Battle Tested

by Janie Crouch

  Brandon nodded. “Good. Having solid intel on the Ammonses will help. The other big inconsistency is how the Watcher found you here in Colorado, after you’d removed all the bugs.”

  Steve ran a hand over his face. “I could’ve sworn we weren’t followed. I was actively watching the entire time.” He looked over at Rosalyn and shrugged. “But today hasn’t been my finest day when it comes to judgment calls.”

  Jon had been looking at Rosalyn’s notebook but now looked up to address everyone. “I think we all have to agree. We’re either missing something big, or the Watcher isn’t just one person.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The thought that she had one psychopathic stalker had been bad enough. Jon Hatton’s idea that it might actually be more than one person had been enough to put Rosalyn into a panic.

  She hadn’t said anything, had just tried to keep it all together while all the discussion continued on around her. They’d sent someone out for pizza, and Rosalyn had done her best to eat, but it had been difficult.

  Eventually she’d put a hand on Steve’s arm. Once he’d gotten a good look at her, he’d immediately announced he was taking her home.

  His home.

  He called Derek Waterman and another SWAT member she hadn’t met yet named Liam Goetz. They were tasked with making sure no one followed them to Steve’s house. Liam joked and flirted with her, when he wasn’t showing her pictures of his newborn twins, while Steve personally inspected the Omega vehicle they’d be using. Evidently it had already been swept thoroughly for bugs, but he wanted to double-check.

  They drove around for more than an hour. Derek went to Steve’s house and checked it out for them. They even switched vehicles halfway through their journey. There was no way anyone could’ve followed them. Hell, Rosalyn was in the car and she hardly knew where they were.

  “I couldn’t find my way back to your building now if my life depended on it.” She had long since closed her eyes, but having them open wouldn’t have helped anyway.

  “Believe it or not, my house is only a few miles away from the office. We’re just taking the scenic route.”

  “I don’t think anyone could’ve followed us.”

  Steve grimaced. “I thought the same was true earlier today, but I was wrong. But both Derek and Liam have given us the all clear. So I’m certain no one has followed us now. Plus, we’ll have a guard in a car outside the house watching for anyone.”

  “Derek?”

  “No, someone else. Derek will want to get home to his wife and their daughter.”

  “Yeah, Liam was showing me pictures of his twins and his daughter, Tallinn.”

  Steve smiled. “Yes, he and his wife, Vanessa, adopted her after a human-trafficking case last year. And the twins...they’re just exhausting. Keeps Vanessa and Liam busy.”

  Rosalyn realized how little she knew about the man she was about to have a baby with. She opened her eyes. “How about you? Do you have any kids? You were married once right?”

  “Yes. Melanie. She died in a car accident twelve years ago. But no, we didn’t have any kids.”

  “I’m sorry about your wife.” Rosalyn wondered if Steve still loved her.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you two would’ve liked each other. Both of you are smart and strong.” His smile was pensive, but not sad.

  “Do you still love her?” The words were out before she could bite off her tongue. Damn it. “Never mind. You don’t have to answer that.”

  “No, it’s okay. I’ll always love Melanie—she was a huge part of my life.” He looked over at her before returning his gaze to the road. “But no, I’m not in love with her anymore. Not pining after her. As a matter of fact, she’d probably lay into me for taking this long to get serious about someone.”

  Was that what they were? Serious?

  “Do you mean us?”

  “You’re the only person I’m having a baby with.”

  “You arrested me earlier today, for heaven’s sake.”

  He grimaced. “I was trying to do the right thing. To keep some perspective. My perspective has been blown to hell since the day you ran into that bar in Pensacola trying to get out of the rain.”

  “Because I stole from you?”

  “No. I couldn’t care less about the money. Because you got under my skin the way no one else has.”

  He pulled the car into a driveway of a small house, then used his phone to activate a code that opened the garage door.

  She turned to look at him more fully.

  “I did?” She had figured he’d be a little irritated at her running off with his cash, then would never think about her again.

  He pressed the button to shut the garage door and turned off the car but still stared straight ahead with his hand on the wheel. “Why do you think I happened to be in Pensacola to identify your body? I had the Pensacola police report sent to my desk every day.”

  “To look for me? Because you thought I would be arrested?”

  “I figured if you were looking for businessmen as marks to steal from, you would eventually get caught.”

  After her behavior in Florida, she really couldn’t blame him for that conclusion, although it still sat heavy in her heart. “And you wanted to press charges too.”

  “That’s what I told myself.” He finally looked at her. “But really it was so I could find you again, rescue you from the terrible path I thought you were walking down and bring you back here. Set you straight.”

  “You sound like a parole officer.”

  He continued as if she hadn’t spoken, his eyes softening. “And then once you were more settled, with a good job and happy with your life, I planned to court you properly. To go out on dates and get to know you.”

  “Oh.”

  “Because there has not been one single day that I haven’t thought of you. I’ll admit, I wasn’t always happy with you. But I also have to admit that my plan, once I found you again, was to make sure we were together. Even when I thought you were a petty criminal.”

  “But you don’t think I’m one anymore?”

  He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “No.”

  She asked the question she’d been afraid to ask. “And you believe me when I say the baby is yours?”

  “Yes.” His hand slid into her hair and pulled her closer. “And I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you and the baby safe.”

  He closed the distance between their lips. Soft, this time, full of promise but not demand. His thumb brushed along her jaw, sending a rush of sensation racing across her skin. She leaned in closer but stopped when she felt the oddest sensation in her belly.

  She jumped back from Steve. “Whoa.” She put both hands on her stomach.

  “What? Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

  She smiled. “I’m fine. He just kicked. Like, kicked really hard.”

  She grabbed his hand not in the sling and put it on her stomach under her hand. They waited a moment, and then she felt it again.

  Steve’s eyes grew wide. “I felt that.”

  Rosalyn’s smile felt so big that it might split her face. “I know! He must be a soccer player or something.”

  “Have you felt him move before?”

  “I think so, but I thought it was indigestion or something. Never anything this strong.”

  They waited a few minutes more, but evidently their little soccer player had gotten tired. Both Rosalyn and Steve were still grinning as he helped her out of the car and led her into the house.

  In the midst of all the heartbreak and chaos of the last two days, feeling their baby move so lively inside her made everything seem like it was going to be okay.

  But that didn’t stop her from being tired. Steve showed her around as they t
alked. He stopped and turned to her when they got to the kitchen.

  “I don’t have much food.” He grimaced. “Honestly, I don’t usually come here very often during the week. There’s a small apartment within the Omega complex I use. Or just crash on the couch in my office. But I could have an agent deliver us something.”

  “No, I’m fine tonight. Although I know I’ll be hungry in the morning.” She was always hungry first thing in the morning, but at least she didn’t wake up sick anymore like she had in the first few months.

  “I’ve got waffles and toaster pastries.”

  “Do the important people you work with know you eat Pop-Tarts for breakfast?”

  He winked at her. “Please don’t tell.”

  “Would it ruin your big, bad reputation?”

  “No.” He rolled his eyes. “They would all just want me to bring them some every day.”

  Rosalyn’s laugh turned into a huge yawn.

  Steve walked over and slid his good arm around her shoulder. “I guess that answers my question about whether you’re ready for sleep or not.”

  He led her up the stairs to a bedroom. “This is my room. You can sleep here and I’ll sleep in the guest room.”

  She grabbed his arm as he turned to go. “No, stay here with me.”

  “Rosalyn, are you sure? What I did today...” His head dropped.

  “A little overdramatic to be sure, Director.” She put a finger under his chin and lifted until they were looking at each other. “But the situation is complicated. If nothing else, I can definitely agree with that. So don’t worry about it. We have a big enough enemy to fight without fighting each other.”

  “Then I would very much love to sleep in that bed with you, where I can hold you and know you and the baby are safe.”

  She pressed herself up against him and smiled. “Well, I hope not just hold...”

  * * *

  TRUE TO HIS WORD, Steve was still wrapped around Rosalyn when she woke up the next morning. Despite all her naughty intentions, she had fallen asleep not a minute after her head hit the pillow.

  She eased herself away from Steve and out of the bed so she could use the bathroom and go make some breakfast. Actually, the infamous toaster pastries sounded just about perfect right now, although she still had to snicker a little bit.

  She was dressed in one of Steve’s T-shirts, a soft gray one that fell to her knees even over her extended belly. She never wanted to get out of it. But it would probably look a little weird if she wore it back to the Omega offices.

  Rosalyn made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, trying to rub sleep out of her eyes. She easily found the breakfast food in Steve’s pantry—he hadn’t been kidding when he said he didn’t have much food here—and started decaf coffee. She ate the first Pop-Tart right out of the toaster to ease her growling stomach, then poured herself some coffee.

  Hopefully they would make progress today. Real progress. If anybody could, it was Steve’s team. They were trained and obviously good at what they did.

  She grabbed a plate of the breakfast food whose name was not to be spoken and another cup of coffee to take up to Steve. They’d have to leave soon, but maybe she could talk him into a little naughtiness before then.

  She stepped out of the kitchen into the front hall and froze.

  An envelope sat there on the ground, a garish white on Steve’s dark hardwood floors. It had been slid under the front door at some point—she had no idea when. She could see her name on the front in bold letters.

  Just like all the others she’d received over the past year.

  The coffee cups slipped through her numb fingers and crashed to the floor, shattering. Rosalyn felt the drops of hot coffee burn her bare legs and feet almost from a distance.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off the envelope.

  The Watcher had found her again.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Steve heard the shattering cups and jumped out of bed. He instantly realized Rosalyn wasn’t in the room with him. Habit had him grabbing his sidearm before running toward the stairs.

  “Rosalyn?”

  He saw her standing there, perfectly still. Two cups lay broken at her feet.

  “Are you okay? Don’t move. You might cut yourself. What happened?”

  Now that he knew she was safe, his adrenaline slowed just a little bit. He set his gun on the hallway table and walked toward her.

  She’d dropped the coffee cups, but it didn’t look like she was cut or burned.

  “Are you all right?” he asked again. “I don’t see any cuts.”

  When he looked up and saw her face, his concern came rushing back. She stood devoid of all color, fists pressed to the sides of her head. She was looking at him, trying to say something.

  Glass be damned, he walked all the way to her.

  “What, sweetheart? What’s wrong? Is it the baby?” He put his hand on her belly. She lowered her hands and he looked down to see her pointing to something on the floor.

  “It’s him,” she whispered. “I know it’s him. He found me.”

  It was a letter. Steve muttered the foulest expletive he knew. How the hell had the Watcher found them here? Ignoring the ache in his arm, Steve reached down and scooped Rosalyn up and carried her over to the stairs.

  “Stay right here, okay?”

  She nodded, but he wasn’t sure she was processing anything he said. She just stared at the envelope on the ground, face ashen.

  Steve got his weapon and did a sweep of the house to make sure no one had entered unawares, then called Derek.

  “My house has been compromised,” Steve said before Derek could even get a greeting in.

  Derek’s expletive matched Steve’s.

  “There’s a letter here on my floor. Has been slid under the door. The house is secure now.” Steve looked over to where Rosalyn sat huddled on the stairs, arms around her knees, rocking herself back and forth. “Who was on patrol last night?”

  “Wilson. I’ll call you back in two minutes.” Derek disconnected the call.

  Steve wanted to go over and open the letter. Read it. But more than that he wanted the forensics team to be able to get off any possible information. He walked over to stand by Rosalyn, rubbing her hair gently. He wished he could pick her up and carry her away but knew they had to deal with this while they could.

  True to his word, Derek called back in a little over a minute. His voice was grim. “Wilson hasn’t reported in for the last three hours and is not answering his phone now.”

  “Damn it.” That was not a good sign.

  “You should have agents at your door in three to four minutes. Liam is on his way, ETA ten minutes. I called Brandon and Andrea too. I figured Andrea might be good for Rosalyn.”

  “Thanks, Derek.”

  He could hear Derek’s muted talking to someone before he came back on the line. “Molly and I are coming too. She wants to check out the scene herself. She says not to touch anything.”

  “Okay.”

  “Just hold tight, boss. We’re on our way.”

  * * *

  THIRTY MINUTES LATER his house was a circus.

  He’d gotten Rosalyn back upstairs before anyone arrived. Helped her wash off the coffee that had spilled on her legs and they both got dressed.

  She still hadn’t said much. Still had no color in her face. But she was holding it together. That was all he could ask for.

  Agent Wilson was dead. Had been shot at close range in his car. Initial estimates put his death at around 3:00 a.m.

  Molly Humphries-Waterman and her forensic lab team were doing their job all over his front porch, Agent Wilson’s car and around the letter itself.

  When Brandon and Andrea got there, Steve sent her straight up t
o his room to where Rosalyn still sat on the bed.

  The rest of his inner team—Derek, Jon, Liam and Brandon—were with Steve in the kitchen. Those were the men he trusted most in the world.

  “We need to get Rosalyn moved to Omega,” Jon said. “At least we know there that she’ll be safe. That he can’t get to her.”

  Brandon nodded. “I agree. There’s something we missed, obviously. Some way he’s finding Rosalyn’s location.”

  “Because they sure as hell weren’t followed.” Liam leaned his large frame against the fridge. “I can guarantee that.”

  Steve agreed. There was no way someone could’ve followed them last night without their being aware of it.

  “I don’t want to be the bad guy here,” Derek said. “But, Steve, yesterday you were sure Rosalyn had contacted the Watcher. Are you sure something like that didn’t happen again?”

  Steve wasn’t going back down that road. “Yes, I’m sure. However he’s finding her, it’s not because she’s telling him.”

  Derek held out his hands in surrender. “All right, don’t kill me. All I’m saying is sometimes the simplest answer is the most likely one.”

  “Well, start looking for complex answers because Rosalyn isn’t helping the Watcher.” If they had seen her face when she’d found that letter, they wouldn’t question it either. Steve would give everything he had to never see that look on Rosalyn’s face ever again.

  Jon jumped in before things got out of hand. “We need to get Rosalyn back to HQ. You too, Steve. We’ll work out the hows and whys from there. And I have some other cases I’ve found that I think might have an interesting tie to what’s happening to Rosalyn.”

  “Steve, I’m going to open the letter now,” Molly called out from the hallway. “I’ve gotten all the forensic evidence I can from the floor around it and the outside of the envelope.”

  They all moved into the hallway.

  Molly looked up, shaking her head. “I had hoped he had licked the envelope. That would’ve been our best shot at DNA.”