THE BABY MISSION

An illegal adoption ring—using kidnapped babies—has to be stopped. To gather the necessary evidence, U.S. marshal Serena Summers goes undercover—as a married woman desperate for a baby. Her “husband” is her own partner, U.S. marshal Josh McCall, whom Serena blames for her brother’s death. How can she act like a loving wife when she has to constantly fight her feelings for a man she isn’t sure she can trust? The closer they get to unraveling the dark web of deceit, though, the more being Josh’s undercover wife means putting her life—and future—in his hands.

Witness Protection: Hiding in plain sight

Glass shattered.

Serena’s heart hammered against her ribs. The sound came from somewhere in the house.

Josh lifted a finger to his lips, indicating silence.

She nodded and withdrew her weapon from the holster at her hip. Moving in tandem they slowly made their way down the hall toward the main part of the house. At the T in the hallway, Josh gestured with two fingers for her to go right, while he’d go left.

Hushed male voices came from the next room. At least two.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins. The nitty-gritty aspect of taking down the bad guys was a necessary part of the job. A part she had no qualms about performing.

Two men stood inside the dining room and another balanced half in, half out of the broken window on the side of the house.

Josh yelled, “Stop. U.S. Marshals.”

The guy half inside the window dropped back outside and disappeared. One of the remaining thugs reached behind his back to whip out a .357 and aimed the pistol at Josh.

Fear slammed into Serena. “Gun!”

* * *

TERRI REED

At an early age Terri Reed discovered the wonderful world of fiction and declared she would one day write a book. Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired Books. Her second book, A Sheltering Love, was a 2006 RITA® Award finalist and a 2005 National Readers’ Choice Award finalist. Her book Strictly Confidential, book five in the Faith at the Crossroads continuity series, took third place in the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award, and Her Christmas Protector took third place in 2008. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing with her dogs.

You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555, Portland, OR 97280. Visit her on the web at www.loveinspiredauthors.com, leave comments on her blog, www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com, or email her at terrireed@sterling.net.

Undercover Marriage

Terri Reed

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

—Philippians 4:12–13

Thank you to the editors at Love Inspired for giving me this opportunity to work on this continuity series. It’s been a pleasure to work with the other authors, Shirlee McCoy, Margaret Daley, Sharon Dunn, Liz Johnson and Valerie Hansen.

I also want to thank Leah Vale, Lissa Manley and Melissa McClone; without their support, wisdom and laughter my life would not be as rich.

Thanks and acknowledgment to Terri Reed for her contribution to the Witness Protection series.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Extract

ONE

U.S. marshal Serena Summers entered three-year-old Brandon McIntyre’s room with a packing box in hand. Her heart ached for the turmoil the McIntyre family had recently suffered. Danger had touched their lives in the most horrible of ways. A child had been kidnapped.

But thankfully Brandon’s older brother had been rescued by the joint efforts of loving parents and the Marshals Service.

Serena paused, taking stock of the signs that the McIntyre family had once lived in this home. Little clothes spilled out of the dresser, as if the furniture had burped. Toys were scattered across the floor, tiny land mines to avoid. A toddler-size bed, the sheets and covers thrown back as if Brandon had recently awoken—and now the bed waited for the tiny body to once again claim slumber.

But the child wouldn’t be back. At least not to this house.

The McIntyre family no longer lived in Houston. The U.S. Marshals Service had moved them for a second time when their location had been compromised.

Only a few people within the service knew where Dylan, Grace and the kids had been relocated.

Serena and her partner, Josh, were among them. It was their job to pack up the family’s belongings and forward them through a long and winding path to their final destination. The McIntyres had been spirited away and deposited in paradise. Or as close to it as the U.S. Marshals Service could get them. Hawaii, to be exact.

Carefully picking her way around stuffed animals, train pieces and Legos, Serena went to work, gently folding clothing and stacking them inside the box. Her chest ached with empathy for the family that had almost been destroyed by the illegal activities of Dylan’s boss, Fred Munders, and his thugs.

Mr. Munders, a wealthy and well-connected lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri, had been implicated in several murders and in the illegal operation of a baby-smuggling outfit run through the adoption agency his wife, Matilda Munders, founded.

The only problem was the marshals and the FBI had found no hard evidence with which to shut Munders and the adoption agency down.

The word of several thugs and Dylan McIntyre, who worked as an attorney in Munders’s law firm, Munders and Moore, wasn’t enough to indict. The evidence Dylan had collected against his boss had disappeared from within the Marshals Service’s district offices, apparently stolen by someone within the service itself.

Serena’s fingers curled with anger around the tiny tennis shoe in her hand.

So many deaths, so many lives thrown into chaos.

The thought that someone she worked with, trusted, could have stolen the evidence and could have been leaking information to the bad guys sent Serena’s blood to boil.

If her brother were alive, he’d know how to compartmentalize the anger and pain gnawing at her day in and day out.

But Daniel was gone. Murdered.

A sharp stab of grief sliced through her heart. Followed closely by the anger that always chased her sorrow.

She tossed the shoe in the box and abruptly rose. Restless, she moved to strip the bed. She had to keep busy, keep her mind occupied, or her emotions would overwhelm her. Something she refused to let happen. She needed to stay professional. She needed to keep up the front that her world hadn’t collapsed with her brother’s death.

“Hey, you okay in here?”

Serena glanced up at her current partner, U.S. marshal Josh McCall. They’d been paired to work the illegal adoption case. His six-foot-three frame filled the doorway. He’d taken off his navy suit jacket and rolled the sleeves of his once crisp white dress shirt up to the elbows. His silver silk tie was askew, and his brown hair looked as if he’d been running his fingers through it again, the ends standing up, making him appear as if he’d just rolled out of bed rather than put in a ninety-hour week. His soft brown eyes, shadowed by signs of fatigue and grief, tugged at her heart. She’d always found him appealing. But that was before. Now she refused to allow her reaction to show. Not only did she not want to draw attention to the fact that she’d noticed anything about him, she didn’t want him to think she cared.

She didn’t. Josh was the reason her brother had been alone when he’d been murdered. Instead of having his partner’s back, Josh had been out on a personal day at the time Daniel needed him, leaving Daniel on his own to chase a lead, where he was struck on the head and left to die. Alone.

A traitorous thought niggled: Daniel shouldn’t have gone off by himself. Doing so went against protocol and logic. If he hadn’t, he would still be alive. She pushed back her musings. Her brother must have had a good reason. But nothing absolved Josh of the responsibility he had to protect Daniel. They’d been best friends as well as coworkers.

Her fists bunched up the bedding. Her soul cried out with “Why, Lord?” as it always did anytime she allowed her mind to go down that road.

Turning away from Josh, she said briskly, “I’m good.”

Taking the two ends of the sheet in each hand, she spread her arms wide and attempted to fold the sheet in half. The material didn’t want to cooperate.

“Here,” Josh said, stepping all the way into the room. “Let me help.”

He reached for the sheet, his hand brushing hers.

An electric current shot through her. She jerked away, letting go of the ends as if she’d been burned. The sheet fluttered to the floor between them. “I don’t need your help.”

His hand dropped to his side. “Serena.” Josh’s tone held a note of hurt.

Inhaling sharply, Serena berated herself for not being professional. She’d allowed her personal grief and bitterness to show. She stiffened her spine, raised her chin and let out a long breath.

Keeping her voice neutral, she asked, “How’s the kitchen coming along?”

Resignation shuttered his expression. “Almost done.”

“Good. I finished the kids’ bathroom and the daughter’s room. Those boxes are ready for transport.”

“We’ll be out of here in time to make our scheduled flight,” Josh stated, his tone flat. “It’ll be good to return to St. Louis and get some rest.”

Serena’s mouth pressed tight. Rest was something she’d had little of the past year and a half, ever since her brother’s unsolved murder. Not to mention the trips to various locations around the country as she and Josh worked to track down leads on the illegal baby-smuggling scheme. Each lead only brought more confusion and chaos. They badly needed a break in the case.

Glass shattered.

Serena’s heart hammered against her ribs.

The sound came from somewhere in the house.

Josh raised a finger to his lips, indicating silence.

She nodded and withdrew her weapon from the holster at her hip. Moving in tandem, they slowly made their way down the hall toward the main part of the house. At the T in the hallway, Josh gestured with two fingers for her to go right, while he’d go left.

Dipping her chin in acknowledgment, she peeled off to enter the empty kitchen. Her pulse beat a frantic tempo.

Hushed male voices came from the next room. At least two.

The muscles in her shoulders tightened. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. The nitty-gritty aspect of taking down the bad guys was a necessary part of the job. A part she had no qualms about performing. As a woman in a field historically dominated by men, she’d worked hard to prove herself. Just as other women in the service had done as far back as the late 1800s, when Ada Carnutt first put on the badge. Serena admired her predecessors as well as the current female director of the U.S. Marshals Service, who’d been appointed by the president. Serena would do them proud.

Skirting around stacked boxes, she made her way to the dining room just as Josh entered from the living room.

Two men stood inside the dining room and another was balanced half in, half out of the broken window on the side of the house. All three men, dressed in black, were big guys in their late twenties.

Josh yelled, “Stop! U.S. Marshals!”

The guy half inside the window dropped back outside and disappeared. One of the remaining thugs reached behind his back to whip out a .357 and aimed the pistol at Josh.

Fear burst within Serena. “Gun!”

Josh ducked behind a stack of boxes as the guy holding the gun fired in his direction. A bullet tore through the cardboard box, nearly taking out Josh’s eye, and smashed into the wall. She dove behind the love seat.

Knowing the boxes wouldn’t provide enough cover for Josh, Serena had to do something. She popped up, aimed at the intruder with the gun and squeezed off a round. The rapid beat of her heart thundered in her ears, drowning out the retort of the weapon in her hand. The bullet slammed into the guy’s leg. He screamed and crumpled to the floor. His buddy jumped through the broken window and escaped.

Serena leaped to her feet and raced around the love seat, keeping her weapon trained on the man writhing on the floor, clutching his leg. She kicked aside the gun he’d dropped.

“You okay?” Josh asked as he skidded to a halt beside her.

She nodded, her gaze searching him for injury.

“Good.” He rushed toward the window. “Watch him. I’m going after the other two.”

Chest knotting, Serena watched Josh disappear through the window.

“Keep him safe, Lord,” she whispered and hoped God would listen. She blamed Josh for her brother’s death, but she didn’t want to have to live through another loss. She’d known Josh a long time. He and Daniel had been friends since basic training at the academy in Glynco, Georgia, over eight years ago.

She dug her cell phone out of the pocket of her suit jacket and called the Houston district office and the police department for backup. While she waited, she cuffed the guy’s hands in front of him and then grabbed a towel from a box to press against the bullet wound.

The man moaned. “You shot me.”

She refrained from pointing out he’d shot first. “Who sent you?”

“I don’t know,” the guy ground out. “I need a doctor!”

“What were you doing here?” Serena asked.

“Trying to find out where they went.”

Serena didn’t need to ask who; she knew he meant Dylan and his family. “What were you supposed to do with the information?”

“I don’t know. Bob set this up. He’d know.”

“Bob who? What’s Bob’s last name?”

The guy clamped his mouth shut.

“Come on, give me the name. It will go better for you if you do,” Serena coaxed.

“I want a lawyer.” A spasm of pain marched across his face. “I’m not saying anything more.”

Serena blew out a frustrated breath.

The wail of a siren announced the arrival of the Houston police force. Josh reentered the house through the front door, leading paramedics and two police officers inside.

Serena relinquished her hold on the rag to the paramedics and joined Josh off to the side so the local LEOs—law enforcement officers—could take over.

“Mr. Bad Shot said they were looking to find out where Dylan and the family went,” she told Josh. “Said one of his buddies named Bob set up the deal.”

“Good job getting that out of him.”

The approval in Josh’s brown eyes made her stand a little taller. She still only reached his shoulder. “I take it the other two got away?”

“Yeah, they had a vehicle on the next block. I got a partial plate.”

“We have to put a stop to this,” Serena said. “We have to bring Munders down once and for all!”

Josh swiped a hand through his hair. “We will. First things first. Let’s finish up here and get home to St. Louis.”

Home. The word reverberated through Serena’s head like a pinball, bouncing off her thoughts. Growing up, she and Daniel had been passed around between their divorced parents like a set of candlesticks that neither really wanted but didn’t want the other to have. When Daniel had reached the age of majority he’d moved out on his own, taking Serena with him.

They’d shared an apartment ever since, but after Daniel’s death, she couldn’t take being there without him. She’d given everything to a local charity and moved into a studio. Her apartment wasn’t a home. It was a place to store her stuff and to sleep when she could.

She didn’t know if she’d ever have a real home again. Without her brother in her life, she was lost. He’d been her anchor. The one constant. Home had been where he was. Now he was gone. Thanks to Josh.

* * *

“Will we make our flight?” Serena asked, as the moving van, escorted by Houston police, pulled away from the curb.

Josh checked the time on his smartphone. “With time to spare.”

With the help of two local marshals, they’d made short work of packing the last of the McIntyre household into boxes and loading them onto the transport bound for Hawaii via Chicago and Seattle.

The Houston marshals had taken the wounded thug into custody and had obtained Josh’s and Serena’s statements. Josh wished they’d had another chance to further interrogate the guy who’d broken into the McIntyre house, but he didn’t want to get into an arm-wrestling match for control of the situation.

He’d let his superiors deal with the politics. Local marshals would interrogate the man later. And hopefully he would give up information on his cohorts.

After locking up the house, Serena placed the key in the mail slot for the landlord. The small circle of light from the porch fixture didn’t extend to the driveway, where they had parked the green four-door sedan they’d rented when they arrived in Houston this morning. Darkness shrouded the driveway and the bushes on either side.

The need for caution tripped down Josh’s spine.

He placed a hand to the small of Serena’s back. The fabric of her pantsuit felt luxurious against his palm.

She stiffened at his touch and stepped away.

Ignoring the sliver of irritation that sliced through him, he opened the passenger door and she slid into the seat. He reached inside to help untangle the seat belt strap. She shifted away from him and wouldn’t meet his gaze.

He blew out a frustrated breath and finished righting the belt before backing away and slamming the door shut.

They were both tired and cranky.

At least that was how he explained away her reaction every time he got close to her. But then again, these days she was always prickly with him.

Besides the one glimpse of vulnerability on her face when she’d been packing young Brandon’s room, Serena was her stoic self. Saying little and showing even less in her expression. The professional to the nth degree.

Her lack of emotions set his nerves on edge.

He wished she’d get mad or sad or something. She was grieving for Daniel, yet she held on to her emotions with an iron fist. He tried to emulate her. But it took a lot of energy to repress the myriad emotions raging through him at any given moment. There were times he wanted to give up, but knowing he had to stay focused and in the game for Serena’s sake kept him going.

He missed the easy friendship he and Serena had had before Daniel’s death. But since the moment she’d heard of her brother’s murder, she’d retreated behind this ascetic silence, talking to him only when necessary.

Not easy when they had to work together.

Sometimes impossible as partners assigned to a tough case.

He blew out a puff of air.

He knew she hadn’t been happy to be paired with him. But they made a good team regardless of their personal issues. Each easily anticipated the other’s need, the other’s movements. Numerous colleagues had commented on their compatibility. In fact, many people thought they were so in sync with each other that they could be a romantic couple.

So not the case.

For so many reasons.

First and foremost, Serena was Daniel’s sister and therefore off-limits. There were few people in this world Josh trusted. Daniel had been at the top of the list. Dishonoring his memory by becoming romantically involved with his sister wasn’t something he intended to do.

Besides, Josh would never do anything to jeopardize his working relationship with Serena by pursuing her romantically.

Josh had tried on numerous occasions over the past year and a half to talk to Serena about the day Daniel died, but she’d refused to engage in a conversation. Not that he wanted to explain why he’d taken a personal day or why he hadn’t answered the phone when Daniel had called him hours before his death.

What he wanted to tell Serena was how gut-wrenching it had been to learn of Daniel’s murder and then hearing Daniel’s voice message asking for backup.

Josh would live with the knowledge he’d let his fellow marshal and best friend down because of a woman. Lexi, Josh’s girlfriend of three years, had dumped him that morning, accusing him of having feelings for Serena.

Not putting any stock in the accusation, he’d dismissed Lexi’s allegations as irrational jealousy. Lexi had always been territorial, but she’d gone too far this time.

Josh wouldn’t deny he found Serena attractive, with her long dark hair captured back into a low ponytail and her wide-set eyes that saw through him. The tailored pantsuits she wore covered her from head to toe but showed off her athletic and feminine curves underneath. When Josh had first met Serena, she’d been reserved and wary, but she had warmed up over the years that Daniel had been Josh’s friend.

Josh wouldn’t have felt right about pursuing Serena, especially after she started working alongside him and Daniel. Josh had forced his attraction into a box and made himself treat Serena like a little sister when they weren’t working and like a professional colleague when they were.

None of that mattered now. Daniel was gone. Serena was now virtually a stranger, and Josh had no intention of becoming romantically involved with her. His guilt wouldn’t let him. He didn’t deserve happiness or even contentment.

He was to blame for Daniel’s death.

He would never forgive himself.

With a heavy heart, he drove out of the neighborhood and merged onto the highway heading toward Houston’s Intercontinental Airport. The evening traffic had thinned.

He glanced in the rearview mirror, noting the headlights of a black SUV. The same vehicle had been behind them since they left the suburban neighborhood. The big black beast stayed two cars back. Josh moved into the right lane to see what the SUV would do. It changed lanes, as well. At the last second Josh took the off-ramp.

“Hey!” Serena cried, reaching up for the grab-handle.

The SUV shot down the ramp behind them.

“We’re being followed,” Josh stated.

Serena swiveled in her seat to look out the back window. “I can’t make out the license plate.”

Josh stepped on the gas, heading the sedan down a side street. The back window exploded as gunfire pebbled the car.

Up ahead an empty parking lot came into view. Josh made a sharp turn into the parking lot. Then, keeping his foot on the gas, he twisted the steering wheel, sending the sedan into a ninety-degree spin. When the front end faced the oncoming SUV, he stomped on the brake and threw the gear shift into Park.

Popping open the driver’s-side door with one hand, he yanked his Sig Sauer out of its holster beneath his jacket. Beside him Serena did the same with her Walther. Using the door as a shield, he aimed at the oncoming vehicle.

Blinding light from the high beams made him wince. He fired off a shot, taking out one headlight.

Undeterred, the SUV barreled toward them.

Panic cramped Josh’s chest.

The crazy driver wasn’t going to stop.

TWO

“Look out!” Serena cried, as the SUV headed for a collision course with the sedan.

Her heart crawled into her throat and constricted her breathing. Galvanized by self-preservation, she scrambled away from the open passenger door. Anticipation of the SUV crashing into Josh’s sedan stiffened every muscle in her body. She braced herself for the impact and glanced back. Josh hadn’t moved!

“Josh!” Why wasn’t he getting out of the way? “Move it. Now!”

He squeezed off several rounds, hitting the front of the SUV.

At the last second the SUV veered to the left, roaring past the driver’s side of the sedan. The barrel of an assault rifle stuck out the open back passenger window.

A barrage of gunfire split the air. Bullets riddled the fender and door of the rental sedan. The deafening noise echoed inside Serena’s head.

Josh dove inside the car.

Serena rolled to her knees, aimed and fired, hitting the back window. The SUV screamed out of the parking lot and disappeared down the street.

Heavy silence descended.

Fear for Josh overwhelmed Serena. Please, dear Lord, don’t let him be dead.

She jumped to her feet and rushed to the car. “Josh! Are you hurt?”

Josh jolted to a seated position to pound his palm against the steering wheel, his frustration obvious. He yanked out his cell and called 911.

She sagged forward with relief that he was okay and braced a hand on the car roof. Losing her brother had sent her into an emotional tailspin that she’d barely begun to come out of. Losing a partner wasn’t something she wanted to go through, no matter what her personal feelings for said partner were.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the edges of her professionalism and pulled it tightly around her before stepping back to allow Josh to climb out of the car.

“Did you happen to see the shooters?” he asked.

“No, the windows were tinted. Do you think they were the same perps from the house?”

“Pretty likely that it was. We saw their faces.” His usually warm brown eyes hardened. “I’m sure they figured if they got rid of us then there’d be no one to ID them.”

“Except the guy I shot could identify them,” Serena said. “We need to let the local marshals know they might have a potential target on their hands.”

“Good idea.” He loosened his tie then swiped a hand down his face.

A smear of blood on the back of his hand caught her attention. “You’re hurt.”

He glanced down at the cut where flying glass had scraped across his skin. “Hazard of the job.”

Right. She knew all too well the dangers that came with being a U.S. marshal. Her brother died in the line of duty. Would she and Josh suffer the same fate?

* * *

The next morning Josh rolled into work five minutes before eight. A sleek skyscraper in downtown St. Louis housed the U.S. Marshals Service district office. Josh took the elevator to the fourth floor and made his way to his desk. Serena was already seated at her station a few feet away. She glanced up, gave him a tight smile and returned her focus to the file in front of her.

In contrast to her neat and tidy desk, Josh’s desk had a mound of files stacked precariously close to the edge. A desktop weekly planner, sporting coffee stains, still showed the previous month. He took a seat and ripped the top sheet off the calendar so that June would show. He powered up his laptop.

“Hey, McCall.” Marshal Burke Trier stopped beside Josh’s desk. Tall and lean with dark eyes, dark hair and a dimpled chin, Burke was the resident ladies’ man. “Glad to see you made it back in one piece. We heard about the ambush last night.”

“News travels fast,” Josh remarked. “What’s happening with the Munders case?”

Burke shrugged. “We’re stalled out. Without the evidence McIntyre promised we’re going nowhere real fast.”

“Not his fault the thumb drive containing the evidence went missing while in our custody,” Josh shot back.

“Yeah, well, if there was anything on it to begin with,” Burke stated. “Maybe McIntyre lifted it while we had our backs turned.”

Josh’s fingers curled. “Dylan McIntyre was trying to do the right thing. He wouldn’t—”

“Any leads on the missing Baby Kay or her mother?” Serena interjected. “That’s what we need to keep focused on.”

Josh’s gut twisted. Leave it to Serena to use the one thing that would defuse the situation. A few months back a woman named Emma Bullock had been found beaten and unconscious in Minneapolis. When she awoke, she couldn’t remember who she was or who’d hurt her. However, she remembered being in possession of a baby at the time of the attack. But the baby was nowhere to be found.

Apparently a young woman named Lonnie had asked Emma to safeguard her child while she ran an errand but had never returned. The marshals were called in because of the illegal adoption ring they were on the cusp of busting. Josh was sure the kidnapping of Baby Kay had something to do with Munders and the Perfect Family Adoption Agency. The police and the Marshals Service were still searching for the baby and the young mother.

Burke shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. The Minneapolis P.D. is staying on top of the search and will keep us informed if anything develops.”

Josh let out a frustrated grunt for a reply. He prayed the young mother and baby were still alive.

“Burke, what do you hear from Hunter?” Serena asked. She rested her elbows on the desktop and steepled her hands as she waited for an answer.

Hunter Davis had been their team leader until he’d taken an extended leave of absence. He’d fallen in love with a witness he’d been protecting. But he was still consulting on the baby-smuggling case via telephone from time to time.

“He and Annie got married. Didn’t invite any of us.” The disgruntled note in Burke’s voice was understandable. He and Hunter had been roommates before Hunter met Annie. She’d entered the witness protection program to testify against the men who’d killed her husband and tried to kidnap her daughter.

“Good for them,” Serena said.

Josh stared at her. Had he just seen a flash of longing? She met his gaze and immediately her dark brown eyes cooled before she turned her attention to the file in front of her. Nah. He’d been dreaming. The only thing in her eyes was pure steel.

“Good morning, children.” A booming voice echoed through the offices as recently retired U.S. marshal Bud Hollingsworth approached, bearing a box of treats from a local bakery. Tall with a potbelly, the sixty-something veteran was having a hard time adjusting to retirement, if his frequent appearances at the office were any indication. “I understand you two had some trouble over in Houston.”

“Does everyone know?” Josh asked. “How did you hear?”

Bud shrugged and lifted the lid on the box to offer Josh a pastry. “The chief. He asked me to come in and consult on this development. I’m going to liaison with the Houston P.D. to try to catch these guys. We can’t have our witness compromised.”

Josh’s defenses rose. “He wasn’t. There were no labels on anything. No way anyone could find out where the McIntyre family has been relocated to.”

“Josh. Serena,” Chief U.S. Marshal Wendell Harrison called from the doorway of his office. In his fifties, lean and wiry, Wendell exuded energy without trying. “A word, please.”

Exchanging a curious glance with Serena, Josh pushed out of his chair and stood. He followed Serena into the chief’s office. The chief sat behind his desk. Another man wearing a gray pin-striped suit rose as they entered. About five foot five, muscular, with a chiseled jaw and swept-back blond hair, the man oozed fed.

“Marshal McCall and Marshal Summers, you know FBI Special Agent Todd Bishop,” Harrison said.

Bishop shook Josh’s hand, then Serena’s. “Marshals,” Bishop said. “You two have been doing good work.”

“Thank you,” Serena said, looking pleased. She was a woman who liked to be praised for her work. Compliments about anything else were met with a silent stare.

Without preamble, the chief said in a loud booming voice, “In light of last night’s development and close call, I’m taking you two off the Munders case and reassigning you to a new case. We’ll be coordinating with Agent Bishop.”

The air rushed from Josh’s lungs as if he’d been socked in the stomach. Six months ago when he and Serena had been assigned to this special operation, he’d welcomed the chance to coordinate with the FBI in tracking down and apprehending criminals connected to the illegal adoption ring.

Anything to distract himself from the anguish of his best friend’s murder. Though investigating wasn’t within the scope of the Marshals Service, Josh had done what he could to find Daniel’s killer as well as monitored the local police and federal investigation, but they, too, had hit dead ends at every turn.

Now to be taken off the special operation they’d toiled at for so many months chafed.

“What? No.” Serena’s protest drew the attention of everyone in the outer offices. “We’ve worked too hard on this case to be taken off now.”

Harrison held up a hand. “Please. I understand you’re upset. But this is for your protection.”

Josh tucked in his chin. “Our protection? We’re doing fine. We have each other’s back.”

Harrison regarded them steadily with steely blue eyes. “Shut the door and take a seat.”

Serena pushed the door closed. “I’d rather stand.”

Josh took the seat opposite his boss. Special Agent Bishop moved to hitch a hip onto the edge of the desk.

The chief’s expression was grim, but there was something else in his assessing eyes that made Josh guess there was more to this. “Sir? What’s really going on?”

Harrison’s mouth twitched. “You are a perceptive man, McCall.”

“I try, sir.”

“Serena, close the blinds, please,” Harrison instructed.

Once the blinds were closed, Serena stood behind the empty chair next to Josh, her hands gripping the back.

Harrison leaned forward. “I’m not taking you off the Munders case,” he said, his voice low, intense. “That bit was for show. I don’t want whoever our leak is to know what you’re actually going to be doing.”

“Which is?” Josh prompted, anxious.

“You’re going undercover,” Agent Bishop stated.

Surprise washed through Josh. “Isn’t that something the FBI should be doing?” A few months ago, FBI agent Lisette Sutton had gone undercover in a fertility clinic. The Marshals Service had provided support in the form of U.S. marshal Colton Phillips.

“Normally, yes,” Bishop said. “But these are special circumstances that will require you to wear the mantle of investigator. We have every confidence in the two of you.”

Josh wasn’t sure he shared Bishop’s certainty. They hadn’t been successful yet in plugging the department leak or apprehending the man known as “Mr. Big.”

“We need hard evidence against Munders and the Perfect Family Adoption Agency to take to the state attorney general,” the chief said. “I want you two to get it.”

“Where are we going undercover and as what?” Serena asked in a tone mixed with equal parts excitement and apprehension. Josh felt that same mix in his gut. He waited for the chief’s answer.

Harrison sat back. “Before I go into the details, bring Agent Bishop up to speed on where we are in the investigation.”

“I’ve read the reports, but I’d like to hear your observations,” Agent Bishop said.

Josh looked to Serena. Her gaze slid to meet his. Her eyebrows inched up in question. Josh nodded, indicating for her to speak.

“Six months ago a routine court witness protection detail went south,” she said, addressing Agent Bishop. “We apprehended a suspect who had tried to take out the witness and offered him protection in exchange for information regarding human trafficking. Babies, to be exact. The thug was working for someone dubbed ‘Mr. Big.’ We have yet to find this man.

“However, following the lead the suspect provided, we ascertained that there is indeed an illegal ring of baby smugglers operating out of the U.S. We believe the headquarters are here in St. Louis. We discovered a connection between Mexico and a law firm here, Munders and Moore.

“We believe the law firm is arranging for infants to be brought across the border and sold to American families through an adoption agency.”

“The Perfect Family Adoption Agency,” Harrison murmured. “Why there?”

“The agency is owned and operated by Matilda Munders, wife of Fred Munders. Fred has been implicated in witness tampering, several kidnappings and murder.”

The chief stroked his chin. “It’s imperative we bring these criminals to justice. Are you two prepared to do what it takes?”

Josh blinked at the ominous words. He glanced at Special Agent Bishop. The man stared back at him with sharp eyes, reminding Josh of a shark.

“Yes, sir,” Serena answered quickly.

“Josh?” Harrison eyed him with an intensity that made Josh want to squirm.

But Josh held himself still. “Of course, sir.”

“Good.” Agent Bishop handed each of them a file folder. “Inside this dossier you will find everything you need for your cover. Publically you will be reassigned to work on a fugitive task force coordinating with the FBI.”

Josh opened the dossier and scanned the overview sheet. His heart beat in his throat. He slanted a glance at Serena. She stood frozen in place, her gaze trained on the papers in her hand. Slowly she lifted her gaze to meet his. Shock and denial swirled in the depths of her chocolate-brown eyes.

Swiftly she jerked her gaze away from Josh to address the chief. “No. I can’t. I won’t.”

Josh’s fingers tightened around the folder. He’d never known Serena to back away from a challenge. And this would be challenging.

The chief stared back at her unflinchingly. “This is too dangerous a task to give to a civilian. You and McCall are the perfect choices.”

She sputtered. “But...but...posing as husband and wife?”

“It’s the perfect cover,” Bishop said. “You’ll be Mr. and Mrs. Andrews from Alaska, recently relocated to St. Louis because of Mr. Andrews’s promotion to bank executive at First National. You are desperate to have a child. You’ve tried everything and are at your wits’ end.”

“I could never pull this off,” Serena declared, her voice rising slightly, betraying her upset.

Josh had only seen her lose her cool once, when she’d heard the news of her brother’s death. For her to show this much of a reaction spoke volumes. Was it the undercover work she objected to, or was it that he would be playing her husband?

“Serena, think of all the innocent families who have been affected by this case.” Josh held her gaze. He needed to take this assignment. They needed to take this assignment. They’d worked too hard over the past six months to back down now.

The fact that going undercover with Serena would mean they’d be in constant contact with few breaks strung his nerves tight, but he couldn’t let that deter him. “We need to do this. We need to bring the ringleaders to justice before more hearts are broken—or anyone else is killed.”

A ripple of pain crossed Serena’s face before she narrowed her gaze on him. “You’re okay with this? You and me posing as husband and wife?”

“If that is what is required of us, then yes. I would think you’d want to do whatever it took to bring down Munders and the adoption agency. Even posing as my wife.”

The thought of pretending to be married to Serena—aka Susan Andrews—would present all sorts of difficulties. Not the least of which was the attraction he fought on a daily basis, and despite the fact that they had reached an uneasy truce these past few months, he could never forget that she blamed him for Daniel’s death. Nor could he ignore his own guilt, which made working with Serena so painful.

Playing the part of Jack Andrews would necessitate Josh’s tapping into his latent acting skills. In high school he’d had the lead role of Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest, to much acclaim.

Though a part of him doubted he’d have much trouble giving a convincing act as “Susan’s” husband. Not with Serena playing Susan to his Jack.

But the question that knocked at his mind was: once this charade was finished, would they be able to go back to being partners?

* * *

Serena barely held on to her composure as three sets of eyes watched her. She forced her expression to remain neutral. She hated that she’d had a momentary lapse in poise when she initially realized what they were being asked to do.

Pose as husband and wife?

Her and Josh.

A loving couple wanting to adopt a child.

The thought of pretending to be Josh’s adoring wife sent her heart rate spiking and stirred up old feelings she’d long ago squashed. When she’d first met her brother’s friend, she thought Josh handsome and charming. It didn’t hurt that Daniel had loved Josh like a brother. But Josh had been taken. And Serena had a strict policy to never poach another woman’s man. Not that she had wanted to date Josh. Well, okay, maybe a little, even though he’d treated her like a sister and kept a proper distance between them. She’d admired his faithfulness to his girlfriend. There had been a lot about Josh Serena had admired and respected.

But that was before Daniel’s murder.

Now she tolerated Josh’s presence because she had to, not because she held on to some silly crush.

She dropped her gaze to the file in her hand. The dossier held a minimal biography of the fictional Susan Andrews as well as a birth certificate and a social security number. Both documents looked completely legit. Everything she’d need for a Missouri ID.

Even though this identity was temporary and would be used only for the purpose of bringing down criminals, a surreal feeling of loss of self invaded her.

This must be what witnesses felt when they were given their new identities.

The silence stretched as the men waited for her to say something. She thought about the children who’d been torn away from their mothers and sold off to couples desperate enough to purchase a baby through questionable sources.

Those little lives demanded she put aside her personal issues and do what was necessary to make sure no more families were torn apart.

“I’m in.” She slanted a glance to her “husband,” then quickly jerked her gaze away when her heart jumped.

She’d better learn to compartmentalize ASAP or their cover would be blown before it ever got off the ground.

THREE

“Excellent.” Agent Bishop glanced at Chief Harrison and exchanged a nod. Josh tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Welcome to Operation: Marriage.”

“Uh, don’t you mean Operation: Undercover Marriage?” Josh asked, earning himself one of Serena’s annoyed, you-think-you’re-so-funny looks.

Bishop chuckled. “Right you are, Marshal McCall.” He clasped Josh’s hand in a firm grip. “Glad to have you on board.” He released Josh to take Serena’s hand. “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Bishop held on a little too long to Serena’s hand. Josh’s gaze narrowed. The soft smile she gave the agent pierced Josh with a spear of jealousy that both shocked and scared him. Daniel had made Josh promise that if anything ever happened to him, Josh would watch out for Serena. No way should he be feeling anything like jealousy—or anything else, for that matter—toward his partner.

Wife.

Pretend wife.

Daniel’s sister!

Get a grip, McCall. This was just his job. A part to be played for the sake of a lot of kids’ safety, on behalf of justice. Nothing more.

Giving himself a mental shake, he turned to the chief. “When do we start this charade?”

“Immediately,” the chief answered.

“I’ll have a house set up for you within the hour,” Bishop said.

“Where will the house be located?” Serena asked. “If we’re posing as a wealthy couple looking to adopt a child at any price, we’re going to need to be set up in one of the more affluent neighborhoods.”

“On it,” Bishop said. “I have an agent securing a home in the Compton Heights neighborhood. You will also need a high-end vehicle appropriate for your cover as a bank executive. Stop by the BMW dealership on South Hanley Road. Ask for Dirk. He’s expecting you.”

Josh whistled between his teeth. “Wow, we’ll get to see how the other half lives.”

A car and a home in Compton Heights. The posh neighborhood was located on the near south side of the city in the shadow of the great water tower of Reservoir Park. The nationally historic neighborhood sported gated and tree-lined streets and houses that were mostly of the Victorian era with lavish yards.

A world unto itself with the convenience of being ten minutes from everywhere. A lifestyle Josh would never be able to afford on a marshal’s salary. But he didn’t regret the choice he made to join the U.S. Marshals Service. He wouldn’t allow money to hold the same appeal to him as it had to his father. Josh had strived too hard in the course of his life to be the opposite of the man who’d broken not only his mother’s heart but also Josh’s.

“Will we have operational support?” Serena asked.

“You will,” the chief stated. “You both remember Linda Maitland?”

Serena shook her head. “I don’t.”

“I do.” Josh remembered Linda well. She’d served as the administrative officer when he’d joined the St. Louis district office. She’d retired not long after.

“She’ll be coming on board as your support. Her cover will be an aunt who’s living with you.” Harrison exchanged a glance with Bishop. “We wanted someone we were sure wasn’t the leak but who would be familiar with our protocols.”

“There will also be an agent posing as the groundskeeper to provide additional support,” Bishop said. His pocket beeped. He withdrew a cell phone. “Excuse me.” He moved to the corner of the room and stood with his back to them while he took his call.

“Will we be able to pack clothing from home?” Serena asked.

Harrison regarded her kindly. “As Mrs. Andrews, you’ll be expected to dress the part.”

Serena blinked. “I better go shopping.”

“Turn your receipts in to Linda and she’ll make sure you’re reimbursed.” Harrison turned to Josh. “Your suits should be fine, though you should try to change your appearance as much as you can. You’ll need to leave each morning like you’re going to work. Agent Bishop will arrange for an office in the bank headquarters on the executive floor where you can continue with your investigation into Munders and the adoption agency.”

Serena frowned. “What about me?”

“You’ll be the devoted stay-at-home wife waiting to adopt a child,” Harrison explained. “You will definitely need to change your appearance. Work with Linda on that.”

Serena’s mouth pressed tight. She didn’t like the idea, which didn’t surprise Josh. She wasn’t the stay-at-home type. She was one of the most ambitious women he knew. A trait that would take her far. Her work ethic was one of the qualities that he admired about her.

Bishop clicked off his call and rejoined them. “Actually, Marshal Summers, there is a family in the neighborhood with several adopted children. We don’t know if they’ve dealt with Perfect Family or not. We’d like you to establish a connection.”

“Okay, I can do that,” Serena said with certainty ringing in her tone.

This Josh had to see. Serena’s no-nonsense, practical and professional demeanor worked in the field, but would it work in an affluent suburban neighborhood?

“Good. That call was from my agent in the field. The house is ready.” Bishop wrote an address on a sheet of paper and handed it to Josh. “Ms. Maitland will meet you there.” He handed them each a business card. “If you need anything, my numbers are on here.” He shook hands with the chief before exiting out the door.

“Okay,” the chief said. “You have your marching orders. Do us proud and get the goods on Munders.”

“We will, sir,” Josh assured him and filed out of the chief’s office behind Serena.

Burke Trier was the first to pounce with curiosity. “So what was that about?”

“Are you two really being pulled off the Munders case?” Bud Hollingsworth asked. “That doesn’t make sense. You two have been the one constant.”

“Yep, we’re pulled,” Serena stated with an exaggerated sigh. “It’s not fair. We’ve worked so hard to be taken out now.”

Burke gave her a funny look.

Josh stifled a groan. If this overdone display was any indication of Serena’s acting abilities, they were in trouble.

“We’re being reassigned to a FBI task force here in town,” Josh said, offering the cover story.

“For what?” Bud asked.

Josh shrugged. “Don’t know yet. We’re leaving now.”

Bud clapped him on the back. “Tough break. That must be why Harrison called me in.”

“Must be.” Josh gathered his things. “You ready, partner?”

Serena met his gaze. “Yes, partner.”

They left the building. In the parking garage, they decided to take Josh’s sedan and leave Serena’s compact. Driving through downtown St. Louis traffic, Josh said, “We should discuss the Andrewses’ backstory. Where we met. Why we can’t have children. What lengths we’d go to for a child.”

Serena slanted him a glance. “According to this, we met in college.”

“Okay. Where?”

She opened the file folder. “This says you’re transferring to St. Louis from Alaska.” She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t imagine living in Alaska. But first we met in Seattle at the University of Washington. You went to work for the bank right out of college and then we were moved to Alaska and now St. Louis.”

“Okay. Once we get settled in the house, we contact the adoption agency and tell them we want a child right away.” Josh drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “What kind of person adopts a baby who seemingly appears overnight?”

“Desperate ones,” Serena said.

“If people want to adopt, they should use a reputable and legal agency that is regulated by the state they live in.”

“I would imagine the families that have adopted through Perfect Family Adoption Agency thought it was a legitimate agency. If the Munderses weren’t so good at hiding the illegal aspects of their agency, we’d have shut them down long before now,” she reminded him.

“True. But I still don’t get why anyone would not be suspicious if a baby was produced quickly without meeting the birth mother. Someone can’t just show up to an adoption agency and expect to have an infant in their arms within a short amount of time. We already know that Munders’s organization, working in Mexico, coerced Vanessa Martinez into giving up her baby, Isabella.”

Four months ago U.S. marshal Colton Phillips had been assigned to protect the thug who’d promised information on the illegal baby-buying scheme. In the process, Colton and FBI agent Lisette Sutton had stopped the illegal transfer of a baby they dubbed Baby C. The infant was eventually reunited with her mother. A win for the marshals.

“It’s not our place to judge what others do. People have to walk their own paths.”

“That’s very magnanimous of you,” he stated, a bit surprised by her soft attitude. It made him wonder what lay beneath the tough exterior she so valiantly exuded.

She shrugged. “If a couple had tried everything to have their own child and then were forced to wait months and months or even years to adopt through the state-run agencies, I could see how they’d turn to agencies that might be a bit questionable.”

“It sounds like you’ve given the subject some thought.” Did she long for a child of her own? Her unrelenting professionalism made him wonder what type of mother she’d be.

What type of wife?

The fact that he wanted to find out made him shift uncomfortably in his seat. He had no business letting his mind wander down such a dangerous path.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “I’m just hypothesizing.”

“No maternal pangs?”

From the corner of his eye he saw her jaw clench.

There was a moment of hesitation before she said, “No. But I do know what it’s like to desperately wish for something that you can’t have.”

She wasn’t referring to children or the case but rather to her wish that Daniel were still alive. He had the same desperate, useless desire. But Daniel was gone. His absence left a gaping hole in Josh’s life. The hole was even bigger in Serena’s life.

“Daniel would like this undercover idea,” Josh stated softly.

“Yes, he’d have relished playing the role of wealthy Jack Andrews,” Serena replied and turned to look out the passenger window.

Josh gave a quiet laugh. “Yeah, but I’d never be able to pull off the doting wife bit. My ankles give me away every time.”

She shook her head, but he saw the slight smile. A part of her clearly appreciated his attempt at levity, but she was obviously still too raw, still hurting from the loss of her brother, to laugh too much.

His chest caved in on itself under the heavy weight of guilt.

He pulled up outside his apartment building. “I know this charade of pretending to be my wife is going to be hard for you, Serena.”

She jerked her gaze to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“As professionals we need to put our personal feelings aside. Daniel wouldn’t want to be the reason we didn’t crack this case.”

Her brown eyes hardened. “I’ll do my job, Josh.”

The tone of her voice suggested that he wouldn’t do his. He bristled with offense. Old fears that he’d be like his father rose to taunt him. “Are you questioning my work ethic?”

“You weren’t there for Daniel when he needed you.”

Josh flinched; her words were a blow to the gut. He knew she blamed him for Daniel’s death. Having that bit of gut-clenching knowledge confirmed tore a jagged hole through him. “I had taken a personal day. Daniel understood.”

“But he called you right before he—” Her voice caught. “And yet you weren’t there for him.”

Josh’s heart contracted painfully in his chest. “Yes, he called me. I didn’t pick up.”

Daniel’s cell phone had been in his pocket when the police found his body. The last call had been to Josh. Josh still had the saved message on his voice mail. He didn’t have the heart to erase the message, but he also couldn’t listen to the sound of Daniel’s voice again.

He’d heard the message once, right after being informed of Daniel’s murder. Daniel had caught a call on a lead that might be something big and had wanted Josh to get “off his duff” and go with him. Daniel hadn’t said where or why.

Josh ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t you think I regret that every minute of every day?”

He had been wallowing, nursing his bruised ego, trying to come to terms with the breakup and Lexi’s accusations, and he had let the call go to voice mail.

What would Serena say if she knew Lexi had been convinced he had feelings, romantic feelings, for her?

He had no intention of ever telling Serena, because doing so would only be painful for them both.

“I don’t know. Do you?” she shot back, her voice filled with anger that matched the flames in her eyes.

“Of course I do.” He stared at her, not believing her implication. “Daniel wasn’t just my coworker but my best friend. I’d have gladly given my life for his.”

He felt her doubts and silent accusations like a thousand serrated knives carving him up inside. It was like facing his childhood all over again. He popped open the door, needing air and space. “What kind of unfeeling monster do you think I am?”

He stalked away. He didn’t need to hear her response. He already knew her answer.

* * *

Serena sat there watching Josh walk toward his ground-floor apartment. She’d hurt him with her words. Regret squeezed her in a forceful grip.

She couldn’t control herself where Josh was concerned. Her anger and grief made her tongue sharp, even though she knew better. Working with him these past few months had been excruciating. Every waking moment she struggled to curb her desire to lash out at him for her brother’s death.

Logically she knew whomever had hit her brother over the head was responsible for the murder, and she prayed that God would somehow, someday, bring the perp to justice.

But that didn’t stop Serena from heaping blame on Josh. He’d admitted to not picking up when Daniel called him for backup. Serena had no idea what Josh had been doing on his day off. For all she knew, his cell phone had been dead. She didn’t care.

Josh hadn’t been there for Daniel, his partner, her brother.

Now she couldn’t trust Josh to be there for her, not when it really counted. No matter how well she and Josh worked together, she could never count on him to have her back.

So what if a voice inside her head whispered she wasn’t being fair? So what if everyone deserved a day off? So what if Josh had had her back more times than she could count these past six months?

She couldn’t—didn’t—trust him.

But she couldn’t ignore the fact that they were about to embark on an undercover mission that would require them to at least be civil with each other in private and madly in love in public. Her stomach clenched.

She wasn’t sure how she’d pull off the adoring-wife role.

She didn’t even know what that looked like. Not on a personal level.

Oh, sure she’d seen some happy couples. Colton and Lisette, Hunter and Annie to name a few. But she didn’t have any experience being in love. She’d never taken the time to pursue romance; she’d been too focused on becoming a marshal and being the best one she could be.

The only person she’d ever daydreamed about was the one man she could never have. Josh. But that was long ago, and those feelings didn’t matter anymore.

Remembering the lesson her brother taught her about building bridges in relationships, she knew for the sake of the mission she had to mend this riff with Josh. Starting out their pretend marriage angry wouldn’t bode well for the success of the operation. So she’d do her part, despite her personal reservations about Josh.

Resigned to what she had to do, she popped the door open and climbed out. She hadn’t been to Josh’s apartment since before Daniel’s death. Daniel had dragged her to a dinner party at Josh’s, hoping to set her up with another guest. The man, Les, worked in the D.A.’s office, if she remembered correctly. He’d been nice enough, but she hadn’t been interested.

She’d also met Josh’s then-girlfriend: a buxom blonde who’d come across as deeply insecure, clinging to Josh as if she’d been afraid someone would steal him away from her. Serena never wanted to be that kind of woman.

The door to Josh’s apartment was ajar. He’d known she’d follow him.

Jerk? Or good partner?

She sighed, accepting whatever God had in mind for her, and gently pushed the door open. She walked into the apartment, surveying his domain. An old leather couch, a huge forty-eight-inch flat-screen television and a stack of books made up the living room. The kitchen showed signs of a hasty breakfast. A loaf of bread sat on the counter. A jar of peanut butter sat out with the lid screwed on crooked.

Josh came out of the bathroom carrying a toiletry bag. He glanced up. Surprise widened his eyes, then he gave her a crooked smile. “You startled me. Didn’t really expect you to follow me in.”

She swallowed her pride and ego to say, “I’m sorry I was so harsh with you. I don’t think you’re a monster.”

His expression softened, but wariness remained in his eyes. “That’s good to know.” He nodded and disappeared into his bedroom.

Serena sighed, hating the dejected feeling spreading through her. There was no reason for it. This was work, not personal.

Her gaze landed on a framed photo hanging on the wall, and her breath caught. It was a photo of Josh, Daniel and her from a few summers ago. They’d attended a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium. The first baseman had hit a home run into the stands. Josh had caught the ball and promptly given it to her. In the photo Serena was holding the prize while her brother and Josh flanked her. They looked so happy and carefree.

She missed Daniel. Missed the easy camaraderie among the three of them. And, she realized, she missed Josh, too. He’d been a good friend. And she didn’t have many of those.

When Josh came out of the bedroom carrying a suitcase and garment bag, she quickly gathered her composure; no sense in him seeing her getting misty and sentimental. Taking the garment bag from his hand, she retreated out the door back to the car.

Tense silence filled the car on the drive to Serena’s condo. She sought something to say but no words formed. The next few days, weeks—she blew out a sharp breath—months were going to be long if the tension didn’t ease between them.

When they arrived, Josh opted to wait by the car while she packed her cosmetic case and her essential garments into a small travel bag. She also grabbed running shoes and yoga clothes. She might be portraying a stay-at-home wife, but that didn’t mean she would let her exercise regimen go by the wayside. Staying both physically and mentally prepared for any situation that might arise was an important requirement of the marshals.

When she came out, Josh eyed her two small bags. “That’s it?”

“Did you not catch the part about my needing to buy clothing appropriate for this charade?”

“I didn’t think you were serious,” he replied, taking her bag from her hand and tucking it behind the driver’s seat. “We can hit the Galleria on the way.”

“Perfect.” Three major retailers had stores in the Richmond Heights area mall. Definitely places the affluent wife of a bank executive would shop.

“We’ll also need rings,” Josh said.

Her stomach dropped. She’d forgotten that part.

Two hours later, with shiny rings, enough clothes to last for the duration of their pretend marriage and two brand-new BMWs, they pulled into the driveway of the detached garage behind the Compton Heights home that would be their base of operation.

Serena climbed out of the small sports utility vehicle they’d decided would be a good mom car. Josh had chosen a roomy four-door sedan. Something unfamiliar fluttered in her tummy. The thought of being a mom stirred places inside her heart she’d not known existed.

Entering the house, Serena was struck by the grandness of the old historic home. Period woodwork throughout, golden oak floors and an ornate staircase leading to the second story took her breath away. The furnishings left behind by the previous occupants matched the historic feel of the place.

“You’re here,” a woman said as she exited the kitchen. Compact and tiny, with graying hair and a wide smile, she grasped Serena’s hand. “I was beginning to worry. I’m Linda.”

“Serena.”

Linda raised a gray eyebrow. “Susan,” she corrected.

Serena flushed. “Yes, Susan.”

Patting her hand, Linda said, “You’ll get used to it.” Then she moved to Josh. “You’re as handsome as ever, Jack,” she said, using Josh’s alias.

Josh smiled and hugged Linda. “You haven’t changed a bit, either, Aunt Linda.”

“Retirement suits me,” Linda said. “However, I have to say, I couldn’t resist coming out of retirement to help take down a baby-smuggling ring. The very idea of babies being stolen and sold chaps my hide.”

“We’re glad to have you.” Josh set his luggage on the stairs. “Before we do anything else, let’s set up our initial meeting with Matilda Munders.”

Anticipation churned in Serena’s stomach as they followed Linda into the office. An antique oak desk dominated the room. On top of the desk was a recording system attached to a phone. Josh consulted the file on the Perfect Family Adoption Agency and dialed the number, putting the call on speaker. A moment later the receptionist answered. Josh asked for Matilda.

“One moment, please.”

The sound of ringing filled the office. After the third ring, a woman answered.

“Perfect Family Adoption Agency, Matilda speaking. How may I help you?”

Josh met Serena’s gaze as he spoke. “I hope you can. My name is Jack Andrews. My wife and I recently relocated to St. Louis. We were told your agency was the one to call. We are desperate to adopt a baby.”

“You have called the right place,” Matilda said. “Let’s schedule an appointment. When can you and your wife come in?”

“This afternoon?”

“Three would be perfect. We’ll see you then.”

Josh disconnected. “Are you ready, Susan?”

Serena inhaled and let it out slowly. “I’m ready, Jack.”

Ready to take down Fred Munders and the Perfect Family Adoption Agency.

Unease slithered down her spine. So many people had died trying to keep the authorities from bringing Munders and the adoption agency to justice.

Serena prayed there would be no more casualties.

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