by Rebecca Deel
She stared. “Will they let you do that? They have a strict policy about the number of people visiting patients.”
“They’ll accommodate us. We have favors we can cash in to get it approved if necessary. I don’t think it will be. The hospital won’t want to be responsible for the Murray family safety with rent-a-cops. Besides, Tracey is the mayor. What sane administrator wants to land on her bad list?”
“Hanover has a good police force.”
“They’re good. They aren’t Bravo.” He stood. “I’ll be back. I’m going to talk with B.J. about the security arrangements.”
Simon kissed Zoe before leaving the room.
Nothing like staking a claim in front of his mother. Feeling her cheeks heat, she glanced at Lisa Murray and saw her smiling.
“I’m just relishing the fact that my son is wise enough to recognize and treasure a gift when he sees one.”
A gift? “That’s kind of you to say.”
“It’s the truth. You’re here with Simon to support him instead of working in your bakery. Your sacrifice isn’t lost on me, Zoe, and I know he appreciates your presence.”
“I wanted to be with him.” She didn’t know how much information Simon had told his mother about the deaths in Otter Creek. No need to terrify her further. The woman would soon discover Simon and his friend, Liam, were in danger. “He’s an amazing man. I admire him and what he does to protect others.”
His mother shifted her gaze to the still form of her sleeping husband. “Simon reminds me of his father.”
“Then you’re truly blessed.”
Simon returned. “All set. The administrators agreed to cooperate with our security arrangements. My team leader is briefing hospital security now.”
A low moan drew their attention to the bed. Lisa gripped her husband’s hand. “Can you hear me, Don?”
The older man breathed deeper and grimaced. His eyelids fluttered and lifted.
Lisa smiled despite tears trickling down her cheeks. “It’s about time you woke up.”
Although Don Murray didn’t respond verbally, his confusion showed.
“You’re in the medical center. You were shot this morning.”
The beep from the heart monitor sped up as his eyes widened.
Simon moved into his father’s line of vision. “Dad, calm down.”
Don’s gaze darted to Simon, back to his wife, then returned to Simon.
Zoe frowned. He was trying to tell Simon something but what?
Simon gripped his father’s other hand. “I have you and Mom covered. My team is here with me. No one will hurt Mom. You have my word. We’re working on security for the rest of the clan. Focus on recovery and let me handle the rest.”
Relief slackened his father’s face. He gave a slight nod and his eyes slowly closed. His heart rate decreased to a normal pace as he gave in to his body’s demand for sleep.
B.J. strode into the room followed by one of the nurses. His brother motioned for Simon to step out of the room. Zoe followed him to the corridor where Liam sat in a chair beside the door.
He glanced up when they walked from the room. “How is he?”
“Disoriented. He was awake for a couple of minutes. Dad’s more worried for Mom than he is for himself.”
“Did he say what happened?”
“I didn’t get a chance to ask him. Once he knew Bravo was protecting them, he went back to sleep. I’ll try to get information when he wakes again, but I think our best bet is to find out what the police know. If they won’t share the information voluntarily, I’ll ask Zane for help.”
“The crime scene techs have been on scene for several hours. They should have something by now.”
“My sister, Tracey, can pressure the police for information.” Simon’s ring tone sounded. “Speaking of Tracey, that’s her now.” He pressed the phone to his ear. The longer he listened to his sister, the darker Simon’s expression grew. He ended the call.
“Well?” Liam’s eyebrow rose.
“My sister just got off the phone with the detective working Dad’s shooting. The surgeon gave him the bullet. Dad was shot with a military-grade .308 round.”
Zoe frowned. “What does that mean?”
“My father was shot by a sniper.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Simon’s blood ran hot. Someone had tried to assassinate his father. Was Chris Hollister to blame? He intended to track down the trainee and confront him. Ethan’s warning came to mind and Simon shoved the admonition aside. He’d protect his family, no matter the cost to himself. If Hollister had targeted Simon’s father and Zoe, the trainee would pay.
“Have the cops located the sniper’s hide?” Liam asked.
“Not so far.”
“If I knew where your father was gunned down, I could pinpoint the location.”
“It would give us an idea how good the shooter is and if Hollister might be our guy.”
“We read the background data on him.” Zoe edged closer to Simon. “He’s a competitive shooter. You said he and Isaac were at the top of the class in marksmanship. Does that mean he’s capable of shooting your father?”
“Competitive shooting isn’t the same as hitting a live, moving target.” Liam rose. “Call Tracey and have her smooth the way for me to look at the scene. The faster we find the hide, the sooner we’ll have more information for law enforcement. We need to wrap this up soon, Simon. My family is in danger and we don’t know who to look for.”
“Agreed.” He called his sister. “Do you know the detective working the scene?”
“Sure. Why?”
“Tell him to expect me and my teammate, Liam McCoy, at the crime scene.”
“Look, I know you and your friends are super spies and play with guns and knives, but cops aren’t well known for allowing civilians to meddle in their cases. I need to convince him that Liam has something to offer. Why should he let your friend on site?”
“Because he’s a world-class sniper. You said the police haven’t been able to pinpoint where the shooter set up. Liam will find the sniper’s hide.”
Tracey didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Your friend is a sniper.”
“One of the best I’ve ever seen and worked with.”
“What about you?”
His grip tightened around the phone. “I’m not in his class.”
“But you can shoot long-range?”
“It’s part of my job, Tracey.” He’d be a terrible spotter for Liam if he couldn’t shoot well.
“Sniper’s kill people. You and your friend are like the man who tried to kill our father? How did I not know this? Been hiding things from us, bro?”
Simon’s heart sank. “You’ve known about my job for five years.”
“You told me you’re in private security. Did you lie?”
“Of course not. Fortress does a lot of things, including train bodyguards. That’s also part of my job.”
“What about the other part of your job? Are you and your buddies trotting around the globe, killing people?”
“We deal with the worst of the worst, the people you don’t want anywhere near your family. I won’t apologize for doing my part to keep the world safe. Now, will you call the detective and tell him to expect us or should I do it myself?”
“You’ll do this with or without my approval, won’t you?”
“To protect Dad and Mom and the rest of you? Absolutely. We generally have good working relationships with law enforcement. If you’re worried about your reputation taking a hit because one of your family members works in black ops, don’t be. I won’t embarrass you or come off as half-cocked and looking for trouble.” He scowled. “Or worse, as a vet with a roaring case of PTSD with an itchy trigger finger. I’m not a danger to the public, just terrorists.”
A soft gasp. “I didn’t mean it like that, Simon.”
“Yeah, you did.” Simon wrestled down the disappointment and hurt. He never considered that his sister would view him as most
of the public saw him. The public got a pass since they didn’t know him. Tracey did. Or at least he’d thought she did. Guess he was wrong. “Will you give me the information or not, sis?”
Another short pause, then she rattled off the detective’s name and phone number and the location of the shooting. “I’ll call him and arrange everything. I’m sorry, bro.”
Temper still spiking, he ended the call without replying. He slid his phone away. “Got the information. Dad was shot in our south pasture. I’ll help you pinpoint the shooter’s location.” It would give him a chance to walk off some of the mad burning through him. He needed to do something physical and this would satisfy his need to assist in finding his father’s shooter.
“I can work GPS,” Liam said, his tone mild.
“I’m going.” Waiting on the sidelines would drive him crazy. It’s why he wouldn’t have been happy as a military officer. After rising through the ranks too far, you rode a desk. Simon hadn’t re-upped when he’d realized he was slowing down and his superiors were thinking of assigning him to push piles of paper across a desk or work behind a computer.
War was a young man’s game, though, and Simon had seen more than his fair share of action over the years. He’d received an invitation to interview at Fortress a month after he returned stateside. He’d picked up the phone immediately and agreed to drive to Nashville to talk to Maddox. Accepting the job offer to work with a black ops team was a dream come true. Bravo was as much his family as his own flesh and blood.
His hand clenched. At least, his teammates understood the need to protect innocents. He and his team didn’t glory in violence, but they used the skills the military taught them to continue protecting the vulnerable.
“What about Zoe?”
“I’ll go with you,” she said.
Simon hesitated. He didn’t want her out in the open more than necessary. “It’s a pasture. Wide open spaces with very little cover if trouble develops. You’ll be vulnerable to attack.”
“So will you whether I’m with you or not. Do you think the shooter is still in the same place, waiting to pick off the next family member who happens to wander by?”
He understood her need to do more than sit at his father’s bedside. He refused to leave her at the hotel alone while he traipsed around the south pasture and up into the hills close by where he suspected the shooter had lain in wait. His teammates would be on guard around his father. “Probably not,” he admitted, reluctant though he was to tell her the truth. Lying to her wasn’t an option. He’d find a way to keep her safe. The alternative was unthinkable.
“I want to go with you. I’d love to see your family’s ranch.”
Simon glanced at Liam. His friend’s eyes were lit with amusement. Yeah, he’d be laughing too if a confirmed bachelor with a reputation for being a hard nose had this much difficulty saying no to his woman. And she was his woman. Simon had claimed her and he wouldn’t back out now, no matter the circumstances.
He blew out a breath. “All right. But you’ll do everything I tell you to do without question, Zoe. If I tell you to drop, you hit the ground. Understood?”
Her lips edged upward as she saluted. “Yes, sir.”
He tugged her into his arms and breathed in the familiar apple scent of her shampoo. “Brat.” He reveled in his right to hold her in his arms. Too bad he didn’t have the luxury of holding her for longer than a minute or two. He’d remedy that tonight. If nothing interfered, he’d set everything aside for a few minutes and indulge his driving need to hold her.
B.J. returned to the corridor. “Did Dad know who did this to him?”
“He was shot by a high-powered rifle. He won’t know who pulled the trigger.” But Simon would find out the shooter’s identity if it was the last thing he did and he’d run this coward to ground. If the creep was lucky, he’d see the inside of a jail cell. The jury was still out on what Simon would do when that time came. “Is Dad all right?”
“He’s resting peacefully for now. What stirred him up?”
“Hearing why he was in the hospital. He was more worried about Mom than himself.”
“Typical.” His brother’s voice came out husky. “I know you need information to start your search, but give him a few hours to rest. His body has been through a serious trauma. We have to give him time to recover before you demand more answers.”
Simon’s cheeks burned. Did his other two siblings think the worst of him, too? “I didn’t demand answers this time. I asked if he knew who shot him. He didn’t.”
“You can’t badger him, Simon. Dad can’t take it right now.”
“I’m not an idiot. I have to leave for a while.”
His brother scowled. “You’re deploying now? Dad isn’t out of the woods yet. What if something happens and we need you?”
Understanding punched through Simon’s irritation. His brother was afraid and doing his best to hide it from Simon with a gruff attitude. “I’m taking Liam to the pasture where Dad was shot.” Simon moved closer to his brother and dropped his voice to a murmur. “Liam is a sniper. If anyone can find the shooter’s position, it’s him.”
“What good will that do?”
“The shooter will have left behind evidence of his presence. If we’re lucky, the evidence will point to the shooter’s identity.” Doubtful, but every piece of evidence would help build a case against the culprit when he was caught.
“I see.” B.J. turned and shook Liam’s hand. “Thanks for helping Hanover’s finest. We have a SWAT team. However, according to Simon, they aren’t anywhere near the caliber of Bravo. They’re just good old boys who are decent shots with rifles.” He turned back to Simon. “I know you wouldn’t leave without guards in place. Who’s staying here with Mom and Dad?”
“Matt, our medic, Trent, and Cade. If anything happens, they’ll protect Mom and Dad with their lives. You can trust them.”
“Do what you have to do. I’ll let you know if something comes up.” He laid a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to insult you. I overreacted because I’m worried about Dad.”
“So am I.” He shrugged his brother’s hand off his shoulder and walked down the hall to call Trent and request Cade and Matt replace him and Liam on guard duty.
A minute later, he ended the call and held out his hand to Zoe. When she joined him, Simon glanced at Liam. “We’ll meet you at the ER entrance.” Ignoring his brother, he pressed his hand to Zoe’s lower back and guided her to the elevator.
After the doors closed, enclosing them in the car, Zoe wrapped her arms around his waist. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.”
“Your brother and sister hurt you.”
“Yeah, they did. I didn’t know my siblings thought I was a loose cannon about to explode or an unfeeling lout more interested in himself than his family.”
She tightened her grip. “Now they know better.”
True. Still, he couldn’t help but feel they should have known the truth without him telling them. Did they think he enjoyed the ugly, dirty aspects of his job? He didn’t, but someone had to step up and help those who couldn’t help themselves escape dangerous situations out of their control. Simon had volunteered because he had the skills and the burning desire to protect. What he didn’t have was an inclination to follow strict law enforcement rules which was the only other place he could use his military training.
He glanced down at her, dreading her answer to his next question. What if he’d miscalculated the strength of her feelings for him? He could lose her in the next minute. The possibility sent an arrow of pain straight to his heart. “Are you sure you want to be in a relationship with me, Zoe? This won’t be the last time I’m viewed as a killer for hire.”
“I’m not giving you up, buddy. I waited for months, hoping you would notice me and ask me out. Now that you have, I intend to enjoy every minute I’m privileged to be with you.”
Thank goodness. Simon couldn’t help himself. He bent his head and
kissed her, hard and fast. A moment later, the car stopped at the first floor and the doors slid open. Automatically, Simon stepped in front of her until he was sure no danger lurked in the corridor or waiting area directly across from the elevator. He reached back and clasped her hand to lead her into the waiting area. He headed for Trent who stood near the corner of the room.
“Maddox called,” Trent said. “Zane’s picking up increased chatter on the Internet.”
Simon’s stomach knotted. “Why didn’t Z call me?”
“You had just gone in to see your father. He didn’t want to interrupt that time.”
“What did he find out?”
“At least one contract killer is hunting for you and Liam.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Simon stiffened. A contract killer meant a professional, one who wouldn’t hesitate to use anyone and anything to get to Simon. That included targeting the beautiful woman standing strong by his side. Then the words Trent had used registered. At least one contract killer. More than one shooter could be gunning for him and Liam.
He glanced down at Zoe’s beloved face. Regret and guilt surged to the forefront. She was in the line of fire because of him. Simon should send her home to Otter Creek. Inside, he rebelled at handing her over to Shadow and Durango. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn’t even consider the move. This information, though, proved his presence endangered Zoe rather than provided protection and safety. Being with him could get her killed. He couldn’t lose her.
Zoe looked up at him, defiance in her eyes. “No.”
He blinked, brows beetling. “No?”
“You’re not sending me home. I’m exactly where I should be. At your side.”
“I’m a target, Zoe. That puts you in more danger than I realized.”
“Do you want to trust my safety to someone else?”
Everything in him rejected that option. “That would be the safest option.”
“Not from my perspective. I’m staying. Besides, I can’t open the bakery until the crime scene cleaners do their work and Mason does his. I figure I’ll have to be closed for the rest of the week.”