Stronger Than You Know--A Novel

by Lori Foster

  “Yes! I knew you’d see reason.” She started to go.

  Reyes stopped her. “I didn’t mean just today, babe.” Watching her closely, he saw her eyes flare. “I mean after this is over.”

  “After?”

  Let Sterling watch, he didn’t care. Swooping in, he kissed Kennedy, taking his time, moving his mouth over hers, teasing his tongue along her lips and then into her mouth. She clung to him, and with a soft groan she reciprocated.

  When he lifted his mouth, she looked dazed.

  Reyes smoothed a hand over her hair, letting his thumb lightly brush the bruise on her temple. “Stay with me.”

  She bit her lips, then slowly smiled and nodded. “Of course I will. Thank y—”

  Another kiss stopped her from thanking him.

  “Ahem.” Grinning, Sterling said, “Not that the show isn’t great, but we’re running low on time. So what’s it to be? Want her in a vest and armed, or do you plan to lock her in a closet?”

  Running a hand over his head, Reyes turned away, immediately paced back and cursed. “You’ll stay right where I put you?”

  Kennedy nodded.

  “You swear you know how to shoot?”

  “Adequately.” She winced. “Can’t promise I’ll hit anything, but I can definitely return fire if necessary.”

  “You’ll stay low, stay safe and—”

  “Yes and yes.” Grabbing him, Kennedy squeezed him tight. “I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare leave without me.”

  * * *

  MADISON SAT IN the library, her laptop in front of her, watching all the players. Reyes, with Kennedy and Jodi, would reach the gym in the next fifteen minutes or so.

  Cade and Sterling were at the back of an old house, slowly closing in on where two of Golly’s cohorts had holed up.

  Golly hadn’t moved from the motel, though two men had come in to see him. It was sheer luck that a camera on the connected diner caught the front of his cabin. The picture was dim, but she made it out just fine.

  When the two men left, she noted that one of them carried a heavy duffel bag. Suddenly she had a very bad feeling about things. She watched the men until they got into a car, then she wrote down the license plate number and did a quick, secure search.

  Matthew Grimes.

  With a name in hand, she extended her search and found that the guy had a long record, similar to Golly’s, and lived locally. Why hadn’t she known about him sooner? Was he someone newly brought into the schemes?

  Her bad feeling grew.

  Her dad walked in, and, being so attuned to his children, he immediately knew something was wrong.

  “What is it?” Parrish asked, hurrying around the desk to look over her shoulder.

  “I don’t know.” Madison skimmed all the players again. The car with the two men left in a hurry. Because her father encouraged them to share misgivings—he was a big believer in instincts—she laid out her thoughts.

  “This is the first I’ve seen Grimes. Why would Golly need a new hand at this point?” She looked at her father. “Unless his plan of attack has changed?” A terrible thought, given everything was already in the works. Both her brothers were out there, Sterling, too, and now she felt like she hadn’t judged the situation well at all.

  Parrish, always methodical, stared at the screen for only a few seconds before making a decision. “Call the detective. See if he knows anything about Grimes.”

  Glad to have a valid reason to reach out to Crosby again, Madison lifted her phone and, with the number memorized, dialed him. Knowing her father would want to listen in, she put the phone on speaker and set it on the desk.

  He didn’t answer until the fifth ring, and he sounded harried. “Detective Albertson.”

  Watching the screens, Madison saw the driver of the car take an exit that would lead him to the general area of Reyes’s gym. Alarm bells went off in her head. In cases like this, she didn’t believe in coincidences.

  If the gym was his destination, and she’d bet it was, he’d arrive within minutes of Reyes.

  “It’s Madison McKenzie.”

  Crosby missed a beat before saying, “Ms. McKenzie. I’m surprised to hear from you.”

  She rolled her eyes at his absurd deference. Whether he’d enjoyed it or not, she’d kissed him. He could certainly use her first name. “You probably wouldn’t have,” she admitted, “not after that insult you dealt me.”

  Her father’s brows went up.

  She shook her head at him, letting him know it wasn’t anything to concern him, then forged on. “The thing is, Crosby, I have a situation and I’m hoping you can help me.”

  “Hang on one second.”

  She heard movement, then the sound of a car door closing, followed by the start of an engine.

  “I was just on my way out. Crazy busy at the moment, but I can talk while I drive.”

  “Thank you.” She considered what to say, yet knew the outcome would be the same. “Now, I don’t want you to get angry.”

  “That pretty much guarantees it right there,” he growled. “What the hell are you up to now?”

  He said that with so much accusation, she huffed. “Matthew Grimes. Do you know the name?”

  Crosby surprised her with amped-up anger. “Damned right I know him. I’m headed to his last known location right now. How the hell do you know him?”

  When Parrish gave her a nod, she confessed, “I’m keeping tabs on Golly. Grimes just left him.”

  “Jesus, Madison. You know where Golly is and didn’t tell me?”

  How could the man sound both hurt and frustrated by that when he’d made no effort to stay in touch with her? “We’ll have to cover that later, Detective. Right now, I’m...concerned.”

  “As you should be. I knew Grimes hung with Golly so I’ve been keeping tabs on him. Last night the weasel went to six different stores buying up enough ingredients for several homemade bombs.”

  Madison caught her breath. The duffel he’d been carrying.

  Leaning forward, hands flattened on the desk, Parrish spoke before Madison could. “He’s headed toward my son’s gym right now. How close are you?”

  “Son of a bitch,” Crosby exploded. “Your family has a lot of explaining to do when this is over.”

  “How close?” Parrish repeated in a hard demand.

  “I’ll call it in. Tell Reyes to clear everyone out of there.”

  “I’m organizing now. Don’t make me regret reaching out to you.”

  Walking away, Parrish used his own phone to call Reyes.

  Madison turned back to the phone. “Crosby?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  He gave a gravelly laugh filled with affront. “Don’t worry about me.”

  She’d worry if she wanted to. Irate, she glared at the phone. “Would it be too much to ask to be kept updated?”

  Seconds ticked by, then he said evenly, “You haven’t seen fit to give me your number.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. True, her calls came in as private, but she’d love for Crosby to have it. “I’ll text it to you now.” Why did it feel as if they’d just come to an understanding? “You’ll contact me once you’re at the gym?”

  “I’m not going to the gym, but I’ll let you know once it’s been cleared.”

  “Then—”

  “You’re going to tell me what’s going on,” he stated, leaving no room for negotiation. “And you’re going to tell me now.”

  * * *

  REYES HAD JUST pulled up to the curb when his phone rang. It surprised him to see it was his dad calling, not Madison or Cade. Surprised him, and made him uneasy.

  Making a quick decision, he pulled away from the curb and answered the call. “What’s wrong?”

  “Get away from the gym.”<
br />
  “Already doing that.” He checked his mirrors, not yet spotting any trouble.

  “Two men left Golly, headed your way,” Parrish said, his explanation short and to the point. “Detective Albertson says the driver went shopping last night for the makings of a bomb.”

  “Damn.” The ramifications settled in on Reyes. He had a gym full of innocents, and two women in the back seat of his truck.

  “Albertson is on the way. I assume he’ll alert other authorities.” Parrish hesitated. “I want you to abort the plan. Given you three are the target, stay away from the gym. Divert to Golly’s motel.” His voice lowered. “Get the bastard.”

  “You’ll get everyone out of the gym?”

  “It’ll be my next call. Albertson will clean up that mess.”

  Reyes tightened his hands on the wheel. “Got it.”

  “Watch your back.”

  “Always.” Before explaining anything to Kennedy and Jodi, he backtracked by going two blocks down, then two blocks over. The women patiently stayed silent.

  Once he was headed in the right direction, he laid out the situation for them.

  Kennedy sat forward to touch his shoulder. “Someone will tell Cade?”

  “Dad or Madison, but his plans won’t alter. Cade is still on to close the net.”

  Nodding, she sat back again, quiet as she’d promised to be.

  Jodi whispered, “This doesn’t feel right. Golly doesn’t want to blow me up. He doesn’t want me dead at a distance.”

  Reyes tended to agree. “It’s personal for him.”

  Jodi’s voice grew urgent. “He’s trying to catch us unaware.”

  Yup, exactly how Reyes saw it. “But we won’t let him, right?”

  “No, we won’t.” Kennedy took Jodi’s hand. “Trust Reyes. He knows what he’s doing.”

  Damn right, he did. “I don’t think anyone spotted us, but I want you two to keep watch.” Giving them something to do would make them feel more in control. “Tell me if you see anything suspicious.”

  With no real sign of nervousness, Kennedy said, “Will do.”

  Jodi remained silent. He could only imagine how she felt. The girl had been all set to use herself as bait, and now the plans were upside down. Shit happened. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to adjust to changing conditions, but that didn’t make it easy.

  When he was near the motel, he called Madison hands-free on speaker. “All clear?” he asked.

  “I haven’t seen Golly move. But Reyes, I don’t feel right about any of this.”

  “I know. Same.” He glanced in the rearview mirror at Kennedy’s set expression. She was doing her utmost not to look unnerved. Because he knew every business on the road, Reyes said, “I’m going to put them both in a restaurant.”

  “No!” Jodi said, immediately objecting.

  Kennedy shushed her. “Let him do his thing, okay? He knows best.”

  Her confidence felt good.

  Madison agreed with Jodi. “Golly might have contacts in every area business. I think you should keep them close.”

  He hesitated but knew she was right. Away from him, either of them could get grabbed. He’d die before he let that happen, so sticking close likely was the way to go. Deciding on a quick compromise, he asked, “Where should I park so that they’ll be near, but not too close, and you’ll have a constant view of my truck?”

  “Three spots down from Golly’s cabin is best. It’s the third one from the office, and I believe the other two are empty.”

  “Huh. Wonder if Golly rented them to ensure his privacy.”

  “Makes sense.”

  Reyes parked beneath a security lamp. Though the night was dark, the lamp hadn’t yet come on. Odds were it wouldn’t. Not much in the motel seemed to be in good working order.

  “Kennedy?” Madison said.

  Leaning forward, Kennedy said, “I’m here.”

  “Why don’t you get behind the wheel in case a hasty exit is necessary?”

  She looked at Reyes, got his nod and agreed.

  The parking lot was fairly quiet. In the office, Reyes could see a desk manager backlit by a lamp, and he appeared to be alone. Seeing the place up close, he was surprised it was even still in business. What had probably been nice cabins a decade ago were now more like hovels in need of serious repairs. The gravel lot had deep ruts and potholes, and an area that should have been grass was now snow-covered weeds.

  “It’s a dump,” he said to Madison. “You sure it’s legit?”

  “A grandson inherited it, and it’s gone downhill since then.”

  Shame.

  Jodi snapped, “Can’t we get on with it?”

  “Getting there.” Reyes studied the cabin. Curtains were drawn over grimy windows. His bad feeling escalated. “I’m not going to the front of the cabin. I’ll circle around back and see if there’s another way in.”

  While watching for any sign of attack, he opened the door and got out. Turning, he motioned to Kennedy to take over as driver. She quickly removed her coat and tossed it in the back seat, then slid behind the wheel.

  Jodi, he noticed, had a Glock in her hand and a stark look of resolve on her face.

  “Hey.”

  She glanced at him.

  “No mishaps with the gun, okay?”

  Nodding, she went back to studying the area, her uneasiness palpable.

  Knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer, he touched Kennedy’s chin. “Lock up behind me. If anything happens, drive away. Do not try to play my protector.”

  Before agreeing, she said, “Swear to me you’ll be okay.”

  “Course I will.” He stole a fast kiss. “When this is over, you and I have plans to make.”

  Reyes’s steps were silent as he moved in the shadows toward Golly’s cabin. At the farthest side of the ramshackle structure he spotted a small, high window that he guessed to be in the bathroom. Around the corner, he saw a larger window and then the door. Tightly closed curtains kept him from having a view inside.

  That in itself wasn’t suspicious, yet tension prickled up his spine.

  He backtracked to the small window. Aging cobwebs covered the sill, and a crack traveled upward from the bottom right corner. For most, the window would be too high to be accessible. His height and overall physical fitness served him well now. Catching the ledge with his fingertips, he levered himself up for a peek.

  The room was dark and it took a moment for his eyesight to adjust. The bathroom door was shut, closing it off from the rest of the cabin. He was considering how he might enter through the window when a slight movement inside drew his gaze. He levered up a little higher for a better view.

  Stunned, he realized that Golly, fully dressed, was stretched out flat in the narrow bathtub. Why would he... Shit.

  Before the thought fully formed, he understood why everything felt off.

  The front door was booby-trapped, likely with a bomb. Had he busted in, as he’d originally planned, he’d have been seriously wounded—and Kennedy and Jodi would be on their own.

  Kennedy.

  Silently he dropped back to his feet and, ducking low, went back to the front of the building. Gun in hand, he saw both women still in the truck, exactly as he’d instructed.

  Beyond them, though, two shadows lurked.

  No way would he let them get anywhere near Kennedy.

  Flattening himself to the side of the building, he scanned the area, ensuring Golly didn’t have more henchmen creeping around. He didn’t see anyone else.

  The men seemed to be waiting on something. Probably the explosion.

  Picking up a rock, Reyes took aim and let it fly. It hit the man hunkering in the shadows closest to the truck. With a rank curse, he jerked around, giving up all attempts at stealth. So did the second guy.

  Kenne
dy must have spotted them, because she put the truck in gear, prepared to move if needed. Damn, he was proud of her.

  He waited, wanting the men to get just a little closer before he stepped out. Once they were within range, he’d have all the advantage he needed.

  Then the unthinkable happened.

  One of the men snarled, “Fuck it,” and took aim at the truck, planning to shoot Kennedy and Jodi through the windows.

  Terror put Reyes on autopilot. He stepped out with his gun in his hand, firing off a shot that sent the man stumbling back until he tripped over his feet and dropped. One more shot, and Reyes ensured he wouldn’t be getting up.

  The second man ran, disappearing into the darkness.

  Furious that he’d allowed Kennedy to come along, Reyes started for the truck, his only thought to get her to safety.

  The second man had already circled back, and now he shot at Reyes. Diving for the cover of the truck, Reyes barked, “Down!” to both women, then peered around the side of the truck.

  He was a crack shot, better than good. It was the one aspect of their training where his ability trumped Cade’s.

  Reyes watched the darkness, spotted the target peeking out, squeezed his trigger and put one right through the bastard’s head.

  With all the gunfire, cops would now be on their way. Even if the desk manager hadn’t called them, someone would have. It’d be best if he could—

  The passenger side of the truck opened and Jodi stepped out.

  Alarmed, Reyes straightened enough to see her. “Jodi!” If there were more men around, she’d be an easy hit. “What the hell are you—”

  Grim faced, her jaw clenched, she lifted her Glock.

  At first, Reyes thought she was aiming for him, but when she fired beyond him, he immediately turned to face the new threat.

  The impact of her bullet propelled Rand Golly backward against the side of an empty cabin. He must have left through the back door and moved up the yards before stepping out to the lot. Pain twisted his face and he slumped, but didn’t go down.

  Jodi’s bullet had hit him center mass, so there was only one explanation. A bulletproof vest. Still hurt like hell to get hit, yet it wasn’t a killing blow.