Night Watch

by Susan Sleeman

  She thought to argue, but why? Anyone could pick up the backpack, and if it made Erik feel better, then she would let him have his way. She handed her phone to him, working hard not to touch him.

  He cupped it tightly. “I’ll get to work on exporting the data while you pack.”

  “Pack?”

  He planted his feet in a stubborn stance she recognized. “I’ve had a chance to think it over, and I won’t let you stay here. It’s too dangerous. You can stay at my condo. Much safer.”

  She flashed her gaze up to his. “Not going to happen. I’ve started carrying since I met you, and I’ll be fine here.”

  “Carrying?” He eyed her. “What prompted that?”

  “My job. I see the bad things that can happen.” She had to fight off a shudder to keep from raising his concerns even more and maybe from letting her worry ramp back up too.

  He kept his focus pinned to her. “You didn’t have your gun tonight.”

  “It was here in my purse.” She held up her hands. “I know. I know. Fat lot of good it did me down here. But when I went upstairs, I didn’t think… I didn’t plan to fall asleep. I know better now, and I’ll be extra sure I have my gun with me at all times.”

  “I still don’t like you being on your own here. I checked things out when I went to help Sierra. No security cameras. Zero. So even more of a reason not to stay here. And if you’re worried you’ll have to put up with me at my condo, don’t be. I’ll bunk with one of my brothers, and you can have my place all to yourself.”

  She shook her head more vehemently than needed, and she didn’t like that either. She was over him, right? She shouldn’t let seeing him again impact her so much. She swallowed to level her emotions. “I can’t put you out of your place. Not on top of the protection and investigative services you’re providing.”

  He took in a long breath, and she waited for it to whoosh out, but he let the air out in slow frustration. “What do you think protection services are?”

  “I don’t…well… I didn’t really think about it.”

  “Then let me tell you. One of us will be with you twenty-four/seven until this guy is caught. Except at the condo. Security for our building is top-notch, so you should be fine on your own there.”

  “But I—we can’t.” She gestured between them and lowered her voice so Sierra couldn’t hear. “Can’t be together that much.”

  “Why not?”

  “Our history. It’s bound to be uncomfortable.”

  Another breath, this one held before blowing out in hurricane force. “A little discomfort is worth it to make sure you’re safe.”

  “But I—”

  “As far as putting me out,” he said, “don’t think that way. You’ll actually be doing us a favor. We won’t need as many guys on your detail while you’re at Veritas.”

  “At Veritas?” Trying to figure out what the lab had to do with this, she blinked a few times. “I don’t understand.”

  “Right, you wouldn’t know. Veritas has two six-story towers. Sierra wrangled us a good deal on office space in the lab tower, and the other tower holds condos where we all live.”

  “All of the Byrds?” She gaped at him. Not because of the living quarters, but because it was actually sinking in that using their agency meant she would be seeing his brothers again too.

  “Not my mom and dad. Our family is close, but that would just be weird.” He grinned.

  Despite her unease, she felt the corners of her mouth crooking up. No. She wouldn’t get drawn in by his presence. She’d never been able to stay mad at him. Never. One look at those honey brown eyes, which could one minute bore to the center of her very being and the next minute dance with delight, and her anger evaporated.

  “I’ll go pack a bag while I wait for the backup diver.” She strode toward the staircase.

  “Put on booties so you don’t disturb any evidence as you head up,” Sierra called out but didn’t look up from the doorway.

  Kennedy should have thought of that. She was a professional, just like Sierra. But then Sierra hadn’t just had an armed man chase her and wasn’t captivated by the very attractive ex-boyfriend in the room.

  Get a grip, girl, she told herself as she slipped on the paper booties. Or before this is all over, you’ll be in for a world of hurt.

  In the family room two hours later, Kennedy inspected the O-rings on the oxygen tank to make sure it formed a tight seal with the regulator, then connected her buoyancy compensator, which looked like a bulky vest, to the tank, making sure to pull the tank straps tight. It would be easier to do the prep work for her dive on the deck, but Erik had asked her to stay inside for as long as possible.

  Not a big deal, really. Except his presence seemed to fill the room as he watched her every move, a longing expression on his face. He was fully trained in diving. It was something they’d enjoyed doing together. She had enough gear for him to join her, but she didn’t need the distraction. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him that he distracted her. She wouldn’t tell him that seeing him caused these unexpected feelings.

  Professional. That’s what they were. She just had to focus on her task.

  She took the dust cap off the regulator and attached it, along with her low-pressure inflator and alternate air source.

  He moved closer. “I wish you’d let me dive with you.”

  “No point. Besides we’ll have our cameras on and communications devices in the face masks so you can watch and listen in.” She tested the air pressure. Good. She had a full tank of air.

  Before she could reach the valve, he twisted it all the way open to test the regulator. Their hands brushed, and she snatched hers back.

  Great. Way to hide your emotions from the guy.

  “Would you mind checking to see if Charlie is ready to dive?” she asked, hoping to get Erik out of the room.

  “No problem.” He met and held her gaze. “Don’t mind leaving now that I saw with my own eyes that your equipment is working fine.”

  She was an independent woman. More independent than a lot of people, but her heart warmed under his concern. He’d always been protective and caring, but he never took it to extreme measures. Still, diving could be dangerous if she didn’t carefully check the equipment. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed the fact that he’d wanted to be sure of her safety.

  She went back to her buoyancy compensator while he walked out the door. She loaded the BC pockets with tools and evidence containers that she might need. She also added a folding tactical knife. Never knew what she might run into down there.

  Perfect. She was ready. Pumped to be diving again, even if it was thanks to a less than positive situation, she grabbed lights, a mask, and fins and headed out to the deck.

  Charlie, a tall lanky guy, stood waiting. “Ready?”

  She nodded. “You’re good with the plan?”

  “I am.” He put a headlamp on and slid into the water.

  She glanced at Erik, whose eyes were narrowed.

  “Relax,” she said. “We’ll be fine.”

  “I know, it’s just…” He shrugged and gritted his teeth.

  She didn’t want him to finish that sentence, as it seemed as if his feelings for her might not be dead either, and they didn’t need that kind of distraction.

  She slipped into the river and swam out to the first rope just as big drops of rain hit the water. She followed the rope down and was soon surrounded by murky darkness. Some people would freak out in such a claustrophobic situation, but she found it comforting. All the troubles and sounds of the outside world disappeared.

  “Everything okay?” Erik’s deep voice sounded in her ear.

  Right. The outside world was still there. “Good, but it’s very hard to see.”

  “At the bottom yet?”

  She adjusted her headlamp. “I’m descending slowly so I don’t disturb the silt and further obscure my vision.”

  “Keep me updated, okay?”

  “Roger that.” She reached the
bottom and began scouring with her hand, feeling for any object.

  She and Charlie would each hold onto the rope while sifting through a foot of silt, mud, trash, and foliage. They’d marked off a small section where she’d seen the item go into the water, and they would move back and forth in straight lines—like mowing a lawn—and as soon as she completed a section, Charlie would search the same area. If they didn’t locate the item, they would expand downstream.

  She shone her light ahead and swept her hand through the silt while barely kicking forward into the darkness and gliding her other hand along the rope until she reached the end. She didn’t know the exact time it took, but she guessed about thirty minutes.

  “Man, it’s dark,” Erik said. “I can’t see a thing on the camera.”

  “Yeah, totally going by feel here.” She swam to the second rope. “You’re good to go on one, Charlie.”

  “Roger that.”

  She started down the second rope, and they passed the midway mark, but she didn’t look up as she didn’t want to move her light. Her gloved fingers crept through the silt. Something sharp clamped onto her fingers.

  She yelped in pain.

  “What is it?” Erik asked.

  She tried to free herself from the radiating pain that had her gritting her teeth. “Something on my… Charlie, help!”

  He swam over to her.

  “Snapping turtle,” she said, finally making out the shape in the cloudy waters. “Won’t release.”

  “Let me get behind him and grab the shell,” Charlie said.

  Pain shot through Kennedy’s hand, radiating up her arm. The turtle continued to hold its grip. This wasn’t her first bite, and at least it was a common snapping turtle. Not like the alligator turtles in the south. They rarely sought a person out, but accidental strikes happened when they surprised a diver from where they hid in the sandy bottoms of fresh water.

  Charlie grabbed the shell behind the turtle’s head. His movement was enough to surprise the turtle, and it’s mouth relaxed. She jerked her hand free.

  “Let me move him well out of our way.” Charlie swam away, holding the turtle at his side.

  “Come on up, and I’ll bandage your hand,” Erik said.

  “No need. I can finish.”

  “You’ll need to have it looked at.”

  “Yeah,” she said, thinking Erik was sounding like his mother, who would insist on the same thing. Her mother would too, if she were alive. Kennedy suddenly missed being part of such a big warm family. Missed having parents.

  She’d been so sentimental since her mother died. But now wasn’t the time for that. She needed to let it go and get back to work. Pain radiated through her hand, and she felt a bit lightheaded but swallowed hard and drew in some deep breaths to keep moving forward.

  Nearing the end of the second rope, her hand connected with something metal. She lifted it up to her light, her hand throbbing with the exertion.

  “Got it. It’s a crowbar.” Excitement of the find burned in her gut, maybe not as brightly as when she searched for a murder weapon that the killer warned that she’d never find. She might only be searching out a crowbar here, but this search was personal. This was for her mother.

  4

  Erik paced the dock, rain beating down on him. No point in looking at the video Kennedy and Charlie were sending up. Sure, it would be good documentation for court, but otherwise, he couldn’t see a thing. He didn’t know why having her cruising the bottom of the river bothered him, but it did. Not that she was in danger, other than from a turtle, and a bite on the hand was hardly life-threatening.

  In the past, he’d never been super protective of her. Sure, when they were together, he felt responsible for keeping her safe, as most men did with the women in their lives, but he never let it get in his way or stop her from doing anything.

  So what was going on tonight? Why the angst?

  She surfaced, and he let out a long breath, then watched her swim toward him, the rain slicing into the river. The evidence bag was clutched in her uninjured hand. The minute she shed her dive suit and handed the crowbar over to Sierra, Erik would take her to the ER to get her hand assessed. Bites could easily become infected. He wouldn’t let that happen.

  “You still have a thing for her,” Sierra said coming up behind him and resting a hand on his shoulder.

  He thought to claim his lack of feelings for Kennedy but thought better as he turned to look at his sister, who now wore rain gear. Unlike him, she wasn’t getting soaking wet. “No point in denying it, but I don’t want Kennedy to know about it, so keep it between us.”

  “Oh, honey, sorry. You’re transmitting your interest loud and clear, and she couldn’t possibly miss it.”

  “Then I’ll have to figure out a way to hide it.”

  “Good luck.” Sierra tipped her head at the water. “Did they locate anything?”

  “A crowbar.” Erik’s attention went back to Kennedy. “You done here?”

  “Yes. I’ll log the crowbar into evidence and take off.”

  “Can you process it for prints right away and get DNA samples off to Emory? For my shirt too?” The center’s DNA expert was used to working late hours, and if not, once Emory learned this was personal to Erik, she would come back to the lab to get the samples running.

  “I’ll need to feed Asher first, but then, sure. Glad to. And I’ll text Emory too.”

  Erik flashed a smile of thanks but moved across the deck when Kennedy set the crowbar on the edge. Charlie swam up behind her.

  Sierra picked up the evidence bag. “I’ll call you guys with the results.”

  “Thanks again for coming out.” Kennedy tossed her fins onto the deck and climbed a ladder to the water-worn wood. “Mind if I tag along to watch you work. I’d love to see your lab.”

  “No problem.”

  “You need to have that hand looked at.” Erik tried to reply without emotion but ended up sounding controlling and domineering.

  “Good point. I’ll do that.” Kennedy flexed her injured hand then looked at Sierra. “Can I come check in on you at the lab afterwards?”

  “Perfect. That’ll give me time to feed the baby.” Sierra spun and gave Erik a pointed look before going into the house.

  Terrific. He was being that open-book she claimed he was being. Cool it.

  He gestured at the patio door. “We should get inside too.”

  Kennedy looked like she wanted to argue, probably because she was dripping wet, but she stepped ahead of him and stripped out of her wet suit and down to her compression shirt and neoprene shorts.

  Charlie poked his head inside. “I’ll head out around the outside so I don’t get your floor all wet.”

  “No problem,” she said. “As you can see, I’m already dripping everywhere and so is Erik.”

  Charlie ran his gaze over her, and Erik didn’t like the interested look in the guy’s eyes.

  “Are you sticking around for a while or headed back to Quantico?” Charlie asked.

  “I’ll be here for a month or so.”

  Charlie cocked his head and studied her more deeply. “Maybe we could get together and do some recreational diving.”

  “Sounds great.” She cast a beaming smile in his direction.

  Erik nearly shouted at her to stop encouraging the guy, but she could encourage any guy she wanted to. Just not Erik. First, he didn’t need any encouragement. Second, it was a bad idea overall. Even if he could start trusting women again, Kennedy would be leaving town as soon as she finished the lab project, and he was committed to his brothers and the business. And honestly, he loved living here with his family. Especially since he was now an uncle and would likely have more of his siblings’ children to spoil in the near future.

  “I’ve got your number from the callout,” Kennedy said to Charlie. “I’ll be in touch when this all settles down.”

  “Looking forward to it.” That self-satisfied smile crept across his face again, grating on Erik.

&
nbsp; Why couldn’t the guy be an uggo? Why did he have to be so dang good-looking?

  Charlie departed, and Kennedy looked at Erik. “Mind stowing my gear while I get changed?”

  “No problem.” He resisted demanding to see her hand up close.

  She didn’t need him turning into the mother she’d just lost. He didn’t need that either. Though he had to admit with his mom, he’d seen enough mothering cast in his direction and could probably do a good job of it.

  He carried the gear to a hose on the deck and washed everything with fresh water, then took it all to the outside storage closet. He hung her wetsuit on a special hanger, careful not to tear the neoprene. Her tank went on a shelf, and he hung the hoses to dry too. By the time he finished, she was downstairs wearing jeans and a body-hugging knit shirt in an emerald green that made her hair almost glow.

  She tossed him a bath towel.

  “Thanks. I washed everything off and stored it, then locked the closet,” he told her before he made a huge mistake and complimented her on how well those jeans fit her curves.

  “Thank you.”

  His focus went to the white gauze she’d wrapped around her hand. “Does it hurt much?”

  “Yeah, but that’s not going to stop me from finding my mom’s killer. Nothing will.”

  And there it was. The thing he hadn’t been able to put his finger on while she was diving. The thing that had him pacing the deck. The thing that he had to figure a way to work around or he might just fail her when she needed him most.

  Kennedy flexed her hand in Erik’s truck, cinnamon air freshener spicing up the air. Why she wanted to move her fingers, she didn’t know. The wound hurt like crazy, and moving it only made it worse. Maybe she believed she deserved some pain. Perhaps as a consequence of hurting Erik. She’d always known she’d hurt him, but knowing it and seeing his pain were two different things.

  Please help him to heal.

  “Home sweet home,” he said as he turned into the Veritas Center parking lot.

  Kennedy had always wanted to tour the Veritas lab but with Sierra on staff, Kennedy had stayed away. How she hadn’t heard about Nighthawk Security forming and officing out of the place was a small miracle with the way news traveled in law enforcement circles.