Search and Rescue by April Wilson
Chapter 22
Killian Devereaux
Hannah grabs hold of my shirt. “I promise you Ray’s not involved with them. He has dedicated his life to wildlife conservation. He’d never get involved with poachers.”
“Maybe not by choice. They might have coerced him somehow. I need to look into it. It’s too much of a coincidence that a mysterious vehicle shows up to case this place just minutes after Calhoun stopped by for a visit. Care to explain that?”
Hannah frowns. “I can’t.”
“Okay, then. I have to check it out. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t.”
At the sound of tires crunching on the gravel drive, Hannah’s whole body flinches. She bites her lip, suppressing a cry of pain.
“It’s okay, love,” I say. “It’s just Owen and Maggie. I asked them to come stay with you while I go out for a bit.”
She grabs my hand. “Where are you going?”
I give her a look but don’t answer.
She huffs in exasperation. “I’m telling you, Ray’s not involved with the poachers. I’d bet my life on it.”
Scout’s back on his feet, pacing at the door as a low growl reverberates deep in his throat.
I head for the door. “It’s okay, boy.” I reach down and pat him on the head. “Good dog. Now sit.”
Scout sits at my heel as I open the door.
A moment later, Maggie strolls inside, followed closely by Owen. Maggie’s holding two grocery sacks.
Owen’s carrying a weapons bag, which I imagine is well stocked with everything from handguns to a rifle to plenty of ammo. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was a semi-automatic or two in there as well.
He sets the bag on the table. I unzip it and snoop around inside. Sure enough, there’s an AR-15. Nice.
“What?” he asks, sounding almost offended that I’m looking over his inventory.
Grinning, I shake my head. “I’m glad to see you’re prepared.”
Seemingly satisfied with my reply, Owen nods. “Maggie knows how to shoot a rifle. The AR-15 is for me.”
Scout goes from guard dog to welcoming committee as he wags his tail eagerly.
“Hi, Scout,” Maggie says as she sets several bags on the table. She reaches down to pat the dog’s head. “We brought you guys some groceries. I’ll just put these away.”
Owen and I shake hands. “Thanks for coming.” I’ve already updated him via text message. He knows the score.
Owen nods. “Not a problem. Maggie’s brother, Paul, is watching the store. The boys are still in school for another hour, and Maggie’s sister will pick them up after they get out of football practice.”
I strap on my chest holster. “I won’t be long. I need to have a talk with Hannah’s boss.” I walk over to the back of the sofa and peer down at Hannah. “Call me if you need anything.”
She nods. “I’ll be fine. Just be careful. They could be watching the cabin.”
I gaze down at her for a moment, reliving the moment of our first real kiss—the touch of her skin and the shape of her breast beneath my palm. I need more of that. A hell of a lot more. But her safety, and comfort, come first—and that means I need to stop mooning over her like a horndog and do my damn job. I reach down and cup her cheek. And then—to hell with our audience—I lean down and kiss her lightly. “I’ll be back soon.”
As I walk out the front door, I feel Maggie’s and Owen’s gazes burning a hole in the back of my head.
Yeah, I kissed her. Get over it.
I hop into Hannah’s Jeep and plug the address to the conservation center into my phone’s mapping program. It’s about a twenty-minute drive.
Hannah’s lane is heavily wooded on both sides, making it relatively easy for someone with bad intentions to sneak up on the cabin. The property needs surveillance cameras to make it more secure.
As the lane ends at the main road, I hang a right. Here, the road is paved and much easier to navigate, despite the steep hills and sharp turns.
I put in a call to Jake.
He answers immediately. “Killian, how’s Hannah?”
“She’s fine. The reason I’m calling is to tell you we need some surveillance on the cabin. We’ve already had two uninvited guests show up at the cabin. I’d like to know someone’s coming before they pull up to the front door.”
“Got it. I’ll send Cameron out there today with some equipment. We’ll put cameras on the exterior of the cabin and partway down the lane so you’ll have greater visibility.”
“Thanks.”
“Now tell me about these uninvited guests.”
“The first one was Hannah’s boss—Ray Calhoun.”
“I’ll run a background check on him.”
“Good. The other was a dark SUV that came up the lane, didn’t make contact, and then left. I think they were casing her home, and I suspect they followed Calhoun to her cabin. Either they followed him or he’s working with them.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. I’m on my way to see Calhoun now to evaluate how much of a risk he is.”
“Good. Report back and let me know. In the meanwhile, I’ll get Cameron on a flight out there this afternoon.”
“Thanks.” Just before I’m about to end the call, I notice a vehicle behind me, quite a ways back. It’s a black SUV with heavily tinted windows—what a surprise. It’s been behind me for a few minutes, and I’ve been tracking their speed. It matches mine. Whether I speed up or slow down, they keep pace with me, careful to hang back a bit. They’ve had a couple of opportunities to pass me if they wanted to, but they didn’t, and that definitely raises a red flag. “Gotta go, Jake. I have a tail.”
Jake mutters a curse. “Copy that. Watch your six, pal.”
“Will do. Over and out.”
After the call ends, I shoot an update about the possible tail to Owen so he’ll be alert. They might be wanting to make sure I’m heading far enough away from Hannah’s before they double back, thinking she might be there alone. I have news for them—she’s not.
I slow my speed to force their hand. They’ll either have to expose themselves or pass me. They opt for the former. Pulling up beside me, in the opposite lane, they attempt to run me into the ditch that runs alongside the road. Fuck that.
I slam on the gas and shoot forward, my pulse exploding as I charge ahead of them. They race after me, still running alongside me in the opposite lane, still keeping pace. The driver careens into me, and the sound of metal scraping metal is jarring. It looks like the gloves are off.
I think they’re just trying to scare me off. If they were serious, they would have shot at my tires—or at me—already.
I speed up again, getting a couple of lengths ahead of them, and when they race after me, I slam on the brakes and drop back behind them. The loss of momentum sends me slamming into my seat.
Now it’s my turn. I ram them from behind, then edge over to the center of the lane and bump them hard. Their SUV goes nose first into a shallow ditch, and I continue on.
When I arrive at the wildlife center, I’m greeted inside by a pretty brunette seated behind a desk. She’s wearing the familiar dark green logo shirt that Ray was wearing when he visited. A large spacious room behind us is filled with the chatter of school kids as they race excitedly from one exhibit to another.
“Ray Calhoun,” I tell the woman. “Is he in?”
“He’s in his office.” She nods toward a closed door to her right. The plaque on the door says DIRECTOR. “Do you have an appointment?”
“Nah, ’fraid not.”
“Mr. Calhoun is very busy today.” She smiles apologetically. “Perhaps I can schedule an appointment for you later in the week.”
“That won’t be necessary.” And then I head straight for his door and knock sharply.”
“Come in,” comes the muffled response.
I open the door and walk in. Calhoun looks up from his desk, his expression startled. “I’m sorry—I forgot your name.”
“Devereaux.”
“Right. Mr. Devereaux.” Looking a bit perplexed, he stands. “How can I help you?”
I reach back and close the door a bit harder than I mean to. It slams shut with a satisfying crack. “You and I need to have a little talk.”
He’s looking a bit pale. “All right. What about?”
“Oh, I think you know.”
He shakes his head. “Honestly, I have no idea—”
“Don’t bullshit me.” I do a quick sweep of the office. It’s smaller than I expected, and cluttered. The desk is covered with stacks of papers and files and books. Two of the walls are lined with more books, and the third wall is covered in framed diplomas and photographs. There are stacks of boxes against the wall.
I walk over to the wall of photos, and my eyes go to a candid group shot. It doesn’t take me long to spot Hannah standing in the center of the group, with Calhoun right beside her. He’s got his arm across her shoulders, and he’s smiling at her as she laughs.
The bastard.
My attention goes back to Calhoun. I’m easily almost half a foot taller than he is. He’s slender, with black hair and brown eyes. His cheeks are shaved smooth. No scar, I notice. But I didn’t expect him to be the man who assaulted Hannah up on that ridge. She would have recognized him. Still, there could be a connection.
He gazes up at me, a bit frozen in place. I don’t mind intimidating him a bit. I can be a prick when I want to.
“What can I do for you—Killian, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
He points to a guest chair. “Have a seat.”
“No, thanks. I’ll stand.” I can better survey his office environment on my feet. I spot a large glass terrarium on a stand, filled with plants, rocks, pieces of driftwood, and a ceramic water dish. “What’s in there?”
“A ball python. One of our staff members found him on a hike. It’s not native to this area, and it would never survive our winters, so it’s now he’s one of our full-time residents.”
“I see.” I’ve learned that a direct approach gets the best results because the subject doesn’t see it coming. “So, what’s your interest in Hannah?”
Ray flinches as he sits back in his chair. “Excuse me?” His brow wrinkles as if I’ve just insulted his integrity. “I don’t understand the question. She’s a valued member of my staff.”
“I’m glad to hear it. But I asked what your interest is in her, specifically. Is it professional or personal?”
He sputters. “I don’t know what you mean. Of course—”
“Cut the crap, Calhoun. I saw the way you looked at her this morning when you stopped by. That wasn’t professional interest on your side. It was personal. Do you have a thing for her, or were you worried that maybe your poaching buddies went a little too far?”
His eyes widen and he suddenly looks even paler than before. “I—I—how dare you!” He sucks in a breath. “My relationship with Hannah is none of your business. But if you must know, it’s entirely professional. She’s an excellent employee and a valued colleague. And as for the poachers, I have no idea who they are. Poaching is a serious crime with serious penalties, and anyone involved in that practice should be dealt with accordingly, as should any criminal.”
“Why did you send her up on that ridge when you knew there was a possibility she could run into criminals?”
His eyes widen again. “I never would have sent her up there if I thought for one second she could run into poachers. I would never endanger her.”
“Regardless, it was dangerous. You put her in harm’s way. She could have been killed. She’s injured as it is.”
He takes a deep breath. “You’re right. I never should have sent her up there alone. In hindsight, I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s just that she always acts so invincible, as if she’s not afraid of anything. It just didn’t occur to me. I’m sorry.” He shudders, looking genuinely shaken. “Honestly, sending her up there is one of my biggest regrets. If anything ever happened to her, I’d never forgive myself. I’m very sorry. It’ll never happen again.”
“It had better not.” I meet his gaze head-on, unrelenting, and he finally looks away. “Now back to the poachers. Do you know who they are? Their identities?”
He shakes his head vehemently. “Don’t be ridiculous. If I knew, I’d tell the police.”
“Are you working with them?”
“No, of course not.”
“Did you know they followed you to Hannah’s cabin this morning?”
The shock on his face is pretty authentic, so I’m inclined to believe him. He’s not that good of an actor.
He pales. “Are you sure?”
“I’m absolutely sure. They showed up ten minutes after you left. I hardly think that’s a coincidence. And on my way here, they tried to tail me.”
“Tried?”
I smile. “They weren’t successful.”
“Oh, my god. I’m so sorry. You’ve got to believe me when I say I had nothing to do with that.”
“Actually, I do believe you. You’re not that good of an actor. However, I’m telling you now, they’re using you, so be vigilant. If you ever bring trouble to Hannah’s cabin again, you’ll answer to me. Is that clear?”
He nods. “Yes.” He looks away nervously and licks his lips. “Please tell Hannah I’m sorry. Please tell her she can have as much time off from work as she needs to recuperate. I’ll make sure she’s authorized for paid leave. And I’ll be more careful when I come visit her.”
“How about you don’t visit her? If she wants to see you, she’ll make arrangements to see you here. How about that?”
“Of course. That makes the most sense.” He turns pained eyes on me, bereft of any guile. He truly looks deflated. “Hannah is such an amazing young woman. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, I swear.”
“I believe you.” And I do believe him. It’s pretty clear he’s smitten with her.
“Keep your distance from her until this whole matter is resolved, all right?”
“Of course. Please tell her—”
I head for the door, taking hold of the knob and turning it. “I’ll pass on your regards.” And then I’m out the door, closing it behind me.
When I’m back in the Jeep, I receive a text message from Jake.
Jake: Cameron is on his way to your location with equipment. ETA three hours.
Killian: Copy. Thanks.
The drive back to the cabin is uneventful. I pass the spot where the SUV went into the ditch, and it’s gone. Other than some ruts in the ground, there’s no sign they were ever there.
I call Owen. “I’m on my way back. My ETA is twenty minutes. Everything okay?”
“Fine,” Owen says. “No problems.”
“Ask Hannah if she wants me to pick up anything in town on my way back.”
Owen mutes the phone for a moment. Then he comes back with, “She said how about hot wings and beer from Ruth’s? The tavern is next to the grocery store. Oh, and she said pretty please.”
I laugh. “All right. Have her call the order in.”
“Copy,” Owen says. “We’ll see you when you get here.”
I end the call and stow my phone. “She can have any damn thing she wants,” I mutter to myself with a stupid grin on my face. I’d move heaven and earth to make that girl happy.
