Tara Quinn - Mother by Fate

It came down to that sometimes. Most particularly with Lila. She made decisions that affected the entire Lemonade Stand complex, including the two blocks of small businesses the Stand owned and ran. She had to think about all of the women they currently served, had served and would serve in the future. She couldn’t put all of them at risk to save one.

“Someone in the LAPD put a bounty hunter on her,” Sara said now, still watching Michael. He didn’t wave again, but he was watching her, too. Sitting back laconically, his elbows on the arms of the chair, his fingers steepled at his mouth, he wasn’t going anywhere.

And she had to wonder why.

What more did he want from her?

Unless he thought she still had contact with Nicole. Which made her of use to him.

She needed him to think she was of use to him for her plan to work.

“It’s probably from the dismissed warrant.”

“That’s what I thought, too, at first. I asked him the last time he verified his paperwork. It was this afternoon. He was in touch with that Miller cop...”

“The one Nicole said was dirty and working with the Ivory Nation.” The nationally known white-supremacist organization that had named Trevor Kramer president of the California coalition.

“I know Sanchez’s report says that Kramer claims he left all of that behind, but it’s clear he didn’t. It’s also clear to me that this Miller guy is as crooked as Nicole feared he was. He probably issued a second warrant today. You know how Nicole said that anytime she acted contrary to Trevor’s wishes, another warrant was issued.” Anytime Nicole tried to get away from Kramer, or stand up to him, Miller would show up at the door with another warrant for her arrest. The charges were always dropped, but there was a record of them. They were taking away her freedom one doubt at a time.

“I agree. There’s obviously a new warrant.”

“But until the LAPD has a chance to follow up on everything Nicole gave them, he’s free to brutalize her.”

“She should have gone into protective custody like they wanted her to.”

“And risk never seeing her son again? Would you do that?”

The question was superfluous—Lila didn’t have a son. Or any children that Sara knew of. “No, I wouldn’t.”

“I don’t know what this bounty hunter guy thinks I can do for him, but I want to offer to go with him, to help him hunt for Nicole. I’ll tell him that once he finds her, I’ll go in and bring her out. She trusts me.”

“I don’t like it.”

“This guy’s determined, Lila. He’s going to find her. And when he does, she’s as good as dead.”

“Do you think he’s one of them?”

“I don’t know. It’s possible.”

“What’s your gut instinct?”

“I think he’s doing his job and might be caught up in their game. But I’m not clear either way.”

“I don’t like it. You’re usually clear.”

“I know. But this has been one hell of a weird day.” And Lila only knew half of it. “Whether he’s with them or not, my instincts tell me that he won’t hurt me, Lila. And I don’t want this guy finding Nicole without someone on the team there to help her,” she said. “He thinks he can convince me that Nicole’s not what we think she is. I’m going to go along with that.”

“He obviously thinks you can help or he wouldn’t be there.”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t like it,” Lila said again.

“She needs this, Lila. She deserves it.”

“I know.”

“It doesn’t put the Stand at risk.”

“It puts you at risk, and you are a huge part of the Stand.”

“There are other counselors who would be equally as good at coaching victims.”

“You’re part of our family.”

“I have to do this, Lila.” There, she’d said it. “There’s something about Nicole. I...need to do this.”

“I think I knew that.”

“So you’ll give me whatever support you can?”

“I’ll do more than that. I’m alerting the team and I’ll make sure that wherever you are, Sanchez or someone from his department will be right behind you.”

“Thank you.”

Lila took a couple more seconds to issue severe warnings. To extract promises that they both knew Sara might not be able to keep.

And then Sara hung up.

She was sure-footed as she crossed the cool decking on her way back to Michael Edison. She was doing the right thing. The only thing.

Her biggest doubt was the little extra spring she felt in her step at the prospect of having a few more hours with the handsome bounty hunter.

It made no sense. She’d been married to a liar once. It wasn’t a road she was going to travel again.

Ever.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE WOMAN WALKED with assurance, her shoulders straight and her head held high. She took her seat across from him at the round glass-topped table.

“Sorry about that,” she said.

“No problem.” He didn’t need an apology. He wanted an explanation.

She wasn’t offering one. Her gaze met his and Michael knew he’d met his match.

“Did you take care of whatever it was?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

It was late. But the air was nice. Balmy. If they listened carefully they might just hear the ocean on the other side of the security wall surrounding the complex.

“Why are you still here?” He liked that she was direct.

“Because I need to know anything you know that can help me find Nicole Kramer. I need to know what she told you.”

“If I knew a Nicole Kramer, I couldn’t tell you anything even if I wanted to.” She repeated what she’d told him earlier, and added, “I’m legally bound by HIPAA laws. And by client-counselor privilege.”

He’d obviously failed to convince her of the seriousness of the situation.

Leaning forward, one arm on the table, he said, “It would be just like Nicole to use a women’s shelter as a hideout. And if she’s doing so, every woman in your care is at risk.”

She assessed him silently.

He made certain that he stood up to the test. His gaze didn’t waver.

“The longer she’s out there, the more chance there is that someone’s going to get hurt,” he said, trying to find even a little of the connection they’d had earlier. He’d been there under false pretenses, but some of those feelings had been real. Her interest had been obvious, and his actions hadn’t been all calculated. All lies.

“You’ve seen her rap sheet?” Sara met him gaze for gaze.

“Yes.”

“You’ve read it yourself?”

“Yes.”

“This isn’t just something you heard about from someone else? A cop, maybe?”

“No.”

She studied him some more. And he wondered if she put her clients under the same microscope.

He wasn’t sure how well that tactic worked with abused women, but was pretty certain her skills would be a huge asset in law enforcement.

“Look, I realize you have no reason to trust me at this point. But I’m asking you to do so anyway. I’ve shown you my credentials. I’m not out to hurt Nicole. Only to get her off the streets until our justice system determines it’s safe for her to be there. I’m after her because she’s a threat to innocent people... And I came clean before allowing you to engage in a personal partnering based on lies.”

Her nod allowed him the first moment of satisfaction he’d had since he’d refused to allow their kiss to turn into something more.

Next to keeping his family safe, he’d wanted that in the worst way.

“So you’ll tell me what you know?”

“I’ll help you on one condition.”

His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t going to like this. Her tone of voice told him so. “What’s that?”

“I come with you.”