Page 213 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“Why did Jordan come to see you?”

“He stopped by to pick up some jewelry I was holding for him—earrings and a bracelet. He wanted to give them to you on your cruise.” Her heart hurt thinking how Jordan’s last actions had been an attempt to do something nice for his wife. Hopefully, eventually, that would be a healing balm to Piper to know Jordan was thinking of her until the very end.

Piper looked surprised. “Did you tell me that already?”

“So much has happened. I can’t remember.” Addie wanted to forget that horrific phone call where she’d informed Piper that her husband was killed. Maddox shifted in his seat. Addie could feel his impatience, knew he wanted her to question Piper about her marriage, PZT, and the key. Also, she needed to know why someone was targeting her. She glanced his direction, her eyes telling him to take a chill pill. Piper’s feelings were at stake here. She had to ease into the hard topics.

“Do you still have the jewelry?” Piper asked. “I’d like to get it, if you don’t mind.” Her mouth worked like she was trying to control her emotion. “It would be nice to have that as a final memory.”

“Um, about that …” Addie had called Steinway’s this morning, only to learn that he’d been unable to repair the clasp on the bracelet. He sent it to his nephew in Brooklyn who specializes in fixing hard-to-repair jewelry. Mr. Steinway assured her he’d contact his nephew today to find out the status.

Piper leaned forward. “What’s going on?”

Addie looked to Maddox for help.

“Currently, the jewelry’s being examined,” Maddox said.

Piper’s brows slanted down in a V as she looked back and forth between Addie and Maddox. “Examined? I don’t understand.”

“The same day Jordan was killed, my cabin was broken into,” Addie blurted.

“What?” Piper’s face drained as she clutched the arms of the chair. She looked so weak and vulnerable that Addie feared she might pass out.

“Yesterday, Addie was almost kidnapped,” Maddox added.

Tears rose in Piper’s eyes as she put a hand to her mouth. She shook her head. “Why?” she uttered.

Maddox leaned forward, clasping his hands together in his lap. “That’s partly why we came here today, in the hope that you can shed some light on the situation.”

“And to check on you,” Addie inserted, shooting Maddox a dark look.

Maddox’s voice became businesslike. “We believe that Jordan’s death and the attacks on Addie are linked to PZT, the Alzheimer’s drug you and Jordan have been developing.”

Addie halfway expected Piper to jump up and lash out, but she just sat there. When she spoke, Addie never could’ve imagined the words that would come out of her mouth.

“I’m so sorry that Jordan involved you in this,” Piper said.

The blood left Addie’s head, making her feel dizzy. “What?” A river of heat flushed through her body when she saw Piper’s guilty expression. “What’re you talking about?” Her back went ramrod straight as she leaned forward. “Were you and Jordan having marital problems?”

Piper folded her arms tightly over her chest. “Yes,” she finally admitted.

The word hit Addie like a slap in the face. She looked at Maddox, expecting to see anI-told-you-soexpression on his face, but she saw only sympathy. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, turning her attention back to Piper.

A single tear dribbled down Piper’s cheek. “I dunno.” She let out a half-laugh, swiping her runny nose. “I was embarrassed, humiliated.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans. “Jordan was having an affair.”

The breath whooshed out of Addie’s lungs. “What? No, Jordan wouldn’t do that to you.”

Piper’s eyes hardened. “Unfortunately, he did.”

Addie tried to process what she was hearing, but her mind buzzed like an overcrowded beehive. “I don’t understand. He loved you.”

Maddox touched her arm, giving her a quick, reassuring smile before turning his attention to Piper. “Maybe you should start from the beginning and tell us everything.”

Piper nodded. “A little over six months ago, Jordan started acting strange—keeping late hours, making impromptu trips, becoming secretive.”

“Like how he came to see me unannounced on the day of his death and didn’t tell you where he was going.” Addie didn’t realize she’d spoken the words out loud until Piper answered.

“Yes. At first, I attributed Jordan’s erratic behavior to stress. PZT is in the final testing phase, and we’re getting ready to submit our drug application to the FDA.”

---