Chapter Twenty
As soon as the paramedics and uniformed officers showed up and took over to help Leon, Tanner got Bree out of there. They had done their part. Bree had very definitely done hers, even under the most trying of circumstances.
Suspect four, Kelly Braun, had killed herself.
Maybe she’d realized there was no way she wouldn’t be going to jail or was distraught to have been used by Rory Gresham.
They were all just thankful she’d sent that one last message in the private chat room Bree could trace or they never would’ve found Betty Neighbors in time.
The rest of the case would be handled by Penelope and Leon. Bree and Tanner might have to come back and testify for the trials, but the work was done for them.
By the time the rest of the team arrived, Bree was swaying on her feet. Now that the action was over, her body was shutting down. Tanner let Leon know he was leaving and immediately took Bree back to the hotel.
She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Tanner got them booked on a flight home for much later that evening. He wanted to get her out of here, back to Risk Peak where she belonged—where they both belonged—but had something he needed to do first.
Check on Michael Jeter himself. See for himself that it was, in fact, Jeter in that hospital. Make sure everyone surrounding him was truly aware of the danger he posed, not just to Bree but the world in general. Even injured, he was dangerous.
Tanner needed to see Jeter with his own eyes. He’d been there when Jeter had been arrested, but things between Tanner and Bree had been tentative then.
They weren’t tentative now. Tanner was about to ask Bree to marry him. To be his forever.
He looked down at her asleep next to him from where he sat on the bed. He stood and walked over to his jacket and took out his mom’s ring. Soon to be Bree’s ring. He slid open the box and looked at it.
It didn’t belong in his pocket anymore. It belonged on her finger. Noah had been right all along, he’d been overthinking it. The important part wasn’t in the how or where Tanner asked her to be his bride, not for Bree.
The important part was that she understood that there was nothing in this world that could tear him away from her. That no matter what decisions they had to make—they would figure it out.
Together.
Michael Jeter also needed to understand that. That Bree was no longer alone. Would no longer need to run. Would no longer face any challenges that came her way with no backup.
Tanner would be right there standing between her and whatever danger thought it could get to her. So if Jeter had something planned, he should be aware of that.
Tanner had already put a text into Whitaker. He was going to hang out with Bree at the station in a few hours, so Tanner could go to Parkland Hospital. He wasn’t trying to keep his meeting with Jeter a secret, but neither did he want Bree to feel like she needed to come with him.
He closed the ring box and slipped it back into his jacket pocket. He knew he wasn’t going to ask her to marry him in a hotel in the middle of Dallas when they were both exhausted.
He lay back down on the bed beside her. She didn’t stir as he pulled her into his arms, just fit against him the way their bodies had learned to do instinctively.
As soon as he got her back onto the ranch, he’d be down on one knee.
A few hours later Tanner awoke to Bree’s bright smile. After spending an hour giving them both even more reason to smile, they packed up and headed to the station.
Bree was excited to be going home, but was more than happy to make sure Penelope understood the details of what she’d done to help stop the killers. Detailed reports would help make prosecuting the case that much easier.
Penelope and Leon were both looking a lot more relaxed, although Tanner doubted either of them had gotten a chance for much rest yet. But just knowing the worst was over was enough for now.
Whitaker walked up to shake Tanner’s hand as he entered control central—now being returned to just a normal set of conference rooms—to a scattering of applause for Bree, which did nothing but make her embarrassed.
Jeremy was back and immediately had questions for Bree. She was obviously glad to have someone who understood and could appreciate what she’d done with the case, since she immediately turned and walked to the terminal with Jeremy without a word to Tanner or Whitaker.
Both men let out a chuckle. The behavior was so typically Bree that neither of them could be offended. The woman had a one-track mind. That had just saved four people’s lives, so no point getting bent out of shape about it now.
“I called Sheriff Duggan and let her know we’d be on our way home today. Thankfully all has been quiet on the home front,” Tanner said to Whitaker. “I know you like this sort of big-city action, but I think I’ll stick with Risk Peak and our small-town stuff.”
The other man clasped him on the shoulder. “Me too, brother. I’m glad we could help out here, but I think I’ll stick with small town too. Although, we’ve had our share of action over the last few months.”
That was the damn truth. “Hopefully we can have some excitement of a different type from here on out.”
Whitaker raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah? Got something in mind?”
Tanner grinned. “Seems like wedding planning could be dangerous enough. I just need to get that woman home and out of danger long enough to ask her.”
“A feat in and of itself.” He chuckled and held out his hand to shake. “Congratulations. I knew you two were perfect for each other from the moment I tried to arrest you both for murder.”
Now Tanner chuckled. “I’m just glad that didn’t stick. Thank you for keeping an eye on Bree today. I just want to double-check on the Jeter situation myself while I’m in town.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I think it would take more guts than even Jeter has to try to get to Bree in the middle of a police station.”
Tanner shook his head. “But if anyone would try, it’s him. I won’t take a chance with her safety. You’re the only one I can trust to take this threat seriously. Until we know for sure Jeter is firmly locked away in prison, I consider him an outright threat to Bree.”
“I’ll be sure she’s safe. But you watch your back too. Jeter is not just a danger to her.”
Tanner would much rather him be a target than Bree, but he knew the truth. Bree was Jeter’s obsession. Especially now after she’d put him in prison. Tanner was of no interest to the other man.
Bree was still deep in conversation with Jeremy, so Tanner said his goodbyes to Whitaker and headed to the hospital.
He wasn’t able to get any information about Jeter at the hospital front desk, even after showing his badge.
That was actually a good thing. It meant someone was doing their job right.
Finally, Tanner asked for a representative from the US Marshals, the law enforcement group in charge of transferring prisoners, to meet him there at the front desk.
He had to wait nearly fifteen minutes before a man in his early fifties, hair cut short, with a hard, cynical look in his dark eyes finally approached him.
“You the fellow looking for information about Michael Jeter?” the man asked, fingers never far from the holster at his waist.
Tanner gave him a brief nod and slowly reached for his badge. “I’m Deputy Captain Tanner Dempsey out of Grand County, Colorado.”
The man’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re one of the arresting officers in the Jeter case.”
Tanner nodded. “That’s right. I’m a little surprised you know that.”
“When I found out it was Michael Jeter my men and I were responsible for guarding, I made it my business to know. I’m Aaron Pinfield.” The man held out his hand and Tanner shook it. “You’re a long way from home, Deputy Dempsey.”
“Tanner, please. I was in town with my friend Bree Daniels, consulting on a completely separate case.”
Pinfield nodded again. “Bree Daniels is in Dallas? That’s an interesting coincidence. I read a lot about her too.”
“Then you can understand why it was important to me to come over here myself and check out the situation. Jeter has a lot of powerful friends. Or did. We’re not entirely certain exactly who or what he has left now.”
“But no matter who it might be, Jeter is much less secure in this hospital than he would be in a prison.” Pinfield finished for Tanner.
Tanner nodded, relieved the older man not only shared Tanner’s concerns, but wasn’t offended or threatened by them.
“Bree Daniels has suffered a lot at Jeter’s hands.
Much more than what is written in any report.
I have no doubt he is still obsessed with her and will do anything to get her back under his control. ”
Pinfield gave Tanner a solemn nod. “Well, that’s just one more reason to make sure we don’t let him out of our sight.”
“I’d like to talk to Jeter. I’m taking Bree back to Colorado later this evening. I’d like to be able to tell her I saw Jeter with my own eyes. Reassure her a little bit.”
Pinfield raised an eyebrow. “And I’m sure you might have a couple of things you’d like to say to the man while you’ve got eyes on him.”
Tanner shifted a little bit, uncomfortable. Yeah, he damn well definitely had things he wanted to say to Jeter concerning Bree. “I’m not trying to disrupt your operation in any way—”
Pinfield held out a hand. “I’m not going to stop you from saying anything you have to say. If that bastard had hurt my woman, I’d also want to make sure he understood that wouldn’t be happening again.”
Pinfield pointed down the hall and they began walking.
“Well, I can get you in the door to give your message, but the truth is Jeter is not in much shape to hear anything. The burns on his face, neck and chest are pretty severe. We’ve been told by the doctors that this will be a long-term assignment.
They expect Jeter to need all sorts of skin grafts and surgeries. ”