Shadows of the Falls (Twelve Oaks Farm Series Book 2) Read online

  “What are mothers for?” She cupped her hand to his cheek. “I’m so proud of you. Even though I worry about you, I’m proud of the man you have become.” She swiped at a tear. “Stop all this mushy stuff and eat your soup.”

  Chapter Three

  Two days later, Josh and Beth stood at the graveside service for Agent Bailey. Men and women dressed in black sprinkled together around the grave until all she could see were people clothed in mourning attire. Weeping and wailing tore at her heartstrings. The agent left behind a wife and two children. A black veil covered the face of the newly widowed Mrs. Bailey. People rarely wore veils. Beth thought them awfully old fashioned. But then she wouldn’t want strangers looking into her puffy, swollen face either. Even though the widow wept quietly, her shoulders shook. She held a handkerchief to her face.

  Her small son looked to be about five years old. The distraught child didn’t even try to hold back his despair. Loud wails penetrated the warm morning. His dark hair shone brightly in the early sunshine and she feared how the death of his father would affect him.

  Bailey’s daughter looked to be about two, too young to understand, yet she also cried. More than likely she felt her mother’s pain. How would they cope without their father?

  After the preacher prayed, Mrs. Bailey took her children’s hands and pulled them toward the black casket. Each placed a red rose on the casket before they turned and walked away. Both she and Josh watched as they crawled into the back seat of a black limousine.

  “Do you want to go to the Bailey house?”

  “No, I think I need some lunch.” Pain flickered over his face when he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Tad Davis’ funeral is later today but mom said she will go with me. Because of my frailty I need a personal nurse.” His voice was hard and she could feel the anger pumping through him.

  She placed her hand on the sleeve of his suit jacket. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’ll heal.”

  “I know I’m in a terrible mood. Bear with me for a few days.”

  Beth tucked her hand into his and they started the long walk back to his car. “Do you want me to get the car?” The streets were already crowded with vehicles by the time they arrived for the funeral so she had to park at least a quarter mile from the church.

  “No, I’m fine.” Several people passed them as they slowly made their way on the sidewalk. Josh placed his hand to his chest and took in a huge gulp of air.

  “Hold up a second, Josh Wilson.” A man of average height jogged to catch up to them. His long, dark hair was slicked back. Beth remembered him sitting with the widow. Giving her a slight nod of acknowledgement, his eyes rested on Josh. He offered his hand and gave Josh a firm handshake. “My name is Oscar Bailey. Director Wilson told me you were with my brother when he was murdered.”

  “Yes. We were working a case together.”

  “Do you have any leads?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say. You need to talk to Director Wilson.” Josh leaned into Beth and she placed her arm around his waist for support.

  “Did you recognize your attackers?”

  “I’m sorry, but no they were wearing masks.” Josh placed his hand on Oscar’s arm and squeezed. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “I want the son of bitches that killed my brother to pay for what they have done.” The cold glint in his eyes caused Beth to shiver. She knew the pain of losing someone special. When her parents’ were killed by a drunk driver, she wanted revenge. The thought of finding the man and killing him in some slow agonizing way had crossed her mind. Turned out the man had a family that loved him. Alcohol had taken over his life and it had spiraled out of control.

  “You have my word the FBI will do everything in their power to bring them to justice. No one wants that more than I do. Two good agents lost their lives for a no good criminal. Your brother was a great agent. He will be sorely missed.”

  Tears in his eyes, Oscar gave Josh a nod before he turned and walked away.

  “Let me go get the car. I can feel your strength draining.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Come on, let’s take a shortcut.” They cut across the grass of the cemetery and finally saw his car in the distance. By the time Beth opened the door for Josh, he was sweating profusely. Face gray with strain, he wiped the sweat from his face with his handkerchief the moment he sat in the car seat. She reached across him to buckle his seat belt causing him to moan in pain. “Sorry, Josh.”

  She barely heard him whisper, “It’s okay.” She closed the door and skipped to the driver’s side. She shoved the key into the ignition and pulled out into traffic ready to get away from the cemetery. It brought back too many unhappy memories. It reminded her of the day she and her sisters buried their parents only a year and half ago. She felt a chill on her skin even though it was a beautiful, warm day. Luck could change like the wind. They had been a happy family until that horrible day.

  “Are you sure you’re up to getting some lunch. Why don’t I take you back to Twelve Oaks?”

  “I’m sick of staying in the house. Mama means well, but she hovers over me as if I’m five. Even Maria is constantly asking me if I need anything. I’m glad I’m going back to work tomorrow.” He placed his hands on his knees and looked out the window.

  “It’s too soon, Josh. You barely made it through the funeral and graveside service. You need a few more days to re-cooperate.”

  “I was on my feet too much today. I promise I’ll sit at my desk and take it easy.”

  “Damn, you’re hardheaded.”

  He pressed the button on the side of his seat so he could lay back. “Don’t you harp on me, too. Mama and Maria are bad enough. I don’t need you telling me what to do.”

  “You’re just cranky. They are only trying to help.” Neither of them spoke as she made a left downtown. Traffic was light and in no time she could see the diner in the distance. She signaled to turn left, checked her mirror, and pulled into the parking lot of the small diner they had lunch only three days earlier.

  He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “I can’t get what happened out of my head. I keep going over it wishing I could have done more. Maybe if we would have realized what was going down we might have been able to defend ourselves.”

  “There was nothing you could have done, Josh. Whoever orchestrated the hit had it well planned.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and then reached over and unbuckled Josh’s. He opened the door and stood with stiff movements.

  She loped ahead, her heels clicking on the pavement and opened the door for him. Pain rang in his voice. “Thank you.”

  It was early for lunch so the diner was almost deserted. Josh led her to the same table they sat at the first time they had lunch together. Remembering their conversation about sex, Beth felt her whole body warm. Before they even had time to relax, Kim brought their menus.

  “I heard you were injured, Josh. I hope you are okay.”

  A brief shadow of a smile showed on his face. “I’m fine, Kim.”

  “I’ll get you some sweet tea.”

  “I’ll have bottled water, please.” Since Beth had been eating Maria’s cooking, she needed to watch her calorie intake. Hours at a desk didn’t burn off excess weight. Nina could eat the heavy meals since she worked around the farm doing manual labor. Her sister’s body was rock hard, while she had more curves and a softer body.

  “Do you want the usual?” Kim asked.

  “I think I’ll have the vegetable soup.”

  Beth handed the menus back to Kim. “I’ll have the house salad with light dressing.”

  As if brooding, Kim gave a slight nod and walked away. More than likely she was jealous because it was the second time Josh had brought her to the diner. Without a doubt she had felt something for him. But then what woman wouldn’t.

  Josh shifted his body. “Are you in pain?”

  “It’s not too bad.” He toyed with his napkin as if restless. “I don’t mean to impose on your kindness, but do yo
u think you could run me by the bureau for just a few minutes. I need to talk to Uncle Tate.”

  She had a full day ahead of her. She needed to go over the Powers’ case. A company meeting was scheduled for one o’clock. She promised Juan she would help him feed the animals and rub down the horses after work. But then how could she tell him no after all he had been through. He was lucky to be alive. “Sure. I can make some phone calls if you don’t mind me using your office for privacy.”

  He reached across the table and took her hand. “Thank you. You have no idea how much your friendship has meant to me. You’re a gem.”

  Her heart gave one hard thud against her ribs as his thumb rubbed against the back of her hand. His wild good looks, thick wavy black hair, and chocolate eyes had her pulse beating rapidly.

  She tugged until he released her hand. “Have any of the women or men arrested at the meth lab given you any information?”

  “No, Uncle Tate divulged they are not talking. Everyone has the same story. No one knows who owns the meth labs. Swore they only worked there. He offered probation to anyone who gave him a name, but no one did.”

  “Do you think they are telling the truth?”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what to believe. You’d think someone faced with jail time would spill their guts. Maybe they’re scared or maybe they don’t know anything. Whoever is running things is a careful man.”

  The conversation ceased when Kim returned with their drinks and entrées. Beth forked up some salad and took a bite. She wondered what Maria had planned for dinner tonight. It had to be better than the tasteless salad.

  Josh toyed with his spoon. “I thought you were hungry.”

  He scooped up soup and let it drip from his spoon back into his bowl. “I thought I was too.” Fatigue and nerves were beginning to show on his face. Dark circles under his eyes proved he hadn’t slept last night. After witnessing the violence of his colleagues being murdered, he would never be the same. His silence spoke volumes. He wasn’t in the mood to carry on a conversation. When he pushed his bowl away, she saw his grimace of pain. Minutes ticked by before he spoke. “Do you know what’s got me stumped?”

  She placed her fork in her plate. She wasn’t really very hungry either. “What?”

  “How someone knew the route we would take to transport Matthew Collins to the prison. We took the back roads instead of the interstate. Only a few agents knew the route to make sure Collins wouldn’t use the transfer to make another attempt at escape.” His voice thickened with emotion. “I feel responsible. Maybe I should have asked for more agents.”

  Tenderness spread through her. She couldn’t envision what he had gone through. To witness such violence had to affect a person in the worst possible way. She wished she could do something to ease his pain. “You had no idea what was going to happen. Could be word got out Matthew was going to divulge the name of the man responsible for the meth labs. He wanted to be sure Matthew told no one his identity.”

  “But at what cost? Some of the best men I know died for a no good criminal. Not one life was worth protecting a man like Matthew Collins.”

  Sympathy softened her face. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that part of your job description, Josh. You protect hardened criminals every day. Tad Davis and Chad Bailey died doing their job. No one knew about the ambush, so there was no way to stop what happened.” He needed to release some of the venom coursing through his veins. Over the last two days she had watched his depression get worse. But beating himself up wasn’t the answer. She reached across the table and placed her hand on his arm. “Stop blaming yourself. You are not responsible. Find out who sent those men to kill Matthew Collins. Maybe that will give the families some closure.” Hopefully he would be able to go back to work soon. That was what he needed, something to occupy his mind and time.

  He let out an impatient breath. “I’m sorry. I sound like it’s the end of the world. Time will pass and I’ll get back to normal. I’ll stop wallowing in self-pity.” Sad, dark eyes peered at her. Long fingers stroked her hand that was still on his arm. “Grief is something we share. We’ve both had our share of it.”

  She fumbled for the words to express what could not be said. In the end she said nothing because she thought of her parents’ death which sent her into a deeper depression.

  The door of the diner opened and the room filled with FBI agents in black suits and officers dressed in uniforms. Many of them she recognized from the cemetery. Several regarded her with interest as they saw her sitting with Josh. Some spoke to Josh, some gave silent nods. They filled the booths, the counter, and the long table in the middle of the diner.

  “Let’s go.” With stiff movements, Josh got to his feet. He opened his billfold and dropped a few bills on the table. He cupped her elbow when she stood. All eyes fixed on her as they made their way toward the door. She tried to keep her eyes straight ahead because the men’s stares were making her nervous. She was accustomed to men looking at her, but for some reason they made her uncomfortable.

  ****

  Kathy Lassiter looked up when Beth entered Josh’s office. Petite with long, thick brown hair, she seemed nervous. Freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks giving her a sweet and innocent appearance. Her fiancé David Lewis was by her side on the black leather sofa. Broad of shoulder and tall, he had the build of a football player. Dark hair, dark skin, he was quite handsome. She remembered Josh saying he played as a guard for the Panthers.

  Still sore, Josh slowly stood and waved her farther into the room. “Beth, this is Kathy Lassiter and David Lewis.”

  Beth offered her hand and gave each a firm handshake. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Chase Powers’ attorney, Beth Reynolds.” She sat in a black leather chair that matched the sofa, placed her purse on the floor by the chair, her notepad in her lap. It was the first time she had been in Josh’s office and she took a moment to take it in. A huge maple desk dominated the room. On one wall stood shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling that held numerous books. Several framed honors and plaques lined the wall behind his desk, most for acts of bravery. A small window filtered the morning sunlight that looked out over the city. It was very masculine.

  Sitting across from the handsome couple, she crossed her feet at the ankles, and looked over the questions she had prepared. Some of them would be difficult to ask. On the drive over she kept telling herself it was part of her job to be tough.

  “Miss Lassiter, I’m sure Mr. Wilson has informed you my client has an alibi for the night in question. He was home with his wife.”

  Kathy’s lips set into a hard line. “His wife is lying. I looked right into Chase Powers’ face when he pressed a knife against my throat. I swear it was him that attacked me.”

  “I saw his face also, Miss Reynolds. If I would not have forgotten something and came back home, the man would have killed Kathy.” Anger and fright were in his voice. He slid his arm around Kathy’s shoulders and held her for a moment before he continued. “I cringe just to think how close I came to losing her.”

  Josh interrupted. “We separated them to take their statements, Beth. Both described Powers perfectly. The scar across his cheek was easy to identify.”

  “Lots of people have scars, Josh. My client swears he didn’t make an attempt on Miss Lassiter’s life. Said he didn’t even know her. What would be his motive?”

  With a grimace of pain, Josh dragged a chair next to Beth’s. He sat down and leaned in. “We have evidence to lead us to believe he is a professional hit man. You read the file I delivered to your office. A man fitting Powers’ description was seen on the surveillance camera at the Marriot in Washington, DC when Tom Taylor was murdered. Taylor was to testify against a suspected cop killer. He was the only witness and the suspect went free because Taylor’s eyewitness account was the only evidence they had.”

  “Same thing in New York. A man fitting Powers’ description was seen in the area by several people when another wi
tness was murdered for a high profile case against a member of the mafia. The evidence is stacked against him.”

  She shook her head in disbelief. “I need more proof. Is there a paper trail putting him in Washington, DC or New York during the murders? Do you have him getting off an airplane? Surely, he didn’t drive to Washington, DC or New York. Do you have fingerprints? I need more than statements from witnesses other than seeing a man of Powers’ description. That’s a flimsy bit of evidence.”

  He threw his hands up in the air. She could feel his anger vibrating off the walls. “What more do you need than two eyewitness accounts?” He placed his hand on Kathy’s shoulder. “Convince Powers to plead guilty and save the taxpayers from paying for a long lengthy trial.”

  Beth had tried to do just that. Powers was so confident he would be found not guilty, she couldn’t convince him otherwise. Swears he was home with his wife and nowhere near Lassiter’s apartment. The man looked her right in the eye and denied even knowing Kathy Lassiter. Said he had never been to Washington, DC or New York. While he did admit the person in the surveillance photo resembled him, he was adamant he was home with his wife. If he had taken a flight, he wasn’t on the manifest of any of the airlines. It would take hours to drive to New York and Washington, DC. Every employee she questioned that worked for Powers swore he rarely missed more than two days of work in a row. But then they could be covering for him. If he asked them to lie, they probably would, since he signed their paychecks. Last time she interviewed him he had her convinced he was innocent. Kathy and David were very convincing and had her doubting everything Powers said.

  “Can you think of any reason why Chase Powers would try to kill you?”

  “No, Miss Reynolds.” Kathy gripped her hands together in her lap. Her fingers twirled the huge diamond engagement ring on her left finger. She squirmed as everyone’s attention focused on her. “I had never seen the man before he appeared at our condo. He didn’t bother to give me a reason why.” Tears gathered in her eyes. She clutched her throat as if she were feeling the knife against her throat. She closed her eyes and fought a surge of panic. The room was ripe with anticipation as she conveyed what happened the night she was attacked. “After David left I was going to take a long, hot bath.”