“I expect it will since an event like that isn’t easy to live with. Maybe she should get some counseling.”
Brody closed his eyes for a moment. “Probably, but I’m pretty sure she won’t. Arden bottles up her feelings. She’s not one to vent and get everything out into the open. It’d be healthier if she did.”
“Sounds like you know her pretty well.”
“We were married.”
Patch’s eyes widened. “That’s why Thanos went after her. To get back at you.”
Brody nodded. “She might have divorced me, but I still love the woman. She’s had enough heartache in her life. She doesn’t deserve any more.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m not a psychologist, but I’ll talk to her if you think it would help. I’ve spent a lot of time with trauma victims.”
“I know you have, but as I said, she’s not one to share her feelings.”
“You two are a lot alike in that respect.”
Brody’s lips curved in a grim smile. “The whole team is pretty self-contained.”
“True. Try to get some sleep. My guess is Arden is a strong woman and will work through this in her own way. I can’t imagine you marrying someone who didn’t have a lot of inner fortitude.”
“You’re right, but it’s hard to put aside my need to take care of her.”
“I don’t know her, but maybe giving her some space and time is the best answer.”
“She said as much. She isn’t a huge fan of my alpha tendencies.”
Patch grinned. “I like this woman already. I’ll look forward to meeting her when we get back.”
“She’ll like you, too. You don’t have my Cro-Magnon attitudes.”
“Hey, don’t insult cavemen.”
“Smart ass.” Some of the tension drained out of him. “I guess we should both get some sleep. It’ll be our last opportunity. I expect this extraction to be a complete shitstorm.”
“Without a doubt.” Patch rose to his feet. “Still, we’ll get the job done and be back in Boston before you know it.”
“Yeah, we will.”
After his friend walked over to settle on a couch, Brody closed his eyes. But he couldn’t stop thinking about Arden.
Nothing between them had changed, even though they’d made love. Her barriers were still a mile high, and he didn’t blame her. Breaking through them would require effort, time, and proximity. Except she didn’t intend to give him that advantage.
His chest rose and fell as the plane pitched and jolted through a pocket of turbulence. Seeing his wife—his ex-wife—again had stirred up all his unresolved feelings. Since their divorce, he’d been going through the motions, putting his full focus on Counterstrike, ignoring the fact that he had no personal life. No family of his own.
Even though it had cost him the woman he loved, he couldn’t imagine stepping away from Counterstrike. Letting go of the only glimmer of light to come from River’s death. Leaving him with nothing but blackness.
* * * *
“Your nursing skills leave a hell of a lot to be desired.” Thanos shifted on the narrow mattress as daggers of pain shot up his leg and made his eyes water. “I’m dying here, and I couldn’t reach my damn pills.”
Her eyes narrowed as she set the plate of pancakes and eggs on the bedside table beside his revolver. Fragrant steam rose from the food, but the thought of eating turned his stomach.
“I should have left the bottle closer. Maybe you would have ODed.” She shook a couple of white tablets into her palm and handed them over with a bottle of water. “Disposing of your dead body would be easier than hiding you.”
He gritted his teeth. “You’ve obviously never dumped a corpse before. It’s not as simple as you seem to think.”
“When is your brother picking you up?”
Sweat ran down his chest, and he knew he stunk like overripe roadkill. Not that he cared. “Alex says the cops are watching him. I’ll have to ask a friend to drive up instead.”
“I’m amazed you have any.” Her mouth screwed into a tight line. “Someone’s going to find you if you stay here much longer. Not to mention I’m sick of playing nursemaid.”
“Blah, blah, blah. Since you have me tucked away in a drafty pool house, no one is going to stumble across me. It’s March, not exactly swimming weather.”
She cradled her arm against her chest. “Are you sure the doctor who set your leg won’t rat you out? I keep expecting a half-dozen police cars to roar into the neighborhood with sirens blaring.”
“Not likely. The doc and I have a mutually beneficial arrangement. He comes when I call, and I don’t tell the medical board his dirty secrets.” He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose, waiting for the meds to kick in. “He stitched you up, free of charge, so you wouldn’t have to explain that cut to an ER attendant. You should be a fan.”
“My arm still aches. I hope it’s not infected.” Her breath hissed out. “I can’t believe I sliced myself on that butcher knife cutting your pants off. I should have left the damn shirt wrapped around your leg instead of trying to apply a decent tourniquet.”
“You’re too soft-hearted to let me bleed out.” He knew the irony in his tone didn’t escape her.
She responded with a snort. “Yeah, I’m a sentimental fool where you’re concerned.”
He tried to focus through the constant throbbing that dulled his mind. “Any sign of Grant?”
“No. Do you expect him to show up?”
“Why would he stay in Vermont if he believes I’m dead? Too bad I’m in no condition to put a couple of rounds in him if he does come home.”
A gleam of satisfaction entered her eyes. “A real shame. As much as I’d like to stand here chatting, I have things to do.” She pushed the plate a little closer. “Eat while your breakfast is hot. I’ll be back to check on you later and empty that bedpan. It stinks to high heaven in here.”
“Vile shrew,” he muttered as the door shut behind her.
The pulsing in his leg had finally ebbed to a tolerable level. Since he needed to gain back his strength, he struggled upright against the pillows and lifted the plate onto his lap. He’d eaten an egg and one pancake when the door opened and the woman he’d been forced to rely on reappeared.
“Back so soon?”
She stepped farther into the cabana and stared at him, her eyes wide. “Interesting twist.”
He clenched the blanket covering him. “What?”
“Arden just showed up. I’m not sure why. I was getting the mail and haven’t had a chance to speak to her yet.”
“Well, go talk to her and find out. If Grant is on his way home, and they plan to stay here for any length of time, this could get complicated.”
“She had a couple of dogs with her. They jumped out of the Uber that dropped her off.”
“Jesus. I hope they aren’t freaking bloodhounds. Why the hell would she take an Uber from Vermont?”
“I’ve no clue.”
He leaned over to lift his loaded revolver off the table and lay it on the mattress next to his hip. “If that woman comes snooping around, I’ll be ready.
She backed up a step. “You’d shoot her?”
“As much as I’d love to enact revenge on that bitch, I’d prefer not to do it here, where covering my tracks won’t be easy. However, I’ll do whatever’s necessary.”
“I’ll talk to her. Maybe she’s not planning to stay long.”
“You’d better hope this is just a quick stop. Otherwise, you may get a crash course in the intricacies of disposing of a dead body.”
Chapter Eleven
Arden dropped her suitcase at her feet, rapped sharply on the front door, and waited. The cold wind blew her hair around her face as she stood with her back to the house to keep an eye on Heidi and Hero as they wandered around the lawn, stopping frequently to sniff a strange new scent.
Each shrub and tree on the property was achingly familiar, chosen after much discussion when she and Brody had given the
acre plus yard a facelift the year after they were married. A huge project that had kept her busy throughout her pregnancy with River.
When Bernice hadn’t opened the door after a full minute, she frowned and depressed the lever. The door swung inward. With a shrug, she stepped into the entry.
“Anyone home?” Her voice echoed back at her. “Bernice?”
Her tennis shoes squeaked against the polished wood floors as she headed toward the kitchen. A pot of chicken soup simmered on the stove, but there was no sign of the housekeeper.
Somewhere in the house, a door shut, and footsteps sounded in rapid succession.
“Out! Where did you two come from?”
Arden sprinted toward the entry, arriving in time to see her dogs disappear through the open front door, tails tucked.
“They’re mine.”
Bernice let out a yelp and spun around, pressing a hand to her chest. Her breasts rose and fell beneath the dark green cardigan. “Good heavens, you startled me. I certainly wasn’t expecting you, Mrs. Grant. Does Mr. Grant know you’re here?”
“Not exactly, but I talked to John.”
Her lips flattened. “I’m afraid Mr. Grant won’t be home anytime soon. I’m sorry if you wasted your time driving all this distance, but staying here while he’s away—”
“That’s not my intention. He’s been with me in Vermont, and we drove down to Boston together. However, I’ve had a change of plans. If you’ll find the keys to his pickup, the dogs and I will be on our way home.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Brody won’t mind. Actually, John suggested I borrow the truck, but if you don’t feel comfortable with me taking it, you can call him to confirm.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m sorry I didn’t answer the door promptly when you arrived. I was upstairs dusting and assumed it was one of those annoying individuals trying to either sell something or convert me.” Her tone held a note of censure.
“I guess I should have called ahead to warn you I was on my way.” Arden walked over to the door and smiled at her dogs sitting patiently on the stone walkway. “You’re being very good. I’ll take you for a quick walk before we leave.”
“I’ll go get that key.” The housekeeper’s voice was slightly less frosty as she hurried away.
Probably because I’m not staying long. A grim smile tugged at her lips. When the other woman returned a few minutes later, Arden took the key fob she handed over. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” With an abrupt nod, Bernice strode toward the stairs, presumable to continue with her interrupted dusting.
Arden stuck the key in her jacket pocket and shut the door behind her. “Let’s go, guys. We’ll take a walk on the beach.”
The dogs wagged their fluffy tails and followed her around the side of the house toward the path that ran along the property line. The roses in her flower garden near the pool house were still tied up with twine for the winter. In a couple of months, the first blooms would perfume the air, mixing with the salt scent off the sea. She’d missed the unique aroma and long walks along the shore.
“Arden, I’m surprised to see you here again so soon.” The feminine voice hailed her from nearby.
Turning, she spotted Sabrina crossing the back lawn from the house next door, and waited for the woman to reach her. She wore athletic tights and a hooded sweatshirt rather than her usual stylish garb.
“This trip was somewhat spur of the moment.”
“Oh?” One thin brow rose. “Is Brody home? I haven’t seen him lately.”
“No, he’s working. I only dropped by to borrow his pickup.” She pushed her hands deeper into her pockets. “It’s a long story, so I won’t bore you with the details.”
“You don’t intend to stay?”
“Only long enough to walk my dogs.” She nodded toward the huskies who had continued down to the beach. Hero’s limp was less pronounced than the day before, but he was still favoring his bruised leg.
“I was on my way to the gym when I saw movement back here. Good to know it wasn’t some random stranger using our path.” She hunched her shoulders against the wind. “Enjoy your walk. It’s a little too cold for my taste. This winter has been dragging, and I can’t wait for spring.”
“My dogs love the chilly temperature.” She shaded her eyes against the glare off the water as Heidi ran from a wave before stopping to bark at a clump of seaweed. “I’d better go supervise them before they get soaked.”
“Sure. See you, Arden.”
After Sabrina walked away, she continued down the steps to the beach. The good memories accumulated along this stretch of sand far outweighed the bad. She spread her arms wide and faced into the wind, letting her hair blow wildly as she enjoyed the endless vista of rolling waves.
“Arden!”
Up the beach, a familiar figured waved and hurried toward her. They met halfway, and she reached out to hug her friend.
Nicole stepped back and smiled. “I knew it had to be you the minute I saw all that blond hair. What brings you back to Marblehead so soon?”
“I’m just making a quick stop on my way home from Boston.”
“Can you stay and have an early lunch with me? I have a fresh loaf of sourdough, and I’ll grill some ham and mozzarella sandwiches with tomatoes. Our favorite.”
Arden laughed. “Twist my arm. As long as you don’t mind a couple of damp, sandy dogs in your house.”
“My floors will survive.” She gazed after the pair as they chased a seagull. “They’re adorable.”
“Thanks.”
Strolling up the beach behind the dogs, they reached the crushed shell path that ran adjacent to the covered pool in the backyard and made their way toward the house.
Nicole’s expressive brown eyes were full of questions as she glanced over. “Are you and Brody . . .”
Arden shook her head. “I had a problem with a . . . uh . . . a break-in at my cabin, and he helped me deal with security. I’m just here to borrow his truck. No big deal.”
“It certainly sounds like a big deal.” Her friend held open the door to the mudroom. “I have old towels we can use to wipe down the dogs.”
“Good, because they’re a mess.” Arden brushed the sand off her shoes on the mat before following her dogs inside.”
Nic lifted a faded beach towel off a shelf, handed it over, and then dropped onto a carved bench. “I hope to God the person who broke into your house didn’t hurt you.”
“No. The sheriff thought it might have been a poacher who wasn’t expecting to find anyone home.” Arden rubbed the thick wet fur on Hero’s underside, taking care when she wiped his sore leg. “The jerk took off when I yelled, but the incident scared me.”
“I would think so. I’m not surprised you called Brody.”
She glanced up and smiled as she finished cleaning Hero and started on Heidi. “We may be divorced, but I know I can always count on him to help me out in a pinch.”
“That’s because Brody is a good guy. Most women don’t have such a healthy relationship with their ex. Take Sabrina, for example. Her jerk of an ex-husband is way behind in child support, or at least that’s what she told me. I think her family is helping her out, or she’d lose her house.”
“That sucks.” Arden gave Heidi a final rub and rose to her feet.
“It really does.” Nicole led the way into the kitchen. “I’ll make us those sandwiches, and you can tell me what you’ve been doing lately.”
“Not a heck of a lot.” Arden slid onto a stool. “Just hanging out with my animals and filling honey orders. I’ve been snowshoeing in the woods quite a bit since we had such a big winter, but the snow will melt soon.”
“Sounds peaceful. My life is always crazy busy with the boys’ activities.” She pulled bread from the pantry and opened the refrigerator before looking back over her shoulder. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Not really.”
“Why not?” Nic set ham, cheese, and tomatoes on the c
ounter, then went to work constructing thick sandwiches on the sourdough loaf.
“As you said, my life is peaceful. Men complicate everything.”
“True. However, they do keep you warm at night.”
“You’ve got me there. My cat isn’t quite the same.” Memories of the night spent with Brody flooded through her mind. His strong arms wrapped around her as they clung to each other. It had been a long time since she’d felt so cherished. So loved.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Huh?” Arden’s gaze flew up to meet her friend’s.
“You were in a complete daze.”
“Sorry. Honestly, I’m exhausted. The stress of the home invasion took a lot out of me.”
Nicole pulled sandwiches oozing cheese out of the toaster oven and set one on a plate in front of her. “Sit back and relax. Turn your mind off for a while.”
“That’s exactly what I need to do.” Stop thinking about what she was missing with Brody. Stop wondering if the body in the lake had surfaced yet. Stop reliving the moment she’d pulled the trigger and Thanos sank beneath the ice . . .
“Eat your sandwich.”
Arden smiled. “Yes, Mom.” She took a gooey bite and closed her eyes. “This is delicious. Why haven’t I made one of these in years?”
“Probably because they have about a thousand calories. You haven’t gained an ounce since you moved. Me, I never did lose the last ten pounds after I had the twins.” She bit into her sandwich and chewed. “I’m not going to stress over it.”
“You look great.”
They chatted about inconsequential things, books they’d both read and movies they’d watched. Arden could practically feel her tension easing. After they finished eating, she swallowed the last of the tea in her cup and slid down from the stool. “This has been terrific, a real blast from the past, but I need to head home.”
“I enjoyed it.” Nic’s brown eyes clouded. “We can all use a stress-reliever now and then, and I’ve missed our talks.”
“Me, too.” The dogs scrambled to their feet and followed her to the door.
“Give me a call if you’re going to be in the neighborhood again. Let’s not leave meeting to chance next time.”
Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3) Page 13