Deadly Cover-Up, page 17
A few seconds later, they felt the momentum of the train start to slow, and eventually, the train stopped completely.
Joe mopped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and leaned back in the engineer’s chair, a look of grim satisfaction on his face. “We did it, boys. We stopped the train.” He looked sadly down at Felix. “Is he dead?”
Ben nodded. “I’m afraid so. Looks like you were right, though. We got here just in time to stop the crash and save the passengers. It’s a shame we couldn’t save Felix, too.”
Despite the engineer’s death, Ben suddenly felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Relief swamped over him, and he said a silent prayer of thankfulness. He knew they couldn’t have done this without God’s help. He looked over at Frank. “What do you think about going with me to arrest some lawyers?”
Frank smiled. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”
NINETEEN
Jordan walked over to the seating area of the general aviation section of the small airport and opened the magazine she had been carrying. She tried to look as nonchalant as possible as she flipped carelessly through the pages. Suzanne Tammington looked up from her seat about three feet away. She glanced at the new arrival, then did a double take. A worried look crossed her face. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see you off. After all you’ve put me through and all the harm you’ve caused, I think it’s only fitting that I get to see you up close and personal as your world comes crashing down around you.”
Suzanne glanced around cautiously but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. There didn’t appear to be anybody else nearby except for the gate agent, who seemed absorbed in his work at a kiosk near the front of the room. The lack of visible threats made the attorney’s confidence soar.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said haughtily. “In a few short hours, I’ll be sitting on the beach, sipping a drink and watching the dolphins playing in the surf.”
Jordan raised an eyebrow. “You won’t get away with it.”
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about,” she repeated. “I’ve done nothing to you beyond rip you apart on the witness stand.” She looked down her nose at Jordan, and there was a sly smirk on her face. “It’s not my fault you buckled under pressure.”
“Hiring someone to kill me certainly sounds like something. Was I really that big of threat to you and Southeastern?”
The attorney busied herself by putting a file she had been reading back in her burgundy leather briefcase. Finally, she turned back and looked Jordan directly in the eye. “You are nothing to me. I made mincemeat of you on the stand during the trial, and I’ll beat any charge you send my way. You see, Ms. Kendrick, I always get what I want. If I want you to say something on the stand, I’ll get it from you. If I want you to leave South Carolina and go running for home, I’ll make it happen.” She leaned closer. “If I want you dead, then you’ll end up dead. It’s that simple.”
Jordan ignored the look of hatred emanating from the woman’s eyes, despite the chill it sent down her spine. “Yet, here I am. I didn’t drown in that river, and your mercenaries haven’t been able to kill me yet. You failed, Miss Tammington.” She leaned forward herself. “And there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
“Oh, really?” The attorney laughed. “And what is that?”
Jordan smiled. “You’re under arrest.”
The room was suddenly filled with law enforcement officers, all with their weapons pointed toward the attorney.
“On the floor, now!” Ben yelled, coming up closest to the woman. “Get on your knees!”
The attorney glared at Jordan, then slowly sank down on the floor with her hands up. She was smart enough to know that there was no escaping the inevitable.
Tammington shot Jordan another look of hatred, but Jordan was too elated to care. She smiled at Ben and pulled the wire out from beneath her shirt. “Did you get what you needed?” she asked.
“Oh, yes,” Ben said with a returning smile as he watched Frank put the woman in handcuffs and pull her to her feet. “It seems Ms. Tammington here will be going to prison for quite a long time. Do you think she’ll look good in orange?”
“Hmm,” Jordan said, as she tapped her cheek with her finger. “That’s a good question. I guess we’ll just have to see once she gets that pretty jumpsuit. I don’t think they come in designer colors.”
Frank shook his head at the two of them and laughed, then leaned toward the attorney. “You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you....”
“I know my rights!” Tammington snapped.
“Yes,” Ben nodded. “I’m sure you do.”
They led her out the door and toward the waiting patrol car. Tammington had been the last of the attorneys to get arrested. The other two attorneys had been detained at the firm’s offices, and Sam Delvers had been taken into custody in his own home. Of the four, only Suzanne Tammington had tried to escape. She alone had been in contact with Felix Jefferson on the train and had been the first to know that the crash had been stopped by law enforcement. A call to Tammington had been the last one recorded on Felix’s phone—presumably to let her know that he had taken the Mintax. As soon as she realized that their plans had failed, she had immediately headed to the small commercial airport, used mostly by wealthy individuals who had access to private jets.
Ben drew Jordan into his arms, unmindful of the other law enforcement agents that were securing the scene. “It’s over, Jordan. You’re safe, and everyone that tried to hurt you has been arrested.”
“You have been amazing,” she murmured against his shirt. “You’ll never know how thankful I am.” She pulled back so he could see the truth mirrored in her eyes. “I really couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Yes, you could have. I know you, Jordan. You would have found a way,” he responded.
She shook her head. “I know sometimes I think I can do everything myself, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of this, it’s that it’s okay to ask for help when I need it. And I needed it. I really did. You saved my life. More than once.”
A wave of sadness swept over her. Now that the case was over, it was time for her to move on. The thought bothered her more than she wanted to admit. Still, she had to stick to her resolve. She still loved him, which meant she still had to let him go. The danger had passed, but she needed to disappear again and let Ben get back to his life. She had already disrupted him enough. “I guess I’ll get packed up at the hotel and be on my way.”
* * *
Ben grasped both of her hands, then looked around them. Several officers worked nearby, all pretending not to be watching or listening in to Ben and Jordan’s conversation. He knew they meant well, but this was one conversation he wanted to have in private. He led her to a corner of the room where they wouldn’t be overheard.
“Jordan, I really don’t want you to go.”
She squeezed his hands, then released him. “That’s sweet of you to say. But you didn’t even want to help out with the interrogation, so I know I’ve overstayed my welcome and pushed you hard to do something you really didn’t want to do. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t want to put you in danger in the first place.”
“Look, Jordie, we still haven’t had a chance to talk. So much has been happening, and with this case coming to a head, well...” He kicked at the floor as he shifted. He didn’t want to admit this, but if he didn’t, she might not believe the rest of what he was going to tell her. And he desperately wanted her to believe it. “I need to explain what happened when Aaron Rich was arrested.” She looked up at him, and her eyes were luminous. She was giving him her full attention, and there was so much trust and caring he saw there that he knew a moment of dread. Would she hate him for being so out of control? So unprofessional? Either way, he had to be honest with her. “When I’m working as a law enforcement officer, I try really hard to stay objective. I follow the law. I do what needs to be done to the best of my ability. But with Aaron Rich, I couldn’t do that. After he was arrested, it was all I could do not to attack the man. I didn’t care that he had come after me. We have people trying to take us down all the time. I never take that personally. But when that man came after you, the woman that I love, I just couldn’t handle it.”
He looked away, and there were tears in his eyes. He was laying himself bare in front of her, right there in the airport lobby. He took a moment to compose himself, then he looked her in the eye again. She had the grace not to interrupt him and to let him finish telling her what he so obviously needed to say. “I wanted to hurt him, to physically hurt him, and I knew then that I was too close to this case. I had to take a step back and let Frank handle it. If I hadn’t, I would have messed it up, and we wouldn’t have been able to use any of his testimony, because I would have lost my temper.” He looked away again. “I couldn’t have gotten him to talk, as much as I wanted to, because I would have ended up doing something stupid, which would have messed up the legal case. I didn’t want to tell you about my shortcomings because you’re always so capable. I didn’t want you to think less of me.”
Jordan reached up and cupped his chin with her hand, then turned his face to hers again. “I could never think less of you. You’re my hero. I appreciate you explaining what you were thinking. But don’t you see that what you just told me makes me love you even more?”
His brow furrowed. Her reaction was not what he had expected. He anticipated disappointment—maybe even disgust. Yet, he saw the truth of her love in her eyes. “You love me?”
She smiled. “Of course I do. You’re the man of my dreams. It’s only when I’m with you that everything is right in my life. When I was away in South Carolina, I was so lost. When I’m with you, I can be the best version of myself.”
“But you’ve been distant, pulling yourself away whenever I tried to get close. I don’t understand.”
“Oh, Ben.” It was her turn to look away. She bit her bottom lip, and he saw her body start to shake. She took a moment and then faced him again. “I should have trusted you from the start, but I didn’t, and I ended up hurting you. I never wanted to do that. This whole time, I’ve been afraid that since I shattered your trust, you didn’t want me anymore. I thought you were only helping me because you felt sorry for me. Can you ever forgive me?”
He pulled her into his arms. “We should have talked a long time ago. Sure, I was hurt that you left like you did, but I’ve forgiven you, and I understand why you did it. You were trying to protect me. I get that.”
“Yes, I was trying to protect you. That was the biggest reason why I went into witness protection. But if I’m being completely honest, I have to tell you that a part of me also wanted to solve my problems all on my own.” She squeezed him and rested her head on his chest. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to get help now and then. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure that out.”
He rubbed her back gently, enjoying the closeness. “Well, the good part is, our relationship now seems stronger than ever.” He turned her face up to his. “Promise me you won’t leave again. Please? I want you to stay. Please stay and be my wife.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” He leaned down and gently covered her lips with his own. It was a kiss full of love and promise. Finally, he pulled back and caressed her cheek with his hand. “God is the God of second chances. I see that now. He’s given us a second chance, and I want to grab a hold with both hands and never let go. Please say you’ll stay and be my wife.”
“I’ll stay.” Jordan smiled as she grasped his hand and squeezed it. “You’re the love of my life. I’d be honored to marry you.”
EPILOGUE
“You’re not supposed to see my dress before the wedding!” Jordan protested, as Ben strolled into the hotel room and swung her around in a circle. He was wearing his tux and looked simply magnificent. The suit accented his broad shoulders, and the happiness in his face made him look more handsome than she’d ever seen him before. She laughed in delight and fell against him as the dizziness hit. “Now you have to pretend to be surprised when I walk down the aisle.”
He laughed, his brown eyes twinkling. Frank walked up behind him, also in a tux but carrying a small red rosebud and a long stickpin. “I told this guy to wait, but does he listen to me, his best man? Nope, not at all. He never learns.” He took the flower and pinned it to Ben’s lapel as the two separated. “There you go. Now that you’re properly dressed, you can rush off and see your fiancée and tell her the news.”
Jordan laughed. She knew Frank was a fastidious dresser and took great care in his appearance. He could rarely be seen without a jacket and tie, unless he was headed to play softball on the sheriff’s team or to see his alma mater, Florida State University, competing in a sporting event. As usual, his suit was immaculate, and he had the look of a man who had gone to great pains to make sure his appearance was crisp and formal. He was apparently trying to make sure Ben was also at the top of his game as well, but something had distracted Ben and brought him to her door. Jordan was amused at her fiancé’s exuberance.
“We just discovered some news about the case, and I didn’t want to wait to tell you,” Ben said as he played with a curl that hung by her face. He wrapped her hair around his finger, then leaned in and gave her a kiss before releasing it. “Sam Delvers, the CEO of Southeastern, just confessed that he has ties to the marshal’s office. Remember how we couldn’t figure out why they did such a poor job of protecting you? Usually the marshals are a top-notch group. Well the marshal assigned to your case is Delvers’s second cousin. They grew up together, and even used to stay at each other’s houses during the summers when they were in high school.”
Jordan shook her head. “That explains so much!” she said emphatically. “Of course, the marshal wasn’t concerned when I reported that man following me, or when he tried to kill me. Tammington and Delvers probably organized the hit and sent the mercenary up there, then told the marshal to look the other way. The marshal probably even gave him my address at the safe house.”
“Well, the marshal was just arrested and charged, so you no longer have to worry about him.” He smiled. “And, another connection was just revealed. Tammington also had ties to the prosecuting attorney. Apparently, Tammington had represented his parents in a big case down in Miami. Eddy discovered the conflict and reported it. Before the case, both attorneys should have reported the conflict themselves, but neither one did. Apparently, the investigators have even uncovered proof that the two colluded to throw the case. You never really had a chance to stop Southeastern in court. Not a fair chance, anyway.” He paused. “The prosecutor just lost his job, and is getting disbarred. He won’t be stepping anywhere near a courtroom for the rest of his career.”
Ben kissed her again. “I guess I could have waited to tell you all of this, but I wanted you to know so we could put it all behind us before you walked down the aisle. I know you were wondering about the marshal and all, so now we have answers.”
Jordan smiled and bit her bottom lip. “I’m glad you did. I have to admit, it puts my mind at ease. And today, I want all of my focus to be where it should be—on my handsome groom!” She ran her fingers over his lips and reveled at the softness. Could this big wonderful man really be about to become her husband? God had truly blessed her beyond measure. “I love you, Benjamin Graham. I want to be with you forever. God has given us this second chance, and I’m not going to waste it.”
Ben smiled, his eyes dancing. “I love you, too, Jordan. No matter what the future brings, I can face it head-on, as long as I have you by my side.”
* * *
Don’t miss Kathleen Tailer’s next thrilling novel, available September 2020 wherever Love Inspired Suspense books and ebooks are sold.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Border Breach by Darlene L. Turner.
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Border Breach
by Darlene L. Turner
ONE
Officer Kaylin Poirier’s stomach lurched at the sight of the two people inside a white florist van that pulled up to her booth at the Windsor-Detroit border. The driver wouldn’t meet her gaze and his passenger couldn’t sit still. Their body language elevated her guard. Could it simply be her overactive imagination or perhaps the humid weather putting her in a foul mood? Experience said there was more to it. This was her job, to protect the border and catch criminals illegally importing goods into Canada—whether it be drugs, weapons or immigrants. Today was no different.
Actually, today was different. Security at the border had been tightened by her father, Chief of Police Marshall Poirier. “We will find every drug smuggler and stop them before they can enter Canada. My daughter will make sure of it,” he’d said at a joint television press conference earlier in the morning.
She winced at the memory of his firm grip on her arm and commanding voice as he spoke. He’d vowed to clear his city of drugs after numerous gangs had terrorized the community with deadly narcotics. Too many teens had died in the past two months.
And he expected her to get the job done.
No pressure.
She wiped perspiration off her forehead and extended her hand out the window of the booth. “Passports, please.”
