Chapter Ten

The shadows had lengthened when the fire crew finally picked up stakes and released to Audrey what remained of her flower shop. Their investigation had been thorough and their conclusion decisive. Faulty wiring was the culprit.

Cam nosed around on his own, following the arson investigators without drawing attention to himself. While they sifted through ash and debris, he watched and studied what they unearthed, as well as what they didn’t. And he didn’t come to the same conclusion. He knew what they didn’t: this was Brett, doing what he’d promised to do. It wasn’t poor electrical, or owner negligence. The handcuffs had been his calling card. The burning of the shop was his way of getting even. Was he working with the cell that burglarized Audrey’s home, or was he finishing his own agenda? Maybe it was a little of both. Brett was clever. But would the cell like him working on his own? It remained to be seen.

Cam looked at Audrey’s delivery van and the two women loading the last of the front-of-shop supplies that hadn’t been destroyed by flame or water. He studied the woman he was here for. Even from this distance Audrey looked tired. She wouldn’t thank him for that observation, so he’d keep it to himself. His thoughts skirted that moment back at the church, that whatever-the-hell-had-almost-happened instant, circling back to the moment at hand.

Right now, beneath her tiredness, he could tell she was on edge. Her lithe body thrummed like a violin struck by a bow. She moved jerkily, as if holding back an angry momentum. But no fear. He didn’t think he’d ever met a braver woman. And the misplaced pride that rose within him had no business being there. Nor did his attraction to her.

Fed up with his one-sided thoughts, he picked his way through the sodden debris, making his way over to Elena and Audrey. Halfway there, he shoved his hands into his jeans’ front pockets, attempting a nonthreatening demeanor. If he could tell she was full of nervous energy now, what he was about to suggest would shoot her straight into anger.

Before she’d shown up in the rear of the shop, he’d called a friend of his who owned a cabin in the redwoods. After multiple tours of duty in the Sandbox, a lot of guys, including himself, sought refuge in the forest. Cam’s home was in Washington state, deep in the woods with a pond nearby.

Zack lived in San Francisco but owned a cabin that not many people knew about. He’d given Cam the greenlight to take Audrey there until they got a handle on the situation. She wasn’t going to like it, though. Hiding wasn’t one of her default choices. He hoped he could diffuse her resentment and get her to see sense. They needed some time to figure out what was the driving force for the attacks on her, and on the military in general. Time without interruptions or threats on their lives. Going off the grid was the only way Cam knew of finding that time, as well as keeping Audrey safe. It would be a long shot to get her to agree. Thank goodness no one was carrying at the moment. Except for him.

“Get everything sorted?” he asked, scanning across the street as well as up and down it, as if he were in enemy territory. He felt more and more like he was in a combat zone with each day that passed.

Audrey glanced at him. Tension lines bracketed her lips, and unshed tears shone in her eyes. He wanted to enfold her in his arms, prop his chin on top of her head, and tell her everything would be all right, but he had no idea if it would be. Not until they knew what, or who, they were fighting.

She gave a tiny shrug, turning to look into the van. “What little there was left, I suppose. At least I still have my computer and my schedule book. How I’m going to fill the orders, I have no idea.”

“Work out of your house?”

His attention swiveled to Elena. A badass wannabe. She was a true-blue friend to Audrey and because of that, she had a target almost as large as the one on Audrey. Her suggestion ran counter to his plan, however.

“I think you both need to pop smoke and lay low for a while,” he ventured, at a clear disadvantage with these two strong women.

Of course they disagreed.

“There’s too much I have to do,” sputtered Audrey. She looked around, at a loss for anything more to say.

“If ‘pop whatever’ means what I think it does, you can forget about it, boy toy. I’m not about to hide from that jackass.”

Yup, exactly the reaction he’d expected. Boy toy? He fought a grin at that moniker. He imagined Elena would be a helluva good time, but he was here for Audrey, so that’s who he addressed.

“Brett is after you, right?” he asked. She nodded, narrowing her eyes. Of course she’d attempt to figure out where he was going with this line of questioning. That was her expertise, after all.

“How could he get back at you best, besides trying to kill you?” Both women’s attention was on him. He moved his hands into his rear pockets, assuming a nonchalance that was all for show. He was just as wired as them, if not more.

Audrey jerked her head at her burnt-out shop. “This was a damn good start.”

He nodded, drawing out the silence. They leaned forward. He was pulling them in. Unfortunately, in another second they’d be jumping off the hook.

“He could go after someone you’re close to.” He met Elena’s gaze and held it before hers darted to Audrey’s and back again.

“Oh, hell no. I’ll be ready for the douche.”

He smiled without humor, looking past her to Audrey. “Do you want that possibility resting on your conscience?” These women needed to realize what sort of danger they were in. His idea was the only viable solution.

“Ugh,” Audrey growled, with a shake of her head. “You’re right. Of course you’re right. I can’t go home because it was already violated, and I can’t go to anyone else because that will bring him to their doorstep. Dammit, why couldn’t he stay where he was!” Her gaze bore into his. He felt Elena’s on him as well. He inwardly squirmed and finally replied.

“Yes, it’s my fault he’s loose. But that’s water under the bridge. Last night proved we’re dealing with more than just a revenge scheme. Right now we have to minimize the rest of this Charlie Foxtrot and get you the hell away from people you care about.”

He turned his attention to Elena. “You need to go somewhere safe. Go visit your family until we get a handle on the situation. Lock up your house and leave. Tonight.

“And you?” he addressed Audrey, who’d fisted her hands on her hips. “I put a call in to a buddy of mine. He has a place we can go. Off the grid. We can regroup, reassess, and reevaluate. We still need to figure out if you have something Brett needs. Inadvertently,” he added. Leaving it at just Brett was a lot easier than scaring Elena with talk of terror cell attacks.

Audrey digested the information he’d given her. He liked that she didn’t get hysterical or throw a fit about leaving everything behind. It was the soldier in her, and the soldier he was admired that.

“Hold the phone. Audrey, what did you mean, your place was violated?” Elena pointed a finger at him, reacting exactly how he thought she would. Emotions steered her boat.

Audrey went into an explanation that was a serious drag on their getaway time. Cam held it together as long as he could, but they really needed to hit the road. He wouldn’t be able to relax until Abbottsville was in the rearview mirror.

At last he broke into their discussion. “Audrey, we need to go. Brett seems to work best at night. These attacks have been so random, we don’t know where the hell he’ll strike next. Let’s not make ourselves any bigger targets.”

The two women shared a look and hugs.

“Take care of yourself, Audrey.”

“Same with you, Leni. I’ll contact you when I can.”

Cam took a step away, hoping Audrey would automatically follow, but he paused when Elena warned him, “You’d better take care of her, boy toy. Or what Brett does is gonna look like a toddler tantrum compared to what I’ll do to you.”

His laugh was genuine. “Message received, ma’am. Take care of yourself. Get as far away as possible. Brett’s out for blood, and I don’t believe he’s going to be too particular about whose.”

She gave him a jaunty salute, a nod with sad eyes to Audrey, and then headed to her car. Cam moved up beside Audrey, who watched her friend leave in silence. Though her profile was stoic, he could see her jaw muscles working. He wanted to put a comforting arm around her, but after that mutual attraction moment from earlier, he didn’t trust himself. He’d have to keep that under wraps, especially where they were going.

“We need to drop these supplies at your house and pack a bag for a few days. I’ll call my CWO while you’re doing that. We also need to pick up a burner phone for you. Mine is hard to triangulate, but yours can be tracked anywhere. Write down the contacts you need before we hit the road.”

She stared after her friend’s disappearing car and nodded once before slamming the van’s rear doors shut. Without saying another word to him, she strode to the driver’s side and hopped in. He got into the passenger seat, maintaining radio silence as well.