Shake Down

by Jade Chandler

  Steps echoed on the tile waiting room floor, and Danvers met my steely stare.

  “Docs are checking Charlie out now, and Brie is in surgery.”

  “How bad was it?” He collapsed into the chair next to mine.

  “They’d have died if I wasn’t there.” I’d blocked that notion from my mind, not ready to go there. “One car for cover, but the opposition had MP5s and all the right angles. I spooked them when I shot back—they hadn’t anticipated any other backup.”

  Danvers nodded. “You do any damage?”

  “I cracked both windows and shot out a tire on the driver’s side, but I had to stay with the women, so I couldn’t pursue them.” They’d gotten away because I didn’t have backup. I’d let the prospect go back to Ardmore after the first week—a mistake.

  “License, make?”

  “Black Chevy Tahoe, less than five years old. No rear license plate,” I told him. “It will be stolen and you’ll find it burned out. They were professionals. Franco’s men.”

  “Dammit. I needed this to be hype. We aren’t equipped for this level of threat.” His phone rang as if on cue. He swiped the screen. “Danvers.”

  I heard a fast string of words.

  “When?” he barked out. A quick silence. “Both of them?... Send four units to the hospital. Protect my detectives at all costs.” He punched the end button with too much force. “Goddammit.” He hung his head then swung it over to look at me. “Both of the Logans are dead in jail. The prosecutor is in another hospital across town.” He ground his teeth together and the pulse point at his jaw ticked with rapid-fire precision. “All this happened within the space of one hour.”

  “Cleaning house. I told you it’d come.” I blew out a breath.

  “Glad you were there. You stopped them from wiping out my team.” He ran a hand over his bald head. “You got any plans to stop this?”

  “Make it more efficient to take out Mickey—it’s the only shot. None of us can take on Franco—either Mickey goes away, everyone else dies, or the Marshals make the witnesses disappear. The last two options aren’t acceptable to me.”

  “So you’re going to, what, kill Mickey?” He snorted. “You aren’t a killer.”

  “Nope, I’m not. If anyone but Franco pulls that trigger, it’s war anyway, so I have to keep her alive long enough to make the big boss sweat.” I grinned. “I’m good at being a pain in the ass.”

  Tom, Brie’s boyfriend, rushed into the room. “I was in a standoff across town. How’s Brie?”

  I stood and clasped his shoulder. Danvers stood on the other side with a hand to his shoulder.

  “Brie will be fine. The gunshot wound went straight through her right shoulder, hit a bleeder, but not the main one. Docs are sewing her up now.”

  He glanced from Danvers to me. “You telling me straight?” Tom had seen combat with Danvers, but not with me.

  Danvers nodded. “Joe never lies.”

  That wasn’t true. I lied to the low-life I hunted all the damn time, but I’d never lie about something important.

  “What happened?” He sat on my other side and Danvers moved to sit beside him.

  I told my story again and wished I had more to share. The truth was I had very little to show for my so-called protection.

  “Man, you ever need anything, say the word. You saved both of their lives today.” Tom clapped me on the back. “So what’s the fucking plan?”

  “Protect them at all costs.” I met his gaze and saw the same determination I felt.

  “Consider me on leave until this is resolved.” Tom stared over at his captain. “You got a problem with that?”

  Danvers held up his hands. “Nope. I’d take her away from here and wouldn’t tell anyone where.”

  “At least while she’s wounded.” I had a different plan.

  Two sets of angry faces swung my way. “Way I figure it, they’ll keep coming until we show our strength or the trial happens. Then the girls will have to go into witness relocation.”

  Tom’s shoulders slumped. “I’m five steps behind. I never thought they’d go after cops. Obviously you did.”

  I had no doubt the strike would come. Criminals know one way to do things—by force. You only changed their mind with greater force. “This is going to sound crazy.”

  “Good, I’m ready for some crazy,” Charlie spoke up.

  I hadn’t heard her come out. I stared up into cold blue eyes ready to kick some ass. Her cuts were clean, her arm in a sling, and blood still stained her pants. She looked like she’d survived hell and was ready to give some back.

  “Sit here, darling.” I patted my knee.

  She rolled her eyes and sat next to Danvers. “Tell us your plan.”

  “It involves you as bait.” I laid out the worst of it first.

  Danvers looked away.

  “If we go into hiding then they’ll wait us out. We have to stand in the open and defeat their efforts to kill you. Then it makes sense for them to kill Mickey instead.”

  “That’s not—”

  “That’s the only way you don’t end up with a new name, away from everyone you know and love.” My words were ruthless but she needed to understand.

  Silence met my statement.

  “My parents, my brothers...” Her quiet words hung in the air.

  “It’s you or him, and Franco needs to choose him.”

  Tom shook his head. “Brie will fight me, but until she’s healed I’ll lock her up.”

  Charlie nodded. “She can’t be part of this.”

  “And you can?” Danvers frowned. “Joe lives by his own code, and I can’t say he’s wrong about the outcome. But can you live with that?”

  Charlie blew out a breath. “I’m not hiding, it’ll only make it worse. If Mickey and I are still standing when it’s time for court, I’ll testify, but I’m not letting the feds protect me. If I remember right, the last witnesses were killed in Marshal custody.”

  “That’s the truth.” I glared at Danvers. “And you’re not testifying.” No way would I let her put that kind of bull’s-eye on her back.

  “You aren’t the boss of me.” She shot me a look sharp enough to slice out my heart. “I’ll do what’s right.” Anger lit up her cheeks, a beautiful rosy hue. She was sexier mad. “And why were you there to begin with?”

  “I’ve been your shadow for two weeks, waiting for the attack.”

  “You...” she sputtered. “You did what?” She turned her icy glare on Danvers. “And you let him?”

  “He doesn’t answer to me, but his intervention did save your life.”

  Damn right it did. “And I’m sticking by your side until this is over. Delta—he served with us too—will watch my six if we need him.”

  Danvers nodded. “Good plan. That man is deadly.”

  “Do I have a say in this?” Charlie asked.

  “You can say what you want, but I’ll sleep on your goddam doorstep if I need to.” This wasn’t up for negotiation.

  “And you two...what do you think?” Charlie stared from Danvers to Tom.

  “I plan to take Brie away at least until her shoulder heals.” Tom shot me a sympathetic look. “You need the backup, Charlie, don’t be stupid.”

  Danvers didn’t speak for a long time. “Either the feds or him, pick your poison.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I hated when Danvers picked the moral ground. He didn’t want me near Charlie because he knew what I wanted. I wanted everything, and I didn’t have close to an even trade. I was a shell of a man, not sure I had anything good inside me to give her.

  “Not much of a choice.” Charlie stared at me. “Why do you want to help me?”

  “I just will. Bank on it.” I refused to go there. All my answers would piss her off. She’d made her feelings, or lack of them, clear. But I’d
change her mind.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Charlie

  I didn’t know what to say. It was an impossible decision. Joe represented temptation and hope, the FBI represented, what? Incompetence, safety or a new life? I didn’t want a new life. I liked my life. Yet a small part of me was tempted by the idea of starting over with a new identity, but my demons lived in my memories so no amount of distance would set me free.

  “So exactly what are we doing? What’s your plan?” I fixed my gaze on Joe.

  He grinned and stole my breath with a simple smile. Joe was sexy with the broody biker look, but when he smiled he melted all my resistance, and it was mighty.

  “We don’t die.” He leaned back in his seat, a smug expression on his face.

  “More details?” He infuriated me, but I kept a civil tone.

  “I don’t have them. We go to your place, stay until they attack it, and improvise. That’s the battle plan.” He shrugged and looked at the other two guys. “You have anything to add?”

  “Sounds as good as anything.” Tom grinned at me. “You’re defending, not much planning you can do.”

  “Are you sure you won’t choose the FBI? They’ll have a plan.” Captain Danvers lifted his eyebrow.

  “One that gets me killed.” I sighed. “Or erased. So we go with Joe’s plan, or lack of one.”

  A doctor walked into the waiting room. “Family for Brie Devough.”

  We stood as a group and moved forward. “I’m her captain, she’s on the police force. Her family is still traveling here.”

  I didn’t even think about calling her family, who lived in Dallas and would want to be here. My brain had quit working after the ambush, and I didn’t know if it’d ever reset.

  The doctor stared at us. “Since this is official business, I will tell you she is out of surgery and resting. She should be able to have visitors in an hour, once she’s in her room.”

  “Did the surgery go okay?” Tom asked in a halting voice.

  “Yes, she’ll make a full recovery with some physical therapy.” The doctor smiled. “I really can’t say more.”

  Tom grinned wide. “A full recovery. Thank God.”

  Joe gripped his shoulder. “I told you in and out, your girl will be giving you hell in no time.” He glanced over at me. “We need to go, now.”

  Who did he think he was? No one told me what to do. “I’m seeing Brie. End of discussion.” I crossed my arms.

  “You two together make a tempting target. You want that?” He crossed his arms, mirroring me.

  I hadn’t thought about that angle. Dammit. Why was he always right? He irritated me just standing there. How would I live with him for the next few days or weeks? The better question—how to resist him. I feared I wouldn’t be able to, or want to. My sci-fi geekdom raised its head. “Resistance is futile.” My dad still loved Star Trek, and I’d always be a Trekkie.

  Shit, my parents. The news would be reporting on this.

  “Did you tell Dad?” I glanced over at Captain Danvers. Dad was retired but still connected to everyone in the department.

  He nodded. “He called me when Dispatch reported an officer down. He knows you’re okay. I told him you’d be here until morning.”

  “I need to regroup. Let’s go.” I started for the door. Joe fell in step beside me.

  “Pine,” Captain Danvers called.

  I turned to look at him.

  “You’re on paid leave until this is sorted out. I’ll send an officer by tomorrow for a statement.”

  I hated to be sidelined, but then staying alive might be challenging enough. Besides, I couldn’t put my coworkers or family in jeopardy. “Got it. Do you have patrols watching my parents’ place?”

  “Yup, and your brothers’ houses too. Not that they liked it much.” Captain grinned at me. “They all want to be assigned to your protection detail, though.”

  I wouldn’t forgive myself if my family were hurt; they needed to protect each other. I had Joe.

  He didn’t speak as we walked through the muggy summer night. What was in it for him? Why had he been shadowing me? He’d never answered my question. I needed to figure that out, but I’d wait to confront him when the world didn’t feel like it was speeding past me while I moved in slow motion.

  We buckled up in his Escalade and headed out of OU Med Center. Thankfully I lived close by. “I live at—”

  “I know where you live, I’ve been tailing you.” He grinned over at me. “I know a lot about you.”

  What had I done these past two weeks? And how come I hadn’t noticed this black beast hanging around me for days? Some cop I was, I couldn’t even spot a tail by a civilian.

  “Stop fretting.”

  “I don’t fret.” I glared over at him. “How come I didn’t spot you?”

  “Used three different vehicles, and I had help for several days. Also, I put a tracker on your vehicle so I wouldn’t lose you.” Joe drove down the street in the direction of my town house, only about ten minutes away.

  “Do you have a code for your garage?” He idled in my drive. “I’d like your place to look like it always does.”

  I opened my door.

  “Shut the damn door and stay in here,” he growled. “You don’t know if a sniper is waiting to take you out. Give me the code.”

  I rolled my eyes but gave him the code. No one shot him as he opened my single car garage and wedged the SUV into the space. He’d only let me get out once the garage door closed, then he had me cover him as we checked each room. All clear.

  “The bomb squad cleared the place an hour or so ago, so we are as safe as we can be in the open.” He opened my fridge. “This all needs real cooking. I’ll call for pizza. Who delivers?”

  I wasn’t hungry. I just wanted a shower and to crawl in bed and sleep. “Pepe’s delivers or Pizza Hut if you like that stuff.”

  “Pepe’s it is.” His gaze traveled up me and back down before those eyes turned velvet soft. “You look like hell.”

  “Thanks,” I scoffed. “I’m hitting the shower. You?”

  “Eat pizza, sleep on the couch, protect you, not necessarily in that order.” He lifted a shoulder. “Go on, before you fall over.”

  With a single nod, I trudged upstairs to my room and the shower. “There are pillows and covers in the upstairs hallway closet,” I called down the steps.

  “Thanks. See you in the morning.”

  I didn’t turn around. I was too damn tired. And if I hoped to get any sleep I’d have to forget about the entirely too sexy and too available man on my sofa.

  I undressed, jumped into the shower and let the hot water scald my skin, but it didn’t wash away the night. The scene on Hudson replayed in my mind. Pinned down, nowhere to go, the replay slowed as each bullet came closer and closer to me. Brie bled out beside me, the pool of blood grew bigger and bigger—nothing I could do. If I stopped shooting, we’d both be dead.

  The sun broke through and Joe fired, and the SUV careened away. The sun reflected off his tan skin and to me he’d looked like some Wild West gunslinger saving the day. No carefree smile graced his face, but the serious lines of his face only made him more attractive.

  Then his gaze flicked from me to Brie and the world sped up to fast-forward. Fear and adrenaline had flooded me, I’d had to fight past it to act, but Joe had beat me to it, already on the phone to 911. Despite my years of training, I’d not been prepared for the reality of the firefight. Unlike him. He’d been everything I hoped to be. I’d failed, but I was alive to fight another day.

  I let the water beat down on me and shut down my mind. Easier said than done, but every time the memory reel started, I blanked it and tried to just float in the moment. The moments became longer, and a semblance of peace surrounded me.

  When I’d exhausted my hot water supply, I stepped out
and went through my nighttime routine. Hair brushed, moisturizer on, then I threw on a comfy college T-shirt. Go Aggies. And crawled into my bed, exhausted. I stared up into the dark, sure I wouldn’t sleep. I closed my eyes and willed my memories to stay quiet.

  The blood began as a trickle. I pressed the jacket into Brie’s wound. The harder I pressed the more blood oozed from the wound. Dark crimson liquid ran from my best friend.

  “No, stop!” I shouted. No matter what I did, Brie’s blood ran from her, now like water from the tap, it surrounded us, covering me.

  Brie convulsed, her eyes flew open, staring straight ahead, but seeing nothing. Dead. The blood finally stopped. Too late. It surrounded me, smothering me. I struggled to stay atop the metallic smelling liquid, but it thickened, sucking me under, taking me down, just like it had Brie.

  “No.” I struggled to hold my nose above the surface, taking my last free breath.

  I woke with hands on me. My fist connected with a thunk.

  “Fuck.” A male voice groaned. “Charlie, it’s me.”

  Marcone. Joe. I’d clocked him. I opened my eyes to see him rubbing his cheek.

  “That’ll leave a mark.” He examined me. “You were shouting. Bad dream?”

  “Yeah.” I sat up and ran a hand over my still damp hair. “Too real.” I picked up the water bottle I kept beside my bed and drained it. The crackle of the flimsy plastic and the thud of my heart in my ears were the only sounds in my bedroom.

  But Joe was there. Big, real, stealing my oxygen and replacing it with his unique scent—clean with a splash of spice. Whatever cologne he wore smelled wonderful. I wanted to lick his neck, curl up in his arms and let him chase away the memories stalking me.

  I considered how I’d spend the rest of the night. Joe tempted me, but I’d regret it in the morning.

  Or maybe not. I couldn’t get the kiss out of my mind. No one had made me feel so much with one touch of lips to lips. Not even Jensen.

  If I wanted to respect myself tomorrow, I had to make it through on my own. I didn’t lean on random men, especially Joe. A man so different from me, and one I barely knew.