Grave Christmas Secrets, page 20
“Once this is finished, Patrice deserves a proper burial with full honors,” Keegan said. “I want her name officially cleared and her reputation restored.”
Hawk nodded. “I’ll do my best. But we’re taking the word of a known drug user. If Gunner Folze’s testimony corroborates Wanda’s, it’ll add credence, but we’ll still need hard evidence.”
“I have a feeling Folze will gladly do anything to help reduce his sentence,” Taya said. “The man is as wishy-washy as a wet noodle and in the meantime—” she gestured toward the table “—Patrice will tell us everything we need.”
Hawk nodded. “Dr. McGill, your reputation precedes you. I have full confidence your findings will be the catalyst to ensure justice for Agent Nunes.” He turned to Keegan. “Selfishly speaking, I hate to lose you, but HQ will be elated. I’m sure the Missouri promotion is right around the corner.”
Keegan cleared his throat. “Actually, Hawk, that’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Taya jerked to look at him and her smile faded. She busied herself with the evidence envelopes. “I’ll start working on these,” she said, excusing herself and hurried to her office.
Wesley grinned wide and mouthed, Omaha, before walking out.
Hawk focused on Keegan. “What was that all about?”
This was it. “I’m passing on the promotion.”
Hawk glanced to where Taya had disappeared into her office. “Stryker, you need to reconsider. I’ve always encouraged my team to better themselves and move up the ladder. Why would you want to miss out on the chance of a lifetime?”
Keegan shrugged. “Something else will come along.” No. Someone else had already come along, and he wasn’t about to let her go. Even if there was no guarantee she felt the same way.
“Wesley mentioned the option of an Omaha lateral position?” Hawk sighed.
“He did.”
“Remind me to have a talk with him about recruiting my people,” Hawk grumbled with a good-natured grin. “I hate to lose you. You’re heads above the rest as far as I’m concerned. But I understand. Taya seems like a great lady.”
“Hawk, let’s go take care of cleanup,” Wesley called from the doorway.
Hawk slapped Keegan on the shoulder. The two SACs were the last to leave the room, and Keegan waited until the glass doors closed before walking to Taya’s office.
He paused at the entrance until she looked up. “Everyone’s finally gone. So, Dr. McGill, we have a few things to address. May I come in?”
A shimmer in her eyes drove an edge of confusion through him. She blinked back the tears and her confident air returned. “Has your team completed their procedures?”
“I’m sure they’re close to finished.” He dropped onto the chair opposite her desk.
She steepled her fingers. “I’d like to begin compiling the evidence as soon as possible. We should have results within a few days.”
“Excellent.” He tilted his head. Why the sudden cold shoulder and icy professionalism?
“When will you return to Missouri?”
So that was what was wrong. She figured he was leaving. “I’m not sure. It’ll depend on a few things.”
Taya’s eyebrows peaked. “I see. You told your boss about the kiss?”
“Of course not.”
She glanced down, shuffling papers on the desk. “Oh. Well, good. There’s no need to mention it. I certainly won’t say anything. It doesn’t behoove either of us and taints our professional statuses.”
And now he was thoroughly confused. “I’m sorry, but you’ve totally lost me.”
“I overheard you and Wesley talking on the way back from Lincoln.”
He swallowed. He’d underestimated her eavesdropping skills in the motor home. How much had she heard? “Okay.”
“Keegan, I’d never jeopardize your career.” Her eyes seemed to search him. “The kiss was a onetime thing. Nothing worth losing your job over.”
He held up a hand. “Whoa. Say what? Why would I lose my job?”
Taya looked down. “Wesley said the other agent had to move away because she became romantically involved with her charge.”
Keegan chuckled. “Dr. McGill, I’m afraid your hypothesizing has speared off in the wrong direction.”
“I beg your pardon?” She narrowed her gaze.
He sat back and placed an ankle over his opposite knee. “The agent Wesley mentioned, Randee Jareau, moved because she was promoted to the Denver office. She wasn’t fired for falling in love.”
Taya blinked. “She wasn’t?”
“No.” Keegan stood and rounded the desk, sitting on the surface. He took Taya’s hands into his.
“So, it’s okay that we kissed?”
He leaned in closer. “Absolutely. Unless you feel otherwise?”
Her dark eyelashes fluttered low, and a blush crept across her cheeks. “I never said that. But what about your job? You have to return to Missouri.”
“Actually, I don’t. Wesley offered me a lateral position to stay and work for him in the Omaha office.”
She bit her lower lip, drawing his attention there. “You’d turn down the promotion and move to Nebraska?”
“Yes. To be near you.”
“Why would you do that?”
Heart thundering in his chest, he plunged on. Better to find out now if she wasn’t interested. Not that he’d give up. It just meant figuring out how hard he’d have to work to win her affections. “I’m fully aware of how ludicrous this might sound to you. We’ve spent all our time running from criminals. Let me get this out before I lose my nerve.”
“Okay.” She tilted her head.
“Remember when we talked about fears?”
She nodded.
“My fear is relationships. They scare me more than clowns and horror films.”
“A fear of relationships can be attributed to several other phobias. Though it might depend on the specific kind. For instance, the fear of clowns in general is called coulrophobia—”
“Taya!”
She bit her lip and focused on him.
“Let’s try this again. Losing Patrice and being with you, all of it has made me see what I want more than my job. Or a promotion. Those things are great now, but someday it’ll just be me. And that’s not appealing.”
Taya didn’t respond.
Man, she made this tough. “I’m falling for you. Hard. Like roller-coaster loop-de-loop hard. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to explore our relationship.”
She blinked and for a moment he worried she’d run screaming from the office. Except he still held her hands.
“Did you hear me?”
“You want to date me?”
“Sort of. I don’t believe in dating as a hobby. If we’re seeing each other, it’s aiming toward something real. A future together.”
“You can’t give up your dreams for someone like me,” she squeaked, lips quivering.
Keegan leaned closer. “What?”
Taya averted her gaze and withdrew from his touch. “Keegan, you’re amazing. And kind. And gorgeous. We’re in different leagues.”
“Hey, look at me.”
She didn’t move, and he gently placed a finger under her chin, lifting her head to face him. “You’re the most beautiful, brilliant, exciting woman I’ve ever met. I’m not giving up anything. If you’ll have me, I’ll be gaining everything I’ve ever wanted. In you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.” He helped her to stand and pulled her closer. “I realize your disdain for LEOs, but maybe you’d make an exception. Just this once?”
She chuckled. “I may have had a change of heart in that regard.”
“I don’t mean to question your judgment, and for the record, I’m in favor of such a decision, but what changed your mind?”
“You’ve chipped at my unreasonableness. But when Chelsea held me hostage, it hit me. You asked if I trusted you and I didn’t have to think about it. I knew. I trust you with all my heart. I’d even be willing to walk away from all of this.” She gestured wide.
He slid his hands to her waist, and she reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his neck.
She combed her fingers through his hair, sending shivers down his spine, drinking him in with her eyes. Apprehension and tenderness danced in her blue irises.
“I love you, Taya McGill.” He watched, praying she didn’t pull away.
She leaned closer. “I love you, too.”
“I have the best Christmas gift ever.”
She melted against him, and Keegan swept his lips over hers, tender, questioning. Extending the challenge.
She deepened the kiss. Challenge accepted.
EPILOGUE
One week before Christmas, a year later
Taya lifted the string of blue tree lights and hummed along to the familiar carol playing softly from the speaker. She relished the sight of her handsome husband decked out in his favorite yellow hoodie and jeans, squatting beside the ridiculous amount of decorations.
“Most people don’t get married, move cross-country and decorate for Christmas all in their honeymoon period,” she said, untangling the mass.
“Ah, but we’re way more adventurous than the average newlyweds,” Keegan contended with a teasing grin.
They’d agreed the promotion to the ATF Joint Task Force in Quantico qualified as the perfect wedding gift, other than the annoying and intrusive timing.
“Are you sure you bought two sets?” Keegan asked.
She trusted the gorgeous man to take down bad guys, evade vehicle-pursuing psychos and be her protector, but locating a strand of Christmas lights appeared to be his undoing.
Taya smothered a giggle, spotting the package immediately, and contemplated how long to torture him with the search.
“I’m telling you, they’re not here,” he grumbled, digging through the mess. A snort escaped her lips and Keegan looked up. “What?”
“Under the garland by your left hand.” She released the giggle.
He glanced down, lifted the set and groaned. With feigned triumph, he exclaimed, “Aha.”
Together, they worked to set the lights on the twelve-foot artificial tree. Keegan treated the massive greenery like a mountain to be conquered with an overabundance of tinsel and ornaments.
“Perhaps we should’ve started with a smaller tree?” she asked for the tenth time.
“Pah! You’ve missed way too many Christmases so we’ve got a lot of making up to do. Besides, big trees are a Stryker family tradition. It’s our duty, on our first Christmas as a married couple, to establish a baseline for future decorating expectations.”
Taya grinned at his reasoning but didn’t argue. Truthfully, she was grateful for the enthusiasm he brought. “I’d take this any day over what we endured a year ago.”
Wanda had supervised visitations with Molly and had almost finished her court-appointed rehab. While Chelsea faced life in prison.
Keegan swept her into his arms and lowered his head. “Just so you know, I’d tackle that nightmare all over if it meant falling in love with you again.”
Taya’s knees weakened at the huskiness in his voice.
She rested her hand flat against his chest, relishing his strength. Her diamond wedding set glimmered in the light and she soaked in the thrill of being Dr. Taya Stryker. Keegan’s wife.
Her heart bubbled to overflowing with love for her husband. Her hero, champion and defender had also become her best friend and partner.
“Why do you look so serious?”
She smiled. “I was just thinking about how much I love you.”
“Well, don’t let me stop you.” He kissed her.
Taya’s cell phone rang, interrupting their kiss, and she pulled away to answer.
“This is Jackson Beaumont, director of the FBI Anthropology department. I’m calling to offer you employment as lead anthropologist.”
Taya sucked in a breath. She tried to keep her tone nonchalant. “Thank you, sir.” She disconnected and faced Keegan. “I got the job!”
Keegan whooped. “That’s outstanding! I’m so proud of you.”
The doorbell rang, pulling them apart.
“You know, if these interruptions don’t stop, we may have to go back to honeymooning in Jamaica,” Keegan threatened, peering through the peephole. “It’s my parents, I didn’t know they were coming,” he whispered.
Taya loved the Strykers. They were warm and kind, taking her into their fold from their first meeting. “We have a lifetime together. Tonight, let’s enjoy the blessing of family and maybe next year, we’ll have our own little addition to welcome.”
* * *
If you enjoyed this story, look for these other books by Sharee Stover:
Secret Past
Silent Night Suspect
Untraceable Evidence
Keep reading for an excerpt from Dangerous Deception by Evelyn M. Hill.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Taya and Keegan’s story. I had so much fun researching this book while eating kolaches.
Taya is strong and confident on the outside. Inside, she struggles with her fears. Keegan encourages her to overcome her fears with the help of God.
Is there a situation you’ve struggled to face on your own? Friend, know that God is with you always and you can trust Him to get you through.
I love hearing from readers. Let’s stay in touch! Please join my newsletter list at www.shareestover.com.
Blessings to you,
Sharee
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Dangerous Deception
by Evelyn M. Hill
ONE
The stranger was trouble. Rachel knew that the moment she saw him.
The tall man stood across the street from the café in a confident stance, his open trench coat fluttering in the breeze off the Oregon coast, hands in his trouser pockets. He paid no attention to the other residents of the tiny town of Sleepy Cove as they passed by. His gaze never wavered from his target: Rachel.
At the sight of that strange man staring at her, all her vague fears crystallized into solid reality.
“I think he’s a talent scout looking for the latest movie star,” elderly Miss Trant said. When she’d held the job of postmistress, she’d gotten to look at all the celebrity magazines first, and it definitely affected her worldview.
Mrs. Benson, who used to run the county library before she retired, eyed the man with distinct approval. “He’s handsome enough to be in the movies himself. That dark hair is a bit shaggy to my way of thinking, and he could use a shave, but there’s no denying he’s easy on the eyes. Maybe he fancies our Rachel.”
The way a hawk fancies a mouse, perhaps.
The stranger’s attention never shifted from Rachel. Those light eyes pierced straight through to her soul. Just looking at him made her pulse spike.
Rachel refilled Mrs. Benson’s cup of coffee and went back to prepping for the lunch crowd. The morning rush had ended, and the two elderly ladies were the only customers in the Blue Whale Café at the moment.
As she worked, Rachel gave herself orders, as if her hands belonged to a stranger. That was easier, somehow.
Roll up the cutlery in the napkin. Lay the bundle aside with the rest. Take another napkin and roll the cutlery up. Keep acting as if everything is all right. It’s just your imagination playing tricks on you.
Her imagination did play tricks on her. Rachel knew that. She had wrecked her car one night, on a winding road in the hills, and ended up in the hospital in Sleepy Cove to recover. That was when the nightmares had started. And the anxiety attacks. And the nagging sense that something was wrong.
If her friends discovered how unreal her life seemed at times, they would be convinced that Rachel was losing her mind. She’d be shut up in an institution. For her own good, of course, and out of love rather than malice.
Which somehow made it all the worse.
Someone nudged her hand, and Rachel reacted instinctively, jerking away from the touch and clenching her hands into fists.
Mrs. Benson drew back. “Are you all right, Rachel? I was wondering if you could get me a slice of the key lime pie, dear?”
“Of course.” Rachel forced herself to laugh off her reaction. Time to change the subject. “Mrs. Benson, aren’t you a happily married woman? You shouldn’t be ogling strange young men.”
“For forty-five years now, and that doesn’t mean my eyes aren’t working just fine.”
“I’ve never read a single scientific paper that posited a correlation between a happy marriage and its effect on eyesight.” Rachel slid the pie slice across the counter.
Corrie wandered over to the counter, pushing her thick black frame glasses back up her nose. In her soft-spoken drawl, she said, “Rachel, dear, I’m sorry to be a bother, but have you taken your medication today? You know you forgot the other day.”
The gentle nagging was so familiar it was almost comforting. Rachel gave her usual half-joking protest. “Corrie, you’re my boss, not my mother.”
“My dear, by the time you get to my age, you learn to take care of your health.”
“Oh, please.” Mrs. Benson lowered her fork, shaking her head. “You’re both children.”
Corrie poured a glass of water and watched Rachel swallow her pills. “The doctor said these are exactly what you need right now.”
Rachel had no secrets from Corrie. After the accident, Corrie had taken her in, let her stay until she was well enough to hold down a job and then found her work in the café. Still raw from the loss of her parents, Rachel had been grateful for Corrie always wanting to make sure she was all right. So she put down the empty glass and forced herself to smile at Corrie. “I know. Dr. Green said it would take time for all the issues from the car crash to clear up.”
