Kade by Delores Fossen Page B

good for the investigation.
    And there would be an investigation.
    That’s how Kade could wipe that smug look off this rat’s face. He didn’t believe for one second that McClendon had stayed clean from all the illegal junk that went on at the clinic.
    “An anonymous tipster,” Bree mumbled. Her mind, too, was obviously on the investigation. Good. Because they needed answers and they needed them fast. That was the only way to make sure Leah remained safe.
    Bree, too.
    Even though Kade doubted she’d agree to let him protect her. Still, he had to do something to make things as safe as he could. McClendon had just thrown down the gauntlet, and it could be the start of another round of danger.
    Kade’s phone buzzed, and on the screen he could see it was from his brother, Dade. “Make sure McClendon leaves the grounds,” Kade said to him as he watched the Jaguar speed away.
    “I will,” Dade assured. “But someone else is coming up the driveway. It’s Dr. Mickelson, and he should be there any minute. Who’s sick?”
    Kade looked at Bree, who was still glaring at McClendon’s retreating Jag, and he hoped that she didn’t fall into that sick category. Heaven knows what her kidnappers had done to her these past ten and a half months. Hopefully nothing permanent, but he doubted they’d had her health and best interest at heart. There were a lot of nasty addictive drugs they could have used to force her to cooperate.
    “The doc’s here for Bree,” Kade told his brother, and he ended the call just as he saw the doctor’s vehicle approaching. Not a sleek luxury car. Dr. Mickelson was driving a blue pickup truck.
    “This checkup is just for starters,” Kade reminded Bree, just in case she planned to fight it. “Once we’re sure Leah is safe, I want you at the hospital for a thorough exam.”
    She opened her mouth, probably to argue like he’d anticipated, but her fight was somewhat diminished by the dizzy glaze that came over her eyes. No doubt a residual effect of the drugs, or maybe crashing from the adrenaline that kept her going through the gunfight.
    Kade caught her to keep her from falling. When she wobbled again, Kade cursed, holstered his gun and scooped her up in his arms.
    Of course, she tried to wiggle out of his grip. “I’m not weak,” Bree mumbled.
    “You are now,” Kade mumbled back. “Thanks for coming,” he said to the doctor.
    “This is Leah’s birth mother?” the doctor asked.
    Unlike their previous visitor, the doctor had concern all over his expression and in his body language. With his medical bag gripped in his hand, he hurried up the steps toward them.
    “Yep, the birth mother,” Kade verified.
    The sterile title worked for him, but he didn’t know if it would work for Bree. Especially not for long. He’d seen the way she had looked at Leah right before McClendon had interrupted them, and that was not the look of a birth mother, but rather a mother who loved her baby and had no plans to give her up.
    “This way,” Kade instructed the doctor, and he carried Bree up the stairs toward his living quarters.
    There was probably a guest room clean and ready. There were three guest suites in the house, but Kade didn’t want to take the time to call Bessie, the woman who managed the house. And she also managed the Rylands. Bessie was as close to a mother as he had these days. Heck, for most of his life, since his mother had passed away when he was barely eleven.
    “I can walk,” Bree insisted.
    Kade ignored her again, used his boot to nudge open his door, and he walked through the sitting-office area to his bedroom. He deposited her on his king-size bed.
    Funny, he’d thought about getting Bree into his bed from the moment he first met her on the undercover assignment, but he hadn’t figured it would happen this way. Or ever. After Bree and he had escaped that clinic, he hadn’t thought he would see her again. Now her life was permanently interlinked with his.
    “She’ll