Chapter Seventeen
Remi eased the twin she’d just changed and fed back into the crib. Across from her, Brody did the same to the other baby boy.
The nursery was quiet, except for the soft breaths of the babies settling back into sleep, and Remi knew that sleep wouldn’t last long. The pair had already been up four times during the night, and it was still nearly two hours until sunrise.
No wonder parents of newborns always looked exhausted. It was because they were. Exhausted but also incredibly happy. Who knew that two little bundles could fill a person with so much love and the almost overwhelming need to protect them?
Even though the babies weren’t hers, Remi could still feel that happiness, that deep satisfaction of just being with them. And the need to protect them as well. Brody was no doubt feeling that and so much more.
Because there was almost certainly some sadness, too.
He was having these moments with his sons, but Miranda wasn’t. She wasn’t here to enjoy what she’d spent her last months alive desperately trying to have.
Remi stole a glance at Brody. He was standing on the other side of the crib, watching the babies, too, but his face was unreadable. That was probably for the best.
Because Remi wasn’t sure that right now she wanted to know what he was thinking. Still, she wasn’t able to shut out the possibilities of what might be going through his head. Going through hers as well.
What had happened between them last night was just sex. At least, that was what it was supposed to be. And maybe it was, for him. But not for her.
She’d fallen for him.
Hard.
As in, head over heels in love with him. Her feelings for him had just crept up on her until they’d swamped her, until she’d been incapable of and unwilling to try to shove them aside.
She had tried to tell herself that it was just old feelings rekindling under the pressure of this nightmare they were living through. But the truth was she loved him. And she had no idea if he could ever return that love or if they even had a chance at a future together.
Remi blew out a long breath, once again trying to push the thoughts away. Brody’s world was too complicated right now, and he didn’t need the added pressure that his old nemesis was now starry-eyed in love with him.
No. He didn’t need that at all.
“You might want to come up with another name,” she whispered.
“Daniel,” he answered so quickly that she knew he must have been giving it some thought. “It was on Miranda’s list.”
Then, that made it perfect, and the name did seem to suit the baby.
“You weren’t to blame, you know,” Brody said, his voice so low that it hardly had any sound. “For Miranda’s death, for her not telling me about the cancer. None of that was your fault. I aimed the blame at you because I was hurting,” he went on. “And I was wrong. Very wrong. I’m sorry, Remi.”
Remi’s breath caught, and she couldn’t speak. She’d wanted to hear those words for such a long time. Had wanted this kind of…forgiveness.
“Thank you,” she finally managed to say.
She turned, ready to step away from the crib, when Brody’s phone buzzed. The sound cut through the silence, making her pulse jump, especially when she saw Unknown Caller on the screen.
Brody frowned and answered as he moved to the other side of the room. “Sheriff Walker.”
Remi didn’t follow him. Not until she saw every muscle in Brody’s face go tight.
“It’s Tarrant,” Brody mouthed to her.
That sent Remi’s pulse slamming into overdrive.
Her first instinct was to run to the nearest window, to make sure Tarrant wasn’t out there, lurking in the dark, ready to strike.
But then logic caught up with her. There were deputies outside, a team watching the house.
If Tarrant had been that bold, the deputies already would have alerted them.
Instead, she hurried to Brody. He shifted when she pulled up next to him, and he lowered the phone, positioning it between them so she could hear.
“What do you want, Tarrant?” Brody’s voice was low, tight, dangerous.
Tarrant made a sound as if giving that some thought. “A chance at freedom.”
Brody didn’t miss a beat. “Then, turn yourself in. That can be very freeing, to finally get the justice you deserve.”
A dry laugh rasped through the phone. “Now, see, that’s not exactly what I had in mind.”
Remi’s chest squeezed. Tarrant was playing with them. She could hear it in his voice, the smug confidence of a man who had the upper hand.
And then he dropped the hammer.
“I have Maria, the nanny,” Tarrant said as casually as if they were discussing the weather. “I have a gun to her head as we speak.”
Oh no. Maria. The woman who had cared for Brody’s son, who had no part in this twisted game, who had been released by SAPD hours ago, thinking she was safe.
And now she was in Tarrant’s hands.
Well, maybe. Since Remi wasn’t about to believe a word this scumbag said, she whipped out her own phone and texted Violet. Yes, it was early, but this was important.
Is Maria safe? Remi texted.
She kept a tight grip on her phone, her pulse pounding as she waited for the response.
“I take it you’re verifying that Maria isn’t where she’s supposed to be,” Tarrant said. “Good. That’ll speed things up.”
Remi wished she could punch that smugness right out of Tarrant. Wished, too, that this was just a sick hoax, meant to try to tear into their happiness because the twins were now safe.
Remi’s phone finally vibrated, and she glanced down. You just woke me up, Violet replied. Hold on.
Not the response she wanted, but at least Violet was checking. Remi tapped her fingers against the phone, watching Brody’s body go impossibly still as Tarrant continued his twisted mind game.
“I’ve been on the run a long time, Sheriff. I’m getting tired of it. You and your PI friend aren’t on my trail now. Well, probably,” Tarrant amended. “No reason to come after me now that you have the kids. But someone is always coming after me, and that’s what I want to stop.”
She tuned him out when her phone vibrated again, and she saw it was from Violet. Maria’s not answering her phone.
Remi’s stomach clenched. No. No. This couldn’t be happening.
Is she in trouble? Violet added a heartbeat later.
Remi’s thumbs flew over the screen to respond. To be determined, but I think so. Tarrant says he has her. I need you to find out where she was last seen.
“So I’m guessing you’ve confirmed that Maria is indeed missing.” Tarrant’s voice carried that oily edge that sent a chill slithering down Remi’s spine. He gave a slow, satisfied hum. “Good.”
Remi’s grip tightened around her phone. Violet hadn’t been able to reach Maria. She and Brody both knew what that meant.
Brody’s tone was pure ice. “Where is she?”
Tarrant ignored the question. “I took her shortly after she left the police station. Didn’t put up much of a fight. Seems she was under the impression she was free to go.” He gave a low, mocking laugh. “Imagine her surprise when she realized she wasn’t.”
Remi clenched her jaw.
Maria had done nothing to deserve this. She wasn’t part of Tarrant’s games, wasn’t involved in his long list of crimes. She’d only been a nanny, someone paid to care for Brody’s stolen sons. And now she was leverage.
“But now that you know what’s at stake,” Tarrant went on, “let’s get to business. An innocent woman’s life is on the line.”
“Tell me what you want,” Brody said through clenched teeth.
Tarrant made a sound of amusement. “I want a showdown. Once and for all. No more hunting, no more running. I want Christina, Eloise and Langley there. No other cops. Just the four of us with Remi and you.”
Remi’s heart pounded.
“And here’s the fun part,” Tarrant continued, his voice laced with dark amusement. “I’ll give each of them one shot to kill me.” He laughed. “Then I get one shot to kill them.”
Remi’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t just some desperate attempt to escape. Tarrant was planning his own twisted execution-style game. One that could end with multiple dead bodies, including Maria’s.
Tarrant let the silence stretch for a moment, his sick little plan sinking in. Remi could practically hear the smile in his voice when he finally spoke again. “You have one hour.”
Brody’s grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles going white. “That’s not enough time.”
“Make it enough time,” Tarrant snapped. “You call me once you’ve assembled everyone, and I’ll give you the meeting place.”
Remi’s pulse revved up even more as she stared at Brody, silently willing him to stall, to find a way to turn this around. But Tarrant wasn’t finished.
“If I don’t hear from you within the hour…
” Tarrant tsked softly “…I’ll put a bullet in Maria’s leg.
And with every passing minute, she’ll get another shot until she’s dead.
After that, I’ll find another hostage and start all over again until you bring me Christina, Eloise and Langley. Heads on silver platters are optional.”
Tarrant laughed, and then the line went dead.
brODY STOOD THERE for a moment, gripping his phone so tight it might shatter in his hand.
Tarrant had just dictated the terms of a deadly game. One where an innocent woman’s life hung in the balance.
Brody hated that a monster like Tarrant had dragged Maria into this. She was nothing more than collateral damage to him, a pawn in a twisted play for survival. Brody’s gut churned at the thought of what Tarrant might already be doing to her, or what he would do if they didn’t move fast enough.
He needed a plan.
But first, he needed to get the players into place.
Tarrant had left him no choice. He wasn’t going to be able to find Tarrant in time to save Maria. The only way to keep her alive and prevent more bloodshed was to do exactly what the killer wanted.
For now.
Jaw clenched, Brody scrolled through his Contacts, found Christina’s number and hit Call. The phone rang twice before she answered.
“This better be important, Sheriff,” she snarled, obviously seeing his name on her caller ID.