“I suppose you’re here to arrest me for the illegal adoption?”

“That all depends.”

“On what?” Finally, there was a slip in her resolve. Her voice cracked.

“You.” Luke came to a stop in front of the house, turned off the engine and stared at her.

“This is my babysitter’s house. What are we doing here?”

He turned towards Elaina so he could see every nuance of her reaction. He ignored how beautiful, how vulnerable she looked. “Why do you think I’m here?”

“Oh, no. I can’t let you do this. You can’t arrest me. You don’t understand – he’s my son. I’m the only mother he’s ever known.”

“Believe me, I know that.”

“I won’t let you take him from me,” she insisted.

“You have no choice.”

“Then I need to talk to his father, make him understand how much Christopher means to me.”

“You’re already talking to him. Christopher is my son.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Imagine a family tree that includes Texas cowboys, Choctaw and Cherokee Indians, a Louisiana pirate and a Scottish rebel who battled side by side with William Wallace. With ancestors like that, it’s easy to understand why Texas author and former air force captain Delores Fossen feels as if she was genetically predisposed to writing romances. Along the way to fulfilling her DNA destiny, Delores married an air force top gun who just happens to be of Viking descent. With all those romantic bases covered she doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Elaina McLemore – When someone tries to kill her, she moves with her adopted son to a small Texas town, changing her name and inventing a missing husband. Then Luke Buchanan shows up, claiming to be her long lost husband – and her baby’s father.

Special Agent Luke Buchanan – Robbed of the chance to raise his son when Elaina unknowingly participated in an illegal adoption, nothing will stop him from getting to know his child. But when an elusive criminal comes after them, Luke vows to protect his baby and the only mother his son has ever known.

Christopher – Luke’s one-year-old son. He’s too young to understand the danger. He only knows that he loves having his daddy around.

George Devereux – Once a successful businessman, now behind bars. Just how far would he go to get back at Luke for arresting him?

Carrie Saunders – Elaina’s shop assistant and friend. Carrie has been acting very odd, but she claims she has no idea who’s trying to kill Elaina and Luke.

Brenda McQueen – A newcomer to the sleepy Texas town where Elaina’s been hiding with Christopher.

Collena Drake – The troubled former cop who now devotes her life to finding illegally adopted babies.

Gary Simpson – Elaina’s potentially mentally unstable neighbour. Gary is also jealous of Luke.

Undercover Daddy

DELORES FOSSEN

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To Daphne Betterton. You’re the best.

Chapter One

Crystal Creek, Texas

“Elaina, your husband is…alive.”

The eight-by-ten piece of amber glass that Elaina Allen had been examining slipped from her hand and crashed onto her desk. It didn’t break but smashed right into a paper plate containing a half eaten slice of cherry pie. The red sugary filling spattered in every direction.

“Excuse me?” Elaina asked her assistant, Carrie. “What did you say?”

“Your husband is alive,” Carrie repeated, nodding frantically. She bobbled up and down on her tiptoes and gave an excited squeal. “He’s in Crystal Creek and on the way to the shop. He should be here any minute.”

Elaina’s heart dropped to her knees.

“There must be some mistake. Daniel’s missing in action in the Middle East,” Elaina lied. “If he’d been found, the air force would have told me.”

Carrie grinned. “Well, they obviously didn’t. A snafu maybe, or Daniel probably just wanted to surprise you. Anyway, he stopped by the gas station, and when he got ready to pay, the attendant, Jay, saw your picture in Daniel’s wallet. That’s when Jay figured out who he was. Jay said after Daniel filled up, he headed in this direction.” Carrie’s crystal blue eyes widened. “Oh, God. I blew the surprise by telling you, didn’t I?”

Elaina couldn’t answer. She could only shake her head. No. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t be.

“Are you all right?” Carrie asked. “You look like you’re about to be sick.”

There was a reason for that. Elaina knew that the comfortable, safe life she’d created was over. Her house and her stained-glass shop were as good as gone. She’d have to go on the run again.

“You’re happy about this, right?” Carrie asked. “I mean, this is what you wanted—for Daniel to come home to Christopher and you. You’re always saying how much you miss him.”

She stared at her shop assistant. They were more than employer and employee. The eternally optimistic Carrie had become her friend. Well, as much of a friend as Elaina could have considering she’d lied to Carrie from day one.

Elaina wasn’t immune to the guilt she felt about that, either. She’d never quite come to terms with the pretense.

But she had a more pressing problem.

Daniel Allen was on the way to her shop.

Because that took her to the brink of panic, Elaina almost came clean about everything to Carrie. She almost explained all the lies. And, sweet heaven, there was a mound of lies. But she stopped her near confession and tried to make some sense of all of this.

“Jay said this man had my picture in his wallet?” Elaina clarified, praying for an out.

There had to be an out.

Carrie nodded, and the concern deepened in her eyes. “But he didn’t just have your picture. When Jay asked, he told him that he was Daniel Allen.”

Then, he was lying. No doubt about it.

Because there was no Daniel Allen.

He was the biggest lie of all.

Daniel Allen was an idea that Elaina had concocted to explain why she’d moved to the sleepy Texas town of Crystal Creek. An MIA husband. A grieving heart. The desire to start a new life while keeping hope that her husband might be alive and that he might return someday.

Elaine had purposely kept the personal details sketchy, because details could be examined too closely. So, she’d had no picture of her fake husband in case someone compared his looks to her son’s. Instead, she’d told everyone that all her photos had been destroyed in a house fire.

The façade had kept some nosey questions from being asked, had given her space and privacy and it had allowed her and her baby, Christopher, to be accepted in a town where newcomers were often treated as outsiders.

That acceptance wouldn’t continue once the townsfolk had learned that she was a liar. And this man, this imposter claiming to be Daniel Allen, would expose her.

But why?

Better yet—who was this imposter, and what the heck did he want?

Unfortunately, an answer immediately came to mind. A really bad answer. He might be linked to her late fiancé—the slimy, cheating con man who’d nearly gotten Christopher and Elaina killed.

“Well, don’t just sit there,” Carrie insisted. She latched on to Elaina’s arm to lift her from the chair. “You haven’t seen Daniel in over a year. Comb your hair. Put on some makeup. You have to do something to get ready for him.”

The full impact of that hit her like a heavyweight’s fist. Elaina got to her feet somehow. She had to do something all right.

She had to get out of there.

Fast.

She’d have to pick up Christopher from the sitter and drive out of town. There probably wouldn’t be time to pack or stop for cash. She’d literally have to leave everything behind.

However, before she could even shake off Carrie’s grip, Elaina heard the cheerful jingle of the brass and crystal bells that she’d installed over the front door of her shop. It caused her pulse to pound out of control.

Because it no doubt signaled her fake husband’s arrival.

This was her own personal version of judgment day.

“Since you don’t seem too steady on your feet, I’ll bring him in here,” Carrie volunteered.

“No!” Elaina caught on to her as she turned to leave.

What remained of Carrie’s gleeful expression melted away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Elaina assured her. Yet another lie. “I just need a minute to compose myself. I thought he was dead.” Elaina didn’t have to fake an overwhelmed expression. She was sure it was there all over her overwhelmed face.

“I’ll be right there,” Carrie called out to their visitor. It was something she would have done for any ordinary customer, but this time there was excitement and anticipation in her voice.

Elaina nodded her thanks for the brief reprieve, and she went to the door that separated her office from the stained-glass shop. With Carrie right behind her, she opened the door just a fraction and peeked out.

His back was to her, and he appeared to be examining a Victorian window panel that Elaina had restored just days earlier.

Whoever he was, he was tall. Six-three at least. Not lanky, either. Solid and formidable. He wore jeans and a brown leather bomber jacket that was nearly the same color as his short, efficiently cut hair.

He turned to the side, and Elaina got a good look of him in profile. That good look was more than enough for her to realize that he was a complete stranger. If he was somehow connected to her late fiancé, Kevin, then she’d never seen him before.

That didn’t mean she was safe.

She still had to leave with Christopher and find a new hiding place. Because if this man had found her, they could find her.

Elaina blinked back the hot tears that instantly sprang into her eyes, and she silently cursed. Kevin had been dead for over a year, and he was still casting shadows over her life.

“Well?” Carrie prompted in an anxious whisper when Elaina shut the door. “Daniel’s here. Aren’t you going to run out there, jump into his arms and haul him off to bed?”

Not a chance. The only thing Elaina planned to do was avoid him. “I need you to do me a favor, Carrie. Stall him.”

Carrie shook her head. “W-hat? This is the extremely hot husband that you haven’t seen in months and months, and you want me to stall him?”

Good point. The next lie came easily. “I need some time to make myself look presentable. I don’t want him to see me with pie filling all over me and without a stitch of makeup. I’ll only be a minute.”

Carrie nodded, eventually, but judging from her bunched up forehead, she didn’t understand.

How could she?

And better yet, how would Christopher?

If she remembered the truth by then.

Her son was barely three months past his first birthday. He wouldn’t know why his mommy was dragging him away from the only home, bed and toys he’d ever known. One day, she’d have to tell him the truth.

Elaina had lived with the lies for so long that she had to wonder what exactly the truth was. Unfortunately, she might never know.

“Don’t keep Daniel waiting too long,” Carrie insisted. “And by the way—he is hot, just like I figured he’d be.” She gave Elaina a wink and then headed back into the shop.

Elaina didn’t waste a second. She locked the door behind Carrie and grabbed her purse from beneath her desk. She also took the picture of her son from the top of the filing cabinet. It was her favorite, taken on his first birthday. She stuffed it in her purse, and while she fumbled around the bottom of the shoulder bag for her car keys, she headed to the back exit that led directly to the parking lot.

She estimated that it would take her ten minutes to get to Christopher. She’d call on the way to tell Theresa, the sitter, that Christopher had an appointment with the pediatrician in nearby Luling. An appointment that had slipped her mind until the last minute. Though it would be a first for her to forget something like that, she hoped it’d be a believable lie. She didn’t have time for questions.

Elaina located her keys and threw open the exit door. She heard someone trying to get into her office. Carrie maybe. Or maybe the imposter. Elaina ignored the frantic knocks and raced out of the shop.

The winter air was a little more brisk than she’d figured, and a chilly gust temporarily robbed her of her breath. Goose bumps rifled over her arms. The cotton shirt she wore wasn’t much of a barrier. It didn’t stop her. She ducked her head against the wind and made a beeline toward her car.

“Going somewhere?” she heard someone ask.

It was a man’s voice.

Oh, mercy.

His voice, no doubt.

She didn’t freeze, though she had to fight her instincts to prevent that from happening. Instead, Elaina began to run toward her car. Even though her heart was pounding and her shoes were slapping on the concrete, she could still hear his footsteps behind her.

Elaina made it all the way to her car before she felt the beefy hand clamp around her arm. She struggled against the grip and slammed her purse into the man’s chest.

It didn’t help.

As if she weighed nothing, he caught on to her, whirled her around to face him, and he pinned her against the hood of her car.

She screamed. Or rather tried to do that, but he pressed his hand over her mouth.

No profile view of him this time. She caught the full brunt of those lethal looking granite-gray eyes. In fact, lethal described every part of him from his hard body to the expression on his face.

Because he used his body to restrain her, she had no trouble determining that he was strong. No extra body fat on this guy. She also had no trouble spotting the shoulder holster and gun that was only partially concealed beneath his leather jacket.

Still, it didn’t matter that she was outsized, out-maneuvered and outgunned. She wouldn’t give up without a fight. Especially since this man might go after Christopher. Thankfully, the Crystal Creek police station was just up the block from the shop. She’d yell for help and deal with the inevitable questions later.

First though, she had to get free.

She managed to grab on to his wrist, and she ripped his grip from her mouth. “What do you want?” she snarled.

“Elaina Allen, I presume?” He didn’t wait for her to confirm or deny it. “Let me introduce myself. I’m your long-lost husband, Captain Daniel Allen.”

Oh, there was some cockiness in that voice tinged with a hint of a Texas drawl, but there were also questions. And accusations.

She forced herself to meet him eye to eye. “You’re lying, and you know it.”

“Yeah. I guess I do know it. But the way I see it, both of us have told some big fish stories, and both of us have some explaining to do. You start first.”

Elaina was about to tell him that she owed him no such explanation and that he’d better let go of her at once or she’d scream, but then she heard Carrie. She peered over the man’s shoulder and spotted Carrie in the doorway of the exit.

Elaina cursed under her breath.

So did the man.

She met his gaze to try to figure out what he was about to do. It was entirely possible he might try to kill Carrie so there wouldn’t be any witnesses to Elaina’s own murder. If that’s what he had planned.

Elaina didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Much to her shock, the imposter lowered his head and kissed her.

Chapter Two

Luke Buchanan had to keep reminding himself that the woman he was kissing was a liar. Maybe even worse. But just the fact he had to remind himself of that riled him to the core.

Why?

Because he didn’t need a reminder that she tasted almost as good as she looked. And she did look good, far better than she had from the other end of long range surveillance equipment.

“Play along,” Luke warned her, pulling back only slightly.

His warning earned him a nasty little glare. Those ice-blue eyes tapered to slits, and he could have sworn she hissed at him. But maybe that was the brutal November wind that was assaulting them.

“Oh, good,” the skinny blond sales clerk said from behind them. “You found each other.”

Luke didn’t look back at her. He kept his gaze staked to the liar he’d just kissed.

The liar who tasted remarkably like cherry pie.

“Who are you?” the liar demanded.

“Your husband,” he lied back. “Trust me, you’ll want to go along with that for now. It’s in your best interest.”

Since his body was still against hers, he felt her go board stiff. She no doubt would have questioned him, or slugged him so she could escape, if the sales clerk hadn’t stopped right next to them.

“This is so exciting,” the clerk declared. She walked closer and grinned from ear to ear. “I’m a sucker for happy endings.”

Well, this wasn’t one of them.

Luke knew the clerk was Carrie Saunders. Age twenty-four. Born and raised in Crystal Creek. He was reasonably sure that Ms. Saunders didn’t have a clue that she was working for a woman who’d fabricated an entire life. So, in a sense Carrie Saunders was a nonplayer. Or at least she would be once Luke got away from her. He definitely didn’t want her or the local police to get suspicious, and he needed to get his wife alone so they could have a little chat.

“You wouldn’t mind if Elaina left for the day, would you?” Luke asked the other woman. He kept his tone playful and needy, as if he truly were the long-lost husband who’d returned to his loving family.

“Take as much time as you want,” Carrie insisted. She wagged her finger at Elaina. “I don’t want to see you anywhere near this shop for at least a week. Oh, and if you need someone to babysit Christopher, just give me a call.”

Luke assured her that they would, and he slid his arm around Elaina’s waist to get her moving. She had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look, and for a second, he wondered if she was going to try to run away.

“Don’t even think about it,” Luke mumbled. “You’re leaving with me.”

He took her keys from her trembling hand and practically pushed her inside her economy-size car. To keep the loving couple façade intact, he pressed a kiss on Elaina’s gaping cherry-scented mouth, gave a friendly wave to Carrie and then drove away.

But he didn’t breathe any easier now that the first part of his plan had worked. Because there were a lot of steps to this particular plan, and there were pitfalls with every one of them.

“Who are you and what do you want?” she demanded the second they were out of the parking lot.

Since this would no doubt be the beginning of many questions, Luke decided to give her the ground rules. “Here’s how things are going to work. I’ll ask the questions, and you’ll provide the truthful answers. We’ll start with why you’re living this lie.”

Her chin came up. “That’s none of your business.”

“I beg to differ.”

It wasn’t just his business.

It was his life.

“Why the lies?” he pressed.

She stayed a quiet a moment though she continued to stare at him. What she didn’t do was answer him. “Are you here because of Kevin?”

Luke figured that name would come up soon enough. “Kevin Ameson, your late fiancé. I never met the man. And that’s the only information you’re going to get until you start talking. Oh, and remember that part about being truthful. I figure that’ll be difficult for you, so try very hard.”

No more deer-in-the-headlight look. She aimed her index finger at him. “Let’s get something straight. I knew nothing about Kevin’s illegal activities. Nothing. And I’ve already paid enough for his stupidity and deception.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

She frowned and angled her body back slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That’s another question and still no answer to mine. You’re not good at following the rules, so let me clarify the information you’re going to tell me. Why all the lies? And why are you in hiding?”

“I have my reasons, and you probably know what they are as well I do.” She paused only long enough to draw breath. “I covered my tracks. I haven’t used any of the money from Kevin’s and my bank accounts or investments. And I haven’t contacted a single person that I knew in my former life. So, how in the name of heaven did you find me?”

Luke huffed. Yet another question. This was turning into an annoying interrogation, and his intimidating scowl wasn’t working.

Odd.

It usually did.

“Okay. A modification of the rules. Tit for tat, we’ll call it. I’ll give you a little info, and you’ll do the same. I found you through your glass,” he informed her.

That gave a moment of hesitation. “You what?”

“When I realized I was looking for Laina McLemore and that you’d disappeared, I started digging for clues. You were a successful stained- glass artist when you lived in San Antonio. I figured that’s the line of work you’d fall back on, so I studied your designs, and I started scouring shops and Internet sites until I finally found pieces that I could attribute to your artistic style. People always leave trails when they try to hide.” He glanced at her. “Your turn. Start answering my questions.”

“Oh, God.” But she didn’t just say it once. She strung them together and plowed her hands through the sides of her short, spiky, honey-brown hair. “Is that why you’re here? Are you one of those men, or did they send you?”

Luke had already geared up to remind her that it was her turn to provide information, but that stopped him cold. “What men?”

“The ones who followed me after Kevin was murdered.” Anger fired through her eyes. “Well, if you’re one of them, you’ve wasted your time.”

Luke ignored her outburst. “Back up—who are these men?”

“They didn’t exactly introduce themselves to me, but they did try to run me off the road.” Her voice was clipped with anger, and the words came at him like bullets. “There were two of them. Both probably in their early thirties. One had very pale blond hair, and the other had a deep scar on the left side of his face. He wore an eye patch.”

Luke wasn’t sure what to make of that. Just retelling the event seemed to shake her, but then, this was a woman who was very good at telling believable lies. Still…

“What did these guys want?” he asked.

“I don’t know. But I think it had something to do with some computer software that Kevin was modifying for someone he only ever referred to as T. Maybe those men were associated with this T, or maybe they thought I had the modifications or Kevin’s research notes. I didn’t.” She snagged his gaze. “I really don’t know anything about my late fiancé’s criminal activity, okay? But I’ve paid for it. I’ve paid dearly by losing my home, my friends and by having to recreate a life among strangers.”

Luke wasn’t unaffected by the weariness and pain he heard in her voice, but he pushed aside any sympathy he was feeling by reminding himself of what this woman had done.

She’d robbed him of his life.

“What about the illegal adoption?” he asked. Not easily. It was almost impossible to keep the emotion out of it. “Have you paid for that, too?”

She blinked and pulled in her breath. “How did you know about the adoption?”

“I know a lot about you, Laina Marie McLemore. You’re twenty-eight. Born in Bulverde, Texas. A rancher’s daughter, though both your parents are dead. I can tell you the name of your third-grade teacher and what you had for dinner last night. What I’m trying to figure out if you were the mastermind behind Arneson’s illegal ventures, or were you just along for the very lucrative ride?”

“I knew nothing about Kevin’s business dealings or the legality of the adoption.” And she was adamant about it, too.

Luke continued to push. “But you went along with it?”

“Unknowingly went along with it,” she corrected.

When she didn’t say more, he made a circular motion with his hand for her to continue.

She started with a huff. “Kevin was sterile, we wanted a baby, and he didn’t want me to use donor sperm to get pregnant. He’s the one who arranged for the adoption through an attorney in San Antonio. I didn’t know it was illegal, not until months after Kevin was murdered, when I read about the illegal adoption ring in the paper. Even then, I didn’t know that’s how Kevin had gotten Christopher.”

“But you suspected it,” he accused her.

“No, I didn’t. Not until I saw the name of the attorney who’d been arrested. By then, it was too late. I was already in hiding. I’d already established a life here in Crystal Creek. And I knew if I didn’t stay hidden, those men would come after me—”

“Ah, the men again,” he mocked. “They’re getting a lot of playtime in this fantasy world of yours. And it’s because of these men that you fled San Antonio and went into hiding.”

“Yes.” She paused. “You don’t believe me?”

“No, but that’s not important. The important thing is that after a year of digging, I found you.”

“Lucky me,” she grumbled. She turned in the seat so she was facing him. Her loose, well-worn jeans and dark red cotton shirt whispered against the vinyl seat. Her breath whispered, too. There was more weariness in it, but Luke could see her fighting it off. “Now, it’s your turn to answer some questions. Who are you and what do you want?”

“I’m Luke Buchanan.” Since the truth would no doubt speed this along, he added, “I’m a federal agent with the Department of Justice.”

She put her hand over her heart as if to steady it. “Prove it.”

The crisp demand had him doing a double take. For a weary lying woman, she certainly had a lot of resolve left. “Prove what?”

“Show me a badge or some kind of ID.”

Jeez. Why couldn’t she just confess all?

Irked, Luke reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his badge. She took it, stared it and even scraped her thumbnail over the picture. Not just once. But twice.

“It’s real,” he assured her.

She must have agreed because she thrust it back at him. What he wouldn’t tell her, yet, was that while the badge was real, this wasn’t official Justice Department business.

No.

This was as personal as personal could get.

“I suppose you’re here to arrest me for the illegal adoption?” she asked.

“That all depends.”

“On what?” Finally, there was slip in her resolve. Her voice cracked.

“You.” He came to stop in front of the house, turned off the engine and stared at her.

Probably because she hadn’t taken her eyes off him, she hadn’t realized where he’d taken her. She glanced out the window for a second before she snapped her head back in his direction. “This is my babysitter’s house. What are we doing here?”

He turned toward her so he could see every nuance of her reaction. “Why do you think I’m here?”

“Oh, no.” She began to shake her head. “I can’t let you do this. You can’t arrest me. You don’t understand— he’s my son. I’ve raised him since he was three days old. I’m the only mother he’s ever known.”

“Believe me, I know that.”

And that was the only reason he hadn’t had Laina McLemore arrested.

“I won’t let you take him from me,” she insisted.

“You have no choice.” And he was just as adamant.

“But you do.” Her bottom lip began to tremble, and she gripped the sides of his leather jacket. “You can walk away from this. You can pretend you never found me.”

Luke had thought he would be immune to a reaction like that, but he wasn’t. “I can’t do that.”

The grip she had on his jacket melted away, and she touched her fingers to her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, God. The birth parents know about Christopher, and they want him back.”

“His birth mother is dead.” Luke had to take a deep breath after saying that. And another deep breath before he could continue. “But his birth father does indeed want him back.”

Twin tears spilled down her cheeks. “Then, I need to talk to him. I need to make him understand how much Christopher means to me.”

“You’re already talking to him, and there’s nothing you can say or do to make me change my mind. Christopher is my son.”

Chapter Three

Elaina’s breath vanished. And her heart. God, her heart. It was pounding so fast and hard that she thought her ribs might crack.

This was her nightmare come true. Well, one of them anyway. The only thing worse than this would be another attack from those men. But this was an attack of a different kind.

Luke Buchanan was Christopher’s birth father.

Or was he?

On the surface it seemed stupid to challenge him, but she was desperate. “Why should I believe you?” she asked. “Show me some proof that he’s your son.”

She figured that might buy her some time. It didn’t. As if he’d anticipated the question, he calmly reached inside his leather jacket and produced a manila envelope. Elaina also noticed the gun tucked in a leather shoulder holster. It looked as authentic and official as his badge. Luke Buchanan seemed to be the real deal.

“Let me start with how I found out that you had my son. A woman named Collena Drake, a former cop, has been digging through the hundreds of files left by the criminals who orchestrated the adoptions, among other things. She got in touch with me and was able to tell me the names of the couple who’d illegally adopted Christopher.”

“Collena Drake could have been wrong,” Elaina offered. “And the records could have been wrong, too. After all, the people who put them together were criminals. You just said so yourself.”

He ignored her, opened the envelope and extracted a picture. “That’s Taylor, my late wife.”

Elaina took the photo from him, dreading what she might see. It was the picture of a couple on their wedding day. The bride, dressed in white, was a beautiful brunette. The groom, Luke Buchanan, wore a tux.

“That’s still not proof,” Elaina insisted.

Luke Buchanan’s calm demeanor remained in place. From the envelope, he produced a marriage license. He placed it on the seat between them. Elaina was about to repeat her doubt, but the next document kept her quiet.

It was a lab slip indicating a positive pregnancy test.

The date on the slip was eight months prior to Christopher’s birth.

“In addition to the lab results, this is a report that details how I learned about what happened to Taylor and our baby.” He plopped the stapled pages onto the stack. “There’s an eyewitness account of Taylor arriving at the Brighton Birthing Center just outside San Antonio. She was in labor. The eyewitness helped her into the E.R. section of the building and then left. All of this happened August eleventh of last year.”

That information hit her hard. Because August eleventh was Christopher’s birthday. And his place of birth was indeed the Brighton Birthing Center. Still, Elaina wasn’t going to accept this blindly.

“Eyewitness accounts can be falsified,” she countered.

“Not this one. It came from the cab driver who took Taylor from our house to the birthing center. He has absolutely no reason to lie.”

She swallowed hard. “Maybe not, but that still doesn’t prove Christopher is your son. There were probably dozens of babies born that day.”

“Three.” He paused a heartbeat and snagged her gaze. “But only one boy. Seven pounds, four ounces. Twenty-one inches long. Sound familiar?”

Oh, mercy. It did.

Elaina felt the tears burn hot in her eyes, and she didn’t even try to fight them back.

“Take a good look at that photo,” he said, fishing out the wedding picture from the pile. “You’ll see that Taylor and I are Christopher’s birth parents.”

Though it was nearly impossible to see clearly through the thick tears, Elaina did study the photo he handed her. Luke and Taylor Buchanan were both brunettes. As was Christopher. And though she hadn’t made the connection when she first met Agent Buchanan, she could see it now.

Christopher had his eyes.

Except on her son, the color seemed softer. Kinder. Rainy-cloud-gray, she’d whimsically called them. It was ironic to see those same eyes on this man who could destroy her.

And there was no doubt about it—losing Christopher would destroy her.

That’s why Elaina didn’t give up. She couldn’t. He’d made a good case, but other than the similar eyes, he certainly hadn’t proven anything.

“Why did your wife have to take a taxi to the Brighton Birthing Center?” she asked. “Where were you during all of this?”

“I was on a deep-cover assignment trying to stop a terrorist attack.” A muscle flickered in his jaw. “Taylor and I were having problems, and we’d gotten a legal separation right before I left. I didn’t know she was pregnant until after I returned. Then, I learned she’d died of complications from a C-section. I also learned that the baby, our son, had been adopted, but the records had supposedly been destroyed. The records didn’t surface until the police busted the illegal operation and Collena Drake decided to devote all her time to locating the missing kids. That’s why it took me this long to find you.”

Each word added dead weight to her heart. Because this was unfortunately all starting to make sense.

“I found you eight days ago,” he continued. The calm façade seemed to slip a little. There was a touch of hot, raw emotion in his voice. “And I put you under surveillance.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t know.”

“Of course, you didn’t. I do a lot of surveillance in my job, and I’m very good at it.”

No doubt. It riled her that someone had been able to intrude into her life without her even realizing it. That gave her the resolve she’d been searching for. “So, you watched me and decided to step into my fake life and pretend you’re my husband?”

He nodded. “You made it easy for me to do that. I had a fellow agent ask around town. He pretended to be interested in having some church windows repaired. And he learned there were no photos of your fake spouse. No specific physical accounts or descriptions. No one around here seemed to know what Daniel Allen looks like.”

“I didn’t want anyone comparing the photo to Christopher. Since he doesn’t look like me, I just told people that he took after his father.” Elaina paused and tried to fight off the dark reality she felt closing in around her. “And maybe he does.”

“Maybe? You still have doubts after everything I’ve shown you?”

“I have to have doubts.” She slapped her hand on the documents he’d shown her. “Doubts are the only thing that prevents me from screaming and running inside to hide my son from you. Besides, you have no DNA proof—”

“I do have proof. I got back the results about two hours ago. That’s why I’m here.”

There was no way Elaina could have braced herself for the final paper that he took from the envelope. She shook her head when he tried to hand it to her, but he finally dropped it onto her lap.

She had no choice. Even though she didn’t want to look at it, her eyes refused to cooperate. It was indeed a DNA test, and it identified Luke Buchanan as the father of one Christopher Allen.

That put another fracture in her heart.

“This can’t be accurate,” she challenged. “You don’t have Christopher’s DNA so you had nothing to make the comparison.”

But his expression said differently. “After I found you, I took a pacifier that Christopher had left in his car seat. And before you accuse me of breaking and entering, I didn’t. I had a warrant.”

She hadn’t thought it possible, but her heart pounded even faster. Elaina frantically searched for holes in his case and found one. “If you have this proof,” she said picking up the DNA test, “then, why pretend to be my long-lost husband?”

“Because there’s something I need from you.”

He let that hang between them for several moments before he scooped up all the papers and put them back into the envelope. “Here’s what’s going to happen—we’ll go inside and you’ll make introductions. To the sitter and especially to my son. For the next few days, I’ll pretend to be the husband that you’ve so cleverly created.”

But once they were inside, he could take Christopher. “And if I don’t agree?”

He lifted his shoulder and slipped the envelope back into his jacket. “Then, I call the FBI, and have you arrested for participating in an illegal adoption. Then, I take Christopher from Crystal Creek, and you’ll never see him again.”

Mercy, he was indeed holding all the cards. “And if I cooperate?” She held her breath, praying for some good news in all of this.

“I’ll still take Christopher, eventually. After he’s gotten to know me.” More of that calm reserve slipped away. He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Look, I know you’ve been a good mother to my son, but he’s mine, and I have no intentions of giving him up. We might even be able to work out visitation rights for you—if you can ever convince me that you didn’t do anything illegal to get him.”

Elaina was about to ask how she could ever prove that, but she caught some movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked out the window. Theresa, the sitter, was making her way across the yard toward the car.

Elaina groaned. She didn’t need this visit. Not now. She still somehow had to convince Luke Buchanan to leave and never come back.

A smiling Theresa tapped on the window, and Elaina reluctantly lowered it. The elderly woman had sugar-white hair and smelled of ginger cookies. Christopher’s favorite. Theresa had no doubt been baking them for him.

Theresa’s attention went straight to Luke Buchanan. “Daniel, it’s so good to meet you,” Theresa said before Elaina could offer any explanation. “I’m Theresa Gafford. I babysit your precious son.”

Luke nodded and even flashed a smile. The facial gesture seemed stiff as if it’d been a while since he’d done that. “Good to meet you, too, Theresa.”

There were tears in Theresa’s eyes and a smile on her face. “Thank goodness you’re home. You’re the answer to so many prayers.”

More like the answer to a nightmare. “Carrie called you to tell you that Daniel was here,” Elaina said to Theresa.

“Yes. And Jay from the gas station, too,” Theresa verified. “It’s impossible to keep secrets around here.”

It was a comment that caused Elaina to cough.

Theresa motioned toward the house. “Christopher’s taking a nap, but I can wake him. I suspect you’re anxious to see him.” She smiled. “Or maybe you two should just head home and I can bring him after he’s awake.”

“No.” Elaina quickly vetoed that. She wanted to spend no more time alone with this man. Of course, she didn’t want him around Christopher, either. “We’ll come back later.”

Much later.

“Darling,” Luke said. The term of endearment seemed as foreign as his smile. “If you don’t mind, I’d love to see my son. Now.”

Those stormy eyes warned her to defy him.

Elaina cast him her own warning, but she knew his carried far more weight. He could have her arrested. He could legally remove Christopher from her life.

Because she had no choice, Elaina reached for the door handle. She would cooperate, for now. But there was no way she could let him take Christopher.

Luke got out of the car at the same time she did, and he quickly went to her and slid his arm around her waist. Since Theresa was ahead of them and couldn’t see, Elaina tossed him a scowl and pushed her elbow against his ribs to keep some distance between them.

“Daniel, the three of you will have to come for dinner once you’re settled,” Theresa said.

“Thank you,” Luke answered. “I’d like that.”

Elaina mumbled the same fake gratitude under her breath, knowing that there’d be no dinner. If she couldn’t talk Luke into leaving, she’d have to consult an attorney about what her rights were.

If she even had rights.

It was entirely possible that she didn’t.

“Oh, I nearly forgot,” Theresa said, stopping on the top porch step. The wind rifled through her hair when she turned around to face Elaina. “About two hours ago I went over to your house to get Christopher his bunny. You forgot to bring it this morning. Anyway, while I was there, two men drove up in a black car and asked to speak to you.”

Elaina stopped, too, and stared up at the woman. “Who were they?”

“Census takers, they said.” Theresa’s forehead bunched up. “I thought it was a little early for that, but they said they needed to ask you some questions. I told them you might be at your shop and let them know that it was easy to find since it was on Main Street just up from the police station.”

Elaina was more than a little concerned. In the entire year she’d been in Crystal Creek, no one had come looking for her. It seemed too much of a coincidence that she’d have three visitors in the same day.

“Did these men show you any ID?” Luke wanted to know.

Theresa shook her head. “No. I didn’t ask for it. Oh, dear. Should I have?”

“No,” he assured her. “It’s just they might have been from the air force, to give Elaina official notification that I was coming home.”

“They definitely said they were census takers.” Theresa paused. “But to be honest with you, they made me a little uncomfortable. Especially the one with the eye patch.”

“Eye patch?” Elaina repeated, her voice barely making a sound.

Theresa nodded. “You just don’t see many eye patches these days, and this guy had a scar to go with it. Anyway, he didn’t talk much, but the tall blond man with him said they’d come back later to discuss things with you.”

Elaina looked at Luke, and would have given him an I-told-you-so glare if she hadn’t been so terrified.

Luke reacted. And his reaction terrified her even more.

He shoved his hand inside his jacket so he could grip his weapon, and his gaze fired around them.

“Get inside,” he ordered. “Now.”

Chapter Four

“What’s wrong?” Theresa, asked. “What’s happening?”

Luke didn’t answer her. Instead, he hooked his arms around both women, hurried them inside and locked the door. He did a quick visual scan of the interior of the place. It was clean and homey with the smell of freshly made cookies. But the main thing he wanted to establish was that there were no gunmen inside.

There weren’t any signs of them. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

“Are the other doors locked?” he asked Theresa.

Her eyes widened. “Yes. I did that before I drove over to Elaina’s. I haven’t been out back since then, so I’m sure they’re still locked.”

Good. A locked door wouldn’t stop pros, but it might slow them down. “Check, just to make sure.”

Theresa didn’t question him. She hurried to do what he’d asked.

Luke automatically went through a mental checklist. According to the sitter, the baby was asleep. The men were likely only minutes away. Maybe less. And basically, once he’d verified that the doors were locked, Theresa’s house was about as secure as he was going to be able to make it without equipment and assistance.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Elaina mumbled. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and paced.

Yeah. Luke was having a hard time believing it, as well. “You’re sure these guys are a real threat?”

She stopped in midpace. “Oh, they’re real. I’m just wondering why they didn’t go to the shop after Theresa told them that’s where I was.”

Probably because the shop was so close to the police station. If the men were up to no good, that’s the last place they’d want to confront Elaina. More likely scenarios were that they’d either hang around her house. Or they’d come here.

“Everything’s locked up,” Theresa said, returning to the room.

Luke took out his gun and pulled back a lacy white curtain so he could see outside.

“Please tell me what’s wrong.” Theresa said. She sounded on the verge of tears.

Elaina answered before he could. “There are war protestors who might have followed Daniel to Crystal Creek. You know how some people are opposed to the military being overseas. Daniel just doesn’t want to take any chances that these protestors might be fanatics.”

Luke wasn’t surprised that Elaina’s lie had come so easily, but this time, he was thankful for it. He needed to focus on what had to be done. Because, simply put, his son could be in danger.

“Go to Christopher,” he instructed Theresa. “If the windows aren’t locked, then lock them. Close the curtains, turn off any lights and stay with him until we’re certain these protestors are gone.”

Theresa nodded. “Should I call the sheriff?”

Luke didn’t really want to have to deal with the locals on this. Not until he was certain what he was dealing with. “No. Don’t call him yet. This might turn out to be nothing.”

The sitter rushed away again, headed toward one of the side rooms of the house, and Luke turned his attention to the street. Would the men arrive in a car, as they’d apparently done at Elaina’s, or were they on foot? Luke had to be prepared for either.

He took out his cell phone and pressed in the number for his backup: a friend and fellow agent, Rusty Kaplan. He was waiting just a few miles away.

“I need your help,” Luke told Rusty. “Look for two men driving around town in a black car. One is blond. The other is wearing an eye patch. If you find them, take them in for questioning.”

Rusty assured Luke that he would, and Luke hung up, slipping the phone back into his jacket pocket.

“I blame you for this,” Elaina snarled in a hoarse whisper. She frantically looked around the room and extracted an umbrella from a tall reed basket by the door. Presumably, she planned to use it as a weapon.

Luke moved to another window in the living room where he had a better view of the street and the side of the yard. He kept his gun ready.

“How do you figure?” he asked.

“Those men must have followed you to Crystal Creek.”

Luke couldn’t completely rule it out, but that scenario wasn’t very likely. “If someone followed me, I would have noticed.”

“Maybe not,” she fired back.

“I would have noticed,” he insisted.

Maybe someone hadn’t followed him per se, but they might have gotten the information from Collena Drake and backtracked until they found Elaina.

Now the question was—what the hell did they want?

Luke didn’t want to get into a lengthy discussion, or argument with Elaina to try to figure all of that out. Later, he would have to learn what kind of hornet’s nest her dead fiancé had left her to deal with. Because according to what Elaina had said, these men were almost certainly connected to Kevin.

Unless…

There was an outside shot that they were connected to him. Oh, man. He hoped that wasn’t the case.

Elaina moved to the window next to him and stared out. “Do you see them?”

“No.” In fact, no one seemed to be around.

Except Elaina, of course.

She moved so close to him that he caught her scent. Something fresh, floral and feminine. Something that he didn’t want to smell or notice. Luke stepped away from her and moved to a window in the adjoining dining room.

Of course, she and her feminine scent quickly followed him. “How long before you hear something from your partner?”

“Soon. He’ll be as thorough and as fast as he can possibly be.” Luke only hoped that it wouldn’t be hard to spot two strangers in the small town. Thankfully, there wouldn’t be many guys with an eye patch.

“This is a nightmare,” she mumbled. “And this is what I’ve been trying to avoid for over a year.”

Luke spared her a glance to see how she was physically reacting to the situation. Elaina had a white- knuckled grip on the perky yellow umbrella, but other than that, she seemed to be holding up.

“You sure that’s all you were trying to avoid?” he asked.

Elaina’s grip tightened even more. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe you were trying to avoid me because I’m Christopher’s father.”

She probably would have pounced on that accusation if Luke hadn’t noticed the car driving toward the house. He held up his left hand to cut off anything she might have said, and then raced back to the front door so he’d have a direct shot if it became necessary.

Luke waited, his heart in his throat, as the black four-door car slowly approached and stopped in front of the house. A blond man was driving. The guy with the eye patch was riding shotgun.

This didn’t look good.

He took out his phone and called Rusty Kaplan again. “The suspects are at the sitter’s house. Get here ASAP.”

He put his phone away so he could focus on keeping his weapon aimed and ready. Beside him, Elaina did the same. She lifted her umbrella.

Luke rolled his eyes at her attempt to defend herself. “Get down on the floor,” he ordered.

“I want to protect Christopher,” she countered.

“Well, it won’t happen with an umbrella. Get on the floor in case they fire shots.”

“Oh, God,” she mumbled.

She was obviously terrified at the thought of bullets flying.

So was Luke.

But it wouldn’t help matters if Elaina got hurt. In fact, it was his responsibility to keep everyone in the house safe. He might not have been the one to bring these men to Crystal Creek, but there was too much at stake for him to not make sure they did no harm— especially to his son.

Instead of getting on the floor, she stooped down next to him and put her shoulder against the door so she could peek out the stained-glass sidelights. “I can’t just hide. I have to do something to stop them.”

Luke knew how she felt.

“For now, the best way to help is stay put. Backup in on the way.”

The men didn’t leave their parked car. They just sat there, watching the house, occasionally saying something to each other.

More than anything, Luke wanted to go out there to confront them. But that was too big of a risk. If he got shot or hurt, then that would leave Christopher, Elaina and Theresa without protection. He couldn’t do that. But he could try to make sense of all of this while they were waiting.

“If these guys are looking for Kevin’s software modifications, what do you think they’ll do to you if they can’t get them?” he asked.

“They’ll kill me.” Her voice wasn’t shaky or trembling. Nor was she hesitant.

Luke didn’t take his eyes off the car or the men inside. “And these guys didn’t show up until after you’d adopted Christopher?”

“That’s right.” Now, there was some hesitation. “Why do you ask?”

“Because they might not be associated with software but with the adoption itself. Maybe they’re working for someone who wanted to cover their tracks.”

“Maybe. But the people involved with the adoption ring have already been arrested.”

“That’s why they’d need to hire someone on the outside to do it for them,” Luke pointed out.

Especially if their crimes included murder.

There, Luke had finally made a connection that he didn’t want to make. A connection that linked him with these goons in the car. And it also might link them to his estranged wife’s suspicious death. “What did this so-called adoption agency tell you about Christopher’s birth mother? Specifically, what did they say about her death?”

“Nothing.”

“They didn’t even tell you that she was dead?”

Elaina’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “I didn’t know. The paperwork was sketchy at best, and I never dealt directly with them. Only Kevin spoke to them.”

Great. One crook dealing with a bunch of others who were making a fortune in the baby-selling business. The police had estimated that Kevin had paid nearly fifty thousand dollars for his son.

“You think they killed your wife?” Elaina asked.

The woman was certainly good at connecting the dots. “Someone did,” Luke mumbled.

He heard Elaina suck in her breath. Luke had a similar mental reaction. Just thinking about Taylor’s death affected him that way. Even though Taylor and he had fallen out of love long before their separation, he would always blame himself for not being there to protect her.

“I had Taylor’s body exhumed,” Luke explained. “They’re doing the autopsy in a day or two, but it looks as if she had help dying from complications from a C-section.”

That was all Luke had time to say.

Because the two men stepped from the car and started walking toward the house.

ELAINA LIFTED HER umbrella, knowing it was probably futile and borderline stupid, but also knowing that she wouldn’t let these men get to her son.

If that’s what they intended.

It was entirely possible they’d come just to kill her. She wasn’t ready to die, but she preferred that to any attempt they might make to harm Christopher.

The two men stopped at the end of the walk and stared at the house. The blonde said something to the other and then glanced over his shoulder at Elaina’s car. They obviously knew she was there.

Would they just try to break in?

Would they storm the place?

Maybe. But with Luke there, she was betting they wouldn’t be successful. For the first time since she’d laid eyes on the man who could destroy her, she was thankful Luke was with her. Protecting Christopher was everything now, and though Elaina had plenty of doubts about Luke Buchanan, she didn’t doubt his ability to keep her baby safe.

But safe from what?

Were these men connected to Kevin, or as Luke had suggested, were they connected to the adoption? If so, had they already murdered Luke’s wife?

That chilled her to the bone. Because if this was linked to the adoption, then they might plan to go after Christopher. Maybe they’d do that to eliminate a connection to a murdered woman. But if that was true, then Luke would be a target, as well.

The men began walking again. Beside her, she was aware that Luke tensed his muscles. But that was only reaction. He aimed his weapon directly at them.

“Move away from the door,” Luke whispered. And even though it was a whisper, it was still an order.

This time, Elaina obeyed, because she knew that bullets could easily go through the wood. Theresa’s fifty-something-year-old home wasn’t designed to block intruders.

Elaina crawled to the side. Not far. She wanted to be near that door if the men tried to break it down.

“There’s my backup,” she heard Luke say.

Elaina scrambled to the window to see what he meant, and she saw the other car approach. But it didn’t just approach. The dark blue SUV came screeching around the corner and came to a jerky stop right behind the men’s vehicle. And that wasn’t all. The agent who got out was armed. He pointed a huge gun right at the men.

“Stay put,” Luke warned her.

Luke barreled out the door, probably to give back up to the backup. Elaina didn’t mind. She wanted those two men arrested and away from Christopher and her.

She couldn’t hear what Luke said to them, but both men lifted their hands into the air. Luke kept his gun trained on them while Luke’s partner, a tall brown-haired man, rushed to handcuff the two men. The agent also searched them. Both men had not just one weapon but two each.

Luke and the agent didn’t waste any time. They ushered the men into the backseat of the agent’s SUV. Elaina sat there, her face glued to the sidelight window, and she watched as Luke said something else to them. The men didn’t respond. A few moments later, the agent drove away with the men.

Elaina got to her feet, though the adrenaline made her jittery. Later, when all of this sank in, she was certain she’d be furious at those imbeciles for putting her through this.

Luke came through the door, and he tucked his gun back into his shoulder holster. “Agent Kaplan is taking them to the local jail. As soon as they’re processed, I’ll go there and assist with the interview.”

“So, they didn’t admit to any guilt when you arrested them?”

He shook his head and blew out a weary breath. “No. But unless they have permits to carry concealed weapons, we can hold them on that for a while.”

For a while didn’t sound nearly long enough.

“Why would those men have killed your wife?” Elaina asked. She shoved the umbrella back into the basket and made sure that Theresa was still in the nursery. She didn’t want the woman overhearing any of this. “You think they did it to get Christopher from her so they could hand him over to the lawyers running the adoption ring?”

Luke adjusted his leather jacket so the weapon wouldn’t be visible. “That’s one theory.”

She snapped toward him. “There’s more than one?”

He nodded. Raked his fingers over his eyebrow. “Right before I went on the deep cover-up last year, I arrested a man named George Devereux. He was slime, into too many different crimes to name. Devereux vowed revenge because I arrested him. I haven’t been able to prove it, but it’s possible that Devereux murdered Taylor shortly after she gave birth. It’s also possible that he or one of his henchmen sold or gave Christopher to the adoption ring.”

Elaina felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. It took several seconds to regain her breath and some semblance of composure. It took her slightly longer than that to manage to think his theory through. On the one hand, it would make her feel marginally better to put the blame on Luke. But on the other hand, she didn’t want a heavy-duty criminal like Devereux to be involved in this.

“So then, why would Devereux’s men come after me?” she demanded to know. “I certainly can’t link him to Christopher’s adoption or to Taylor’s death.”

“Maybe Devereux didn’t want to stop with Taylor.” Luke paused and met her gaze. “Maybe he’s had time to stew while sitting in prison and wants to continue his revenge.”

“Oh, God.” Elaina dropped back a step. “You mean Christopher?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

Elaina groaned and felt the sickening knot form in her stomach. “So, either George Devereux or Kevin might have spawned this?”

“There’s only one way to find out which one. Those two men will provide the answers.”

Yes. The men. With all the talk about Devereux and revenge, she’d nearly forgotten that they might be very close to learning what this was really about. In fact, if the men confessed to trying to kill her, then they’d be off the streets for a long, long time. Their confession and incarceration could give her the safety she’d been praying for and the freedom to resume a normal life.

For all the good it’d do her now.

Luke Buchanan’s arrival had changed everything, and Elaina didn’t think they would agree on what she considered a normal life. Heck, he could still try to have her arrested for the illegal adoption.

Elaina felt sick. That feeling didn’t go away when she heard Theresa call out. “I hope those protestors are gone. Christopher’s up from his nap. Is it okay if I bring him out there?”

She was on the verge of saying no, but the word stuck in her throat. Luke, however, seemed to have no trouble responding. Obviously following the sound of Theresa’s voice, he headed straight for Christopher.

Elaina rushed after him. It was like a train wreck about to happen.

Luke paused in the doorway of the nursery, and since he took up nearly the entire space, Elaina had to stand on her tiptoes to see what had stopped the agent in his tracks.

Christopher was there. He wore the denim overalls and long-sleeved knit blue shirt that she’d dressed him in that morning. He was standing, holding on to the arm of the rocking chair where Theresa was seated.

“The protestors are gone?” Theresa asked.

“They’re gone,” Luke assured her, but his attention was focused solely Christopher.

Luke stepped toward the baby. Elaina’s instincts screamed to stop him. But she couldn’t. She could only stand there and watch as Luke reached down and gently lifted her son into his arms.

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