She watched his face as surprise crossed his features. “What? You’re kidding… You got a vector on that? … Holy fuck, yeah.” He cradled the phone against his shoulder, checked the safety on the gun before stuffing it into his waistband. Then he grabbed the bullets and motioned for her to follow. “All right, let me know if there’s any change. … I’m on my way.”
“What is it?”
“Someone just made a call from David West’s cell phone.”
Evie gaped at him. “How is that possible? Didn’t the police get his phone last night?”
“Apparently not. Kev’s got a lock on the location, so we need to get moving.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as they hurried out to the garage and slipped into the car.
Matt gunned the engine to life. “Your mother’s house.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“IS THIS LEGAL?” EVIE ASKED as the trees whipped by for the second time that night.
“Speeding? Only if we don’t get caught.”
“I meant the military tracking civilians. It seems, well, questionable.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Of course not! I’m just amazed, is all.”
“That it can be done or that we’re doing it now?”
“Both I guess. How’d you get your bosses to let you do something like this? It’s not like we’re on a military operation.”
He shot her a glance. “Who said I asked permission?”
Her blood thickened in her veins and her breath shortened. “I don’t understand how it’s possible in the first place. Don’t you need to be on the phone with someone to track them?”
He shook his head. “Not these days. All cell phones are equipped with GPS trackers—it’s how emergency personnel find you if you call 911 and don’t know where you are. We’re using the same principle to track West’s phone. Someone has it and they’re using it. Good for us, bad for them.”
“It could always be one of the cops, right? Maybe they just found it—”
“They’ve been done with the crime scene investigation since this afternoon. Whoever it is, it’s not the police.”
Evie tried to digest this information. Someone had David’s phone and was making calls from it. Someone who’d taken it from him after they killed him. If that wasn’t creepy, she didn’t know what was. “What if your boss finds out? What then?”
“Believe me, I sincerely hope he doesn’t. I imagine my stay at Fort Leavenworth will be of some duration.”
Her heart felt as if it had slipped into her toes. “Leavenworth?”
“It’s a military prison.”
“My God, Matt, I know what it is. You can’t be serious!”
“Dead serious, chère.”
“You can’t do this.” She was trembling from fear and adrenaline. She needed him, needed his expertise, and yet he was risking his entire career to help her. She felt distinctly unworthy in that moment. And grateful too. “It’s not worth the risk for you.”
“It is for Sarah.”
Evie pressed a hand to her mouth as she stared at the neighborhood lights blurring by. How could he risk such a thing? He could’ve turned this over to the police—surely they could do these things legally and find Sarah’s kidnappers without alerting anyone. Without endangering Sarah.
But he hadn’t. He was risking everything—his life, his future, his career—to help her find Sarah and bring her home safe. Insanely, she didn’t want him to do it. Didn’t want him to take such a chance. And yet she needed him to. But she cared too much—
“Evie, look at me.”
Matt’s handsome face was in profile, his concentration on the road as he shifted the car into one of those killer turns of his. She barely registered the sliding, braking, leveling action as she instinctively braced herself for it.
He shot her a glance. “I chose to do this, okay? If I go to prison, it’s not your fault. It’s the culmination of several things. I make my choices in full understanding and acceptance of the consequences. Got that?”
Her lip trembled. “Yes. But Matt, if this is because of what happened in high school—”
“It’s not.” His voice was strong and firm. “This is what I do, Evie. I rescue people. And I can’t stand by and let something happen to Sarah when I’m capable of doing something about it. I’ll deal with the consequences later. For now, your sister is what matters.”
She felt like she was going to cry, and that was the last thing she needed to be doing right now. She didn’t speak for the rest of the ride as she tried to keep a lid on her emotions. Soon, they approached her mother’s street and Matt slowed. He switched off the headlights as he made the turn and then brought the car to a stop about thirty yards from the driveway. She could see flashes of the white clapboard house between the trees. Everything seemed still and quiet. No lights winked from the windows, no cars passed by, though a truck was parked near the Landrys’ driveway facing toward the BMW. There was no one inside.
“I want you to stay here,” Matt said. “It’s safer.”
“But, what if—”
“Evie.” He sounded grave. “Trust me on this. I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m not really thrilled about sitting out here alone.”
“Get into the driver’s seat and keep the engine idling. Don’t unlock the doors for anyone but me. If anyone tries to get in, gun it. Don’t think twice, don’t worry about running someone over or wrecking this car, just go. I’ll meet you at Charlie’s. If you haven’t heard from me in an hour, call Kev MacDonald. Give me your cell phone.”
She handed it to him. “Matt—”
“I’m not arguing about it.” He punched in a number, handed it back to her. “It’s saved under your speed dial. Hit three and Kev will answer.”
She grabbed his arm, panic flaring inside her belly. “This isn’t what I thought was going to happen.”
“You promised me earlier tonight that you’d stay put when I told you to.”
Damn him for remembering that right now. She sucked in a breath. It all seemed so much more intense now that she knew he risked death on a regular basis. Not that it hadn’t already been intense, but it was somehow worse knowing that. “I’m not waiting an hour. Fifteen minutes. If you aren’t back then, I’m driving up to the house.”
“Jesus God.” He wiped a hand over his hair and down his face. “Why can’t you just cooperate? You have any idea what would happen to one of the guys if they disobeyed a direct order from me?”
She firmed her jaw. No way could she blindly do what he told her. Not when he was risking so much. “If I was one of the guys, you’d be taking me with you. So forget it. Fifteen minutes, and I’m coming up that driveway.”
“Thirty minutes. B and E takes time.”
“Twenty. Not a second more.”
He sat there, just looking at her. If he thought she was going to be intimidated by his Mr. Bad Ass Military Man act, he was wrong. There was too much at stake. His life, for instance. If anything happened to him, she didn’t know what she’d do. He didn’t have to do this, didn’t have to help her. But he was, and because of it she found the strength to return his hard stare until he got that she meant business.
Finally, when she didn’t back off, he nodded. “Twenty.”
He reached for the gun he’d tucked into the side pocket of the door and lifted the handle.
“Wait,” Evie said, her heart hammering.
He turned back to her and she leaned forward, curled her palm around his neck, and pressed her mouth to his. She kissed him with all the heat and fire, all the frustration, that was boiling inside her. He grinned at her when she pulled back.
“I’m looking forward to a whole lot more of that when I get back, Evangeline.”
When he got back. When not if.
“As much as you want.”
His grin still managed to be wicked in spite of the gravity of the situation. “Remember that. Showtime, Evie.” His door ghosted open and
he melted into the night.
Evie straddled the gearshift and maneuvered over to the driver’s seat. It took her a few moments of reaching around to finally locate the buttons to slide the seat forward. If she had to make a getaway now, she’d be in a lot of trouble since her feet didn’t even touch the pedals. The seat motored slowly forward until she felt comfortable. She adjusted the mirrors, checked the dash clock. He’d been gone three minutes.
Seventeen to go. Oh God. How did he do this kind of thing on a regular basis?
She peered into the darkness, tried to discern any movement. He’d disappeared too quickly for her to follow his progress. He could be anywhere out there. She checked the mirrors and craned her head around to see if someone was sneaking up behind the car. She dropped a hand to the gearshift, ready for anything. She felt vaguely like she had her junior year when she and some friends toilet-papered the principal’s house at one in the morning. Exhilarated, frightened, and wanting it to be over with all at once.
Yeah, she was ready for anything.
Anything except the huge flash that lit up the sky.
*
The explosion was similar to a flash-bang, all bright light and deafening kaboom. Matt was in the process of slipping from the giant magnolia in the side yard to a moss-draped oak about ten feet farther on when the house exploded. The shockwave knocked him on his ass with the force of a heavyweight punch. Only hard-won experience allowed him to tuck his head and twist to the side as the force lifted him off the ground.
He landed hard, his elbow and shoulder driving into the earth. The wind got knocked out of him and the heat of the blast felt like it was sucking any remaining air he may have had out of his lungs. He knew he had to get away from the flaming debris as fast as possible.
If hot ash didn’t burn a hole in him, whoever’d set the charge could find him. Not that he knew anyone was looking, but it wasn’t a chance he wanted to take. He shoved away the pain and forced his good arm forward, dug his fingers into the grass and dirt, and pulled, his legs remembering to propel him at the last possible second when his muscles were screaming, and he was sure his body wasn’t going to move.
One-armed, he pulled himself back by degrees into the cover of the trees. He’d find a place to hole up until his head stopped spinning, then make his way to Charlie’s. He’d told Evie to go there because the place was so public. He figured she’d be safe if she stayed until he could get to her. He could’ve sent her back to Reynier’s Retreat, but no telling what might be waiting for her there.
Somehow, he managed to get his legs beneath him. Levered upward, a tree trunk at his back. The world spun. He dragged in a breath, then another. Pushed farther up until he was standing. His legs shook beneath him, threatening to drop him again.
He refused to let it happen.
He had to get out of here, had to find Evie. Had to protect her.
The sound of tires crunching on gravel and bleached clamshells reached him through the ringing in his ears. He flattened against the tree and made himself a part of the trunk. The car was coming fast, gravel spitting and plinking against the sheet metal. Brakes locked up and the car skidded to a halt. A door opened.
“Matt?”
Fucking A.
His heart plummeted to his feet at the same time a swell of adrenaline pumped through his veins. He had to get her out of here. Someone could grab her and take her away from him.
Hurt her.
Though it hurt like a sonofabitch, he stumbled away from the trunk, swaying unsteadily in the glowing light of the fire eating the house.
Evie was backlit by the flame, her body in shadow. He couldn’t tell whether she was looking at him or at the house.
“I told you to go,” he croaked into the thick air.
She spun around and gasped. And then he found himself wrapped up in a bear hug, her lips raining kisses onto his cheek, his jaw, his lips.
He grasped her, spreading his fingers along the small of her back. He wanted to hold her, just hold her.
The kisses felt so good, so sweet. Nothing like what usually happened on an op. He turned his mouth into hers and said against her lips, “Have to go. Now.”
She shifted his weight until he was leaning on her, then hauled him around to the passenger side of the car until he could fall inside. “Get in,” he said when she tried to fuss and help him get settled.
She ran around the car and hopped in, shifting into reverse. Gears ground together, then smoothed out when she found the groove.
“Where… going?” He spoke through the soup in his mind when she pointed the car opposite of the direction they’d come.
She shot him an incredulous look. “The hospital.”
Matt grabbed her arm. “Marina.”
Evie shifted the car and shook her head emphatically. “No way. You’re hurt. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“Not hurt. Stunned. It’ll pass.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll feel better when a doctor tells me that.”
She glanced up, frowned, and stepped on the gas.
“Evie—”
“No.” The car leapt forward with a short burst of speed. “We’re doing it my way this time.” She glanced up again. “Uh oh.”
“What?”
“I think we’re being followed.”
“Cop?”
“I don’t think so. Wouldn’t they have tried to pull us over by now?”
Matt blinked against the fuzziness crowding his head. It would go away, he knew, but it was going to take time. Time they didn’t have.
But she was right. The police wouldn’t waste time following them. They’d turn on the lights and make them pull over. If someone was pursuing them, it was a sure bet it was someone they didn’t want coming after them.
Helluva time for it. He couldn’t take the wheel, couldn’t drive.
He swallowed a wave of dizziness and made himself turn around to look at their pursuer.
“Take a left at Robbins.” First, he had to determine if they were really being followed or if this was just a coincidence. But what kind of person drove past a flaming house in the dark and didn’t stop to look? Especially in Rochambeau where everyone knew everyone else?
Evie didn’t signal, even though he forgot to tell her not to. She waited until they were almost upon Robbins Road when she slammed on the brake and whipped the car left.
The headlights behind them slid sideways for a second, then straightened out, aiming toward them once more.
“Hit the gas,” Matt ordered.
Evie complied, and the car shot forward. The car behind them did the same.
He knew they needed to do something, a sequence of somethings in fact, but it wouldn’t quite come to him.
Think of a route.
Yes, that was part of it.
Turns, stops, slides.
Right. He knew intimately what a car could do, how to push it to its limits, how to make it do things that seemed, if only briefly, to defy gravity. But he wasn’t the one driving.
“Whatever you do,” he said, concentrating on the words, “don’t panic.”
She laughed without humor. “Easy for you to say.” She glanced up. “I think we need to get to the police station. He won’t follow us there.”
“No. He’ll try to force you off the road before that.”
“Robbins crosses Old Oak Road. If we make a right there, it’ll take us straight to the PD.”
There was a reason not to take Old Oak, but he couldn’t remember what it was. Something stuck in his mind, something he couldn’t pull up from the depths where it was buried.
“No.”
“If you have a better idea, then tell me.” Her voice was sharp, demanding.
He couldn’t think. He lifted a hand to his head, pressing against his temples. Sweat beaded on his skin. He needed time.
The one thing they didn’t have.
“Matt?”
“No.” He wasn’t sure what he was saying no to, in fact, but she
didn’t seem troubled by any doubt.
“Right.” She pressed the gas pedal. He leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. A few seconds later she said, “Hang on.”
The car shifted sideways as the seat belt grabbed on and held him tightly against the leather. She swerved hard, the car bumping crazily as they slid across the road and into the grass on the left shoulder. The engine whined and the tires spun as she crammed her foot against the pedal. The sickening smell of burning rubber filled the interior.
“Ease up.” He wasn’t sure if he’d spoken aloud until the car began to move as she backed off the gas a bit. “Where’d he go?”
She got the car pointed toward town and they picked up speed.
“Still behind us. He overshot the turn, but I see headlights again.”
She’d actually widened the distance between them, though not by much. Still, he was impressed she’d managed it. For an amateur, it wasn’t half-bad driving. If she could keep the distance, they’d make it. There were no more turns to negotiate since Old Oak went straight past the station.
There were no lights out here on the back roads, no oncoming cars, nothing but the sweep of the xenon lights in front of the BMW. A rabbit darted off the road up ahead and Matt cast a glance at Evie. She gripped the wheel hard, concentrating on the asphalt in front of her. He had the feeling she’d run over anything that got in their way, and that was a good thing at this point. No time for squeamishness if another rabbit crossed too close to avoid.
“Holy crap.” Her voice was soft at first, then louder. “Holy crap!”
Matt whipped his gaze back to the road and reeled when his head turned faster than his eyes could focus, then steeled himself against the stab of a headache.
“What is it?” He was subtly aware she’d backed off the gas.
“The bridge is out.”
Fuck. The thing he couldn’t remember. The fact that this small country bridge over an insignificant creek was often washed out. That there’d been a thunderstorm and flash flooding only last week, according to Chris. That it was a good bet the bridge was out.
He could jump it. If he was driving, he could do it. Wouldn’t be the first time he’d had to do something like this.
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