Executive Protection(49)

Wade revealed nothing of his emotions. “I take it this girl is someone special to you.”

He was getting sick of everyone pointing that out. “She’s someone special to Lucy.”

“The nurse.” Wade put down the pen he held. “Why are you in my office telling me this?”

“You didn’t know about this?”

“The kidnapping?” If he was acting he was good at it. “No. Must have been outside our jurisdiction.” Wade studied Thad, dissecting him, trying to figure out why he was here.

“She was kidnapped because of my interest in my mother’s shooting,” Thad said.

“You’re still nosing your way into that?”

Thad gave no reply.

Wade’s brow furrowed and he stood. Moving around the desk, he came to stand before him. “How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of it?”

“Did you have anything to do with the kidnapping?” It was risky for Thad to ask that question. Darcy had known it, but he hadn’t tried to stop Thad. Like Thad, he knew it might be the only way to get answers.

As he expected, Wade grew even angrier. “Are you accusing me of something, Winston?”

“I’m asking you if you had anything to do with Sophie Cambridge’s kidnapping.”

“Why would I have anything to do with that?”

“You keep warning me to stay out of the investigation. How far will you go to see that I do?”

“You’re crossing the line. I didn’t know about the kidnapping of a little girl until you walked in here and told me.”

Wade seemed to be telling the truth. Either that, or he was a good liar.

“Somebody really doesn’t want you sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong,” Wade said. “Have you received any other warnings?”

“A phone call.”

Wade studied him some more. Then he went over to his desk and wrote some names down. “You went against orders by continuing to look into the shooting,” Wade said, leaving the pen there. “But I’m going to overlook it.” He picked up his phone and pressed in a number. “Chief Thomas here. I need you to check some phone records.”

Wade was going to help him? Thad hadn’t expected this. A guilty man wouldn’t try to help.

Wade told whoever he’d called what Thad had told him, and then asked him to get the case information from the Pittsboro police.

When he finished, he hung up the phone and looked at Thad. “I’m going to pass whatever I get on to the FBI. Can I count on you to stay out of this from here?”

“If you let me know what you find out in Sophie’s kidnapping case, yes.”

Wade nodded. “If anything else happens, let me know. Meanwhile, go back on leave, Winston. I don’t want to see your face around here until you’re ready to come back to work and do what I tell you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And the next time you accuse me of anything as heinous as kidnapping a seven-year-old girl, I’ll fire you. Do we understand each other?”

“Perfectly.” Thad left the office, still not sure he could eliminate Wade from his list of suspicious characters. What if Wade never shared the information?





Chapter 12


The night after rescuing Sophie, Lucy tucked the girl in and kissed her on her cheek. She was already drifting off to sleep. They’d read a book, and she could barely keep her eyes open. Brushing wayward strands of light brown hair from her face, she stood from the bed, so glad that Sophie was no longer under stress. She was content and safe.

Turning the lamp off, Lucy left the room in the dim glow of a Tinker Bell night-light. Pausing at the door, she looked back at the sleeping girl and wondered for the hundredth time what she was going to do with her. She’d made arrangements to temporarily foster her, but what then?

Making her way down to the informal sitting area, Lucy walked in to find Kate and Thad there. Kate was moving around on her own now. She didn’t need a home care nurse anymore, but had insisted Lucy stay anyway. She suspected there was another reason for that, and that reason was sitting on the white designer sofa in jeans and a gray thermal T-shirt. His golden-green hazel eyes went into a smolder when he saw her.

“How is she?” Thad asked.

“A lot better.” Lucy went to sit beside him, Kate occupying the adjacent chair.

“That poor child,” Kate said. “She’s been through so much for such a young age.”

Lucy met Thad’s look and wondered if he was as affected by the little girl as she was. He had a fierce protective streak when it came to Sophie. He cared for her. Lucy was sure of that. He hadn’t admitted it yet, though. Would he ever? Or would he stubbornly stick to his belief that marriage and kids weren’t his calling?

“She sure is attached to you, Lucy,” Kate said.

The observation only intensified Lucy’s conundrum.

“You, too, Thad,” Kate added.

Beside her, Thad turned stiffly to her without responding. Thad had periodically checked in on her and Sophie. He’d even watched a movie with them—most of it. And then his phobia had taken over and he’d had to leave. Lucy was okay with that. He took the family time in doses, each one bigger than the last.

“He’s becoming a real dad.” Lucy couldn’t stop herself from teasing.