Running On Fear Read online

  “Good.” Matthew looked at the card. “Wow, Special Agent Duncan McGregor.” He hopped into the SUV followed by Tiffany.

  Melanie cast an eye at Duncan. “Thank you.”

  “For?”

  “Matthew needs a father figure. He really hasn’t had one with his father leaving years ago. Allison had to raise both the kids alone until she met Riley. But Riley Brewton isn’t exactly…” Melanie stopped. He didn’t need to know anything about Riley Brewton. Why had her sister gotten mixed up with him? “I should go. Sorry I kept you.”

  “No, ma’am. I kept you. It was nice meeting you, Melanie.”

  Again her breathing stopped. As she turned to open the door, Duncan reached and opened it for her. She eased inside, then he closed it.

  “Thank you, Agent McGregor.”

  “Anytime, Melanie.”

  Melanie needed to get away from this man that stirred her heart with his rugged strong looks. His eyes were hypnotic and the dark brown hair that tapered to the nape of his neck was begging her to reach out and run her fingers through it. She was glad he’d removed the dark glasses so she could look into his eyes.

  Duncan watched as Melanie buckled the seatbelt, then cranked up the engine and drove away. Matthew was a character, and Tiffany a very pretty young girl with long bouncy auburn hair, mossy green eyes and a slim teenager’s figure. It was a shame the father had deserted them that way, but good now the mother was on her honeymoon with someone else. What was her name?

  Allison. And now married to someone named Riley. Alison, Matthew and Tiffany Dunbar. Allison Dunbar! Riley Brewton! Hurriedly, he filed the license plate number in his memory as Melanie drove away.

  EMN845 Georgia plates.

  Duncan dashed to the car and started the search. If she was from Nashville, the SUV no doubt belonged to her sister. He had been so smitten with her beauty that his mind had avoided anything else on their prompter. Idiot. He had been so long without a woman’s company that he was behaving like an idiot that didn’t think with his head, but his…

  “She’s some looker, Duncan,” the man with the pudgy beer belly said. “Yeah, long blond hair. Man did you see how she filled out those clothes? I imagine those jeans were singing a tune themselves as they rubbed—”

  “Leon!”

  Leon laughed. “Her long legs. Only having fun boss, I didn’t mean—”

  “Would you look at this?”

  Leon looked at the small computer screen. “And you let her get away? Want me to call for backup?”

  “Are you crazy? She doesn’t know the half of what’s going on. Let’s finish up here, then I’m going to go over there.”

  “How are you going to tell her, Duncan?”

  “I’ll bring pizza.”

  “We’re sorry, Aunt Melanie,” Matthew said as he dropped his book bag on the bed. “Tif and I meant no harm. I do want to be a policeman when I grow up. Duncan was nice. Of course he was a special agent policeman. He’s with the FBI. I can hardly wait until I can join the FBI.”

  “Well if you don’t study and excel in school, you might not ever make it as a special agent, or even a policeman, young man.” Melanie pecked a kiss onto his cheek.

  “Do we have to go to school Monday? I mean they should have let us out today. No one is returning on Monday.”

  “You want to wish your friends a happy summer, don’t you?”

  “I guess. But I think it’s silly.”

  “Can’t be a cop if you cut classes,” Tiffany prompted.

  “She’s got a point, Matthew. Let’s order the pizza now.”

  Tiffany sighed.

  “What’s that look for, young lady?” Melanie asked.

  “You should have invited him,” Tiffany told her. “He was really gorgeous.” She folded her arms across her chest as she followed Melanie down the stairs.

  “Young lady, he has too many years for you.”

  “I was searching for you, Aunt Melanie.”

  Melanie shook her head. “Pepperoni or the works?”

  “One of each.” Matthew spoke just as the doorbell rang.

  “My turn to get it.” Tiffany raced to the door before Melanie’s feet got to the last step.

  “Be sure to look through the peep—” But it was too late. Tiffany had the door wide open.

  “Did someone call for pizza?”

  It was his husky voice, and before Melanie had a chance to say another word, Tiffany had already greeted him. She immediately saw the scolding look on her aunt’s face.

  “Don’t worry, Aunt Melanie. I looked through the peephole and saw it was the handsome agent.”

  “It doesn’t matter that it was the handsome…” What was she saying?

  Duncan gave her a wink and smiled.

  “What I mean is you need to be careful, Tiffany, at all times.”

  “Your aunt is correct. We all have to be cautious. I didn’t know who ate what so I chose one with the works, and made the other pepperoni. Can’t go wrong there. Why don’t you two take these into the kitchen? I need to speak to your aunt.”

  “Did you follow us?” Melanie inquired.

  “No.”

  “Then how did you…?”

  “He’s a cop, Aunt Melanie,” Matthew interrupted.

  “Yes, I’m a cop.” Duncan grinned.

  “I know that, you idiot.”

  Matthew’s eyes grew in volume. “Aunt Melanie, that wasn’t nice.”

  “To be honest, I’m really a special agent, Matthew.”

  “Yes, and Aunt Melanie still called you an idiot.”

  Melanie craned her head so she could meet Duncan’s gaze. “What did you do to track us down?”

  Matthew raised his hand excitedly. “I bet I know. You ran a check on our license plate.”

  “Correct.”

  “Just wipe that silly smirk off your face, Mr. Detective. If I had been in my own car you wouldn’t have found us in Macon, Georgia.”

  “But your car is in Tennessee,” Matthew added.

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “Matthew, T-M-I. Take the pizzas into the kitchen, Tiffany. You and Matthew start eating. I’ll see what the officer has to say.”

  “Duncan,” Tiffany reminded her.

  “Agent McGregor, young lady. Now you and your brother scoot. And no eavesdropping or I’ll lock your games away, along with the CD player.”

  “Drill Sergeant,” Matthew mumbled under his breath.

  Melanie slapped Duncan’s arm when the kids were out of the room. “You started this. Speak now, then leave.”

  “Without having any pizza? I thought we could all share.”

  She fanned her hands in the air. “Fine. Speak, eat, then leave.”

  Duncan didn’t know how to tell her. What to tell her. He had rehearsed it in his head on the way over but he was still uncertain as to how much to divulge … for now.

  “Well, I’m waiting.” She watched the struggle in his eyes and the display of expressions on his face. Her gaze turned to the kitchen where the kids sat behind a closed door. This wasn’t good. Panic slowly filled her heart. “Tell me it isn’t Allison? No! What has happened to my sister?” Her words were barely audible.

  Duncan could almost feel her body tense, saw her lips tremble along with her fingers. He had seen it so many times before in so many others. It was as if he could almost see through to her heart. He hated this. He had only met her today.

  Suppressing a sigh, he said, “It didn’t hit me until you mentioned your sister’s name and Matthew introduced himself. We’ve been working on this case. Well, it seems…” This time the piercing gaze of her eyes tore into his heart. He swallowed hard. This was the hardest part of his job.

  Melanie moved in closer to him, then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Her hands were tiny compared to his. Her body so slender, so delicate, he wished it were under other circumstances that he faced her this way. Once again her gaze pierced straight to his heart.

  “Tell me!” It was an order directed to
his ears only.

  “There was a body discovered a day ago. We need you to identify it. All the prints, the dental records that we were able to retrieve … it all points to your sister, but we need a positive ID from a family member.”

  “And her husband?”

  “We haven’t located him, or the first husband either. Seems that Riley Brewster and Griffin Dunbar have both vanished from our sight.”

  Melanie released the hold she had on his shirt. “People don’t just vanish like that.”

  “If they don’t want to be found, there’s always a way.”

  “Allison? How? Why?” She forced the tears away.

  “That is still under investigation.”

  Her eyes rounded. “What aren’t you telling me? I know you FBI agents. CIA, NSA, all you agents, you keep secrets. You found her dead a day ago and only just now you tell me. Tell me, Duncan!”

  She had said his name. Fear deepened in her eyes. Alarm veiled her face.

  “You need to sit. I can already hear your knees clicking together. I’m sure they’ll give way any minute.”

  It was that bad.

  Melanie gave in to his arms as he guided her to the sofa.

  He sat beside her, gloving her hand in his.

  Did he treat all the others this way when he brought bad news? She didn’t see him as a tough agent now. He appeared understanding, warm, almost sensitive.

  “When her body was discovered, there was no sign of ID. Nothing. We had to check her teeth which were…” How could he tell her? Come on McGregor. You’re not a wimp. Just spit it out. His thoughts turned to Matt and Tiffany.

  Melanie noticed the tightness in his voice. “She was that unidentifiable? How bad was her face…?” The tears would spill any minute and she would be unable to stop them. She wanted to turn back the clock, and be home in bed reading. She felt his hand squeeze tighter.

  “Someone didn’t want anyone to recognize her.”

  “Allison was beautiful. She would model on occasion. To have someone do this to her? Why?”

  “That’s part of our investigation.”

  “How did she die? Beaten to death? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

  “Gunshot to the heart. Beaten severely in the face. Coroner said a baseball bat. The coroner thinks she was most likely shot before she was beaten. There were particles. Most of her teeth were knocked out but we were able to get enough for a match with dental records. They put a rush on this.”

  “Most likely shot first? Can’t they tell?” Her gaze met with his. A rush? “Was Allison connected to drugs in some way? Is that why the rush?”

  Duncan sat silent.

  “Agent McGregor, I didn’t approve of the man she dated. The one she married. He was no good, but she wouldn’t listen. I tried to talk to Riley, but he more or less put me in my place.”

  “Did he threaten you?” Duncan’s eyes darkened and his voice demanded an answer.

  Melanie felt her throat constrict.

  “Look, Melanie. I know that we’ve only just met. I wish it had been under different circumstances. The hard truth is, your sister … the man she married was into drugs and prostitution. Call girls, even, in Atlanta. We busted a couple of places.”

  “But Allison wouldn’t contribute to any of that.”

  Duncan looked around the house. Thought of the SUV that Melanie had been driving this afternoon. Someone had expensive taste. “Someone has to pay for all this. And that black Lincoln Navigator she drives.”

  Melanie jerked her hands free of his. “What about it?” Anger danced in her eyes.

  “I can’t even afford one of those.”

  The slap across his face was swift. Duncan didn’t even see it coming. He never expected that someone with her small frame could cause such a burning sting to his cheek, but she had.

  “Look, Agent McGregor. Everyone makes money their own way. Spends the money the way they wish to have it spent. My sister was an honest worker just like our parents and myself. If you must know, this was my parents’ house. Bought and paid for. Our parents died in an airplane crash. What Allison and I inherited came from them. Next time do a complete check before you come over depositing information on my doorstep and trying to incriminate her! You would have found out that our parents left us insurance money if you’d bothered to look.”

  Again quiet.

  Another quick slap stung his face. Wow, did she know how to slap. He brushed his hand across his cheek.

  “You knew! You had her checked out from day one. Here I thought you were a sensitive caring man, but I find out you’re like all the others. A sneaky snake in the grass!” Melanie bolted to her feet, pacing the room. “I should throw you out on your butt, right this minute.”

  She needed to think. Allison dead. Riley not anywhere in view. And no sign of Griffin, the real father. There was Matthew and Tiffany. Her gaze turned toward the kitchen. Behind those doors sat two children with no mother. Melanie didn’t consider the two male specimens that claimed to be part of their family as having the right to be called daddy. She would fight for the children. A tall oak-solid form suddenly stood in front of her.

  “I’m sorry, Melanie. I meant no disrespect. Please forgive me. I had no right.”

  Her eyes searched his. No he hadn’t, but that wasn’t the problem now. She had to think of the children.

  He looked deep into her eyes. “You’re thinking of the children?”

  “What am I going to tell them?”

  He exhaled. “There’s a problem.”

  “Now what?”

  “I told you there is an investigation.”

  “You weren’t just searching for drugs today? If you want me to trust you…”

  “Yes and no.”

  Her brows knitted together.

  “Drugs, yes. Standard procedure. The GBI were doing their investigation. So happens the FBI was contributing to the same. We’re trying to tie our sources together. There was word about Riley Brewton and his accomplice. Don’t worry. It wasn’t Allison. We think she was a victim of their dangerous game. But with Allison, Riley had three trump cards.”

  “Three. I understand he could grab the children but the third? You mean using her, right?”

  “You, Melanie.”

  She was more than shocked. “Me?”

  “We can’t find Riley anywhere. We were getting ready to put a stake out on the children. We’ve been searching cars, using the drugs and checking licenses and other stuff as a cover. They don’t want any of this handed out to the media. The press would have a field day.”

  “He better not come near these children. I could take them to the cabin. We have one in Gatlinburg.”

  “They found Allison’s body outside of Knoxville, Tennessee.”

  “But they were going to Niagara Falls.”

  “They never got that far. As far as we know, he could be hiding out in the mountains and able to send someone down to grab the children.”

  “I can’t tell the children about Allison. Not yet.”

  “No you can’t. Not until all this is over. The less they know the better, if they are kidnapped.”

  Melanie grabbed his arms. They were round and muscular under the jacket he was wearing over his blue shirt. “If they were kidnapped. No, I’ll take them to the cabin. Allison didn’t even tell Riley about our cabin. It was our secret. She got the house. I got the cabin. He won’t take my sister’s children, Duncan. Not while I have breath in my body. She should have listened to me about him.”

  “I can’t let you or the children out of my sight. We will have to work together to capture the person or persons that did this to Allison. Will you trust me?”

  Trust him? Who else was there to trust? “But will we be safe in the cabin?”

  This time it was Duncan’s turn to grab her small arms. “Listen to me. You won’t be safe anywhere you go. You need my help. I need you.”

  “As bait?”

  He hadn’t been able to say it, but she coul
d read his face.

  “Tell me you will trust me. You’ll do as I say. I told the Department I would handle it. I wanted this assignment. Now tell me you’ll listen to what I need you to do.” His head turned toward the kitchen door. “It’s too quiet. Matthew, Tiffany, front and center!” He released her arms and held to her hand.

  “Hey, we weren’t eavesdropping. Honest,” Tiffany spoke as she and Matt opened the door.

  “What’s up?” Matthew prompted.

  “Children, sit down. We need to talk.”

  “No,” Melanie pleaded.

  “Now, darling,” he drawled. “Let me handle this.”

  Darling? What was he up to? She cast him a questioning gaze.

  Duncan clapped his hands together. “How would you two like to go on a road trip to the mountains?”

  “Really?” Matthew was the first to jump at the idea.

  “It has to be a secret. I need yours and Tiffany’s help in this. I’m going to have to secretly deputize you two.”

  “A badge?” Matthew vibrated with excitement.

  “I’ll work on that. I need to find a family to travel with me to the mountains of Tennessee. A wife, two children. It has to be a secret. Top secret. If I can’t get the two of you and your aunt to help me, then I can’t go undercover.”

  “And it all has to be secretive?” Tiffany asked.

  “Yes. Of course, to make it look official, I will need to marry your aunt.”

  “This is great, isn’t it, Aunt Melanie?” Tiffany exploded.

  Melanie couldn’t talk, couldn’t breathe. Was he crazy?

  “Aunt Melanie.” Matthew rushed to her side. “We get to carry a badge and help Duncan.”

  “Matthew, this isn’t a game, honey. This is real. There are crazy people out there who carry guns and baseball bats that will…” She couldn’t finish. Allison. She had to go and identify a body with no face. How did a person do that? How? Her gaze boldly shot into Duncan’s. Bait.

  “We can get an annulment after we catch the guys, Melanie. Look, maybe I made the wrong choice. I’ll go find another family. I didn’t mean to cause problems.”

  “Aunt Melanie, please,” Matthew pleaded.

  How could she tell those blue eyes that this wasn’t a game? This was real. Their mother dead. First her parents and now her loving sister. She had no one but the children. And they only had her.