’t going to
risk her son’s safety on her
belief
that Lawrence wasn’t dangerous. She walked toward him. “Give me my house key and leave.”

Max cut her off, herding her back so he was between them.

“I’m not leaving without you and Cole. I waited until Adam left, and I’m here to get
you and the boy out of here. You don’t know what he is, Megan. Your son is in danger.
Did you learn nothing from the incident at the pond?” Lawrence took a step forward.

Max growled.

“Max, knock that off. You know me.” He looked up, his eyes grave. “What has he done
to your dog? Max isn’t stupid, he’s not going to be easily swayed. Why’s he acting
like this? Did Adam drug him?”

Her world was tilting. Lawrence was acting as if somehow getting a copy of her house
key and using it to walk into her house was normal. He sounded genuinely confused
by Max’s hostile behavior. “Set my key down and get out of my house.” She lifted the
phone, dialed, and hit the call button. “I’m calling 911.”

“Put the phone down.”

It seemed to take forever before she heard the first ring.

“Do it,” he snapped, and pulled a handful of capped syringes out of his pocket. “Do
you know what animal tranquilizers do to two-year-old boys?”

Sick fear for Cole exploded in her gut. Pulling the phone from her ear, she ended
the call.

“That’s better. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I need you to listen to me. If you
still resist, I’ll be forced to call the reporter and tell him to pull the depositions
and publish them. You’ll be destroyed in this town. As it is now,” he said, shoving
his hand in the front pocket of his slacks, “I can fix this for you. You’ll dissolve
your business and return to working for me. I’ll explain to everyone that you weren’t
ready to go out on your own and made some mistakes. But now, I’ll guide you.”

Megan realized that when Lawrence had come in, he had not punched in the code on the
alarm panel. It had automatically alerted Adam’s and his guys’ cell phones. Help would
be coming. Since she still had the phone in her hand, she pressed the video function
on it to record everything. Whatever happened, between her and Max they were not going
to let Lawrence get past them to Cole’s bedroom. “Lawrence, why would you do this
to me? I trusted you.”

“Did you, Megan?” He shook his head. “I gave you everything, I made you. You were
nothing but a scared little girl. I gave you a job in high school, helped you with
your college applications, gave you your job…and you betrayed me. Twice.”

“How?”
Hurry, Adam!

Max growled a soft warning, his body rigid as he stood guard between her and Lawrence.

Her mentor narrowed his eyes. “You betrayed me by leaving my practice. And again with
that murderer, Adam.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Murderer? Adam’s not a murderer.” Where the hell did he get
that? She tried to reason with him, hoping to reach the man she thought she knew.
“In the service? He may have killed, but that’s war.”

Fury colored Lawrence’s face. “Those weren’t his first kills, but I’m sure killing
is what drew him to that job.”

Oh God, he was insane. “You need help, Lawrence, don’t you see? This isn’t rational.”

He took another step.

Max lunged, barking ferociously.