Laura Scott - Shielding His Christmas Witness

“I guess, but I can’t see him doing something like that.” Although simply talking about what Vince was capable of ruined her appetite. She dropped her half-eaten piece of toast back into the container. “What exactly are you suggesting? That Vince used me to case the bank? That he actually went out to every city where his buddies targeted a bank for the sole purpose of getting one of the tellers to fall in love with him? To propose marriage? That doesn’t even make sense.” She huffed out a breath. “I’m telling you, the timing is off. He left me days before the first bank was robbed. And from there it was almost another two weeks before my bank was robbed.”

“True.” Marc took a thoughtful sip of his coffee. “How long were the two of you together?”

“Four months,” she murmured. “Don’t even say it. I know that’s not enough time to get to know a person, but we met at a corner café and he seemed nice, normal, courteous...” Her voice trailed off. Saying the words out loud made her feel like a fool. “I honestly never thought he’d up and disappear along with all the money in our joint account.”

“How old is he?”

She grimaced. “Twenty-eight, two years older than me.”

“Where did he grow up?”

What was with the twenty questions? “Here in the area—why does it matter? He’s gone. His phone has been disconnected, so I don’t have a way of contacting him, even if I wanted to.”

Marc eyed her over the rim of his cup. “Would it surprise you to know there isn’t a Vince Ackerman aged twenty-eight who grew up in the Milwaukee area?”

She stared at him in shock. “How do you know?”

“I did a background check. The only Vince Ackerman in the area is forty-one years old.”

That didn’t seem possible. Vince might have lied about his age, but no way was he forty-one.

If he hadn’t lied about his age, then he must have lied about his name. Or his background. Nausea swirled in her stomach. Just when she’d thought things couldn’t get any worse. No doubt the man she’d naively trusted had lied about everything. Including his feelings toward her.

“I’m sorry,” Marc said, reaching out to cover her hand with his. “I’m sure this isn’t easy to hear.”

Yeah and wasn’t that the biggest understatement of the year? The gentleness of his hand was reassuring and when he let her go, she missed his warmth. “No, it’s not. But none of this means Vince was involved in the bank robbery. Why take all the money out of our joint account if that was part of his plan?”

“Why not? Easy money,” Marc said with a shrug.

She swallowed hard, rubbing a hand over her belly in an effort to soothe herself as much as her baby. Stress wasn’t good for either of them. Whether Vince was involved in the bank robbery or not didn’t matter. She’d already decided to move on with her life.

Once Terrance Jamison was convicted of robbing her at gunpoint and killing the bystander, he’d probably give up the rest of his cohorts in crime in order to get a lighter sentence.

At least, that was the plan.

So why did she feel as if the threads holding everything together were beginning to unravel?

And that Agent Callahan was the only one with the ability to keep it together?

* * *

Marc watched the myriad of expressions cross Kari’s face, trying to squash a flash of empathy.

He knew, only too well, what if felt like to be betrayed by someone you loved.

Rising to his feet, he stacked their empty breakfast containers and tossed them in the garbage. When he heard the phone ringing from inside his room, he quickly unlocked the connecting door and rushed over to answer it.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” Miles said. “I’m sitting outside the lobby of the motel. What room number are you in?”

“Eight—it’s connected to number seven. You have the phones?”

“And extra cash,” Miles replied. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

It was actually less than that when he heard a sharp rap on his door. Marc opened the door and stepped back, allowing Miles to come in and giving him a brotherly slap on the back.

Miles handed him the bag containing the phones. Marc opened them up and began the tedious process of activating and charging them. They were decent smartphones, with the usual bells and whistles, for which he was grateful.

“Where’s your witness?” Miles asked, gesturing toward the open doorway between their rooms. “Is she pretty?”

Marc stifled a sigh. “We’re not in high school anymore,” he answered drily. “She’s a witness, not a potential date.”

Miles flashed a knowing grin. “Hey, no reason she can’t be both, right?”

Marc shook his head, annoyed by his brother’s antics. Girls had generally flocked to Miles instead of him, probably because Marc had always been über-responsible, even back then.

“I’m surprised she didn’t come over to meet me,” Miles continued.

“She twisted her ankle pretty bad,” Marc said. He finished activating the phones then plugged them in, scowling when Miles crossed over to Kari’s room.

“Hi, I’m Miles Callahan,” he heard his brother say. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Kari Danville,” she answered in a bemused tone. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Marc had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from lashing out at his brother. So what if Miles was flirting with Kari? It wasn’t as if Marc was interested in a personal relationship.

Considering her pregnancy and past history with her ex-fiancé, he doubted she was, either.

“Marc didn’t tell me how pretty you are,” Miles said with a wink.

“Then we’re even, since Marc neglected to tell me how much of a flirt you are.”

“I’m not,” Miles protested, putting his hand on his chest in protest.

Yeah, he was. Marc hid a smile as he joined them. “Miles was just leaving, weren’t you?”

His brother cocked an eyebrow in his direction. “Uh, yeah, sure.” Miles grinned. “Do you want me to tell Mom you’ll be there for brunch on Sunday? Or do you think the trial will keep you away?”

Marc narrowed his gaze, giving Miles a warning glare. Since their father’s murder six months ago, they always tried to get together for church service followed by Sunday brunch. Maybe he hadn’t felt God’s presence at church, but he always attended anyway. Their mother and Nan expected it. “Not sure, but either way, I’ll let Mom know my plans. Thanks again for your help.”

“Suit yourself.” Miles threw one last smile over his shoulder at Kari. “Nice to meet you, Kari. Hope I see you again sometime soon.”

Kari didn’t look too impressed. “I doubt it but it’s been nice to meet you, too.”

“Ouch,” Miles muttered, joining Marc in his room. “Shot down in a ball of flames.”

Marc wasn’t about to waste an ounce of pity for his brother. “Your ego will survive. Take down my new number, in case I need some more help.”

Miles jotted down the information, then slipped the scrap of paper into his pocket. “You know, it’s been two years since Jess died. It’s okay to start dating again.”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” Marc countered, having no intention to discuss his personal life, or lack thereof, with anyone. Even his closest brother. “I’ll be in touch, okay?”

“Sure thing.” Miles opened the door and stepped outside, tossing one more parting shot over his shoulder. “Kari’s pretty. I like her.”

I like her, too. But of course, he didn’t say anything of the sort. Instead he closed the door behind his brother and dragged a hand through his hair.

He knew better than to let Miles get to him. At some point in the last few months, each of his siblings had attempted to play matchmaker.