[12]
The Chosen One chuckled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He’d just come up from the weight room and felt energized. Working out helped him think. And he had a lot to think about.
He set the carafe back on the warmer, lifted the cup, and inhaled the steam. None of that instant stuff people used these days. Those little machines that made one cup at a time. Fake coffee. The Chosen One ground his own beans and brewed his coffee fresh.
He took a sip and felt his tension start to fade, even as he experienced a pang at the loss of the island. Ah well, he’d known the arrangement wasn’t a permanent thing. It had served its purpose and now it was time to move on.
He heard the click of nails on the wood floor and turned to find Bandit in the doorway. The dog sat, tongue lolling. “Come here, girl.”
She obeyed instantly, nudging up against his left leg, begging for an ear scratch. The Chosen One complied. She was lonely now. He’d hated to leave the pit bull behind, but it couldn’t be helped. He’d had no attachment to the dog. The mongrel had simply been a guard dog that followed commands. Most especially the word “attack.” Yes, a pity to leave him behind, as he and Bandit had gotten along and now she missed him. But the animal had done his job well, even though he’d been wounded at the hand of Holcombe.
And then the detective had done his best to help the creature. Interesting. Bandit walked to the door and waited expectantly. The Chosen One let her out. She looked around the yard and whined. “Go,” he said. She did.
Maybe he’d find a way to get the other mutt back. Had he been left on the island? Surely he was still there. Unless the detective had taken him with him. He’d have to check the cameras and see.
A loud thud came from the second floor and he frowned.
Then the sound of a video game vibrated through the house and he shook his head. He walked to the intercom and pressed the button. “Turn that down, will you?”
Within seconds, the sounds muted to an acceptable decibel level. The Chosen One drew in a calming breath. Soon, his mission would be complete.
“What would you like for breakfast, sweetheart?”
He turned to see Leigh in the doorway, her salt-and-pepper hair falling softly around her shoulders. He smiled. “Glad to see you’re up.”
“Well, of course, Peanut’s coming home today. I need to get things ready.”
His jaw tightened and fury ripped through him, but he smiled through it. “Of course.” He poured her a cup of coffee. “Why don’t you take this into the sunroom and I’ll join you in a moment?”
“But breakfast . . .”
“I’ll have Dottie make it.”
“Oh. I forgot she was here today. Yes, that’ll make things easier.” She took the cup from his fingers and turned to walk from the kitchen, through the den area, and into the connected sunroom.
When the Chosen One heard the sunroom door close, he released the rage and hurled his coffee cup across the room. He watched it shatter against the wall, his chest heaving as he battled for control. The dark coffee slowly dripped down to spatter against the floor.
Just like Quinn Holcombe had shattered his life, his family, and what should have been the Chosen One’s entire future.
He couldn’t take his eyes from the dripping dark liquid. It was a symbol. A sign. Of how Quinn’s blood would spill against the floor. And then Maddy’s. Soon. Very soon.
Quinn stepped into his home, his weapon held ready to use if necessary. A quick stop at the station had allowed him to arm himself again. He’d left Watson in the car for the moment. Once he made sure it was safe, he’d carry the animal in.
Quinn did a cursory survey of the open area, then moved down the hall toward the bedrooms. Katie followed him in.
She’d wanted to clear the place first, but Quinn assured her he could do it himself. She acquiesced, but he was glad she was at his back. It didn’t take long to clear the sixteen-hundred-square-foot house and soon he was back in the den. He set the gun on the mantel and turned to find Katie sliding her weapon into her shoulder holster. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
He noticed the empty dog crate. “Where’s Sherlock?”
“I think they left him in your yard. They put his bowls and some food out there too.”
“Good.” He walked to the sliding glass door and found Sherlock sunning himself on the deck. When the dog heard him, he popped to his feet and charged the door, skidding to a halt before he crashed into it. A black lab. All gangly limbs and slobber. What had Maddy and her friends been thinking?
He opened the door and Sherlock jumped on Quinn, quivering his delight at Quinn’s return. Quinn scratched the animal’s ears. “Sit.”
The dog hesitated, then reluctantly obeyed. Quinn gave him another scratch and reached for the treats he kept on the mantel. He slipped two of them to Sherlock. “I’m going to get Watson and introduce the two.”
“Two males. Good luck with that.”
He’d thought about that. If the two dogs didn’t get along, he’d find another home for Watson. The thought panged him for some reason. Katie followed him out the door, and he knew she was scanning the area, watching for anything that alarmed her. He was too. At the SUV, he found Watson in the back where he’d left him. The vet had cleared him to go home with prescription antibiotics and some pain meds.
Quinn picked up the hundred-pound dog with a grunt and carried him to the door. Katie opened it for him. “Thanks.”
She shut it behind them. Quinn set Watson on the floor in front of the fireplace. Sherlock bounded over and the sniff fest began. Watson growled low in his throat and Sherlock dropped to the floor to stare at this new creature who’d invaded his territory. Fortunately, it looked like Sherlock was going to be willing to be the second in command. He dipped his head and belly crawled closer. Watson nudged him, then laid his head on the floor and closed his eyes.
Quinn let out a breath. “Well, guess that’s that.”
“They’ll be friends. Sherlock is still such a puppy that they’ll be all right.”
“Yes.” He shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
“From zero to two?”
He laughed. “Exactly. What am I going to do with two dogs?”
“Love them. That’s all they want from you.”
He fell silent. Then slapped his hands to his knees. “Right. And now we need to find a killer.”
“I think that may be easier said than done.”
“It usually is, but that’s not going to stop us. Not by a long shot.” He ran a hand down the side of his face.
Katie nodded. “Then we’ll get at it. After you sleep some.”
“I’m not going to argue with you.”
Katie raised a brow. “Now that’s scary.”
“Ha.” He retreated to his bedroom and shut the door. Only then did it occur to him that he probably should check in with his family. He unclipped his phone from his belt and stared at the screen. Then again, why bother? He placed the phone on the nightstand, stretched across the bed, and closed his eyes. Then opened them. He needed to know Maddy was okay after walking back into her apartment. He shot Haley a text and waited.
From the kitchen, Maddy stared at the den area. She’d been dreading reentering the house from the moment she’d thought about it—and yet she’d hurried the process of stopping by her office to replace her weapon. Now she wished she’d made time to get another phone instead of waiting for Katie to bring a replacement.
Her gaze landed on the closet where he’d hidden. The crime scene team had been there and gone. At least they’d been courteous and cleaned up after themselves. Mostly.
“Did they find anything?” she asked Haley.
“Haven’t heard. They’re probably still processing everything.”
“Of course. It’s too soon.”
She shivered and crossed her arms, then winced when she moved her shoulder wrong. Her wounds throbbed. She walked to the cabinet and found her bottle of ibuprofen. While a stronger medication would bring more relief, she didn’t want to be drugged.
“Why don’t you go lie down,” Haley said. “I’ll keep watch.” She hefted a bag of M&Ms. “I’m prepared. Want some?”
Maddy forced a smile. “That’s all right. And I’m not sleepy yet.” Not a complete lie. She was tired. Exhausted, actually. But not ready to shut her eyes. It galled her to realize she was afraid too.
“I promise to wake you if anything new develops—or if you’re dreaming things you’d rather not dream.”
Maddy smiled. “You know me pretty well, don’t you?”
Haley shrugged. “We’re a lot alike.”
“Yeah.” Maddy sighed. “What do you know about Quinn?”
Surprise lit her friend’s face. “That was random. You have anything specific you want to know about? I imagine you know more than just about anyone.”
Frustration nipped at her. “That’s what I figured.”
“So why ask?”
Maddy groaned. “I don’t know. He makes me crazy.”
“You love him.”
“Yes. Maybe.” She wouldn’t completely deny it, but she didn’t have to like admitting she’d probably given her heart to a man who couldn’t love her back—or wouldn’t. But she wouldn’t lie about her own feelings—if she even knew what they were. “At least I think I do.”
“Love.” Haley scowled and opened the bag of chocolate. She poured several into the palm of her hand and lifted them to her mouth to crunch and swallow. She pointed a finger at Maddy. “Don’t mess with men and love.”
“Why not?”
“Because they mess with yer mind, me friend.”
Maddy narrowed her eyes. “And when you feel passionately about something, your Irish accent comes out in full force. Why does talking about love bring it out?”
Haley’s scowl deepened. “We’re not talking about me, we’re talking about you, remember?”
“I’m willing to change the subject.”
“Well, I’m not. Now go get in yer bed and get some rest.”
Maddy smiled. Haley would share when she was good and ready and not a minute before. She’d always known there was more to Haley’s story than she’d told. Now, she’d let slip there was probably a broken heart somewhere in her past.
The barely there smile slid from her lips. “How did he manage to get in my house?” she asked. “I know my alarm was armed because I had to disarm it when I came home.”
“We’re not sure. It’s a fairly simple system yet good enough to keep most ne’er-do-wells out, but this guy seems to be a bit more sophisticated than your fly-by-night criminal.”
“I would agree with that.”
A knock on the door startled her and she reached for her weapon. Haley did the same. They took up a stance on either side of her door. Another knock. “Maddy? You in there?”
Maddy lowered her gun and ordered her heart to slow its crazy pounding. She twisted the knob and swung the door open to find Quinn and Katie on the doorstep. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.”
“You couldn’t call?”
“I did. And I texted,” Quinn said through his glower. He looked tired. Worn slap out. “I didn’t get an answer.”
“I know. That’s why I tried Haley.”
“Here.” Katie handed her an iPhone box.
“Thanks.” She opened the box and powered up the phone, then let her gaze bounce between Quinn and Katie.
“We tried your phone, Haley,” Katie said as they stepped inside and shut the door. “Why didn’t you answer either?”
Haley frowned and pulled her phone from the clip on her belt. She stared at the screen. “I don’t have any indication that you called or texted.” She tapped the screen. “But I don’t have any indication of a signal either.”
Quinn pulled out his phone. “Neither do I.” He looked at Katie. “You?”
She checked her device. “Nope.”
Maddy frowned. “What’s going on?”
Quinn looked around. “Something’s blocking the signal.”
“But what?”
“He planted something,” Maddy said softly. Her jaw tightened.
Katie narrowed her eyes. “Okay, I can see why you would immediately jump to that conclusion. We’ll go with that for the moment. Assuming it’s not some cell tower mishap, then where did he plant it?”
“Tear the place apart and let’s find it,” Maddy said flatly.
“I’ll see how far I can walk from your house to get a signal and I’ll check with the company to find out if there’s something going on in the area,” Katie said. “Give me that phone back. I’ll program it while I’m out there and have a signal. You don’t need to be without a phone another second. Keep your weapons on hand.”
Maddy turned the new phone back over. Katie slipped back out the door and Maddy turned her attention to the closet that had been cracked when she’d first walked into the house the night she was attacked. She opened the door and pushed aside the jackets she had hanging there. She checked corners, the shelf, every square inch. “It’s clean,” she called out.
She straightened and shut the door. When she turned, she noticed the others doing the same to the rest of her home. Maddy curled her fingers into fists at her side, then let out a slow breath and relaxed, flexed her fingers, and refused to let the anger take over. She had to keep her cool. Look at this like a job. An attempt on her life had been made and now it was her job to protect herself while investigating the incident. With detached professionalism. Like she was any other client.
Right.
She looked around, trying to figure out where someone might have planted a cell signal blocker. Her eyes landed on her mantel and she stared at the row of pictures. Maddy walked over to stand in front of them, momentarily distracted.
“What is it?” Haley asked, coming up beside her.
“I’m not sure.” Maddy picked up the third picture from the left and held it. Stared at it. Her unit. Her friends. Her team. All dead except her. “I cheated death,” she whispered. She turned to Haley. “I thought he was talking about when that maniac attacked me and slit my throat.” She touched the area. A habit she’d almost kicked except in times of extreme stress. She lowered her hand. “But what if he’s talking about something else?”
Quinn rested a hand on her shoulder. “Like what?”
“You know why I left the FBI, right?”
“Yes. It was a sting operation turned ambush, right?”
Haley joined her to look down at the picture. Memories swept over Maddy, and she desperately wanted to push them away, but she couldn’t. “It was supposed to be low key. A simple warehouse raid to rescue trafficked illegals and arrest those who were the perpetrators.” She pressed her fingers against her lips to keep them from trembling. “There were twelve of us. Six from my squad. Six from another squad.”
“And you backed out at the last minute,” Quinn murmured.
She nodded. “I had food poisoning. I was so sick I could barely lift my head. I knew there was no way I could be on that raid, so I called in.” She sighed. “After it was all over, I was in shock, but I went back to work two days later. No one came right out and accused me of being the mole, but it was in everyone’s eyes.”
“Surely not everyone’s,” Quinn said.
“Well, okay. There were some who knew me well enough to know I’d never do anything like that, but the others . . .” She set the picture back on the mantel and turned around. “You know the one that hurt the most? My boss. Andrew Williams. He turned his back on me and that almost killed me.”
Quinn frowned. “Why’s that?”
“I looked up to him. He recruited me. He was my squad supervisor for two years, then he moved on to headquarters. About the time I qualified and became an agent, he was a field supervisor. He made me believe in myself, that I could do the job.”
“Let me guess,” Katie said. “He didn’t stand behind you when you were accused.”
“Yeah. I know he was going through a tough time, but that was no excuse to abandon me like he did.” Maddy rubbed a palm on her thigh and blinked as though to wipe away the memory.
“What kind of tough time?” Quinn asked.
“His wife was suing for divorce. She’d had enough and was doing everything in her power to make sure he had no contact with her kids.”
“Ouch, that’s rough,” Haley said. “I can see why he’d be a little distracted when it came to the job.”
“A little, but it wasn’t just that, it was like he believed I was guilty.” Maddy ran a hand over her hair and let the memories, the feelings, sweep through her. “Like I would actually do something like that. When I asked him how he could think I would, he said, ‘If Chloe can do what she’s doing to me, then I have no kind of judgment when it comes to what people are and are not capable of. I don’t want to believe it, but when the evidence slaps you in the face, what else is one to do?’”
Quinn grunted. “Harsh.”
“Well, not only was he having to deal with his marriage imploding, he was dealing with the investigation into the deaths of eleven agents, questioning his judgment, and all that. He was completely wiped, emotionally, physically, in every way possible.” She spread her hands and looked away for a moment, the memories almost too much to bear. “Anyway, after he made it plain that he didn’t trust me, almost no one wanted to work with me. I made people nervous. They wondered if I was going to have them killed next.” Bitterness welled and she had to make an effort to shove it down. She’d moved on and made a good life for herself.
“There was no evidence,” Haley said.
“Of course not. Not real evidence anyway. Circumstantial, but nothing that the DA or US Attorney would pursue.” Maddy gave a rueful smile and shook her head. “They even checked my story of being in the hospital. Only the fact that I was severely dehydrated and hooked up to an IV saved me from being outright arrested, I’m sure.” The memories brought the kind of tension she’d hoped not to feel again. “But the fact that they never could find a motive for anyone else to set up the ambush was the deciding factor in some agents’ minds.” She gave a short laugh. “Of course, they couldn’t come up with a motive for me either. That didn’t matter, though.”
“So you quit,” Quinn said.
“Well, not right away, but yes, eventually.” And it still galled her that she’d done it. “My . . . father convinced me it was the right thing to do.”
Quinn’s brow rose. “Wait a minute, you never told me that.”
She shrugged, already regretting admitting it. “That’s a story in itself and not relevant to the whole point I’m making.”
“Which is,” Haley said, “that the attack could be related to this incident in your past.”
“Yes.”
Quinn stared at her a moment longer, as though wondering what else she hadn’t told him. Well, he could wonder. His indignation was misplaced. Like the pot calling the kettle black. He hadn’t completely opened up to her either and she was tired of the roller coaster. She kept his gaze without blinking. He finally shook his head. “We’ll need to investigate each dead agent’s family. See if there’s anyone with the desire and ability to pull this off.”
“I know each one of those agents’ families,” Maddy said. “None of them would do anything like this.”
“You’re too close,” Haley said. “You know as well as the rest of us, when people get pushed beyond their limits, they’re capable of just about anything.”
“But this?” Maddy sighed. She stared at the picture again. “Hilary Barron.” She ran a finger over her dead friend’s face. “She was a mother with young children—two boys ages ten and fourteen. Her husband was devastated. He lost it for a while.”
“We’ll check him first.”
“He’s an accountant over on Academy Street,” Maddy said. “His name is Arthur Barron.”
“Anyone else who might need to be a priority?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. Paul Curtis maybe. He’s Darnell’s twin brother. He tracked me down at the office about three weeks after the ambush and said if he found out I had anything to do with Darnell’s death, he’d come after me and make me suffer.”
“That’s a pretty direct threat.”
“Yes, and I took it seriously, but I also knew he wouldn’t find anything—unless someone was deliberately trying to set me up to take the fall—because I had nothing to do with it.” She shook her head. “I should be dead so many times over now.”
“And yet you’re not.”
“Just means God’s got a reason for keeping ya here,” Haley said quietly. “I, for one, am glad.”
Maddy shot her a weak smile. “I am too.”
“Who else?”
She sighed and studied the picture. “Trey Ballentine. His dad was Special Forces twenty years ago. He would have the ability to carry out something like this. He wouldn’t, but he has the ability.”
“Along with loyal friends who might help him?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t see it, but I suppose it’s possible.”
Quinn tapped the screen on his phone and gave a growl. “I can’t send this. We need to find that blocker.” They went on the hunt once again.
And came up empty.
Maddy threw her hands up. “Maybe it’s outside.”
Haley nodded. “That makes sense. I’ll check. You two stay inside in case he’s watching with a rifle at his shoulder.”
Haley opened the door, and over Haley’s shoulder, Maddy saw Katie on the doorstep. “I had to walk quite a ways to get a signal. Bad news: there’s nothing’s wrong with any cell tower around here,” she said. “Good news: I got your phone working using the same number you had.”
“Thanks.” Maddy took the device and Haley stepped around her. “Katie and I’ll check out here for any signal-blocking device. Be back in a minute.”
Haley shut the door behind them.
Quinn sat on the sofa and stared at her. Maddy stared back and resisted the urge to squirm. “What?”
“Why did your dad encourage you to quit?”
She sighed. “You can probably figure it out.”
“He’s law enforcement.”
“Yes. He knew that until it was proven that I had nothing to do with those agents’ deaths, I would be the bad apple in the bunch. I’d be shunned.”
“Why hasn’t anything been proven, do you think? Why hasn’t the person been caught?”
“I don’t know. I’ve lost sleep thinking about it for sure, but I just can’t put my finger on any one person other than the group we were after. The problem is, there was no concrete evidence of who tipped them off. Nothing.” She rubbed her cheeks, then tilted her head. “And frankly, there was some circumstantial evidence that suggested I could have been the one to set it up.”
He frowned and leaned forward. “Like what?”
“Someone sent pictures of me meeting with the main guy we were after.” She shrugged. “We looked friendly, but I was undercover. I was supposed to be friendly. Andrew said he knew this and threw the pictures in the trash. Someone dug them out and posted them in the break room.”
He spread his hands. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Not for sure.”
“And you’re not trying to figure it out?”
She shook her head. “I did for a while, but for now . . .”
He frowned. “You said you were up for a promotion at the time.”
“I was.”
“So who benefited by making you look bad?”
She laughed, but there wasn’t any humor in it. “Don’t you think I’ve gone through all of that? Asked myself that question?”
“And?”
Tension tightened her shoulders even while frustration ate at her. She wished she’d nipped this conversation in the bud a few sentences back. “Like I said, I don’t know for sure.”
“But you have a theory.”
“Yeah,” she bit out. “I have a theory.”
“So what is it? Why are you making me drag this out of you?”
The door opened and Katie stepped inside. She took one look at them and stopped. “Should we come back later?”
“No,” Maddy said, “we were just discussing something.”
“A theory,” Quinn said.
“Oo-kay.”
Haley stepped around Katie and held out her gloved hand. A small dark box sat in her palm. “Found it.”
“Where?”
“Strapped to the trunk of a tree. It took some searching, but I finally caught a glimpse of it.” She paused. “You know, I bet this guy is pretty tall. I’m five nine and had to stretch to grab it.”
“He was tall,” Quinn said. “But I was looking at him from a crouch in the jungle, so . . .” He shrugged.
Maddy pressed a hand to her head. “My phone worked the night he grabbed us,” she said. “You texted me and I got the message.”
“So when did he plant the device?” Quinn said.
Maddy shrugged. “It had to be recent.”
Haley tapped her phone. “I’ll see if I can track the serial number.”
“So, he left the island,” Quinn said. “He wouldn’t have had to file a flight plan or anything. There are plenty of private airstrips around here that he could have used. I would say there’s no sense wasting time even trying to track him from that angle, but if we send out a message to those airstrips, maybe we’ll get lucky. Let’s ask Bree to canvass the airpark neighborhoods and see if anyone landed within the time frame we have. And if there are any cameras that recorded said landings.”
“That’s a long shot, a needle in the haystack,” Maddy said. “I can’t even describe the plane.”
“Regardless,” Quinn said, “he had plenty of time to get here and plant that before we arrived back in town. I’m just not sure the reason behind it.” He caught her eye. “Unless he’s planning to strike here once again.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him, but he has to know that we’ll take precautions, have people watching our backs.” She shook her head. “He’s like a terrorist. He wants to instill fear and . . . be a bully. Or get revenge for a perceived wrong.” Maddy shut her eyes against the forming headache. “I don’t know. I’m exhausted and I can’t think right now.”
Quinn nodded. “I’m there with you.” He looked up at Katie and Haley. “If you’ll bring Bree in on this and update her, she’ll get everything going on our end.”
Katie pulled her phone out. “I’ll call her. Why don’t you two get some rest? We can pick this back up once you’re clear-headed again.”
Maddy rested a hand on Quinn’s forearm. “Take the guest bedroom. It’ll be easier on Katie and Haley if we stay together. They can take turns sleeping and guarding.”
“Are you sure?” Quinn asked. “I don’t want to invade your space.”
She smiled. “I’m sure.” She pointed down the hall. “Last door on the right. The bathroom is an en suite. It’s clean and ready for use, including a razor, toothbrush, and paste. There are some men’s sweatpants and T-shirts in the closet.” At his raised brow, she snorted. “One of my brothers is a frequent visitor. You’re about the same size. Have at it.”
Still, he hesitated. “I need to make arrangements for the dogs.” He pulled his phone out. “Let me see if I can get my neighbor to run by and let them out.” Within minutes, he was nodding. “JD’s going to take care of them today and tomorrow. After that, if I need to board them, I will.”
Haley looked at Katie. “I’ll take first watch.”
“And I’ll call Bree.” She bounced her gaze between Maddy and Quinn. “You two get some rest, and by the time you’re up, maybe we’ll have some news.”
Maddy nodded. “Thanks, guys. See you in a few hours.” She pointed toward the bedroom at the end of the hall. “Go,” she said to Quinn.
He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m going, I’m going.”
And he did. He disappeared into the room and shut the door. Maddy stood for a moment, trying to think, and finally decided it wasn’t worth the effort. “See you in a few.” She walked to her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She sighed. “Now what, God?”