by Sheila Kell
When he’d installed the tracker in Moira’s purse, Stone had raised a brow but hadn’t questioned him. He knew using HIS equipment for personal use had to be cleared through Jesse or Devon, since they followed civilian laws when able. Besides, no one touched or approved the use of Devon’s equipment without his okay. Basically, Jesse, if he agreed, would tell you to go to Devon for his approval.
Stone’s voice sounded scratchy. Danny hated waking him at two in the morning, but Moira could be in the hands of some violent criminals. “Is this what you dragged me out of bed for?”
“The Underground might have her.”
“Shit. Give me time to get there and I’ll get it for you.”
He’d see where Stone found her and would decide from there. Some would say he was obsessed, but he wasn’t. It was only for her safety. Who the hell was he kidding? He wanted her as his friend and lover, and he was ready to say screw his brother’s claim.
Danny gritted his teeth as his stomach churned with the force of a tsunami. If the Underground had her—and he hoped they didn’t—they could no longer delay locating her. He didn’t believe it was the threat from Ireland, but he’d confirm after they found her and find her, they would.
Halting from his trek back and forth across the living room to the kitchen, he slapped his hands on the kitchen bar, dropped his head, and sighed. Fear of failure racked his body, almost paralyzing him from thinking, from doing. Closing his eyes, he felt the wetness behind his eyelids. He didn’t want to lose her. That night’s kiss meant something. It could be a turning point in their relationship.
Getting lost in his own thoughts, he jumped when his phone rang. Jackass, it’s just the phone.
Accepting the call, Stone started, “You know if Devon finds out about this, he is going to be pissed.”
In his heart, he knew that while he may get shit about it, once Devon heard her story, he’d help him. And why hadn’t he told him already? They’d all think Moira was safe based on the trail Justin had created. So, they’d say what he’d done was overkill and probably intrusive. He didn’t care. This was Moira. “Can you keep this quiet? You’ve been able to so far.”
“Yeah, but I haven’t logged on at this stupid hour for a non-op.”
Pinching his nose between his forefinger and thumb, he let any trouble he may be in slide off him. “Did you find her?”
“Um….”
His gut clenched at the way Stone started but didn’t finish. Was the address bad? No. Someone had to be there. Please don’t let it be Devon. He could pull the plug and that wouldn’t do.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know when someone logged onto my system?”
It was Devon. Why couldn’t he get a break? He just wanted to find Moira.
Ready to take on a bear, if needed to protect her, Danny prepared to battle with Devon. He should’ve figured nothing slipped by him.
Before Danny could speak, he heard AJ Hamilton barreling into the conversation. “What the fuck is going on here at bumfuck early in the morning? Don’t you think I’d get an alert when someone enters this building and who it was. I found it odd that Stone was here. Who the hell is on the phone?”
“It’s Franks. AJ, why you? Where are your brothers? Besides Devon, of course.”
“I’m here because it’s my rotation for the team support. Now, Franks, you’ll tell me what’s going on and if we need to bring your team in.”
He hesitated, knowing he shouldn’t keep her story from them, especially since this potential new threat had emerged. Declan may have asked to keep it quiet, but he trusted these men and women.
“Is this a standing story or should we sit because it’ll take long? Remember my brother and I were woken from sleep, so it better be worth it.”
He slowly ran a hand down his face. “If Moira’s safe, then you should sit down.”
“Christ,” AJ said in a voice that told him AJ wanted more trouble like a hole in his head. “All right. Stone, I’m guessing you’re tracking her with one of our devices?”
That emphasis on the device owner didn’t go unnoticed. He might just get more than a palm slap. Fine, as long as he could still watch her. The urgency to do so grew in him. He could be overreacting, but it wasn’t worth taking the chance.
“She’s at a safe address Franks provided.”
He could’ve fallen to the floor with the level of relief that shot out of him. She was at Laura and Luke’s—that was the only other address besides his own that he’d provided. He wanted to kick himself. He should’ve checked there, even if it meant waking them.
“Good. Get your ass in here, Franks.” Someone cut the call before he could ask AJ a question.
At record speed, he changed into his black cargo pants and T-shirt and took his gear to the truck, all the while wanting to rush over to Moira. Considering how little attention he paid to the speed limits, not getting a ticket told him that was a good sign for his cause.
He’d hoped the tremor he had would’ve subsided, but it hadn’t. It probably wouldn’t until he held Moira close and knew she was safe.
After arriving, Danny, Devon, and AJ walked into what was called their HQ kitchen. Instead of those little appliances and only a microwave in most places, this had been made into a full kitchen, gas burners and all.
Devon walked to the coffee pot and made sure it had plenty of water for each single brew. After he finished at the sink, AJ leaned over the basin and splashed water on his face.
Danny hoped they wouldn’t be too pissed at him for taking and using that tracker, considering it was against agency policy. Plus, he had another he’d recently installed in a pair of her shoes. It’d taken a cobbler to help with that task, but it was done.
After each of them brewed a cup of coffee, they sat at a round table with chairs between them. “Spill,” Devon demanded after a sip of coffee and a moan of satisfaction.
Danny’s hands around his cup became the focus of his gaze. He shouldn’t be nervous, but he was, and that outright pissed him off, giving him what he’d need to fight if necessary.
Looking up, he wasn’t sure which brother to look at, so he decided go back and forth between them. Wondering which brother to start with told him he was procrastinating.
“It’s my roommate.”
He felt a presence behind him, and it took all his will to not turn from the brothers. Maybe the other brothers had awakened?
Danny watched the changing expressions on Devon’s and AJ’s faces. They went from surprise to a gleam in their eyes. That seemed odd. He had to see who was behind him, even if it meant giving Devon and AJ his back. AJ typing on his phone seemed strange too, but who was he to judge.
He turned and had never seen a better sight. Such appreciation for the support nearly made his eyes water again. This was no time for emotions. Behind him stood the rest of his team, including their leader—Ken Patrick. Danny had been running the team in his boss’s absence, but he was a poor substitute. The special ops guys could handle so much more than his DEA ass.
He surged to his feet to greet them. How had they known? Stone. He shifted his gaze to the man and saw a sly smile on his lips. He must’ve put the word out something was off since Danny had been called in with a possible op.
Stone split off and handed Devon a laptop. The man couldn’t exist without one. In no time, he had it booted and ready.
“May as well have a seat where you can.” The resignation bled into AJ’s voice. Danny expected he’d preferred to be snuggled up to his wife, Megan.
Ken stood beside Danny. “Whatever’s happened, I ordered it.”
The Hamilton brothers rolled their eyes. “Of course you did.” Sarcasm laced Devon’s voice.
The one bit of advice Ken had given him for leading the team was to always take responsibility, no matter the situation. Oh, and to bring everyone home. Preferably alive
.
Cowboy walked to the coffee pot, and while his cup brewed, he waved his hand. “Don’t wait for me. Keep this little doggy going.”
Some of his team hadn’t learned office etiquette and he’d say Cowboy was one, but his friend tended to color outside the lines anywhere he could.
This time Devon’s lip quirked at Cowboy, so Danny released a breath that things hadn’t started off on the wrong foot. When Ken pulled a chair up beside him and gave a brief nod, Danny sat straighter, knowing his boss really did have his back. Ken had been the rock for the teams. While he liked Grits—Bravo team’s leader—he preferred Boss.
Stone had made the right call because having his team learn at the same time kept him from repeating the problem.
“Okay,” AJ said, looking like he’d sat taller in his seat with the team here. “Franks, what’s going on? You said your roommate. What does she have to do with this besides the fact that you’ve turned into a stalker?”
Chapter Nineteen
That hadn’t been the accusation Danny had expected. He’d thought it’d be about using HIS resources. Stalker? Him? No, they didn’t understand yet.
“I put a tracker in the liner of her purse when she arrived from Ireland in case something happened and I needed to locate her.”
“That wasn’t one of your wisest decisions,” Devon added as a small, irrelevant comment.
“It seemed like a good one at the time.” He felt like arguing over this because it had, but it was already done, so they needed to talk about what happened to her and why she was here.
Devon shook his head. “Hell. Did you even consider the fact that trackers can be linked back to us?”
No, he hadn’t. Panic tapped at his body, but he held it at bay. Mostly. Getting HIS into trouble was the last thing he’d wanted. Surely they’d toss his ass now. “I thought our stuff was untraceable.”
“No. Not everything anyway.” How had Devon perfected that quirk to hide a smile? “We can discuss it later.”
“Can’t you—” He waved his hand around toward the computer setup. “—make it disappear?”
“Probably, but I won’t. I won’t mess with the company’s records. View them, but not change, unless completely necessary for the safety of someone. Now, spill. I’m ready for my second cup.”
“Moira’s the sister of a friend of mine in Ireland. She’s not here on vacation to visit friends. Her brother, Declan, called me several months ago, before he feared for their lives. Seems he decided to fall in love with a drug boss’s daughter. We had a plan for their extraction, but then he called and said there had been a change and they were headed to America right away.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted, as if a collective breath had been held waiting for more details. All movement stopped to include Doc, ready to put a pod in the coffee maker. They protected people. It’s what they did, no matter how difficult. They’d give their lives to protect someone. It’d been bred into them, which was why after years of protecting people, they were chosen for HIS.
He’d bet his last dollar Alpha team’s new focus became Moira and nothing else. He only hoped he wasn’t overreacting. But he’d rather be too heavy-handed than allow her to fall into danger’s hands.
No one spoke, so he continued, “Moira’s an artist. She did well enough in Ireland to live comfortably. One afternoon her friend asked her to fill in on a cleaning job. It was to help prepare a mansion for a dinner party. She mostly dusted, but the woman in charge didn’t give her a break. Moira was frustrated and asked her friend how bad it would be if she quit. Given the green light, she planned her escape from who she called a taskmaster.”
Noticing Doc still hadn’t put that pod in his hand into the coffee maker, he motioned for him to continue. Doc looked at his hand, shocked as if he hadn’t realized he held the pod. Even though the room came alive again, attention remained on him.
“Since my brother covered her and her brother’s trail so well in Ireland, I promised I wouldn’t share her story unless I had to. Well, I think it’s time.” He never should’ve allowed his promise to override his commitment to the agency and protecting the innocent.
He listened to some foul language and knew he’d earned it for keeping this secret from them. They were people to be trusted. Not only as agents of HIS, but as friends.
AJ gritted his teeth and seemed to have a hard time speaking. “I get that you gave a promise to someone, but you should’ve included us from the beginning. We’d have kept her safe.”
He gulped at the ferocity of AJ’s voice. There’d been no reason at the beginning, when she first arrived. Sure, he’d given her a tail, but that had been more for his comfort than her safety, because as far as they’d known, she was dead to the threat in Ireland. Besides, Moira would’ve hated him for it. Now though was the time and she’d have to deal.
Best to avoid arguing with one of his bosses over whether he should have included HIS from the beginning. “Anyway, the dinner was at the home of someone from the Seanad Éireann.” When he received blank looks, he realized he’d repeated Moira’s words. “It’s basically the senate. Minister Donnelly.”
There were some nods with mumbles of agreement in all forms. He also expected plenty of “get to the point” mumbles in there. He just couldn’t seem to spit it out in the brief and concise format that had been ingrained in him since he’d joined the DEA, and then HIS. With Moira involved, brevity didn’t exist in his thoughts. This was too personal, and although he needed to share, he didn’t want to.
“Did this minister threaten her?” Cowboy asked, all excited. “Because I’ll be glad to protect your roommate since you haven’t spanked that ass. She’s hot.”
Rage, no, it was jealousy… no, it was rage covering his jealousy… made his muscles tighten, especially around his shoulders and neck. He wanted to take Cowboy apart, limb by limb, even with that damn twinkle in his eyes. That asshole remembered the trip back from the festival.
He was saved from acting out by his team leader.
“Cowboy, shut the hell up,” Boss said. The agent waved his hand as if giving Danny the green light. “Go ahead,” he said, before he took a sip of coffee.
Danny’s own mug was empty but getting up wasn’t possible for him. To his surprise, Doc grabbed his mug to make another cup. Thank God for this team.
“Cowboy, we don’t know. While Moira had been there, she’d watched a known drug lord meet with the minister and an assistant commissioner with gardai. Police,” he added for clarification.
A few whistles rang in the air. Put a drug lord with government officials, and it was a bomb waiting to explode.
Doc handed him the coffee, and Danny took a grateful sip and opened his mouth at the heat of it. No one laughed because they’d all done it at one time or another. The liquid fireball burned its way down his throat to his stomach.
“What’s Moira’s full name?” Devon asked, never looking up from his computer screen.
His wide eyes sought out Stone, who looked like a kid trying to not be observed. “Aoife Moira Gallagher.”
“What’s that first name again?” Devon asked.
“Aoife, pronounced like I said it. ‘Ee-fah.’ It’s the Celtic version of Eva or Ava.” That last part had been useless information, and Devon’s expression agreed.
“How do you spell it?” Devon turned back to his screen, his hands hovering over his keyboard.
He spelled her name and stiffened at Devon’s hands flying over his laptop keyboard. “Devon, stop. Your search could trigger an alert.”
After rolling his eyes, Devon gave Danny a bored stare. “It won’t be from any search of mine.”
“Well…” Danny gulped, ready to take more hits today. “My brother set her and her brother up with fake passports and I got a driver’s license to match.”
Devon and AJ looked at each other, and Danny hated w
hen he couldn’t read them.
“You did that?” Devon asked him but looked at Stone.
“No, I helped. Her new name in the system is Moira Lee Wright.”
Chuckles went around the room at that.
“I’m not even going to talk about the illegal stuff yet, well, I am on one thing. But she’s not a citizen.”
He and Stone looked at each other, and Danny mentally shrugged.
AJ waved his arm. “Can you get to the damn point?”
Obviously, he felt the same about Reagan’s swear jar disappearing. “As she left the cleaning job, she was caught by someone to take a tray service to the minister and her guests. Only, she waited outside since they were talking. They’d left the door open a crack. In a hurry to leave, she set the tray on the floor and heard someone threaten to kill her brother. So, she ran, knocking over the service tray in the process. As you can imagine, it made noise.”
A variety of responses came from the team, but they all had one theme. “Damn.”
“Did I mention she recorded them and they spoke about working together?”
The team stood, waiting through the entire story; he knew they didn’t miss a thing.
“When she left, Moira went straight to her cop brother. My brother got the two of them out of the country. Plus, her brother’s pregnant girlfriend, who happens to be the daughter of said drug lord. In the air, the drug lord’s daughter needed medical attention, so the flight stopped over in Boston. They sent Moira on to me as planned. She lives with me, so I can keep a watch on her in case my brother’s plan falls through. She only has one set of friends, and—” He looked at Stone who nodded. “—she’s there now.”
A few eyes flicked to what they could see of Devon’s big screen with a red dot pinpointing Moira’s location.
“She didn’t actually hear what was on the recording at the mansion, until later at her brother’s home. It didn’t matter though, because if they knew someone was listening, that person would be in trouble. My brother staged their deaths in Ireland to keep the drug boss off their trail. He’s keeping his ear to the ground for trouble.”