Without Fear

by Reese Knightley

  “Oh, motherfucker,” he hissed, shoving a hand through his hair. His fingers caught on the long strands before he remembered that he’d braided it.

  “Why did Alexander call you?”

  “He wants me to take you into protective custody as soon as possible.” Stanton hurried on before he could protest. “I know you nixed that idea a few months ago, but honestly, Macy, your running about is putting people in harm’s way.”

  Shit. He blinked his burning eyes. That was the last goddamned thing he wanted.

  “I’ll go into protective custody after I find Frank.”

  Silence on the other end greeted him, but Macy waited. He was dead serious.

  “Okay, from what we can tell, Tony’s last known location was up in your neck of the woods.”

  “He’s here.” It was second nature to glance out the small window of the hotel near the stairwell. The streets looked empty in the dark with the street lights glimmering on the wet pavement.

  “You think he has Frank here?”

  “I do.”

  “How close are you?”

  “It’s going to take me five hours to get to you, but Alexander has already been in touch with the Seattle field office. If you want to head that way.”

  He pulled on his bottom lip; he didn’t want to go to the Seattle field office.

  “I’ll call Alexander.”

  “Okay, see you in a few hours,” Stanton said and ended the call.

  Macy called Alexander, and the man answered on the first ring.

  “It’s Macy.”

  “I’m sorry about Frank.”

  He couldn’t speak for a moment with the lump in his throat.

  “Why’d you call Stanton instead of me?”

  “I’m not sure where your head’s at right now.”

  He drew in a swift breath and clenched his hand around the phone. “When have I ever let you down?” he rasped.

  Alexander’s sigh came heavy over the phone. “Never. That doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you.”

  “Understood. So, tell me what’s going on.”

  “I sent agents Jett Martin and Nathan Hill to Crumpet. They went by your apartment. It was broken into.”

  “What was taken?” He frowned, Felix hadn’t checked in yet.

  “They aren’t sure. If you can meet up with them and find out, it might help us.”

  “Tony’s here trying to find out where I’ve gone.” He looked down at his all black attire and running shoes. He was ready. The fucker wouldn’t know what hit him.

  “I had Siegel moved to the ten most wanted list.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you once Jett, Nathan, and I find out anything further.” He rang off.

  Alexander was right, he needed to get his head in the game.

  He sent a text to Logan. Stay put, I’m checking into something and will get back to you.

  Jogging down the stairwell instead of the front or back exit, he took the service entrance. After all, he’d lived here, so he knew every nook and cranny of Crumpet. He had the upper hand.

  Felix answered his call on the first ring.

  “What do you have?”

  “The only place trashed was your apartment. We ran into two of your agent boys,” the bodyguard said.

  “Okay, head on back. Logan’s in his room. I’m going to meet up with the agents. I’ll keep you posted.”

  “Be safe.”

  “You too.”

  He hung up and sent a quick text to FBI agent Nathan Hill.

  On my way.

  He didn’t bother driving since the town was so small. He took the fire escape to the roof of the apartment five minutes later and entered the roof access door. Heading down two flights, he paused just outside of the stairwell door.

  While he appreciated Logan’s team, having Jett and Nathan on the job settled his nerves. He’d gone through training with Nathan. Jett, he’d met later, an older agent if you could call thirty-eight older.

  Jett spotted him first and touched Nathan on the shoulder. The younger man spun and hurried to him.

  “Hey,” he said, returning Nathan’s hug and Jett’s handshake.

  “The place is trashed.” Jett got right to business and walked back into his apartment.

  Macy stepped inside and froze.

  They’d destroyed everything. Not just in looking for something, but whoever had done this had done it out of pure hate.

  He numbly walked past the shredded couch, the one he’d special ordered. Pictures and wall hangings had been yanked from the walls. He stopped near the replica of Charles Demuth’s Dancing Sailors that he’d bought off of Amazon. Something sharp had cleaved through the print from corner to corner.

  “Macy?”

  He blinked up and found Nathan’s worried gaze.

  “I’m good,” he rasped and made his way over to his desk, which seemed to have taken the brunt of the damage. Papers were torn and scattered, his office chair had been ripped apart, and the small lamp was smashed. Thankfully, he’d kept his laptop in the small thumbprint protected safe.

  He went to open the door to the desk, but found it missing. Crouching, he located what was left of its contents on the floor.

  “The letters.”

  “What letters?”

  “From Logan. Several are missing.”

  “Why the hell would they take letters?”

  “They’re trying to find out where I am.”

  “Is that address Logan’s house?” Nathan questioned, pointing to the return address.

  “No, he used his office address on the letters,” he murmured.

  “That’s good. We can alert the building’s security.”

  “They are security.”

  “Who?”

  “Logan. Cobalt Security,” he said.

  “No shit?” Jett finally spoke. “I’ve heard of them. They’re huge out of Denver and San Francisco.”

  “You think that’s where they’re headed?” Nathan wondered.

  Macy shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  His phone buzzed and before he could get it out of his pocket, it started to ring.

  “Yes?”

  “Macy! If you’re still in Crumpet, get the hell out. Now!”

  “Frank! I thought Tony had you?”

  “He did, but his fucking goons in charge are a joke,” Frank rasped and then coughed.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m at the leather shop.”

  Several shots of gunfire sounded in the background, followed by a grunt.

  “Frank!” he shouted. “Frank!”

  The line went dead.

  “Let’s move!” he snapped and spun toward the door with Jett and Nathan.

  “Where’s Frank?” Nathan’s voice was filled with worry. Nathan was another one of Frank’s rescues.

  “Close,” he whispered harshly and hit the hallway at a dead run.

  Macy

  The leather shop stood dark.

  The front window was broken out and the slight Washington breeze blew back the torn curtains. If there had been an alarm, it hadn’t gone off. Or, the perp had disabled it.

  Macy pulled his Glock and eased along the edge of the building until he could peek inside the gaping hole. The smell of a flash bang grenade stung his nose. Where the fuck were Siegel’s men getting military grade weapons? Just another question in the long line of questions he’d be asking Siegel when he caught the fucker.

  “Ready?” he whispered to Nathan and Jett. The two agents were edged up against the building on his flank.

  Jett gave the nod and Macy stepped over the edge of the blown out wall and slipped inside. He waited, gun aimed into the dim room, until both agents followed him inside. From there, they moved rapidly together, working as efficiently as a well-oiled machine to clear each room of the leather shop.

  “Go right, I’m left,” Nathan whispered and headed up the small stairs to the left.

  Macy took a right at the next corner and felt
Jett on his six. Reaching the supply room, he found it empty.

  “Clear,” Nathan called, his voice muffled from the top level.

  Macy came out of the supply room and approached the office at the end of the hallway. He glanced at Jett to make sure the guy was ready. Jett nodded.

  Macy positioned his gun high next to his jaw with one hand and pushed the door to the small office open with the other. The place was trashed, but it wasn’t the ruin of the room that held his attention, it was the man laying prone on the floor with two bullet holes in his chest.

  Rather than rush to Frank, Macy took another few seconds to make sure the room was clear. He checked the only closet in the office big enough to hide someone.

  “Clear,” he called out and dropped down to his knees next to Frank. Placing his fingers to the man’s neck, he confirmed there was no pulse. Frank’s body was warm to the touch. They’d missed saving him by mere minutes.

  “He’s gone,” he said through clenched teeth, fighting the tears that threatened.

  Jett crouched on the other side of Frank and put his hand to the man’s shoulder.

  “I’ll canvas the area,” Jett said after a moment and disappeared.

  Nathan appeared in the doorway and a slight sound came from the young man’s throat.

  “Fuck! That motherfucker!” Nathan dashed at his eyes and came to crouch next to him.

  Macy reached out and placed a hand on Frank’s arm and closed his eyes.

  Flashes of Frank flickered behind his eyes. Of the man being there for him when he’d been a troubled youth. Nobody else had been able to get through to him but Frank. Of Frank wearing a proud smile, shaking his hand when he’d earned his degree. Frank knocking some sense into his head when he’d dated the wrong men. And smiling. Frank had had a smile a mile wide and a laugh that was unforgettable.

  He shoved to his feet just as Jett reappeared.

  “No sign of anyone. Odd they didn’t stick around,” Jett said.

  It was odd. “Maybe they didn’t know he called me.”

  It took a moment for Macy to realize Nathan hadn’t moved. He reached down and gripped the younger man’s arm and pulled him upright.

  Tears streamed down Nathan’s face, and Macy’s own eyes burned.

  “We need to keep it together and catch this bastard,” he said from between his clenched teeth.

  Nathan sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve before nodding.

  Macy caught and held Jett’s gaze over Nathan’s head and pulled out his cell phone.

  With shaking fingers, he put in a call to Teddy Chance. The sheriff of Crumpet answered on the first ring.

  “Teddy? It’s Macy. There’s a homicide at the leather shop.”

  “What the hell?” Macy heard keys rattle. “I’m on my way.”

  Macy ended the call.

  “You think Frank gave up your location?” Jett harshly whispered.

  “Frank wouldn’t do that,” Nathan hissed.

  “I don’t know. I’d like to think not, but honestly, I don’t know,” Macy replied. He took one last look at Frank and left the office. Returning to the front room of the leather shop, he stood in the dark, staring out at the wet street. The rain had eased off some, but it was still sprinkling lightly.

  “What’s the plan?” Jett asked, coming to stand next to him.

  “Where are you two staying?”

  “We temporarily rented a small apartment near the park.” Jett rattled off the address.

  “After we talk to Sheriff Chance, you guys regroup there,” Macy told them. “I have a few calls to make, and then I’ll meet you.”

  The approaching sirens wailed in the dismal night.

  Logan

  The bed felt soaked beneath him and he shivered. His arm throbbed like fucking fire and he felt like he’d been run over by a truck.

  “Hold on, boss,” Felix whispered.

  The lights whirled when he turned his head, but he couldn’t focus, everything felt far away like he was living in a bubble.

  “Macy,” he called out, trying to sit up. Pain lanced through his shoulder and arm like fucking fire. Felix lowered him back to the bed and held him there.

  “Macy is fine,” Jaxon gritted out, standing over him. He’d never seen Jaxon look so worried before and because of that, he wasn’t sure he believed him about Macy. The fucked up thing was the world went dark before he could question him further.

  Sirens drew him awake, and he found himself on a gurney with paramedics hovering over him.

  “Hurry!” Ryder growled.

  The gurney was lifted and he found himself hoisted up into the back of an ambulance with Felix and Hayden.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Felix told him.

  “Where’s Macy?”

  Hayden and Felix exchanged a look.

  “Answer me, damn it.” He lifted his head, but gasped when the small space whirled and he grew sick.

  “Stay still, Mr. Cobalt,” one of the EMT’s said while efficiently placing an I.V. in his arm.

  “All we know is he left to meet two FBI agents at his place.”

  He stared at Hayden. What was the man not saying? “Tell me.”

  Hayden cleared his throat. “His apartment was destroyed.”

  “Looks like Siegel’s men,” Felix added.

  “His men, or was it Siegel?” He frowned.

  “We don’t know, but they were looking for something,” Hayden responded.

  “Where’s my phone?”

  Felix looked at Hayden and reluctantly handed it over.

  Macy’s earlier text said, “stay put.” He closed his eyes because it was impossible to keep them open any longer.

  He had to trust that Macy could take care of himself. It wouldn’t change the fact that when he was better, Logan was going to track Macy down and have a long discussion about his taking unnecessary chances.

  The hospital was small and the halls quiet when he was wheeled into a room and placed in a bed. He felt as weak as a fucking kitten and it pissed him off. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been this sick, not since he was a little boy and had gotten the flu.

  The nurse handed him back his phone once they’d helped him into a gown and pulled the covers over him. He gazed at Macy’s name. He couldn’t call. If he called at the wrong time, he could put Macy in danger. Fuck.

  He would just close his eyes for one minute and then call.

  The buzzing of his phone drew him from sleep and he groggily hit the answer button.

  “Logan,” Macy’s voice breathed into his ear.

  “Macy, where are you?” he rasped, turning on his side with a wince.

  “He killed Frank.” Macy’s voice sounded clogged.

  “Oh god, baby, I’m so sorry.” He gripped the phone. “Where are you?”

  “I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess.”

  His heart lurched. “Macy, you didn’t drag me into anything.”

  “Yeah, I kind of did. I’m going to fix this, though.”

  “Come to me,” he begged. “I’m in the hospital.” He played the wounded card.

  “I know, one of the EMTs called me. You’re safe there. I contacted Sheriff Chance. Teddy’s a good guy, he’ll watch out for you.”

  “I have my own team, Macy. Are you forgetting who you’re talking to?”

  Macy went quiet. “Yeah, I guess so. It’s just that…I don’t want you involved in this.”

  “Babe. My whole team specializes in security,” he murmured softly, gently, trying to coax Macy to him.

  “I know. I have my own team here now.”

  “You do?” He vaguely remembered Felix saying something about two agents.

  “Yeah, you know the FBI has teams too.” Macy sniffled.

  “I’m so sorry about Frank,” he murmured, wracking his brain for anything to say that would bring Macy to his side. “Please come to the hospital.”

  “I can’t. Not until this is finishe
d. When it is, I’ll find you.”

  “Promise?” He clenched his teeth.

  “Cross my heart.”

  Macy

  “Christ, Macy! Three fucking days? Where the hell have you been?” Stanton shouted over the phone.

  “Frank’s dead.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry, Macy.” Stanton’s tone softened. The man’s voice was filled with just as much pain as his own. Stanton and Frank had been friends.

  “Are you in Crumpet?” he said.

  “I told you I was on my way.” Stanton sounded irritated. “Tell me where you are and I’ll pick you up.”

  “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Wait! Let me help.”

  “No. I don’t want you anywhere near this.”

  “Why?”

  “Because as soon as I find him, I’m going to put a bullet in Siegel’s head,” he snapped and hung up on Stanton before the marshal could argue.

  With a heaving chest, Macy sat his head back against the wall and closed his burning eyes. He felt so fucking weary. It had been three days of hunting Siegel without a trace of the guy. And just as many days of missing Logan. Even his cell phone had remained strangely quiet.

  A sound in the hallway popped his eyes open and he galvanized into action. Yanking off his pants and shirt, he pulled on a pair of scrubs from one of the lockers. Shoving his clothes into his backpack, he hitched it over one shoulder. Remember, you’re just another staff member leaving his shift, he reminded himself.

  “Fuck, this so isn’t a good idea,” he muttered, but left the nurses’ locker room and stepped out into the hallway.

  Oh, not that he couldn’t pull it off, but it wouldn’t do any good to drag Logan back into this shit.

  Then why did he find himself moving through the small community hospital of Crumpet dressed in a pair of scrubs?

  He’d told Logan he wasn’t coming back… and here he was. Why couldn’t he stay away from this man?

  Reaching Logan’s room, he found it empty.

  Damn it! His EMT buddy had assured him Logan was still there, but he was too late. Logan must have gone home. The thought of Logan leaving without saying goodbye or even a phone call brought a lump to his throat.

  A noise in the hallway sent him into the restroom, and from there, into the adjoining room. He cracked opened the exit door and noticed several men in the hallway.