Sealed with a Kiss by Leeanna Morgan (microsoft ebook reader txt) 📖

“The silent treatment doesn’t work anymore.”

Bella ran into the kitchen. “Hi, Dad. Have you seen the snow outside? Tank’s going to build a snowman with me.”

Tank walked into the kitchen behind Bella. “We’ll build the snowman after breakfast.” He helped himself to a coffee and looked closely at John. “Tough night at work, boss?”

Grant choked on his cereal.

There was a reason John hired top ex-military staff, only now he was regretting it.

Tank’s eyes narrowed. “Tanner called. Said you were at Tess and Logan’s house when he finished for the night. Is everything all right?”

Bella put two slices of bread in the toaster. “You saw Rachel? Did she like my Christmas present?”

A smile pulled at Grant’s lips. “Good question, Bella.”

John ignored his brother. “She didn’t open it. She wanted you to be there, too.”

Bella looked suitably impressed at Rachel’s thoughtfulness. John felt slightly guilty about stretching the truth for his daughter.

Grant wasn’t fooled.

Tank touched the microphone on his headset. “A police car’s coming through the front gates, boss. Connor said it’s the chief of police.”

Bella’s toast popped. She opened the refrigerator and found the butter. “Mrs. Daniels has some cake and cookies in the pantry.”

John poured the rest of his coffee down the sink and rinsed his mug. “It’s probably too early for cake, but thanks for the reminder. Make sure you eat your toast before going outside.”

John looked at Tank before he left the kitchen. He knew Tank wouldn’t let Bella outside until they’d heard what Dan had to say.

He stood on the front porch and watched the police truck park close to the house.

“I’ve got news about the Oracom investigation,” Dan said as he shook John’s hand. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

“Sure, follow me.” John led the way into his office. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” Dan sat in one of the leather chairs and took off his hat. “We’ve heard from the CIA. At six-thirty local time, four top-ranking Oracom officials were arrested in Prague. They’ve been charged with conspiracy to murder, fraud, international espionage, money-laundering, and intent to harm. Your case isn’t the only one the CIA has been investigating.”

“What will happen to them?”

“The US Department of Justice has filed extradition papers with the Prague High Court. It’s too early to know whether they’ll be brought back to the United States for a trial, but that’s the plan.”

“Who has the final say in extraditing them?”

“The final consent can only be authorized by the Czech Justice Minister. The officials who spoke to us don’t think it’s going to take long to sort out, but we don’t have a very precise time line to work with.”

John took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. “Are the US officials sure the people they arrested are the same ones who sent me death threats?”

“Positive. They have evidence that links three of the four people to your company. You don’t need to worry about extra bodyguards. You’re safe.”

John leaned back and closed his eyes. After more than a month of thinking every second person was about to kill him, he could finally relax. Sam and her Technical Development Team wouldn’t have to live in fear of their lives, and Rachel could go back to her teaching job without Tanner following her everywhere.

It was the kind of outcome he’d dreamed about, but now that it was a reality he was having a hard time believing it.

Dan stood up. “It will take a while to sink in. You can go about your normal business and not worry about Oracom. The managing director of their company will release a statement this afternoon. As soon as I have a copy, I’ll email it through to you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

Dan shook John’s hand. “That’s what we’re here for. It’s not often we get to work with the FBI and the CIA on the same case. It’s been an interesting few weeks.”

They might have been interesting for the chief of police, but John never wanted to repeat them again.

Dan put on his hat. “Are you comfortable updating your staff about the arrests?”

John nodded. “I’ll do it now.”

“What about Rachel McReedy? Would you like me to head over to Tess and Logan’s home and tell her?”

“I can do that.”

“Well, in that case, my job here is done. I’ll send that email through from Oracom when I get a copy. The CIA will contact both of us when and if the extradition is confirmed.”

After Dan left, John sank back into his chair. The people who had threatened to kill his family were finally behind bars. He could breathe a little easier and not worry about midnight kidnapping attempts or carjackings that could go wrong.

He picked up the phone and called Rachel’s number. She could go back to living a normal life. She wouldn’t have to check every detail with Tank or Tanner.

She wouldn’t have to spend time with him.

Rachel turned off the timer and pulled another batch of shortbread out of the oven. She’d been making all kinds of cookies for the first drama club program of the year. Not that it was exactly the New Year. Christmas day had officially ended nine hours ago and she’d been baking for the last three of them.

She looked around the kitchen. Most of the baking would end up in zip-lock bags, stacked in the commercial freezer that Tess used, ready to be taken out in the second week of January.

She’d been baking because she had a lot of things to think about, things that required careful consideration and an open mind. Instead of going for a long walk, a horse ride, or a swim, she preferred to bake. It cleared her mind, filled her tummy, and if she was lucky, helped her come up with a solution to her problem.

But so far, after three hours of sifting flour, creaming butter, and rolling out cookie dough, she hadn’t come up with any answers to her six-foot-two problem.

John had left Tess and Logan’s home before sunrise. He’d wanted to be home before Bella woke up, which made perfect sense to Rachel. She could understand him wanting to keep their personal lives separate to their professional relationship, she really could. But she wasn’t Bella’s teacher anymore, and she most definitely didn’t want to feel like a billionaire’s dirty little secret.

She had standards. Standards that she’d conveniently pushed to one side last night. She didn’t regret what had happened. John was an amazing man, but he wasn’t her amazing man.

“What did you expect?” she muttered to herself. “A pledge of allegiance, a proclamation of his utter devotion, a promise of something more than friendship?” She would have taken any and all of those options. But John Fletcher had tiptoed out of her bedroom like a thief in the night, hightailing it back to his own home before he was caught with his pants around his ankles.

A loud bang came from the front yard. She jumped and nearly dropped a baking sheet on the floor.

Tanner was supposed to call her if someone came up the driveway. She looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn’t like him to break protocol.

Rachel frowned. She was even beginning to sound like John. With a curse, she left the baking sheet on the counter and grabbed her cell phone and a sharp knife. She hit speed dial and waited for Tanner to answer.

“Sorry, Rachel. I’ve been speaking with John and wasn’t able to call you. Tess and Logan are home.”

The front door flew open and Tess yelled, “Surprise!”

Rachel dropped the knife and headed into the living room. She was so glad to see her friend that she nearly burst into tears. “You’re home early.”

Tess’ smile disappeared. “What’s wrong?”

“Something smells great,” Logan looked between his wife and Rachel. “I’ll get our bags out of the car.”

“Then go and see Dylan,” Tess said without looking at him. “He’s been texting you all morning.” She wrapped her arm around Rachel and led her into the kitchen. “You’ve been baking?”

Rachel sniffed back her misery. “It’s for the drama club. I bought all of the ingredients from Safeway, so you’ve still got plenty of food in the pantry.”

Tess waved away her shopping efforts. “I’m not worried about that. You only bake this much when you’ve got things on your mind. Did something happen to John or Bella while we were away?”

Rachel shook her head. “They’re fine.”

“How are your parents?” Tess asked. “I know how hard Christmas lunch must have been. Did they have another argument?”

“No more than usual. Dad cut the turkey the wrong way. Mom made too much noise when we were washing the dishes. I didn’t stay long.” Rachel’s mom and dad were always arguing. It was a running joke in her extended family that one of them would have to die before the bickering stopped. She’d moved out of home early