Killing Me Softly: A Romantic Suspense Anthology, page 173
After fighting sleep, Madeline gave up hope and headed out. The clock told her it was nearing ten in the morning, and waiting was only making her stir-crazy. Her fate was going to be in the hands of a man who probably wanted her dead. If there was any hope at all, he would forgive her for the mistake he thought she had made all those years ago. After turning over her room key, she strapped her backpack on and secured her helmet. Surely, he hadn't held a grudge all these years. But as she straddled her motorcycle and cranked the engine, she felt like she was driving straight for a different type of execution—one that was deserved.
As suspected, the ride was brief. As she pulled down the long dirt path toward his house, Madeline nearly turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Was coming here just as stupid as calling out the admiral? She would know in a matter of seconds.
The cabin was set so far off the road, she wouldn't have believed a home sat back here if she weren't seeing it for herself. Stealing herself and shaking off her nerves, Madeline turned off her engine and slipped her helmet off. She stood, taking in the surrounding scenery. There was no doubt he had selected this place to take himself off the grid and hide away from the world. There was a part of her that was surprised she had made it up the driveway without setting off some sort of trip wire. Madeline figured he was paranoid, considering how isolated he was.
Just as she set her helmet down on the seat, the distinct sound of racking a gun echoed through the forest. The cool end of a shotgun pressing against the back of her head had her sucking in a breath as she put her hands in the air. She froze, paralyzed with fear like nothing she had ever felt in her life. Not even being overseas hearing gunfire had left her feeling this scared. Then she heard it—a voice that sent a plethora of emotions ricocheting through her soul like a stray bullet striking concrete.
"Mind telling me what the fuck you're doing on my property, Captain?"
7
Madeline stiffened at his words. She knew he wouldn't be thrilled to see her, but this reaction was over the top—even for him. After everything that happened, Madeline hadn't seen Noah in years. This was not the way she wanted their reunion to start.
"Is this how you greet all your friends?" Madeline's tone matched her mood, irritated.
"I don't see any friends here. So, I'll ask again. Why are you here?"
"Think you could drop the gun, Lieutenant?"
He dropped the gun to his side and took a step back. "You of all people know I'm not a lieutenant anymore."
“I get it. You’re not happy to see me, but I need your help.”
Madeline turned to face the last man she expected to see again in her lifetime. She gave Noah a once over, taking in his appearance. He was still in shape, like she remembered. His tall frame was filled out with muscles that bulged against the cotton shirt he was wearing. Noah Murphy was a man any woman would be attracted to, once upon a time that had been her.
“No.” His gruff response snapped her out of her thoughts.
Madeline looked up to see him spinning on his heel and walking away. “What do you mean no?” Madeline hurried behind him. “You don’t even know what I need.”
“And I don’t want to know. You can leave the same way you got in.” She watched as he ambled up the stairs to his front door.
“Please, Noah.” She reached out and grabbed his arm, nearly losing her balance on the step as she did. “You’re the only one who can help me. I wouldn’t have come if my life didn’t depend on it.”
He glanced over his shoulder and huffed. “Like my life depended on you?”
He jerked out of her hold and stormed inside his house, slamming the door in her face. Madeline slammed her fist against the wood and cried out. She leaned her head against the hard lumber and let the tears she had been holding back fall freely. Without him, she was good as dead. Madeline turned to sit down on the step. She had nowhere else to go. Noah was her only hope, and he wouldn’t listen to why she was here. Madeline buried her head into her arms and let herself cry.
Noah couldn’t believe Madeline Taylor was sitting on his porch bawling her eyes out. She was the last person he expected to show up at his house, uninvited. It was the only way she would come here, because as far as he was concerned, Madeline Taylor didn’t exist. Except she did. And she was currently sitting on his front porch steps, sobbing uncontrollably. He told himself to leave her alone and walk away, but every time he saw her body shake from her sobs, something twisted inside him. His mother had raised him to show kindness to others, even to the people he hated most. Noah took a deep breath as he wrapped his fingers around the doorknob. He jerked the door open and stepped out.
“Captain Taylor.” Noah folded his arms across his chest and waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, he squatted down and pressed his hand to her shoulder. “Madeline.” Madeline jolted under his touch, her head spinning to look at him over her shoulder. Her face was red and blotchy from crying. Without thinking, Noah reached out and swiped a tear with his thumb. Madeline’s eyes widened as she watched him. “Hey, stop crying and tell me why you’re here.”
“You said you wouldn’t help me.”
“I know. And I’m not happy you’re here, nor am I agreeing to help you—but I can’t have you out here crying. My mother would tan my hide if she knew I was ignoring a woman who needed help. Here.” Noah slipped his hand beneath her arm and tugged her to her feet. “What possessed you to drive all the way here and ask me, of all people, for help. I can’t imagine I was the first person on your list.”
“You weren’t. But you are the only one who can help me without risking yourself or your career.” Madeline pulled from his grasp and headed inside.
Noah sucked his teeth and glanced at the sky. What the hell was he thinking? The last time he saw her, he promised himself he would never speak to her again. And now he was inviting her into his house. Something told him he was going to regret this, but he had let the wolf inside anyway.
He watched as Madeline scurried into the kitchen and plopped down at the table. Noah rolled his eyes and grunted as he followed behind her. He fetched a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water. “Here.” He thrust the glass at her. “Drink this and then talk.”
“Wow. Such a gentleman.” She snatched the glass and tipped the cool liquid to her lips. Madeline hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until the glass was empty. Setting it onto the table with a loud thud, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Thanks. Guess I was thirsty.”
“Okay. Now that your thirst is quenched. Mind telling me what the hell brought you here?”
Noah leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. He wasn’t intentionally trying to be a dick—okay, maybe he was. But she deserved his anger, so he didn’t care. If she didn’t start talking soon, he was going to throw her out—her feelings be damned.
“Before I tell you why I’m here, I think we need to clear the air.”
“No. I agreed to hear your problem, not talk about the past.”
Madeline appraised him for a moment, then nodded. “Fine.”
Noah could tell she was nervous about something. “Look. Just spit it out. I don’t have all day and your welcome is wearing out.”
Madeline inhaled a deep breath and let the air flow through her lungs. Pinching her eyes shut, she exhaled and found her words. “I’ve stumbled into something big, and I think I’m in danger.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because JAG came to my house yesterday to arrest me for something I didn’t do.”
“Wait a minute.” Noah ran his hand through his hair and groaned. “Back up and start from the beginning.”
Madeline nodded and spent the next several hours filling him in on everything. She told him how she intercepted a threat at the Russian embassy, only to find the data on the admiral’s computer later that day. She explained how she removed the encryption from the information and what she learned. Madeline told him how Admiral Henson reacted and the events that followed her confronting him. Noah could only nod as she spoke, at a loss for words.
“Do you still have the information?”
“Yes. It’s on a thumb drive in my backpack outside strapped to my bike.”
“Go get it,” Noah barked, his body moving toward the door as he spoke.
Madeline rushed past him and out the door. Noah watched as she slung the bag over her shoulder and hurried back up the steps. He followed her back to the kitchen and waited while she setup her computer. After a few keystrokes, Madeline had pulled up everything she had told him about. Noah stood with his mouth agape. Millions of dollars were being funneled into multiple offshore accounts.
“Do you know what the money is for?”
Madeline shook her head. “No. When I confronted the admiral, he acted as though he had no knowledge of the accounts. He tried to say it was a spam email, but when I pointed out the others that I found in the encrypted file, he got cagey. The next day a friend tipped me off I was being arrested.”
“Arrested for what?”
“I didn’t stick around to ask the details. I know it’s because of what I discovered on his computer. The admiral is involved somehow, and he’s trying to cover his tracks.”
“That’s a bold accusation. What if he’s innocent?”
“Come on, Noah. Why would he take a warrant out on me if he was innocent? He’s trying to frame me to avoid the light being shined on himself.”
Noah paced the floor, thinking. Madeline was right. A man involved in something nefarious would do whatever it took to protect himself—even framing a fellow officer. The admiral was a powerful man. He could be involved in some major shit. Based on the money Noah saw, the admiral was involved in something that was illegal.
“We’ve got to figure out where the money is coming from?”
Madeline looked up from her computer. "Does this mean you'll help me?"
"I don't like that a member of the Navy is possibly doing something illegal. It goes against everything the Navy stands for and is a slap in the face of all the men and women who've died for their country. So yes. I'll help you expose that corrupt bastard."
Madeline stood abruptly, knocking over the chair. She flung her arms around Noah and hugged him. "Thank you."
Noah stiffened beneath her hold, shocked at the physical contact. He hadn't been near anyone, much less a woman, since leaving the Navy. And now, for the first time in forever, Madeline Taylor was pressed against his body. Madeline, realizing what she had done, gasped, and stepped back, placing distance between them.
"I'm sorry." She blushed. "I shouldn't have done that. I know you hate me, Noah, and I'm sorry for what happened all those years ago. If I had known how it would have turned out, I would have pulled your team from the mission."
"I don't want to talk about it." Noah moved toward the living room. "I assume you need a place to stay?"
Madeline nodded. "Yes."
"I'll show you to the guest room. You can get settled while I make a few calls to some contacts I still have. We are going to need more than what you have to prove you're innocent."
Madeline followed him down the hall and up the steps. She was just now noticing how beautiful his cabin was. "Your place is gorgeous."
"Thanks. I built it."
"You built this?" Madeline stepped through a door behind him and gaped at the space. It was a nice sized room with a queen-sized bed against one wall. The dark wood offset the white bedspread covering the mattress.
"I did. After leaving the Navy, I struggled to find a place in the civilian world. I came back here and bought this property. Building this place made me feel useful. Here's the bathroom. My room is on the other side of that door. I didn't see a need for more than one bathroom since it's only me."
Noah watched as Madeline stepped inside the massive adjoining room and huffed. "Holy shit, Noah. This is amazing."
He smiled at her reaction. She was right. He had gone the extra mile when building this room. The space was nearly as big as the bedrooms. It needed to be to house the massive soaking tub and walk-in shower. When he returned home, he spent months in physical therapy. Many nights, he crawled into that tub and soaked his aching muscles. His hand drifted down to his leg on reflex. Madeline glanced down at the movement and stared at where his hand rested against his thigh. Noah hated the look he saw reflecting in her beautiful brown orbs. She had no right to pity him. It was her fault he was discharged from the service and why he had a constant reminder of the mission that took his friends' lives, so her pity wasn't appreciated.
"All right. I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"I think I'll take a shower, if that's okay with you?" Madeline's eyes lingered on his leg for a moment longer.
"Towels are in the closet there." He pointed, jerking her gaze away from him.
"Thanks, Noah."
Noah pushed the door shut, leading to his room, and headed out of the bathroom. He pushed the guest door closed and pressed his palm to the wood. Everything inside him wanted to hate Madeline Taylor, but he didn't. Seeing her so helpless and hearing what she was dealing with reminded him that she was human. For the first time in a long time, he forgot why he hated her. And that rattled him in ways he wasn't prepared for.
8
Madeline stripped off her clothes and turned on the shower. She couldn't believe Noah had agreed to help her, considering their past. Madeline stepped beneath the spray of the water and let the heat of the shower pelt against her skin. She braced her hand against the tiled wall and dropped her head, letting the droplets wash over her. Her mind conjured up the memory of the moment everything changed for Lieutenant Murphy. She had been part of the intelligence team that sent them on the raid in Mexico. A raid that turned deadly, killing five members of his team, and leaving him and one other severely injured. The months that followed, he had been medically discharged—leaving her behind and blaming her for a botched mission.
Madeline turned the temperature up, heating the water to a near scorching temp. She wanted to wash away everything that happened, knowing that wasn't possible, but still tried anyway. After washing her hair with his shampoo, Madeline rinsed the soap out and cut off the water. Her feet burrowed in the plush mat as she towel-dried her hair and then wrapped it around her body.
"Shit." Madeline uttered when she realized she had left her backpack on the kitchen table. The only spare clothes she had were tucked snugly inside it. Pushing open the door to the spare room, she shivered when the cool air-conditioned air kissed her skin. Goosebumps dotted her flesh as she scurried through the room, searching for something to wear. When she came up empty-handed, Madeline plopped down on the bed and blew out a breath of air. She had two choices, sit there wrapped in a towel, or go downstairs and retrieve her bag. Option two would mean prancing around in front of Noah practically naked, but choice one, would keep her locked inside the room. Neither were desirable outcomes. But she needed to help him find more information, and she couldn't do that from the guest bedroom.
After convincing herself to suck it up, Madeline secured the towel tighter and stepped into the hallway. She listened for Noah, relieved when she didn't hear him moving about. As quiet as a mouse, Madeline tiptoed down the steps and into the kitchen. Noah was nowhere to be seen, giving Madeline a chance to grab her bag and not have to explain her current state.
"Forgot your bag I see."
Noah's deep voice vibrated her entire body. Madeline froze with her hand on her bag and her back to him. She didn't dare to turn around, embarrassed to face him. "Yeah. I hoped I could sneak down here and not get caught."
She lifted the bag and clutched it to her chest as she spun to face him. He was leaned against the doorframe, watching her. She blinked as she held his piercing gaze in hers. Madeline could feel her body flush with mortification as she slowly moved around him. His body took up most of the space, causing her to brush against him as she walked past him to the steps.
"I'll just go put on some clothes and be right back."
Noah grunted something unintelligible and stormed away from her into the living room. Madeline ran up the steps and slammed the door behind her until she was in the safety of the guest room. Dumping her backpack onto the bed, she slipped on a fresh pair of underwear and a clean bra. She tugged on a pair of leggings and a T-shirt, then pulled her hair into a ponytail. Madeline retrieved her soiled clothes and piled them on the floor. She hoped Noah would let her wash them, since they were the only other change of clothes she had. Madeline hurried into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. After splashing some cold water on her face, she walked down the stairs toward Noah.
"I see you found some clothes, Captain." Noah smirked as Madeline took the seat opposite him. "Though, I kind of liked the other view."
"Shut up," Madeline growled. "Were you able to find anything out?"
"Yes, and no. A friend who has some underground connections told me there have been several thefts still happening on several of the bases here and overseas."
"Thefts? I assume you mean guns," Madeline spoke matter-of-factly.
"Just like the ones we were supposed to retrieve in Mexico. Rumor has it they aren't stolen but sold."
"Wait." Madeline sat up straighter. "Are you suggesting someone in the Navy is selling military weapons from the inside?"
"That's exactly what I am suggesting. And I think the admiral is connected. It would explain the copious amounts of money you saw."
"You think the admiral is selling guns to the Cartel." Madeline said the words out loud, trying to rationalize them in her head. "Fuck."
"This is big, Captain. Are you ready for the fallout that will come if we dig?"
