Page 64 of Special Agent Murphy

Chapter Thirty-nine

The drive home couldn’t be over fast enough for Murphy. He itched to get his hands on the warm and willing woman next to him, and the wait was killing him.

Sitting quietly, she continued to smile when she felt his eyes on her. And since he couldn’t seem to take them off her, she smiled often.

Finally, shyly, she asked the question, “Did you learn anything new?”

“Nothing we hadn’t already figured out. The men didn’t know Draper by that name. They called him Serge, which we know was one of his alias’s. They couldn’t tell me who the other guy was who forced Misti into the car. They only knew two of the fellows that were backing him up the night of the kidnapping. The ones you put in the hospital. And we already have everything they had to share. The stragglers in the battle were most likely just at the place and thought they’d join the fun after the fight started. We have no idea who they are, probably random bikers.”

“So, we got next to nothing.”

“Right. Seems Draper paid the first two who tried to stop you from following Gina and Misti two hundred cash each. His explanation for needing muscle was to rescue his sister from an abusive boyfriend and his family. Then he basically promised them they’d be getting paid for nothing since he didn’t believe they knew about Cooper’s.”

“And they thought I was family.”

“Guess so.”

“So… it meant nothing to them when Misti put up a fight.”

“No one really saw that. Remember, Gina led Misti out of the place. As you admitted, she argued about leaving Ryan but only put up a real fight outside. The reason they tried to stop you was because Draper gave them the sign to hold you off so they could leave.”

“Ah! Now it makes a sick kind of sense.”

“Yeah, those guys were decent men in their own way. Not one of them would have played along if they’d have known that the kidnapping of a sixteen-year-old was Draper’s ultimate goal.”

They pulled into Murphy’s driveway, and with a spurt of glee, he noticed the house was dark. Which meant that Talin had stayed in the hospital with his old man. When they’d talked earlier, the kid mentioned the nurses had set up a cot.

But Murphy didn’t know what Talin would choose to do. Lately, he’d been losing his cool. Hate had started to replace tolerance for his dad. Murphy had seen it and knew the kid had a right to these feelings. He just didn’t know how to offset them with positive comments, since there hadn’t been anything encouraging to say.

Tonight, he’d sensed a show of pride in Talin’s reaction to what Rob had pulled. A sprout of optimism took root. He hoped this time Rob would let him help. Watching a good man hit bottom wasn’t easy.

He left the SUV and made his way over to Kayti and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The dark cold seeped into his jacket, and he felt her shivering too. “As the Joker used to say, it’s colder than a witch’s tit tonight.”

Kayti’s soft laugh warmed him. “The Joker?”

“My nickname for Dad.”

“I wished I’d met him.”

“You’d have had his approval. Considering he didn’t like pushy women; he’d have loved you and your hidden talents.”

“You mean my driving skills?”

“Surely you jest.”

“My name isn’t Surely, and yeah, I’m just messin’ with you.”

“See – now that’s the wicked sense of humor he liked.”

She stopped laughing and looked up at the sky. “I bet it snows again. I can smell it.”

He snuggled her closer and replied, “It’s not long till the big day. It wouldn’t be the first time we have a white Christmas.”

“I love Christmas.”

“You would.” The teasing sneer in his voice made her look at him. She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.

“No doubt, you don’t.”

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