The Best Bride (85 page)

“Hannah?” She turned. Holly leaned out the front door. “There's a call for Nick. Jordan said the two of you came out here. Where is he?”

“He's gone.” She couldn't believe the words even as she said them. Gone? It wasn't possible. Something was wrong. She felt it in her heart.

Holly frowned. “Do you want to talk to Captain Rodriguez? Isn't he your captain at the station? He's the one asking for Nick this time.”

Hannah's instincts kicked in. “This time?”

Holly nodded. “Nick got another phone call just a couple of minutes ago. One of his business associates. He said it was important.”

Hannah raced into the house. She paused.

“The kitchen,” Holly yelled after her.

Several of the adults turned to stare. Hannah ignored them. She ran into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. “Captain? It's Hannah Pace.”

“I must speak to Nick, Hannah. It's urgent.”

“He's not here. He got a phone call and left. What's going on?”

Rodriguez swore. “They got to him first.”

She broke out in a cold sweat. “Who got to him? Captain, you have to tell me.”

“Nick is in danger. Listen to me, Hannah. Nick Archer is an undercover police officer working on a sting operation.”

“What?” She couldn't have heard him correctly.

“I don't have time to explain,” Rodriguez said quickly. “We were about to arrest everyone. One of my officers here was caught giving out information. Nick's associates know something is up and he's in trouble. You have to contact the local police there. Can you do that?”

She glanced up and saw her brothers standing in the kitchen. Three cops, including the sheriff of Glenwood. “Yes, that's the easy part. Now we have to find Nick.”

“They're in the area. I know that much.”

“We'll do our best,” she said, then hung up.

She turned to Travis. “Nick's in danger. He's an undercover cop. Someone in the Southport Beach station told his associates he was staying here. They've come for him. We have to find him.”

Even as she spoke the words, she didn't believe them. A cop? Too many emotions bubbled inside for her to identify any of them. First they had to get him back alive.

“Where would you meet someone if you wanted to kill him?” Travis asked, taking charge.

Hannah's blood ran cold. They were talking about Nick.

“Out of town,” Craig said.

“Not too far,” Kyle added. “Somewhere that didn't have a lot of people around but easy to find so Nick wouldn't get lost.”

“It's Saturday night. What's deserted?” Travis asked.

Hannah turned her back on them and clutched her mid-section. Please, God, don't let him die. She stared at the wall in front of her. The notepad was blank. She moved closer. There were faint indentations on it.

“I've got it,” she said and jerked the pad from the wall. “He wrote down an address.” She held the pad to the light. “I can't make it out.”

Travis took it from her. “Two seven three one. The street name is a blur.”

Jordan reached for the pencil on the counter. “Don't you cops watch television?” He grabbed the pad and rubbed it lightly with the pencil. The address popped out, thin, pale writing on a background of gray.

“The industrial complex,” Travis said. “Let's go.”

The five of them ran for the front door. Travis's sheriff's car was parked in the circular driveway. They piled in and Travis started the siren. The family spilled out of the house, but he ignored them. As they were leaving, Elizabeth yelled something about the radio.

Seconds later, Hannah heard Elizabeth's voice on the car radio. Travis quickly filled her in. Then he made a call to the station for backup.

In less than ten minutes, they were near the industrial complex. Travis switched off the siren and entered the first parking lot. “It's down here,” he said, pointing to a side street. “The address is at the end. Let's go around and approach from the rear.”

Hannah glanced down at her dress and high heels. Figures. The one day she dressed up, she would have to go in shooting.

Her mind had shut down and she preferred it that way. She was a communications officer and she didn't have street experience, but she'd been through the academy and knew enough to be afraid. She refused to think about Nick's being in danger. If she did, she would lose control and be of no use to anyone. Least of all him.

Travis killed the engine about a hundred yards from the last building. They coasted to a stop, then got out and headed around to the trunk. Travis opened it and passed them bulletproof vests. Travis and Craig had pulled out shotguns from the front. There were two more in the trunk, along with a couple of handguns. Hannah reached for a shotgun.

Travis looked at her.

She grimaced. “I know how to use it.”

He nodded. “Ready?” he asked, then started for the building.

Hannah felt as if she had a bit part in a Clint Eastwood movie. They walked in a line, moving quickly but quietly. There were no windows in the rear of the building, so they couldn't be seen. As they approached the corner of the industrial structure, Travis went first, then motioned them around. She saw two cars parked in front. One of them was Nick's Mercedes.

Her heart thundered in her chest. Her mouth was dry and her legs trembled. Still, she forced herself to go on. She refused to stay behind and wait. Thank goodness she hadn't had to fight her brothers on that.

The glass door was closed but not locked. Once inside, they heard voices coming from the back. Travis led the way, motioning for them to stay well behind and go single file. Hannah was second to last; Craig brought up the rear.

The offices in front were empty and dark. Light spilled into a corridor leading to the warehouse. As they got closer, the voices became distinct.

“I'll tell you when we get back to Southport Beach,” Nick said.

“You'll tell me now.” The order was followed by a
crack.

Hannah bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. The voices lowered, then there was another
crack
and a low moan.

Travis paused at the mouth of the corridor. The warehouse lights were on. Boxes of office supplies stretched up to the ceiling in disorganized rows. The area in front was clear. Hannah could see someone's back.

Travis inched closer and looked around the corner. He
ducked back, motioned for them to get ready to jump out, then lunged into the main warehouse.

“Freeze,” he yelled. “You're under arrest.”

Three armed men spun toward them. Hannah barely noticed as she searched for, then found Nick. He'd been tied to a chair. His face and torso were battered. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were so swollen, he could barely get them open.

“What the hell,” he said, the words thick. “Someone sent the cavalry.”

The tallest of the men, maybe five-ten with broad football shoulders, grimaced. “Who the hell are you?”

“Glenwood Sheriff's Department, gentlemen. Put down your guns and kneel on the floor, hands behind your head.”

The three men glanced at each other. Hannah tore her attention from Nick and raised the shotgun. “Please try to run,” she said, so angry she was shaking. “One of you run. I want nothing better than to blow off your damn head.”

One of the men took a step back. “Who the hell is she?”

“My wife,” Nick said.

They stared at her. In the distance, they heard the sound of police sirens. Three pistols hit the concrete floor of the warehouse. The trio dropped to their knees and placed their hands behind their heads. Only when they were safely cuffed did Hannah lower her shotgun. She handed it to Jordan, then ran sobbing to Nick.

* * *

“You two going to be all right?” Louise asked. “I could stay.”

Hannah liked the idea of someone acting as a buffer between her and Nick, but doubted he would agree. She walked her mother to the door of the gatehouse. “We'll be fine. The doctor at the hospital said he has some bruises, but nothing was broken. It's just going to take a few days
for him to heal.” They hugged, then Louise started toward Kyle's house.

Hannah closed the door behind her. The gatehouse was small. There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. She simply had to turn around and face Nick.

She forced herself to smile and cleared her throat. “That's the last of them,” she said cheerfully. “Now you can get some rest.” She started for the bedroom. “You'll probably be uncomfortable during the night. I'll let you have the bed and I'll sleep on the sofa.”

“Hannah, wait.”

His words were difficult to understand. She paused in the doorway, then returned to the living room and sat on the edge of the easy chair. Not wanting to look, yet knowing there was no way to avoid it, she raised her gaze to the sofa and the battered man lying there.

His eyes were puffy slits, his cheeks a mass of bruises. His bottom lip was split and there was a cut at the corner of his mouth. He dropped the ice bag onto the coffee table.

“We have to talk,” he said and tried to straighten.

She was at his side in a second. “Don't sit up.”

“I can't see you if I don't.”

She sank onto the edge of the sofa and pressed against his hip. “Is this better?”

“Yeah.” He touched her knee. She hadn't changed out of her dress yet. The black stockings offered little protection. It felt as if he were touching bare skin. Heat skittered through her. She ignored it.

“You're angry,” he said.

“No. I'm confused.”

His gaze locked with hers. “Because I'm a cop?”

The information hadn't sunk in yet. The whole evening felt like a strange dream. She was starting to come out of
it and feel again. The first emotion she experienced was anger.

“I can't believe it,” she said, throwing up her hands. “Dammit, Nick. A cop? Do you know how I agonized over you? I worried about what to tell my family. My brothers found out everything. I felt awful about that. I can't believe all the lies, all the pain. For nothing.” She threw her hands in the air again. “My God, you must have had a great laugh at my expense. Did you like watching me squirm? Did it make you feel like a man? Nick, you nearly destroyed me. I was torn apart because I thought you were a crook. You made me go against everything I believe in. How could you do that?”

She fought against the urge to spring up and start pacing around the room. But she knew that he would try to sit up, and however much she hated him right now, she didn't want him to be in more pain because of her.

She sucked in a breath. “You made me betray my family.”

He squeezed her fingers. “No, Hannah. You did that all by yourself. You did it when you decided to hire yourself a husband for a few days. I just came along for the ride.”

She turned away. Her throat tightened. “I know,” she whispered. “Everything started out so well. But it was all built on a lie. I suppose that's what makes it so difficult. I never meant to…”

She couldn't finish the sentence. She'd never meant to hurt anyone. She'd never meant to fall in love.

“I wasn't lying,” he said.

She didn't have the courage to look at him. Instead, she stared at their joined fingers. “About what?”

“About loving you. I love you, Hannah. I'm probably not very good at it. This is my first time. But if you'll be patient with me, I promise to make it worth your while.”

Love. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to think it was going to work out, but her life had never been that easy.

“I know what you're thinking,” he said.

She glanced at him. “What?”

Despite the bruises and the swelling, his eyes twinkled. “You're afraid. You think I'm playing a game, or that I'm going to reject you like everyone else you've ever cared about. You've been lonely for so long, you've forgotten how to belong. You've closed yourself off from the world. I know because I did the same thing.”

She looked doubtful. “That's hard to believe. You seem to find it easy to charm everyone you meet.”

“On the surface, maybe. But no one gets inside. No one sees the real Nick Anderson.”

“Anderson? Is that your last name?”

He nodded. “Nicholas Edward Anderson. Sounds like an accounting firm, huh?” He didn't wait for a reply. “Your family taught me a lot. I've seen how they care about each other and that's made me want to try again. Your brothers have shown me that with the right person at your side, anything is possible.” The hold on her fingers tightened. “I love you, Hannah. I want to make this marriage real and I want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to you.”

Her lips parted, but she couldn't think of a single thing to say. He didn't mean it. He couldn't. If Nick really loved her,
really
loved her, she was going to have to admit to loving him back. She was going to have to take a leap of faith and commit to him. She was going to have to risk feeling the fear. She was going to have to trust.

She stared at him, at his blond hair and blue eyes. Memories flashed through her mind. Teasing conversations at her desk when she was at the station. How he'd helped her
fit in with her family. His smile, his touch, how he'd taken the time to tell her he loved her even thinking he might be going to his death.

“I love you,” she said and swooped down to kiss him. At the last second, she remembered his injuries and barely brushed his lips with hers. “I refuse to let you go. I know you live in Santa Barbara, but we'll make it work.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek. “I'm not going back there. I'm done with police work. I want to try something different.”

“Like what?”

He started to smile, then grimaced and touched the corner of his mouth. “I'm not sure. I'll find something. So are you going to marry me or what?”