Too bad reassignment wasn’t likely to happen.
Alex granted her access to the suite, nodding at Peters before securing the door. “Things good outside?”
“Fine.” The problem was inside. More specifically, sitting in a chair by the stairs.
“Doesn’t sound like it. What’s up?”
“It’s…” She glanced at the couch, where Rodriguez sat watching TV, and nodded toward the kitchen. Stopping beside the sliding glass door, she dropped her voice. “It’s Peters. He left his post. And he’s driving me crazy.”
An understatement of phenomenal proportions.
“I’ve noticed the weirdness. What’s going on?”
She recapped the incident in the hallway. “It’s like he goes out of his way to pick a fight with me. How do you put up with him?”
Alex’s light eyebrows scrunched. “I don’t get it. He’s not normally like that.”
“Great. So I’m just special.”
“I coulda told you that a long time ago.” The teasing tone sounded forced. Alex sighed. “Let me talk to him.”
“No. I don’t want it to seem like I ran crying to you.” The last thing she needed was Peters thinking she couldn’t fight her own battles. Besides, bullying 101 dictated that involving a third party normally made matters worse.
“I’ll tell him that I’ve noticed some things and approach it from that angle.”
“Please don’t. We’re all adults here–”not that Peters was acting like one–“and can be professional, even if we don’t get along.”
Sober blue eyes studied her. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Okay, then. And for the record, while he should’ve let us know about the stairwell, it’s not a big problem.” Alex paused for half a beat. “On another subject, how’s that cute photographer?”
How did she do that? “What makes you think he was out there?”
“I hear he might be a bit infatuated. Did he ask you out again?” A grin crept across Alex’s face. “He did, didn’t he?”
“I didn’t say that–”
“You didn’t have to.”
“It was only for lunch. No big deal.”
“So you keep saying. And you told him yes, right?”
Lana shook her head. “With Stevens looking for us? Are you crazy?”
“You need time off. You need to get away from all this.” Alex waved her hand around the suite. “And you need to have fun. I thought I made it clear the last time this came up.”
“That was before we knew about Stevens.”
“I don’t want to hear any more about Stevens. He attacks at night. Lunch – not at night. I think we’re good.”
“That’s the problem. You think, but you don’t know. What if Stevens breaks his MO this time?”
“And he’d just happen to pick the two-hour window of time in which you aren’t here to do that? Do you know how crazy that sounds?”
“No crazier than me looking out the window at the time he was setting up his shot.”
Alex snapped her mouth shut and exhaled a quick breath through her nose. “Point made. But I’m still in charge here. I’m ordering you to take a minimum of two hours off tomorrow at noon and not show your face in this hotel until the two hours are over. What you choose to do with them is up to you.”
“This is my brother. How would you feel if it were Geoff?”
“If it were Geoff, I’d be dying for some time away. Not that he’s not great, don’t think I’m saying that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I got all that.” At least Alex wasn’t pushing her to marry him right now. “Still, it’s not right for me to hang out with a new friend when my brother’s life is at stake.”
Friend.
The word slammed back into her. When had she started to view him as a friend?
“How’s it any different than me calling my husband or Peters calling to check up on his mom?”
“He calls his mom?” Somehow she hadn’t pictured him as a mama’s boy.
“All the time. She has dementia and is living in a home. I guess she’s declining pretty fast.”
Okay, now she felt a little bad about being so hard on him. Although he didn’t have to take his frustration about his mom out on her. “Still–”
“You. Are. Going. Consider it work, if it makes you feel better. You’re learning more about him to be sure he’s not Stevens.”
Well, she was already pretty sure about that one.
Maybe it would be good for her to get out. Especially since it meant getting far away from Peters.
“Fine. You win.”
Alex grinned. “Don’t I always?”
₪ ₪ ₪ ₪ ₪
A hand flashed in front of his face and Stevens jerked to the side to avoid smacking into it. Raucous laughter erupted from somewhere to his left and loud voices swirled around him in an off-key symphony.
Who knew the pub would be so busy tonight?
He wove between the tables, heading for an unoccupied stool at the very end of the bar. The bartender took his order for a Heineken on tap and Stevens leaned his back against the wall behind him.
A few other loners nursed drinks in silence further down the bar, but the bulk of the people in the room sat in groups.
Judging by the loud voices and unsteady movements, a number of these people wouldn’t remember much in the morning.
Crazy the way some people relinquished all control.
One of the loners pushed up from the stool and staggered past Stevens, muttering under his breath about the noise.
Yeah, it was loud, but after the solitude of tracking his target, the volume didn’t bother him. A man could only spend so much time alone before going crazy.
Across the room, a girl with curly blonde hair stared at him.
He let his gaze pass right over her, doing his best to ignore her unspoken invitation.
If she weren’t a hooker, he might’ve been interested. But the low cut pink v-neck and leather skirt that looked like it had been painted over her bony hips, not to mention the attire of the women on either side of her, confirmed her occupation.
“Hey, honey. You drinkin’ alone?”
He glanced over to find her approaching, swinging her hips as she strode toward him.
Scratch that. Even if she weren’t a hooker, he wouldn’t be interested. She was probably only sixteen.
If that.
Her skeletal frame and the red marks on her arm told the rest of the story. Most likely a runaway who got hooked on drugs and started turning tricks to support her habit.
Pathetic.
When he didn’t answer, she sidled closer, purposefully bumping his knee with her hip. “Bet you’d find that I’m real good company.”
He scanned her face. “You’re what, fifteen?”
A coy smile curled her painted lips. “Honey, I can be whatever you want me to be.”
She leaned in and ran her finger down his chest. Surprise flickered across her face as he knocked her hand away.
“Get lost. I don’t go for kids.”
“Why you…” Heat flashed across her face, in stark contrast with the ice in her words. “I am not a child.”
Without waiting for a reply, she whirled, shoes clacking an angry beat as she stormed away.
Good riddance.
While he might spend a good deal of time alone, he’d never be lonely enough to sink that low. Not after–
He tried to stop the onslaught of memories, but it was too late. Her face already filled his mind. And with it, memories of the betrayal. The depth of the love he’d had for her. The millions of pieces his heart had been in after the truth had come to light.
Had he known she was selling her body on the side, he never would’ve asked her out, much less dated her for close to a year.
Or purchased the diamond ring that currently collected dust in his bottom desk drawer.
He still didn’t know how she’d managed to keep it a secret as long as she ha
d. Sure, he’d spent a fair amount of time out of town, but they’d talked on the phone when he wasn’t around. There should’ve been some warning.
“You want another?”
He blinked the bartender into focus before glancing down at his empty glass. Huh. Hadn’t even realized he’d finished it. He nodded.
While the bartender refilled his mug, he pushed all thoughts of the past from his mind.
The present needed to be his focus. And the present revolved around his mark. Tanner.
He’d hacked the registration systems for several of the area’s motels, but unfortunately a lot of people had checked in on the day following the shooting. And of course, none of the rooms were registered to the US Marshal’s service.
Assuming they were even at a motel. One of the town’s many rental properties would provide a greater level of privacy. Or there might be other government safe houses in town.
His phone vibrated against his side. An unfamiliar number lit the display.
No one was close to him and with the noise, they’d have to be right next to him to hear his end of the conversation.
He accepted the call.
“It’s Rosetti.”
Ah. Of course he didn’t recognize the number. The little wimp was probably using a burner phone. Or a pay phone. “Yes?”
“Is it…” Rosetti cleared his throat. “Is it done?”
He glanced around before answering in a soft tone. “Still looking. I’ll let you know.”
“I’m running out of time here! The FBI’s always on me. And the deadline’s only a little over a week away.”
“Searching takes time. I’m narrowing the field.”
“I’m trying to get you a location, but I’m having trouble reaching my guy on the inside.”
Right. The inside guy. Stevens still had some qualms about that one. “How do you know your guy’s not a plant?”
“Let’s say I’ve got the right leverage. No way he’ll cross me.”
“So you say. Are you sure he even knows the location?” Could explain why Rosetti was having trouble reaching him.
Rosetti chuckled. “Oh yeah, he knows. He’s with Tanner.”
Interesting. And very suspicious. But that would explain why the blinds hadn’t been drawn when he’d attempted to take Tanner down the other night. “Well, if you hear anything, let me know.”
Stevens didn’t wait for a reply before terminating the call.
If Rosetti wanted to hang his hopes on an inside man, fine. Stevens didn’t need one. He’d tracked tougher targets than this and had never relied upon someone else to do the work for him. This time would be no different.
With or without help, he’d find Tanner and extinguish every last bit of life from his body.
Sixteen
The diner bustled around Lana as she stepped through the door. People sat at almost every table within sight. Two waitresses fluttered about the room, refilling water glasses at one table, picking up plates at the next, stopping to chat at others.
Well, if the number of customers in here was any indication, the food should be good.
She spotted Nate sitting in a corner booth, his back to the wall, an open menu spread on the table in front of him.
Great. She’d have the whole room at her back. Not an appealing thought.
But she couldn’t exactly ask him to switch seats without seeming like some kind of control freak. And she certainly couldn’t tell him the truth, even though the words had already flashed through her mind.
Mind if we trade seats? I’m a US Marshal and don’t like the idea someone can sneak up on me from behind. I’d rather they sneak up on you instead.
Nope, not an option. She’d just have to deal with it.
Nate looked up. A smile split his face and he offered a small wave.
Dodging tables, she made her way through the room and slid onto the bench across from him.
He closed the menu. “Glad you made it.”
“Me, too.” Even though both Reilly and Alex would grill her about this when she got back to the hotel.
“So what determines your schedule?”
“What do you mean?”
Nate shrugged. “It sounds like you never know what’s going on until the last minute, so I wondered what determines that. Does it depend on how your brother’s doing?”
“That’s part of it.” She lifted the perspiring water glass in front of her and took a sip. “It also depends on what’s going on with his other caregiver.” Technically, he had more than one, but as the only one she absolutely trusted, Alex was the only one who counted.
“So you and your brother must be pretty close.”
Why this sudden interest in Reilly? It was a far cry from the safe topics she’d hoped to discuss.
“Yeah. We always have been.”
“That’s cool. I figured you guys would either be close or hate each other. You know, since you spend all that time together.”
“The first option, thankfully.” She probably ought to think of a name she could use when talking about Reilly. Always referring to him as her brother might get a bit suspicious. “I wouldn’t trade Justin for anything in the world. He always watched out for me, whether I wanted him to or not.”
“Why wouldn’t you want him to?”
“He can be a bit, uh, overbearing at times. In fact, I think he scared my dates worse than my dad ever did.”
“How’d he scare them from a…?”Nate drew in a deep breath. “I mean, I guess I assumed he was in a wheelchair or something. You know, from what you’d told me.”
What had she told him?
A scan of her memory came up blank. Better keep it simple.
“All this, well, it just happened recently. When we were growing up, he always took care of me. Guess it was time to return the favor, but it’s been really tough. For both of us.”
“Enough said. If there’s one thing I get, it’s hard times. At least you don’t have to face it alone.”
A perfect segue to get the conversation off of her. “You must’ve had someone, right? A friend, teacher, foster parent, someone?”
“Just Matt. Man, he always had my back. Took a lot of the heat that was meant for me.” His eyes looked suspiciously moist as he cleared his throat.
“Sounds like the kind of friend everyone needs. Do you keep in touch?”
“Oh, yeah. We live close to each other, take vacations together, hang out on holidays. More like brothers than friends.”
“And he lived at the group home, too?”
“Yeah. The state took him away from his dad after the man beat him unconscious.” He shook his head slowly. “Maybe that’s why he was always able to stand up to the other guys. He was used to dealing with much worse.”
Yikes. She’d never thought about it before, but she really had been sheltered growing up. “I take it he’s older?”
A waitress swung by their table and took their orders. Once she was out of earshot, Nate continued, “We’re about the same age, but I was a scrawny kid. I don’t know how many times he put himself between me and one of the other guys. I owe him my life.”
“What about the adults? How could they not know what was happening?”
“Oh, they knew all right. They didn’t care. It was easier to not get involved.”
“I’m sorry.” The words felt horribly inadequate, but what else could she say?
He shrugged. “It’s in the past.”
How might her life have turned out differently if she’d grown up as Nate had? Would she have the kindness, strength, and sense of humor that she saw in him or would the past have served only to make her jaded?
₪ ₪ ₪ ₪ ₪
“You’re grinning like an idiot.”
Nate shook his head at Matt’s teasing. Although he couldn’t stop smiling, so there was probably some truth to Matt’s words.
“I take it she showed. Either that, or the food was awesome.”
“Let’s just say the food was good, bu
t not that good.” Nate settled on the couch.
“Man, she must be something special. Show me this photo you said you took.”
Nate crossed the living room of the two bedroom cabin they were renting and retrieved the picture from his room. He brushed some dust particles from her face. The picture didn’t do her justice. Why hadn’t he noticed before how dark it had come out? He’d have to do some digital retouching to see if he couldn’t enhance the quality.
Or maybe sneak another shot when she wasn’t looking. Not that he needed an image to remember every detail.
Reclaiming his seat, he handed over the picture without a word.
Matt studied it for a few seconds before looking up. “Not what I expected. You usually go for redheads.”
“Tell me about it. But there’s something about her.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
“I don’t know.” He told Matt some of the things he’d learned, which, now that he thought about it, wasn’t much. She excelled at keeping the conversation focused on others. Whether it was intentional or she was simply more interested in other people, he couldn’t say; she had a big heart so he suspected the latter.
“Dang. You’ve really got a thing for her. You don’t even know her that well.” Matt’s tone may have been mild, but concern lined his face.
“I know. Can’t explain it, but I feel like she gets me.”
“Just watch it, okay? Remember what happened with Ashley.”
“Don’t worry. Lana’s nothing like her.” Everything about Lana – from her looks to her temperament – was a far cry from his last girlfriend. Lana was petite, Ashley had been tall. Ashley loved being the center of everyone’s attention, Lana seemed to prefer the fringes. Ashley had been shallow and self-absorbed, but Lana focused on others.
“So you think. You just met her. She could be hiding a whole other life from you.”
“She’s not.”
Or was she? What about those times when she’d seemed rather evasive?
Nah, not evasive. Cautious. She’d answered every question he’d asked. Besides, his years in the group home had taught him how to detect a liar.
And she didn’t seem to be lying.
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