Before he could say anything, Talia’s boss or co-worker or whatever the hell he was got out of the car and strode off down the sidewalk toward the gym. A minute later, he disappeared into the building. Suddenly, it occurred to him that Wolf might be the man she’d been involved with. The one who’d hurt her.
“What’s wrong? Other than the obvious.”
“Huh?” He jerked his attention back to the detective.
“You looked ready to chew nails.”
“No. It’s just . . .” An image of Talia with the other man taunted him, and he clenched his fists. “Uh, you seem to know these people pretty well. Did Talia date that guy?”
“Who? Wolf?” Brasher snorted. “He’s married and has a baby on the way. The guy isn’t the type to cheat.”
“Oh.” Wyatt slumped back against the seat. “I wondered.”
“The whole team is really tight. I’ve worked with them in the past, and Wolf wasn’t kidding when he said they know what they’re doing. I would have forced the issue and stepped in if I didn’t believe Counterstrike can handle this.” He shrugged. “I want to see the situation end well.”
Wyatt was silent while they waited. When an older green Saturn rolled slowly past, he stiffened. “Didn’t that guy drive by a couple of minutes ago?”
“He must be looking for a place to park.”
An SUV pulled away from the curb, and the car darted into the empty spot in front of the library. The driver’s door opened, and a large man with dark hair got out.
“That’s him. That’s the asshole who grabbed Talia. I recognize his size and shape, even if he was wearing a mask.”
The man disappeared into the gym, and Wyatt’s heart beat a little faster as the seconds ticked by. Finally, he came out and stood on the sidewalk to scan the traffic before walking to his car.
“Where the hell is Wolf?” Brake lights flashed before the Saturn pulled out onto the street.
“He’ll be along soon.” Brasher nodded toward the Suburban that turned in two cars behind their target. “Patch has got the situation under control.”
Before Wyatt could respond, the driver’s door opened, and Wolf slid onto the seat. He started the engine and set his phone on the dash. “Damn, I wish I had my communications gear, but this will have to do. Where’s he headed, Silas.”
“Our target just turned south on Dartmouth,” a deep voice answered.
“Stay on him, but not too close.”
“Roger that, boss. I don’t think he has a clue we’re behind him.”
“If he makes any sudden moves, fall back and let GQ take point.”
“I’m close. Just a couple of blocks over and tracking you. Say the word and I’m on his ass,” a new voice responded.
Wyatt stared out the window as they stopped at a light, trying to imagine what Talia was feeling right now. Wondering if she was scared out of her mind or simply angry. No matter how strong she was, surely she was worried and anxious. Possibly injured. Stoically waiting for her team to rescue her.
Something he’d failed miserably to do.
“Looks like he’s headed toward the I93 onramp.” The first man, Silas, spoke again. “If you can pick him up, GQ, we’ll take a short detour before following.”
“I have you in sight. I won’t lose him.”
Wolf hit the gas when the light changed. A minute later they approached the onramp and merged onto I93 south. “We’ll stay a short distance back until he exits the interstate. My guess is he isn’t going far.”
Wyatt clenched and unclenched his hands as they drove through the mid-morning traffic. His nerves were stretched so tight, a tension headache nagged at the base of his skull. All he wanted was to help Talia, and he was pretty damn certain he wouldn’t get the chance.
“He’s moving into the righthand lane. Looks like he’s getting off at North Quincy.”
“Go on by him, GQ. You can come back around at the next exit.” Wolf stepped hard on the accelerator as the sports car shot ahead. “We’ll take it from here.”
“We’re maybe two minutes behind you, Wolf,” Silas said. “We’ll hang back until he gets to his destination.”
They fell in four cars behind the Saturn, and Wyatt’s stomach knotted. “What if he runs a red light and disappears.”
“He won’t.” The detective glanced over his shoulder. “He isn’t going to risk getting pulled over by a cop, and he has no reason to think he’s being followed.” He turned back around. “You’ve played this perfectly. So far, anyway.”
“It hasn’t been much of a challenge.” The car ahead of them turned left at the cross street, and Wolf edged closer to their target. “He just turned on his blinker. Looks like Billings Street is his destination.”
“I’m off the freeway now. I’ll be there in five,” GQ responded.
“Hey! Why’re you stopping.” Wyatt gripped the seat back. “He’s going to—”
“He’ll notice if we follow him straight into the neighborhood.” Wolf pulled over to the curb and glanced in the rearview mirror. “None of these houses have garages, so his car will be easy enough to spot. I don’t want to spook him.”
Stomach churning, Wyatt craned his neck to see. “There! He pulled in at that blue house.”
“The target parked a block up on the left. I’ll see you when you get here.” Wolf pocketed his phone and turned toward the detective. “I assume you’re coming with me?”
Brasher snorted. “What do you think? I’ll head around the block and come in from the rear. Looks like it’ll be easy enough to walk through a neighbor’s backyard. All I see are low fences and hedges.”
Wolf nodded and opened his door. “I’ll do a quick recon while we wait for the rest of the team.”
“Where do you want me?” Wyatt pushed the seat forward when the other men got out.
The detective bent to meet his gaze. “You stay here. You’ll only be a liability.”
Wyatt clenched his teeth but didn’t argue as the doors shut with soft clicks. Brasher hurried away, while Wolf ambled up the street toward the blue house. He turned into the driveway of a residence two doors down and disappeared from sight a moment later.
“Shit.” Wyatt strummed his fingers on the seatback. No way in hell was he sitting in the car, doing nothing, when that asshole thought he had what he wanted. Talia would be expendable.
The Suburban driven by Patch and Silas cruised past and turned up the next block. A minute later, a corvette slowed and parked in front of him. A dark-haired man got out and pulled a long, narrow case from the back before hurrying off. Undoubtedly the final teammate, GQ.
Does the case contain a rifle?
Wyatt swore softly before pushing the seat forward and reaching for the door handle. He climbed out and shut the door. He wouldn’t get in the way or endanger the rescue effort, but sitting here, not knowing what was happening, was killing him.
GQ had disappeared some distance down the street. The neighborhood seemed mostly deserted at this hour, with few vehicles parked in driveways. Undoubtedly, most residents were at work.
Leaving the car, Wyatt walked up the street. When a cat ran out from behind a hedge, his pulse raced, and his step faltered. He paused in front of a white house with the blinds drawn and a collection of newspapers in the street-side box. Stupid of the owner not to have stopped delivery. The house was set back from the road, two doors down from the blue one.
He ran up the walkway to the front porch and stood at the far end. The back corner of the target house, along with a large vehicle covered by a tarp, were just visible from his position. A shadow moved near the hedge at the back of the property, but when he blinked, it was gone. Possibly one of the others. He certainly hoped so.
Moments later, two loud crashes sounded front and back, simultaneous with the crack of a rifle. Glass shattered. As Wyatt stood frozen in place, a side window near the covered vehicle slid upward. A man busted out the screen and jumped to the ground before taking off across the yard.
&
nbsp; Not pausing to think, Wyatt leaped over the porch rail and landed beside a hydrangea. He ran flat out down the neighboring driveway and reached the corner of the house just as the man appeared. His eyes widened, and he veered toward the back hedge. With a flying leap, Wyatt tackled him, and they both landed hard. His breath whooshed out, but he held on tight.
The other man struggled beneath him and flashed a knife. Gripping his wrist, Wyatt pounded it against the ground until the weapon fell into the grass, then leaned hard on his neck with his forearm until the man’s eyes bulged and his movements grew weaker.
“Bastard! Did you hurt Talia?” Wyatt gave him a shake. “Did you?”
Running footsteps approached, and he glanced up when Brasher stopped beside him.
“I’ve got it from here. Nice takedown, by the way. This asshole might have gotten away if you hadn’t stopped him.”
Wyatt rose and backed away as the detective rolled the man over and cuffed him before hauling him to his feet. “I heard a shot. Is Talia . . .”
“She’s fine. The big one was holding a gun to her head so GQ took a shot from the tree across the street. His brains, or what little he had, got splattered across the wall.” Brasher prodded the perp up the driveway as sirens sounded in the distance.
They’d just reached the street when Wolf walked out of the house with Talia. Wyatt hurried toward them, but the man who’d driven the Corvette, the one who’d apparently taken the kill shot, beat him to her. Taking Talia in his arms, he gave her a hard hug.
“You scared the shit out of me.” He pulled back and scanned her face. “You hurt?”
“Not so you’d notice.” Talia stepped away from him and turned. When she met Wyatt’s gaze, her eyes widened. “You came?”
“Yeah.” He let out a breath. “Not that I did a whole hell of a lot to help.”
“Sure, you did. You took down this asshole.” Brasher smiled. “Now I get the pleasure of questioning him since the other one won’t be talking.”
“I didn’t have any choice.” GQ spoke sharply before walking over to the two men who’d come through the busted front doorway.
Talia stared after him for a moment before touching Wyatt’s cheek. “You have a bruise.”
“So, do you.” He gripped her hand in his. “Are you really okay?”
“I took a couple of punches. Mostly I was worried my team wouldn’t find me in time.”
Wolf rested a hand on her shoulder. “Wyatt contacted me. It was a huge help since I’d already been briefed on the situation when you called.”
“Thank you, Wyatt. I owe you.”
“Hardly, since I’m pretty sure this is all my fault. That damn spoon . . .” He couldn’t help touching her again, reassuring himself she was safe. “Thank God it’s over now.”
Her eyes hardened. “Those creeps worked for someone important, and I want to know who was giving the orders. This isn’t finished. Not by a longshot.”
Chapter Nine
“Talia. Hey, Talia.”
Sitting cross-legged on the couch, Talia was so focused on her laptop, Wyatt repeated her name twice before she tore her gaze away. “Huh? What’s up?”
“You’ve received several texts in the last few minutes.” He pointed at her cell resting on the coffee table as it vibrated and the screen lit up with another message. “I thought they might be important.”
She grimaced and reached for her phone. “Sorry. I lose track of everything else when I’m following a promising lead.” After tapping the screen, she read the recent texts. “They’re from Wolf. That dirtbag you tackled, Mick Willis, is talking, but he doesn’t know much. His cousin, Hudson, hired him for a simple break-in—or so he says. It wasn’t supposed to turn into a kidnapping, but the whole situation spiraled out of control when they couldn’t find the spoon in my apartment.”
“If that pair tossed the place last night, why would they think—”
“Willis swears they weren’t here yesterday. He denied he or his cousin had anything to do with the man who attacked me.”
“And we’re supposed to believe two different people are after your spoon?” He snorted. “Seems unlikely.”
“Wolf thinks he’s too stupid to lie convincingly. Apparently, the cousins were promised a hefty sum upon delivery of the spoon, but Mick doesn’t have a clue who was paying them. Someone influential that Hudson had known for years.”
Wyatt’s brows shot up. “Influential how?”
She shrugged. “Business or politics was his best guess. His cousin was keeping him mostly in the dark.”
“Damn. Too bad the man with all the answers is dead.” He headed back to the kitchenette and returned with two plates. “I was putting together a couple of sandwiches when your phone started vibrating. You need to eat.”
Her stomach growled, and she gave him a thankful smile as he set the food on the coffee table. “You’ve been absolutely terrific, spending hours straightening up this place while I ignored you completely. I’m sorry about that, but I get so obsessed—”
“I’m not sorry.” Wyatt joined her on the couch. “I want answers just as much as you do. Have you made any progress?”
“The property records for the house in Quincy were a dead end. The owner died recently, and relatives are battling over his home. The place has been sitting there unoccupied for several months. Maybe Hudson Willis was acquainted with one of the heirs and thought it would be a safe location to hold me.” She took a bite of her sandwich and licked mustard off her finger. “This is good. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. So, now what?”
“I’d like to track down the other spoons. Somehow, I doubt mine is the only one of interest to these cretins.” She turned to stare at his profile. “No one has gone after yours, I assume?”
He swallowed before speaking. “Nope. Not yet, anyway.”
“Where is it?”
“In my home safe. I didn’t need it for filming at Mount Vernon, so I left it in California.”
She set her sandwich back on the plate. “Let’s hope no one broke in while you’ve been gone. Your daughter—”
“Bree is with her mom. So is Stella.”
“Your cute little Yorkie?” She went back to eating.
“The dog comes and goes with Bree. Besides, if anyone had broken into my house, a neighbor would have called me.” He finished the last of his sandwich and wiped his hands on a napkin. “Do you really think you can find the missing spoons? Our research department has been trying, but they came up empty.”
“No offense to your people, but they aren’t me.” Talia grinned. “I’ll get back to work and see what I can uncover.”
When she reached for her laptop, he clasped her arm. “After the day you’ve had, you must be exhausted. Tomorrow is soon enough.”
“Honestly, I’d rather stay busy.”
He touched her bruised cheek with gentle fingers. “I blame myself for this. And I’m pissed I couldn’t stop that asshole who dragged you into the van.”
Warmth curled through her at his touch, but she forced a neutral tone. “I couldn’t stop him, either, and I’m a trained professional. If you can’t win the battle through brute strength, you use your brain. That’s what we both did. You called Wolf for help, and that made all the difference.”
“If you’d been out for a run with one of your teammates instead of with me—”
“Hey, my abduction isn’t on you. After the first break-in, I was a fool to go anywhere unarmed. I should have known better.”
His lips tightened. “Which one is he?”
“What do you mean?”
“The guy you dated. The one who broke your heart.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, but the usual burst of pain didn’t come. Finally, she opened them. “GQ, the man who took the kill shot, but my heart isn’t broken. Just a little bruised.”
“I figured. It seemed personal for him.”
“I’m ready to move forward.” She met his gaze head-on. “Mayb
e I wasn’t before, but I am now.”
“You sure?” He slid over and put his arm around her.
She rested her head against his shoulder, letting his warmth seep into her. “I’m not saying I plan on jumping into something serious right away, but I’m open to the possibility of being . . . vulnerable again.”
He stroked his thumb across the back of her hand. “I’m glad. I’m starting to care about you, Talia. Probably more than is smart.”
She looked up into his handsome face, noting his finely cut mouth surrounded by stubble, his straight nose and hard jaw. Her heart beat a little faster. “I’d like the chance to get to know you better. I imagine it’ll be complicated for us, but—”
“We can take things slow and figure it out.”
“Okay.” She let out a breath. “I told Wolf I planned to take some time off.”
“How much time?” He cupped her waist with his palm beneath the edge of her shirt.
Her skin tingled at the contact, and her breath hissed between her lips. “As much time as it takes to find the bastard behind these attacks. And to film a segment for your show.”
He slid around to face her, his eyes alight with surprise. “You’re still willing to do it? Even after what happened today?”
“That’s why I’m agreeing. Or at least one of the reasons. I won’t let a criminal—one who would obviously like to bury this story—intimidate me. I intend to fight back.”
“You think that’s what’s going on here? Someone doesn’t want me to air the story?”
Her brows drew together in thought. “It occurred to me there wouldn’t be a show without the spoons—or at least a few of them. Since your segment has already been filmed, maybe that’s why no one has tried to steal yours.”
“Makes sense when you put it that way. Still, I can’t help wondering what purpose shutting down production would serve. How could it possibly benefit anyone?”
“I don’t know, but I’d like to figure it out.” She slid away from his arm and reached for her laptop. “That’s why I need to get back to work.”
He let her go and rose to his feet to take the plates back to the kitchen. “Don’t exhaust yourself. We have time.”
Ominous Legacy (Counterstrike Book 4) Page 11