Nerds in Force

by D. R. Grady

  Someone else entered the store and she wasn’t surprised when she recognized Van, Savannah’s female bodyguard. She joined them at the rack.

  “Really, even Savannah is sending people to watch us?” Harlow didn’t grouse too much at the woman, but still.

  Vanessa shook her head. “I offered to come because I also need clothes. No sense in waiting since the guys needed supplies. I tagged along. I can offer additional fire power and also buy something other than the uniforms I brought.”

  “You can’t buy online either?” Verity peered at the petite bodyguard.

  “I have bought the basics there, but I want to actually feel and see the material before buying the rest of my wardrobe.”

  “Agreed.” Harlow understood.

  They made their selections and took turns trying on the items. Not efficient but much safer. And all three were used to changing in a hurry and making quick decisions.

  Harlow based hers on whether the item fit properly. It had to be comfortable and not overtly sexy. Her body had been formed with the ability to send men’s brains to mush. This sometimes worked in her favor but when she needed to work with them it became an issue.

  She preferred to present a professional exterior. This could be difficult with the body type she’d been bestowed.

  Verity muttered at a few of her selections as well. The bombshell body and her natural mojo had to be a hindrance. Harlow could hide her figure under professional clothing and a professional air and manner.

  Her new friend blasted vibes that enticed men without effort. Apparently this had been inherited from her mother who found their ability funny. Verity did not.

  She joined Vanessa and Verity at the front counter where they paid for their purchases. Once concluded, Harlow hefted her bag and headed for the front door. All three of them watching. They took in every single aspect of the surrounding area. The well traveled street showed the usual foot traffic and shoppers. Interspersed with all the security sent from their house and the protective males there.

  “Should we be insulted by all the fire power here?” Vanessa chewed on her lower lip.

  “I was certain the twins would send security. They didn’t argue enough when Verity and I announced we were coming to town. I don’t know Keith well enough to determine whether he’d send people but I suspected he would.” Harlow glanced at Verity. “What about your man? Did he send men?”

  “No. I imagine he knew the twins and Keith both intended to do so. Plus we prefer to work alone. There’s too high a chance we’ll shoot one of the good guys.” Verity referred to her and her fiancé’s mentality. They were sent out alone as was Harlow.

  Meaning when troubleshooting she sent herself out. The only person she reported to was her grandfather. He never questioned her. What was it like to have a boss? It might be helpful for her to know that answer simply because it would make her a better employer.

  Then she remembered back to her teen years when she had been subject to whoever the supervisor was at that point. She hadn’t revealed her last name then and had been treated exactly as every other seasonal worker and had experienced various bosses.

  It might be a good idea to dig into those memories and experiences to help her treat her employees the way she’d want to be treated. Her father and grandfathers had been adamant that she work at the very bottom as they had done and while a little resentful then she certainly had learned a lot that first year.

  Subsequent years through college she had continued to add to her knowledge about what Horgate employees felt and experienced. This enabled her to replace the supervisors and those in power who weren’t suited to the job. And to advance those who were.

  In the future, she needed to speak with employees in order to continue that practice.

  Now she took a deep breath and made sure the street was safe before they left the relative safety of the store and merged with the people mingling in the street intent on the day’s shopping. They headed to the next store.

  Only when they entered the street the hairs on the nape of her neck rose.

  §

  The uncomfortable sense of uneasiness grew as the morning progressed. Keith kept glancing at the clock, aware of time ticking away but no Harlow and company. Savannah patted him. “Van needed additional items as well. She caught a ride with one of the men and she’ll join them.”

  “I know they’re perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.” He did know that. He’d seen Harlow in action. The woman didn’t panic but turned deadly in the blink of an eye.

  She pointed her weapon and bad stuff went down. Since she’d returned fire they hadn’t had another incident on the beach. The security equipment probably helped. Evidence indicated that whoever had fired at them hadn’t expected them to be armed. Most people couldn’t accurately fire a weapon with precision while moving.

  Only someone who practiced extensively or used those skills on the regular could achieve that sort of expertise. It accentuated Harlow’s level of professionalism. She had used those skills in the past, to the point of muscle memory aiding her now.

  Keith didn’t know that his own skill level peaked where hers did. Then again, a recent study suggested that women were better with firearms than their male counterparts. The issue was there weren’t as many women in the armed services who trained to the same extent as men. Lack of trained women therefore rendered the data incomplete.

  He knew Verity’s abilities as he’d witnessed her in action. She certainly held her own. However, Harlow was a troubleshooter. He didn’t have a firm idea of what that position entailed but he suspected now that she carried a weapon or more because she landed in dangerous situations more often than one might expect.

  His job had revolved around danger but he had a team to rely on. The nature of Harlow’s job meant she worked alone so didn’t benefit from team support. Verity hadn’t enjoyed that luxury either. She might have some backup but often she got sent into situations where additional people posed a greater risk.

  He longed to quiz Harlow on her job memories. As well as her actual duties. It intrigued him that she used skills usually only available to military members or government employees.

  Additional unease settled over him. It chaffed and gnawed.

  Continued glances at the time reminded him that clock-watching proved extra frustrating in tense situations. He went in search of Hunter. The man probably had retired to the basement with Chad. And that’s where he found both men.

  Hunter leaned back in his chair as soon as he caught sight of Keith. “I’m feeling it too.” His jaw was hard, his body language loose, but the rigidity lingered. Tensed muscles were another indication that danger lurked.

  It blended with the shadows where Hunter and Verity felt most at home.

  “What do we do?” His own tension undulated through his voice.

  “We trust that they’ll take care of things.” Hunter’s blue gaze met his. While he appreciated the flint and fire there it didn’t help him much.

  “I hate this.” Keith almost gave into the urge to pace. Movement drew fire though, and even though they occupied the lower level old habits reared their heads with a word of caution.

  “Yeah. Both women are capable of protecting themselves and their own. They know what they’re doing.” Hunter’s gaze sharpened. If that was even possible. “I studied Harlow’s return fire when you two got caught on the beach.”

  “And?” He wanted to growl and flex but that made no sense.

  “She’s one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen. You were ducking for cover and as she’s doing that, she grabbed her weapon, determined the shooter’s position, and returned fire. She might have nipped him. While in motion.” Hunter didn’t need to expound on how impressive that was.

  “She kept her cool too.” He’d been there.

  “I’ve got her.” Chad frowned at the computer scene. “What?”

  Keith crowded behind him, trying to avoid contact because Chad recoiled from strangers a
nd he still counted as a stranger. The scene in front of him streamed right from his nightmares.

  He recognized the street. Shoppers scurried for cover on the main street in Toliliel as smoke and what looked like fire erupted around them. Right in the middle of all of this he finally spotted Harlow.

  Her face twisted in a snarl as she—in sync with Verity—pulled her weapon. They both went down to a knee, making themselves small, and rolled, ducking for cover, but the entire time both women fired. Again, in sync and with intent.

  More smoke and chaos filled the screen. The security footage Chad had tapped into didn’t provide sound. He didn’t know if that lack made the scenario better or worse.

  Chad shook his head. “She always has to be in the middle of things.”

  Both he and Hunter tore their gazes from the screen to gape at Chad. “What?” He managed to speak through a rusty throat.

  “Harlow attracts trouble.” No emotion emitted from Chad but he swayed. So he was impacted by this display.

  Hunter fumbled for his mouse and soon tapped out a command. The news rolled across the bottom of the screen and they learned Toliliel town was under attack from a shooter.

  Keith’s mouth dried and his heart lurched.

  He didn’t know what to do, so he stared at the screen in horror. So much smoke and propellant filled the area it was difficult to see anything. Harlow and Verity had ducked out of view. He couldn’t hear the chaos but had no trouble remembering it. No one scurried through the area.

  Those on the street had dived for safety. He guessed only two had not. In their defense, both women were armed, knew their way around firearms, and didn’t freeze in tense, dangerous situations.

  But he reconsidered whether he had the heart to take on a woman who ran toward the action, not away from it.

  Chapter 21

  Harlow and her friends had just left a clothing store where only Vanessa had bought something. In consequence, she and Verity weren’t carrying bags. They’d left their previous purchases in the car to free up their hands. Now, as they stepped onto the street, the hair on her body rose as that impending sense of disaster loomed.

  A darted look of concern to Verity confirmed her suspicions. The passersby around them continued as usual. Scurrying here and there to complete their shopping for the day. The normal sounds of the morning continued around them but all of Harlow’s instincts shrieked.

  She scanned the area in conjunction with Verity, even as Vanessa did the same. The bodyguard dropped her bag. They scanned every part, putting the wall of a building to their back, with an escape route on either side. A low wall in front of them would provide some cover. As would the cars parked in front of the wall.

  A quick check of the men on the roof across from them and on the surrounding buildings as well as those on foot indicated their instincts also bellowed. She hunkered and not a moment too soon.

  The barrage of bullets when they came changed the idyllic scene to screams and horror. Harlow fixed on the shooter and returned fire. Along with Verity, and likely every single man here who had been sent to protect them.

  The shooter collapsed, his weapon slamming into the pavement, but it had already expelled all the deadly bullets inside. He also threw at least one grenade or some incendiary that caught the gas tanks of two parked cars and they exploded. Fire ripped through the street. More shouts and screams, and Harlow, Verity, and Vanessa stayed low but helped evacuate the area.

  Sirens pierced through the cacophony as firemen and the police arrived. Harlow located the Porsche and moved it to a safer location. Then waited in the relative safety of a packed cafe for the police to arrive to question them.

  She and her group offered detailed statements. The police knew her and after the bombing of her house, understood she might have been the target. But the shooter hadn’t opened fire near her.

  When the police moved on Verity pondered the situation. “I don’t think that guy was after us.”

  With surprise, she turned to her friend. “Oh? You think that shooter was after someone else?”

  “I do. That man fired into a crowd of women. It looked like he aimed at one in particular.” Verity gazed into the distance but her eyes looked farther. Or behind, as she recounted the grisly scene they’d experienced.

  “You think he was after a girlfriend or wife?”

  “Yeah.”

  Vanessa stirred. “I got the same impression. He didn’t aim anywhere near us. It was his bad luck that we were in town with a squad of other armed professionals.”

  “It could have been a lot worse.” The police officer who spoke returned to their table. “It was a lucky break to have all of you here in town today.” He asked a few more excellent follow-up questions.

  To which they answered. They also offered him their cell phone numbers again in the event he needed to ask for additional information or clarification.

  “Do you know who took him down?”

  His mouth pulled in a wry semblance of a smile. “We believe all of you nailed him.”

  “That was our intention. There are children and older people here.” Harlow didn’t begin to pretend that they hadn’t sought to end the action of that shooter. It had been drilled into all of them for much of their adult lives.

  “We got lucky today. This should send a loud message to anyone else who thinks he can shoot up our town.” The police officer’s mouth hardened. “Now they know plenty of others are also armed.”

  “If they’re intent on becoming notorious then this would still work for them.” Verity didn’t offer a sunny picture.

  “True. Assault rifles should not be in the hands of normal citizens.” The police officer spoke her own thoughts.

  She and Verity sported common hand guns. As did he. Harlow didn’t know if Van carried or not.

  He gave his permission for them to return to the house. Verity nodded and took the car keys out of her hand. “My turn.”

  Harlow didn’t argue. She could have easily driven home but she had brought them into town and the unspoken agreement was that the other would drive them home. They’d been cooped up in the house for long enough. Driving a sports car here, even in late fall, was better than seeing the same walls minute after minute.

  Even if they resided in a mansion.

  “The guys aren’t going to be pleased about this.” Vanessa squeezed into the tiny space in the back. It helped that she was small. Still, she couldn’t be comfortable. The drive back to the house wouldn’t take long though.

  “No, we’re going to get an ear full.” Verity didn’t sound concerned as she shifted effortlessly and handled the car with the ease of a professional driver.

  Harlow raised her hand in the stop gesture. “I need to point out that we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “It wasn’t our fault but let’s see how that goes down.” Vanessa kept watch out the back.

  “Did I hear you’re engaged?” Harlow struggled to pull those facts together.

  “I am. He’s recovering from being shot while on duty at Savannah’s house. Only his instincts kept him from being killed.”

  Harlow digested that bit of information. “This has been going on a long time.”

  “It has. The feelings of being watched have lessened here. But the team back home say they have not there.”

  Harlow hated hearing that someone had that much reach. She couldn’t imagine Nesla van den Roos having enough shady contacts to keep watch on a celebrity in Nashville.

  “This case is super confusing.” She rubbed her face and longed for a Keith hug. How on earth did they unravel a case this huge?

  §

  Keith hadn’t managed to talk to Harlow but she had updated him via text about what was happening in town. He now waited by the door to the garage as she texted they were heading home. The garage door opened and the sports car zipped inside. The door began its descent as Verity parked the vehicle with style.

  The three women exited the car
and gathered their bags.

  He couldn’t read their mental state by their body language. Most people would be freaking and shrieking after the experience they’d endured. Then again, these women weren’t most people. All three were highly trained professionals who had been shot at before. They’d chosen careers where such an occurrence wasn’t unusual.

  Harlow caught sight of him and her face brightened. Her steps quickened. Inside the mud room she dropped her bags on a nearby bench and surged into his arms. All of the angst he’d been suppressing washed away as she brought her fresh after the rain scent and her arms encased him. Her warmth chased away the cold he hadn’t noticed.

  His arms snapped around her and he hauled her to a more private area. Aware on a different level of Hunter doing the same with Verity. Vanessa drifted away, probably to check in with Savannah and Trace. His sister would want to reassure herself that Vanessa was okay.

  He studied Harlow’s face. “Was it worth it?” This came out far more harshly than he intended.

  “Yes. Verity thinks the shooter came for a specific woman in the crowd today, not us. However, our being in town saved a lot of people’s lives. Hopefully.”

  His eyebrows soared. “The shooter didn’t aim at you?”

  “No. He opened fire on a different group of women the next block over from us. We all ended his shooting spree.”

  He thought about that. “Meaning you, Verity, and all the security in the vicinity returned fire.”

  “The police officer who questioned us said that it looked like we all hit him.”

  Keith didn’t know how to feel about that. About the entire situation. He wanted to rail at her, but he also wanted to squeeze the stuffing out of her.

  She held him tight and seemed to immerse herself in him. This mollified him.