Expired Hero

by Lisa Phillips

  Trina came in. “Kaylee.” She ignored Stuart, which was odd considering how she’d thrown herself at him earlier.

  “Hi.” She looked around his shoulder but didn’t come out from behind him. “I’m fine here, Trina. But thanks for thinking of me.” Kaylee worked here and was surrounded by law enforcement, so why Trina would think she wanted to “escape” and leave this building, especially when there had been a sniper on the loose…she didn’t even try to understand. “We’re waiting to hear a word about Conroy.”

  Stuart shifted. “He came out of the surgery, and he’ll recover.”

  Kaylee touched his arm, squeezing it for solidarity as relief rolled over her. Conroy was going to be okay.

  Trina stood kind of stiff, her back very straight and her arms by her sides. Fingers flexing. Like she didn’t know what to do with her hands. “This has all been so crazy, right?”

  Kaylee nodded. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt earlier?”

  “No more than you, I figure.”

  Wow, was Trina actually considering Kaylee first above herself for once? “I’m all right. Thank you,” Kaylee said, genuinely meaning it. “And now that I know Conroy will eventually be okay as well? That’s a relief.”

  She blew out a breath, feeling some of the stress bleed away. There was still plenty to be scared about, but at least the collateral damage would be contained to a minimum. Even further if Stuart did want to go and take care of everything.

  Realization dawned.

  That was what he wanted. Used to working alone or in a small group—like with her brother—he did things to get a result, while putting the least amount of people at risk as possible.

  Trina smiled. Something about it was off, as though she didn’t mean it. “That’s good news.”

  Stuart didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, any more than she wanted that to happen. That was why he was determined to protect her. Not necessarily because she couldn’t handle it. The last thing she wanted to do was face down gunmen and snipers and fake federal agents. No, thank you. She’d seen enough blood to last more than one lifetime.

  “We should get going, you know?”

  Kaylee said, “I think I’ll stick around here, where it’s safe. Let the cops—” and Stuart “—take care of the people responsible for shooting Conroy.”

  There was someone behind the shooting, and clearly they wanted what Brad had sent her.

  Trina said, “No one will suspect you didn’t already give the flash drive to the police. That means we can grab it and take it somewhere safer. Keep it under wraps so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

  Why did she suddenly want to be a part of this? “Thanks for offering to help.”

  Before she could say more, Stuart cut in. “The flash drive is already safe where it is, or it would’ve been found already.” He turned to her. “Right?”

  Kaylee nodded. “It’s safe where it is.”

  “Okay.” Trina chuckled, though it sounded strained. “But it could be safer as well. Right?” She glanced between them.

  Stuart reached out and took hold of Kaylee’s hand, so she was tucked even more securely behind him. She couldn’t even see her friend over his shoulder. She tried to move so that she could stand next to him, but he wouldn’t move aside. Realization dawned on her. He thought Trina was a threat? Her fingers stilled on the back of his shirt.

  Under her fingers, she could feel ridges. Raised lines in his skin.

  Scars.

  He said, “Trina, thank you for offering to help but the flash drive stays where it is, and Kaylee is safer here at the police station than she would be if she left. There are too many variables to risk her being out and around town.”

  “It’s not like I would take her out for ice cream or something like that!” Trina’s voice was almost a wail. “No one will expect Kaylee to be with me. That’s why it’s perfect. Let’s go, Kaylee. Dad is waiting in the car, and we can find somewhere safe to be.”

  Trina wanted her to go with her, if only to have a welcome distraction. But, just as Stuart had said, she didn’t want to put anyone in unnecessary danger. Conroy was shot because he’d been standing with her. She was sure that even if he had been the sniper’s target, it was only because of Kaylee—and Stuart—that he’d been hit.

  Whether it had been a miss, or a hit, by the sniper, she didn’t know. Either way, though, she’d brought this on the police chief.

  It was her fault.

  “As Stuart said, thank you for offering, Trina—” She shifted to look around his shoulder at her friend. Her argument died at what she saw.

  Trina had a gun and her voice suddenly took on a menacing tone.

  “Let’s go, Kaylee. Now.”

  Fifteen

  Kaylee shifted. Stuart did the same, keeping her behind him. “She’s not going with you.”

  “Then I’ll kill you.” Trina shrugged. “Same result.”

  She thought she could take him out? She likely wouldn’t be so stupid as to fire a weapon in a police station. That would be far too obvious.

  “Who are you?”

  He felt Kaylee shift at his question. Trina said, “The person who’s going to get that flash drive. That’s who.”

  Behind him, Kaylee grasped a handful of his T-shirt.

  “Let’s go.”

  “You aren’t going to shoot us in a police station.”

  “Kaylee?”

  Stuart pressed his lips together. Behind him, Kaylee said, “I’ll go with you. Just don’t shoot anyone.” She pushed against him.

  Stuart could have held his ground, but moving closer to Trina served a purpose. He’d seen the woman around town enough. She was a gym bunny whose primary purpose was picking up guys who caught her eye. Her secondary purpose was working out. But everyone knew that having good cardio didn’t always equate to strength when it counted—like, at a time it could save your life. Or someone else’s.

  Trina backed up until she stood partway out the door.

  Stuart was tempted to rush at her and shove her back. Would she drop the gun? The way she carried herself wasn’t that of a small town, bank manager’s daughter. It was something far different. That gave him pause, wondering what this Trina woman was capable of exactly.

  “Pretty gutsy move, abducting someone from inside the police station.”

  She motioned with the gun for them to walk out the door and stepped back to hold the edge of the wood with her free hand. “Walk.”

  She obviously was used to doing what she wanted and didn’t feel the need to explain herself to anyone.

  Stuart reached back as he walked. He needed Kaylee to let go of him, so he could resolve this situation. He got her to release her grip and stepped forward.

  “Not so fast.” A man held a gun over the roof of a compact car. The bank manager, Silas Nigelson.

  “What’s—” Kaylee didn’t get to finish.

  The bank manager said, “Get in. All of you. Before someone sees us.” Silas let out an expletive. “Way to keep it low key, Trina.”

  She didn’t respond to her father’s criticism. Instead, she pulled open the rear door and shoved Kaylee in. When Trina spun back around with her arm out, Stuart was poised, ready to grab it. Take her down.

  Silas shifted his aim to point the gun at Stuart.

  He froze, staring at the barrel of a gun while his mind flashed an image of a buried memory. Who had pointed a weapon at him before? When had it happened?

  “Get in, or die. Your choice.” The bank manager shrugged. “I don’t care either way.”

  Stuart got in, figuring that meant either way they planned to kill him. He wasn’t certain he’d delayed Trina long enough for someone at the police station to notice what’d happened in the back hall. Hopefully, Ted would discover they’d gone missing soon.

  Then the cops would be on their tail.

  Trina nearly slammed his foot in the door when she closed it.

  The doors were child locked, so they wouldn’t be ju
mping out, and Stuart had nothing to use as a garrote if he wanted to restrain Trina by strangulation while also forcing her father to pull over and let them go.

  Other options flitted through his mind. He dismissed most of what he considered. There weren’t many ways he could get out of this, and less that meant Kaylee was both protected and released unharmed.

  “Where’s the flash drive, Kaylee?” Trina’s question was hard. Her tone was that of a stranger, not someone who claimed this woman as her best friend.

  Beside him in the backseat, Kaylee reached out and took his hand. None of the four of them had put on seatbelts. That might not end well. Maybe he should get Kaylee to buckle up.

  She glanced at him, determination blazing like flames in her eyes. The set of her chin was one he’d seen before. But never in a situation like this.

  She shouldn’t be here.

  You shouldn’t have dragged her into this, Brad.

  The memory rose, bringing with it a pain that sliced through his temples. Stuart sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut.

  “Where is it?”

  He opened his eyes. Kaylee’s mouth opened, then shut again, but she said nothing. Stuart knew how they were going to play this. He said, “If she’s going to give up the one thing that’s keeping us both alive, then there will be some compensations.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” Kaylee nodded. “You’re going to let Stuart go.”

  “No, they’re not.”

  Trina laughed. “No time to make a plan.” Her gaze zeroed in on Kaylee. “You give me the flash drive, I’ll think about not killing both of you.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Money. Fame.” Trina shrugged. “Does it even matter? You’ll be dead, so you won’t be around to be all offended up on your moral high ground.”

  “Then you should tell me.” Kaylee lifted her chin. “I’d like to know before I die.”

  Stuart’s teeth hurt from clenching so hard. “If—and that’s a big ‘if’—she gives you the flash drive, you’re never going to show up in Last Chance again.” He paused. “Either of you.”

  Trina snorted.

  In the driver’s seat, Silas said, “Done.”

  Stuart heard a catch in his tone. It registered on some level he knew but didn’t understand. Not unless Silas said more than one word. Stuart was the one making demands right now. “We get a copy, and you get the flash drive.”

  Kaylee shifted.

  It was password protected. Given what she’d said, he wondered if he had been given the code by Brad and had simply forgotten it. Or, if he was never supposed to have worried about it in the first place.

  No, he had to believe her brother had sent him here to protect her. To safeguard her well-being, and get the flash drive to the requisite authority to get justice. Bring down whoever was responsible for betraying them. Figure out what happened to Brad so Kaylee would know, and he would have peace of mind he’d done what he needed to.

  None of which had squat to do with Silas and Trina, who had just erupted with laughter like they were reveling in the worst prank that had ever been committed. The kind where some poor unsuspecting soul got hurt.

  “I didn’t say you get the copy.” Stuart lifted his chin. “You can have the original. No one will know I also have it. Whoever you are, and whatever you think you’re going to gain by getting your hands on it—”

  “Is our business.” Trina shot her dad a look.

  “I think you’re in over your heads, but I don’t know you.” Stuart paused. “Maybe you’ve been pulling covert operations from Last Chance for years.”

  Trina sneered. “Your team buddies aren’t the only ones with skills.”

  Kaylee squeezed his hand.

  Stuart said, “They’re professionals. Former military, private security specialists. Contractors with friends all over the world. In all branches of government, international police, and multi-billion-dollar companies.”

  She had to know that was a far cry from where she was—working for a bank, thinking she was hot stuff. That she had even a slight clue as to what she was doing.

  “Where will you even take the flash drive?”

  Trina didn’t seem concerned. “Once we see what all the fuss is about, we’ll know what to do. Right, dad?”

  Stuart saw his jaw flex, but the older man said nothing. Out of the two of them, Silas was the one that concerned him. Trina thought she knew what she was doing. And, he’d have to give her credit, she did seem to know what she was doing. However, her father had that old school coldness about him. A man who could smile at you one moment, and then drink a shot of something stiff and shatter your legs with a baseball bat the next.

  Mafia, maybe. In a former life.

  Trina twisted all the way around in the passenger seat. “Where is the flash drive?”

  Up ahead, on the street, Stuart saw movement on a side road. It was gone too fast to figure out what it was. Help? There had to be a reason neither his nor Kaylee’s phones had rung.

  Were the police right behind them?

  “It’s mine.” Kaylee’s voice was full of hurt. Betrayal by her best friend, and the knowledge she would betray her brother’s wishes if she gave away what he’d given her to safeguard.

  He squeezed her hand. “Brad gave that to her for safekeeping. She isn’t supposed to share it with anyone. No matter what.”

  Maybe Trina would shoot him, but he was pretty sure she wouldn’t shoot Kaylee until she got what she wanted. What he needed was for Kaylee to not mention the password on the storage device, or the fact it had safety features. They’d know it was even more valuable then. And they’d need more than what she could give them.

  As far as he was concerned, the simple approach was always the best.

  For the first time in his life, Stuart wanted the police to come and save him. It was a strange feeling. Still, that was the life he lived now. The man he wanted to be, inspiring others to help. To do their sworn duty in a time of crisis, because they all cared about the people in their town. And maybe they were more there for Kaylee than for him. But that was fine by Stuart.

  He had been about to let her go with Trina, right up until the moment Trina pulled that gun. He actually would’ve thought he was doing it for her good, letting her leave with a woman who was supposedly her friend. Had she not shown her true colors first, Stuart would have believed she was taking care of Kaylee.

  Thank You. It could only be God’s hand that had allowed him to see the truth of Trina’s intentions—the fact she’d shown all her cards entirely too early—and Kaylee was still with him.

  Where he could keep her safe.

  There but by the grace of God…

  Once he got Kaylee back to a safe place, Stuart needed to finish this. She just wasn’t safe around him. His judgment was compromised, and he couldn’t be trusted to keep her out of harm’s way. Not when he’d been about to send her into danger and then had had to get into the car as well, in order to avoid a confrontation, to make sure she didn’t get hurt. Or taken somewhere he couldn’t get to her.

  “Just tell me where it is.” Trina shifted the gun to point it at Stuart’s knee. “Or he doesn’t walk for the rest of his life. Don’t think I’m joking, because I am not.”

  Kaylee whimpered. A tear rolled down her cheek.

  He wanted to tell her she was so brave. She was seriously holding up great. Amazing. Then his attention was snagged by the road again.

  Silas let out a grunt. “Hold on.”

  Trina twisted around. “What—”

  The car hit a spike strip, bumped over it, and shuddered. The tires had blown.

  Stuart grabbed the gun and Trina’s arm. He twisted both, giving her a burn on her skin. She cried out. He got control of the gun and pulled her arm back next, twisting it as he squeezed his finger onto the trigger and fired a shot. It narrowly missed Silas and exited out the side window next to him.

  He swerved the car. It barreled between two cop car
s that had been parked nose-to-nose.

  “Keep going.” Trina’s voice was pained. She shoved a foot down onto the driver’s side floorboard, and Silas cried out.

  The car accelerated.

  She jerked the wheel to the side, and they rounded a corner. Two tires left the ground.

  Kaylee screamed. “Jesus, help us.”

  Sixteen

  She had barely gotten the words of her simple prayer out when the car slammed into another parked vehicle, a delivery van. The airbags deployed, and they were all jerked forward.

  Kaylee slammed her face into the back of the driver’s seat. She had to catch herself before she fell to the floor.

  Stuart slammed into the door frame beside the passenger door. She heard the sickening thud as his forehead hit the interior. He leaned back and groaned.

  Trina shoved the door open and dove out, stumbling onto her knees. Moving faster than anyone rightfully should right now. “Go, Dad!”

  Silas Nigelson only grunted.

  Trina, the gun still in her hand, made a run for it. Still in her bank clothes. Low heels on her feet. She raced past the delivery van blocking the side street.

  Kaylee heard a yell.

  Three cops in uniform raced past the car. She heard a gunshot, and one flinched. They all kept running, calling out for Trina to stop.

  Kaylee’s world spun. It took a second for her mind to realize she needed to breathe. Then she was sucking in air that smelled like tangy smoke. She coughed it out.

  Someone opened her door.

  Donaldson crouched beside her. “Hey, Kaylee. You okay?”

  Another officer pulled open the front door and cuffed Silas to the steering wheel while he moaned.

  Kaylee looked at Stuart. She scooted toward him on the backseat and touched his shoulder. “Stuart?”

  He moaned. Blood trailed down from a cut on his temple.

  “Hey.” She gave him a tiny shake, just in case. Then she asked Donaldson, “Did you call Dean?”

  “He’ll be here in two minutes,” the younger officer said. “What do you need?”

  “A cloth, or rag. Something to press against his head.”

  “Head wounds bleed a lot, you know?”