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They ordered, but Becky didn’t eat much. Carter tried his Daddy move to get her to take a few more bites, but she wouldn’t budge. Carter knew when Becky was to this stage of no return,he needed to leave her be. Nothing would progress in their investigation or her relationship with her mom until she knew the facts.
Becky wasn’t one of those emotional eaters. Carter was. He ate his large meal and the rest of Becky’s. Damn, he would need to work out to get rid of the extra calories and energy. Maybe he could go for a run. Take Becky with him. Callie probably needed a run, too. They’d go together. Yeah, that was a good idea.
“Let’s try the warehouse again. Then I want to go home to have a conversation.”
As they walked up to the warehouse, a large truck was unloading small boxes marked rodent food.
Carter stared for a moment and shrugged. “Huh, I used to have all kinds of rodents, and the food usually came in a box or bag, not small squares like that.”
Callie said, “That tells me to follow the boxes.”
“That’s what it tells me, too. Bec, with me. I don’t want you to wander off unprotected.”
“This is my dad’s warehouse, Carter.”
“And you are the body we are guarding, remember? I let you come with the agreement that you would follow directions. We can go home now if you like.”
His raised eyebrow did the trick. Becky fidgeted and then nodded. “Meanie.”
“Whatever it takes, Baby Bear.”
Callie’s phone rang. “It’s Sharlee. I’ll follow you two in a moment. Let’s get her intel.”
Carter dropped a kiss on Becky’s lips. His index finger lifted her chin to see his serious expression. “Is this getting too much for you, baby?”
She sighed. “No. I just have to figure things out. Something isn’t adding up.”
“We’ll piece things together. I promise.”
She nodded. “I know. Thanks for being here with me.”
“No place else I’d rather be, baby. Now, let’s see what’s this new rat food.” Carter opened the door.
The warehouse was busy with two men unloading stock and another putting it on the shelves. “Wow, I’ve never seen delivery people put the stock away. I mean, not ever.”
Carter stayed quiet but kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked deeper into the space filled with fully stocked shelves.
“Hey, why are you stocking animal food on these shelves? This section is for store supplies. Food and supplies go three rows over and beyond. Uncle Karl doesn’t use this much food for his rodents.”
“Karl? I don’t know who that is. This stuff is for Monty Rasher in care of Oak Ridge Animal Shop at this address.”
Chapter 16
“Who is receiving this shipment?” asked Carter.
“Monty already signed for it and said just to leave it on the shelves.”
Fuck. This situation was FUBAR and going south fast. Carter had to get his girl out of there because if those boxes held what he feared was in them, they all needed to get out. Fast. And if it wasn’t one thing, it was likely another, and she didn’t need to be mixed up with illegal drug shipments.
His urgency made a difference to Becky because she nodded and kept walking. Things to make a bomb or incendiary devices? Maybe they prepared them to be used. Was her Uncle Karl in on this, and that was why he was trying to sideline Becky? Or Monty? Things were adding up so fast they weren’t. Too many dangers and variables to allow his girl to be in the middle.
He grabbed his phone and started talking to Kaden low and fast while walking Becky out.
“Hold on, Kaden.” He turned to Becky. “There is shit going on here that we have to take a step back from and regroup. This may be more than Jac’s standard clusterfuck. I hate when we have to bring in the local law enforcement but looks like that’s what’s going to happen.”
He signed off with Kaden and began looking for Callie. Where the hell did she go? Carter’s gut sounded off, and that wasn’t good. He kept a lookout for Callie and walked his girl outside. As they exited the building, Carter saw his partner a distance off, talking on her cell and pacing.
Carter gave her a side nod to indicate they were heading for the car, and she nodded understanding. The explosive sound of a bullet as it ricocheted off the side of the reinforced steel bar on the side of the building and hit the top of his SUV had Carter yelling as he dove over Becky.
