Love at First Sight Part 18

He turned and for an instant, she saw his love shining in those brown eyes, then he dropped that protective cover she'd seen before, mouthed a few words into the phone and pocketing the cell phone, walked toward her.

"I have some police business I need to take care of," he said before she could invite him back to bed. She could feel the distance he was trying so hard to put between them. But she could also feel him weakening at just the sight of her. As if he ached to touch her. She started to reach for him, knowing once they were in each other's arms- But she didn't. "I'll get dressed and we can go," she said quickly and started back toward the bedroom.

"No," he said, making her spin back around to face him. "This is something I have to do alone."

"On our honeymoon?" she asked, her voice cracking. It wasn't that he was leaving her alone. It was the look in his eyes. The wall he was trying so hard to construct between them. Why? What was he so afraid of? It couldn't be them, their marriage. Not after last night.

"I have to be at the last meeting today," he said. "I have to find the killer, Karen."

Before he finds you. He didn't say the words, but she heard them in his look. He didn't say the words, but she heard them in his look.

She nodded. He was just trying to protect her. Nothing was wrong between them. She forced herself to smile. "I know you're doing it for me."

He nodded. "Are you hungry? I could make you some breakfast before I leave."

She would have liked that. But it wasn't food she wanted. She wanted Jack and it was clear he was anxious to be on his way. "No, you go on and get your business finished. I can manage." She saw him hesitate. He really didn't want to leave her. "I was hoping to explore the chalet today, anyway."

That seemed to do the trick. He smiled then, knowing how much she loved the old things Crazy Uncle Chuck had collected, and stepped to her, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'm not leaving you alone. I called-"

"Jack, I don't need a babysitter," she said, touched by his concern but not wanting a stranger around. The truth was, it made her feel more vulnerable. "I feel safe here and no one even knows about this place, right?"

He nodded and smiled. "I know I'm probably being a little overprotective-"

"A little?" she asked, raising a brow, glad to see some of the worry fade in his gaze, some of the reinforcements come down from the wall between them. "Have you told Denny about the baby yet?"

"I'm stopping by there," he said. "I just hate to get his hopes up, you know?"

She knew. For a moment, their gazes met, but Jack pulled away, stepped away. Let him finish this case, Let him finish this case, she told herself. she told herself. Let him realize nothing is going to happen to you. You'll always be with him. Always. Let him realize nothing is going to happen to you. You'll always be with him. Always.

In the distance she could hear the whine of an engine as a vehicle climbed the mountain toward them.

"I'm going to go, then," he said, sounding relieved.

"Tell your friend to make himself at home," she said, not wanting to deal with company. She needed to be alone with her thoughts today. She wanted to think only about their lovemaking. Only about the love she'd seen in Jack's eyes.

The chalet would be the perfect place to spend the rest of the afternoon. It was like finding lost treasure, all the wonderful old things. In them she felt a connection with the past. A solid foundation as if each generation built something for the next. Like the cabinetry she constructed. Something that would last.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Jack said, obviously distracted as he headed for his Jeep.

"Be careful," she called after him. "I love you, Jack."

He didn't turn around. Maybe he hadn't heard her.

She stared after him, his broad shoulders, the muscled back, his long legs, all so familiar now. How she ached to hold her husband and not let him go.

For just an instant, she felt such a terrible sense of foreboding she wanted desperately to call him back. It was such an odd feeling. She told herself being married to a cop she had to get used to him being in dangerous situations. But she knew it was more than that. This feeling that she might never see him again, that something would happen while he was gone that would separate them forever felt like a warning, an omen.

She shook it off. When had she started believing in premonitions? But she would have called Jack back. Would have begged him not to go-if she'd thought he would have listened. If she thought he could have stayed with her.

But a part of her knew her husband. Knew he had to go. Until the killer was caught, Jack Adams wasn't going to let himself love her. Not the way her heart promised her that he wanted to.

So she watched him leave and prayed the killer would be caught soon. She needed her husband. And Jack needed her. Maybe he just didn't realize how much yet.

JACK DROVE AWAY, sick inside. "I love you, Jack." Her last words echoed in his head, in his heart, filling him with guilt and shame. He'd done things he wasn't necessarily proud of, but he'd never been a coward. Or a liar. Or a thief.

He'd stolen her heart in the most despicable way, destined to break it. Let her memory come back, Let her memory come back, he prayed. he prayed. Let her remember the killer before it's too late. Let her remember the killer before it's too late. Karen's safety was all that mattered. Even if it meant losing her. Karen's safety was all that mattered. Even if it meant losing her.

He told himself he couldn't think about any of that now. He had to catch the killer. Stop him before he got to Karen. Jack drove to the hospital, determined to put an end to all the lies tonight when he returned to the lodge and Karen, no matter what happened today. He couldn't take any more. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

Denny looked better, but still weak. Still vulnerable. Jack knew it had more to do with worrying about his daughter than the physical effects of his injury.

"I can't believe you dug up the grave," Denny said, sounding impressed rather than horrified. "That was something like what I would do."

It was true. Denny had always been the hothead, the one in trouble. So why was Jack now about to lose his job, his career? He still couldn't understand what it was between him and Baxter, some animosity he'd never understood.

"Once we saw that someone had already started digging-"

"You're kidding," Denny said. "Did you see who it was?"

Jack shook his head and told Denny about the person who'd taken a shot at them. "Someone didn't want us to know that the only thing in that casket was a doll."

"A doll?" Denny asked in surprise.

"Karen thinks it was Liz's from when she was a girl."

Denny's eyes widened slightly, his jaw tightened. "Vandermullen."

"He had to be in on it," Jack agreed. "But Liz must have agreed to go along with the plan to give up the baby for adoption. She wouldn't have been looking for your daughter if she hadn't known about it, right?"

"But why?" Denny asked, sounding in pain. "Why didn't she tell me about the baby? Why did she give her up?"

Jack shook his head. "Maybe Vandermullen knew it wasn't his kid and put pressure on her. Who knows?"

Denny nodded thoughtfully. "You think she was killed because she was searching for our baby? This mystery man. If he took the baby, maybe he didn't want Liz finding out where our daughter is."

Jack shrugged. It was a possibility. But at this point, only speculation. For all they knew the baby might not even be alive. But like Denny and Karen, Jack was starting to believe she was. And that Liz's death was tied to the illegal adoption.

"So, you're going to try to draw out the killer tonight," Denny said.

He nodded. "I'm worried that if this really is about your daughter, then we've uncovered enough that the killer is feeling trapped. I'm afraid of what he'll do."

"He probably figures he has nothing to lose now," Denny said in agreement. "That he's going down one way or the other. But he plans to take Karen with him. A last-ditch effort to eliminate the eyewitness."

"And maybe a little payback," Jack said, scared Karen had a deadly enemy out there who wasn't going to stop until he killed her.

"That makes Vandermullen a prime suspect."

"And the man who took Liz's baby," Jack said. Who knew how far that man would go to keep the girl's ident.i.ty and whereabouts a secret? How far he'd already gone? "For all we know, the mystery man and Vandermullen may be in this together."

Denny seemed lost in thought. When he looked up, his gaze softened. "How's Karen?"

Jack shrugged noncommittally. He'd seen the hurt in her eyes this morning and knew she must be confused. He wished with all his heart that he could erase parts of the past, the way the blow to Karen's head had erased part of hers. But mostly he wished he could erase the lie between them.

"I'm afraid I'm going to lose her. But not to a killer," Jack said vehemently.

THE THIRD MEETING was set in the park at the south side of the Clark Fork River. Denny had pa.s.sed along Jack's idea for the female undercover cop to take Karen's place. was set in the park at the south side of the Clark Fork River. Denny had pa.s.sed along Jack's idea for the female undercover cop to take Karen's place.

Jack watched with binoculars. Because it was a beautiful late afternoon, the park was full of joggers, sunbathers, dog walkers and bikers. What a terrible place for a stakeout. He kept his eye out for anyone who looked suspicious-a ridiculous task-and for other cops. Baxter especially.

Jack didn't expect anything to happen. The killer wouldn't show. He'd know the woman waiting on the park bench wasn't Karen.

But, Jack hoped, the killer would have to get close enough to be sure.

Half an hour went by but still no one had come near the Karen look-alike.

Then Jack saw the female cop grab her left shoulder and slump over. At the same time, cops who resembled sunbathers, dog walkers and bikers moved in.

Jack rushed to his Jeep and turned to the frequency the stakeout team was using. The female cop wasn't hurt badly from a gunshot wound. But an ambulance had been called. Had anyone seen the shooter?

Jack looked up and saw a car pull out on the other side of the river. It was a large, dark-colored, American-made car and its driver seemed to be in a hurry.

He started the Jeep and, without siren and lights, took off after it. The car was so plain. So nondescript. Just like detectives used for undercover work.

He raced across the bridge and down a side street, hoping to cut off the vehicle, but it had disappeared as if into thin air. Jack suspected the car and driver were sitting in a dark garage somewhere. Safe.

JACK DROVE TO the hospital, wanting to talk to Denny about the car he'd seen, the suspicions he couldn't keep to himself any longer. He couldn't be sure it was a cop car. Couldn't be sure of anything, including that the driver had fired the shot. Nor could he not listen to his instincts. But he needed Denny to bounce them off. He and Denny often did that at the bar after work. Right now, Jack needed his friend to tell him he wasn't crazy. the hospital, wanting to talk to Denny about the car he'd seen, the suspicions he couldn't keep to himself any longer. He couldn't be sure it was a cop car. Couldn't be sure of anything, including that the driver had fired the shot. Nor could he not listen to his instincts. But he needed Denny to bounce them off. He and Denny often did that at the bar after work. Right now, Jack needed his friend to tell him he wasn't crazy.

But when Jack reached the hospital, the nurse informed him that Denny Kirkpatrick had checked himself out without telling anyone.

"Was he well enough to do that?" Jack asked, surprised.

"No," the nurse said. "I hope he isn't driving. That could be very dangerous with his injury. But maybe his female visitor drove him."

"Female visitor?" Big surprise. Even laid up in bed close to death Denny could attract women. "Do you happen to know who the woman was?"

The nurse smiled. "As a matter of fact, I recognized her from the photo in the newspaper." She saw that Jack didn't know what she was talking about. "The one from Sat.u.r.day's feature page. About a sweet-sixteen birthday party at the carousel."

Sweet sixteen. The same age as Denny's daughter. "The woman was in the photograph?"

The nurse nodded. "With her daughter."

"Do you still have that newspaper around?" Jack asked.

She reached behind the desk and pulled out a battered copy of the Missoulian. Missoulian.

Jack quickly thumbed through it, stopping abruptly at the smiling faces of mother and daughter on brightly painted wooden carousel horses.

"Annette Westbrook?" Jack asked, his blood ringing in his ears. Baxter's sister. He'd met her once at some party when Baxter had first taken over as captain.

His instincts had been right! All his suspicions confirmed. Baxter!

But what made Jack's heart threaten to bust out of his chest was the girl with Annette in the photograph. Danielle Westbrook, sixteen, was the spitting image of Liz Jones except for her hair and her eyes. Both were dark-just like Denny's.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jack found Detective Captain Brad Baxter at his home on North Street near the University of Montana. Baxter seemed surprised to see Jack. Or maybe it was the weapon Jack held. A police special. Denny's.

"You can't threaten me. I know my rights," Baxter said.

Jack laughed as he shoved the pistol into Baxter's face and backed him into the living room. "Did you think I was here to arrest you? Have you forgotten? I'm not a cop. You suspended me. Threatened to have me thrown in jail. I'm just here as an interested citizen who's going to kick your hide if I don't get some answers."

Baxter glanced toward the phone.

"Want to call the cops? Go ahead. But it really isn't necessary. They're already on their way."

He seemed to hesitate, probably thinking Jack was bluffing. "What makes you think I'll tell you anything?"

It was all Jack could do not to grab the man by his collar and slam him against the wall. But he wanted answers more than he wanted vengeance. Although that could change, if he found out Baxter had been the one who'd tried to kill Karen.

"Because," Jack said between gritted teeth. "I think you're a lot of things, Baxter, but not stupid."

His look of apprehension gave Jack guilty pleasure as Jack motioned for him to take a seat. He saw Baxter glance toward the coffee table, but head for a chair away from it.

The gesture made Jack suspicious, which was his nature, G.o.d knew.

Jack stepped closer, his pulse a hammer. On the coffee table was a county map. A red line on the map had been drawn from Missoula to Jack's ski lodge. Directly to Karen.

He looked up at Baxter, fighting an urge to harm the man. But no matter what Baxter had said or done, Jack was was a cop and he didn't believe in taking justice into his own hands. Lucky for Baxter. a cop and he didn't believe in taking justice into his own hands. Lucky for Baxter.