Fourth Day

by Lisa Phillips

  The young man worked his mouth back and forth. “You gonna pin that on me?”

  “That and three other jobs. After all, it’s where that gun came from.”

  He started to shake his head. “Nah, I didn’a have nothin’ to do with any’a that.”

  “Sure?” Carl sat back in his chair.

  “You think I don’t know what I did?”

  “It’s advisable that you do. That would be my suggestion.” Carl paused. “Unless, of course, you didn’t knock over those gun stores. But maybe you know who did?”

  “You think I’m gonna rat someone out?”

  “I think you don’t want a life sentence that has you gasping for free air until you’re sixty. You want to be some crusty old guy just out of prison, trying to get his life back with nothing to show for it but two sleeves of prison tattoos and a bunch of scars you don’t want to talk about?”

  “I ain’t scared of prison.”

  “Different this time.” Carl let that sink in. “A lot different. You’re an adult, for one.”

  “Yeah, but I ain’t a rat.”

  “So you got on a crew all about the smash and grab and hit a few gun stores. Probably just wanted to keep some of the merch for yourself, right? Couldn’t help it. Sticky fingers.”

  A short while later the guy admitted he at least knew the crew, though he seemed to be scared of them. It didn’t take long after that for Carl to get him to give up an address where they might find some of the guns. The murder he’d committed wasn’t part of the robbery scheme, but he’d used one of the stolen weapons anyway.

  “If this pans out, and we find who is behind the robberies,” Carl said. “Then we might be able to talk to the judge. See what we can do about the fact you have an outstanding warrant on a domestic violence charge.”

  “That’s bogus. My girl freaked out and attacked me and I was just defending myself.”

  Carl flipped the file shut. “The offer still stands nonetheless.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Fear flashed across the young man’s face. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere near those guys.”

  Carl tried to get more, but the kid shut down. He gave Carl only the information as to where the guys he’d bought the gun from hung out. Whether the weapon had been lifted from the batch of stolen guns, or given to him, they didn’t wait around in the interrogation room to find out.

  The agents in the office got a warrant to search the house expedited from the judge. While they were waiting, they put together the operation.

  Daulton turned to Allyson. “An operation that you are not authorized to be part of.”

  She didn’t look happy, but she also didn’t have much leverage to argue with his order.

  Two hours later, Sal was at the back of the group of federal agents when the lead man pounded on the front door.

  “Police with a warrant! Open up!”

  No one came to the door.

  The man at the front blew a small charge, enough to break the lock, and then kicked the door the rest of the way in.

  The living room and kitchen were full of people, men and women in various states of dress, all on the move. Drug paraphernalia littered every available surface.

  Chaos reigned. Running. Talking. Shouted orders. Pleading voices.

  A young woman tried to run past Sal. Skimpy clothing, no shoes. Curled hair that was probably clean a week ago.

  He ordered her to halt, but she kept going. At the last second he saw her arm shift. Then the flash of a knife.

  “Stop!”

  She didn’t.

  The knife sank into the skin between his belt, and the bottom of his protective vest.

  Sal collapsed just as the woman ran out of the front door.

  Chapter 20

  Allyson saw the woman land on the front step and try to make a run for it. The bloody knife she held wasn’t a good sign.

  “Drop it!” She aimed her gun on the woman.

  But the woman didn’t stop. Her eyes were glazed now. Allyson braced her weight, fully at liberty to shoot the woman if she tried to swipe that knife at her. Acting first, she grabbed the wrist and squeezed hard. She used her grip as leverage and flipped the woman over her shoulder. She landed on the grass.

  Breath expelled from the woman’s lungs and she let go of the knife. Allyson flipped her to her stomach and put cuffs on her.

  “I need a medic!”

  She looked back down the hall inside the house, where Carl now stood. “We have an agent down.” He yelled so loudly into his radio, the whole area could hear him as he carried Sal from the house.

  She ran to him, bracing some of Sal’s weight against her even though it made her head pound.

  Four cars screeched up to the curb and doors slammed. Dakota. Josh. Even Talia and Haley, followed by a Secret Service agent…a whole group of them.

  They ran over. Dakota tried to take Sal from her, but Allyson didn’t let her.

  “Let me see him,” Josh reached for Sal.

  Carl said, “Let us lay him down.” Through her earphones, she heard a call come through the radio, but it was Carl who said, “Ambulance is two minutes out.”

  Sal’s head lolled back on the grass.

  Dakota jabbed her shoulder. That was when she realized she was breathing hard, seeing spots at the end of her vision. She grabbed Dakota’s fingers before she could shove at her again, and pushed them away.

  “Back up.”

  Allyson didn’t move.

  “Let me see him.”

  Lord. It was bad. Blood seeped from the wound in his side. How deep had the blade gone?

  She was so distracted by the sight of it, she didn’t realize Dakota was moving her until Allyson had already been dragged to her feet and shoved out of the way.

  She caught Dakota’s elbow.

  The Homeland agent spun and got in her face. “What?”

  Allyson reared back, not sure why they were fighting. She was trying to help Sal. Wasn’t Dakota also doing the same thing?

  She opened her mouth to say…she didn’t know what. Didn’t matter, because Dakota got in her face. “You dragged him into this.”

  “He got stabbed!” Like that was her fault?

  “You think I can’t see that?” Dakota shoved at Allyson’s shoulder.

  Her head swam, but she forced herself to remain upright.

  Talia appeared by Dakota’s side. Then Haley.

  “What happened?”

  Allyson shook her head. “That woman.” She pointed to the handcuffed lady Carl now dragged away to a car, and a huddle of agents. More agents spilled from the house, walking out handcuffed men and women.

  Crime was equal opportunity.

  But would they find guns in the house? Or something to link all this to Kennowich?

  That seemed farfetched. And probably… “A waste of time.”

  “What did you say?” Dakota closed in. As though she hadn’t been close enough already. “This is your fault. Just like last time, and now it’s happened all over again.”

  She motioned with an outstretched arm at the handcuffed woman. “She stabbed him!”

  Talia set her hands on her hips. “He was only here because of you.”

  Now both of them were ganging up on her. Allyson glanced at Haley. Her gaze was a little more assessing, where the other two were reacting based on their emotions. Getting in her face when she should be helping with Sal’s wound. Holding his hand.

  “You need to put pressure on it.”

  Josh looked up at her.

  Dakota moved between them. On the offensive, because that was the way she’d been trained. To have a command presence at all times, in all situations. “They’ve got this. What you need to do—”

  “Dakota.” Josh’s voice cut across her tirade. “What Sal needs right now is for all of you to calm down.”

  The Secret Service agent stepped forward. “We all know you’re scared for Sal. But calm is what’s needed right now.” Geez, up close the guy was huge. And
super cute. His caramel eyes glinted, he turned to Talia. His gaze softened with affection.

  Josh finished, “Not all of you ganging up on the woman Sal cares about.”

  Dakota huffed.

  Allyson said, “This is happening whether you like it or not.”

  “Just because you know we don’t like it?”

  “No.” Allyson shook her head. “You know Sal. How can you not know why I have feelings for him?” She figured it was remarkable that one of them hadn’t fallen for him a long time ago. But then, the men they were in love with seemed their perfect matches. The calm to their fire. The steadiness and strength they relied on.

  She could have that with Sal, and she hoped they would, but they were still trying to figure it all out.

  Allyson’s energy ebbed. She ran her hands down her face. “Look, I know you care about him.”

  The women all started to talk.

  “Do I have to tell you all to shut up?” Allyson asked. “Because I will.”

  Dakota pressed her lips together. Talia huffed this time. Haley looked vaguely amused.

  Allyson said, “You care about him, but so do I. And we’re all worried.”

  The EMTs raced over from their ambulance, and Josh explained what had happened. After they hauled Sal away, Josh came over to them. “He needs to go to the hospital so they can see the extent of the damage and get him stitched up.”

  Dakota shot her a scathing look. “If something serious happens to him, it’ll be your fault just like it was before.”

  “We all know the risks of the job. Do you think Sal doesn’t?” Allyson paused for a second. “Or that he even blames me in the least for what happened at the courthouse?”

  Haley said, “I figure Sal would rather be doing this than anything else. Even with the risks.”

  “That’s not true.” Allyson didn’t want to be the one to point it out to them. She didn’t want to tell them that he’d rather be on his mountain, or that he was ready to quit the team and leave. Sal would tell his team when the time was right. “You’re all just scared for him.”

  Dakota folded her arms. Josh slung one arm across her shoulder, pulled her to his side and kissed her forehead.

  “We’re not enemies,” Allyson said. “Despite the fact you seem to think we should be.”

  “Your problems got him hurt.”

  “I’m not going to be your easy target just because you feel Sal pulling away and you want to blame me.” She barely got the last word out before she had to take a breath. Her head was pounding.

  Haley said, “Are you okay?”

  Dakota glanced between them. “Sal is the one who’s hurt.”

  She shut her eyes. He’d looked so pale. Was he going to die? Such a dumb way for a man like him to be killed. Some stupid woman with a knife, and he hadn’t spent time on his mountain like he so desperately wanted.

  And despite her rebuttal to Dakota’s accusations, she would feel as though it was all her fault.

  “Sanchez!”

  She spun to find Daulton making his way to her. “Go home. You look awful.”

  Dakota snorted.

  “I’ll probably go to the hospital.”

  She got to the curb before realizing Sal had the keys to the car.

  “Need a ride?”

  She turned to see Haley approach. “Sure.”

  Haley beeped the locks to an SUV behind Sal’s car. “Let’s go.”

  . . .

  At least he had his pants on. Sal was just missing a shirt when Dakota flung the door open and strode in. She saw the white bandage, low on his left side, and pulled up short. She looked like she was about to faint.

  Sal blinked and looked at the ceiling. “I’ll be out of here before you know it.”

  “Sure,” Dakota said, arms crossed and chin lifted. For any other woman, that was a solid, hands-on-the-hips death glare, but she was way too much of a cop for that. “And then weeks of pain while your stomach muscles heal. You’re just lucky it didn’t nick anything vital.”

  “It wasn’t luck.” He looked around for his shirt.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Do I?” He watched her eyes fill with tears. “Go. Find Josh.” How else would she feel better?

  Instead of doing that, Dakota turned and sat on the edge of the bed. She hung her head, her back to him. He watched her torso expand as she sucked in a full breath and pushed it out. Finally she looked at him. “You almost died.”

  “I’m not sure that’s true.”

  “I was horrible to her.”

  That probably was true.

  “Oh, God. You agree.” Dakota brushed hair off her face. “She’ll hate me forever, and then I’ll be your kids’ godmother and it’ll be super weird because they’ll know we don’t get along.”

  “Did I miss something while the doctor was stitching me up?”

  “She’s halfway in love with you.”

  He froze, having found his shirt on the chair in the corner, then glanced at her. “Ally?”

  Dakota rolled her eyes. “Who else would I be talking about?”

  She was in love with him? Even halfway was good. He just had to get out of here and go find her. Or was she outside, in the hallway? He didn’t put it past Dakota to shut everyone else out and be the first to see him.

  “Are you going to marry her?”

  Sal scooted to the edge of the bed and tried to distract her so that she wouldn’t notice he felt ready to pass out. “Will you stand up at the wedding and object?”

  Dakota narrowed her eyes, a gleam of mischief there. “Should I?”

  Someone knocked on the door, and this time he got the chance to say, “I’m not decent,” before they barged in. Dakota was in here, so unless it was Josh, there would be questions to answer. “Hand me my shirt.” He waved at it.

  As soon as he was mobile, he needed to find out what the hospital staff had done with his phone.

  She handed him the shirt. “Are you going to go after her?”

  He slid his arms in and then paused before tucking it over his head. “She isn’t outside? Also, why would I need to ‘go after her,’ Dakota?”

  A guilty expression washed over her face. “Well…”

  “You guys shut her out.”

  “She got you hurt. Again.”

  “All of you need to let that go.”

  “But you’re our ‘Sal’. How can we do that?”

  He pulled his shirt the rest of the way on, not sure how to even begin to answer that. “Where is she?”

  Dakota sighed. “You’re not going to let me be their godmother are you?”

  The door opened and Victoria strode in. “Good. You’re dressed.”

  He stood. The world swayed, but he planted a hand on the bed until the sensation passed. The skin around the stitches tugged a little, but with the medication they’d given him, it didn’t hurt much. He was just aware of it.

  Victoria handed him a bottled water.

  He downed the whole thing. “Where’s Allyson?” Sal tossed the bottle at the trash can. He also needed his shoes.

  “I’d have thought you’d want to know the outcome of the raid, as well as the movement on the FBI and ATF’s investigations. The ones that aren’t our case.” Her voice had a tone he understood.

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t help if I’m able.” And he had, only it had gotten him hurt. “This was my choice.”

  Kind of like her meeting with Kennowich.

  Sal wanted to believe it had been above board. But if it had been, then Talia would know about it. She tracked all of their phones, and she hadn’t said one word about a meeting between Kennowich and Victoria. Or an operation. Which meant Talia didn’t know.

  So the boss didn’t have an above-board reason for meeting with Kennowich.

  The only alternative was that it had been a fishing expedition. Maybe Victoria hadn’t mentioned it because she hadn’t been certain she could get anything useful. And when it failed—he’d have heard if the out
come was otherwise—she kept it quiet that she’d tried.

  He held her gaze long enough she figured it out. He didn’t know how, but he’d long thought there had to have been some spy work in her past.

  Victoria gave him an infinitesimal shake of her head.

  “What just happened?”

  Sal glanced at Dakota. “Nothing. Where’s Allyson?”

  He really needed her to explain to him what had happened with the team and Allyson while he’d been injured and unconscious. Something between the house when he’d gotten hurt, and now.

  He said, “Last time I didn’t know where she was, it was because she’d been kidnapped. So cut me some slack and explain.”

  Dakota made a face.

  “What is it with you and her?” he asked. “She’s a good cop, and my friend.”

  Victoria said, “She’s an easy target?”

  “That’s probably not something you want to admit.”

  “This job is stressful,” Dakota said. “We have to bleed off the tension somehow.”

  “By picking on Allyson?”

  “We’re sorry, okay?” Dakota’s voice was a high whine.

  “Wow, way to convince me you actually feel bad.”

  Victoria wasn’t about to apologize. “I heard that when you got hurt she responded by being even more anal than normal.”

  Sal glanced at her. “Because you’re maverick, and she’s a stickler for the rules?” Or just procedure in general. Like not telling your teammates that you’re meeting with the source of the threat.

  “Rules aren’t what keep people safe,” Victoria said. “Things are almost never black and white.”

  “I don’t agree,” he countered. “You’ve played things loose before, and the situation erupted. People got hurt. It’s just a fact of life that things go wrong. You can’t place the blame on someone who was just doing their job, it’s not right.”

  Victoria couldn’t argue with that. Or she just didn’t bother.

  Sal said, “I need to go.”

  “Because you’re going to find her?”

  He turned to Victoria. “Isn’t that why I’m here? It’s personal this time.”