Deadly Cover-Up, page 2
Still, it couldn’t be her. His mind told him what his heart refused to accept—Jordan Kendrick was dead. He had edited the obituary himself, attended the funeral and helped her parents sort through her belongings and clean out her apartment. She was gone forever. Wishful thinking couldn’t bring someone back, even if they had been deeply loved. So, who was this woman, and why was she in his house?
“Ben, it’s me. Jordan.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Jordan Kendrick is dead,” he responded, with a touch of menace in his tone. “Who are you?”
TWO
“It’s me, Ben. Really.”
Her voice was the same. Or maybe that was foolish dreaming on his part, as well. Jordan Kendrick had been the love of his life, and even though he knew she was dead and gone, his heart still fluttered at the possibility of her still being alive. He would give anything to hold her one last time. They had never actually found her body in the ocean, although the boat she’d been sailing in had capsized about thirty miles offshore. There had been no evidence of foul play, either, and the authorities had done a search-and-rescue operation for five days before calling it quits and declaring her dead.
He slowly stood, keeping his gun trained on her midriff. “It can’t be. Jordan Kendrick was killed in a boating accident nine months ago.” Still, a large part of him wanted this to be Jordan so badly. She had been so vibrant, so full of life. There was a giant hole in his heart ever since her death—one that he didn’t feel like he could ever fill again. Seeing someone that looked like her brought a new flash of pain that swept over him from head to toe, reminding him of his loss.
Even though Jordan had been gone for nine months, Ben was still grieving. Maybe it was easier for those left behind when there was a body to mourn and bury. Maybe if he’d seen the damaged boat in person or been with her when she had gone overboard, he would have been able to get past the heartache that still seemed to overwhelm him from time to time in the oddest places. Even last week, he had been walking down the aisle at the supermarket and had been suddenly overcome with a sense of loss, just at the sight of her favorite sweet in the candy aisle. Grief was funny that way. Just when he thought he had a handle on it, some unexpected memory would trigger the pain and sorrow all over again. He hoped that time would erase those feelings, or at least lessen them so they wouldn’t be so intense, but he was still overcome at times.
Now, all of those feelings were back in full force and hitting him all at once.
“It’s really me, Ben,” the woman said softly, her voice breaking into his reverie. “I promise. Remember how we used to picnic on the beach and you used to go diving for spiny lobster while I stayed on shore, reading the latest romance novel?”
He shook his head. “Plenty of people do that.”
“Do plenty of people stop in the middle of grabbing lobsters to arrest a guy for taking fourteen lobsters over the limit?”
Her question astounded him. Few people knew about that arrest. He usually didn’t bother with marine violations since the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or the coast guard kept most folks in compliance with the law, but that particular lobster violation had really bothered him, so he had made the stop. The perpetrator had turned out to be a high-powered congressman from New York State with plenty of pull—so much so that he had managed to keep the arrest out of the news. The politician had paid a large fine and quietly returned to his home state.
Ben raised an eyebrow as his stomach did a flip-flop. Could it be true? Was Jordan Kendrick still alive? Part of him wanted to believe it, yet he had so many questions, and pain inundated him from head to toe. If she had been alive all this time, why hadn’t she contacted him? Had Jordan or someone else faked her death? Why would she do it? What frightful necessity would have driven her to such lengths?
Was the love they’d shared real or just a fallacy?
He watched her shift from one foot to another. She was uncomfortable, too. When she spoke, her voice trembled. “Remember when I cooked those ribs on the grill, and I completely burned them up? Flames were shooting out of the grill, and you rushed out and drenched the charcoal, convinced I was about to burn your house down. By the time we got the mess cleaned up, the rest of the food was also ruined. We ended up going out to eat at that barbeque place you like so much—Robbie’s, the restaurant on Pine Street down in Palm Valley. We were nearly starving by the time we arrived, and I’d never seen you eat so much. Then we went back to my place and watched old black-and-white movies until midnight. Despite the fire, it turned out to be one fantastic evening.”
It was her.
Nobody else would know those details. Jordan was alive! Ben felt his heartbeat accelerate, and the sound seemed to be roaring in his ears. He stood there motionless for several seconds as the fact that she hadn’t died nine months ago washed over him. “Where have you been? How can this be true?” He took a step forward.
She took a step back and put up her hands. “I’m alone, I promise. And unarmed. Can you put that gun down?”
Ben quickly engaged the safety and laid the weapon on the table. He wanted to reach for her and pull her into his arms, but he instantly sensed that she wouldn’t welcome his embrace. He wasn’t even sure if she would allow his touch. She seemed poised to run and was acting like a terrified rabbit being chased through a forest. Her eyes were wide, and he noticed blood on her arm and shirt. How had she gotten injured? His heart continued to beat frantically against his chest, and he took another step toward her.
She jerked and took a step back. Her eyes darted around the room, apparently seeking a quick retreat, and her features showed her insecurity and doubt. Her hands fisted and unfisted as if she couldn’t quite stand still. Was she going to bolt, now that she had finally approached him?
He sensed her hesitance and fear, and he put up his hands in a motion of surrender. When he spoke, he kept his voice soft, almost like a whisper. “Is it really you?” he asked again, still not quite believing it.
“Yeah, it’s me. I promise.”
Even though she wouldn’t let him touch her, his eyes consumed her. She had changed so much. A wariness covered her face that worried him, and fine lines of stress were clearly visible around her eyes and mouth. The weight loss made her cheekbones more prominent, but her lips were still full and elegant. Her clothes were stained and torn, and her hands had started shaking. He could see that her nails were shredded, and she had several scrapes on her hands and knees. Still, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His heart fluttered, and he slowly dropped his hands.
“How are you alive?” he whispered.
“It’s a long story.”
A host of emotions played across his chest. Why had she deceived him? And why had she waited nine months before contacting him? Anger bubbled to the surface before he could stop it. “A long story? Really? I spoke at your funeral nine months ago and now you appear out of nowhere and say hello like we were passing acquaintances? I thought you were dead!”
She backed even farther away from him until she was almost in the corner, and he instantly regretted letting the anger escape. He might be justified in his ire, but Jordan had always been a caring and loving woman. There had to be a good reason for what she’d done. He needed to give her the benefit of the doubt, at least until he knew what had happened and she’d had a chance to explain.
She bit her bottom lip, a motion that was pure Jordan and so familiar to him. His whole body felt like it was on the verge of exploding. How was she here, standing in front of him? His brain still couldn’t seem to comprehend it. Yet, here she was, living and breathing right in his living room, and apparently scared to death about something or someone by the way she was acting. He tried again, softening his voice. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell. This is just a bit hard for me to process.” He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration and lowered his voice even further. He wanted to touch her so badly. “How?” he stammered. “How are you here? How are you alive?”
She glanced around the room as if verifying the exits, and he could see her wide blue eyes. Only they weren’t blue—they were brown now. She was definitely wearing contacts. But her high thin eyebrows and perky nose hadn’t changed, and the sprinkle of freckles was still scattered across her face. However, there were dark splashes under her eyes that looked stress-induced, and her skin had lost its healthy tone. He took another step forward, and finally she didn’t retreat as he advanced. He moved slowly, purposefully, and reached over and lightly touched her face with the pads of his fingers. This time, she didn’t back away. Soft skin met his trembling fingertips. Yes, she was definitely real. And she smelled like Jordan—a sweet mixture of lavender and mint. His heart was beating so hard it felt like a bass drum in his chest. Could this really be happening? Could the love of his life really still be alive and standing before him?
* * *
Jordan covered his large hand with her smaller one and squeezed it, then glanced around nervously, again making sure they were alone and nobody had followed her. She knew it would be hard on Ben if she decided to approach him, and now she had to give him time to accept it. Still, she wasn’t happy about bringing him into her problems, and doing so was causing her a great deal of angst. Only nine short months ago, they had been planning their wedding. Now she was on the run and her life was in danger, and she had just put Ben’s life in danger as well by coming back into his life. It didn’t sit well with her, but she had run out of options.
Seeing Ben again did funny things to her insides. She still loved him, and she missed him terribly. Losing him had been her biggest regret when the US Marshals had helped her fake her death and enter the witness protection program. She had joined in the first place to protect him, and she still thought she had made the right decision at the time. Ben had believed she was gone forever, but that had been a small price to pay to keep him safe. Yet now, everything had changed. She was still being hunted, and she had no doubt that even though the man that had chased her at the grocery store had died, there would be others not far behind. The marshals who had promised to protect her had failed miserably, and she was out of options. She’d left the safe house in South Carolina and returned to Jacksonville, Florida, where all of her problems had originated in the first place. She’d purposefully made the choice to come home so she could continue investigating her case, but the decision to return still caused knots in her insides. She didn’t want to put Ben in danger again, but the threat against her was very real and growing exponentially, and she didn’t know what else to do.
Jordan ran her hands up and down her arms in a halfhearted motion of comfort. She was scared, even more so now than nine months ago when this all began. She was a scientist, not a law enforcement officer. The foe she faced was malevolent and powerful. Could a lone sheriff’s deputy really do anything to stop the wave of terror that was filling her life? She bit her bottom lip, trying to calm the battle that was raging within her. Ben was good at his job—very good. She had seen him accomplish amazing things within his unit and help a lot of people. They had dated for over a year, and she felt like she had really gotten to know him during that time. Ben was amazing. He was caring and honest. He was the love of her life, and in her book, the most attractive man on the planet. But he was only one man. And she didn’t want him dead.
She was assailed by doubts. She had made a mistake. She should never have come to Ben’s house today. She needed to face these problems on her own—not drag Ben into them with her. She was strong and capable, and she just needed more time to think everything through. Her eyes darted to the door, and she turned, ready to run.
“Don’t go,” Ben said firmly.
Jordan turned back and glanced into his eyes. She saw a host of emotions all swimming together in those brown depths, but confusion and caring trumped them all. The confidence she saw was almost her undoing. She was completely terrified and didn’t know where else to turn. And she was fooling herself. She wasn’t able to do this on her own. She hadn’t seen anyone following her to his house, but she still didn’t feel comfortable staying out in the open for very long. She needed to disappear, but since WITSEC was no longer a possibility, she definitely needed Ben’s help. She had no choice. She had nowhere else to go.
Would Ben help her? She refused to guess at his feelings. His expression alone showed how truly overwhelmed he was by her appearance. Still, he had loved her once. But she had lost the ability to read him or tell what he was thinking. She hoped he would help, but she wasn’t banking on his cooperation.
She let out a breath. “I don’t know if we can talk here. It might not be safe.” She stepped back, glanced out the living room window, then pulled the curtains closed so that no one could see in.
He raised his eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”
“My life is in danger, Ben. That’s why I disappeared in the first place. I’ve been in the federal witness protection program ever since the boating accident.”
He shook his head, surprise splashed across his features. “WITSEC? Why? I don’t understand. I had no idea. I mean, I know you were having some problems at the lab, but nothing that was so bad it would force you into hiding...”
“They’ll come after you, too, if they see us together. I... I didn’t want to put you in danger.” She looked back at his face, which had been so dear to her. It was filled with confusion and hurt. His expression and her internal battles nearly overwhelmed her with the desire to throw herself into his arms and seek refuge in his embrace. She had always felt safe and secure around Ben. He was a big bear of a man, with broad shoulders and an athletic build that made it seem like he could handle whatever the world threw at him.
Yet, once again, doubts assailed her. This was wrong. She should have found a different way. Whether he could handle it or not, she had no right to drag him into the middle of her problems. She still had a little money left. Perhaps the solution was simply leaving Florida altogether and never coming back. If she left now, her case would never be resolved, but at least she would still have her life.
She paced a bit, still unsure.
Up until now, she’d always been good at solving her own difficulties. She would just have to do it once more. She was smart and creative. She’d graduated at the top of her class for her bachelor’s degree and had earned the top marks for her master’s and doctorate degrees, as well. Yet, after nine months, she was no closer to fixing her problems than she had been on that fateful day when she had gone into WITSEC in the first place. Being smart didn’t make her invincible. And she needed help. Desperately.
What should she do? The question ate at her and made her stomach twist in knots. As her emotions played tug-of-war, she met Ben’s eyes once more, but the pain and confusion she saw in his eyes was her undoing. “I shouldn’t be here. This was a mistake—a big one,” she murmured. Her eyes darted around the room one last time, and she started heading toward the back door.
THREE
Ben moved to block her, his voice firm. “No, this wasn’t a mistake. Now that I know you’re really alive, if you run, I’ll find you. That’s a promise. But you can save me the trouble. Tell me what’s going on, Jordie. Let me in.”
“I can’t.” Jordan took a few more steps but he grasped her arm and stopped her. Although he wasn’t holding her tightly, she cried out at his touch. Without realizing it, his hand was only a few inches from her wound.
He loosened his grip but didn’t let go completely and moved closer so he could examine her arm. “Good grief! You’ve been shot!” He shifted his hold but still didn’t release her and gently led her back toward his bathroom. She blew out a frustrated breath, but finally gave in to his tender urging. He flipped on the light, then reached under the sink and pulled out a first aid kit. “We need to get you to a hospital,” he said softly, caring in his voice.
“No. I won’t go.”
“That’s crazy!” he said vehemently, yet still his voice was hushed. “You need medical attention.”
“They require proof of identity and money, both of which I don’t have.”
“I’ll pay,” Ben responded quickly. More doubt filled her mind. Her enemies would definitely find her and kill her if she walked through the doors of a hospital. Hospitals also kept records and were forced to report bullet wounds. Sure, they had rules about confidentiality, but those rules couldn’t protect her. Her adversary was just too powerful. She glanced nervously around the small bathroom. She should leave. Now. Somehow, she would figure a way out of this herself. “No,” she said forcefully. “I’m not going to any hospital. I’ll take care of it. I really am sorry I bothered you.” She tried to keep the desperation from her voice, but she heard it quaver.
Ben quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, Jordan. You win. We’ll do it your way.” He took a step forward as if he was going to take her in his arms, but she stiffened, and her reaction stopped him. She wouldn’t meet his eye, so he just stood there, ostensibly waiting for her to acknowledge him. Finally, he touched her chin and gently lifted it until their eyes met.
She would not cry in front of him, she thought fiercely, even though she was suddenly lost in the depths of his chocolate-brown eyes. The caring and concern she saw reflected there was nearly her undoing.
Somehow, he seemed to understand that now wasn’t the time to push for answers. He turned his focus to her arm, got some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls and lightly started cleaning her wound. He continued in silence for several minutes, his touch comforting. When he finally did speak, his voice was calm and soft, almost soothing.
