Cobb by Maryann Jordan

15

Josie couldn’t help but smile as Jorge leaned his weight on the shopping cart, moving through the aisles of the grocery store. Looking over her shoulder, she lifted her brow. “Bored?”

“I thought you just had to pick up a couple of things for dinner.”

“I did, but once you get into a grocery store, you always find things you need, and you might as well get them so you don’t have to come back. I always need milk, cat food, and cat litter. Plus, I want to get the kind of beer you like. And the cookies were BOGO.”

His eyes narrowed. “BOGO?”

“You know… buy one, get one. So, I bought four and got two of them for free. It’s a deal I couldn’t pass up.”

His gaze dropped to the half-full cart, and she sucked in her lips, pressing them together to keep from laughing aloud. “Come on, Mr. Grumpy Grocery Shopper. We’ve made it to the frozen food, so we're almost finished. We’ve got something for dinner, something for breakfast, and some things to fix for the rest of the week. Now, all that’s left is ice cream.” She leaned closer and whispered, “We can’t live off sex, you know.”

At that, he stood up straight, his eyes now full of interest. “Ice cream is absolutely something I can get into. But throw in whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a jar of cherries.”

“Are we going to make sundaes?”

“Yes. Only I plan on making a full-body sundae out of you.”

Her brows lifted as her eyes widened, and her smile grew. She quickly grabbed the items he mentioned. Moving to the front of the store, she was grateful there were plenty of checkout lines and they didn’t have to wait. With his plans firmly lodged in her imagination, she couldn’t wait to get home.

He walked behind her, his hand lingering on her back as he leaned over and whispered, “Now who’s in a hurry?” His fingers dragged over the top of her ass as he moved to the end of the line and began bagging groceries.

In the parking lot, her focus was on the evening's plans as he continued to push the cart toward her car, parked just in front of his. He halted, his angry growl meeting her ears, and she jerked her head around to see him staring, anger vibrating off his body. Following his line of sight, she wasn’t sure what he’d seen to bring on such immediate rage.

“Stay here,” he ordered, stalking forward.

His warning didn’t register, and she rushed along after him as her phone vibrated in her purse. Trying to pull her phone out, she looked down to see her two front tires were completely flat. Jorge circled around the back, drawing her attention to the two back tires, equally flat. Abandoning the cart, she ran around her car, stunned that all four tires had been slashed.

Her fingers landed on her still-vibrating phone, and she pulled it out, glancing at the screen, a gasp leaving her lungs. Tell ur new bookkeeper to stay out of it.

Suddenly Jorge was at her side, taking the phone from her hand and stared down at the threat.

“Goddammit!”

She barely heard a beep over his growled curse, but it wasn’t until he wrapped his hand around her arm and barked out another order that her gaze flew up to him. His touch was gentle but his words were not.

“Get in my vehicle.”

“But—”

“Please, not now, Josie. Get in the fuckin’ vehicle, so I can know you’re safe.”

Staring at him, the vision of an ancient dragon coming to life and breathing fire hit her, and she threw open the passenger door of his SUV and climbed in quickly. He threw the groceries into the back and slammed the door, pulling his phone out of his pocket. She watched as he paced around her car, one hand holding the phone to his ear and the other hand in a fist propped on his hip. His face was set in stone other than his mouth moving and his eyes glittering. For a second, she forgot about the slashed tires as she had the ridiculous notion that almost black eyes could glitter.

“And I want to know now!”

Those words from him ended on a near-shout, and her attention slammed back to her poor car sitting on the completely flattened tires.

He stalked over to the driver’s side and threw open the door, climbing inside. She swallowed, not afraid of him but afraid to speak until she knew the dragon’s fire was lessened.

He let out a ragged breath and finally turned toward her. His gaze moved over her face and she watched in fascination as his expression gentled.

“What happens now?” she asked, her voice soft.

He said nothing for a moment, and she thought it was prudent to wait and give him the space he needed. Finally, he said, “Let’s get you home, babe. I’ve got to coordinate things with LSI and the FBI agent, and then we’ll talk.”

She preferred it when he called her babe in the soft way he had that made the word curl warmly inside, but hearing it now, rumbling from deep inside his chest in a way that made her feel less alone, was just as good. Nodding, she trusted that he would take care of her vehicle, the threat, and her. Buckling her seatbelt, she leaned back, her mind swirling as they drove home.

Once there, he hustled her inside, his large body close to her back. He had her wait while he did another walkthrough. She stayed by the front door, knowing that was where he wanted her. Her eyes stayed pinned on the hall where Jorge disappeared as he checked the bedrooms. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until he reappeared, stalking toward her like a dark avenging angel. Amid the craziness that was her life, she could not help but admire the gorgeous man… the protector, the lover. He did not stop until he was straight in front of her, looking down, his gaze roving over her face. She knew he was looking for clues as to how she felt. Reaching up, she placed her palms on his broad chest. “I’m okay. I was shaken, but I’m okay now.”

He continued to search her face for a moment as though ascertaining the veracity of her statement. Seemingly satisfied, he leaned forward and placed his lips on her forehead, holding on to the kiss for a moment. Stepping back, he linked fingers with her. “I know we need to get the groceries in and get something to eat. First, I need to check in with my people. Why don’t you rest and then I’ll—”

“Honey, it’s okay. You go talk to your people, and I’ll get the groceries and feed Melon. We bought plenty of things that will be simple to fix, so I’ll throw something together for us. Then, please, let me know what our plan is.”

His hands lifted and cupped her jaws, tilting her head back. She saw his intent and lifted on her toes. The kiss was hard and fast, an air of desperation as her fingers clung to his shoulders, and he swept his tongue inside her mouth. Pulling back, he kissed her forehead again and said, “I promise we’ll talk as soon as I know what the deal is.”

He helped her bring the groceries into the house then walked back to the guest room and shut the door. She was tempted to sneak down the hall and press her ear against the door to listen but knew that was childish. He would handle the security, and she needed to do her part by letting him do his job. Looking down, Melon was weaving back and forth between her feet, meowing.

“Okay, let’s get you fed. Then I can take care of Jorge.” As she opened up the cat food, she tried to pretend that it was a normal activity on a normal day and not one where someone was threatening her.

* * *

“Please, tell me you got something on this fucker,” Cobb said, standing in the guest room staring out the window once again with one hand holding the phone to his ear and the other one in a fist on his hips.

“The slasher must have known where the security cameras were at the front of the grocery store and in the parking lot. We can see someone with black pants, black jacket, and a cap pulled down low moving from the side, but they kept their head down,” Josh reported.

Mace interjected, “Most of us are here, and we’re all working on it, Cobb. Keeping you and Ms. Rector safe is our top priority right now.”

Cobb squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to erase the sight of Josie’s pale, frightened expression when she realized what had happened to her car. “What about coming and going from the parking lot?”

“They didn’t park in the lot or the cameras would’ve picked it up. They weaved in and out of cars, keeping their face away from all the camera views. The jacket was baggy, but my guess would be it was a male based on the way they were walking.”

“And when they left?”

“They ran off to the side where no cameras are, so there’s no way to see what kind of vehicle they were in.”

“Fuckin’ hell,” Cobb cursed. “What are you getting on the trace from her phone?”

“Text from a burner, but we pinged the tower, and it came in from your area. Not surprising, but I’m still digging to see if I can find anything,” Walker said. “They mentioned bookkeeper. Who else knows that she’s got someone taking Caesar’s place?”

“Everybody at her office, and I’ve got a few more people I want you to check out. Dr. Mark Forbes. He works there part-time and has a lot of debt. Charlene Porter. She’s a receptionist who dresses like she makes a fuck-ton of money. Says her boyfriend buys the shit, but I don’t know. Those two don’t add up for me. But while you’re at it, check on the other two there. Laurie Mitchell, a nurse, and Mario Rodriguez, nurse’s aide. Right now, I don’t fuckin’ trust anybody.”

“How’s Josie,” Tate asked, his voice soft and full of concern.

Cobb knew his friend was trying to diffuse his anger, and he focused on breathing. “Concerned. Upset. Hiding it behind getting really quiet. It doesn’t help that I lost my shit. I wanted to talk to you all first, and then I’ll sit down and see how she is and let her know what’s happening. She’s smart and doesn’t fall apart. She wants to know what the plan is.”

“Somebody out there is nervous,” Mace said. “Somebody’s got money tied up into this and thinks Josie can blow everything.”

Cobb turned away from the window and sat on the edge of the bed. “We’re working with the local police on the side. I’m getting her car picked up and the detectives can send somebody around to the shop. Whoever did this is following her, but they don’t know she’s called in reinforcements. All they know is that I’m her boyfriend and bookkeeper. We’re not dealing with someone who’s got intel at their fingertips… it’s pettier than that.”

“Have you talked to her father?” Mace asked.

“No, not in the past couple of days. I need to. There’s something I need to tell him, but I don’t want any ears around. I’m going to make a trip to his home, and Josie will come with me. I don’t want it at his office. Do you have anything on Carmen Martinez or Tahoma Starr? Or for that matter, those asshole friends of Bert?”

“Yeah, Rick and I have started digging. I’ll send you what we’ve got,” Josh replied.

“Right now, I want to see to Josie. Make sure the solid I’m getting from her is really solid and not just an act.”

With good lucks ringing in his ear, he disconnected. He stood for another moment as he walked back over to the window and peered out. He wanted to get to Josie but needed a chance to pull his tangled thoughts together. Glancing back at the closed bedroom door, he punched a few buttons on his phone, let it ring twice, then disconnected. A moment later, Tate returned his call. He knew when Tate received a call on his personal phone he would have excused himself from the group and gone somewhere private to answer.

“How the fuck do you do this?” he asked.

Tate chuckled. “Hell, man, I don’t even have to ask what you’re talking about. So, you’ve fallen for the mission?”

“I was in the fuckin’ grocery store talking about cookies and learning what the hell BOGO is when somebody was outside slashing her tires.”

“Yeah, and if you’d sat outside and stared at her car, how do you know someone wouldn’t have followed her inside?”

Sighing, he scrubbed his hand over his face.

Tate continued, “I repeat. You’ve fallen for the mission?”

“Yeah. I just… I didn’t expect… she’s not like what I thought she’d be. We… she… oh, hell, she’s special.”

Now, Tate’s chuckle turned into a bark of laughter. “Are you okay with that? If so, then I don’t see the problem. It’s not like it hasn’t happened with everybody else.”

“Yeah, but each one of you fell for someone who was in a place in their life to make the move to Maine. Her life is here. Which means when the mission is over, we won’t be together. But honestly? I’ll deal with that when it comes. My main concern right now is keeping her safe while playing house.”

“Look, Cobb, we’ve all done dozens of security details for people and kept things strictly professional. Just because it’s become personal doesn’t mean you’re any less competent. You just have to stay vigilant and keep your mind on her safety. Falling for her doesn’t negate your ability to do that. You’re the most thorough of all of us. If we can do it, you can, too.”

Sucking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly, his friend’s words moving through him. “Thanks, man. I think I just needed to hear that.” Disconnecting, he slid his phone back into his pocket and walked toward the door, halting as his hand rested on the doorknob.

He’d seen many of the Keepers fall in love, manage to complete their missions, and figure out ways for the relationship to move forward when the mission was over. Having witnessed wonderful relationships in his family, he knew he could handle the emotions. And Tate was right, he was focused and methodical and would work the mission to keep her safe. The last part? I have no fuckin’ clue what happens when the mission is over. With that thought in his mind, he threw open the door and headed to the kitchen, the desire to see Josie overcoming all doubts.

Just as he made it to the end of the hall, there was a knock on her front door. She squeaked, her eyes wide, and he hated to see her fear.

She blushed and shook her head. “I guess someone threatening me would hardly knock, would they?”

He stalked to the door, looking at the security camera screen on his phone. As though the visitor knew he was being watched, an FBI ID badge was held up to the camera. Opening the door, Cobb kept his body in the way until he ascertained who he was talking to. Stepping back, he said, “Come on in.”

Agent Floyd Gomez was not quite six feet tall, black hair, and piercing black eyes that didn’t appear to miss much. The two men shook hands, and Floyd looked past him toward the kitchen. Cobb felt Josie approach, and he reached out to take her hand, drawing her nearer.

“Ms. Rector,” Floyd greeted, his gaze moving between her and Cobb. “I’m FBI Agent Floyd Gomez.”

Cobb had no doubt Floyd was taking in his hand linked with Josie’s but didn’t care. She smiled at the agent and asked if he wanted something to drink. Floyd declined, and Cobb was grateful. He wanted the agent to stick to business.

The three moved to the living room, where Cobb settled Josie next to him on the sofa and Floyd took one of the chairs.

“I’ve arranged for your vehicle to be taken to a garage that’s trusted by our local office. It’ll be processed for fingerprints, although I doubt we’ll find any. Once we’re finished, we have a reliable mechanic who’ll replace your tires. He’ll come to you directly for his fee.” His eyes moved to Cobb. “I’ll send you his info. He’s the brother of an agent and we use him for incidents when we need to keep something off the radar of the public.”

Cobb felt her gaze on him and turned to see the wrinkle in her brow. “It’s best to keep this out of the public knowledge. Agent Gomez will be handling things officially for you.”

She nodded, offering a slight smile. “I know and that’s fine.”

“I’ve looked at the records you provided. I’ve got codebreakers working on the parts that aren’t just financial, but I’d definitely say it was tied into laundering money and illegal betting. I’ve been working on local casino fraud, and Carson Wright, among many aliases, is right in the middle of things. He represents company CEOs who like to gamble and hide their winnings by shuffling them through various businesses or nonprofits.”

Josie’s hand flexed against Cobb’s and he glanced to the side, not surprised to observe the flash of anger that moved over her face. He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile before turning back to Floyd.

“The good news, Ms. Rector, is that you’re the first person to rattle their cages. That means they’re more likely to make an error, show their hand, and we can finally get close. The bad news is that you’re in their sights. I can offer—”

“I’ve got her,” Cobb growled, his gaze holding Floyd’s, waiting to see if the agent would argue. They stared at each other for a moment, then Floyd nodded.

“Okay. Then we’ll process her vehicle and have it back to her as soon as possible.” Standing, Floyd extended his hand toward Cobb.

Getting to his feet, Cobb shook the other man’s hand and offered, “Thanks for coming by. I appreciate the insight and assistance.”

For the first time since meeting, Floyd’s lips twitched upward. “I’ll be in touch.” With that, he walked out after a chin lift toward Josie, and Cobb locked the door behind him. Turning, he held her gaze.

She stood, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Sucking in a breath, she let it out slowly, then said, “Let’s eat. If we’re going to be solving crimes tonight, we need our strength.”

Turning, she headed into the kitchen, leaving him smiling in her wake.