Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(49)

Trouble rolled onto his back and Molly giggled, rubbing the dog’s belly. The smile that lit her eyes made Laurel’s heart ache.

“She’d be safe with us,” Raven said.

Laurel leaned down and patted Trouble. Then she stroked Molly’s hair. “When are you leaving?”

“Daniel and Garrett are discussing their plans.”

“Really?” Laurel crouched down in front of her niece. “Molly Magoo, I need to go speak with Sheriff Garrett. Do you want to stay here with Trouble?”

Molly nodded.

“Do you mind watching her for a few minutes?” Laurel asked Raven. “She’s had a rough time. If she needs me, I’ll be right outside.”

Laurel started toward the door. Raven took one of Laurel’s hands. “You can trust Garrett. He’s one of the good ones.”

Laurel studied the woman’s eyes and recognized the tortured memories of events gone by. Raven had seen things. Laurel looked back at Molly.

“I’ll take good care of her. I almost lost my girls. I don’t take their safety for granted.” Laurel hesitated. “Look, I know you don’t know me from any woman off the street, but Garrett and Daniel saved my life and the lives of my children. There’s no one else I’d want in my corner if I were facing the devil himself.”

Laurel met Raven’s gaze. “We’re in a lot of trouble. What if it follows Molly to you?”

“More of Daniel’s organization will be stationed at my house. She’ll be well guarded. And Trouble will be there, too.”

Laurel bit her lip. “I’ll think about it.”

She walked out of the motel room. Several men with serious faces and equally impressive weapons prowled the area. One tipped his cowboy hat at her. “Ma’am. The sheriff’s in the next room over.”

Laurel walked in. Garrett sat next to Daniel Adams at a small table near the window, studying the screen of a laptop, deep in conversation.

She strode over to them. “What have you found out from Ivy’s information?”

Garrett lifted his head, but the guilt in his eyes gave him away. “We should talk about this later.”

“I don’t like the secrets,” Laurel insisted. “Tell me.”

He turned the laptop around and Laurel read through the first page. “This can’t be true.”

“Ivy’s file makes a direct connection between your father and almost every agency leak. It connects gun running, selling of top secret documents and the movement of over a billion dollars into overseas accounts.”

Laurel snatched the laptop from him and sat on the bed. She took in page after page. Her shoulders tensed at each new, damning word. “I don’t believe Ivy wrote this.” Laurel raised her gaze to meet Garrett’s. “This is the file I downloaded?”

Garrett nodded.

“She’s wrong. She has to be. If anyone saw this—”

“Your father would be convicted of treason.”

“He wouldn’t do any of this. And I’m not just being naive.” She lifted her chin and stared at Garrett.

He knelt beside the bed and held her hand in his. “I don’t think so either, but I do believe someone else within the agency is setting him up. Just like me.”

“What can we do? Strickland is dead.”

Daniel cleared his throat. “After I spoke with Ransom Grainger, the head of CTC, about you, he let me in on some sensitive information. CTC has a contact buried deep in a covert operation within the agency. Ransom had been asked to investigate some irregularities within their overseas operations,” he said.

“By who?”

“Let’s just say it’s someone at the very highest levels of the government. There was a whistle-blower involved.”

“Who?” Laurel asked.

“James McCallister.”

“Dad?”

“I think this is why he hoped to solve my case,” Garrett said.

“Daniel, can you help us identify who wants us dead? Maybe even find out what happened to my father?” Laurel asked. “Can CTC?”

The CTC operative frowned. “Our informant hasn’t met face-to-face with the highest level in the organization yet. Evidently, whoever’s in charge keeps things very secret, so it’s delicate. Any contact with our operative and we risk his life. Too many questions and he’ll disappear. Others have.”

“So, what do we do until then?” Laurel asked, rubbing the back of her neck to try to get rid of the headache threatening to escalate into agony. “Eventually that sniper will find a way to us. We can’t hide forever.”

Garrett rose and looked down at her, his expression warning her she wouldn’t like whatever he was going to say. “That’s why I want you and Molly to disappear for a while with Daniel and Raven.”

Laurel took in Garrett’s grim face. “You’ll come with us, though. You’re in danger, too.”

“I can’t, Laurel. I’m going to—”

“Get yourself killed,” Laurel finished.

“I think I’ll leave you two to hash this out.” Daniel disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.

Garrett plucked the laptop from her and brought her to her feet. He touched her cheek. “I’m going to find James and take this guy down, but I can’t focus on the mission if I’m worried about you and Molly. I don’t want you hurt, Laurel. Your father would want you out of the cross fire.”