The Safe Bet (Hidden Truths #1)(57)

Just great.

“But the government could never prove anything while he was in the military,” Michael noted.

“Dustin’s good. Really good.” Was Connor trying to petrify her? “This isn’t his normal gig, though. Whoever hired him must be paying a substantial fee.”

“Let’s take a break for a second,” Michael said and reached for Kate’s arm, guiding her to face him. “Are you okay?”

No! She was losing her mind. She began massaging her temples.

Was a murdering ex-Navy Seal really stalking her? And whom should she be more worried about—the sniper or the man or woman who was paying the sniper?

“Do you think that Nathan’s our prime suspect?” she asked after taking a breath.

“I have no idea,” Michael replied in a low voice.

“I assume you’re canceling the auction dates on Friday?” Connor asked.

“Of course,” Michael responded without hesitation.

“You would probably want to kill me if I asked you to keep them as planned.” Jake was standing now, facing Michael.

Michael snorted. “This isn’t the time to be making jokes.”

“Hear me out for a second.” Jake held his palms up, showing that he wasn’t looking for a fight.

Kate stared at Michael, wondering how he would respond to Jake. He stood tense and focused, with a clamped jaw and fists at his sides. He was ready to box.

“Don’t even suggest it.” Michael glared at Jake with dark eyes—there was some unspoken conversation going on between them.

“That we use Kate as bait?” Jake raised a brow and Michael tensed. “Dustin won’t expect Kate to be out in public after the stunt he pulled. It will piss him off that Kate isn’t scared. If we show Dustin we aren’t up for playing his games, then maybe he’ll make an uncalculated and irrational move—and we can get him.” Jake crossed his arms. “He obviously wants a challenge. He practically all but guaranteed zero access to Kate by focusing the sniper on her. I don’t know what his deal is, but I do know that he’ll never expect Kate to be on that date. He’ll screw up, and we can get him.”

“So, you think we can draw Dustin out?” Connor looked a little too casual as he remained seated. He leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee.

“Not going to happen,” Michael said in a low, but firm voice.

“Do I get a say in any of this?” Kate raised her hand in the air. “As scared as I am, hiding away in Michael’s fortress will only prolong things. Jake is right about that. And I really want this over. I want to know who hired Dustin. I want my life back.”

Michael took a step away from Kate and gripped the back of his neck. “Maybe his mission has only been to scare you. If he wanted to hurt you—or even kidnap you—then he wouldn’t be playing such games.”

“Understanding the mind of a lunatic is not so easy,” Connor reminded them. “He enjoys the hunt. The challenge. Remember, he used to scour the globe for terrorists.”

Connor was now on the receiving end of Michael’s icy stare. “The discussion ends here,” he said, and then left the room.

Kate heard a door slam. While the discussion was far from over, in her estimation, she realized Michael needed to cool off. With time, perhaps he would come around to his senses.

Or maybe he was right.





CHAPTER EIGHTEEN




“WHAT’S HE DOING HERE?” KATE folded her arms and stared at the man who had lied to her for twenty-seven years.

“Kate, please, I’m so sorry.” David Adams entered the kitchen, moving with cautious steps toward his daughter.

She stood, her body slightly trembling as she held her coffee mug. “I don’t want to see you. Not yet.” She bit her lip as Michael entered from the living room, wearing faded denim jeans and a soft blue T-shirt that matched his eyes. “Why is he here?” She finally set her cup down on the counter, then strode past her father to face her steely protector.

“Jake insisted he come.” Michael shrugged at her. “David, maybe we should all sit down and talk.”

Kate’s face was hot. Fever hot. Her anger with her father ran deeper than even she had suspected. “David.” She didn’t have it in her to call him dad. With a feeling of satisfaction, she saw him flinch.

“Kate, I’ve been trying to reach you,” her dad said once in the living room.

“How could you lie to me all these years? You made me think Charlotte was a place of pain for you because Mom died giving birth to me. All these years, I believed that I killed my mother.” She touched her chest, fighting to breathe, to keep speaking. “I’ve felt guilty for Mom’s death my entire life.” Don’t cry. Don’t give in. She sat down on the brown leather recliner and pressed her palms against her knees, bracing for support. She didn’t want to break down in front of Michael, Jake, and Connor. She had to find her composure—she was unraveling and fast.

David came to her side and knelt before her. “I was trying to protect you. I didn’t know if her murder was premeditated or not. Who kills a pregnant woman? I worried about your safety, which is why I didn’t want you to come to Charlotte. I begged you not to come.” His voice was hoarse and his eyes a little red.