He looked back at the monitor and grinned when he noticed Marley leaning to the side, one slender arm stretched out as she attempted to tackle a clump of leaves that refused to dislodge. The grin faded, however, when something caught his eye. One of the rungs on the ladder looked…wrong. He leaned closer, squinting at the screen.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.
Sure enough, the rung he’d noticed was sagging on one side. He couldn’t see much more than that, but he suspected it was cracked. The thing would probably break the second she stepped on it.
Fortunately Marley’s feet were on the rung below the broken one, but the way she was reaching her arms out, it wouldn’t be long before she needed some more height to connect with her target.
Crap. What should he do in this situation? Sit around and wait for her to fall?
Caleb gritted his teeth. He couldn’t go over there and warn her. Making contact with the person you were watching defeated the entire point of a stakeout. And he wouldn’t risk the possibility of losing Grier. In his gut, he knew the other man was bound to show up here. When they’d raided the office Grier had been using for his web design company, they’d found more than a dozen pictures of Marley taped on the walls. Grier was obsessed with her, and Caleb knew he’d come for her.
He felt it deep in his gut, a certainty his supervisor, unfortunately, didn’t quite agree with. But at least Agent Stevens had green-lighted this stakeout. How long he’d let it go on, Caleb wasn’t sure, but for now, he could sit tight and see if his hunch played out. The local cops were already watching Marley at the hospital, but Caleb knew Grier wouldn’t make a move there. Too many witnesses around. Here, though… Marley lived alone, didn’t have many visitors and her house sat at the end of a cul-de-sac with a large park right behind it. This was the perfect place for Grier to make an appearance.
On the screen, Marley was looking up at the roof in dismay. An ominous feeling crept along Caleb’s spine. He watched as she lifted one foot. His chest tightened with sickly anticipation.
“Don’t do it,” he mumbled at her, though of course she couldn’t hear him. “Look down first.”
But she didn’t, and it was like seeing the chain of events that led up to a disaster, in slow motion, unable to do a damn thing about it.
She climbed up onto the next rung of the ladder, and he could practically hear the wood splintering beneath her feet. He couldn’t see her face, but he could imagine the look of terror filling her pretty features as the rung gave way. She lost her footing, and the ladder swiftly toppled onto the grass down below.
Caleb shot to his feet, adrenaline pumping through his veins. A faint flicker of admiration lit his chest as he saw her arms whip up like an acrobat’s, grabbing at the white-painted eave.
Relief flooded through him. She hadn’t fallen. Instead, she dangled ten feet off the ground like a really crappy cat burglar attempting to scale a building. Caleb couldn’t help but grin at the thought, but his mouth hardened when Marley twisted her neck, glancing down at the grass as if contemplating whether she could land the jump.
Sure you can, sweetheart, except you’ll probably break your ankle. Or your neck.
Letting out a sigh, Caleb took one last look at the screen, then tore out of the room.
He ran out the front door of the house the agency had rented from a pair of retired teachers who were traveling for the summer. The afternoon sun nearly blinded him, making him realize he hadn’t been outside in a week. It felt weird after being cooped up indoors for so long.
He crossed the perfectly kept lawn toward the side of the house. Only a couple of yards separated the two homes, and when he approached, Marley still hung from the eaves, cursing to herself under her breath.
He cleared his throat. “Need some help?”
She yelped in surprise and nearly lost her grip. Her legs swung wildly, making his heartbeat quicken. “Don’t let go,” he ordered.
“Who are you?” Her voice sounded tinny as it floated down from above.
“Your next-door neighbor,” he replied. “And possibly the guy who saves your life.”
She peered down at him, her light-brown eyes narrowed with suspicion. “I know my next-door neighbors, mister, and you aren’t them.”
“The Strathorns are in Europe. I’m renting their house for the summer,” he called back, annoyance tightening his lips. “Now, do you think we can discuss this after we get you down from there?”
There was a long pause. Then she was scrutinizing the ground again. “I think I can make the jump,” she said. “I once saw a documentary on stunt doubles.”
He suppressed a laugh. “That’s terrific. But no, you cannot make the jump.” He swallowed. “I’ll catch you.”
She let out a squeaky protest. “What? No way. What if you miss? Or what if I crush you—”
“With the hundred pounds you’re packing?” he interrupted in amusement. “You won’t crush me, and I won’t miss.”
Caleb stepped closer, assessing the height and angle from which she was hanging. If he raised his arms, he could almost touch her sneakers. “I’ll catch you,” he said with confidence. “I need you to take a deep breath, and let go. Okay?”
“No, thanks.”
He closed his eyes briefly, fighting back irritation. “What do you mean, no thanks?” He scowled up at her. “Are you always so difficult?”
“No, I’m scared,” she retorted. “I’m only twenty-seven. I don’t want to die today.”
This time he couldn’t stop a laugh from rumbling out of his throat. “You won’t die. Trust me. Deep breath, then let go. On the count of three, okay?”
She hesitated for what seemed like an eternity. “Okay.”
He rubbed his hands together, widening his stance. “One,” he called. “Two—”
“Wait—on three, or one, two, three, let go?”
Caleb sighed. “On three.”
“Fine.”
He started again. “One…two…three.”
A second later, her body came flying down and he suddenly found himself with an armful of warm, soft woman. One hand had instinctively reached out to cup her bottom, and his palm now cradled a firm, perfectly round backside, as Marley Kincaid’s arms wound tightly around his neck.
She was breathing heavily, her body trembling a little. “You all right?” he asked. His voice sounded rough even to his own ears.
She nodded, tilting her head to look up at him. Her brown eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in surprise as she examined his face. She checked him out for so long he felt a pang of discomfort. “You should really let someone else clean those gutters for you,” he grumbled.
Marley just stared at him, and then, to his extreme confusion, she started to laugh.
2
“SERIOUSLY,” HER SEXY SAVIOR said in a deep voice. “If you don’t tell me you’re okay in the next two seconds, I’m calling an ambulance.”
“I’m okay,” she sputtered.
God, this was priceless. Her laughter came out in soft waves, while adrenaline still pumped through her blood. She suddenly wondered if Gwen had somehow planned this, though that seemed totally unlikely. But come on, what were the chances? Her friend had been babbling about tall, dark, handsome strangers sweeping Marley off her feet, and all of a sudden, a tall, dark, handsome stranger shows up and sweeps her off her feet. Literally.
“Can I let you go now?” he asked, a tad brusquely.
Her laughter finally trailed off. She nodded, and he set her down. Her legs were still quite shaky after her brush with possible death, but her brain seemed to have forgotten about her roof gymnastics—it was too busy analyzing the beautiful man standing in front of her.
He had that chiseled kind of face you expected to see on a movie screen, lines and angles put together to create a rugged landscape, vivid eyes the color of the Pacific Ocean. A pair of faded jeans clung to his long legs and taut behind, while a navy-blue T-shirt emphasized a broad chest and delicious s
et of rippled abs.
No doubt about it, this was one ridiculously gorgeous man.
Her heart did a few somersaults. “Thanks for catching me,” she said.
“No problem.” He took a step backward, looking like he couldn’t wait to get out of here. “Be more careful next time, all right?” Another step. “I’ll see you around.”
“Wait, who did you say you were again?”
“I’m Caleb Ford.” His blue eyes flickering with weariness, he extended his hand. “I’m renting the house next door to yours.” As if to confirm it, he gestured to the redbrick side wall of the Strathorn house.
Since he was sticking his hand out at her, she had no choice but to shake it. The moment they touched, warmth suffused her palm, followed by a spark of awareness. Gosh, this guy was attractive. The messy black hair, the serious blue eyes, the drool-worthy bod. And his hand felt good on hers. Too good.
She quickly snatched it away, leery of the awareness sliding around in her body. Fine, so this guy was incredibly handsome, but he was also a total stranger. And the Strathorns hadn’t told her they were renting their place out for the summer. She knew they were in Europe—they’d asked her to pick up their mail. So why hadn’t they mentioned someone named Caleb Ford would be staying in their house?
“How do you know the Strathorns?”
Her voice held a note of suspicion, which she didn’t attempt to hide. Since her experience with Patrick, she was far more careful about handing out her trust to strangers.
“Through a mutual friend. I heard they were going to Europe for a few months, so my friend arranged for me to rent this place while they’re gone.”
“Oh, that’s convenient.” She casually pushed a strand of blond hair off her forehead. Her ponytail had pretty much come apart after her near fall, and unruly blond waves kept getting in her eyes. “Isn’t Stan and Debbie’s house terrific? They have a lot of antiques in there.”
Caleb arched one dark brow. “Stu and Debbie, you mean.”
“Right, Stu, I don’t know why I said Stan.” She felt a little flustered, especially when a knowing glint filled his eyes. He knew exactly what she’d tried to do, but hey, at least he’d passed the test. So why was he still all fidgety?
“When did you say you moved in?” she asked, watching him carefully.
“I didn’t. But it’s been a week.”
A week? And she hadn’t seen him even once? She tried to rein in her misgivings. Okay, so maybe he didn’t leave the house a lot. He could be one of those hermit types who liked being alone indoors.
“And you’re here for the summer?” she said, trying to sound casual.
“Yep.”
“On vacation?” she pressed.
“Work-related, actually.”
For Pete’s sake, getting answers from this man was like pulling teeth. She paused for a second, trying to concoct a way to draw some more details out of him, when a flash of red caught her eye. She glanced down, surprised to see an angry-looking scrape on her upper arm. She must have cut herself when she’d grabbed for the ledge, or maybe on her way down into Caleb’s arms.
“Shoot, I should get this cleaned up,” she said.
“Do you need any help?”
His voice was so full of reluctance she almost felt insulted. Jeez, was the thought of spending even a few more minutes with her that unappealing?
She frowned. “I’m a nurse, I can take care of it. But thanks.”
Caleb slung his hands in the pockets of his jeans, shifting awkwardly. “You better go in and get that taken care of. Are you sure you didn’t hurt yourself anywhere else?”
She examined her arms and legs, then flexed her back, wincing when a jolt of pain sliced up her left shoulder. “I think I pulled a muscle,” she answered, “but it’s nothing some yoga can’t fix this evening.”
Caleb coughed abruptly.
“Are you okay?” she asked, wrinkling her brow.
“Yeah, I’m, uh, fine.” He began to inch away again. Lord, the way this guy acted, it was as if she was carrying the Ebola virus or something. “I really do have to go. Take care of yourself, uh…?”
“Marley,” she supplied.
“Marley,” he echoed. He lifted his hand, giving a stilted wave and a brisk nod, and then hurried off with long, smooth strides.
She watched as he walked away, shaking her head to herself. He disappeared around the side of the house and a few moments later, she heard the Strathorns’ front door shut.
Okay. Well, that was kind of weird. He was probably telling the truth, and really was renting the house next door, but maybe she ought to call the number Debbie had left for her just to make sure Caleb Ford was who he said he was. He’d been acting a little odd for her liking.
Yeah, she definitely should call, she decided as she bent down to take care of the ladder. She pushed it to the wall, leaning it length-wise against the house, then glanced down at her arm, which was beginning to ooze blood.
With a sigh, she headed into the house, making a mental note to contact Debbie Strathorn as soon as possible. Caleb Ford might be drop-dead gorgeous, but he was still a stranger.
And these days, Marley’s guard went on high alert when it came to sexy men who made her heart skip a beat.
A girl couldn’t be too cautious, after all.
“SO…WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?”
Caleb nearly tripped over his own feet at the sound of AJ’s voice. He’d expected to find the master bedroom empty, but AJ was casually sitting at the desk, sipping from a tall Starbucks cup.
With his military-style buzz cut, tattooed arms and black leather jacket, Adam James Callaghan looked like the type of guy Caleb would be slapping handcuffs on and dragging to jail.
But AJ was a damn good agent, a bit of a legend around the Drug Enforcement Agency. He’d spent three years undercover with a Colombian drug cartel, which was how he’d gotten all the tattoos. Had to prove himself, show he was one of them, AJ had told Caleb. He’d also managed to gather enough evidence to take down the entire organization. But now he was stateside, assigned as Caleb’s new partner.
Caleb walked over to the desk and peered at the monitors, instantly spotting Marley in the kitchen. She was pulling a first-aid kit out of the cupboard under the sink.
“What was what about?” he asked, absently reaching for one of the steaming cups sitting in the cardboard tray on the desk.
AJ shot him a look loaded with disbelief. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I come back from a coffee run to find—”
“You came in from the back, right?” Caleb cut in.
“Yes, I came in from the back. Same way I’ve been coming in for the past week. And yes, I parked the car two streets over. And no, nobody saw me when I cut through the park on my way here.” AJ frowned. “Now quit interrogating me and tell me what the hell you were thinking, making contact with Kincaid.”
Caleb walked over to the king-size bed and sank down onto the edge. “She fell off a ladder.”
AJ swiveled his chair around to face him. “She fell off a ladder,” he repeated.
“Yes, but she managed to hang on to the roof. She would have fallen off that, too, if I hadn’t gone out to help her.” The defensive note in his voice made him want to cringe, but he knew AJ’s thoughts on the subject of Marley Kincaid. And none of them were too positive.
AJ put down his coffee cup in obvious annoyance. “Just in case you’ve forgotten, we’re on a stakeout, man. The whole point of a stakeout is remaining out of sight, inconspicuous.”
“I know that,” Caleb ground out. “But what did you want me to do, watch her tumble to her death?”
“What I want you to do is focus on the bastard that killed one of our own.” AJ frowned. “I’ve seen the way you look at her, Caleb, and I don’t particularly like it, all right? She might very well be helping Grier and you know it.”
“Yes, and she might not be helping him,” Caleb countered, meeting his partner’s hard gaze with one of h
is own.
“Then explain the hundred grand that was wired into her bank account after the DEA got the tip that Grier was heading to San Diego.”
“It was a joint account, you know that. Grier could’ve made the deposit as easily as Kincaid.”
“And she has no knowledge of what’s going on in her own bank accounts? If a hundred thousand dollars mysteriously wound up in my account, I’d be talking to the bank, or calling the cops. Unless I know my slime-bag ex put it in there, and I’m planning on helping him get out of the country.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened at the thought of Grier taking off and disappearing. Oh, no, not happening. Caleb would catch the son of a bitch long before that happened. The DEA finally had hard evidence on the guy, after years of being unable to bring charges against the supposed web designer. Three months ago, an informant inside the Ruiz cartel—the Brazilian outfit they’d been trying to bust for years—had provided information about a shipment Grier was scheduled to distribute for the Ruizes.
Only, the raid they’d organized hadn’t gone as planned, and Grier had yet again escaped arrest.
“If she’s helping Grier, we’ll find out,” Caleb replied. “All I’m saying is that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Maybe she’s involved, maybe she’s not. But don’t paint her with Grier’s brush until we have some proof.”
Even as he said the words, he knew AJ wouldn’t heed them. His partner believed in Marley’s guilt. Caleb, on the other hand…he was ninety percent sure Marley wasn’t involved in any of this. He didn’t quite believe Marley was in cahoots with Grier now, or that she’d been aware of his actions then. Grier was smooth, and according to his file, he’d fooled women before. Killed them, too, or at least he’d been suspected of it.
Still, ninety percent meant there was still that ten percent of doubt floating around in his head. He didn’t want to believe Marley was somehow funneling money into her ex’s hands, but it wasn’t something he could rule out, either. At least their presence next door ensured they’d see Grier if he showed up.