Steele, p.12
Steele, page 12
“Oh, that’s fine.” Rhy sounded relieved. “But why would you go to Harper’s apartment?”
He filled his boss in on the recent events. When he came to the part where the ATF found a SIG Sauer in her underwear drawer, Rhy snorted.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Rhy said in disgust.
It was heartening to know the members of the tactical team believed in Harper too. It wasn’t just him being blind because he cared about her. “Yeah, that’s what I said.”
“We have proof that her apartment was breached to place a tracking device in her shoe and car. No reason they couldn’t plant a gun too.”
“Yeah, I pointed that out, too. But, Rhy, her shoes, purse, and coat were left behind in the American Lodge. Technically, all you have is my word that I saw it.”
“No, we have the device,” Rhy assured him. “The crime scene techs have it at the lab. They found one in her purse too. Looks like the coat was clean.”
That was a relief. “Good. That should help.”
“What’s the end game?” Rhy asked. “I mean, they should either frame her or kill her. Doing both makes no sense. First there’s an attempted kidnapping, then several shooting incidents, then planting evidence. There’s no logical pattern.”
“I know, the shotgun approach is bugging me too.” He told Rhy about Harper’s request to meet with her ex-husband face-to-face.
His boss whistled. “Not sure the ATF will go along with that.”
“I know, but what do you think?” If Steele were honest, he’d admit he didn’t trust his instincts when it came to Harper.
“I think she’s right in saying she knows him better than we do. It can’t hurt.”
“Okay, thanks.” Steele would go along with the plan since the ATF had to approve the meeting anyway.
“Do you need more cash?” Rhy asked. “Or any other kind of support?”
“I’m good. But if you hear anything, please keep me in the loop. I’m concerned the ATF will freeze me out now that they’ve found the gun.”
“I will. But I’m sure they’re smart enough to realize that Harper is being framed,” Rhy assured him.
Banner? Yes. Perkins? Not so much. “Take care, Rhy.” He disconnected from the call.
He stood and paced, listening at Harper’s bedroom door for a moment, before moving on. He hated to admit that the investigation was at a standstill. Unless something popped with the evidence they’d collected so far, there wasn’t anything more he could do.
Except arrange the meeting between Harper and Feldman.
He didn’t want to do it. He paced again, trying to come up with another plan.
When his phone rang, he grimaced when he recognized Banner’s number. Glancing at Harper’s bedroom door, he was glad it was still closed. He quickly touched the talk button. “What’s up?”
“Where are you?” Banner asked.
“Safe. What’s going on? Did you find the shooter?”
“No, but we have techs reviewing street camera video,” Banner said. “We also put a rush on the ballistics testing of the SIG found in the apartment.”
His gut clenched. “Any prints on the weapon?”
There was a slight hesitation. “No prints, seems as if the gun was wiped clean. But the tech just informed me the gun is a match for the slug found embedded in Ellis Starkey’s body. It’s the murder weapon.”
The news was a sucker punch to the gut. He sank onto the sofa. “That’s interesting. I’m convinced Grotto placed it there.”
There was a long pause from Banner. “Look, Delaney, I know how you feel. But we can’t ignore the evidence.”
“You mean the planted evidence.” He couldn’t hold back the anger. “Come on, Banner, think about it. If Harper had used the weapon to kill Starkey and wiped her prints off, why would she keep it in her apartment? Why not toss it in Lake Michigan?”
Hearing a gasp, he turned to see Harper standing in the doorway, her hand over her mouth. He winced, realizing he’d been practically shouting at Banner.
“I know, it’s definitely suspicious,” Banner agreed. “I just thought you should know. We’d like to formally ask Harper not to leave the area.”
His gut clenched again. That almost sounded like they were planning to arrest her. “Fine. Anything else?”
“No. Just keep in touch, okay?” With that, Banner disconnected from the call.
“When are they coming to get me?” Harper asked.
“They’re not.” He tossed his phone aside and rose to his feet. He crossed over to take her hands in his. “It’s clearly a setup. Banner and Perkins don’t know where we are, and I plan to keep it that way.”
She nodded, her gaze downcast. The way she accepted her imminent arrest broke his heart. He pulled her into his arms, wishing he could put her on a plane and fly to a remote island in the middle of the ocean. Anything to keep her safe.
To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight. He gathered her closer still, desperate to reassure her that she was safe with him.
“Thanks for believing in me.” Her voice was muffled against his shirt.
“Always.” He meant it, even though as a cop he shouldn’t. Logically, anything was possible.
When Harper lifted her head, her eyes were bright with tears. He held her gaze, then lowered his head to capture her lush mouth with his.
Kissing her the way he’d only dreamed about.
Chapter Ten
Harper lost herself in the wonder of Steele’s kiss. It seemed like so long since she’d felt cherished. And his kiss was better than anything she’d experienced in her life. But when her baby kicked him in the stomach, he broke off their embrace, glancing down at her belly as if embarrassed.
“I—uh,” he faltered, raked his hand through his hair, then said, “I hope I didn’t make you feel uncomfortable.”
“No, you didn’t.” She’d moved beyond what Jake had done. Focusing instead on the baby she loved more than anything.
Watching Steele flounder almost made her smile. She wondered what he would do if she kissed him again. Then the reality of her situation crashed over her. What was she thinking kissing Steele? Any minute now, the ATF agents would issue a warrant for her arrest.
This—was nothing more than a brief interlude. A very nice, wonderful interlude.
But temporary just the same.
“Come sit down.” He took a step backward, seeming to look everywhere but at her. “How are your feet holding up?”
“Fine.” Her blistered feet were the least of her worries. She reminded herself that Steele could have any woman he wanted. He was tall, dark, and handsome. There was no reason to believe he’d be interested in a pregnant woman like her or a ready-made family.
“Let me know when you’d like to eat lunch,” he said.
“Food can wait. What did Banner say?” She’d only heard Steele’s side of the conversation. The way he’d vehemently supported her had been sweet. Maybe she’d been too hard on him during the apartment search. He had obviously been as surprised by their finding the gun as she was.
“I think you heard most of it.” He dropped into the chair adjacent to the sofa. “The SIG was used to kill Ellis Starkey. But there were no fingerprints on the gun, indicating the shooter wiped it clean or used gloves.”
“There is no reason for me to kill Ellis.” She found it hard to believe she was even saying it. “I told you he was nice to me.” She remembered what he’d said about how any normal shooter would toss the gun into Lake Michigan. “The only reason the gun was found in my apartment was because someone put it there.”
“I agree.” He smiled. “Try not to worry about it.”
Impossible, but she nodded. She’d hoped her shower would make her feel better, but it was Steele’s kiss that had brought a hint of peace. “You know, I still think it’s odd that the gun was in my dresser drawer.”
“Because that’s not where you would have hidden it?” Steele asked.
“No, but since the goal was to frame me, why not put it in the blue vase?”
Steele frowned. “They looked inside the blue vase. There was nothing but the plastic flowers.”
“I know that, but it’s the vase Ellis gave me.” She sighed. “The one he claimed was from the warehouse. It has a small chip, so he said they couldn’t sell it. I just set it near the wall, where the chip wasn’t visible.”
“Wait a minute, Starkey gave you a vase?” Steele looked surprised.
“It wasn’t some big romantic gesture or anything,” she quickly explained. “Ellis wasn’t a flirt. I truly believe he thought I’d like to have it.”
“Was this after you moved into the apartment?” Steele frowned. “I thought you hadn’t seen him for a few weeks before you left Feldman.”
“No, I took the vase with me when I moved.” She remembered feeling a little foolish for bringing it along. “I didn’t want anything Jake gave me, but the vase added a little color to the place.” Really, it was the flowers that she’d enjoyed the most.
“You’re sure Starkey was never in your apartment?” He pressed. “Maybe you mixed up your dates.”
She clenched her jaw. “I’m sure. I have never lied to you, Steele. Not once. Just because Ellis was nice to me didn’t make him my close confidant. Just the opposite. I figured anything I told him would end up going straight to Jake. Ellis was loyal to him. Why? I have no idea.”
“Okay, okay.” He held up his hand. “It’s just that you never mentioned the blue vase before.”
Hadn’t she? Maybe not. “I was only saying that if Jake was behind this, he probably would have mentioned the vase as a good hiding spot.”
“Yeah, maybe.” He appeared lost in thought as if trying to envision the vase.
“Perkins searched it, remember? It was empty.” She wished she hadn’t brought up how Ellis had brought it home for her. At the time, she’d been grateful for the little bit of compassion. A gift with no strings attached.
And wasn’t that pathetic? She’d made a mess of her life, that was for sure. Mistakes that were coming back to haunt her in a big way.
All the reason not to let her feelings for Steele cloud her judgment. Steele seemed nice and caring, but he could have a dark side. Or some other terrible habit that she wasn’t aware of yet.
No one was perfect.
“Yeah, okay. I just wish I could look at the vase again,” he murmured. “If not for the shooting incident, I’d go back and grab it.”
She stifled a sigh. “It’s just a vase. Trust me, there’s nothing special about it. During the summer months, I fill it with water for the wildflowers I pick on my early morning walks at Greenland Park before work. I can’t afford to buy flowers in the winter, so I use the plastic ones instead. Besides, if there was anything inside, the ATF guys would have found it.”
That finally seemed to convince him to let it go. “Okay, that makes sense.”
“We should probably eat.” She wasn’t hungry, but it was something to do. Anything to avoid thinking about that kiss.
“Count me in.” He rose to his feet and crossed the room. He unpacked the large to-go bag, frowning a bit. “You only ordered a salad.”
“That’s all I wanted.” She was gaining more than enough weight, at least according to her last doctor’s appointment. She joined him at the table. “Hey, we didn’t order another cinnamon roll.”
“Looks like Rosie packed extra.” He smiled. “She’s pretty awesome.”
“Yes, the menu was larger than I expected.” Her experience with restaurants was limited. Her parents never had much money, so they rarely went out. And living with Jake hadn’t exactly been a step up. “Sounds like the Finnegans are big fans too.”
“They are,” Steele agreed. “That’s how I learned about the place. Apparently, Colin is some sort of frustrated chef.”
“Funny,” she said with a smile.
He turned to look at her, and it took a moment for her to realize he was waiting for her to say grace.
She bowed her head, searching for God’s presence. Despite the hardships she faced, and the possible arrest looming on the horizon, she knew He was still watching out for her. “Lord Jesus, we are thankful for this food we are about to eat. Bless Rosie’s business, and please continue to keep all police officers safe in Your care. Amen.”
“Amen,” Steele said. “And, Lord, please keep Harper and her precious baby safe in Your care too. Amen.”
For a moment, she couldn’t speak. Tears that had nothing to do with hormones pricked her eyes. “Thank you, Steele.”
“I’m here for you,” he repeated.
She nodded and picked up her plastic fork. The Cobb salad was chock-full of protein, so she forced herself to eat. For the sake of her baby.
“Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” Steele asked.
She shook her head. “No. I wanted it to be a surprise.” She toyed with the grilled chicken in her salad. “With everything going on, I wish I did know one way or the other.”
“Have you picked out names?”
She had toyed with a few but hadn’t settled on anything. “Not yet.” She glanced at him. “I know that must sound like I’m not excited about this pregnancy, but I am.” She flushed, and added, “I keep thinking that the perfect name will come to me once he or she is born.”
“I understand.”
She speared a cherry tomato. “You’ve never married? Had kids?” A little late to be asking after that sizzling kiss.
“Nope.” He shrugged. “Two years ago, my girlfriend Monique was killed by a drunk driver. I also lost my older sister when I was in high school. She was killed by her boyfriend.”
Her eyes widened in horror. “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry for your losses.”
“Yeah. I was single-minded in becoming a cop, taking bad guys off the street.”
“I can understand that,” she said. “I’m sorry about your sister. And your girlfriend.”
“Thanks. It was a long time ago, and the good news is that Amelia’s boyfriend was arrested and thrown in jail. The drunk driver was arrested too. Knowing that justice was done in both cases helps a little.”
“And I’m sure both your sister and your girlfriend are in heaven now.”
He nodded slowly. “I hadn’t considered that, but yeah. I’d like to think so.”
She wanted to press on the issue of his faith but let it go. They ate in silence for a while. The rest of the day loomed ahead of them. Considering she was on borrowed time, about to be arrested at any moment, her thoughts turned back to her ex.
“I really need to talk to Jake.”
He winced and shook his head. “I don’t see how anything good could come out of that.”
“What else am I supposed to do? Sit here and wait for the ATF to slap cuffs around my wrists?” She bit back her impatience. “Do you have a better idea?”
He finished his wrap, then balled up the garbage, shooting it like a basketball into the container in the corner. “Not really. And you’re not going to be arrested, Harper. Banner is leaning toward this being a setup.”
Banner, but not Perkins. “It doesn’t matter. They’re going to want to tie this case up sooner than later.”
“I ran the idea past Rhy,” he admitted. “He’ll discuss it with ATF agents. Your ex-husband is in their custody, so the final decision is out of my hands.”
He’d spoken to Rhy? That surprised her, but she was glad he’d taken her request seriously. She pushed her half-eaten salad away. Despite the meeting being her idea, her stomach churned at the thought of coming face-to-face with Jake.
Yet she would do that and more if it meant keeping her unborn child safe.
Steele moved away from the kitchenette, shoving his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for Harper. The way she kept referring to her imminent arrest bothered him.
Deep down, he knew she was mentally preparing herself for the worst. And he even understood it to some extent. Being there when the ATF uncovered the gun in her apartment had been horrible for her. She didn’t want to find herself in that situation again.
He didn’t either. But that didn’t mean he was on board with Harper facing off with Feldman.
The need to do something constructive sent him pacing again. This sitting around, breathing in Harper’s sweet scent, was killing him. He’d rather face another warehouse shooting than sit here pretending he didn’t want to kiss her again.
The shooting at her apartment bugged him. She was wearing borrowed clothes, new shoes, and didn’t have a purse or a phone. There’s no way they were tailed there in Rhy’s SUV either.
Had the ATF agents set them up? No, the more likely scenario was that Grotto had someone watching the place. That person had seen them go inside and had set up an ambush, waiting for them to come out.
“What are you thinking?” Harper asked.
“The incident outside your apartment.” He paused midstride, turning to look at her. “Did you see the shooter?”
“No. I heard the gunshot but didn’t see anyone.”
That made sense as he’d thought the gunman was standing on his side of the building. “I’m a little shocked they missed.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s a good thing.”
“Yeah, but the shooter was close enough that he could have easily killed me.” A thug reluctant to shoot him? Not likely. Going back over the incident in his mind, he realized he’d been standing in front of Harper. Maybe the goal had been to get him to move, opening her up for a shot.
Why? That was the sticking point. Harper seemed to think both Feldman and Grotto might have come after her to seek revenge. That was certainly the motive behind his sister’s murder. Her ex-boyfriend couldn’t stand the idea of being replaced.
But these attacks weren’t up close and personal. Except maybe for the first one, the attempted abduction. In his experience as a cop, personal attacks were not carried out from afar.
They’d thoroughly questioned her, and she claimed she didn’t know anything.
