Attracted to Fire (39 page)

Lindsay shrugged. “If you insist. My culinary skills amount to mixing beer and liquor or punching a few buttons on a microwave. Oh, I can pour a mean bowl of cereal.”

Meghan grimaced and stepped back into the pantry for parchment paper. “We're about to alter Lindsay Hall's history. We'll need two sticks of butter and two eggs. We should have gotten them out earlier.”

“Why's that, Paula Deen?”

Meghan cocked a brow. “Oh, you know a chef.”

“I've watched a lot of TV shows lately. So why should we have set out the butter and eggs?”

“Both need to be at room temperature.”

Lindsay opened the fridge. “Do you suppose Chip likes chocolate chip cookies?”

Meghan laughed at the pun. “Every man does. I plan to make sure Ash and the team receive a ton of these. This recipe is supposed to make six dozen, but I like to make big cookies. So we'll have about four dozen. Ever heard the way to a man's heart is through his stomach?”

Lindsay waved a finger. “The way I heard it isn't repeatable. But I'm here to change my ways, so I'll learn to cook.”

“You really like him, don't you?”

Lindsay blushed, and the response surprised Meghan. She had so much hope for her protectee.

“He's kind and gentle, and we share so much in common.”

“Like what? Besides music.” Meghan pulled a mixing bowl from the cupboard.

“A love for the country life. Horses . . . well, all kinds of animals. You'll laugh at this one.”

“No, I won't. Bring it on.”

“We like to be around older people.”

Another delightful surprise. Tears brimmed Meghan's eyes, and she quickly blinked them away. Her job description placed a clamp on sentiment.

“Why are you getting emotional?”

“Thought I hid it.”

Lindsay laughed. “You've got to work harder on your skills, Agent Connors. Why did my interest in the elderly bring on a few tears?”

“Because I've prayed for you and your recovery, and it's happening right before my eyes.”

“When this is over, will you stay on with me?”

Meghan didn't want to mention the possible PPD assignment. Leaving Lindsay would be difficult. The affection she felt was akin to a little sister, but Meghan would have to be careful and not let it cloud her judgment. “Let's set the butter on the back porch. It'll soften faster. Then we—” Her cell phone rang.

Caller ID registered Scottard Burnette. She glanced at Lindsay, who'd proceeded to unwrap a stick of butter and drop it into the mixing bowl.

“Yes, sir.” Meghan detested addressing him with any respect.

“Good morning, Agent Connors. I need to talk to Lindsay.”

She muted the phone. “The vice president would like to speak to you.”

Lindsay's eyes flashed fire. “What about?”

Meghan resumed her call. “Lindsay would like to know what this is about.”

“Kelli. That's all she needs to know.”

Meghan communicated the information to her protectee. Lindsay turned ashen and took the phone.

“What's happened to Kelli?” She clenched her free hand. “Yes, I'm in the kitchen with Meghan. . . . When? . . . Is she in the hospital? . . . Why didn't Mom or Dad call?” Lindsay gasped, and her frantic gaze flew to Meghan. “I'll call Mom myself.”

She stiffened, as Burnette obviously had more to say.

“You're a liar. I would have been contacted by now. Be glad I don't have a gun.” Lindsay disconnected the call and handed the phone to Meghan. What had Burnette done now? “Please, would you get my mother on the phone. I need to talk to her immediately.”

Meghan had both of Lindsay's parents on speed dial. “Do we need to talk first?”

“No. For once I can handle something on my own.” She paced the kitchen. “Mom, this is Lindsay. . . . Good to talk to you too.” Determination swept across her features. “Soon, Mom. Soon. Is Kelli all right?” Lindsay clenched her fist. “I had a bad dream about her and wanted to make sure she was okay.” She continued to pace the floor while listening to her mother. “The dream scared me.”

Lindsay caught Meghan's attention, and Meghan gave her a reassuring smile. From what she could tell, Lindsay had responded to Burnette in a manner that displayed her growing courage. But she also hoped nothing had happened to Kelli Hall.

Lindsay's face broke into a wide smile. “Thanks, Mom. Would you tell her I love her, and I'm getting better every day. Love you too. Give Dad my best.” She returned the phone and gestured for Meghan to join her outside. The two walked to the oak tree. “Burnette is scum,” Lindsay said.

“Tell me what happened.”

Lindsay leaned against the tree and buried her face in her hands. “He told me Kelli's apartment building had caught fire, and she'd been taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. He also said my disobedience was the cause.”

“But your mother says Kelli is fine? Why would he lie about something like that?”

Lindsay sighed. “It's all part of his game. He wants me to know what he's capable of if I don't do what he wants.”

Meghan's phone rang again. She knew without looking that it was Burnette.

“Answer it.” Lindsay's tone emitted pure strength. “Better yet, let me.”

“Are you sure?”

Lindsay hesitated. “You're right. If we give any indication you know what's going on, he'll target you again.”

Meghan nodded. “Yes, sir.” And she handed the phone to Lindsay.

She listened for a minute, visibly trembling. “I understand. All right. I'll do it.” She turned the phone off and looked at Meghan. “Just like I said. His call was a warning. If I don't obey him, he'll do something to hurt my sister. I need help in figuring out how to deceive him.”

“Depends on what it is.” Meghan and Ash hadn't found a bug in the kitchen, but that didn't mean there wasn't one planted. They couldn't talk there now.

“There's another key to the liquor cabinet in the silverware drawer. I want to open it and get a bottle.”

Meghan held her breath. “I can't let you drink.”

“No, but we can pour it down the drain in your bathroom. Put the empty bottle in my room and pretend I'm drunk. I'm sure there'll be vodka in the liquor cabinet. Won't be a smell, so I'm good with my vow to stay clean.”

Lindsay was attempting to beat Burnette at his own game. “We'll need to hurry. Pepper will be inside soon to start lunch.” She walked farther into the yard. “She's talking to Luke, but her basket doesn't look full.”

“I have no idea how you can keep Dave from finding out the truth.”

“I'll handle Dave. Ash will have to be told. If we had a key to your bedroom, we could lock you inside. Increase the drama.”

“I have one. Courtesy of Uncle Scottard.”

“Great. I'll get the bottle, and you head upstairs. We'll stage an argument.”

Lindsay shook her head. “Hide the bottle in your room until later. I want to make these cookies first.” She took a deep breath. “Burnette's not going to ruin my first cooking lesson.”

She captured Meghan's gaze. “Days like this, I feel like I could do anything to stop him. But I know tomorrow I'll panic again.”

Chapter 69

“Carla, you've had quite an impressive career.” Ash needed to rule out Carla's role in Burnette's plan. They talked in the loft area usually reserved for Lindsay's counseling sessions.

The gray-haired woman, who looked like a grandmother of a dozen, tilted her head. “Are you talking about what I did before nursing school or after?”

“All of it.”

She removed her orange and purple reading glasses. “I'm sure you have every little detail there. At one time, I dreamed of dancing as a showgirl in Vegas. That's where I met my first husband. Should have seen his drinking problem. Anyway, I could have made it in Vegas, but deep inside, I wanted to be a nurse.” She grinned like a teen. “Financing my education was a blast.”

Ash laughed. “I heard about it. What caused you to go into psychology?”

“All the weird people I met. Then I realized I was just as . . . unique.” She laughed. “The difference came with a desire to help them over the hurdles of why they chose abusive behaviors instead of facing life square in the face.”

Ash heard the shouts from the kitchen. What was going on? Sounded like the old Lindsay. She and Meghan were supposed to be making cookies. How could that have caused such a ruckus?

“I'm after my patient.” Carla made it to the stairs before she finished her words.

Ash rushed after her. He smelled the tantalizing aroma of chocolate chip cookies, but it didn't match the fire brewing from one of the cooks.

“It was a stupid idea.” Lindsay's tone took on a high pitch. He hadn't seen her like this since the first week at the ranch. “You're not my mother, Agent Connors, or my sister. Even they didn't try to teach me kitchen duty. Take a look; I'm not twelve, either.”

Meghan's gaze bored into their protectee. “You did a fine job. The cookies taste great. I don't understand why you're angry.”

Lindsay swept her hand across the countertop and sent a container of flour to the floor. “Clean that up, b—”

He remembered that Lindsay. “What's the problem here?”

Meghan lifted her chin. “I was trying to find out myself.”

“Lindsay, what's wrong?” Carla stepped closer to Lindsay.

“Get away from me. All of you are worthless pieces of garbage. I'm tired of living in a fishbowl.” Lindsay swore again. Could she have gotten hold of drugs? “Carla, don't you see what Meghan and the others are doing?”

“No, I have no clue.”

“You're an idiot too. They want me to be a good girl—leave the drugs and booze alone. Learn to cook. Play board games. Watch old movies. Next thing it will be sewing lessons. I went along with this baking cookies thing to get Meghan off my back. But now I see what this is all about.” She whirled around to shove a mug off the counter, but Meghan caught it.

“I'll get Dave,” Carla said. “He's reading poolside.”

“I'm not talking to him or anyone else.” Lindsay hurried through the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door.

Lindsay had been doing so well, opening up to him and Meghan. What had happened to end her progress?

“Ash.” Meghan's whisper grasped his attention. “It's all right. I'll tell you later. This is cool. Really.”

But he wanted to know right now. “Where's Bob?”

“Outside, where he's supposed to be.”

“Get him in here. You and I are going to take a little walk.”

Meghan grinned. “Yes, sir.”

Within a few minutes Ash and Meghan stood in the middle of an empty corral, where she told him what Lindsay had stated about her call with Burnette. “Obviously the VP doesn't think Lindsay can outsmart him.”

“What she's doing takes guts. She's afraid for her family, and his stunts keep getting worse. I admit, I thought she'd spiraled in there.”

“How much longer, Ash?”

He wished he had an answer, and yet he knew she didn't expect one. “Until we have all the evidence to prove to President Hall that his longtime friend has betrayed him.”

She nodded. “Lindsay gave a convincing performance.”

“She made a believer out of me. If the kitchen's bugged, then he'll have heard it all.”

“The look on your face was priceless.”

“Thanks. Tell her it was too bad I didn't have a tranquilizer gun.”

“I will. Shall we continue our charade? How about tearing me apart on the back porch. That should take care of any possible traitors among us.”

“You're enjoying this far too much.” He tossed her a grin. “But I do know how to rip an agent apart.”

“I promise not to cry.”

“Okay. I suppose you two have more drama for us?”

“Sure thing. I'll get the empty vodka bottle from my room, and the two of us will battle it out. Once you take over my shift, we'll try to talk to her again. Then she'll lock her door.”

“Not sure how I feel about that.”

“Me either. There's nothing in her room to hurt her. I looked earlier. We could always tear down the door. Oh, she promised me she'd keep the door locked for no more than one hour.”

“Can she fool Dave?”

“The idea is he'll be the only one she wants to talk to. This has got to work, Ash. If Burnette doesn't believe she's broken her sobriety, he'll bring out both barrels.”

“Are you documenting all that's going on?”

Meghan nodded. “I know you are too. Having both versions will keep the truth flowing.”

“Or look like a conspiracy against the vice president of the United States.”

Chapter 70

Friday, just after lunch, Ash contemplated Lindsay's charade the night before. She'd done a good job of displaying the old Lindsay. Even Dave and Carla appeared to believe her. Now for Burnette to hear about her drunken brawl and leave Lindsay alone. How long could all of this go on before the evidence was compiled against him?

Ash checked his e-mail and saw Warrington had sent him an attachment. The pathologist had completed all the testing. In short, Ethan had been poisoned by oleander, and there were two people on the ranch who could have accomplished this. One was Dave, who had a generous supply of herbs, and the other was their quirky cook. But Meghan had said Ethan wouldn't eat Pepper's cooking—too spicy for him. Dave? Ash didn't think so.

Ethan must have tripped onto information revealing the identity of who was working for Burnette. He probably approached the person and was poisoned before he could relay who'd been betraying them. Ethan's warning about the flowering bush repeated.

Everything about the oleander bush is poison. Just stay away.