His apology meant a lot to her. Tom hated being wrong, almost as much as she did. “I don’t blame you.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, a gesture she’d never offered before today. She had changed. It was time to stop protecting herself and let others in. If she hadn’t been so reserved with everyone at Northstar, then Tom, Sloan, and O’Neal might have had more faith in her. “I didn’t give you a chance to know me better. In your place I would have come to the same conclusions.”
O’Neal hadn’t trusted her loyalty. He’d been tricked by the same evidence as everyone else. She understood why he believed she had a motive for discrediting Northstar. Although Allison didn’t blame him, she wasn’t sure she could continue to work for him.
The loyalty issue could be repaired, but could she survive seeing Sloan every day? Especially knowing she was in love with him. Sloan had found her. Rescued her. But how deep did his feelings go? Did he love her, too?
She remembered his last kiss. His last embrace. He must care, right?
Ugly doubts about how Sloan might really feel about her crept in now that the excitement had settled. Even though he’d given her a chance when he let her find the computer purchases, he hadn’t completely trusted her. Maybe it was just as well he didn’t know about her feelings. He might laugh, or worse, pity her.
Allison’s circling thoughts gave her a headache. She was impatient. Her visit to the hospital had made her more anxious to resolve things. She needed assurances…confirmation. Only time would give her that.
She had to get her emotions under control before she saw him again. She wanted to be sure of where she stood when she talked to him.
A commotion at the front door drew her attention.
The cool January breeze blew through the opening as Agent Roberts escorted Caroline and Ed Tallon inside.
“Mom! Dad!” Playing cards fluttered to the floor when Mitchell ran to meet his parents.
The family embraced in a group hug. This wasn’t the reunion any of them expected after Caroline and Ed’s cruise, but it was just as sweet, if not sweeter.
Allison stood and took her turn with the hugs. She was glad to see her sister and brother-in-law. No matter what happened next, family would always be there for her.
Ed wrapped his arm around Mitchell’s shoulders. “I swear, kid, you’ve grown three inches since last week.”
Mitchell straightened and he grinned.
“So tell us all about your big adventure,” Ed said to the boy as they walked over to the corner of the room to talk.
Caroline swiped away a tear as she watched her husband and son. Her face was a mixture of worry, relief, and awe. “I will never get used to how Ed makes everything right,” she told Allison.
Allison had a glimpse of her sister’s feelings. Sloan had a way of making things right, too. He’d changed her world, made her whole, when all her lonely attempts had failed. The thought warmed her.
“Are you all right?” Caroline turned to look at her.
Allison nodded and hugged her sister again. “I’m sorry I exposed Mitchell to this danger.”
“You should be,” Caroline scolded. “I was so scared when I got the call.”
Allison frowned. “What call?”
“Your boss, Byron O’Neal, called us on the ship. Do you know how hard it is to get a call through? He must really have some clout.”
Allison nodded. O’Neal had set up Northstar with the capacity to move mountains when needed. That was one of the reasons she had been so proud to work for the firm. “I’m sorry you had to worry.”
Caroline shook her head. “It’s funny, I was worried.” Her voice cracked, but then she cleared her throat. “But when Mr. O’Neal said he had every faith that Mitchell and you would be found…” She took a deep breath. “I believed him.” Caroline hugged Allison.
Allison could guess the strong yet opposing emotions her sister must feel; gratitude that Allison had kept Mitchell safe, and anger at her for exposing him to the situation in the first place. Allison felt the same emotions whenever she recalled the ordeal.
When Caroline released her, they were both crying. “Mitchell’s safe.” Her sister grabbed Allison’s hand again. “You’re safe. That’s what matters most. Let’s just forget the rest.”
Allison nodded, knowing she would never forget, but hoped that Mitchell could, and maybe someday her sister would forgive her, too.
Caroline held Allison away from her and studied her. “You’re different.”
Allison gave a small smile. “We’re all different after this.”
Caroline shook her head. “No, there’s something else. Are you sure we know everything?”
Due to national security reasons, Allison was positive the FBI wouldn’t want her sister to know everything. For personal reasons, she wasn’t going to spill her guts about Sloan. There was nothing to tell, yet. The more she reminded herself of that fact, the better off she’d be.
“You have as much of the story as we’re allowed to share,” Allison said.
Caroline studied her for a moment longer, then smiled. “You’re holding something else back. I can see it in your face. But I won’t push.”
Caroline left Allison and joined her husband and son. Allison stood just outside the family circle as they relived Mitchell’s excited account of his adventure. The three of them needed to share this time together.
Watching Mitchell with his parents, Allison could tell he’d changed, too. He seemed more confident. His bravery as he stood up to Mrs. Weston’s threats made her proud. Allison worried about his nightmares, but somehow she doubted they’d bother him much anymore. She smiled…playground bullies watch out. Mitchell Tallon had learned to stand his ground.
The front door opened again, drawing Allison’s attention away from her family.
Byron O’Neal, the founder of Northstar Security Firm, entered the FBI safe house.
Allison withstood his hard stare for a moment, then lifted her chin in defiance of his doubts about her.
O’Neal slipped off his coat and nodded his head. “Miss Richards. A word in private, if you please.” He draped his coat over his arm and strode toward the back of the house.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Allison. Her entire career was about to collapse at her feet, but she was ready to face O’Neal. Besides, she could always quit her job before he fired her. Head held high, she followed the director down the hallway.
He passed by the room where Agent Kane was shot, still taped off to preserve the scene where she and Mitchell were kidnapped, and chose the next room for his private conversation.
“Before you say anything, sir, have you been to see Sloan? Is he awake?” Allison tried to pose her question as an interested coworker, not someone whose entire future was vested in the answer. She wanted to visit him at the hospital, but she didn’t know if she would have the chance before returning to Idaho with her family. Any news O’Neal had would have to sustain her until she could see Sloan again.
“He regained consciousness a couple of hours ago,” O’Neal answered. “I spoke with his doctor. The bullet entered at an angle at the base of his throat without hitting any major arteries, but it lodged very close to his spine. The surgery was touch and go. Fortunately, the bullet was only a .22 caliber. The surgeon removed it entirely intact.”
Surviving surgery was going to be only part of Sloan’s ordeal. She’d survived surgery after her own gunshot wound, but recovery had been a living hell. She was afraid to ask her next question, but had to. “What’s his prognosis?”
O’Neal laid his coat across the back of a chair and straightened the sleeve.
The muscles along her neck bunched with tension at O’Neal’s seeming reluctance to reply. The news must be bad.
“Sloan will make a full recovery,” O’Neal finally answered. “He should be back to work full-time in a month or so.”
Relief beyond anything Allison expected flooded her. She knew from personal experience he would nev
er be the same. However, he was strong and had survived a previous gunshot wound. And he was much more grounded than she was. He’d come out the other side okay.
“And Agent Kane? Will he recover?”
“Agent Kane hasn’t regained consciousness yet. The bullet creased his skull and only time will tell if he’ll make a full recovery.”
“I’m so sorry.” Allison cleared the catch in her throat. “If there’s anything I can do…”
“I’m making sure he has the best care available,” O’Neal said. “I have every confidence he’ll pull through just fine.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay.” Now she was ready. She could face whatever the director had to say. “What’s going to happen now?”
O’Neal slid the chair out and sat.
Allison remained standing, waiting.
“Drew Getty and his mother, along with their bodyguards, will be charged with kidnapping. The bodyguards will also be charged with the shooting of Agent Kane.” O’Neal’s voice was hard. “Drew will join his brother, Dean, in FBI custody for cyberterrorism. Mrs. Weston will be charged with attempted murder.” He leaned back, ran a finger through his short, graying hair and sighed. “All in all, the entire group will be sent away for a very long time.”
“What charges do I face?” Allison waited several seconds for O’Neal to answer. When he didn’t, she broke the silence. “Sir, I broke the law, and I’m ready to accept the consequences.”
O’Neal folded his arms and studied her through narrowed eyes. “Before we get into that, I want to apologize for this ordeal and for putting your nephew in harm’s way. I’ve apologized to your sister and her husband, but you should know I didn’t want any harm to come to either you or your nephew.”
She digested that, knowing that the director had been as misled by Getty as everyone else. “Thank you for the apology, sir. I know you were only acting on the information you had at the time. It was my decision to bring Mitchell with me to L.A., and I take full responsibility for that.”
He nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s discuss your situation.”
She waited for him to continue.
“Allison, I knew you were extremely talented when I hired you.” He leaned forward and stared at her. “Explain to me why you didn’t use all the resources at your disposal to track down Getty when he first broke through our systems?”
She felt the blood drain from her face. She hadn’t expected this from him. Why was he asking that question? “Sir, I used every tool I had available. You know I did.”
“Not so.” He shook his head. “Only thirty minutes after using the FBI’s computer you found the hacker. How did you do it?”
“Everything I did on the FBI’s computer would have been breaking the law if I’d done it on my own, without their consent. Even then, I only uncovered a front, a false location, not Getty’s real identity.” Surely, Tom had briefed him on this.
“Exactly.” O’Neal punctuated his statement with a finger pointed straight at her.
Her head spun like a hard drive going bad. “You wanted me to break the law?”
O’Neal stood. “I wanted you to think outside the box.” He closed the distance to stand in front of her. “If thinking outside the box involves breaking laws, then I expect my agents to back off and review their objectives. We uphold the laws of the land. If we break them, we’re no better than the criminals. The point, Richards, is you need to use what you have to get the job done, but stepping over the line should never be your first choice.”
Allison mulled over O’Neal’s comment. She had stepped over the line to save Mitchell and to save herself. It hadn’t been her first choice, but in the same situation, she wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. The price she paid for her nephew’s safety was hers to bear. Alone.
O’Neal had built Northstar Security Firm with flawless integrity and service to the private sector. Her failure to find the malware, coupled with the damage Drew Getty caused when he released case files to the public, had brought Northstar to the brink of obliteration. The lines of justice and honor blurred, but only for a moment. Her resignation would clear the path for the firm to redeem its reputation.
“You’ll have my resignation before you leave today, sir.”
“I don’t want your resignation.”
What? Allison’s hearing must still be off. “I don’t understand.” This man had an uncanny way of keeping her completely off-balance.
“Life, Allison. Yours and your nephew’s. Sloan’s and Agent Kane’s. Life is more important than any one thing. Including Northstar’s reputation. You did what you had to do to save lives. Our legal system has regulations, but Justice is blind. What you did was JUST. I’ve read the preliminaries. You stepped back, reviewed the objectives, and proceeded down the only course available to you. You weighed your options and willingly took accountability for the consequences. You’ve proven yourself to be a damn fine field agent, Allison.”
She stared at O’Neal in stunned silence.
Her? A field agent? “Sir, I don’t think—”
“Good. Don’t think—do. Your first assignment will be as liaison to the FBI. In exchange for dropping the hacking charges, the FBI has requested to borrow you. They want you to teach their cyber jockeys a thing or two about systems’ security. You’ll receive the same security clearance level as mine.” He leaned forward with a conspiratorial whisper. “That’s pretty damn high, so don’t let it go to your head. And for heaven’s sake, don’t abuse it.”
Whoa. Slow down. Allison’s brain overloaded. Things were happening too fast. She sank onto the other chair, her heart racing. “I…don’t know what to say, Mr. O’Neal.”
“You say ‘thank you’,” O’Neal replied with a grim smile. “You’ve proven yourself and earned this chance.”
“Thank you,” Allison repeated. “I promise I won’t let you down.”
“I don’t expect you to.”
Another thought occurred to her. “How soon am I expected to start with the FBI? I’d like to return to Idaho with my family. I owe them that much after putting my nephew’s life at risk.”
“Of course you do. I’m giving you another week off, this time for a real vacation. Then it’s back to work.”
O’Neal picked up his coat and crossed to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle and looked back. “‘Thank you’ isn’t enough for what you did to save Northstar. You laid your life on the line. I can never repay you for that.” He opened the door and walked out.
Allison stared at the empty doorway.
In that moment, she understood what saving the firm meant to O’Neal. All he had left of his deceased wife was the firm they’d built together. He’d taken their small investigation company and turned it into the prestigious agency it was today. Both Northstar and O’Neal had suffered from the hacker’s damage, but they were strong and would prevail.
Her head was still spinning. She wasn’t going to jail. She had a chance to become an agent. The chance she’d been offered all those years earlier before she’d joined the police force in Idaho. She had the chance to use all her talents.
All of that paled in comparison to the realization that Sloan would be okay. Allison wanted to see him before she left with Caroline, Ed, and Mitch.
A boulder, the size of all her doubts combined, lodged in her stomach, preventing her from leaving the room. Could she let go of the fact that Sloan hadn’t trusted her?
She reflected on the time at her house. Their physical attraction had shifted from camaraderie and casual teasing—changing into something special and exciting. Although they had resisted the attraction, it had grown until Allison was certain they could make a relationship work.
But beyond the first blush of her newfound love, came the sting from his lack of trust. And faith. Sloan hadn’t shown enough faith in her character to know she could never do the things she’d been accused of.
She swallowed at the hard lump in her throat. She had to concede that she’d put up so
many barriers it prevented anyone, not just Sloan, from getting to know her. Those shields had costs and consequences she’d never imagined. Facing Sloan would be hard, but she’d confront him—give him a chance to explain—and ask for his forgiveness.
Shored-up by her resolution, she left the back room and joined her family.
“Are you ready to go?” Ed asked Allison.
She looked around the safe house. Tom was wrapping things up on the computer. O’Neal and Agent Roberts were deep in conversation, no doubt about the details of the crime. For the moment, her work here was done. There was only one more thing left.
“Not yet,” she answered.
****
The rental car’s wipers slapped at the rain as Allison drove to the hospital. She’d left Caroline, Ed, and Mitchell at the hotel where O’Neal had arranged for the family to spend the night before heading back to Idaho.
A little peace and quiet felt good after the previous day’s excitement. Except Allison couldn’t relax. All she could think about was seeing Sloan. About facing him head-on. She had to, before she lost the nerve.
She’d bought a get-well card at the corner drugstore. It sported a picture of a bandaged patient lying in a hospital bed. A printed “Get Well Soon” message was on the inside. Her heart thudded against her ribs when she thought of her personal note:
To my Bushido warrior. I am forever grateful for your Courage to seek the Truth. She’d boldly signed the note: Love, Allison.
In her mind, that said it all. She wasn’t sure the words would come to her when the moment was right. The card was her backup plan.
Allison parked in a visitors’ spot. Knots filled her stomach like streaming computer code that refused to unravel. She inhaled, practiced the meditation breaths she’d learned during her martial arts training at the academy, but her mind refused to focus. Instead, her thoughts dashed ahead to the pending encounter. She could do this. She would put her love out there.
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