Secret Agent Father (10 page)

“Sure.” She knew they wanted to have Cody preoccupied while they discussed the details they’d uncovered. She took Cody into the connecting room and found the movie. He’d burned off enough energy building a snowman outside, that she thought he might fall asleep while watching.

“Mostly bald,” Alex repeated as she walked back to
talk with the two men. “That should help us narrow our list of suspects.”

She sat down with a sigh. “Maybe, but to Cody’s mind, mostly bald could be short hair, like a military cut, too.”

Alex grimaced. “And really, really tall doesn’t mean much either, other than that the guy was taller than Trina.”

“Let’s re-create that night,” Rafe suggested, looking at both Shelby’s and Cody’s pictures. “Cody drew large ships, as if he was in a car parked at the shipyard.”

Alex leaned forward eagerly. “Cody is in the backseat of a car, while Trina goes to meet someone. Something happens and she’s forced to defend herself, maybe with a baseball bat or a tire iron, hitting the bad guy. He goes down and she jumps into the car to escape. But she doesn’t go back to her place because she thinks she’ll be followed.”

Shelby joined in the theorizing. “And she doesn’t come to my place for the same reason. She calls me and insists I meet her at the marina because Cody’s in danger. I drive down there and she’s standing in the shadows of our father’s yacht, the
Juliet.
”

“How does the gunman know she’s there?” Alex asked, when Shelby paused. “Does he have a tracking device on her? Or does he know her well enough to know she wouldn’t go home or to Shelby’s place?”

“Trina said something interesting when I met her down at the marina,” Shelby said slowly. “She told me she’d made a terrible mistake. And that I needed to call you, Alex. No one else, not the police, not anyone but you.” She stared for a moment at Cody’s drawing. “So what was her mistake? Trusting the wrong person? Stephan?”

Alex exchanged a concerned look with Rafe. “Stephan isn’t mostly bald,” Alex pointed out. “And I
would think if Cody had seen his stepfather, he would have said something to that effect, rather than calling him the bad man.”

“Okay, that makes sense.” Shelby nodded with relief. “But then who did Trina trust that turned out to be a terrible mistake?”

“Your father?” Alex said. “He’s tall and mostly bald.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Same argument as with Stephan. Cody knows his grandfather. He wouldn’t have referred to him as the bad man, either.”

“Maybe you’re both wrong on that,” Rafe spoke up. “Maybe the guy Trina was fighting with was wearing some sort of face mask obscuring his features?”

“No, I’m sure Cody would have said something about a mask.” Shelby looked down at the drawing again, trying to imagine what Cody might have seen. “If they were arguing at an angle, or if the man’s back was to Cody, it’s possible he didn’t get a good look at the man’s face at all.”

“He drew a frown,” Rafe said tapping the guy’s face on Cody’s picture.

“The frown could be something he added because he heard them yelling.” Shelby grimaced. “That might be simply the way he portrayed the man’s anger onto the drawing.”

Alex let out a heavy sigh. “So you’re telling us Cody’s description is basically useless? That we can’t really narrow down any of the suspects unless they happen to be the same height or shorter than your sister or have a head full of hair?”

As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t lie. “I think if it was dark, and Cody didn’t get a good look at
his face, then no, we can’t narrow down any of the suspects. Stephan has always worn his hair long, and he’s only a couple of inches taller than Trina, so we can probably take him off the list.”

“But not Bobby Drake. Bobby was six feet tall and wore his hair in a crew cut,” Rafe said.

Alex captured her gaze with his. “And not your father.”

T
he minute the words left his mouth, Alex wanted to call them back. Especially when Shelby paled, bit her lip and looked away, a hint of angry desperation in her eyes.

What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he keep his big mouth shut? There was no reason to blurt out his true feelings like that.

Of course Trina and Shelby wanted to believe their father was innocent. Yet no matter how much she and Trina had protested, he just couldn’t quite believe their father was innocent. His background research had shown how Jacobson had taken the shipping business from a struggling operation to amazing success within the first five years he’d owned the place. There was no denying Jacobson clearly possessed a keen mind for business. And that was exactly why Alex simply couldn’t believe Russ Jacobson didn’t know about the drugs coming in on his ships. A man that involved in his company had to know what was going on.

There was a long moment of silence while Rafe shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“We have a long list of suspects,” Rafe said finally.
“And I’m sure there are plenty of other people we haven’t even considered.”

“Trina seemed wary of involving the local authorities, Shelby commented in a low voice. “She specifically told me not to trust anyone, even the police.”

“Exactly my point. There could be someone working on the inside,” Rafe agreed. “There were many cops who had made it quite clear they didn’t like the DEA homing in on their turf.”

Shelby lifted her chin and regarded him steadily. “I think Rafe is right. We can’t do anything from here. We need to be closer to the action. We need to head into Green Bay, the sooner the better.”

Alex clenched his jaw, biting back a protest. Because she was right. Not that he had any intention of exposing Shelby or Cody to danger. No way was he going to allow them anywhere close to the so-called action. But he and Rafe needed to be closer to the scene. And besides, if she was really going to take Cody to Trina’s funeral, then they’d need to figure out where the funeral home was located and how they were going to cover the various entrances and exits to keep everyone safe.

The idea of allowing Shelby and Cody out of his sight even for a second made him sweat. He wasn’t going to let it happen unless he was absolutely certain they’d be protected.

“Logan is picking me up in an hour,” Rafe announced. “Why don’t you let us go into the city first? That way we can find a place for you to stay that’s relatively close to where Trina’s funeral will be.”

Alex jumped on the opportunity to put off heading into Green Bay one moment earlier than they needed to.
“Sounds like an excellent plan. I’ll call you in the morning before we leave.”

“Wait a minute,” Shelby protested. “Do we really need to wait until tomorrow? I want Cody to see a child psychologist as soon as possible. I’d like a professional opinion on whether or not he should attend his mother’s funeral. And to do that, we need to get to Green Bay, sooner rather than later.”

Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise. Still, maybe she was right. There was a good possibility the child psychologist would tell Shelby the funeral wasn’t a good idea.

At least he could hope.

He quickly amended their plans. “It’s better if we go in the morning, but I promise we’ll get to Green Bay early enough so you can take Cody in to see someone.”

Her expression mirrored her relief. “Thank you.”

Cody chose that moment to join them, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“I’m hungry,” he announced.

“I’m sure you are, partner.” Shelby glanced at him. “Normally he gets a snack in the afternoon to hold him over until dinnertime.”

“Logan’s pulling up to the hotel now,” Rafe said when his cell phone went off. “I asked him to bring some things for Cody. Clothes and snacks.”

“Wonderful,” Shelby said warmly. “Thanks, Rafe.”

“You’re welcome,
amiga.
” Rafe flashed a bright smile. “Why don’t you and Cody come out to meet Logan?”

“Okay.” Shelby quickly gathered their coats and bundled up Cody before following Rafe outside.

Alex stood near the window, watching them. Cody scooped up some snow and threw a snowball at Rafe.
There wasn’t much power in the attempt, but Shelby laughed and Alex’s gut tightened with awareness.

They didn’t seem to be in any hurry to come back inside.

He couldn’t deny he was out of his element when it came to being a father figure to Cody. He’d never spent much time around kids, until his most recent injury. His niece, Brianna, was a cutie and he’d enjoyed spending time with her over the past few months, but he didn’t know the first thing about raising a child. Much less how his sister managed to do it on her own in the two years since her husband had died.

Shelby was a lot like Kayla. She would do just fine raising Cody on her own, too.

Wait a minute. He thrust his hands through his hair and spun away from the window. Was he seriously considering giving up custody of his son to Shelby?

The very thought tightened the knots in his stomach. He wasn’t sure he knew how to be a good father, but the thought of giving Cody up didn’t sit well, either. Yet shouldn’t he worry about what was best for his son? Cody obviously considered Shelby to be his surrogate mother. And sadly, he was young enough that in a few years, his memories of Trina would likely fade away. Shelby would soon be the most important person in his life.

But didn’t a boy need a father, too?

Maybe, but Shelby was a wonderful woman. It was very likely she’d meet a man one day. Someone like Rafe, who would be a great father to Cody.

A far better father than he could ever be.

Every cell of his being rejected the idea of Shelby finding someone else. But if he proved that her father
was guilty, she wasn’t going to forgive him anytime soon. And if that was the case, he knew he would give up custody of his son to Shelby.

He pulled his scattered thoughts together, when the group came back in, filling the small motel room.

“Logan,” he greeted the tall, brown-haired agent who’d been sent to replace him. Logan Quail wore cowboy boots and a Stetson cowboy hat, but his voice only held the barest hint of his Southern roots.

“McCade. How’s the arm?”

Alex shrugged, opening and closing the fingers of his damaged right hand. “It’s still attached, I guess. I’ve been working on shooting left-handed.”

If Logan was concerned about Alex’s ability to get back into the field, he didn’t show it. “Good. Things are heating up, big time. I think the case is about to be blown wide open.”

A surge of adrenaline flowed through his veins. Along with a healthy dose of wariness. “I’d love to put this case to rest, but it would help to know where the source of the danger is coming from.”

“Don’t I know it,” Logan agreed. He glanced at Shelby, who stood near Rafe. “How well do you know your stepmother?” he asked.

Shelby frowned. “Marilyn? Not very well. She’s not my favorite person. Trina and I always believed she married my dad for his money.”

Logan and Alex exchanged a look. “What makes you say that?”

Shelby shrugged. “She doesn’t have just one materialistic bone in her body, she has several. From the moment she married my father, she has spent his money
as if it washed up on the lakeshore along with the dead fish. Why all this interest in Marilyn?”

Logan threw a questioning glance at Alex, and he gave a subtle nod, indicating Logan could speak freely around Shelby.

“I did a little digging on Marilyn Hayes Jacobson,” Logan said slowly. “She died about six years ago.”

Shelby’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean, she died?”

Logan’s expression was grim. “A woman by the name of Marilyn Hayes with your stepmother’s social security number has been dead for the past six years.”

Alex narrowed his gaze. “So whoever this woman really is, she re-created herself six years ago? That’s about the time we began hearing about the potential drug smuggling operation coming through Green Bay.”

“I know.” Logan looked at Shelby, who sank into a nearby chair as if her knees had gone weak. Shelby was strong, but Alex wondered just how many more shocks she could take before crumbling. “I’m sorry to dump this on you so abruptly, but I figured you needed to know, especially considering your father’s company is knee deep in this mess. We’re still trying to figure out exactly who Marilyn really is, but the fact that she’s using a fake name and social security number is enough to put her at the top of our suspect list.”

Alex couldn’t deny the timing was right. And considering how Shelby and Trina weren’t close to their stepmother, she wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate one of them if they got in her way.

“So if Marilyn is at the top of the suspect list,” he mused aloud, “that means Cody’s bad man is likely working either for her or with her as a partner in crime.”

Shelby’s mind reeled at the news regarding her stepmother. Or maybe her soon to be ex-stepmother, if Marilyn had really moved out of her father’s house.

Once Alex and Logan left, her room had seemed far too quiet. She stayed with Cody, until Alex poked his head through the connecting doorway and asked if she wanted to go down to eat in the diner.

“Yes, getting out of the hotel room for a while would be wonderful.”

The diner wasn’t very crowded, so they pretty much had the place to themselves. Once Cody had finished his chicken strips, he went over to the race car driver video game in the corner. He sat in the seat, clutching the steering wheel, making
vroom, vroom,
noises.

Alex stood and crossed over to put a few coins into the slot. “Push this button, here,” he directed. “This starts the game. Now you can really drive the race car.”

She couldn’t help but smile when Cody shouted with glee as he maneuvered the video game. Alex came back to take the seat across from her. “He’s having fun.”

“I know. Thanks.” She toyed with her water glass. “Alex, you said you wouldn’t mind if we raised Cody as a Christian, right?”

He slowly nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

“But yet, you’re not a believer.” It wasn’t a question.

He hesitated. “You’re right, I wasn’t raised to be a believer. But I have to admit, that first night when Cody prayed for me, I was surprised and humbled to be included in his prayers. And then when we had to walk through the storm to find shelter, I prayed for the first time in my life.”

She sucked in a surprised breath, her heart filling
with joyful hope. “Really? Then God answered both of our prayers, guiding us to shelter.”

Alex’s smile was crooked. “I have to agree, since I couldn’t see much of anything with the snow and the wind in my face and yet managed to find exactly what we needed.”

She was so happy to hear Alex wanted to have faith. “I’d love for you to join my church. We can do bible studies and meet so many great people.” The possibilities were endless.

Alex’s smile faded. “Maybe,” he said cautiously. “But if I am able to go back to work, I won’t be around much.”

Her hope collapsed like a deflated balloon. “What do you mean? You’re Cody’s father. Of course you have to be around for him.”

He sighed. “Shelby, my work with the DEA is important to me. My best friend in high school died of a drug overdose. I’ve dedicated my life to keeping drugs off the streets. If my aim with my left arm becomes good enough that I can stay in the field, I will.”

“And what about Cody?”

He dropped his gaze. “I’ll grant you sole custody of Cody.”

She stared at him, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. Surely she must have misunderstood. “You’d give him up completely?”

“Yes, I would. If that’s what was best for him.”

That night, Shelby couldn’t fall asleep. Alex wasn’t the man she’d thought him to be, if he could actually consider giving up his son.

Certainly being a DEA agent was admirable. And his
reasons for dedicating his life to eradicating drugs from the streets were honorable, too. To lose someone you cared about to drugs was horrible. But surely there were other ways to help his cause? A path that didn’t push him toward giving up custody of his son.

She closed her eyes on a wave of regret. Her dream of becoming a family with Cody and Alex was nothing more than foolish fantasy.

But this wasn’t about her. It was about Cody. And Alex. Even without the family she’d always wanted, they needed each other.

Lifting her heart and her mind to God, she prayed.
Dear Lord, help me understand Your will. I love Cody so much and I’ve begun to care for Alex, too. Guide me toward Your path, Amen.

When her troubled soul was soothed by prayer, she drifted off to sleep hoping Alex was praying for guidance, too.

The next morning, Alex agreed to drive into Green Bay. She was relieved to know Cody would soon get the help he needed, but she couldn’t deny a flicker of fear.

Trina had been murdered only three days ago. And since that time, someone had not only followed them, but had tried to kill them. She wasn’t sure what awaited them in Green Bay.

Heavenly Father, keep us safe in Your care.

When they’d finished breakfast in the diner, they packed up Kayla’s SUV and headed into Green Bay.

“You’re awfully quiet this morning,” Alex said, casting a glance in her direction.

She tried to smile. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said last night.”

He gave a slight frown. “I thought you’d be happy to know you’ll have custody.”

“I love Cody and would gladly take custody of him. But I also believe a child should have two actively involved parents.” She paused before asking, “What if you can’t go back to the DEA? What then?”

Alex didn’t answer for a long moment, his gaze glued to the road. The sun was shining brightly and the temperature had warmed up enough that much of the snow from the storm was already melting. “I don’t know.”

His response wasn’t reassuring. “But you would stay part of Cody’s life?” she persisted.

“I’d try,” he finally answered.

“Praying for guidance may help,” she said slowly. “I’m certain God would show you the right path to take, much like He did during the snowstorm.”