“Why you?” Spears asked. “You said you just met him a few weeks ago.”
“I kept in touch with him. He trusts me. I took the first available flight here and when I arrived, Ms. Stanton’s condo had burned down.”
Fuller picked up the story. “We received a call about a structure fire with a body inside. When I arrived, I spoke with Ms. Kenzie Bryant who lived in the condo next door. When the fire broke out, she went next door to warn Ms. Stanton and Jamal. She came across Ms. Stanton’s body.” He scrolled to a picture on his phone and flashed it around the table. Declan averted his eyes. He didn’t need to see the picture again. It was burned into his brain. “Ms. Bryant was able to locate Jamal and get him out of the building, but as they exited, someone shot at them. Moments later, a man tried to grab Jamal, but Ms. Bryant fought him off. Then Ms. Stanton’s car exploded. They were both shaken and exhausted, so I sent them to a motel to rest.”
“I was able to meet up with Kenzie and Jamal,” Declan continued. “Kenzie told me that she and Jamal stopped at a diner to grab a bite to eat. She went to the restroom and when she tried to leave, her door was blocked. She managed to climb out a window, run around the building, get in her car and knock one of the men trying to abduct Jamal down with her car door.” He still couldn’t believe she’d done it and wished he’d been able to see her in action. She was something. “Jamal stabbed the other man in the leg with a fork and they took off.”
“Does Jamal know the men who tried to kidnap him?” Spears asked.
“Only by nickname. He knows them as Blaze and Boomer.”
Lamb was typing into his phone as Declan continued. “Back at the motel hours later, Jamal glanced out the window and saw someone trying to steal Kenzie’s rental car. I went out to stop him. It was a kid, a teenager. He put the car in drive and when he stepped on the accelerator, it exploded.”
“Woah,” Fuller exclaimed. “I didn’t know about this.”
“Right after it blew, a car came barreling down the parking lot, firing at the motel rooms. I got off a shot and popped the tire, but they kept going.”
“Are you a cop?” Lamb asked. “Why are you carrying?”
“No, I’m not with the police. I work for COBRA Securities. I’m licensed.”
Both Lamb and Spears looked duly impressed.
“What happened to the kid who tried to jack the car?” Lyons asked.
Declan shook his head. “I don’t know for sure, but he couldn’t have survived the blast.”
“Bad choice of vehicle to steal,” Spears muttered.
Declan agreed. “I was afraid the gang would come back before the cops arrived, so I hustled Jamal and Kenzie across the street and called for an Uber to take us to a different motel. I was going to call you,” he indicated Fuller, “when we were settled. But the Uber driver noticed that Jamal looked panicked and made us exit the vehicle.”
“How did he make you?” Fuller asked. “I can’t imagine anyone making you do anything.”
“He had a gun. He thought we were kidnapping Jamal since he looked terrified. After we explained the situation, he relaxed, but a car came out of nowhere and fired at us again.”
“How are they finding you?” Lamb asked.
Fuller slid the evidence bag with the tracker down the table. “We’ll do a full scan of your possessions before you leave,” he added.
Spears looked up from the notes he’d been typing on his phone. “It’s your belief the Eighty-Sixers are responsible for the condo fire, killing one, and the car bomb, killing another?”
“Yes, and I don’t know about casualties at the motel. They were shooting up rooms at random. I’d be surprised if someone wasn’t hit.”
“I’ll look into it,” Lyons stated, scribbling notes on a pad of paper in front of her.
“I’ve got some information,” Lamb said, looking up from his phone. He stood and turned on a screen on the wall. Two mug shots appeared. He clicked on one. The man was Hispanic with a shaved head, gauges in his ears and several facial and neck tattoos. “Luis Gomez, nicknamed Boomer for his propensity for blowing things up.” Lamb zoomed in and pointed to the numbers on his cheek. “The Eighty-Six tattoo that indicates a gang member.” He clicked off Luis’s photo and enlarged the second one. This man had flaming red hair and a face full of freckles scattered among several tattoos. He also bore the numbers on his cheek. “Reggie Eggers, nickname Blaze. His moniker isn’t referencing the color of his hair. It was bestowed on him because he’s a bonafide pyromaniac. Both have rap sheets a mile long.”
“We’ll get BOLO’s out on them immediately,” Spears announced. “All the cops in Detroit and the surrounding areas will be on the lookout for them.”
“I’ll talk to some of my Dog contacts to see if they’ve been in touch,” Lamb said.
“They switched cars,” Declan told them. “They started off in a black sedan with Illinois plates. It was fortified with bulletproof glass. I shot the tire out. When they came after us again, they were in a different car.”
“Probably stolen,” Lyons said. “I’ll get a team to check auto shops in the area about a tire being replaced on an Illinois vehicle.”
Fuller gathered his notes and stood. “I’ll arrange a room for you at a motel. You should be safe there. Get some rest and I’ll send a car to pick you up in the afternoon. Hopefully we’ll have a bead on the location of the Eighty-Sixers by then.”
“I was hoping to get Jamal out of town.”
Fuller shook his head. “I need him to stay at least until the preliminary investigation is over. It might be safer here than taking them back to the gang’s turf.”
#
Kenzie woke up and experienced a burst of panic. She didn’t recognize her surroundings, and Declan was nowhere to be found. She spotted Jamal one couch over and let out a relieved breath. They were in the police station, waiting to speak to Detective Fuller. But where was Declan?
She started to sit up and realized she was covered with a thin blanket like the one she’d found for Jamal. She had a feeling Declan was responsible. After folding hers, she moved to Jamal’s couch. He woke just as she was about to sit down.
He scooted up and rubbed his eyes. “Hi, Kenzie. Where’s Declan?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s around here somewhere.” She glanced up to see him striding towards them and slam went her heart against her ribcage. She’d never been so instantly attracted to a man in her life. It was crazy to think she could be falling for him. She knew next to nothing about him.
Jamal launched off the couch and rushed him. He crouched down to hug the boy. “You guys okay?”
He was looking at her as he asked the question. “We’re good. Do we need to give statements again?”
“Not now. We’ll come back later this afternoon. Detective Fuller arranged another motel for us so we can rest and shower.”
Kenzie folded Jamal’s blanket and placed it on top of hers while Declan gathered the bags. As they navigated the hallway, a young policeman in a uniform looked at her as they approached and did a double take before stopping her by stepping into their path. “Hey, aren’t you Shiloh Storm?”
“No, I mean yes, I mean no.” She shook her head. “Storm’s a fictional character. I just played her on the cover.”
He grinned widely. “I knew it.” Holding out his hands, he said, “Wait right there,” before turning and dashing away.
She felt the weight of Declan’s gaze, so she glanced over to see him staring at her with a raised eyebrow that was remarkably sexy.
“Shiloh Storm?”
She rolled her eyes. “She’s a character in a book series. I was the editor for the author. He asked me to pose for the cover.”
“Wow, I know someone else famous, besides Peyton,” Jamal bragged.
“Not hardly,” she scoffed.
The cop returned with a buddy in tow. “You’re right, Thompson,” the other officer agreed. “It’s Shiloh Storm in the flesh.”
Thompson th
rust a book at her. “Can you sign the cover? I just finished it and Storm’s the best.”
She took the book from him. “You realize I’m not really her? She’s fiction.”
He tapped the photo that depicted her running with a gun in hand, her hair flowing around her face set in determination. The lighting highlighted the color of her eyes. It was both artful and dramatic. “You’re who I pictured as I was reading the pages, so you’re Storm.”
She sighed. Sometimes there was no arguing with people. She signed Storm’s name with a flourish and handed it back to him. She even indulged in a selfie with both officers before she followed a sniggering Declan down the hallway. They met up with Detective Fuller and he guided them to an unmarked car in a garage. She scooted in the back with Jamal while Declan rode shotgun. The windows were dark so no one could see inside, still, she had the urge to push Jamal’s head down to further hide him—so she did.
He looked up at her. “What are you doing, Kenzie?”
“Making sure no one sees you.”
“Oh, good idea.” He tugged her arm. “You better hide, too.”
Blaze and Boomer did know what she looked like. “Timber,” she said as she slowly tipped over like a felled tree, making Jamal giggle. Declan glanced back at them with a questioning look. Once he realized what they were doing, he nodded in approval.
“Kenzie?”
“Hum?”
“I like your hair. It’s so soft and shiny and smells nice. Like flowers.”
“Well, it’s a good thing since it’s practically smothering you.”
Jamal giggled again, the sound making her heart happy. Soon he’d be able to laugh without the threat of violence hanging over him. She couldn’t wait for the time to come.
The trip was a quick one and Detective Fuller pulled up to a chain motel and shut off the engine. “I’ve already called in a reservation. Wait here and I’ll get the keys.”
“Detective?”
He paused before opening his door and turned to Jamal. “Yes?”
“Can you get a room with one bed so we can all sleep together?”
Fuller glanced at her and then Declan, who gave a nod. “Sure.”
Kenzie tried to gauge Declan’s reaction, but she couldn’t tell if the request bothered him or not. Knowing he was just a few inches away would be tough, but Jamal would make a superb buffer.
Fuller returned with a key card and a box of food. “The continental breakfast doesn’t open for a few more hours but they hooked me up. He handed Declan the contraband and key while he drove to the end of the motel and parked. Reaching into his pocket, he handed Declan a business card. “Call if anything happens, no matter the time. My cell phone and direct lines are on there.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“I’m heading home to catch some sleep. I’ll send a marked car for you around six tonight to bring you to the station. I’ll call first and give you the officer’s name and car number.”
They thanked him as they exited. Declan slid the card into the door marked forty-four and stood back so she and Jamal could enter first. As soon as he closed them in, he proceeded to the window and drew the blinds closed before flipping on a light.
The room was a step up from the one she’d booked. Besides the king-sized bed, there was a couch, desk and mini kitchenette with a dorm-sized fridge, a microwave and sink. It looked and smelled clean, but she was a stickler for germs. She’d purchased a small can of disinfectant from the department store and gave the bathroom a liberal spraying before returning to the main room.
Jamal choked out a cough and waved a hand in front of his face. He’d done the same thing last night when she’d doused the cheaper room.
“That is the smell of nasty germs gagging to death,” she informed him haughtily.
He clutched his neck dramatically and fell to the bed.
“Does that mean you’re a nasty germ?” Declan asked as he placed the container of food on the credenza next to the flat-screen television.
“Yes.” He closed his eyes and flopped his arms to the side.
“Well, I’ll just have to resuscitate you.” Kenzie tickled his belly, sending him into a laughing fit as he wiggled to avoid her fingers.
“Help me, Declan,” he gasped.
“Sorry, bud, you’re on your own. I try to avoid nasty germs.”
“But…not really…a germ…” he wheezed.
Kenzie took pity on him and after one last tickle, she headed to the box to survey the contents. There was a selection of fruit, pastries, boxes of cereal, yogurt, milk, water and soft drinks. She removed the items that needed to be kept cold and stuck them inside the refrigerator.
“I’m going to shower and then grab a few hours of sleep.” Declan removed clothes from the backpack and disappeared into the freshly disinfected bathroom.
Jamal kicked off his shoes and climbed on the bed with the remote. He found a station that played cartoons and settled in. She wanted to check her email again but didn’t have the energy to set her computer up, so she crawled in next to him to watch Jerry antagonize Tom.
“Wow, your kicking it old school,” she joked.
Jamal’s eyes widened and his head snapped to her. “You’re sending me back to my old school? The one in Chicago? They’ll find me there.”
“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant,” she scrambled to explain. “I was talking about the cartoon you’re watching. It’s from way back. It was even on when I was little and that was ages ago.” She drug out the word ages for dramatic purposes and it worked because Jamal smiled.
“Like hundreds of years ago?”
She mock frowned at him. “I’m not that old.” She tickled him again and he burst into a fit of giggles. Relieved that she’d distracted him, she settled in next to him as the shower started. She tried hard to focus on the cat and mouse on the screen instead of images of Declan under the spray of hot water as it sluiced down his big, naked body.
Jamal sniggered at something Jerry was doing to Tom and she chuckled, more at his reaction than the animated animals. The sound of his laughter was a beautiful thing.
When Declan emerged from the shower, she tried hard not to stare.
“Come-on, little man. Your turn.”
“But Tom and Jerry are on,” Jamal protested. “They’re old school, right Kenzie?”
“They are,” she agreed.
“You can catch up with them after you get clean.”
Jamal grumbled and groaned but obeyed without further objection, crawling off the bed to disappear into the bathroom. Declan placed clean clothes for him to change into on the counter beside his toothbrush. He was a natural nurturer. He probably was married with a house full of mini-Declan’s.
“You’re really good with him.”
Declan glanced up as he slid on a pair of socks. “He’s a good kid.”
“He is.” She tried to be stealthily when she asked, “Do you have children?”
He stepped into his sneakers and tied the laces. “No, but I was around a lot of kids growing up.”
She wanted to know everything about him. “You come from a big family?”
“No.”
When he didn’t add anything else, she wanted to continue questioning him, but she felt a shield go up. He wasn’t saying anything more. She hid the hurt and disappointment by gathering her things to shower when Jamal finished.
When it was her turn, she placed her clothes on the counter, looked up into the mirror and screamed.
#
Declan lost ten years off his life when he heard Kenzie shriek. He was out of bed with the gun in his hand in a flash. Detective Fuller hooked him up with his personal backup weapon and kept the one from the Chicago banger. He burst through the door without knocking. “Kenzie, are you hurt?”
She gasped and spun around, her eyes widening at the gun in his hand.
His gaze scanned the small room, not finding any threats. “What happened? Why did you yell?”
She pointe
d to her head.
He placed the gun on the counter and stepped closer to inspect her closely. He didn’t see any obvious signs of injury. No blood. “Did you fall and hit your head?”
Her mouth gaped. “Are you kidding? Look at me! I look like Frankenstein’s bride got into a street fight with Catwoman.” She turned back to the mirror and winced as she poked and prodded at her hair. “I’m pretty sure birds could nest in here. How on earth did that cop recognize me as Shiloh Storm? More like Thunder Storm,” she muttered.
“Your looks?”
“Hum?” Now she was inspecting her face. “What did you say?”
“You scared the effing daylights out of me because of how you look?” He was making a conscious effort not to use bad language in front of Jamal, but damn, some days tested his patience.
Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Truly. It was just a shock is all. I haven’t seen a face this scary since Rhoda, my coworker dressed up as Pennywise for Halloween.”
“Declan?” Jamal’s panicked voice sounded from behind him. “Is Kenzie okay?”
He turned to reassure the boy but ended up stumbling into the counter when Kenzie shoved past him and dropped to her knees. “I’m so sorry Jamal. I frightened myself when I looked in the mirror. I didn’t mean to scare you, too.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.
“You do look pretty scary,” Jamal agreed, and she laughed.
Meanwhile, Declan didn’t find anything remotely funny about the situation. He was still trying to force his heart from his throat, where it’d lodged when Kenzie shrieked. He’d fought in life or death battles with gunfire peppering the ground around him and men’s tortured screams renting the air and he hadn’t been as terrified as he was when he thought Kenzie was in danger. Hum. That was something he’d have to dwell on later.
Chapter Ten
Declan woke instantly to the muted ringing of his cell phone. He’d turned the sound down before he crashed so it wouldn’t wake Kenzie or Jamal. He reached for it on the side table while he slid from the covers. He glanced at the bed. Jamal was sound asleep between them, his arms and legs all akimbo, but Kenzie had also woken up. He nodded to her before checking the screen. He didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
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