Explosive Force

by Lynette Eason

  The attacker’s other hand reached inside his zippered hoodie, causing Heidi to scream. “He’s going for a gun!”

  In the next instant, somehow she was free.

  The release of her ankle threw her off balance and she fell hard to her knees. Pain shot through her. She’d probably reopened the healing wounds, but at the moment that was the least of her worries.

  Nick had his grip locked around her attacker’s wrist and was wrestling him for the weapon.

  ELEVEN

  Nick’s grip slipped and he clenched the muscles in his hand while he brought a knee up to the man’s midsection. It was a glancing blow and did little damage other than to distract him a fraction. But it allowed Nick to get him on the ground.

  In his peripheral vision, Nick saw a boot lash out. It connected with the side of the man’s head and he went still, those icy blue eyes glazing over. The weapon fell from his hand and Nick scooped it up to aim it at him, then glanced up to see Isaac and Oliver. “Thanks. Can one of you check and see if he has any more weapons on him?”

  A quick but thorough frisk by Oliver found him weapon-free. And glaring. Nick glanced at Heidi, noting her pale face, but set chin. “You okay?”

  “Yes. Thanks.”

  He turned his attention back to the man on the ground. “Well, it’s good to finally meet you,” Nick said. Unfortunately, he didn’t recognize him. Without taking his eyes from his captive, Nick asked, “The MPs on the way?”

  “They are,” Oliver said.

  “Thanks for your help.”

  “Glad to do it,” Isaac said. “What’s the deal with this guy?”

  Heidi stepped forward and looked at her attacker. “I recognize him. He’s the one who blew up the training center—and probably my home.”

  “And shot at you in the parking lot of the church?” Nick asked.

  “Possibly that, too.”

  The man on the ground moved as though to get up. “Stay put.” Nick gestured with the gun.

  The man stilled.

  Two Security Forces vehicles pulled into the parking lot, lights flashing. The MPs approached, hands on their weapons. One covered the man and cuffed him while the other took the perp’s weapon from Nick.

  “What happened here?” that officer said.

  “He attacked me,” Heidi said, pointing to the blue-eyed man. She explained that he was the one she’d seen running from the training center just before it exploded.

  “So, you’re the one,” one of the MPs said. “Let’s go.”

  “Wait a minute,” Nick said, stepping forward. “I’m part of the investigative team looking for Boyd Sullivan. We’re not sure the bombing has anything to do with him, but do you mind if I ask this guy a couple of questions?”

  “Go ahead.”

  Nick faced the cuffed assailant. “Why did you blow up the training center?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Yes, you did,” Heidi said.

  “And if you don’t cooperate, you’re going away for attempted murder,” Nick added.

  The ice in those blue eyes melted a tad and a flicker of fear darkened them. “Murder! I didn’t murder anyone.”

  “But you tried.” At first, Nick didn’t think the guy was going to talk. “Look, we’ve got you dead to rights here. We’ve got witnesses who saw your attack on Heidi. And she saw you come out of the training center just before it exploded. We’ve even got security footage of you.” He snagged a handful of the hoodie and gave it a not-so-gentle yank before he dropped his hand. “This will match up to what’s on video. You’re going to go down for that. If you cooperate, you might get off with a lighter sentence. What’s your name?”

  The guy licked his lips and his shoulders dropped. “Airman Lance Gentry. And I really didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. The place was supposed to be empty.”

  “Right,” Heidi said. “You didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. That’s why you shot at me in the church parking lot.”

  He scowled. “Once I knew you could identify me...” He looked away. “I got scared,” he said. “I had to get rid of you because I can’t go anywhere on base without fear of being recognized. I can’t live like that. If you were out of the picture, even if someone thought I was the guy, you wouldn’t be around to confirm it.” His eyes darted to the MPs listening to the exchange. “Guess I’m done now.”

  “Why are you doing all this?” Nick asked. “We know you went after Heidi because she could identify you. But why blow up the training center? That was the catalyst for all of this.”

  “Money. Why else?”

  Nick exchanged a confused glance with Isaac and Oliver.

  “Someone paid you to set the bomb?” Isaac asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know his name, he didn’t say. But he knew I needed money so he’d obviously done his homework on me.”

  “How did he contact you?”

  “Knocked on the door at my house.”

  “Do you live on base?”

  “Yeah.” He looked down and scuffed his foot.

  “But why stay here? Why take the risk of being caught? Especially since you knew Heidi could identify you if she saw you?”

  Gentry lifted his head, nostrils flared. “He still owes me the other half of my money. I had to stay until he paid me. I’ve been looking for him, but haven’t come across him yet. But he’ll be back. I was just waiting for him to put in an appearance, then I was going to grab my money and get out of here.”

  “You could have lain low.”

  “Can’t find a guy when you’re not looking for him. I had to be out and about on the base. But every time I set foot outside my house, I was afraid someone was going to spot me.”

  Nick pulled his phone from the clip on his belt and tapped the screen. He pulled up the picture he kept on hand and showed it to the prisoner. “Is that the guy who came knocking?”

  Gentry’s brows knit and he frowned as he studied the picture. “That’s Boyd Sullivan.”

  “No kidding.”

  “No, that’s not him.” Nick sighed and lowered the phone. “Wait. Let me see that again.” Nick obliged. “You know, it’s possible that could be him. The eyes look the same, but his hair was red and he had a beard.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. The man is a master of disguises.”

  “Whoa. Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” Nick said. “What else can you tell us? Did he say why he wanted the training center blown up?”

  “When I asked, he just said he needed a distraction. He needed attention focused on something other than him.”

  Isaac gave a light snort. “Is he really that stupid to think that we would turn our attention to the explosion and off of him?”

  Nick shrugged. “Well, it was one more thing to deal with. And it used resources and cost money. Sullivan is angry. He’s out for revenge on those he feels have wronged him in some way. If he can cause us grief or inconvenience us in any way, he’s going to do it.”

  Oliver nodded. “You’ve got a good read on him.”

  “I do.”

  “We done here?” The MPs were ready to get their prisoner to booking.

  “We’re done for now,” Nick said. He turned to Heidi. “Done with him, anyway.”

  * * *

  Heidi swallowed at the pure ice in Nick’s eyes. She’d thought Gentry had a cold stare. He had nothing on Nick. “Can we talk?”

  “We can,” he answered in a clipped tone.

  “Where?”

  “Where we won’t be overheard.”

  “Are you going to yell?” she asked him.

  “Probably.”

  “Then let’s go back to your place.”

  He eyed her with a flicker of confusion before his gaze hardened once more into
unreadable chips of blue. “Fine. My grandfather is out today volunteering at the food bank.”

  She started for the rental, then stopped. “I guess they’ll need my car for evidence.”

  “They will. You can ride with me.”

  Not sure she wanted to, she nevertheless didn’t argue and climbed in. The ride to his home was made in silence. Heidi almost broke it but decided against it.

  When he still didn’t speak as he led the way inside, Heidi got an inkling of just how livid he really was. Once in the den, he didn’t sit. He simply crossed his arms and faced her, his jaw like granite.

  “How did you know I was in trouble?”

  “I didn’t. I called your boss and asked him to tell me where you were.”

  “I’m sure glad of that.” His glare hadn’t lessened with the small talk. “I didn’t write that article,” she said.

  He scoffed and shook his head. “And now you’re going to lie to my face?”

  Heidi bit her lip and sighed. “I have a feeling who did, but it wasn’t me.”

  His frown deepened to the point she wondered if he’d ever be able to smile again. “How is that even possible? It’s in the paper. With your byline.”

  “John Robinson is how it’s possible,” she spat. Just saying his name made her want to gag.

  “Really? You’re going to blame this on him? Your editor published it!”

  “Because he thought it was from me! He didn’t know I didn’t write it.”

  Nick paced in front of the mantel and raked a hand over his head.

  Heidi sighed. “I’m sorry, Nick. I—”

  “How?”

  “How what?”

  “How did he get that information? That was a conversation between you and me and I asked you to keep it quiet. I didn’t share that with anyone else who could have passed it on to Robinson.”

  “My recorder is missing. I think when John bumped into me last night after Patriot was found, he lifted the recorder from my pocket. I haven’t had a chance to confront him, but I’m going to do that right now.” She headed toward the door and stopped. “But I don’t have a car.”

  “That’s okay. I’m not planning to let you face him alone. You almost decked him one time. I think this time I need to come along to keep you from killing him.”

  Nostrils flaring, she gave him a tight nod. “I think that might be a good idea.”

  TWELVE

  Nick didn’t think he’d ever seen her so mad. Actually, the last person he’d seen this angry had been his grandfather when the story about his mother ran. When a person was this angry, it was hard to think straight.

  That was why he was going along.

  To make sure she didn’t do anything that would get her court-martialed.

  It didn’t take long to track down Robinson. He was at his desk at the newspaper office. When he looked up and saw Heidi bearing down on him, Nick thought he saw a flash of fear in the man’s eyes before he lifted his chin in defiance.

  Heidi stopped at his desk. “I’d like to speak with you, if that’s all right.”

  Admiring her calmness, Nick decided to stay back and let her handle it. At least until she decided to do him bodily harm.

  John cleared his throat and rose. He grabbed his jacket and slipped into it. “Actually, I was just on my way out the door. I just got word that someone was arrested for the training center bombing—and that it’s somehow related to the Red Rose Killer.”

  “Right. I was there.”

  Robinson froze. “What do you mean you were there? How were you there? How many times do I have to tell you that this is my story?”

  “Then why do you have to steal my notes to get a story printed? Why are you trying so hard to discredit me?”

  He flinched. “I don’t have to stand here and listen to this garbage.” He reached for his car keys and Heidi moved fast, swiping them from the desk. They hit the floor and skidded under the chair. “Hey!”

  “You’re not going anywhere until you tell Lou what you did.” She crossed her arms.

  “Are you nuts? You can’t just come in here and act like this.”

  “Like what, John? Like a woman who is confronting a man who is not only a liar, but is willing to do just about anything to ruin her career?”

  “I’m not—”

  She stepped forward and Nick tensed. His phone rang and he shut it off, unwilling to have any distractions at the moment. He might have to intervene.

  But Heidi didn’t lift a hand, she simply thrust out her chin. “Yes, you are. You stole my recorder, listened to my notes and picked the one thing that would be sure to bring the hammer down on my head—and possibly my career. All you had to do was make sure those working the investigation wouldn’t talk to me. How did you get into my email account?”

  “Heidi, you’re delusional. I don’t know where you’re getting all of this, but I’ve got to go.”

  “It should be easy enough to prove,” Nick said.

  Robinson stilled. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about getting one of our IT people over here and letting them examine your computer. If you hacked into Heidi’s account, it can be found. If you didn’t, then no worries.”

  Robinson’s face went bright red. “This is ridiculous! Get out of my space!”

  “Have someone come over and check it out,” a voice from behind Nick said.

  Heidi spun. “Lou?”

  Her boss shrugged and met Nick’s gaze. “I don’t want to think one of my reporters would do such a thing. Have someone come over and prove he didn’t do it. That way, we’ll shut everyone up.”

  “Lou.” John rubbed his hand across his lips. “Really? You know I wouldn’t—”

  “Right. I do. But she doesn’t. I’m doing this for her, too.”

  “Thanks, Lou,” Heidi said.

  “Don’t thank me. You’re going to feel pretty foolish when we prove you wrong.”

  She huffed. “I’ll take that chance.”

  John’s jaw got tighter. “Fine!” he exploded. “I did it.”

  * * *

  Heidi blinked, her shock holding her silent for a moment. Had John actually admitted it? Nick nudged her and she snapped her mouth shut. Her shoulders slumped. “Why?” she whispered.

  John groaned and dropped back into his chair. “Because I’m afraid I’m doing a lousy job on this story and just last week, I overheard Lou saying what a great reporter you were and I thought if I offered some kind of proof that you could possibly be the anonymous blogger—and were reporting false information on top of that—then Lou would get rid of you.”

  “So you were jealous?” She gaped, then shot a look at her boss, who looked ready to stroke out at any moment. Her gaze swung back to Robinson.

  He shrugged.

  Heidi turned again to Lou, who gave a disgusted grunt and shook his head. “I’m disappointed in you, Robinson.”

  “I know, sir. I’m disappointed in myself.”

  “I should fire you.”

  Robinson flinched. “Sir...” He lifted a hand as though to argue his case. Then he dropped it. “Whatever you decide, sir.”

  “Don’t fire him,” Heidi said.

  All eyes turned to her. “What?” Lou asked.

  “You don’t have to fire him.”

  “I can’t let him get away with this.”

  “I agree. But...can you just take appropriate disciplinary action and let that be it?”

  Lou stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head. And Nick watched her, his expression a cross between pride and disbelief—and what she thought might be a smidge of admiration mixed in.

  She shrugged. “Don’t ask me to explain. I can’t. I just know I don’t want him fired.”

  “I’ll print a retraction, then—or somet
hing,” Lou said. “Actually, Robinson will. He’ll print a confession.”

  “No,” Nick said. “We don’t want the paper’s reputation to suffer.”

  “Then how are we going to fix this?” The man looked ready to explode.

  “I think,” Nick said, “you could have Heidi write a piece about how her email was compromised by someone she trusted, someone who’s had a grudge against her and wanted to smear her name and the readers will buy it. Not only is it true, but with everything that’s been happening to her—and the fact that she’s been reporting on it—the readers will also be sympathetic that she’s being targeted. Of course, she will talk about grateful she is for her boss’s support and the support of the paper overall.”

  “I like that,” Lou said.

  “She can also point out how the paper holds to the highest standards of professionalism.”

  “Because that’s true, too,” Lou grunted. He turned his glare on John. “Get out of here until I can calm down long enough to think straight. I’ll call you later and let you know what I’ve decided.”

  “Yes, sir.” He shot a look at Heidi. “I’m sorry. That was lower than low and completely unprofessional. I’m sorry and, if I get to stay, it won’t happen again, I promise.”

  Heidi nodded. As John left, she let out a low, slow breath and ran a hand over her hair. “Wow. I did not expect that.”

  “I don’t think any of us did,” Lou said.

  She looked at Nick. “Can someone really tell if he hacked my email?”

  “Probably. Truthfully, I have no idea. Are you ready to go or do you have something else you need to do here?”

  She raised a brow at Lou and he waved a hand at her. “Go find a story.” He headed for his office. “Preferably who the thief on this base is,” he shot over his shoulder. “And I’m not talking about a recorder and story thief, I mean the guy stealing the medals!” His door slammed and Heidi flinched.

  Then she cleared her throat. “What now?” she asked Nick.

  “I think we should go back to my place and you should rest.”

  “Or write up my article you just assigned me.”

  He shot her a wry glance. “Sorry.”

  “No. It’s brilliant. Thank you.”