Worth the Risk (COBRA Securities Book 21)

by Velvet Vaughn

  Instead of moving out of his way, she stepped into his path. “Joe! I’m so glad you came back. You forgot something,” she slid a piece of paper in his hand. “My phone number.”

  “Did you see an orderly go by just now?” he asked, completely ignoring her flirting.

  “Uh, no. I didn’t.” She looked confused with his abrupt tone but quickly recovered and addressed another nurse approaching from a side hallway. “Bonnie, did you see an orderly go by?”

  “Yes. He was looking for Mr. Morris’s room.”

  “Call security,” Gage ordered as he broke into a run. The curtain had been pulled over the glass wall. He grabbed the door handle. Locked. Having chased after him, Nurse Dana gasped at the gun in his hand. “Open it now, or I’ll break it down.”

  She fumbled with a key and slid it into the lock with shaking hands. Shoving the door open, he yelled, “Freeze.” The man holding a pillow over Todd’s face jerked startled eyes towards him. Gage rushed forward and grabbed him around the waist, throwing him to the ground in a bone-crushing tackle. The pillow went flying from his hands as they rolled around on the floor, knocking over an IV stand and sending a table tumbling, the contents spilling over. The guy was good and knew some impressive moves, including an elbow to Gage’s cheek that drew blood, but he was no match for a Navy SEAL. Gage landed several solid punches of his own and connected with a particularly brutal jab that stunned the attacker. Gage used the hesitation to flip him over and pin him on his stomach. Snagging a pair of flex cuffs from his pocket, he snapped them around his wrists. Then he patted him down, hoping to find identification or a cell phone, but his pockets were empty.

  He looked up to see Nurse Dana staring at him with both shock and awe. “Wow, you’re incredible,” she breathed.

  “How is he?” He tipped his head to indicate Todd. A doctor and another nurse had come running and were currently working on him.

  “The intruder turned off his monitors and removed the oxygen, but he’s still alive.” She reached for him with a gauze pad. “You’re bleeding.”

  “It’s nothing,” he insisted as two security guards skidded to a stop at the door. He shoved off, using his hands to drive the attacker’s face into the floor. The man howled in pain. “Oops.”

  The guards hauled him to his feet as blood gushed from a broken nose and obscenities poured from his mouth. “We need you both to come with us,” one of the men advised Gage and Nurse Dana.

  Gage clenched his jaw. He’d be walking a fine line keeping his identity and the reason for his visit a secret, especially if the security guards called the police.

  #

  Quinn trusted Gage completely, so if he felt something was off, there was most definitely a problem. He jumped out of the SUV and took off running for the hospital entry. He met Vanessa and Kaiya at the doors. “If things go sideways, get her to the safe house,” he instructed Kaiya.

  “Will do. Room 320,” she yelled as he bypassed the elevator and took the stairs three at a time. He slowed his steps as he approached the ICU to survey the area. If the orderly was an imposter, he might have accomplices. No one looked familiar or suspicious until he spotted two security guards escorting a bleeding man with his hands cuffed behind his back. Despite the mangled nose, Quinn recognized him instantly as the goon who’d abducted Vanessa. He owed him serious payback for putting his hands on her.

  Gage followed behind with a nurse clinging to his arm. He fell into step beside him. “What happened?”

  “I caught him trying to smother Todd with a pillow.”

  The nurse ducked around Gage to add adoringly, “He rushed inside and saved him. He’s a hero!”

  “How is Todd?”

  Though he posed the question to Gage, the nurse answered. “Still alive, thanks to Joe.”

  “Who’s J—oh.” Gage had given her a fake name. Lowering his voice so the nosy nurse couldn’t hear, he said, “He’s one of them.”

  “I figured as much. He’s not carrying ID.”

  Though he itched to get back to Vanessa, he needed this man’s name so Tyler and his gang could dig up information on his background and known associates. This might be the break they needed to bring the men down.

  The guards led them to an office and pushed the perp into a metal chair. “My nose is broken,” he whined. Everyone ignored him.

  Before Quinn could ask any questions, a man and woman entered. Whereas the man’s suit was off the rack, the woman’s looked to be designer. She wore sky-high heels, an excessive amount of makeup, and impeccably styled hair. They spoke with the security guards first. While the woman continued to question them, the man made his way to Quinn, Gage and the nurse. He was tall and muscular, with dark hair and amber-colored eyes.

  “Detective Luca Russo.” He held out a hand.

  Quinn shook it. “I’m Quinn, and this is Gage.”

  He realized his mistake when the nurse gasped. “He told me his name is Joe!”

  Gage gave her a sheepish smile. “Nickname,” he fibbed.

  “Which one of you—”

  Before the detective could finish the question, all hell broke loose. With his hands still tied behind his back, the suspect jumped up, grabbed one of the security guard’s guns from his holster, and started shooting. Quinn and Gage both dove to cover the screaming nurse as bullets flew haphazardly around the room. Glass shattered, littering the floor with tiny shards. As quickly as it started, the shooting stopped.

  Quinn helped the whimpering nurse to her feet while Gage grabbed a chair for her to sit. He assessed the situation. Papers fluttered through the air, and an ivy plant had toppled, spilling dirt on the ground. Water leaked from a hole in the plastic bottle of a free-standing dispenser, and a coffee carafe had been smashed. The two detectives had overturned a table to use as a shield, but it sported several bullet holes. They were lucky they weren’t hit. The suspect was down and missing half of his face. One of the security guards was also dead. The other guard attempted CPR on his partner, but it was pointless. There was enough blood to assume his jugular had been severed.

  Quinn caught Gage’s gaze and tipped his head towards the door. Gage gave a slight nod. While everyone’s attention was diverted, they slipped out the door.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Worry for both Todd and Quinn had Vanessa fidgeting in her seat, unable to sit still. She had no idea what prompted Gage to send her away, but whatever it was, it was taking forever. If Quinn didn’t come out in the next five minutes, she was going looking for him, no matter what Kaiya said. She’d have to pull a gun to stop her, and now that Vanessa sported a bullet-proof vest, she was willing to take the risk.

  The contacts irritated her eyes, so she popped them out and placed them in the case she brought with her, glad she’d thought to grab it before they left the house.

  “Yeah, we’re safe,” Kaiya said into the microscopic communications unit that Quinn and Gage wore as well. “Okay.” She turned to Vanessa. “They’re on their way now.”

  “Thank goodness. Do you know what’s going on?”

  “No clue.” Kaiya climbed over the console and dropped to the passenger seat. A minute later, Quinn and Gage came jogging out of the hospital. Quinn hopped into the driver’s seat while Gage slid in beside her.

  “You’re bleeding.”

  Gage touched his face. “It’s nothing.” Kaiya reached into the glove compartment and found a napkin. “Thanks.” He took it from her hand and dabbed at the cut.

  “What happened?” Vanessa asked.

  “Someone tried to murder Todd.”

  Her heart clenched. “Is he…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

  “No,” Gage assured her. “The perp didn’t get a chance to finish the job.”

  Her entire body sagged with relief. “Thank God.”

  Kaiya turned around in her seat. “Did you catch him?”

  “Yes,” Gage confirmed. “He wasn’t carrying identification, so we hoped to get answers when the detectives arrived.
Unfortunately, he’s not talking.”

  “Why not?” Kaiya asked. “I’m sure you two could’ve persuaded him to spill his guts.”

  “Close, but his guts weren’t spilled. His face was blown off.”

  Vanessa recoiled as gruesome pictures of the executions she’d witnessed flashed in her mind. Forcing the images away, she leaned forward to address Quinn. “Do the police have any leads?”

  He met her gaze in the rear-view mirror. “We didn’t stick around to find out. We don’t know who we can trust, and I didn’t want to have to reveal our connection to Todd.”

  “If the guy has a record, they should be able to ID him through fingerprints,” Kaiya pointed out. “Tyler can work his magic and hack—” She paused and shot a look over her shoulder at Vanessa. If Kaiya thought it would upset her to know their methods were less than legal, she was wrong. “I meant to say find out his name through proper channels.”

  Quinn glanced over at her. “Smooth.”

  She winced.

  When they stopped at a red light, Quinn turned to Gage. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but that was great work tonight.”

  “Yeah, how did you know something was wrong?” she asked him. “I was right beside you, and I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

  “Do you remember the orderly who passed us?”

  “No, I was keeping my head down so no one would recognize me.”

  “He wore shitkicker boots and ratty jeans. Not the typical attire for a hospital. And there was a bulge beneath the jacket that could only be a concealed weapon. Plus, his eyes were shifty.”

  Vanessa was impressed. “You noticed all that in two seconds.”

  Gage shrugged.

  “I echo Quinn. Awesome detective work,” Kaiya praised.

  “Just doing my job.”

  Vanessa was starting to realize just how good the men and women of COBRA Securities were. She’d be dead several times over if not for Quinn. Tonight, Gage saved Todd’s life. She prayed it wasn’t in vain, and her friend lived.

  Tiredness suddenly weighed down on her. All the past few days' events caught up to her. She wasn’t sure she could make it inside the house when Quinn parked and shut off the engine.

  When he opened her door, he realized her condition because he slid his arms around her and lifted her out. Her head dropped to his shoulder and her eyes closed. She should feel embarrassed looking so weak in front of Gage and Kaiya, but she couldn’t muster the energy to care what anyone thought. She felt drained down to her bones.

  She must’ve nodded off for a few moments because the next thing she knew, Quinn placed her on a bed. He carefully removed her wig, his hands both gentle and soothing as he pulled the pins out. Next, he tugged off her shoes and unzipped her jeans before easing them off. Gently lifting her, he skimmed off her shirt. If he wanted sex, he’d be very disappointed in her performance. But he wasn’t looking to get lucky. Instead, he removed the bulletproof vest and eased her back to the mattress before tucking the covers around her.

  She hoped he would hold her, but before she could open her mouth, her eyes drifted closed, and the darkness claimed her.

  #

  Quinn woke early and slipped out of Vanessa’s bed. Knowing how utterly wiped she was, he should’ve left her alone, but she was hurting. He wanted—no, needed—to take her pain away.

  She’d been out like a light when he crawled beneath the covers to gather her in his arms. In slumber, she sighed and snuggled closer. Knowing they were safe for the first time in days, he fell into a deep sleep, only to be roused in the middle of the night by Vanessa’s wandering hands.

  Best way ever to wake up.

  He tiptoed back to his room with Kilo beside him and changed into workout clothes. The fact that BeBe found a place with exercise equipment on zero notice was nothing short of miraculous.

  He usually worked out every day. If he didn’t hit the gym, he shot hoops or ran around the complex or swam laps or participated in some form of physical activity. Between building the shelter on the island, paddling the raft across the lake, and hiking through the woods, he’d kept up with his cardio that last few days.

  He headed downstairs to find a treadmill, elliptical machine, stair stepper, exercise bike and a universal weight machine. Grabbing the remote from a shelf, he turned on a television and found the news channel, hoping for information on the man who tried to kill Todd last night. He started with the treadmill, increasing the speed from a walk until he was running. After five miles, he hit the weights. Gage joined him first, followed by Kaiya.

  There had been nothing on TV about the shooting. The police were keeping it out of the media for now. He wondered if that meant another cop was involved.

  Once they finished, they retreated to their respective rooms to shower. On his way back downstairs, Quinn peeked in at Vanessa. She was still asleep. Rocky had joined her on the bed. He’d sprawled out, taking up more than his share of space. Quinn smiled as he eased the door closed.

  Kilo picked up the scent of bacon before he did. He entered the kitchen to find Gage whipping up a breakfast of egg white omelets with peppers and onions, whole wheat toast and bacon. From the corner of his eye, he caught Gage tossing Kilo a piece of his favorite treat as he headed to the refrigerator for the orange juice.

  “Vanessa’s not up yet?”

  “No. She was wiped. I didn’t want to wake her.”

  The intercom buzzed. It was too early for FBI Agent Cayleigh Copeland. He checked the monitor to see a delivery truck and remembered BeBe had overnighted a replacement phone. He jogged down the driveway with Kilo and met the driver at the gate. After signing for the package, he tore it open to find a watch to replace the one he lost and a new phone. If he knew BeBe, it’d be the same number. She’d included a note, and…he did know her. She’d even programmed all of his important contacts. If Tank hadn’t married her, Quinn would’ve asked. Strapping the watch on, he adjusted the fit. He found himself looking at his wrist several times the last few days to check the time, only to remember it was gone.

  His stomach growled, reminding him that breakfast was cooking. When he returned to the kitchen, he took over toast-making duties as Gage slid an omelet to Kaiya, who joined them.

  “This looks delicious.” She added a few slices of bacon, one she snuck under the table for Kilo. Quinn shook his head. The dog had them all wrapped around his paw.

  They had almost finished eating when Vanessa showed up with Rocky, whose nose sniffed the air in doggie euphoria. Gage stood to retrieve the omelet he had warming for her.

  “Thanks,” she said as she accepted the plate and dropped into the seat across from Quinn at the breakfast table. “I’m sorry I overslept.”

  “You didn’t,” Quinn insisted as he fed Rocky a slice of bacon. He glanced at his watch. “Agent Copeland won’t be here for another half an hour.”

  Vanessa bit into the toast. “You’re sure we can trust her?”

  “Yes. She’s been vetted by a COBRA Securities agent who used to work for the FBI. Until we can figure out what’s going on, she’s working this case off the books.”

  “She won’t get in trouble?”

  “I don’t know the dynamics of the Bureau,” Quinn admitted, “but she’s doing this on her own time. What they don’t know can’t hurt her.” He hoped.

  By the time they finished eating and cleaned up, the intercom dinged. He pressed the button. “Yes?”

  “Agent Cayleigh Copeland.” She held her badge to the camera. “Sawyer Oldham sent me.”

  “I’ll buzz you in.”

  Quinn activated the switch to open the gates. Stepping outside, he waited for the agent to park her car. Instead of the typical Bureau attire of a suit and sensible shoes, she wore jeans and a silky top paired with boots. Her mahogany hair curled down her back, and when she took off her sunglasses, light green eyes surveyed the area. When she spotted him, she headed in his direction with her hand extended. “Mr. Billings?”

/>   “Quinn,” he insisted as he shook her hand. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with us, Agent Copeland.”

  “Cayleigh, please. And no problem. Sawyer’s a good friend, and I owe him so many favors I’ll never be able to repay. Who’s this?”

  “His name is Kilo.”

  “Is it okay if I pet him?”

  “Sure.”

  She crouched down and scratched his ears, much to Kilo’s delight. Rocky nosed his way between Quinn’s legs, demanding the same attention. Cayleigh complied.

  “That’s Rocky,” Quinn said. “He’s the key to the current situation. You’ll learn more about him soon.”

  “Okay.”

  When she stood, he led her inside and introduced her to Vanessa, Gage and Kaiya.

  “You look just like your wanted pictures,” she told Vanessa.

  “Oh good,” Vanessa replied in a droll voice. “I was afraid they’d use my driver’s license photo.”

  “Nope. Anyway, I’ve read the police reports. Now I want to hear your side of the story.”

  As they headed to the living room, Quinn’s phone trilled. “It’s the office. I’d better take it.” He stepped into the kitchen. “Hey, BeBe.”

  “I see you got the phone.”

  “Yes, thank you for fast-tracking it.”

  “You may want to take back those words.”

  “Okay. Why?”

  “Please don’t get mad at me.”

  “I could never be mad at you, BeBe.”

  “Don’t be so sure. A detective called the office looking for either you or Gage. It was routed to me to handle. I tried to find out what he wanted, but he wouldn’t tell me. He said he needs to talk to you, and he made sure I knew it wasn’t a request but a demand.”

  “Detective Russo?”

  “Yes. You know him?” Her voice was hopeful.

  “No. We crossed paths yesterday.”

  “Oh. Well, I’ve got him on hold. I can tell him to go take a hike if you want.”

  “I’d better speak with him. I have a feeling he won’t give up until I do.”

  “Okay, I’ll patch him through.”

  “Quinn Billings?”

  “Detective Russo. How did you find me?”