Agent by Her Side Read online

  Minutes later she emailed the list to Pippa, excited that she was going to be able to see her sister later that afternoon. She missed her family. She missed her brothers being annoying. She missed the camaraderie and laughter that she shared with her sisters. She also missed her cat, Jim Morrison. She smiled, excited that she would soon be able to introduce Jim and Alfie, knowing the two would become fast friends.

  Minutes later Cooper returned to the family room. “Finally!” he said as he dropped down onto the sectional sofa. “He’s in our bed watching that Tiger kid show.”

  “Daniel Tiger is actually very educational,” Kiely said. “You should watch it.”

  “I have a boatload of paperwork to get through. I need to head downstairs and see where we’re at with the case.”

  “Do you need any help?”

  “No, but thank you for offering. I need to file my report on the Landon Street debacle, and that won’t take long.”

  “Well, if you don’t need me, I think I’m going to make challah.”

  “You know how to make challah? From scratch?”

  “Is there any other way to make challah?” she said with a wry laugh.

  Cooper laughed with her. “Yeah! You let a bakery do it for you. Wealthy Street Bakery has some of the best I’ve ever eaten.”

  She smirked. “Their bread is good, but mine is better. I do like their cinnamon croissants, though.”

  “Townies! Those things are incredible!”

  Alfie suddenly cried out, racing back into the room, tears streaming down his little face. He held his finger out, his wrist resting in the palm of his other hand.

  “What’s the matter, son?” Cooper questioned, moving toward the child.

  Alfie snatched his hand from his father’s reach, giving him a mean side-eye. He darted past him and rushed to Kiely. “Ki-Ki! Hurt my finger!” he cried.

  “What am I?” Cooper exclaimed, “chopped liver? Did you see the look he just gave me?”

  Kiely giggled. She brought herself to his eye level as Alfie bumped against her leg.

  “My poor baby! Let Kiely see.” Kiely inspected the appendage, declaring the small scratch minor. “It’s going to be okay, Alfie. Do you want Kiely to kiss it or put a Band-Aid on it?”

  “Alfie want a Band-Aid.”

  Kiely tickled him, making the little boy laugh. “Kiely’s going to kiss that finger,” she teased. She kissed the back of his hand then blew a strawberry against his palm. Alfie erupted in giggles.

  “Snack, peas? Alfie want a snack, peas!”

  In no time at all, a major meltdown had been avoided and Alfie was settled back in front of the television with a small bowl of popcorn and a juice pack.

  “He really adores you,” Cooper said.

  “Does that bother you?” Kiely questioned. “Because I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to take your place or replace his mother.”

  “Not at all. I’m glad he has you. I know how much you care for him,” Cooper said. “May I ask you a question?”

  “Of course,” Kiely answered. “You know you can ask me anything.”

  “How do you see things once we go back to reality? When we return to our homes?”

  Kiely paused. “I’m not sure. I’ve thought about it but I don’t have a cut and dry answer.”

  Cooper took a seat at the kitchen table. “I’ve actually been thinking about that a lot. Trying to figure out how Alfie and I can keep you.” His eyes smiled as he stared at her.

  Kiely lifted her lips in a smile. “There’s so much we have to figure out, because in all honesty, I don’t know that I want to go back to being a full-time investigator. I’ve really come to love being a stay-at-home mom.” There was a hint of nervousness that crossed her face as she made the admission.

  Cooper’s gaze skated across her face. He nodded his head. “We’ll have to make some serious decisions about our future living arrangements.”

  “We’re going to have to make some serious decisions about everything,” Kiely responded.

  Cooper crooked his fingers and beckoned her to his side. When she stood beside him, he pulled her down onto his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her. “Kiely, you make me happier than I have been in a very long time. I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want Alfie to lose what you and he have together. You’ve become as important to my son as you are to me. We will make this work.”

  He kissed her lips and tightened the hold he had around her torso. Kiely wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back. It suddenly felt like Christmas in July!

  * * *

  Cooper was still in the basement office and Alfie was down for his afternoon nap when Pippa arrived. The two sisters hugged tightly as Kiely welcomed her into the home.

  “This is cute!” Pippa said, her gaze sweeping through the space. “The FBI do things with style!”

  “It’s comfortable.”

  “Where is everybody?” Pippa asked, her voice dropping an octave.

  “Cooper’s downstairs and Alfie’s still sleeping.”

  “I guess you’re going to have to help me with these bags then,” Pippa said as she turned, heading back to the car.

  Kiely slipped on her loafers and followed her sister. “What do we owe you?” she asked as Pippa handed her two oversized cloth bags filled to the brim with foodstuffs.

  “Nothing. Cooper gave me his business credit card.”

  “When did you see Cooper?”

  “He stopped by the other safe house to check on Sadie. We really like him!” she exclaimed. “You done good this time!”

  “He never mentioned it,” Kiely said, suddenly wondering what else Cooper had conveniently forgotten to tell her.

  “I don’t think it was a secret, Kiely. He was genuinely concerned about Sadie and he said that you were upset that you couldn’t be there for her so he wanted to assure her everything would be alright. He also had questions for her about Tate and wanted to answer any questions she might have had. After he left she actually perked up a bit. She agrees that he’s perfect for you!”

  Kiely gave her sister a look. “He told me he loves me.”

  Pippa grinned. “And what did you say?”

  “I told him I loved him, too!”

  “Maybe we can have a double wedding!” Pippa said excitedly.

  “I don’t know if I want to get married,” Kiely confessed. “Why do I need a sheet of paper to legitimize what we feel for each other?”

  “Why are you always so contrary?”

  “I’m not. I just don’t think I need a license to tell me that I love him and he loves me and we want to spend our lives together.”

  “And how does Cooper feel about that?”

  “We haven’t had that conversation yet.”

  Pippa shook her head. “Well, you do keep things interesting.”

  Kiely laughed.

  “I brought you a surprise,” Kiely said. “Grab the box on the back seat.”

  Opening the rear passenger door to peer inside, Kiely’s eyes widened. “You didn’t?”

  Pippa nodded. “I did. I figured you might need it right about now!”

  Cooper suddenly called from the open door. “Hey there! Do you two need some help?”

  “Yes!” Kiely yelled as he moved toward them. “I need you to get this box off the back seat and do not drop it.”

  Cooper laughed, eyeing the Greek to Go label on top of the large white bakery box. “What’s this?”

  Kiely grinned. “The best baklava cheesecake you will ever experience. Take it inside and put it carefully on the counter!”

  Cooper carried the cake inside, his viselike grip on the box moving both women to laugh jovially. The twins were suddenly giddy with laughter.

  “You put the coffee on,” Pippa said. “I’ll cut the cake.”
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  Kiely laughed. “We have a Keurig brewer. The coffee will be done before you get the first slice on a plate.”

  Pippa moved ahead of her through the doorway.

  Kiely suddenly came to an abrupt stop, cocking her head as she listened. They had become accustomed to the silence, anything stirring between the trees, chirping or squeaking as the wind blew. For a split second she thought she heard an engine running but just like that the sound disappeared. She set the two grocery bags against the landing and moved back down the steps to look around. Nothing caught her eye or seemed out of place. The trike Alfie had ridden earlier was still resting where he’d left it and nothing moved beyond the line of trees bordering the home. Kiely took a deep breath and held it.

  “Everything okay?” Cooper asked, standing in the doorway staring at her.

  “I thought I heard something,” she said.

  He moved down the steps to stand beside her. His gaze followed hers, searching where she looked. “Do you still hear it?” he asked.

  Kiely shook her head. “No. It was probably just the wind.”

  He nudged her shoulder. “Let’s go inside,” he said as they moved back up the stairs. He grabbed the two bags of groceries.

  They both tossed one last look over their shoulders and then locked the door behind themselves.

  * * *

  Alfie stood an arm’s length away from Pippa. He stared intently, playing a game of eye ping-pong as he shifted his gaze back and forth between her and Kiely.

  “He is so funny,” Pippa laughed.

  “He’s trying to figure out why you look like me,” Kiely said.

  “I know you two are fraternal twins, but you do look very much alike. I can just imagine he’s having a hard time processing why,” Cooper interjected.

  Alfie moved back to Kiely’s side, the look he gave Pippa moving them all to laugh. Kiely lifted him to her lap. She ran her fingers through his hair. Alfie reached for her fork, wanting another bite of the cake that she’d been coveting.

  “I think we have another convert,” Pippa said.

  Cooper took his own bite, swirling the taste across his tongue. The New York style cheesecake made with Greek yogurt had a walnut and cinnamon baklava filling encased in filo dough and drizzled with honey. It was everything Kiely had asserted, the decadence unrivaled by any other cheesecake he’d ever eaten. “I can’t blame him,” he said. “This is so good!”

  “There are rules about when we can and can’t eat this cake,” Pippa said.

  Kiely nodded. “We only eat this cake once per month.”

  “Also, on holidays, stress days and for special celebrations.”

  “The third Friday of every month.”

  “And every other Tuesday.”

  The sisters laughed.

  “So, pretty much any time you want. Is that what I’m understanding?” Cooper said.

  “I like him. He’s smart,” Pippa teased.

  Kiely tossed him a look. “I’m sure he has moments.”

  “Okay! On that note, I am officially out of my depth. Time to retire to the other side.” Cooper stood up. “Alfie, do you want to go outside and play with Daddy?”

  “Alfie go outside,” the little boy said. He gave Kiely a hug before jumping from her lap.

  “Can I have a hug, too?” Pippa asked.

  Alfie’s smile fell into a deep frown. “You not my Ki-Ki,” he said.

  The two women watched as he stomped past Pippa, moving to Cooper’s side. When his father had his hand, he tossed Pippa a look over his shoulder.

  “I think he just gave you a middle-finger salute,” Kiely said.

  “I don’t think I got a full finger wave. More like a little finger,” Pippa joked. “That kid is so darn cute! And look at you being all mommy-like! Who are you and what did you do with my twin sister?”

  Laughter was loud and raucous. “I like this mommy gig. More than I thought I ever would.”

  “Clearly! I’ll be honest. We all thought it was just a phase. That by the second day you would have been ready to pull your hair out, or Cooper would find his kid stuffed in a closet.”

  “It’s definitely not a phase. I don’t know if I want to continue doing PI work full time. I think I want to be a more of a stay-at-home mom. Is that crazy?”

  Pippa shook her head. “Not really. The risk factor in both is about the same.”

  Kiely laughed. “You might be right about that.”

  * * *

  Cooper stared out over the backyard. Alfie was digging a hole with a large stick. He was playing happily, oblivious to anything the adults around him might have been going through. He found himself thinking about what Kiely might’ve heard earlier. The area was pretty remote and had been chosen for a reason. There was a team in close proximity if they were ever needed. Agents could be there before they hung up the line. Although it appeared they were alone and might be hampered without transportation, such was farthest from the truth. Cooper hadn’t intended for them to be bait; he knew that if that woman came for him, or his son, again, he would be more than ready for her.

  He would check later to see if any of the agents had been out in the woods patrolling the area. He knew they would occasionally check the property in stealth mode so as not to be seen. They were undoubtedly good at what they did; they had strict instructions to stay at least sixty yards from the house unless the family’s safety required them to be closer. He also wanted to make sure they’d found no one else on the property who wasn’t supposed to be there.

  Lost in thought, Cooper was halfway up the steps when he realized Alfie wasn’t beside him. Turning abruptly, he tore after the child, a moment of panic sweeping through him. By the time Cooper reached the steps, Alfie was banging at the door calling for Kiely.

  “Ki-Ki! Ki-Ki! Open da door, Ki-Ki! Got to go potty!”

  When Kiely pulled the entrance open, Alfie tore past her, leaving Cooper standing there feeling slightly foolish.

  “He ran off,” Cooper said as she stared at him.

  “He has to go potty,” she said.

  “Potty?”

  “We’re potty training. He likes to aim. You should know all about that. It’s a boy thing.”

  Alfie screamed her name. “Ki-Ki!”

  “That sounds like he may need help wiping,” she said as she turned from the door. “That requires a little more than aim and shake.”

  Moving into the home Cooper gave Pippa a look, his confounded expression moving her to laugh. He shrugged his broad shoulders, feeling slightly discombobulated.

  “Yeah,” Pippa said. “It’s like that sometimes!”

  * * *

  Once again that night, Kiely was wrapped around a pillow and Cooper was wrapped around her. Pippa had left earlier, having already called to say she was home safe and sound. Alfie had gone down after one last slice of cheesecake. He’d played hard and was sleeping harder.

  “When I looked up and he was gone, I panicked,” Cooper was saying.

  “He’s fast. You can take your eyes off him for a split second and he’ll be a mile away. I’ve lost him a few times myself.”

  “You lost my son?”

  “You lost your son.”

  He brushed his pelvis against her buttocks. “Well, I felt wholeheartedly inadequate and then when I found out he was potty training...when did that happen?”

  “We’ve really just started and he’s pretty much training himself.”

  “There’s so much I don’t know about my son. I feel like I need to make up for a lot of lost time. It’s made me realize how much I’ve been focused on the agency and my job the last two years instead of focusing on Alfie.”

  “You’re here now. And Alfie is an amazing child because you have been here. I’m sure that as he gets older you’ll have to be more hands-on. You’ll figure it out.”
>
  “We’ll figure it out together, Ki-Ki!” Cooper said, imitating how his son called her name.

  She turned in his arms and pressed a kiss to his chest. They talked for a good long while, defining how they saw their future together. They were conscious of the fact that everything they decided would impact Alfie either directly or indirectly, and that he had to be in the forefront of whatever choices they made for themselves.

  It was after midnight when Cooper fell asleep, slumber claiming him first. Kiely started to drift off as she settled into his light snores. She was groggy, her eyes opening and then closing. She saw a shadow moving past the window and heard a branch snapping, startling her awake so she sat upright in the bed.

  She tapped Cooper awake as she slid out of the bed.

  “What’s wrong?” he said, rubbing his eyes.

  Kiely whispered. “Someone’s outside,” she said, pointing toward the bedroom window.

  Cooper jumped from the bed, reaching for the lock box by the bedside. Punching in the security code he retrieved his service weapon and passed Kiely her gun.

  They moved through the house swiftly. Kiely hurried to the sliding glass doors in the back and Cooper opened the front door. Both eased out at the same time. At the bottom of the steps Cooper turned to the right, sweeping from one side to the other as he eased toward the end of the house and the bedroom window. Kiely’s steps mirrored his as she turned left, headed in the same direction.

  As they both turned the corner, they were suddenly standing in the midst of a herd of white-tail deer, some so close that they could have reached out to pet them. There were at least sixty of them of assorted ages and sizes. The air around them was still, the quiet like a thick fog around them. Just the occasional snap of a branch beneath their hoofs. There was a full moon lighting the dark sky, the bright glow illuminating the landscape. It was surreal and so breathtakingly beautiful that Kiely heard herself gasp. Realizing the threat beneath the bedroom window was only Bambi and company out for their midnight stroll, she lowered her weapon first and then Cooper dropped his arm down to his side.