Protector's Honor

“Is it there?” Rory’s voice sounded behind her low and stern.

She shook her head then turned to face the three men who had moved in behind her. Biting her lower lip to hold her tears at bay, she hobbled to the nearest table for support.

“A blue Toyota 4Runner. North Carolina plates.” She took in a ragged breath. Then to Hines, she gave a full description of her SUV. Afterward, she glanced across the lot again, but the car was gone. She had nothing—no money, no phone, no car. She could feel what little bit of inner strength she still possessed fading away.

Oh, Lord, why is this happening? Please give me Your strength.

As the detectives headed up the stairs to the inn, Tabitha hopped back to her table still trying desperately not to cry. Rory moved beside her but didn’t offer his help. She propped her foot up and replaced the ice pack, wishing he’d leave her alone. She felt too aware of him.

“Shouldn’t you go with them?” she asked. “Since you’re an agent and all that.” Please go, so I can think and not cry in front of you.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. His frown deepened as he took the seat beside her. His eyes, the ones that had warmed her a few minutes earlier, had turned cold.

He leaned back in the chair. With a slow deliberate move, he folded his arms across his broad chest. “So, Ms. Beaumont, it seems some pretty serious people are after you. I think you should tell me why. I mean, up until now you’ve been fairly calm, but you find out your car’s gone and you kind of lose it. Why is that? Why don’t you tell me what’s in your car that those men want so badly? After all, I have a right to know what I risked my life for this morning. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“My car? I don’t have anything in my car. I just—” Tabitha stopped midsentence. Why was she explaining herself? Just because he helped her didn’t mean she had to share her deepest fears with him. They had nothing to do with what had happened today. She took in a deep breath. “Are you interrogating me?”

Rory stretched his neck and glared at the roof of the tent. “Of course not.” His voice came out in a growl. “I don’t interrogate victims.”

“What a relief.” She attempted a smile, but it was pointless. The man had transformed into cop mode and apparently wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d probed her for answers. Too bad she had none. She chewed on her bottom lip.

Rory rubbed his eyes and sighed. “Tabitha, I know you’re frightened. More so than you’re letting on and I want to help you. Really, I do. But I can’t if you don’t tell me what you know.”

Pressing her lips together, Tabitha inhaled slowly, determined to answer him with a steady voice. “I promise you I don’t know what’s going on. I have no idea what those men are after. If I did, I would tell you. I’m just praying my way through this. Otherwise I’m sure I’d be completely hysterical by now.”

His brow lifted. “I saw Hines’s note about someone named Max. Is he involved in this?”

Tabitha frowned. She didn’t like the hint of suspicion in his tone. Did he really think she had something to hide? “Is this what you do as a federal officer? Intimidate people who are scared? I’m not impressed.”

Tears continued to press at the corner of her eyes. She lifted her hand to her forehead to scratch an imaginary itch and shield herself from his hard gaze.

“Look,” he said, “I’m trying to help. I’m not intending to upset you. This is what I do. I’m an investigator. Now, tell me about Max B. I read that name in the detective’s notes. Is that Bristow? Is that the person you booked a room for? This could be important.”

Tabitha narrowed her eyes on him. He’d obviously done more than check her room inside the hotel.

“Come on, Tabitha. Talk to me. Let me help.”

“Fine,” she mumbled. “Bristow and Max are two different people.”

“Okay. Let’s start with Max. Who is Max?”

“Max B. is Max Beaumont. My brother.” Tabitha glanced down. She did not want to repeat the entire story. But when she looked back at Rory, it was obvious that small dose of information wouldn’t hold him. “I thought the men who attacked me mentioned him. But I’m not sure. In fact, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it seems. I think maybe I imagined it.”

Knots tightened in her stomach. Each time she mentioned her brother, she felt more and more like she might be getting him into trouble. But why? No way her brother had anything to do with those thugs on the mountain. That was impossible.

Rory’s look softened a bit. “How did they mention him?”

“I don’t know. They wanted something from me. Something Max gave me…I think that’s what they said.” Tabitha put her quivering hand to her temple. “I’m so tired. I know you’re trying to help but I already went through this with the detectives.”

“I’m sorry.” He slid a glass of water across the table. “Here, drink some water. You look pale again.”

She took a quick drink while he scratched his head and furrowed his brow. She pushed the glass back.

“Better?” he whispered.

She shrugged, noting his expression had lightened. A slight grin curved his lips upward. He reached over the table and touched her hand softly.

Tabitha gaped. How did he do that? Was it part of the interrogation technique? A method to disarm and relax her? Or did he unknowingly morph from tough cop to charmer? Either way, she didn’t like it, especially because it seemed to be working. She pulled her hand away.

“So, Max gave you something?” Rory continued.

“No. That’s just it. He didn’t.”

Rory frowned. “Okay. I know this seems silly, but it might be important. Now Max is your brother so I’m sure he gave you something at some point. How about in the past year? Anything?”

“A root canal,” she said drily, pointing at her back tooth.

“Cute.”

“You said anything. Anyway, it’s true. He’s a dentist. It was a few weeks ago and that’s the last time I saw him.”

“How about Christmas and your birthday? Don’t you exchange presents?”

Tabitha rolled her eyes. “For my birthday, he gave me a gift certificate to a spa. I used it immediately. For Christmas, an ugly sweater which I exchanged for a handbag. Max got married this year. I haven’t really seen much of him lately.”

“When was that?”

“The wedding? Two months ago.” Her mouth twitched.

“You don’t seem happy about that.”

She shrugged. “Max is happy. Karin, his wife, has been hard to get to know. Max and I were really close before. It’s an adjustment for me.”

Rory licked his lower lip and leaned his large body over his knees. “Tabitha, why did you run back to your car like that?”

A tear dropped to her cheek. Her hand moved quickly to brush it aside. “It was nothing. I just want to go home. I wanted my car to be there so I knew I could get home. I don’t like being…trapped.”

“Trapped?” Rory sat up straight in his chair and scratched his ear. “Sounds like a story there.”

“Not one for today,” she said, praying that he’d let it go.

He nodded. His mouth held a gentle smile. “You don’t need to worry. We’ll get you home.”

Tabitha wasn’t sure what he meant by we but it sounded like more help from him and that she did not want. What if he changed back to supercop? Or worse, charmed her again with those electric eyes? “You know, if I had a phone, I could call a friend to pick me up. That is, if you’re finished grilling me.”

A full smile covered his face. “I’m finished. For now.” He felt around his waistline. “I don’t have my phone, either. Here.”

Before she could say anything, he’d scooped her up in his arms and was weaving his way through the tables, heading for the inn.