She shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “That’s always a worry. But I hope their close ties to family and friends and how they handled things here means they won’t.”
“If Nate is the child you’re looking for, they’ll be crushed, but they won’t run. What we’ll do to the adoption agency is something else entirely.”
“I wish all jobs were this easy.” She gave a shake of her auburn curls. “So many start off saying they want to help, but they never really do. Some have waited years to adopt a child.”
“You’ve seen some ugly situations. Does that make you not want children?”
She blinked and scrunched up her nose. “I think I gave up the idea of a private life the moment I started down this path. I don’t even have my own place because I’m never there. All of my things are at my parents’ house. How can I have a relationship or even children when I’m always on the road for some case or another? I fly all over the country.”
“Not internationally?”
“There were a couple of cases where I had to leave the country, but they went cold after that.”
He glanced down at the floor. “That might not happen if you had a team.”
“A team?” she asked, her brows knitted together.
Cooper nodded as he leaned against the wall. “Since I’ve not seen anyone with you, I gather you do this on your own. Think of how many additional cases you could solve, or solve faster, if you had more people working for you.”
“You’re the second person today who’s said something like that.” She chuckled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think I’d just lose focus on the cases because I’d be worried about those working for me doing their jobs properly.”
“You’d have to hire good people.”
Her bourbon eyes cut to him, and he saw a teasing light there. “You applying for the position?”
“Maybe.” The word was out of his mouth before he realized it.
Both of them were so shocked at his reply that they stood in silence for a few moments. Then Marlee said, “I’ve thought about having a partner, but this line of work takes a special kind of dedication. Most who work just one of these cases never do it again. Even the authorities that get child kidnapping cases all inwardly cringe because they know the statistics. And those are generally older children. It’s even worse for infants and toddlers.”
Cooper wasn’t sure how to reply to that. Thankfully, he didn’t have to because a nurse came out of the back with Nate in her arms and handed him off to Naomi. She promptly put him into the carrier as Brice finished signing the papers.
When Marlee walked to the couple, Cooper went with her. He nodded to Brice and peered inside the carrier to find Nate sleeping soundly while sucking on a pacifier.
“Thank you again for doing this,” Marlee told the couple.
Naomi smiled, though it was tight. “How long are the tests going to take?”
Marlee shrugged. “I’ve no idea. Sometimes it’s a day. Sometimes up to four.”
“So we could only have one more day with him,” Naomi told Brice.
Brice wrapped an arm around her. “Let’s go home, love.”
Cooper moved out of the way to let the couple pass. Clayton and Abby fell in step behind them, leaving Jace and Cooper with Marlee.
Jace held out his hand to her. “I know you know who I am, but we’ve not been properly introduced.”
Marlee chuckled and clasped his palm. “I’m Marlee. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” He released her hand and gave her a nod before he glanced at Cooper and followed the others.
Marlee watched him before her gaze slid to Cooper. “I really hope your friends don’t run. I can see by their faces that they want Nate.”
“They won’t run. And if they do, I’ll track them down myself.”
She didn’t smile. Her lips parted like she was going to say something, then she seemed to change her mind. She shot him a tight smile and started toward the exit.
Talking with her, seeing what was happening to his friends made Cooper want to get to the bottom of whatever was happening more than ever.
And nobody could stop him.
Chapter 12
“She’s here.”
The deep voice on the other end of the line made Stella go cold with anger—and a little bit of dread. Marlee Frampton was a thorn in her side that she hadn’t been able to dislodge in over a decade.
“Do you want me to take care of her?” Chuck asked.
Stella gripped her cell phone tighter and leaned back in the office chair. “Leave her alone.”
“Why?” he demanded, anger making his voice go even deeper. “She’s gotten close to us more times than I like to admit. The fact that she’s sniffing around here tells me we need to get out. Now.”
“No.”
“Why the fuck not?”
Stella looked out the window of her rented home to the pasture beyond. The house was out of the way and difficult to find. Just the kind of place for her. “I don’t owe you any kind of explanation. You work for me, Chuck. And if you want to quit, then by all means, do it.”
“I’m only trying to protect things,” he replied gruffly.
“Killing Marlee would bring more attention to us. We’ve been able to use our friends to keep a step or two ahead of her. We’ll keep doing that for as long as we have to.”
Chuck blew out a breath. “I can make sure she gets another lead somewhere and then do it.”
“No, and I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Why are you protecting her?”
“I’m not protecting her,” Stella answered tightly. “I’m protecting us.”
Chuck made a sound in the back of his throat. “Nope. You’re protecting her. I could’ve killed her multiple times already. Instances that never would’ve led anyone to us because our friends would’ve made sure of it.”
“I’m not having this conversation again. I’ve told you my decision, and I expect you to follow my orders as you always have.”
“You’re going to look back one day and realize that you should’ve heeded me on this,” Chuck said and hung up the phone.
Stella tossed her cell on the desk and leaned back, slipping her fingers into her short blond hair. She stared at the ceiling for a few moments before she lowered her arms and sat up straight. She might have acted nonchalantly with Chuck, but the truth was, she was worried. Very worried.
Marlee had no idea how close she had come to destroying everything Stella had built for over two decades. And it was true, she could’ve had Marlee killed many times over. She wished she could get it done, but she just couldn’t. It would destroy Diane. After what’d happened to Diane and her husband after Macey was killed, Stella couldn’t bring more harm to the family.
But if it came down to her survival or Marlee’s, Stella wouldn’t hesitate to do what had to be done.
After pulling open the top left drawer of her desk, she removed a wooden box about eight inches long and four inches deep. She flipped the lid to reveal an expensive pen set. Stella didn’t look twice at the Montblanc pen as she lifted out the tray to reveal a hidden compartment beneath, the space holding a burner phone.