Baby Protector Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Baby Paranormal Romance (Who's the Daddy? Book 4) by Harmony Raines Page B

Joel stepped over his attacker, and went to the door, stepping outside to look around. With a sigh, he shouldered the door shut, and then said, “Looks as if he was alone, or if there was an accomplice, he’s gone.”
    “So what now? We call the police?” Chrissie asked.
    “First, I’m going to secure this guy, then you and I need to have a talk before we alert the authorities.”
    She frowned, not sure what he meant by a talk. “Shouldn’t we call the police first?” There was something wrong, he was looking at her sideways, assessing her.
    It was the face of doubt.
    “Give me a hand.” Joel went and rummaged through the cupboards, looking for anything they could use to bind the hands of the unconscious man.
    “This?” She held up some garden twine that she had found at the back of a cupboard.
    “Should hold. If not, we can always Taser him to subdue him. I’m sure it would feel good to take out some frustration on him.” Joel cocked his head and smiled, telling her he was joking, which relieved her; after all, torture was against her morals. But if anyone deserved to be made to pay, this man did, and she intended to make sure he went through the justice system and got put away for a long time.
    “Do you think he’s the one who killed Angela?” Chrissie asked.
    “There’s a good chance.” There was that look again, as he glanced up at her, while twisting the twine around the man’s wrists.
    “So now will you tell me why we haven’t called the police?” She folded her arms, as if to protect herself from what he was going to say. It wasn’t going to be good, she could sense it. His usual relaxed body was tense—understandable since he had just been in a fight, but the tension was aimed at her. He was unsure of her. But why?
    “I called the station earlier.” He began rubbing his hands together as if they were cold.
    “To check in,” she said nodding.
    “Yes, to let them know we got here OK, and that we were settled. Normal practice.”
    “Of course.”
    His hands went through his hair; he was trying to put off saying what was on his mind. She wanted to yell at him to spill, to let her know what was wrong, because she was certain something was wrong. Very wrong.
    “I was told that your dad filed for bankruptcy.”
    She paled. Of all the words out of his mouth, why this, why now, when someone had been sent to hurt them, and steal Sam away? “My dad? What has he got to do with this?” she asked, angry that she had shared personal information with a stranger who had gone digging for dirt.
    “Hey. Hold on. Hear me out.” He came towards her, hooked his hand under her arm and led her to the sitting room, putting the Taser in his pocket.
    “Hear you out? That stuff is personal, and this is work.”
    “Are those two things in any way linked?” he asked.
    “Linked? I’m sorry, did I fall asleep and wake up in an alternate universe? My life is private; this is my job. Separate. Not joined.” She used her hands to emphasize the point she was trying to make.
    “Don’t get mad. Not with me. I believe you.”
    “You believe me. Well, thanks! But that implies someone else doesn’t.” Hands on hips, chin stuck forward, she said defiantly, “Out with it. All of it.”
    “Landy did a background check on you. He found that your dad had recently filed for bankruptcy. And someone bailed him out.”
    Still not making the connection, she shook her head. The whole thing had been so traumatic for her parents. In trying to help her husband have a better quality of life, Chrissie’s mom had spent all their money, and not realized it. She thought they were living off the interest of their investments, but they were using up capital faster than it could be replaced when the recession hit.
    Joel’s eyes narrowed, and he said, “It happened at the same time as Angela got killed.” This last piece slotted into place, and she gasped, her hand covering her mouth.
    “You think I sold her out? To Krieg? To