Deadly Holidays

by Lisa Phillips

  Rachel frowned. She didn’t believe him. Which made sense, considering no one else did either.

  “I should go make my statement.”

  “Maybe we can all go out to dinner later,” Emma suggested. “Celebrate.”

  Rachel started to say something, probably agree like everyone else. Steve shook his head. That was a bad idea.

  “Why not?”

  He moved so his back was to the room, facing Rachel. “I don’t think I can go to dinner.” There was entirely too much hope in her eyes. Prolonging it meant it would grow, and then she’d be even more hurt. “I have to find David,” Steve said. “Before David finds me to finish what he started when he shot the vice president.”

  “That’s an ongoing FBI search.” There was something in Mint’s tone, but Steve had no time to figure out what it meant.

  He shook his head. “I’m not going to sit around waiting for him to be found, wondering what havoc he’s causing. Who else he’s going to hurt.”

  “You’re going after him?” That question came from Bradley.

  Steve glanced over his shoulder. Nodded.

  “Double Down will help, right?” Rachel said. “We’ll all pitch in.”

  Steve turned back to her. Shook his head. If she was anywhere near him, she could get caught in the crossfire. He would never forgive himself if she was hurt, or she had to go through anymore. Considering what she’d been through so far, there was no way he would allow her to suffer anymore.

  That meant being far away from him when David came back around. When the vice president’s brother was uncovered from whatever rock he’d crawled beneath to hide.

  “I have to go.” He walked to the door and turned back. “It was good to see you guys. Take care.”

  He stepped out and rejoined the agents.

  Rachel called out, “That’s it? Take care?”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  She stared at him, all accusation. He could see the death of what she’d thought might be right there in her face. He watched that light go out.

  “Goodbye, Rachel.”

  Chapter 20

  Rachel tugged her coat back on. Goodbye, Rachel. She pressed her lips together and fastened the buttons, her fingers itching to go back out there, pull him around, and slap his face.

  Goodbye, Rachel.

  Like she meant nothing to him. Like he should mean nothing to her. Ugh.

  “You’re leaving?” Emma’s voice was soft. Everything about the woman was just…lovely. In a way Rachel never was and couldn’t ever hope to be. Mint should have been the totally wrong kind of man for her, but his hard edges and fierce warrior demeanor only accented Emma’s gentleness. They balanced each other. Complemented each other.

  Rachel didn’t want to answer the question. She turned to Adrian instead. “Would you call the Secret Service for me? I’d like cover when I go home.” She was exhausted. She felt exhausted and was sure she looked it as well.

  Adrian’s pointed stare saw far too much, but he nodded. When he left the room, Megan said, “You’re going to run away?”

  Rachel lifted her chin.

  “You know he’s just trying to protect you, right?”

  A couple of them murmured in answer to Megan’s question. Rachel didn’t need to say it out loud. She’d have preferred to do this somewhere else, and not with everyone listening. Scratch that. She’d have preferred to do this never.

  “He wants to keep you insulated from what’s happening to him, so your career isn’t put in jeopardy.”

  Rachel’s thoughts jumped to that letter of resignation on her computer, the one she hadn’t finished yet. She could redo it at home. Then she could get started figuring out what to do next. Big life changes might not be advisable in a situation like this. Maybe she should wait until life calmed down. But it was time to take charge.

  She was done waiting for things to be perfect. Or better. Or even just calm.

  Rachel stepped out into the hallway. Thankfully, wherever they’d been taking Steve, they were there already. She didn’t want to see him.

  Her eyes filled with tears. Rachel bit her lip, using the pain to distract herself. There was no way she was going to get emotional over a man. Not now. And least of all over Steve. Nothing had happened between them, not even a kiss. Certainly no promises had been made.

  She needed to give up the idea there was going to be anything between them. He’d made that perfectly clear, and she needed to accept it.

  Alexis found her in the hall. “Hey.” She reached for Rachel, her face soft but knowing.

  Rachel moved in for the hug. It was instinctual. They’d been on the same team. Family for years now. There was no one in the world Rachel was closer to than her brother and his wife—her best friend.

  “It’ll be fine.”

  Rachel snorted and stepped back from the hug. Alexis wasn’t going to tell her Steve would surely see that he was mistaken and come back, asking for a chance.

  They didn’t lie to each other.

  “Bradley is steaming though,” Alexis said. “I think he might kick Steve’s butt for doing that.”

  Rachel shook her head. “Tell him not to.”

  “You think he’ll listen to me? You know what he gets like when he’s worked up.”

  The man had a single-minded focus he’d possessed even before the Navy and SEAL training. Now it was a million times worse. Thank you very much, Uncle Sam. There was no stopping him when he had something to say. Or prove.

  “You could try hitting him over the head and locking him in a closet,” Rachel suggested.

  Alexis burst out laughing. “I’m not sure how I feel about that, considering you think I’d even entertain that idea. Or that I’d actually be able to do it.”

  “It’s really the only way to deal with him,” Rachel said, totally deadpan. Straight-faced. “You and I both know that.”

  Bradley stepped to Alexis’s side and tugged her under his shoulder. It would be cute he always wanted to be close to her friend—especially after so many years apart—if it wasn’t also completely gross thinking about her brother and romance. “Why do I get the feeling there’s nothing good about this conversation?”

  Rachel glanced at Alexis, whose eyes went wide. They both laughed.

  Adrian wandered over. “Two Secret Service agents, ones you know well, will be downstairs in five minutes.”

  “Thank you.”

  Bradley said, “Listen to them and do what they say. They’re there to keep you safe.”

  “As opposed to the rest of the world, who are just out to get me?” Something flashed across his face. She ignored it and said, “I’m trying to work on getting past my distrust of everyone except the two of you. Don’t make it worse.”

  The last group of Secret Service agents that had been assigned to protect her had a mole in it. She’d been kidnapped from her house a few months ago, before she’d moved to a new house. Not a time in her life she especially wanted to be reminded of now.

  Bradley and Alexis had come for her then, and she’d been rescued. Steve’s presence there afterwards, looking concerned, was something she didn’t need to think about. She focused again on her family in front of her. “Thank you.” She included them both in this. “I will be okay. It’s time to ease up on the worry, because everything’s going to be fine.”

  “We aren’t out of danger.”

  “I know that David guy is still out there. And the vice president’s brother. But neither of them has anything to do with me, right? So why would they come after me?” She paused a second, hoping Bradley realized that. “And I’ll have world-class protection.”

  So long as neither of them betrayed her, or sold out to the blackmailer, she would be fine. And considering he wasn’t even active anymore, she wasn’t as worried as she would’ve been.

  “I need eighteen hours of sleep and three weeks vacation.”

  Alexis chuckled. “I know how you feel.”

  “Hmm. That sounds
like the makings of a plan to me.” She ignored her brother’s shift of his weight and asked her friend, “Hawaii, or Mexico?”

  Alexis groaned. “Somewhere warm sounds amazing right now. It’s freezing outside.”

  “Maybe I’ll take both of you to a beach,” Bradley said.

  Rachel kissed his cheek. “If you wanna pay, I won’t complain.” They both had plenty of money they’d earned and a good inheritance from their parents, but that wasn’t the point. If he wanted to treat them to a vacation, then she wasn’t going to say no. Besides, she was about to be unemployed right?

  They said their goodbyes and Rachel went down to the lobby to sign out and wait for the agents. Both were Secret Service personnel she’d met before and trusted. The wariness didn’t leave, though. Maybe it never would.

  But this feeling she was being watched? That she could do without. It stuck with her the whole way home and while they walked her to her front door. She unlocked it, and one of the agents walked through her house before she and the other one went inside.

  She didn’t even have time to change before there was a knock on the door. So much for rest. Rachel took the carafe from the coffee pot and went to the sink to fill it so the agents could have something hot to warm them and keep them awake.

  Ellayna’s voice drifted down the hall.

  One of the agents replied.

  “Its fine, Chuck,” Rachel called out to him. Whatever Ellayna could want, she didn’t know.

  Rachel heard her intern step into the kitchen. She turned, holding the full pot of water in front of her. Ellayna was much too close.

  Her eyes wide. Face flushed. She jabbed something sharp into Rachel’s arm.

  “What…”

  Rachel swung out, not even realizing what it was. The pot slammed into Ellayna’s stomach, splashing water over her. She reared back with the force of the blow. The glass carafe smashed on the floor.

  Rachel’s world slowed and everything seemed to blur.

  She glanced at her arm and saw the needle sticking out. Drugged? “Wha…”

  Rachel slumped to the floor. Pain sliced through her palms as she hit the tile of her kitchen and the broken glass.

  The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness were two gunshots.

  **

  Steve walked out the front door of the FBI office a couple of hours later, exhausted and parched from all the talking. Yes, he’d been giving a statement. But there was something about the way the FBI teased out information that was a whole lot like an interrogation.

  They weren’t even done.

  He’d begged off so he could go get some rest among other things. Later he’d be back, happy to fill in the gaps of what they knew. Everyone wanted the focus on finding David and the VP’s brother, so no one complained all that much.

  He figured they would put two agents on his tail anyway, just in case he led them to the two men. Trust was relative. Especially in a situation like this.

  Soon as he hit the street, a truck pulled up in front of him. The passenger window rolled down. Mint sat there; Bradley in the driver’s seat. “Adrian said you were done,” Mint told him.

  Steve just stood there.

  “Get in,” Bradley called out. “Before they give me a ticket for illegally parking.”

  Steve figured that was flimsy at best, but he climbed in the back. Buckled up. Leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Exhaled.

  “Where to, boss?”

  Bradley was already driving down the street.

  Steve gave him an address.

  “That’s where you’ve been staying?”

  “No,” Steve said. “But I do need to check something. One of you guys got a phone?”

  Mint handed a cell back over his shoulder. Steve punched in the phone number and listened to it ring.

  When she answered he said, “Hi, Mrs. Cromwell, it’s Steve. Everything okay?”

  “Steve?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Was she going to forget who he was? That would be embarrassing when his teammates sat in the front listening to everything.

  “Will you be back soon? I need someone to help get my Christmas tree box off the shelf in the closet, remember?”

  “I can definitely do that for you.”

  “Thank you. You’re a good boy.” Her voice drifted off, like she was half asleep.

  “You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow. Or—for sure at least soon.”

  “O-kay.”

  He hung up.

  “Mrs. Cromwell?” Bradley asked. “As in, the Special Agent in Charge who kidnapped Megan and killed El Cuervo?”

  “She’s eighty-seven.” He didn’t want to explain more. How he came to be there, or the fact it’d been days since he saw her. Nor did he want to admit it had been mostly about having a safe place no one knew about—where he could regroup and actually get rest. “I’ll get over there soon, make sure she’s okay.”

  He didn’t know when, but soon.

  “Is that smoke?” Mint leaned forward to look out the front window into the night sky.

  Steve shifted to see out as well. What was he even looking at?

  Bradley pulled onto the street. “I’m guessing the address you wanted me to drive to is that house up there. The one on fire, with all the fire trucks outside.”

  Firefighters were all over the place. And residents from the street, watching everything. The whole structure was engulfed.

  “That’s David’s house.” Steve sat back in the seat. It was also the house where he’d drawn Steve to in order to kidnap him.

  Bradley said, “You think he’s going to target you?”

  “I’m not going to sit around waiting for him to show up and try.”

  “Well he isn’t here.”

  Steve didn’t respond to that dumb statement. “Maybe the vice president’s brother set the fire. I think David wants to kill him, too. Then everyone who knows about what he did will be dead.”

  He’d explained it all to the feds, including Adrian—who Steve had repeatedly given credit to for figuring things out. Now David had an even bigger problem.

  The vice president’s brother needed to be brought in, so he didn’t simply pick up where they’d left off, terrorizing people.

  David wanted to be free. And he was likely going to do the same, or worse, to another woman eventually. He needed to be found before that happened.

  Both men were dangerous. “We can’t just wait around for them to destroy each other and then swoop in and collect the victor to be prosecuted. We need to find them.”

  Mint said, “He’ll try to draw one of you out first.”

  And they had no idea how to figure out which it would be. If the VP’s brother had set David’s house on fire, then who knew what message that was supposed to send. I can find you. Or, I know all your hiding spots. Whichever it was, Steve wasn’t going to go to Mrs. Cromwell and put her in danger. She needed protecting, but he couldn’t do it if that meant he led dangerous people to her doorstep.

  Bradley said, “Where to now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  They’d both gone to ground, and if neither one lifted their head out of their respective hidey holes far enough for law enforcement or Steve to spot them, maybe they would never be found. If they disappeared and laid low, they could get away with this. Even despite the massive manhunt underway, there were still ways to flee the country.

  Bradley’s phone rang. He shifted in his seat, and said, “It’s Adrian.” He answered it. “Yeah.”

  He slammed his foot on the brake and pulled over to the side of the street, narrowly missing a parked car.

  Steve sat forward.

  Bradley hung up. He put the truck in drive and peeled out with a squeal of the tires, making a U-turn. “Rachel’s Secret Service detail was supposed to check in with Adrian. They never did.”

  Steve’s entire body went cold.

  Bradley drove to her new house, the one she’d rented after she was kidnapped from her las
t house.

  Before he even parked, Steve was out the back door and running up the front steps to the open front door.

  A dead Secret Service agent lay in the hallway, gun drawn. In a pool of blood. Steve stepped around it, but there was almost no way to avoid it. “Rachel!”

  He raced through the hallway, cleared the living room and then hit the kitchen area. Glass littered the floor, along with water. Blood had smeared on some of the shards, smudged on the floor.

  Someone had been dragged out of here.

  “I’ve got the other one,” Mint said. “He’s dead. Both of the Secret Service agents were shot.”

  Steve turned around to see his teammate, a dark look on his face. Bradley stood just behind him, looking sick.

  Steve said, “She’s gone.”

  Chapter 21

  All three car doors slammed. Steve took the lead, and headed with Bradley and Mint to where Adrian stood with other agents on the banks of the Potomac.

  Three hours.

  That was how long she’d been gone.

  It was almost the middle of the night now. All of them were exhausted. Rachel likely even more so. She hadn’t looked well rested when he’d seen her in the FBI office. When he’d blown her off so he could finish this.

  The fact David had been after him was small consolation. He tried to remind his own wayward thoughts that he genuinely was in danger. But it was too hard to reign it in when his mind insisted on coming up with every reason this was his fault.

  His failure.

  Steve stopped walking. He bent forward and sucked in breaths, hands to his thighs. Where was she? Was she okay? All the questions he could think of rolled through his thoughts, killing his ability to focus on the task at hand.

  Three hours. That was how long she’d been in the hands of a crazy man. David, or the VP’s brother, they didn’t know. Did it matter?

  Bradley set a hand on his shoulder. “If you fall apart, you’re no help to me. I’ll leave you here and go find her myself.”

  Steve straightened so fast Bradley didn’t know what he was doing, until Steve shoved both hands against his friend’s chest. Leave him here? There was no way Steve would allow Bradley to mosey off and save his sister by himself. They needed each other. Bradley knew that. And this tough love business wasn’t helping.