Vow to Protect by Ann Voss Peterson

Author:Ann Voss Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2006-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

CORD LEANED against the wall in his spot next to the elevator and eyed the security panel. Hours had passed since his call to McCaskey. Hours since the SWAT team must have checked out Meredith Unger’s house. So where was McCaskey?

Cord needed something to think about. Something besides the fact that Ethan wished Cord was his father. Something besides his need to touch Melanie again. Something besides his idea of sending them far away.

When he’d gotten out of prison, he swore to himself he’d never talk to Mel again. That he’d never intrude on her life. She’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. He figured the least he could do was respect that. But now that Kane had forced the two of them together, now that he knew about his son, the thought of never seeing them again felt like a prison of its own.

The bleat of his cell phone made him jump. He flipped it open and held it to his ear. “Yeah?”

“I’m in the parking lot.” McCaskey’s voice sounded muffled, strange, despite being so close.

“I’ll be down to let you in.” Cord disconnected the call and snapped the phone shut. He walked into the area that would eventually become the condo’s kitchen and dining room and peered through a bay window at the parking lot below.

Streetlights filtered through maple leaves, casting spotty illumination on a dark-colored sedan. Outside the car stood Reed McCaskey.

As far as Cord could tell, he was alone. But although the distance and darkness prevented him from seeing the expression on the detective’s face, Cord got the impression through his rigid posture and movements that something had happened.

And he could bet it was nothing nice.

He turned away from the window and made his way back to the elevator. Stopping at the door, he punched a code into the security panel. The screen flickered to life. The lobby below was empty. The door leading outside locked. Everything seemed as it should be.

Then why the prickle at the back of his neck?

He massaged the sensation away. It had to be the tension that seemed to emanate from McCaskey. Or the strange quality of his voice. Or even Cord’s own damn imagination.

He removed the pistol from its holster. There might not be reason to worry, but he wasn’t going to take a chance.

“Is he here?” Melanie’s voice echoed through the barren hall behind him.

He turned around. “Is Ethan okay?”

She nodded. “I guess I can’t be too surprised he was curious about the gun. I mean, all boys are fascinated by guns, right?”

He sure had been. But he doubted Mel would want to hear that right now. “That’s what I hear.”

She pressed her lips into a slight smile and nodded. “How about Reed? I thought I heard your phone ring.”

“I’m going down to let him in.” He turned back to the security panel and punched in the code to unlock the elevator.

A low hum rose from the shaft and stopped on their floor. The elevator door slid open.

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