“Who is it?” Quinn asked, curiosity getting to him.
“If I tell you, I really have to kill you,” she said, not even laughing. “Seriously. It’s top-secret.”
“This all freaks me out,” Quinn muttered, slowing down his pacing. “I don’t like that my baby sister is out there doing anything more than screaming at a bunch of sweaty recruits.”
If he only knew the half of it.
“I don’t have to yell at my men, but I do have lethal authorization to stop anyone who tries to come between us and our goal.”
Quinn lifted a brow. “Then?”
When she swallowed, no one missed the throb of artery in her neck. “Then, they disappear.”
They all stared at her and what she had just admitted. The woman in front of them was…dangerous.
“One of the reasons they use us is that we’re very discrete. No one ever knows what’s happening until it’s too late. My team vanishes easily and you can’t track us.”
Ironically, that seemed to be the opposite of what was happening. Someone was tracking her like prey, and now they were all in danger.
“Who’s after you?” Callie asked, knowing they needed to get this conversation over with. Her husband was a man on the edge.
“I don’t know. All I can tell you is my team of eight is now a team of four. In six months, someone has taken out four of my men.”
“Taken out?” Callie asked, placing her hand discretely over her belly. This sounded really bad.
“Yes.”
While Luke knew what she meant, he didn't like Maura calling anyone ‘her men’. Maybe it was silly, but he was feeling a little protective of her. After all, she did seek him out. Now, he was responsible for her.
“What do you mean? Someone killed them?” Quinn asked, finally getting to the meat of the conversation.
“On paper no. That’s part of the reason why I think that someone did something nefarious to them.”
Quinn stared at his sister. Out of all the Gaines kids, Maura had always been the most rational and calm. This all sounded so damn farfetched.
“I know that look, Quinton. I’m not crazy. I didn’t imagine someone in my house, and I certainly didn't shoot myself in the arm.”
Okay, she had a point there.
“Tell us about it,” Nate said, pulling out his tablet to make notes. He was assuming that being there, she needed them to help figure it out.
Luke stopped him. “On paper,” he said, pointing at the tablet. “You can’t use electronics for this, especially not ones registered to the FBI.”
“He’s right. Please,” she stated.
Yeah, that was going to be incredibly inconvenient.
He dug through his partner’s messenger bag on the floor beside the couch until he found a pen and paper.
“It started with Private Marcus Westerly. Six months ago, while on leave, he was killed in a car accident. Everything in the file points to him driving drunk.”
“That could have happened, Mar. I know how stressful your job must be,” reassured Quinn. He was still torn on believing her. This all seemed fantastical.
Made up.
Fantasy-like.
“On paper it makes sense but knowing him, I can tell you why it’s total bullshit.”
They waited for her.
“Marcus’s parents were killed by a drunk driver when he was a boy. From that day on, he never got into a car with anyone who was drinking. Plus, he was habitual with wearing his seatbelt. The man nagged us if he couldn’t ride in the front of the transport vehicle. Honestly, he wouldn’t sit in the back of any vehicle without a seatbelt.”
Nate continued to make notes.
“He was found with open bottles of booze in the car and no seatbelt on.”
Quinn hated to tell her, but that didn't prove anything. “He could have had a bender and forgot to buckle in.”
“I know that you think I’m flaky, but I’m telling you that I know my men. We ate together, slept in shifts together, and worked long hours side by side. They were my partners. Every day, I had to trust they’d have my back. He didn't have a bender!”
Luke could hear the emotion in her voice, and immediately, he placed his hand reassuringly on the slim column of the back of her neck.
She calmed.
“Continue,” suggested Callie. It wasn’t lost on her that Luke was watching the woman before them with so much emotion in his eyes.
This was going to be messy. She could see it coming a mile away.
“Then, not long after that, Gunnery Sergeant Bruce Mclead was killed in some odd home invasion. The police report says that he was snuck up on, placed on his knees, and then shot execution style from the back.”
They stared at her.
Callie was willing to give her sister-in-law a little leeway. Granted, when they first met, Maura rode her hard, but she was genuinely fond of the woman. “What was stolen?” she asked.
“His wallet and nothing else.”
Quinn worked quite a few murders where there was a robbery. “I don’t see how this is suspicious. If anything, it’s sad.”
Maura wanted to sigh, but she knew this was pretty much what was going to happen. If someone came to her with this story, she’d think it was crazy too.
Rational people wouldn’t want anything to do with this bullshit.
She certainly wouldn’t.
Maybe that was why she went to Luke. He would believe her, and she knew it, just by the way he was watching her. From the day they met, she always felt…safe.
“In his home, he had twelve guns which were worth a great deal of money. None of which were in a gun cabinet. No burglar is going to come in, shoot a man, and not take as many valuable items as possible. Whoever did this didn't take anything but his wallet. We were just getting back from assignment. He didn't have time to go to the bank. When we arrived back at base, he went right home. It wasn’t like he cashed his paycheck and was loaded.”
Callie glanced over at her brother. They gave each other the look. This was sounding more and more plausible.
“After him, Captain Christian Bleu died rock climbing. They said his gear was faulty. He fell to his death and his head was bashed in.”
Quinn took his seat. “Maura.”
“Hear me out, Quinton. Christian was our rope expert. He’s the one who would set up the rappels in and out of places. He was anal retentive about his gear. In the countless missions that we’d been on, he’d never had an accident. The day after being back, shortly after two of his teammates died, he falls to his death and sustains a head wound? That smells really foul to me. I let this man hang me off the side of a cliff with only some nylon rope and one of his rigs. There’s no way in hell he forgot to attach a clip into a rock face. We’re trained to not make mistakes with our lives. He didn't, and no one can tell me otherwise.”
Luke had heard all this last night, and he believed her. There was evidence that said it was an accident, but there was even more saying it wasn’t.
“Lastly, we have the most unbelievable one of all. It’s like the person doing this is laughing in my face.”
“What happened?” Quinn asked.
“Sergeant Thomas Archer was found in the front seat of his vehicle, the car running, and in a locked garage. The coroner says he committed suicide, but that isn't possible.”
“Why?” Quinn asked.
“We go through rigorous psych exams. The military has a team of shrinks who test us, analyze us, and put us through the motions after each trip back in. Tommy passed all his with flying colors. I have the official report.”
Callie spoke, “No PTSD?”
“None. He wasn’t on meds, nervous, blacking out, or anything else. Whoever did this to him screwed up. I know my men, and Tommy was getting married in a month. If anything, he was amped up over that. He wasn’t depressed. The man was in love. We’re talking loopy love where he would write poems to his fiancée while on guard duty. He’d just gotten her name tattoo
ed on his arm. The man wasn’t suicidal any more than I am.”
Callie understood. There were triggers the government looked for in their agents too. It didn't sound like the man had any of them.
“Someone is stalking my team. They’ve taken out four and attempted to end my life. I don’t doubt that it would have been another ‘accident’ too.”
Quinn needed to know what happened. He was leaning toward believing his sister. This was all too coincidental, and in his job, that didn't fly.
Maura continued to tell them everything. From the minute her team had left the cemetery, to the second she was shot in the arm. She left nothing out because in that moment, she needed their help.
If they were going to save her life, and help her vindicate the men who had fallen, she couldn’t hold back.
“I was scared. I left my cell behind, so I couldn’t call you, Quinn. I wouldn’t have anyway. You’re my brother. Whoever is watching me will know that you’re related and might think that’s where I’m heading. I hated making you and Callie come here. That’s why I went with Luke.”
“Gee, thanks,” he said, trying to tease her. The look of fear in her eyes was breaking his heart. Luke couldn’t imagine how scary that hike had to have been.
“I didn't think they’d connect you to the family. You were my only hope, Luke. I feel bad that I’ve pulled you into this. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Yeah, because she was carrying another secret, and it was one she wouldn’t share with anyone.
She was crazy about him.
Madly.
Stupidly.
Wildly.
The last thing she wanted to see was him being hurt. The irony of it all was that she had pushed him away to keep him safe, and the minute she was trapped like a scared animal, she ran to him.
It boggled her mind.
Maura was like a moth, drawn to his flame.
Now, she needed to pray that it didn't get him hurt.
“I’ll be safe, Maura. Don’t worry,” Luke reassured, brushing a strand of hair from her scratched up cheek. The bramble did a hell of a number on her face, and he found himself longing to kiss every scratch until they were better.
Quinn watched the man beside his sister. Yeah, it wasn’t his imagination. There was something there. Now, whether or not they were doing something about it, that was a different story. Luke was staring at her with tenderness, and Maura was gazing back with the same emotions.
Oh hell.
This was going to complicate everything from here on out.
“At the funeral yesterday, I felt like I was being watched. I’m really good at watching my six,” she said, and then pausing to explain when Callie looked confused. “It’s military for watch your back.”
She got it now. Sometimes, she forgot that her sister-in-law was soldier to the core. Seeing her right now, she looked fragile and delicate, but Callie knew the truth.
Maura was obviously dangerous.
“I kept feeling like I was being followed. I even took the long way home, trying to see if I had any tails. I didn't see anyone, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t missing something. I have to admit that I was a little distracted with this whole mess.”
Quinn needed to know. “Have you discussed this with anyone? Maybe at work? Did you report it to any higher-ups?”
She shook her head. “I don’t exactly answer to a normal command, Quinn. We’re ghosts, so to most divisions, we don’t exist. I can’t just call up the pentagon and tell them that their most classified unit is dropping like flies.”
He didn't understand why not.
“I see people and things you don’t know about. If that were to get out, there’d be chaos. We’re silent for a reason, and it looks like someone is trying to silence us.”
Luke tried to do what he did best. “Are there aliens hiding in ‘Area Fifty-One’?”
It had its desired effect.
When she smiled up at him, Luke’s heart skipped in his chest. Yeah, it was hard not to be so damn glad that all of this had happened. Just these moments with her were making his life brighten.
Despite what was happening, he wouldn’t leave her side.
“The government doesn’t have any aliens, and that’s the official story. I say go with it for safety’s sake.”
Quinn knew what they needed to do. “Well, we only have one choice from here on out.”
Glancing over, Nate was curious to see what the man was going to say. He hated to point out the obvious, but Quinn was a detective, and while great as solving things, this was going to be tricky. At least he and Callie had some clearance, and a few people above them who they could trust.
“What’s that, Quinn?” Callie asked.
“We’re going to start investigating from the start. If Maura really believes that something nefarious has gone on, I believe my sister. She’s generally sane.”
She laughed. “Thanks for that,” she said, getting up from her chair. When she crossed to her brother, Maura went into his arms. As always, Quinn hugged her to his body.
Luke watched the family interaction. It wasn’t the first time he had felt that wave of jealousy that he didn't have that kind of attachment to anyone.
What wouldn’t he give to belong?
Then again, he glanced over at Callie. She was like a sister to him and had been for so many years.
The next thing that caught his attention was the long lean legs sticking out from beneath his shirt. Granted, she was wearing a tiny pair of running shorts from her military pack, but he couldn’t see them.
It made his imagination run wild.
Luke tried not to ogle her, but it was damn near impossible. He was only human, and male at that.
Watching his partner, Nate saw the absolute truth. While he suspected that this was the woman who had him tangled up, he wasn’t sure until that moment.
For weeks, he’d been oblivious to the opposite sex. Now, that wolfish grin was back as Luke checked out the woman’s body. Yeah, this was going to complicate so many things.
When Quinn put her down, she stared up into her big brother’s eyes. “Do me a favor?”
“Another? Damn! You’re needy today,” he teased, trying to show her that she had his support.
“Where’s Susie?”
His heart began thumping, and immediately his wife took his hand in hers.
“She’s at home with Callie’s parents. Why?”
“Get her out of there. Can they fly back home and stay as far away from this side of the country as possible?” she asked. “I’m not saying something will happen, but I’d feel better if she was safe.”
Yeah, so would he.
Quinn released her to go make a call. He was going to have to figure out a way to tell his in-laws something to make them leave. Then, he opted to go with Callie’s dad. He’d been a lawman. This was something he would understand.
They waited for him to leave.
“So, we’re going to find a killer?” Callie asked. For now, she needed to stop thinking about her child and the potential danger there could be surrounding all of this.
“We need to do that to give my team justice,” Maura stated.
Nate closed the notebook and leaned forward. “This isn't going to be easy, Maura. We’re going to have to find a way to tear apart each of their lives, and all without using any kind of technology whatsoever.”
What they were going to have to do was find a way to make a miracle happen.
“I can contact my boss,” he offered. “Maybe he can give us something to start with.”
Callie spoke up, “I wish we had some information. I’m a little out of my element here. I’m used to working off of cold, hard facts. We have speculation now, and that’s not my forte. As a profiler, I need to start building the foundation from the ground up.”
Maura held her hand out to Luke as he dug in his pocket for something. When he found it, the item was placed in her palm.
“I have something that m
ight be able to help you, but you can’t use any government equipment to view it.”
They stared at her in confusion.
“I mean it. This can only be run on private laptops.”
Maura tossed the zip drive to her sister-in-law.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“This is all of those papers that you wanted to see in order to do your job. Before I left the office yesterday, I downloaded everything that I could get my hands on. On there, you’ll find autopsy reports, classified documents, and a listing of assignments my team has gone out on. Attached is the mental evaluation for all of Bravo Ghost once we were back in-house. It’ll prove that my team is absolutely sane.” Maura knew that as a psychologist, Callie would head that route first.
It was like Christmas morning for a profiler. This was better than digging it up herself. Now, she could get an inside look at what made the team of ghosts tick.
“There’s only one hitch,” Maura warned before the woman could get excited. They needed to know everything, and how risky this really was. No one could go in blind or oblivious.
Everyone glanced over at her.
“What’s that?” Nate asked.
“Once you’ve read that zip drive, I’ve passed on classified government secrets to you. I won’t only be someone hunted by a killer. I’ll be an enemy to this country. I’m now officially a traitor.”
Callie realized how serious this was.
“If anything gets out, I’ll be court marshaled and tried for treason.”
Nate didn't like the sound of that.
“So, basically, you’re screwed,” Luke said. “If we don’t read that drive, a killer may take you out, but if we do read it, our government may do the same?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, this sucks.”
It made her laugh. “Well, I’m not the only one. You four are now just as guilty as I am. Trust me. The government takes care of traitors. They’re not all seen on the evening news.”
Well, shit!
Yeah, they were three days past screwed, and now heading into the land of the royally fucked.
Chapter Four
Sinner Realized Page 6