The Marshal's Justice (Appaloosa Pass Ranch 4) by Delores Fossen

custody.” Another pause. “If it’s Crossman. Renée isn’t off my suspect list just yet.”
    Nor his. It was obvious that Renée was desperate to find Quentin. Why exactly, Chase didn’t know, but desperate people did stupid things.
    “Is Renée Edmunds even her real name?” April asked.
    Chase nodded. “I pulled up her DMV photo and it’s a match. Unlike Rooks, Renée doesn’t have a record. No family for us to contact, either. I’ve put out feelers to see if she has a genuine connection to your brother. She could be just a nutcase or a groupie.”
    There’d been plenty of publicity following Tina’s murder and Crossman’s arrest, and Quentin’s photo had been plastered in the newspapers. Quentin was a rich, good-looking guy. A bad-boy criminal. He was the type who could have attracted a nut job. Including one who could have faked a pregnancy. Of course, it was just as possible that Renée had indeed had a relationship with Quentin, and that was something Chase would ask her.
    If they found her, that is.
    It was going to be hard to track her down. No job. Renée lived off a trust fund, and her neighbors said they hadn’t seen her in weeks.
    Chase’s phone rang, and even though he’d lowered the sound, it still caused Bailey to stir. April sprang out of the chair to go to her while Chase glanced at the screen. It was Teddy McQueen, the ranch hand.
    “I found something,” Teddy said the moment Chase answered. “Two cameras. One on your front porch. The other on the back.”
    Chase choked back a groan because he didn’t want to wake the baby, but that was not the news he wanted to hear. “You’re sure?” he asked, stepping out into the hall.
    However, he’d already gotten April’s attention. Despite her having picked up the baby, she had her gaze fixed on Chase.
    “Yeah, I’m sure,” Teddy answered. “I didn’t see them at first because someone had hidden them in the eaves. And that’s not all I found. There are little black box–looking things—one underneath the windowsill in your office. There’s a second one outside your bedroom.”
    Hell. Eavesdropping devices no doubt. It sickened him to think someone had trespassed onto Crockett land to do something like that. It sickened Chase even more that if April had indeed called him, then Crossman or whoever was behind this could have learned her and Bailey’s whereabouts.
    Of course, the person had learned it and kidnapped Bailey, but at least Chase hadn’t been the one to spill that info.
    But who had?
    Chase intended to find out soon.
    “You want me to take this stuff down?” Teddy asked.
    “No. I’ll need to call in the CSIs and have them do a clean sweep of the place.” Because if the person had gotten close enough to install the cameras and bugs, the individual could have gotten inside, as well.
    Chase thanked Teddy, ended the call and made another one to the CSI lab. The conversation was important, but Bailey snagged his attention. The baby was wide awake now and was smiling at April. Chase made the request for the sweep as quickly as he could and then joined them on the cot.
    “Deanne was right,” April said. Not exactly an I told you so tone. More like one of frustration. They were dealing with someone who was thorough and well connected. Definitely not a good combination.
    Chase nodded and made a mental note to have the marshals look even harder for the possible mole in the office. Until then, he wouldn’t make any calls to the marshals or share any information about April with them. Not exactly ideal because he would miss using their resources to help him figure out what was going on. But the mental note he was making flew right out his head when Bailey looked at him.
    And she smiled.
    Oh, man. That little smile packed a wallop.
    “You okay?” April asked him.
    He managed a nod but then got another wallop when April eased the baby into his arms. Chase had heard Jericho and Jax talk about what it felt like to be a father,