Maverick Read online

  Jack smiled, remembering. “Maggie was actually pretty damn good.” That had her shoulders straightening resolutely. But she still didn’t open her eyes. “I didn’t have a choice. Nathan didn’t tell me you were a cop—or FBI—or whatever. Maybe he didn’t know. Even if he did—” She shrugged. “I had to get Melissa away from them. You know the rest.”

  He wanted to agree—call it quits and tell her he’d guess the rest. But he couldn’t. “What happened afterwards?”

  “After—I left you, I went straight to the bank.” She gave her head a small shake. “I expected you to be there before me.”

  “If I’d known which bank, I would have.” He wanted to bite his tongue when he heard the threat he hadn’t meant to utter. She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I had a blond wig. The bank had crazy hours—staying open until eight or nine. I—I forged Melissa’s signature. They opened the box and left me alone and I panicked. I took some money, a stack of the bonds, and the note out of the bag.”

  “You took money?”

  “I gave it back—to Nathan. And you saw the bonds and the note.”

  “What note?” Realization suddenly dawned. “The hold-up note? You have the hold-up note?” She opened her eyes at his surprise. And smiled. “It’s in there with the bearer bonds. Complete with all of their fingerprints. Melissa said they passed the note around before they went to the bank. They told her it was the deed for the property they sold. She never read it. I met Nathan and Paul at the bank the next morning. I gave them back the money and Nathan agreed to my terms.”

  “Which were?”

  “He promised me that as long as I never used the papers to implicate them, they’d never come in contact with Melissa again. When I left, Melissa was waiting outside. To seal the bargain, I disappeared. If they couldn’t find me with the papers, they had to keep Melissa safe. I made that point real clear to Nathan. If anything happened to Melissa—if anything ever happened to Melissa, the deal was off.”

  Jack shook his head. Which had taken more courage—coming out of that dark alley, or taking on Nathan? Another piece of the puzzle fell into place for him. “Melissa goes by Cormack. That’s why we couldn’t find her.”

  Maggie’s grin was triumphant. Jack tipped his head, acknowledging the cleverness of her scheme. “So Melissa goes to Chicago and hides in plain sight.” “She didn’t hide at all. She didn’t have to. She’s even in the phone book. If anything happened to Melissa Cormack the police would have followed the trail right back to Billy. That would lead them to Kevin. Kevin’s a snake, just like his brothers. Nathan knew Kevin would sell him out if Kevin ever got caught.” She shrugged. “Paul I don’t know that well.”

  “Paul’s a Cormack,” Jack assured her. “You don’t want to know him.” He squeezed her fingers. “So you took on Nathan and the Cormack brothers, walked away with your sister and disappeared.”

  “I knew they’d try to find me—try to take back the evidence I had. As long as they can’t find me, or the evidence, Melissa is safe. It’s worked fine for two years.” She sighed. “But I didn’t count on you.” She tried to pull her hand away from his, but he wouldn’t let go. “Nathan wasn’t smart enough to figure a way around it. Nathan was the smartest of the four. But if you arrest me, Kevin will assume the police have the evidence. He’ll go after Melissa. Unless you can keep it quiet, so he won’t know.”

  Kevin Cormack wasn’t waiting for Maggie to get arrested. But Jack wouldn’t tell her that today. “I’m not going to arrest you, Maggie. I’ve already told you that. You did what you did under duress—to save Melissa. I can’t believe she actually married Billy Cormack.”

  Maggie smiled bitterly. “I don’t think he really married her. The license wasn’t ever recorded—at least not that I could find. She thinks the marriage was real. And when Nathan originally showed up in Connecticut, he gave her all new identification papers, including a new Social Security number. Everything was in Melissa Cormack’s name.”

  Jack shook his head. “Those papers kept her out of my target for two long years.” Maggie nodded smugly. “Interesting how life works, isn’t it?” She sighed. “Melissa never questioned it. I didn’t find out until she and I got back to Chicago, after. I knew her Social Security number as well as I knew my own and the number she gave me then was different. I even tried to explain it to her, until I realized her using the fake ID could only help. Nathan knew, but no one else did. And she wasn’t the one hiding from Nathan—”

  “You were,” Jack finished for her with a growl. She was right. Any record of a marriage for any of the Cormacks or Mitchell would have been flagged immediately. As would any use of Melissa Chambers’ Social Security number.

  “I did what I had to do. Melissa only sees the good, Jack, you know that. She doesn’t know all of this—and I don’t want her to know.”

  “What did you tell her? About why her sister suddenly disappeared?”

  “She knows there was some trouble. And she knows it had something to do with the ‘meeting’ that night.”

  “What about you, Maggie?” She looked at their linked hands, but not at him. When he cupped her face, she pulled away.

  “How did you get Derek to roll over?” Not for anything would he relinquish her hand. Not when she yanked at it. And not when she gave up and all he had were limp fingers. “I told him the truth. He’s crazy about Melissa. I think he’d do anything to keep her safe.”

  Exactly how he felt about Maggie. The realization washed over him, running deep. Jack glanced down at her hand in his. Safe. He had to keep her safe. Maggie wasn’t thinking about being safe. Stunned that she’d told him—that everything was out in the open—a part of her wanted the words back. And she hadn’t just told a cop her story—she’d told the damned FBI. Her thoughts flew to the road—where to go—how to get there. Jack had found her, twice now. She had to make sure he didn’t find her again. “How did you find me up here?”

  “I came to the cabin—I figured I was about three or four hours behind you. You weren’t here yet, so I backtracked.” He smiled and held up a little scrap of paper—the map Derek had given her. “I had Derek make me a better map. He’ll need to keep his day job.”

  She smiled but it didn’t get up to her eyes. She stared at the far wall without seeing it—fighting the old ache, not wanting to run again. “How did you find me in New Castle? I know you didn’t follow me from the mesa.”

  “Didn’t have to. We put a tracer on your car. That’s how I found you up on the mesa, too.”

  Her smile became a little more brittle. Not hearts calling to each other after all. “How did you know which car was mine?”

  “You mentioned the restaurant when we got in the cab. I figured you had some plan to get away—so I had my friend watch the cars.” “That’s why we went to the hotel.”

  Jack nodded. “He said it wasn’t hard to figure out which car was yours.” “Then all day—after that night on the mesa—you knew where I was?”

  “Every second, darlin’. Chuck was in the bar before you even showed up for work. I was at your house.” “At my house?” Outrage shook her voice.

  “In front of your house—not in it,” he clarified.

  “Why? Why didn’t you just arrest me?”

  “I wanted you to trust me. And I still didn’t have the evidence.”

  Trust. It always came down to trust. In her life, trust was a vehicle that forever ran on fumes. None left and nowhere to refuel. She blinked away a surge of tears. Nothing had changed. Except now Jack knew the truth. And when she disappeared again, he would help keep Melissa safe. Her battered trust had at least enough fumes left for that. He was FBI. He would do his job. Now a part of that job would be to keep Melissa safe.

  She glanced at him, knowing he waited for a reply. She gave him a bitter grin. “The television show was a shock.” Not an outright accusation, but close.

  ”Frank did that on his own, Maggie. I never would have gone along with that—even before I knew your story.”
She wanted to believe him. She wanted to lean forward and have him wrap his arms around her again. It was safe there in his arms. Only she couldn’t afford to want like that. “What’s next?”

  “We wait for them to find Kevin and Paul.”

  “Them?”

  He gave her only a nod. “Them.”

  She tried again. “FBI?”

  “And others. We’ll get ‘em.” He gave her hand a little tug. “Think you can sleep for a while now?” He was tired—his eyes were tired. Had he slept at all last night? She remembered something about him having to wake her every hour. Scooting down on the bed, she eased her head back. It throbbed all over again. “Did you really talk to a doctor last night?”

  “Four times. Why?”

  “Am I—is it— “ She knew he’d told her. She just couldn’t remember what he’d said.

  ”A concussion. Not too bad. I don’t know about your wrist. We’ll have that looked at in Grand Junction.”

  In Junction? “I thought we were staying here—until they find Kevin and Paul.” “We’re staying out of sight until they find them. I want to get that evidence turned in—it’s too risky to cart it around with us. I’ve got a friend in town who’ll get a doctor to come to the office. We’ll be back here tomorrow afternoon. You’ve got to call Melissa at Derek’s when you wake up. She was pretty worried.” He touched her hair, running a strand through his fingers. “Try to get some sleep now.”

  Maggie closed her eyes and tuned him out after he mentioned the evidence. She’d answered his questions—told him more than she should have. But she wouldn’t turn over the evidence. Not until Kevin and Paul Cormack were behind bars for good. When that happened she could pull out the pieces of her heart and try to put them back together again.

  Jack drew the insulated curtains shut, darkening the room’s two windows. He listened until Maggie’s breathing was deep and even, then eased silently out the front door with his cell phone.

  He finally had the evidence he’d sought. And a first-rate witness. But now he didn’t have Kevin. Or Paul. He had to get Maggie and Melissa out of Colorado. If it were just Maggie, he could put her in the witness protection program. She’d love a new start. Melissa wouldn’t do so well. She had friends in Chicago. Boyfriends in Colorado. And a very big mouth. He shook his head.

  “Frank, it’s Jack. Anything?” Jack scribbled notes while he spoke.

  “One possible sighting in Denver—a rental car place. We’re checking to be sure.” “When?”

  “Yesterday. About noon.” Jack dropped the notepad to the splintery bench on the run-down front porch. He rubbed his forehead. The news was nothing more than he expected, but it didn’t help the tension rising inside.

  “Anything on Paul?” “We found their place in Jersey City. He was definitely living there with Kevin. He left the same day Kevin went to Chicago. We don’t know where he went, or how he’s traveling. How’s Maggie?”

  “She’s now our primary witness. Of course, she’s also Kevin’s primary target—but you know that.” “Where are you?”

  “Out of circulation for now. I’m staying with Maggie. Find Kevin.”

  “And Paul.” Frank sighed. “I know. I know. I’ll call when we do.” He didn’t sound so certain on the when. Knowing him, Jack doubted the when more than Frank. Jack dialed Maryland. He pulled out the notes he’d worked on after Maggie’s confession. “9EX249. Yeah. Maverick. Got anything for me?” He jotted a few more notes. “Check out Phoenix hospitals. I’m looking for a Jane Doe, child of about ten, with a serious head injury.” He did some quick mental calculations. “About seventeen years ago—give or take. You should find a seven-year-old Melissa Susan Chambers discharged a few weeks before our Jane Doe’s admission.” He listened while the information was repeated back to him. “Right. Thanks.”

  He pocketed his phone and sat down on the bench. He glanced at the deserted meadow without seeing it.

  She’d told him. All of it. She trusted him. The relief was bone-deep. He wouldn’t lose her again and now he could keep her safe. He dialed Shipwrecks. Using a New England accent, he bypassed Melissa. “Derek, please.” He repeated Frank’s information when the bar owner was on the phone. “Seen anything yet?”

  “He shows his face in here and it’ll be the last thing he’ll ever see.”

  “Easy, Derek. You’ve got the number I gave you to call if he does make an appearance, right?” “Next to the phone. I still think I can take him.”

  “I’m sure you could, but that’s not how we’re going to play it.”

  “You’re the boss.”

  “Thanks, Derek.” He knew better than to ask how Melissa was. “Let me know if anything happens.” His eyes raked the empty meadow. Beautiful, but he hated being up here—away from the action. Frank wouldn’t find Kevin. But Jack couldn’t leave Maggie alone, even if he could find Kevin faster than any of them. He didn’t trust anyone else to keep her safe.

  He jumped to his feet and began to pace. He had to do something. His stomach rumbled and he smiled wryly. Not as soul-satisfying as catching bad guys, but he could cook. That would eat up some of the time while Maggie slept. Mindful of her sore head and that chewing might still be painful, he silently reentered the cabin and brought out some potatoes. A thick potato-cheese soup should be perfect.

  When the potatoes were peeled and ready to cook, he pulled out his phone again. “Chuck?”

  “How’s the truck running?” Jack smiled. “Like a big-ass truck. It’s perfect. You’re perfect. You’re so damn perfect that I’m going to miss you backing me up.” He gave Chuck a moment to soak up the news of his impending promotion. “That’s for later, though. For now, I need a doctor—orthopedic, preferably a surgeon. I also need a safe office, and a portable x-ray machine.”

  “Where?”

  “The city should be all right.”

  “This afternoon?”

  Jack grinned. He had no doubt Chuck could pull it off. “Tomorrow. About eleven.” “Piece of cake.”

  “Leave me a message where, or if you’ve got any problems.”

  “See you tomorrow, Jack. Take good care of that truck.”

  “Is it yours?”

  “Yep.”

  “Figures.”

  Jack leaned back on the bench and sighed. One of the best parts of his job was the support and backup. He thought of Maggie—on her own, on the run, for two years with no one. Could he have done that?

  Not a chance. He wondered if she liked to dance. He did. And he’d like to dance with her. He wanted to see her on the polished hardwood floor of his favorite hang-out. His favorite hang-out was about twenty minutes from the ranch.

  He wanted to take her home.

  The feeling had been there for a while. As a nudge, it didn’t bother him a bit. As a full-fledged emotion-put-to-words—he wasn’t sure what he thought about it. His uncertainty didn’t weaken the want. Pop would love her. His mom would too, once the two of them had it out. He smiled. That was one conversation he didn’t want to miss. He dialed into voice mail. He knew what he’d find. He wasn’t wrong. There was only one message. From his father. He didn’t need to listen to it. His father left the same message each and every time he called. And somehow Jack always knew beforehand that there would be a message from his father waiting.

  “Call your mother, son.”

  Jack smiled, deleted the message and called home.

  *** Maggie stretched in the dark room, remembering her wrist before she moved. That was a first. She glanced at the pulled curtains. Behind them, sunlight strained to slide its late-afternoon fingers inside. She hadn’t slept long.

  The front door was open slightly. She heard Jack’s chuckle as she sat up. “I was fixin’ to call you before I heard from Pop.” His laugh sounded again. His accent was thick and heavy. Maggie shook her head. She’d half-believed he faked it. She didn’t believe that now. “Now, Mama, you know that’s why you had so many daughters. They don’t stray far from home, and one of ‘em’s al
ways givin’ you a new grandbaby.”

  Maggie closed her eyes. Funny, for all the thinking she’d done about Jack, she’d never thought about his family—if he had one—if they were close. Apparently he did. And if the affection in his voice meant anything, they were very close.

  “I know I promised to come home on my next vacation, but this wasn’t really a vacation. I had work to do.” There was silence for a moment. “Colorado. And Chicago.” She slid her legs over the bed, unabashedly eavesdropping now. She felt exactly the same way when she watched a mother cuddle a newborn, or a daddy push his little girl on a swing at the park. She got to her feet and crept to the door so she could hear better.

  “I’m fixin’ to be there for the Fourth, Mama. You know I never miss the Fourth.” Maggie heard his voice take on a husky quality. “Might even bring a friend.”

  The floorboard under her bare feet creaked. Maggie held her breath. Jack apparently didn’t hear. “No, that’s all I’m sayin’. Tell Pop I’ll check into his new hired hand. And tell him to give you my kiss. No, I’m not going to tell you. You’ll just have to wait and see. I’ve got to scoot back to work now. I’ll see y’all in a few weeks.”

  Maggie back-stepped toward the bed.

  “I love you, too, Mama. Bye now.”

  Eyes wide, Maggie smiled in spite of herself. Scoot back to work? Bet his friends at the FBI hadn’t heard that one.

  Her smile faded. Maybe they had. She didn’t know him well enough to say. Did he let his roots show at work? Jack stepped through the door, whistling. He tossed her a smile and opened the curtains—not a bit surprised to see she was awake. “Sorry if I woke you. My mother gets me going sometimes.”

  “Everything’s all right—at—in—“ She suddenly realized she had no idea where his mother lived. “Austin—well, just outside. Everything’s fine. Mama just gets worried if I don’t call her every couple of weeks. Ever been to a real workin’ ranch?”

  “With cows?”

  “And horses. And cowboys.” He smiled at her wary question. “I take it the answer is no?”