by Liz Shoaf
Her grandmother pulled back, took her by the arm and they both sat on the edge of the bed.
“Now, let’s put things in perspective. I don’t know all the details, but we both know Bobby would never do anything immoral. I helped raise that boy and I know he’s innocent of whatever Ned thinks he’s done.” Gram smiled wryly. “But that’s not to say Bobby wasn’t used in some way without his knowledge. For a genius, the boy doesn’t have a lick of common sense when it comes to devious dealings.”
Gram rubbed Mary Grace’s hair like she used to when she was a kid and it soothed her senses.
“Now, I want to know how you feel about Eli.”
Mary Grace swiped the tears from beneath her eyes and smiled sadly. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about him. There are too many things keeping us apart and I’ve known him for less than thirty-six hours. I’ll not make the same mistakes my mother made. She rushed into marriage twice and both times were a disaster.”
Gram placed both hands on Mary Grace’s cheeks. “Sweetheart, I’ve told you this many times. Your mother has a disease. It’s called gambling.” She sighed and removed her hands. “I’ve prayed for her and it’s now in God’s hands.”
She took Mary Grace’s hand and held it with both of her own. “My sweet baby girl, you can’t let your mother’s mistakes rule your life. You have to trust that God knows best. If you do develop feelings for Eli, don’t allow your past to ruin it for you.”
Mary Grace dropped her head on her grandmother’s shoulder. “Thanks, Gram.”
Feeling much better, she stood up and grinned, wanting to lighten the mood. “Oh, well, after seeing what I look like in the morning, I probably scared the man off, anyway.”
She hugged her gram and headed for the shower. Twenty minutes later, dressed, her hair pulled back in a wet ponytail, she followed the scent of bacon to the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled even though they’d raided the kitchen the night before.
She walked into a picture of domestic bliss, judging by the expressions on Ned’s and both the dogs’ faces. Mary Grace headed to the coffeepot, poured herself a cup, then leaned her backside against the counter and stared at her grandmother.
“Eggs and ham for the dogs, Gram?”
Sitting across from Ned at the small table placed in front of the bay window, Gram sniffed. “I don’t get to see Tinker Bell very often and it’s my pleasure to spoil her while she’s here.”
Mary Grace took that as a subtle reminder that she hadn’t visited as often as she should. You had to listen close to Southern women to catch the nuisances of a conversation. She blew on her coffee and took a sip.
“What about Krieger?”
Gram beamed across the table at Ned. “Eli explained that Krieger has faithfully served our country in the past, so he deserves a good hot meal.”
Mary Grace was just getting ready to grab a plate when suddenly, without warning, one glass panel of the bay window shattered and a barrage of bullets tore into the wall across the kitchen. Before she could move, Ned had shoved Gram down onto the seat. Krieger started growling fiercely. Shaken to the core, Mary Grace dropped to the floor and crawled toward Gram. Gently taking her arm, she helped the older woman out of the seat and to the floor.
Ned had already ducked under the table and was standing away from the window.
“Take care of your grandmother and stay away from any windows. I’ll find the shooter if he decided to hang around.” The calm authority mixed with solid fierceness in his voice stilled her trembling. She nodded, and he and Krieger left the room.
Mary Grace pulled her grandmother to a safe area away from the window and helped her to her feet. She hugged her gram fiercely and tears came to her eyes. Pulling back, she peered into brave, wise old eyes. “Gram, please, for my sake, go and stay with one of your friends until this is over.” Mary Grace choked on her next words. “I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
Gram raised a hand and gently wiped away Mary Grace’s tears. “My dear child, only God knows when it’s my time to go. But for your peace of mind, I’ll do as you ask.”
Mary Grace hugged her again. “Thanks, Gram. I hope it won’t be for long.”
The front door opened and closed, and Mary Grace pushed her grandmother behind her, but it was Ned. She sent him a questioning glance and he shook his head.
“Whoever took the shot is long gone. Krieger and I cleared the area. He didn’t try again, so I’m assuming he’s by himself now and doesn’t want to take a chance on getting caught.” He looked at Gram. “You alright, ma’am?”
Gram stepped forward and lifted her chin. “I’m fine, Eli. Thank you for asking. I’ve decided to stay with a friend until this is over. Now, I want your promise that you’ll see no harm comes to my granddaughter.”
Ned nodded grimly. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”
Fifteen minutes later, after saying a tearful goodbye to her aging grandmother when her friend picked her up, they gathered their stuff to leave.
The letter she’d stuffed back into her pocket was at the forefront of her mind now that Gram was safe. At some point, she’d have to tell Ned what Bobby wrote and it saddened her heart to realize that this may very well be the last time she and Ned would be even somewhat in accord.
FOURTEEN
Overnight one of Ned’s contacts had someone pick up the car they’d left in the Okefenokee Swamp parking lot and deliver it to Mary Grace’s grandmother’s house, so they could make it back to the airstrip without relying on a taxi driver to lose a tail. Now Ned’s plane was lifting off, heading to DC.
Suspicious about the item Mary Grace had found in the shack and still hadn’t shared with him, Ned waited until she excused herself from the cockpit on the premise of checking her emails. He logged on to the server, hoping to slip into her email through the onboard Wi-Fi, but she was password-protected. He could have hacked in, but his heart wasn’t in it.
The conflicting emotions of attraction and mistrust warred constantly with each other, but he had good reason. She’d lied to him by omission and he couldn’t live with that. Maybe he should demand to see what she’d found, but another part of him wanted her to trust him enough to volunteer the information.
He shook his head. He never wavered like this. He had been trained to be in control of every possible scenario and situation. His life sometimes depended on it. Gram’s words of faith and prayer had hit their mark, but he pushed them aside and concentrated on the task at hand.
Pulling out the satellite phone, he called his brother.
Ewan answered with a clipped, “Yes?” His older brother was fighting his Scottish heritage by not using the brogue he had grown up with. Ewan and their grandfather butted heads all the time and this was Ewan’s way of rebelling against the expectation of being named laird of the clan. It amused Ned. In the States the title sounded outdated, but in Scotland it was still very real. Much like the aristocracy in England. Not what it once was, but still there.
“Ewan, it’s Ned. We’re in the air and I’m on a secure line.”
“About time you called. I’ve been busy.”
“Tell me.”
“I made a few calls to friends with high connections in Washington who like to chat. I casually dropped the information that you’re dating a journalist who is very interested in your and Finn’s story. That should be enough to prompt the chief of staff to do something rash and reveal himself.”
“Ned, I don’t have to remind you that you’re playing a very dangerous game. If Hensley is involved, things are going to get very dicey. He won’t take this lying down. He’ll come after you. Do you trust the information Mary Grace’s brother left you?”
Ned gripped the phone hard, but slowly relaxed his fingers. “Not entirely, but it’s the only lead I have at the moment and someone is after me, anyway,” he said wryly. “I think they want to get r
id of any loose ends and Finn and I are loose ends. Mary Grace’s brother is a loose end, too, even if he’s in it with them.”
Mary Grace’s laughing golden eyes flashed in his mind. He didn’t like that she was in danger, but her brother was responsible for that.
“You told me she got shot on your mountain. I know her brother is involved, but why would they come after her?”
Ewen’s question was a good one. “Aye, why would they? Maybe her brother got in too deep and realized the error of his ways. Then he got worried about his sister and sent her to me. I really don’t know the answer to your question, yet, but they have to know she’s a reporter and they would only use her as a last resort, through her brother, to try to find me since Bobby went off the grid.”
The thought didn’t sit well with Ned and he was ready to get off the phone.
“Be careful, brother. You do know if anything happens to me, you’re next in line for the position of laird.” Laughing into the phone, Ewan ended the call.
Ned grinned, despite himself. In the old days, long, long ago, the position of laird would be highly coveted, but in these modern days, no one wanted it. Ned grinned wider, thinking how slick his own father had been. He had removed himself from the role. To keep the old castle and grounds up, he claimed he had to spend his time running the family’s art galleries, which was pretty much the truth. The old castle took a lot of money to operate, but it was the family seat and the community also depended on them in a lot of ways.
Staring at the onboard computer, Ned could see that Mary Grace was still online, even though he couldn’t see what she was working on. He halfway lifted himself out of his seat, thinking he should demand to see what she had found in the shack, but then he slid back down. He really wanted her to fully trust him and share the information herself.
He gave a gruff snort. He didn’t trust her, so how could he expect her to trust him? He’d let it go until they reached Washington, and if she hadn’t shared by then, he’d demand to see what she was hiding. He had to have every scrap of information if they were going to beat the sly politicians in Washington. And he had a gut feeling that things were going to move fast as soon as they hit the ground.
His sat phone rang and he answered with a gruff “Aye.” Very few people had the number.
“Ned, it’s Madeline.”
“Ma’am, good to hear from you.” That’s all he said. As was his customary response, he waited patiently.
She sighed into the phone. “You never were one to chitchat. I take it this is a secure line?”
His lips curled at the edges. “You have to ask?”
She chuckled. “No, but it’s always smart to make sure. I wanted to check on you. I was a bit surprised by our last conversation and concerned that you were dealing with a journalist.”
Ah, so that’s what this was about. “Don’t worry, I can handle Mary Grace.”
A slight hesitation, then, “Well, that’s good to hear.”
He waited again.
“Listen, Ned, I know you want justice for what happened to Finn, but what will it gain you? Finn will still be in a wheelchair.”
Ned stiffened. Was the CIA director—his boss, or maybe his previous boss if he chose not to return after his leave of absence—warning him off? He trusted her implicitly and she should trust him to handle the situation. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She quickly backed down. “No, no, you’ve served your country honorably and I just thought you might want to get on with your life. Is Mary Grace Ramsey still traveling with you?”
Interesting that she’d ask about Mary Grace, but also plausible. He was spending time with a woman who exposed others as a profession.
“She’s still with me. We’re heading to DC, and let me assure you, you don’t have to worry about anything.”
She accepted his assurance and ended the call.
* * *
Settled on a plush leather seat with the laptop on the tray in front of her, it took quite a while for Mary Grace to read her emails from work.
After she finished, she looked down at both dogs curled on the floor near her feet. They were giving her accusing stares.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
But she felt as if she had. Hiding the letter from Ned was the right thing to do, but she still felt like a heel. She glanced back at the dogs. “Okay, here’s the deal. If Bobby is right about Finn, I’ll tell Ned immediately, but if he’s wrong, Ned won’t ever have to know or live through the pain it would cause.”
She rolled her eyes. “And why am I sitting here talking to two dogs?”
Pulling up a new draft, she started writing an email to a private investigator she knew. A man she trusted and one who had done a lot of work for her in the past.
She asked him to check into Finn and went for the full service. Background, financials, personal life. The works. She also wanted the information ASAP. She hit Send and it didn’t take but a minute or so to get a response: This is gonna cost you.
She smiled and ruefully thought of her bank balance. She made good money, but wouldn’t be able to get reimbursed unless she wrote a story connected to the request.
She typed in I know, and hit Send.
Sitting back in her chair, she gazed at both the dogs, thinking for a moment before returning her gaze to the computer. She hunched over the laptop and sent Bobby a fairly inane email, one that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone watching the account, but would tell him she was alive and well if he was able to sneak in and check.
She sat back again and pondered everything that had happened. This was the first time since this whole thing began that she’d had time to relax and really process all the events.
In her private letter, Bobby didn’t go into detail about how he had gotten involved or set up. She’d have to wait until they found him to get that information.
She laughed when Tinker Bell hopped into her lap and Krieger whined because the love of his life had abandoned him. Mary Grace ran a hand over the silky fur of her dog’s back and spoke to the big German shepherd. “Don’t worry, Krieger, I’ll get Gram to make you a Christmas sweater to match Tinker Bell’s.”
The image of the proud, well-trained dog wearing an ugly Christmas sweater made her chuckle.
Mary Grace thought of all the times she’d tracked down Chief of Staff Hensley and stuck a microphone in his face. She was known on the Hill as a shark when she was after a story. She had always thought highly of him and just couldn’t imagine him doing something as heinous as selling state secrets to the enemy. But then again, she had exposed other politicians for things that surprised her after uncovering the truth. Most politicians were good actors, but Hensley had a sterling record. No blemishes that she could find in the past when dealing with him on various other issues.
She glanced over her shoulder toward the cockpit—the door was still closed—then back at the laptop. Her reporter’s gut was telling her that Hensley may be a pawn, much like Bobby, but if she did what she was thinking about doing, Ned would probably strangle her.
Her gut had never steered her wrong, so she started typing an email. She’d send it to Hensley, giving just enough information to motivate him into meeting with her privately. That way she could study his reactions in person. She vaguely mentioned that she had come across information that could destroy his career, and if he wanted to talk, he could contact her at home later this evening. She sent the email and sat back, wondering just how bad Ned’s wrath would be. Well, no time like the present to find out.
She stood, opened the door to the cockpit, took a seat in the copilot’s chair and stared out the front window. His low voice startled her when he spoke.
“You’ve been up to something.”
She immediately took offense, even though she had been up to something. “You hav
e absolutely no reason to say something like that.”
He stared at her until she squirmed in her seat.
“Let’s just say I got the ball rolling before we land in DC. We never really came up with a plan and I know this town and the people on the Hill better than you do. I work here.”
She couldn’t hear his teeth grinding, but he looked ready to break a tooth, his jaw was so tight.
“Let’s hear it,” he ground out.
She shot him an exasperated look. “It’s not as if you have a better plan. As far as I remember, we really hadn’t made any plans at all except to head to DC and stomp in the middle of the hornets’ nest and see how many wasps come flying out.”
His jaw relaxed and his lips curled at the corners. He seldom smiled and her heart opened just a little wider every time it happened. It made her happy to see him happy, and wasn’t that just about as sappy as a girl could get?
“Stomp on a hornets’ nest?”
She shrugged. “It’s a Southern saying. Anyway, I decided to poke the bear, so to speak.” She stopped talking when he gave her a sideways glance. She cleared her throat. “Sorry, I’ll try to stop using euphemisms. Anyway, I got to thinking about Hensley. I’ve interviewed him on the Hill and decided to send him an email, insinuating I’ve come across something that might have a negative impact on his career.”
She waited for his reaction and he didn’t disappoint.
“You what?” he exploded. “Mary Grace, whoever is behind this are killers. They want to eliminate any loose ends and that includes you.”
Trying to lighten the tension, she tilted her head. “Why, Ned, I didn’t know you cared.”
His jaw started working again and she almost wished his face were still covered in bushy hair. Her mountain man. She shook her head. No, not her mountain man. He would never be her mountain man. With that sobering thought, she apologized.
“Okay, I’m sorry I jumped the gun without discussing it with you first. We’re in this together and I didn’t act like a team player.”