“We lost Ted. The safe house was wired with explosives. He was in the attic and didn’t have a chance to get out. He’s dead,” Nick said in a rush, as soon as Draper had gotten on the phone. He had to get through it as quickly as possible. Ended up stringing the words so close together they sounded like one run-on sentence.
He prayed his boss wouldn’t ask him to repeat it.
“What? Are you saying the safe house was compromised, too? Ted... Ted Zeeman was killed?” Draper’s voice grew more and more agitated with each question, and the underlying shock in his tone was to be expected.
Nick hadn’t had a chance to process it, either. He gritted his teeth, still beating himself up for letting it happen.
Not that he saw how he could’ve prevented it. Unless Nick had gone into the house first and cleared it. Then he might be the one dead and Lori left virtually defenseless.
He took the resurgence of sorrow and regret, stuffed it in a locked box and tossed away the key. Reflecting on it, hell, relaying the details to his boss, conjured feelings Nick couldn’t handle. Not if he was going to focus on Lori and keep her safe.
Nick needed to be impervious and driven. Getting bogged down by anything else wasn’t a luxury he had.
The prosecution’s hard evidence had disappeared bit by bit or fallen apart. Two other witnesses had flipped, and Lori was all they had left. Her testimony alone was enough evidence and would be the nail in the proverbial coffin of WCM.
Justice would be served one way or another, but in order for that to happen, Lori had to stay alive.
“Yes, sir. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“What about Hummingbird? Is she—”
“Alive. Scared and a little banged up. But breathing.”
“Well, thank the Lord for that.” Draper’s relief was palpable over the phone. “But how, damn it? How did that happen?”
Excellent question. “I was hoping you’d have some answers for me by now on that.”
“I wish I did. But I’m in the dark here as much as you. I have intel on it, scrubbing everything. It’s complicated with the LA office’s involvement, but our analysts will turn up something.”
Eventually, they would. “But will it be in time to prevent another attack on Hummingbird’s life?”
“Whoever set the bomb might believe Hummingbird was killed. Why would you expect another attack?”
Experience. His gut. Everything inside him screamed this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. “I have to anticipate anything at this point, sir. The bomber might’ve been hiding in the woods, watching for firsthand confirmation. We have to assume they know she’s alive and will try again.”
Draper heaved a breath like he agreed, reluctantly. “Okay. Where are you now?”
Nick hesitated, suddenly uncertain how to respond. He wasn’t exactly in a hurry to invite more danger to their current location.
Draper had made the decision to put Lori in a safe house in a remote location, hours away from the support of their own office. A site that required sharing her whereabouts with the LA station. They’d been required to submit twice-daily reports, detailing everything down to Lori’s mood and what she ate. Draper had approved the trip to the mall, knew the specifics of what entrance they’d use, which store Lori had planned to shop in and at precisely what time she’d be there. To make an ugly situation downright insane, Draper had sanctioned them to return to the safe house.
It was true that at first Nick had been bitter and, truth be told, furious with his boss over serving a yearlong sentence. But if he hadn’t been banished to Big Bear Lake, he never would’ve gotten to know Lori.
Hell, who was he kidding? He never would’ve fallen hard for her. Something he couldn’t construe as a punishment.
The grudge Nick held was long gone and had nothing to do with his current doubts about his boss. Without concrete proof that explained exactly how they’d been compromised, the compass needle was starting to point to Draper.
“Sir, maybe I shouldn’t say. With everything that’s already happened, it might be best to restrict any further details regarding Hummingbird.”
“That’s not your call to make, McKenna. I have a responsibility, an obligation to keep Hummingbird safe. If you take this course of action and deny me the ability to send backup, then you’re endangering her and this case. God forbid something else were to happen, the blame would rest squarely on your shoulders. Not to mention, the US attorney’s office might feel inclined to bill you for the wasted man hours.”
Nick didn’t care about taking the blame or being billed. If they fired him, he’d go work with his family. And if the US attorney’s office was stupid enough to bill him, well, they couldn’t get blood from a turnip, so good luck with that.
The point that stuck in his craw was that Nick would essentially be tying Draper’s hands with regards to sending reinforcements. Something Nick unequivocally needed based on the morning’s events.
“All right, I’ll tell you where we are.” Some techie in the office was probably tracking Nick’s phone for a geolocation as they spoke, anyway. “But sir, I need to speak frankly. If any other hit men come calling, I’ve got to go dark.” Ditch any means for them to track him and end all communication. No more updates on their location. “And find a way to bring Hummingbird in under the radar for the trial. I won’t have any other choice.”
“Watch your tone with me,” Draper warned.
Nick had let his frustration tip toward anger and get the better of him. Lost the capacity for a quiet, civil tone somewhere between explaining his partner had been killed and trying to figure out if Draper had a hand in this somehow. He wanted to yell and smash things. He wanted to make the bastards responsible hurt and bleed.
Worrying about whether he’d ticked off Draper with his tone wasn’t high on his list of concerns.
“Since you’re such a fan of candor,” Draper said, “I’ve got some for you, too. That’s not your decision to make!” A string of curses followed. “You are not authorized to go dark. End of discussion. Now, I have two SOG operators sitting in my office at this very moment, ready, willing and able to assist you.”
Tamping down the urge to punch the wall, Nick said, “We’re just off State Road 38.” He looked around the veterinary clinic.
His eyes glazed over the chairs in the empty waiting room, the displays of odor-masking candles and vitamin-enhanced treats that were for sale. The place was a glorified pet hotel.
Many of the upscale cabins and resorts around Big Bear Lake didn’t allow pets, and folks wanted to board their furry, four-legged friends close by.
With no appointments on the books, it didn’t take much to get the owner to close up shop while she tended to them. A flash of his badge. A vague explanation. Throwing out keywords such as matter of life or death and discretion appreciated did the trick. At his insistence, the owner had dismissed her two-person staff, lowered the storefront security gate—necessary for keeping local meth heads from breaking in at night and stealing drugs—and locked the doors.
“At Happy Paws and Wagging Tails,” Nick said.
“What in the hell?” Disbelief sliced through his boss’s voice. “Repeat that. Did you say you’re harboring the US attorney’s star witness at a damn veterinary clinic?”
“You heard me. Hummingbird had some injuries from the explosion, nothing critical, but I wanted her checked for internal damage to be on the safe side. I think you were right to steer us away from the local hospital.” One good thing, but Draper’s list of pros in this was woefully lacking. His credentials and reputation were solid, but something about this was thirteen shades of wrong. “Between the security surveillance cameras and their requirement to log the identity of all patients, we might be sitting ducks at the hospital. The owner here, Renee Holmes, hasn’t asked for any identification and my badge has kept her questions to a minimum. Besides, this is the last place someone would look for Hummingbird.”
At least, he hoped it was.
The safe house had been ablaze. Surely, the smoke had been seen for miles. He’d made a split-second decision to leave the scene. If someone had been in the woods, standing around waiting for first responders didn’t seem like the wisest idea. He needed the most unlikely place where he could get Lori medical attention, and this was it.
“Nick, you’ve had a pretty intense morning, especially with losing Ted. It’s good you’re keeping your head and thinking clearly. Hummingbird needs you now, more than ever. Let the owner of Happy Tails, Ms. Renee Holmes, know that the US Marshals will compensate her for her services and that we appreciate her assistance. I want you to stay put. I’m going to notify the sheriff’s department and have them send someone to your location.”
“Please, don’t do that, sir.” Nick scrubbed a palm over his brow, struggling not to lose the little cool he’d regained as his thoughts raced. “I know that’s a by-the-book decision and normally I’d be all for it, but too many people know about Hummingbird as is. We don’t need to lengthen the list.”
Besides, surely Black Rose was smart enough to monitor police channels. Zero in on a vague call to provide assistance to a deputy marshal. Even the use of something less transparent like a federal agent would draw the enemy’s attention. Might as well broadcast the details about the witness in protective custody while they were at it.
Draper hemmed and hawed for a moment. “I see your point. Ordinarily, deviating from protocol is ill-advised, but I agree that an exception needs to be made considering the circumstances. Yazzie and Killinger are in my office now. You’ve been on speaker.”
Nice of him to say something as an afterthought. Would’ve been great if he had mentioned it ten minutes ago when Draper had answered the phone. It was probably for the best to have others privy to both sides of the conversation. A lot had been discussed, an atypical course of action chosen and concerns expressed.
It was surprising to Nick that Draper had been willing to be so transparent with anyone else in the office. Then again, Nick had been at a severe disadvantage not knowing there had been eavesdroppers the entire time.
Damn. He tried to recall everything he’d said. Could anything be used against him later if things went from sideways to totally off the rails?
For the life of him, he drew a blank about most of it. But he’d been dead serious about going dark if necessary. As a last resort only.
“Hey, Nick.” A smoky, feminine voice came over the line, the tone chummy-chummy.
Charlie.
“We’ve got your back, bro,” Aiden said. “Hang in there, we’re coming.” Sincerity rang through loud and clear as a bell.
Some things never changed. After the hellish day he’d had, it was Aiden who had shown more concern than Charlie. Surprise, surprise.
“They’re going to suit up in tactical gear and head your way,” Draper said.
Charlie’s ice-queen disposition and Nick’s quick temper were the reasons he was in this situation to begin with. He was no longer upset with her for not being able to connect in a relationship beyond the physical. And even between the sheets, something had been missing. Yeah, it’d been hot sex, really hot, but there’d been no intimacy. Like she kept her guard up even while screwing.
He’d thought the mention of her name, hearing her voice, would raise a bunch of messy, conflicted emotions, but maybe time did heal all wounds. He felt absolutely nothing besides relief. Charlie and Aiden were both formidable, the epitome of warriors, and he couldn’t name anybody else from the office he’d rather have at his side at a time like this.
“And I’m going to request to have a full SOG unit at the courthouse tomorrow,” Draper said. “In the meantime, catch your breath and rest up if you can.”
“Got it,” Nick said. “We’ll be waiting.”
Draper disconnected and Nick put his phone away in his pocket.
He went to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and stared in the mirror.
Crap. He looked like canned dog food warmed over—felt like it, too. What he wouldn’t give for a stiff drink to take the edge off.
Nick dried his face with paper towels and went to check on Lori in the back. Most of the dogs in the nearby kennels that were stacked along the wall responded to his presence. Some barked and yipped. A few panted and wagged their tails. Others simply stared at him.
Passing the cages, he spotted the open door to exam room two. Lori was right where he’d left her, sitting on a steel table.
This time, the body armor that had US Marshals Service written across the front had been discarded in a chair, her neck properly bandaged, and her scrapes and bruises had been treated and dressed down to her feet.
“Twenty-eight is pretty young to have your own veterinary clinic,” Lori said.
“Technically, the place isn’t mine. It belongs to Dr. Nguyen. I started interning when I was sixteen. When I finished my residency here, he just stopped coming in and let me take over. He spends all his time up at the lake now.”
Nick stepped into the doorway.
“All done patching her up,” Dr. Holmes said. “She doesn’t have any broken bones, no internal injuries and no concussion.”
Lori glanced up at him. The same wariness that had shone in her eyes when he’d ranted and raved like a complete psychopath about tearing people apart limb by limb was still there.
He’d let the darkest, ugliest part of himself show. A side few outside of his family had seen and lived to talk about. His gut churned at what she must think of him.
Lori lowered her eyes and wrung her hands.
“She’s lucky,” Nick said, “considering what we’ve been through.”
Dr. Holmes sent him a sad smile. “Although I’m not privy to the specifics, I gather it’s a doozy. Would you like me to examine you, as well?”
“You’ve been so kind, Dr. Holmes. I wouldn’t want to impose further and put you through the trouble.”
“It’s Renee, and it’s no trouble in the slightest. I don’t mind. Not every day I get human patients, you know.”
“Thank you, but...” Nick shook his head. “Do you mind if we stay here a few hours?”
“Would I have to keep the clinic closed?”
“Yes. You would.”
“What’s a few hours?” Renee asked.
“Two to three. I have backup coming, tactical certified marshals, but they’re on their way from San Diego. I know it’s a big inconvenience. The Marshals Service will compensate you for your time.”
“Money isn’t the issue. I have to say this, otherwise, I’ll kick myself later if I don’t,” Renee said. “I get the impression you two are running from something. I know this isn’t my lane of expertise, but why don’t you call the local authorities to help you?” Healthy suspicion crossed her face. “Wait for your friends to arrive at the sheriff’s department instead of here. Unless whatever you’re doing isn’t legal.”
The question and her supposition were both legitimate. Guess it was only a matter of time before he had to give her some real answers.
“I’m being hunted,” Lori said.
Renee reeled back in surprise.
“I’m the material witness for an important case. There are a lot of people who don’t want me to testify.”
“Oh, hon.” Renee clasped her shoulder, gave it a sympathetic squeeze and lowered her hand. “With you being a deputy marshal and the two of you showing up looking like you’d just been through World War Three, I figured it was something like that. But it doesn’t really answer my question.” She gave Nick a pointed look.
“No, it doesn’t. My office was breached. Compromised somehow. At this point, the more people who know about her,” Nick said, gesturing to Lori, “and her whereabouts, the harder it’ll be to protect her. I don’t know the sheriff around here or if he’s got any crooked deputies in his office who might be willing to sell information. The people chasing her would pay a lot to get their hands on her.”
“She. Not he. The sheriff is my mother and I know the three deputies that work for her. We grew up together. One of them is my cousin. They are honorable, good, trustworthy people. I’m talking salt of the earth. They’ll help protect her until your tactical reinforcements arrive. I can’t stay closed for three hours. One of the deputies will pass by in that time span and know something is wrong. So either you let me call my mom and ask her to come discreetly, no details over the phone, and you two can work it out in person, or you have to find someplace else to lay low until your friends show up.”
Why couldn’t anything be simple? “Do you mind giving us a moment?”
“Not at all.” Renee tossed bloodied gauze in the trash and washed her hands. “I’ll give you two some space to talk and decide. It’s treat time for my buddies, anyway.” The doctor went to shut the door.
“Please leave it open,” Nick said. “Thank you.”
He trusted the doctor. Sort of. She was a good-natured woman who only seemed to care about helping animals and people, but he’d prefer to know what the doctor was up to while they were in the clinic. So many unforeseen things had happened.
Renee nodded and left them alone.
Nick ducked his head into the hallway. Dr. Holmes grabbed a container of treats and went straight to the cages. All the dogs got excited, wagging their tails and jumping up on the metal doors.
Satisfied the doctor wasn’t up to anything nefarious, he turned back to Lori.
Her coffee-colored eyes met his. Familiar desire to draw nearer and comfort her squeezed his chest, driving his feet toward her.
She hugged herself, hands gripping her elbows like she was afraid of him getting too close.
A wall seemed to lift between them. The one that had taken her months to lower before she had relaxed around him, started smiling, tossing out jokes, letting her humor and warmth shine. Gifting him with the pleasure of her laughter. There was no sweeter sound.
Nick stood still, hating himself for the way he’d lost control in front of her.
“What are we going to do?” Lori asked, averting her gaze.
“The idea of involving another office in this doesn’t sit well with me. It could open a whole new can of worms. But if the sheriff and her deputies are truly as Renee described,” he said, knowing they sounded a little too good to be true, “and her mother is willing to keep quiet about your presence, then we’d be ten times safer there than sitting at a restaurant.”
“Okay. Whatever you think is best.” She wrung her hands again and opened her mouth to say something else. A tense, silent moment passed, and she pressed her lips shut.
“Lori,” he said, thankful that with the enthusiastic yelps in the other room the doctor couldn’t overhear their conversation even though the door was open. “I’m sorry if I scared you out there with the things I said.” He looked down at his field boots for a moment and then back up at her. “I was furious, and I spoke without thinking. I just want to reassure you that you’re safe with me.” When she didn’t respond, he added, “I’ll let Renee know our decision and leave you alone.” He edged toward the door, his hands tightening at his sides.
“Nick, wait.”