few things that could undo her.
Well, that and murder, she supposed. “Tom...”
“We’ll handle the arrangements,” Vaughn said, squeezing her shoulders as baby Nora gurgled happily in her daddy’s arms. “He was a good man.”
“He shouldn’t have died protecting me.”
“But he did. He signed up for that job. You’ll have time to mourn that. We all will, but right now we need to focus on getting you somewhere safe.”
She wanted to say something snotty. Vaughn could be so cold, and though she knew it was his law-enforcement training, it grated. Except he held his baby like the precious gift she was, and Daisy had watched years ago as his voice had broken when he’d made his vows to his wife.
Vaughn wasn’t cold or heartless. He just had control down to an art form. And his concern was her. Daisy felt like such a burden to him, and yet there was no way to convince him this wasn’t his problem.
“Nat’s got coffee on and Jaime is on his way over,” Vaughn said, locking the door behind her then leading her up the stairs of his split-level ranch.
“What’s Jaime got to do with this?” Daisy asked warily. “You can’t get the FBI involved. I—”
“I’m not getting the FBI involved. I’m using my FBI connections to find a safe place for you while we let the professionals investigate.”
“And by professionals you mean you.”
“I mean anyone and everyone I can get on this case. With our connection, I’m not legally allowed to be part of the official investigation.”
Which meant he’d launch his own unofficial one. No matter how by-the-book Vaughn was, he’d always break rules for his loved ones.
Nat came out of the kitchen as they crested the stairs. She pulled Daisy into a hard hug. “How are you?” she asked, brown eyes full of compassion.
Daisy had no questions about how Vaughn had fallen for Natalie, but she did have some questions about the reverse.
“Unscathed.”
Natalie pursed her lips. “Physically. Which wasn’t all I meant.” She eyed her husband. “Coopers,” she muttered with some disgust, though Daisy knew—for as little time as she managed to spend with her family here due to her crazy touring schedule—Nat spoke with love.
The doorbell rang, Nora fussed and Nat and Vaughn exchanged the baby and words with the choreographed practice of marriage. It caused a multitude of pangs in Daisy.
Her divorce had started the press’s character assassination—thanks to Jordan’s team, who were desperate to keep his star on the rise.
Then the stalking had started, and everything had become a numb kind of blank.
But she could still remember marrying Jordan with the hope she’d have something like Nat and Vaughn had. That had been a joke.
“Sit down. You want to hold Nora for me? I’ve got to go check on Miranda.” Nat was maneuvering her onto the couch, placing tiny Nora into her arms and hurrying off to check on their other daughter as Vaughn and his brother-in-law ascended the stairs.
“Ah, the cavalry,” Daisy said with a wry twist of her lips.
“Good to see you again, Daisy,” Jaime Alessandro greeted. An FBI agent, married to Natalie’s sister, Daisy had met him on a few occasions. He was more personable than Vaughn, but the whole FBI thing made Daisy uneasy.
“Let’s get straight to it, then,” Vaughn said, taking a seat next to Daisy on the couch. Jaime settled himself on an armchair across from them.
“I’m sure you know how concerned Vaughn’s been even before the murder.”
Daisy eyed her brother. “No. You don’t say.”
Jaime smiled. Vaughn didn’t.
“We’ve been looking into some options, along with the investigation. As long as the stalker continues to evade police, the prime goal is keeping you safe. To that end, I have an idea.”
“That sounds ominous coming from an FBI agent.”
“How do you feel about Wyoming?”
“Cold,” Daisy replied dryly.
“I have a friend I was in Quantico with. He has a security business. I talked to him about your situation and he came up with a plan. It involves isolating you.”
“I was isolated before. The cabin—”
“Is isolated, but not completely off the grid,” Vaughn said of their old family cabin that had been vandalized during her last hiding stint. “It was traceable, and you’ve been easy to follow. We’re going to take extra precautions to make sure you aren’t followed to Wyoming.”
Daisy wanted to close her eyes, but she shifted Nora in her arms and looked down at the baby instead. “So you want me to secretly jet off to Wyoming and then what?”
“And then you’re safe while we find this guy. This is murder now. Things are escalating, which means everyone else’s investigation is going to escalate.”
“We can have you there by tomorrow afternoon,” Jaime said. “They’ll be ready for you.”
Part of her wanted to argue, but Tom’s lifeless body flashed into her mind. She didn’t want to die. Not like that. And more, so much more, she didn’t want Vaughn or his precious family in the crosshairs.
“Just tell me what I need to do.”
* * *
ZACH SIMMONS SURVEYED the town. It looked like every picture of a ghost town he’d ever seen. Empty, windowless buildings. Dusty dirt road that would have once been a bustling Main Street. You could feel the history, and the utter emptiness.
It was perfect.
He grinned over at his soon-to-be brother-in-law and business partner. “Still worried about the investment?”
Cam Delaney eyed him. “Hell yes, I’m still worried.” He scanned the dilapidated buildings and the way the mountains jutted out in the distance, like sentries, in Zach’s mind. This would be a place of protection. Of safety.
“This job’s a big one for your first.”
Zach nodded. He was under no illusions this wasn’t a giant challenge. Tricky and messy and complicated. He couldn’t explain to Cam, or anyone really, how thrilling it was to be out of the confines of the FBI’s rules and regulations. He wouldn’t take his time back as an agent for anything, but it had been stifling in the end.
So stifling he’d ended up getting himself kicked out.
This was better. Even if the first job was with some spoiled country singer star who’d gotten herself in a mess of trouble. Probably her own doing. But she was in trouble, and Zach and Cam’s security company was
