Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(37)

He toyed with a small curl of hair against her cheek. She was so soft and yet so strong. And so smart. Her fingers had flown across that keyboard and he had seen her analyzing the problem, creating a solution and acting on it.

More than that, she was brave. She hadn’t hesitated to protect Molly.

“I can feel you thinking,” she said softly. She turned in his arms and looked at him. “What about? Regrets?”

A hesitant expression had settled on her face. He kissed her nose. “No regrets, even though—”

“Don’t,” she pleaded. “I don’t want to think about what’s happening. Not yet. Can’t we just be, with nothing between us? Just for a few minutes.”

“Of course.” He wrapped his leg over her hip, pulling her against him, saying nothing.

She played with the smattering of hair on his chest for a moment, then sighed. “But it won’t go away. They’re coming.”

Her hands slowed then stilled. “Do you think Dad is okay?”

“Do you want lies or truth?”

“Truth.”

He twirled a strand of her hair. “I don’t know. I’d have hoped he’d get word to me by now. Somehow.”

“You’re worried.”

“James has kept himself alive a long time.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Laurel asked, her voice laced with sadness.

“Both, maybe.”

She huddled into him and he wrapped his arms around her. She went quiet for several minutes, and Garrett wondered if she’d fallen asleep. He hoped so. She could use the rest.

“How do we catch them, Garrett?” Her breath kissed his bare chest. “They haven’t made a mistake.”

The despair in her words touched his very soul. More because he couldn’t guarantee anything. Not even her safety. All he knew was he’d do his damnedest to keep her and Molly alive.

His arms gripped her tighter. “Actually, they have made a mistake. Your sister was killed because she identified evidence. Which means—”

“They left a trail,” Laurel finished.

“Once you find a way into that file, we could have the answer.” Garrett closed his eyes and stroked her hair. An answer to the revenge that had eaten away at his gut since he’d woken up from that coma with his life changed forever.

Lisa and Ella might finally be able to rest in peace. Maybe he would, too. He moved away from Laurel. He unwrapped himself from her and sat on the side of the bed, his head in his hands.

Laurel sucked in a breath from behind him. He’d forgotten about his back. He grabbed for his shirt. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t,” she whispered.

The bed shifted and she moved behind him. She rubbed the base of his neck. He groaned, feeling the tension that had been sitting there for so long dissipate. Her hands drifted down, in and out of his ability to feel.

Her touch caressed his lower back. “Can you feel me?” she asked.

“Mmm-hmm.”

She nipped at the back of his neck with her teeth. “How about now?”

“Oh, yes.” He let his head fall forward while she explored.

Her touch danced just beneath his shoulder blade. A sharp prick raced through him and he tensed.

“Did I hurt you?” She yanked her hands away.

“Don’t,” he said. “Just the nerves going crazy.”

“How many surgeries did you have, Garrett?”

“More than I can count. Skin grafts, shrapnel got embedded into my back. I was a mess.”

Her fingers returned to his shoulder blade. “I guess that’s what happened here. There’s evidence of sutures. It’s strange—”

A loud beeping sounded from Garrett’s phone. He jumped to his feet. “Get dressed. Someone’s broken the perimeter.”





Chapter Eight

Laurel rolled off the bed and yanked on her jeans, slipping on her shirt as she raced after Garrett. She followed him out of the bedroom and into his office. He flipped on a switch on one of the consoles. A map flickered to life on the screen. Two green dots headed directly to the center.

“They’re getting close to the cameras,” he said, turning on another switch. Three monitors buzzed on, the infrared images fuzzy.

A few trees, but nothing more.

Laurel slipped on her shoes and glanced down at the computer monitor where she’d been running the decryption program. “We don’t have the password yet,” she rushed out. “It hasn’t finished. What are we going to do?”

Garrett stared at the monitors. Slowly a figure came into view. She squinted, then recognized a man pushing through the trees, his movements jerky, holding a weapon. A second person followed behind him.

He let out a loud curse. “How did they find us so fast?”

“Who are they?”

“Not the family I saw earlier today. There were three of them. And no one was carrying an M16. I could recognize the outline anywhere.” Garrett scanned the room and grabbed a duffel from the corner, tossing it toward her. “Pack up what you and Molly need. Only the bare necessities. There’s not much time.”

At Garrett’s grim expression, Laurel’s stomach twisted in fear. She raced from the room and quietly opened the door to the bedroom where Molly slept. Using the shard of light piercing through the slit, she fumbled for a few sets of clothes and toiletries. And Ivy’s family’s picture. Everything else was luxury. Except Mr. Hairy Houdini.