“Did you find James?” Cheryl wanted to know.
“I think I’m about to. Thank you, Cheryl.”
I disconnected the call and gripped the wheel with both hands, taking a chance by pushing the big vehicle up to a hundred. The back roads weren’t as well cared for as some of the more major strips in town, but I managed not to get myself bounced off the road with each pothole I hit. Half a mile from the address, I slowed and pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road.
There was no sign of life here. The location was about as far from civilization as one could get this close to several major cities. It seemed that it was almost too far out to still be considered part of Round Rock.
I got out and pulled my gun from where I’d slid it into a holster, carrying it carefully as I made my way toward the address. I had gone less than quarter of a mile when I could hear voices.
“You have to give them time,” James was saying. “They might not be able to secure you a deal in just an hour.”
“I only want the promise of a deal. That’s all.”
“That I’m sure you’ll get.”
“I’m tired of this life. I just… I want to go home.”
“I’m sure you do. Just handing them that guy—"
“What guy?”
Silence fell. I quickened my footsteps, needing to see James with my own eyes, needing to know she was safe. I saw the car first. It was pulled into the middle of a barren field. As I moved closer, I could see Ahsan standing to the right of the car, pacing and waving a 45mm handgun. He was clearly agitated, not really the kind of guy I wanted holding a gun. Especially when my partner was sitting on the ground in front of him, right in his line of sight.
“You have to be honest with them,” James said. “That’s what pays for a deal like the one you’re asking for.”
“I just want out.”
“I know you do.”
Her voice was soft, gentle. She was trying to placate him, but it didn’t look like she was having a ton of success. If he waved that gun in her direction one more time…
“I never wanted this!”
“I know you didn’t, Zaki,” she said, her voice losing its patience, its calm. She was clearly in pain. She had a hand pressed to her side, and she was sort of doubled over despite the broken nose that must have been throbbing terribly in the center of her face. The swelling had increased since the pictures had been taken. I was a bit worried that her airway might be getting clogged.
I had to get her out of here and into a hospital.
“Put the gun down, Ahsan!” I yelled, raising my own gun and setting the sights right on the center of his back. “Put it down and you’ll walk out of here.”
Ahsan swung around and raised his gun. Unsure if he was going to pull the trigger or not, I shifted my gun slightly to the left and fired. His entire body jerked back. I stepped toward him, prepared to fire again, but he dropped the gun, letting it dangle on his fingers for a second before it fell. James rushed over and grabbed it, pulling it away from Ahsan’s reach.
Ahsan fell to the ground, muttering something about just wanting to go home.
“Are you okay?”
I holstered my gun and ran to James, sliding onto my knees as I reached her. I took her face into my hands, brushed my thumbs over the bruises. “Did he… Did McFadden…?”
“No. I’m okay.”
“Yeah? You don’t look okay.”
“You don’t look that great, either.” She reached up and brushed her fingers through my hair. “You look a little worried. You’re not worried, are you, Max?”
“Me? I never worry about a damn thing.”
I kissed her—never mind the dried blood and snot that had gathered on her upper lip. I kissed her and it was just as magical as it had been the first time.
Sirens began to blare around us. Ahsan stumbled to his feet, but he only got a yard or two before he fell again. His shoulder was bleeding steadily, but not enough to cause him significant blood loss. The man was just a weakling.
Akker sauntered over just as I became aware of all these cars screeching to a halt around us, kicking up all kinds of dust.
“When are the two of you going to learn that you don’t just take off without backup?”
“I think I’ve figured that out,” James said, smiling as she studied my face.
“It’s not a lesson I need to learn. I knew you’d get here sooner or later.”
“Did you?”
I nodded, though I never shifted my eyes from James’s. “I knew Cheryl would call you. She never does anything without sending you a memo first.”
James giggled, but the action clearly caused her a great deal of pain because it ended in a terrible grimace. I climbed to my feet and swung her up into my arms.
“Excuse me,” I said to Akker. “My partner requires medical attention.”
The paramedics were working on Ahsan, but I sat her carefully in the back of the ambulance and announced, “She’s the priority here, folks. He’s the criminal.”
One of the paramedics immediately came over and began examining James. She looked at me over his shoulder.
“Another successful case done.”
“Told you I wouldn’t let you ruin my perfect record.”
She smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
Chapter 25
James
The doctor was trying to tell me that I was dehydrated and needed to spend the night in the hospital.
“What I need is a hot bath and my own things around me.”
“You could have a concussion.”
“I’ve been shot at and stabbed three times. Do you think a little concussion is a problem for me?”
“Ma’am, we would be irresponsible if we allowed you to leave without, at the very least, a CT.”
“I’m fine. I feel fine. Your x-rays show no broken bones in my face. I want to go home.”
“You have three broken ribs. If you move around too much, you could puncture a lung.”
“You know that’s not going to happen,” a voice said, coming through the door.
I smiled, happy to see Ox in his element.
He walked up to the doctor and held out his hand. “I’m Ox Winn. This woman is my employee. I will take personal responsibility for anything that might happen once she leaves the hospital.”
“She’ll need someone to stay up with her tonight, make sure she doesn’t have a seizure or slip into a coma.”
“Like I said, I’ll take personal responsibility for her.”
The doctor looked from me to Ox and back again. He sighed. “You people are crazy,” he said as he walked out of the room.
“Hey,” Ox said, coming to the side of my bed. “How you feeling?”
“Poked and prodded. The pain is…” I shook my head. “I couldn’t let them give me painkillers.”
“I’m sorry, kid.”
I shrugged. “I’m a soldier. I’ve survived worse.”
“True.” He took my hand and patted it lightly between both his. “Max really pulled this one out of the bag.”
“He did.”
“Thanks to him, and you, the cops were able to arrest McFadden, Gaber, and Ahsan. They’ve also got a warrant out for Corporal Johnathon Sullivan, who, as it turns out, was one of the masterminds behind this whole trafficking ring. He was about to be discharged from the army, so he was moving the operation to South Carolina where his family lives. He was going to get his brothers and cousins and whoever else into the game. Ahsan was probably going to be out, anyway.”
“Then it’s good we got them when we did,” I replied.
“Sure is.”
“I heard you found Chaz Porter along with ten other people.”
“We did. Ahsan and his people drugged them and kept them doped up in a room of his house until they were ready to transport them to Bahrain. They were due to leave tonight, so, again, you saved our asses just in time.”
“Just my good luck
to get kidnapped today.”
Ox rubbed my hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard to take this case.”
“No, I’m glad you did. Everyone should be forced out of their comfort zone from time to time.”
He shook his head, but he was cut off from saying more when the nurse came in with my discharge papers. It took me a few minutes to dress, but I managed to do it without help. The pain in my ribs was so bad that every step was an excruciating act. But I was going home.
Ox held my arm and helped me down the corridor. We were coming around a corner when we heard crying and laughter. Chaz Porter was hugging his mother, his father standing over them with huge tears running down his face. He caught sight of us and nodded, his lips moving to form the words, Thank you. Ox brushed it off and I smiled, showing him that we understood but that thanks was not what we did this for.
I found myself wondering as we drove across town in Ox’s Porsche what it was we did do this for. We were constantly putting ourselves in danger—and for what? To make some money? To set things right for strangers we wouldn’t give two thoughts to if we passed them on the street? Why did we do this?
An image of Aaron crossed my thoughts. He’d told me once that we had to do the best we could to leave an impression on the people around us, lest we be forgotten when we died. Was that why we did this? I wasn’t sure that was quite right, either. But it was a good enough reason for now.
I was doing all I could to honor my promise to Aaron. I was going to leave this world better than the way I found it. If that wasn’t good enough, then I didn’t know what was.
“Are they still debriefing Max?”
Akker had taken Max away in Round Rock, telling me they had to debrief him with the cops since Ahsan got shot. I knew it was procedure, but it didn’t stop the disappointment that filled me knowing that Max wouldn’t be with me at the hospital.
“I don’t know. Detective Salazar promised to be as quick as possible.”
“And Ahsan? I assume his wound wasn’t life-threatening.”
“No. Max is a good shot. They had to put a hell of a lot of stitches in him, but the bullet went straight through the meaty part of his shoulder. He should be fine in a few weeks.”
“Good. Is he still testifying?”
“He should be with the detectives all day tomorrow.”
Then it had all been worth it.
I sat back and closed my eyes, listening to the silence of the expensive car. Ox turned on the radio and we listened to some popular pop for most of the rest of the ride. I started to nod off and Ox reached over to touch my arm.
“I don’t think I’ll have to stick around and watch you sleep after all.”
I sat up to find that not only had we reached my little one-bedroom house, but Max was sitting on the front steps.
“He probably just wants to let me know how the debriefing went.”
“Sure,” Ox said, a knowing smile on his face. “Both of you, take a week off. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, boss.”
I leaned over and kissed Ox’s cheek before climbing out of the car. I moved slowly, the pain in my ribs making everything deliberate. Max stood and rocked on his heels, clearly nervous about whatever he’d come to say.
“They said they let you out of the hospital, so I thought it would be easier to meet you here.”
“They wanted me to stay, but I just want a hot bath and a soft bed.”
“I bet.” He studied me a moment, his eyes moving over the awkward bandage they’d put on my nose. “Nothing broke?”
“Just a couple of ribs.”
“Hell, I’m sorry.”
I shrugged. “I hear that McFadden looks worse.”
“He does. His whole face is one big bruise.”
“Good. He deserves it.”
Max moved closer to me, but not close enough to touch. “They took pictures of you walking into Ahsan’s house. When I saw them, I thought—”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“And then you weren’t there.” He lowered his head, his eyes stuck on the ground for a moment, like it was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen. “I don’t want to be my father. I don’t want to be a weak man who can’t be what he needs to be for the people he loves. That’s why I avoid relationships like the damn plague.” His eyes came up to mine. “I don’t want to let anyone down.”
“You didn’t.” I stepped into him and touched the side of his face. “You found me. You understood my stupid riddle and you found me.”
He looked at me. “Yeah, but if I hadn’t…”
“But you did.” I chewed my bottom lip a little, struggling with my own thoughts, my own weaknesses. “I don’t want to trust anyone. I don’t want to believe in anyone, to care for anyone. I don’t want to love anyone again because too many people I cared for either let me down or they died. So I cut myself off and that led to an addiction to alcohol and a whole lot of stupidity that could have been avoided if I’d just learned to ask for help.”
I slid as close to him as I could get, running my hand down his chest to rest it on his hip. “You and I are so much alike! We have the same hang-ups, the same sorts of ghosts. And we’re so busy running from ourselves that we kind of crashed into each other.”
“We did, didn’t we?”
“I’m willing to take a chance if you are.”
He touched the side of my face. “Yeah? What if we screw it up?”
“Then we screw it up. But we’ll have a lot of fun getting there.”
“That’s true. If there’s one thing about you, it’s that you keep me on my toes.”
“Someone should.”
He kissed my forehead and the bandage over my nose. Then he took my hands and pulled me toward the door. “So, I heard you aren’t to be allowed to sleep alone tonight because of your concussion.”
“Who told you that?”
“A little birdy called me from the hospital while you were getting dressed.”
“Ox!”
He chuckled. “I’ve been nominated to watch over you. Again.”
“Whatever shall we do?”
“Hmm… I can think of a few things!”
I gave him my key and we went inside. The place smelled a little stale from disuse, but it was clean, and it was familiar. He called for pizza and I filled the garden tub with hot water. He came in with wine glasses, offering me mine with a flourish.
“Apple juice. It appears to be the only thing in the fridge that hasn’t spoiled.”
“Sounds nice.”
I took a sip, then began to undress, finally shedding the tight clothing that I’d never liked. The shoes… I could almost see the value in them. But only on occasion. And with pants.
Max sat on the edge of the tub and watched me, not bothering to pretend he hadn’t seen me naked before.
“Are you going to join me?”
He shrugged, wincing a little when I revealed the bruises that were forming along my sides. He reached for me and began kissing them, his lips soft and gentle against my flesh. I closed my eyes, loving the feel of it, the pleasure mixed with the pain. He turned me, following the bruises around my back and then across my belly. Then his lips worked their way to other places, touching me where I wasn’t bruised, and the pleasure was just that: pleasure. I ran my hands through his hair and drew him closer, no longer entertaining the fantasies that had been such a part of my thoughts the last time he touched me. No, I was learning to live in the moment. And this moment was one I wanted to relish, one that I planned to hold on to as long as I could.
After a bit, he lifted me and helped me into the tub. He used a damp rag with a little soap on it to wash me, our lips finding one another a few times as we lingered in the tub.
When the pizza came, I snagged his sleeve. “Forget it. We can find something else to eat later.”
“We have time for this.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “We have a week, to begin with. After that… we have all the time i
n the world. No need to rush.”
I had to admit to a touch of disappointment. But then I smiled as I watched him leave the room. He was here with me. And he wanted to spend time. How could I be so greedy as to ask for more?
I’d had nothing when I’d started this case but an embarrassingly proud father and a reputation I was desperately trying to live down. But now I had Max.
I had Max and that changed everything.
Chapter 26
Ox
Skylar was still sitting behind her desk when I walked into the office after driving James home.
“Why are you always here?”
“I was waiting for news.”
“I thought you already knew everything.”
“About James! How is she? Did she go home?”
“She’s home, safe and sound.”
“And Max?”
I glanced at her as she followed me into my office. “I’m not going to gossip with you, Skylar. You want to know about that sort of thing, you go ask James.”
“But she won’t be back in the office for at least a week!”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I know you. You gave them time off—right?”
I stopped and looked at her. “Am I getting predictable?”
“Getting? You’ve always been predictable.”
I grunted as I turned on my heel and went to the little bar, taking a bottle of whiskey from the collection that was mostly very expensive gifts from grateful clients.
“You should go home.”
I shook my head, the idea of going to my quiet house not as satisfying as she might think. “I have paperwork.”
“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. That’s what you would tell me.”
I sat heavily and sighed. “When did you become my mother?”
“When did you become this obsessive workaholic?”
“Go home, Skylar! Go spend some time with that husband of yours.”
She blushed, the honeymoon period clearly still going strong. I was happy for her. Really. A little jealous—mostly of her happiness rather than anything else—but I was happy.
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