by Anna Blakely
Before leaving, Grant turned to face her. “Don’t worry. You’re safe here.” Then with a wink, he was gone.
Taking advantage of the privacy, Brynnon turned to her dad. “I know it’s a bad time, but there’s something we need to discuss.”
For the next several minutes, Brynnon proceeded to share her thoughts—ones she’d not been able to quiet since Billy’s phone call last night—with her father. When she was finished, she sat quietly and waited for his response.
“I may lose one child tonight, Brynnon. I don’t want to lose you, too.”
“You won’t. And I don’t want to do anything that will hurt you. So, if you tell me to drop it, I will. I’ll go find Grant right now and tell him and the guys to stop their search.”
Her father raised a trembling hand to her cheek. “You are just like your mother.” He smiled. “She would be so proud of you. I know, I am.”
Brynnon covered his hand with hers. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“You know in your heart what’s right, sweet girl. Do what you need to do, and don’t worry about me.”
“But, your career—”
“Isn’t worth covering up for whoever caused those soldiers’ deaths. No career is worth that. Besides, Derek may find that our company had nothing to do with it. But you won’t know unless you keep looking.”
“Grant won’t stop until he finds the truth.”
Her dad smiled. “That man loves you, you know.”
Brynnon blushed. “Maybe.”
She watched as he stepped away to pull one of the plastic chairs next to his. He sat down and patted the empty seat.
“Come sit for a minute.”
Brynnon did, wondering what sort of worldly wisdom he was about to bestow upon her. It didn’t take long to find out.
“Your mother was about your age when she and I met. I saw her from across the room, and I knew.” Her father smiled at the memory. “From the second I saw her, I knew she was the one.”
Sharing his need to think about something other than bombs and shootings, Brynnon’s lips curved. “I know. You’ve told me that story a hundred times, but I always love hearing it.”
“I suppose I have.” His rough, aging hand held hers. “But there’s something I haven’t told you.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you remember the philanthropy ball I hosted a few months back? The one where you and Grant first met? He was working as extra security for me, then.”
“I remember.” She nodded. How could I forget?
“Well, the thing I haven’t told you before now is that night, when you walked through those doors, I saw Grant look at you the exact same way I did your mother.”
Her eyes rushed up to his. “I think you were mistaken, Dad.”
“Think about it, sweetheart. I had several guards there that night. Many of whom, you didn’t know.”
“Is there a point to all this?” Brynnon shifted in the uncomfortable seat.
“Of the men working security, how many did I introduce you to?”
She thought back to that night, her heart stuttering when she realized, “Just one.”
Her father nodded. “Ever wonder why?” When she shook her head, he went on to explain. “I knew the two of you would somehow find your way to one another.”
Brynnon slid a glance to her brother’s still form. “This doesn’t really seem like an appropriate time to—”
“It’s the exact right time.” Her father looked down at Billy before his sharp gaze found hers once more. “What happened tonight, first with you and then your brother...it’s a stark reminder that none of us know how much time we have here. Grant’s a good, solid man, Brynnon. From what I’ve seen, he loves you very much.”
Brynnon’s heart swelled with a knowledge her mind had yet to accept. “He doesn’t...w-we haven’t said...”
“The words will come, dear, but actions? Those are what matter most.” Turning to face her more directly, he took her other hand in his and added, “Life is short, baby girl. If you have the chance to experience the magic your mother and I shared, grab onto it with both hands and never let go.”
She’d lost her mother far too soon. Her brother was fighting for his life before her very eyes, but she couldn’t have asked for a better father than the one she’d been given.
“Thanks, Daddy.” She hugged him tightly. “I love you.”
Holding her close, he whispered back, “I love you, too, Brynnon.”
“Oh, sorry. I can come back.”
Both Brynnon and her father turned to see Martin standing just inside the door. He was fidgety, and the guy looked like he was about two seconds from throwing up.
He’s taking this really hard. Brynnon offered him a tiny smile. “You’re fine.”
Martin’s gaze skittered from hers, to her fathers, and back to hers. “You know, this is really a family thing. I-I should probably just go.”
“No.” Brynnon stood quickly. “Stay.”
She couldn’t quite place the expression on Martin’s face when he asked, “You sure?”
“You’re his best friend, Martin. Billy will want to see you if he wakes up. Besides, Grant and the guys should be back soon, hopefully with the shooter’s I.D. I’m sure they’d welcome any help you could give once that happens.”
The other man gave her a shaky smile. “All right.” He took a step forward, but then stopped suddenly. “You know, I was thinking of going to go find some coffee. Would either of you like some?”
“I’m good,” her father answered. “But thank you.”
“Brynnon? What about you?” His eyes met hers with slight desperation.
Assuming he wanted company but was too afraid to ask, Brynnon offered, “How about I walk with you? We’ll probably be here awhile, and it’ll do me good to stretch my legs.”
Nodding, Martin’s smile widened. “Great idea.”
She gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek, took some cash from her purse, and she and Martin left the room. Walking down the hall toward the elevators, Brynnon took her phone out to text Grant. However, when she hit send, the message failed to go through.
“That Grant?”
Brynnon scowled at her phone. “Yeah. I thought I’d send him a text asking if he wanted coffee, but it won’t go through.”
“The signal’s spotty in this place.”
She put her phone back into her pocket and sighed. As they came to the elevators, she told Martin, “I’m just glad R.I.S.C. is involved in the investigation.”
“Why is that?” Martin hit the button to bring the elevator to them.
“They’re the best.” She looked over at him. “I mean, the private investigator working for Charles Wright has spent the last six years trying to validate Wright’s claims against Dad’s old company. It took Derek less than a handful of days to figure out Charles was right all along.”
The elevator dinged and Martin’s brow furrowed as they stepped through the open doors. “W-what do you mean, he was right?”
“Apparently, there’s a discrepancy on some of the documents relating to the job in Kunar. Derek has connections far beyond even my father. Plus, the guy’s a literal genius. It’s only a matter of time before he figures out what really happened. Once he does, the person or people behind it all will most likely be charged in the deaths of those poor soldiers.”
Martin nodded but remained silent as he reached out and pressed the button with the big ‘G’ on it.
“It doesn’t matter how long it takes,” Brynnon continued. “Grant and I are going to see those responsible are brought to justice.”
Martin cleared his throat. “You know, Bryn. I get that you and Grant are a thing and you have a lot of faith in his team’s abilities, but you shouldn’t get your hopes up too high.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that, with Charles Wright dead and the private investigator he hired missing, it seems to me the case has reached a dead end.”
“I have to
do this because Wright is gone.”
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Stepping out, Brynnon followed Martin down the hall, trying her best to make him understand.
“Don’t you see? Martin, there is a very good chance someone who worked at Dad’s company, probably someone you and I both know, tampered with those documents. Why would they do that, unless it was to cover something up?”
Agitated, Martin shot back with, “Like what?”
“A direct link to the bridge collapse. I don’t know for sure yet, but I’m telling you, there’s something there. We just have to find it.”
As he continued down the long corridor, Martin thought a moment before speaking again. “Fine. We can keep looking, but let me handle it.”
“You?” Brynnon frowned.
“Sure. I worked for Cantrell Construction, remember? And as you know, I’m very familiar with the way things were done. Why don’t you give me the documents? I can look them over and see if I notice anything unusual. Maybe I can figure out what it is you think you’re missing.”
Brynnon shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
She stopped to look at him. “Because I think whoever’s responsible is the same person who put that bomb in my cabin. I also think they shot Billy. If I involve you, then you could end up being the next target.”
He ran a hand over his jaw. “I’m sure whoever did those things is long gone by now. Besides, I can take care of myself.”
They turned down another hallway. Seeing a doctor and two nurses walking toward them, Brynnon waited until they’d passed and were out of earshot before continuing.
“I think you’re wrong,” she said bluntly. “I think the person is closer than we realize. And I think that same person shot Billy.”
“Why would they go after him?”
Brynnon shook her head, sick to her stomach from what she was about to say. “I think my brother knew about the cover-up. I also think he may have even been involved.”
This time, it was Martin who stopped. Going pale, he asked, “Why would you say that?”
“He sounded off when we spoke last night. There was something in his voice.” She swallowed down the knot of guilt she felt for even thinking these things about her own brother.
“So why shoot him?”
“That, I don’t know. Maybe the shooter was trying to tie up loose ends. Or, maybe Billy threatened to tell the truth. All I know is I can’t stop now. If I do, that means the cabin and Billy...it was all for nothing. I have to see this through to the end.”
“Even if it kills you?” he challenged.
Brynnon looked back at him with conviction. “Even if it kills me.”
Martin studied her for a moment before he began walking again. “What about your father? A scandal like that could ruin his career as a United States Senator.”
And there it was. The real reason Martin wanted her to walk away from the investigation. He didn’t give a shit about her safety. All he was concerned about was her father’s career. Or, more accurately, his career.
“I’ve already spoken to Dad about it. He said no career was worth covering up the wrongful deaths of those American soldiers. He wants me to keep digging.” Brynnon looked around, wondering just how far the coffee shop was. “Are we close, or did we take a wrong turn?”
With an odd look, Martin gave her a small smile. “Actually, I remembered seeing Grant as I was coming out of the restroom. He told me they were going to be in a conference room located on this floor. He told me how to get there, in case you needed him for something. I thought, if you want, we can go by there first to see if they could use some coffee.”
Surprised he’d actually thought of someone other than himself, Brynnon said, “Oh. Okay.”
They went down hallway after hallway until finally, Brynnon heard Martin say, “It’s down this way.”
They’d passed by several staff members since leaving her brother’s room, but this hallway was completely empty. An odd feeling began to settle in Brynnon’s gut, but she brushed it off as emotionally induced paranoia and kept walking.
He pushed open another door. When they walked through it, a rush of cold air nearly took her breath away. The winter air sent a flurry of goosebumps over her exposed arms and Brynnon stopped in her tracks.
Looking around, her heart thumped a little harder when she saw the concrete floors, walls, and pillars. A large, metal sign attached high on one of the walls caught her eye. It read, ‘Employee Parking Only.’
Already shivering, she glanced back at the door they’d just walked through. “Martin, I think we took a wrong turn. This is the employee parking garage.”
He smiled wider. “I know. Grant told me about a short cut. It’s right through there.” He pointed to a door on the opposite side of the garage. Giving her his prized, politician’s smile, he said, “Trust me.”
Brynnon wrapped her arms around herself to help fight off the cold as they made their way across the open space. Temperatures had dropped drastically in the short time since they’d arrived, and a strong wind whistled eerily as it traveled passed the garage’s dark opening at the top of the ramp.
Martin smiled over at her. “I know Derek’s good at what he does, but I really don’t see how a couple of doctored P.O.s are going to lead you to the person you’re after.”
Brynnon’s steps faltered, her heart stuttering inside her chest.
Noticing, he looked over at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”
A gnawing feeling settled deep inside her gut as she stopped moving. “I never said the documents that were falsified were purchase orders.”
Martin stopped as well. He thought for a moment before smiling again. “Sure, you did. You said Derek found something off with the P.O.’s for the Kunar job.”
Pulling a pair of black leather gloves from his pocket, he began slipping them onto his hands. That same, gnawing feeling she’d experienced seconds earlier grew teeth. Their bite painful and shocking.
“No.” Brynnon shook her head. “I didn’t.”
Calling him out on his bullshit here, in the middle of a freaking parking garage with no one else around, was stupid. Unfortunately, Brynnon realized this a second too late.
Quickly trying to recover, she smiled back at him. “You know what? I’m sure you’re right. It’s been a long few days, and with everything that’s happened, I probably just forgot I’d mentioned the P.O.’s.”
Martin stared back at her. His lips were still curved into a smile, but his eyes held no humor. “I’m sure that’s it.”
Suddenly fearful of a man she’d known half her life, Brynnon took a step backward. “I’m really not in the mood for coffee anymore. I-I think I’m just going to go back to Billy’s room.”
Turning around, she started walking back in the direction they came. She made it three steps before hearing the metallic sound of a bullet being chambered.
“No. You’re not.”
Brynnon spun around, her heart leaping into her throat from what she saw. Martin, her brother’s best friend and a man she’d known over half her life, was holding a gun. And it was pointed directly at her heart.
****
Chapter 20
“What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?”
Keeping his eyes glued to the financial report he was scanning over, Grant answered Coop’s question. “Anything that seems odd or out of place.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Coop held up the report Derek had given him to check. “All this shit looks odd to me.” When Grant didn’t respond, his teammate griped, “It’s like looking for a needle in a damn haystack.”
Patience wearing paper fucking thin, Grant sent Coop a look. “That needle tried to kill Bryn and her brother tonight, so keep fucking looking.”
The other man wisely chose to remain quiet and continued searching for something that would give them a clue as to who the hell they were after.
Grant couldn’t really blame
Coop for being frustrated. For nearly an hour, now, both he and Coop had been scouring through page after page of supply orders, bank statements, and other financial documentation from Cantrell Construction and its employees.
In the meantime, Derek worked to hack into Billy Cantrell’s building camera feed. According to D, the system was much more sophisticated than he’d first expected, requiring him to jump through several more hoops than normal.
So far, they hadn’t found a single fucking thing.
“By the way, where the hell is Mac, and why isn’t she here helping us go through all this shit?”
“Jake has her working on something else with Trevor.”
Coop frowned. “What?”
Derek shrugged. “No idea. When McQueen called earlier for a SITREP, he just said she was hanging back to go over some stuff with Trev.”
Grant could tell Coop wanted to know more, but the guy knew it was useless to hound D for information he couldn’t give. A few minutes passed before the younger man spoke again.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh, great.” Derek smirked, his fingers incessantly clicking away on his keyboard. “This should be good.”
Flipping him off, Coop glanced over at Grant. “I don’t think whoever set that bomb actually meant for Brynnon to get hurt.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Think about it.” Coop abandoned his files and rested his elbows on the table. “You two were there, what, three days? Then after you left, she and I were there another three.”
Grant’s gut tightened. He’d already cleared things up with Brynnon on that front. Still, he hated thinking of the way he’d left her that day.
“Your point?” he bit out the question.
“Whoever it was waited until after we left to break in and set the bomb. He couldn’t have known we were coming back. Hell, we didn’t know until half an hour later.”
Grant thought for a moment. “You think it was meant to be a warning?”
“Makes sense.”
Derek looked at them from over the top of his computer. “Why go after the brother?”
Shrugging, Coop asked, “Are we sure the two incidents are related?”