by Wade, Maddie
Pulling his night vision goggles into place he and his team headed towards the cabin. With the Silverwood lake to the east of the cabin and the ridge behind it, the best penetration point was to get Waggs up on the hill and Decker covering the lakeside. He and Reid would move in from either side and breach the cabin through the back door.
The cabin itself was a single storey and made of logs with a wrap-around porch at the front and sides. From what they could tell, the main floor was a combined kitchen living space with a hallway that led to the bedrooms and bathroom at the back. Two bedrooms looked to the ridgeline and a smaller bedroom and bathroom were on the south side.
Reid had used a high powered zoom to determine Henrietta was being held in the main room with Clark.
On silent feet, Blake approached the bedroom window on the southside and waited for the team to be in place. When low murmurs came over the comms saying they were ready, Blake waited for Reid to give the go order. As the hostage rescue specialist, Blake had him take the lead.
“Go, go, go,” Reid whispered.
Immediately Blake moved towards the window and breached it with no sound. Climbing through he caught movement as Reid slithered through the bathroom window. He kept his rifle on his shoulder as he listened to see if Clark had heard them. The silence was deafening.
Creeping down the hallway, he checked each room making sure it was clear before poking his head around the corner into the main room. Clark was facing away until Henrietta looked up. Something on her face must have alerted him and he turned, weapon up, and fired at them.
He was never going to be fast enough though and Blake shot him in the shoulder throwing the gun from his hand. Before Clark could move and go for the gun again, Blake was on him pinning him to the ground as the man wailed and shrieked in pain.
Leaving Reid to restrain him, Blake moved to Henrietta and crouched low to speak to her. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, her face streaked with tears. “No, he didn’t hurt me.” Her voice trembled as she spoke.
The usually put-together woman was anything but that now with her clothes torn, make-up running, and hair dishevelled. Gently he helped her to stand as Decker and Waggs moved Clark to a sitting position.
“You’re too late,” the man laughed. His face held the maniacal expression of someone who was becoming unhinged.
Cold lumps of ice settled in Blake’s gut when he heard the woman he loved scream over the comms before the connection went dead.
* * *
Pax listened as Blake spoke to her mother, her heart in her mouth until she heard her mom’s voice say she was unhurt. The relief was immeasurable, the weight lifted from her as she let out an audible breath in the darkness of the car. Dropping her head she almost jumped out of her skin when a knock on the window had her looking up, a smile half-formed on her face, thinking it was one of the guys.
It fell from her lips when she saw Eddie standing there with a gun pointed at her father’s head. A scream fell from her lips before he shook his head and motioned for her to open the door. Cautiously, she took a deep breath and opened the door, hoping the team could hear what was going on through her comms unit. She hadn’t asked if it was two way and if they could hear her too. Another rookie error that might cost her dearly.
“Eddie, what’s going on?” she asked as she kept her voice calm and her hands up where he could see them.
The glance she cast at her father showed the pale waxiness of his skin which worried her greatly. He was recovering from major surgery and looked unwell to say the least.
“Move over there, Miss Grace.” The tone of his voice was the same as it had always been—kind and gentle. She needed to appeal to his better nature.
“Why are you doing this, Eddie? My father is sick. He should be in the hospital.”
Her father was gagged but at the sight of his daughter in front of a gun, began to squirm and fight. He was no match for Eddie who had been their security for years and was still a fit man. He hit her father on his head with the back of the gun, and she watched in horror as he fell to the ground.
With no care for herself or the gun trained on her, she fell to her father’s side and cradled his head in her hands as tears fell down her cheeks.
She looked up at the man who had pushed her on the swing and driven her to her first dance and cried. “Why?” she screamed at him anger replacing the fear.
He looked haggard and tired but remained resolute. “I’m getting old, Miss Grace and Clark Baker offered me enough money to start a new life away from here with untold luxury.”
“Money? You’re betraying my family for money?” she asked incredulously.
“Easy to dismiss when you have it, Grace, but not when you don’t.”
“Did you kill Sally and Marvin Nixon too?”
“They were going to spill their guts about Clark, and he wanted them taken care of. Stupid fucker decided to watch and left his prints behind. I should have gotten out then, but I always see things through. I have some honour left.”
“Honour? You helped him take my mom and you’re here with my father. I guess the plan is that we all die?”
Eddie nodded. “Clark has transferred ten million dollars to my account for offing you and your father. That’s a lot of money, girlie. Much as I like you, and I do, I really do, I can use that money for my own kids, and I love them more.”
“Please, don’t do this,” she begged, tears streaming now as she looked him in the eye.
“I’m sorry, Grace,” he said and lifted the gun to her head.
In that second all she wanted was to tell Blake she loved him and to tell her mom she forgave her. Closing her eyes she heard the explosion of a gunshot and waited for the pain.
It never arrived and she opened her eyes to see Eddie collapse to the ground from a shot to the head. She looked around and didn’t see anyone. She turned back to her father and dragged the cloth from his mouth. Pax stroked his face as she spoke to her unconscious father and begged him not to leave her.
A few minutes later she heard the sound of feet running before Blake rounded the vehicle and fell to his knees in front of her. He hauled her into his arms as she held on to him and her dad and cried.
“Jesus, Gracie, you scared the crap out of me.” He pulled away and ran his hands over her “Thought I’d lost you.” His voice sounded choked as he kissed her quickly and then tore her away as Waggs worked on her dad.
She shivered in Blake’s arms as he held her tight not once letting go. Not when the police turned up, not when the EMTs arrived and loaded her father who was still unconscious into an ambulance, and not even when her mother put her arms around her, and they cried together.
Blake was her rock and she never wanted to be away from him again. She would follow this man to the ends of the earth but as she watched her mother climb into the back of the ambulance beside her father, she couldn’t help but feel fear. They had been in love like she and Blake were and look how that turned out.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
They were met at the hospital by Albert and two detectives who wanted statements from them, not to mention a district attorney who wanted them charged with impeding an investigation. Blake couldn’t find it in him to care at that moment. All he wanted was Grace checked over and her parents to be given the all clear.
Lucky for him, Albert had not arrived alone. He had his lawyer with him who quickly interceded and bought them some time. He sat with Grace in the waiting room after she was checked and cleared at his insistence, her head on his shoulder. Henrietta was beside Albert who had rushed to his daughter and folded her into his arms, the fear and affection he had hidden thus far clearly evident. To be fair, the man had not left her side as they waited for word on Robert who had been rushed back into the ICU.
Waggs, Reid, and Decker had given their statements to the police and had been told to stick around until the detectives could verify who they were. The three men were sitting on the opposite side of
the waiting room giving them space but offering silent support. With Grace nestled into his body, her heat warming his side and knowing she was safe, he allowed his brain to go over the events of the last few days.
Pax had repeated what Eddie said to her and having heard things only from her side before, things became more apparent. What he still didn’t know was if Clark had known Henrietta had seen him that day when he’d offered the trial to the Nixons and why she had lied to Grace about it. Those he could find the answers too and hopefully he’d also get answers to the more important question of who’d shot Eddie.
None of his team had and nobody had been seen near the cabin. It left a loose end that made him feel edgy. As if everything wasn’t entirely done with.
“You want me to grab you some coffee?” he asked Pax who raised her tired eyes to him.
“Please.”
“I’ll come with you,” Henrietta said.
Blake stiffened slightly but kept quiet as Albert moved beside Grace and put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. The man was like a different person. With a nod to Reid to keep an eye on them, he walked down the hall towards the vending machines with a quiet Henrietta beside him.
They stopped and got coffee before she spoke. “I feel I owe you an apology and an explanation.”
“Not me, but to Grace you do,” he said tightly.
“I know.” She wrung her hands and he felt a modicum of sympathy for her.
“Have a seat,” he offered, pointing to the seats behind them.
With a grateful smile she sat and faced him and for the first time he noticed the grit behind the woman. “I was like Grace growing up. I adored my father and he adored me. When my mom died it was just us and we were close. I was the good girl, never gave him a moment of trouble. Clark and I had always been friends, but I never loved him like that.” She looked away as if composing her thoughts. “When my father proposed the marriage, I went along with it and let it happen. I wanted to please him. Then I met Robert and it was love at first sight.” She looked embarrassed as she spoke but went on. “I know it’s a cliché but it’s true. I didn’t know how to tell my father and let things get out of hand until I had to say something or risk losing the man I loved. My father was furious and never really forgave me for the public outrage I caused.”
Henrietta took a sip of the coffee as Blake stayed silent letting her purge her guilt. “Publicly he backed Robert and me, but in private he was cold. I didn’t care. I had Robert and then we had Grace. She was such a beautiful child and became a clever and stunning woman. Robert adored her and she adored him. I saw my previous relationship with my father in them. My husband worked long hours and when he was home, he only seemed to make time for Grace and I’m afraid I handled things badly. I looked for affection elsewhere. Even though I loved my husband and daughter, I was jealous.”
“Why lie about Robert being the one to offer the trial?” he asked not willing to let her off the hook just yet.
“Clark came to me and told me he knew I’d seen him and if said anything, he would hurt Grace.”
“So you decided to say nothing?” Blake stated as he sat forward.
“By that time I had isolated myself. Grace tolerated me, and Robert would have been gung-ho trying to protect us and would have gotten himself hurt. I figured if I drove a wedge between them then it would keep her safe.” She held up her hand to stop him as he went to speak. “I know now it was wrong and I caused a lot of hurt I can never take back. But whether you believe me or not, I love my daughter and husband and would do it again if I thought it would keep them safe. I know it didn’t but that is my guilt to carry for the rest of my life.”
“I think you need to be honest with Robert and Grace. Grace is an amazing woman with a lot of love in her heart and despite everything you’ve put her through, she loves you.” Henrietta went to speak but this time he stopped her. “But make no mistake, if you hurt her again it won’t be her that puts distance between you. It will be me. I love her and I’ll not see her ground into dust by jealousy or bitterness. Do you get me?”
Henrietta nodded. “Yes, I understand.”
Blake nodded once and stood, giving the woman his arm as a peace offering. She took it and together they carried coffee back to the waiting room. Grace looked up and a slight frown marred her eyes before he smiled and let go of Henrietta when the doctor came in.
“Mrs Paxton?”
“Yes, that’s me,” Henrietta said as she reached her hands out to Grace and Albert, seeking their support.
Blake moved in behind Grace and slipped his hand around her waist from behind as she relaxed into his body wanting his strength.
“Your husband is a very resilient man and only received a minor concussion. He is, however, going to need to be monitored more closely because of the recent surgery and heart attack but as it stands, I can cautiously say he will make a full recovery.”
“Oh, thank God.” Henrietta seemed to sag against her father, and he felt Pax lean into him as the adrenalin that had been keeping her awake seemed to leave her as relief hit.
“Can we see him?”
“Yes, but two at a time and no excitement,” the doctor warned with a stern frown.
Blake waited with Albert as Grace and her mother were led back to the ICU and then headed over to Reid and Decker. “Where did Waggs go?”
Decker motioned towards the door. “He went for some air.”
“Any word from Jack?”
“He wants you to call him but said someone will call as soon as Clark says anything of interest.”
It always amazed Blake that Jack seemed to have contacts everywhere willing to help him out or give him information. It made him wonder why Grace, who seemed to have informants coming out of every nook in Europe, had never mentioned any in the US.
“Okay. I’ll call him now while Pax is with her dad.”
He went to walk away but Reid stopped him. “Any idea who the shooter was?”
Blake swung back and shook his head. “No, but I want answers on that too.”
Moving into the relative privacy of the hospital’s spiritual garden, Blake called Jack. “Any news,” he asked when Jack answered. A pause on the line made him tense. “Tell me, Jack.”
“I’m waiting for confirmation, but Clark is saying he was contacted by a British agent offering assistance with taking down Robert Paxton. He also says this man ordered the attack on Pax in the UK.”
“I’m gonna kill him when I find out who it is,” Blake gritted out, feeling fury pump his veins with blood.
“Yeah, well, we might have an answer on that soon. Mitch and Gunner are still MIA, but Will is trying to clean up an image of someone leaving the area shortly after Eddie was killed.”
“You think that our mole killed Eddie? That makes no sense. Why have Pax beaten and betray us, and then save her life?”
“I don’t know yet, but we’re getting closer. I can feel it.”
“Fine, call me when you have news.” Blake rubbed his head and hung up.
The lines were starting to blur between the two cases, and he wondered if the attack on Pax that started his involvement was a ruse to split the Eidolon team. A shadow fell across him and he glanced up seeing Waggs walking towards him.
“Hey, how she doing?” Waggs asked as he sat down with a tired sigh.
Blake looked at his friend and noticed the tiredness he knew was mirrored in him. “Okay, I think. She and her parents have a lot to figure out but now that Clark is in custody she can move forward.”
“She’s a tough cookie.”
Blake smiled. “She sure is but then she works for Roz, so that’s a given. My balls shrivel when I think about working for that woman.”
Waggs chuckled and they sat in comfortable silence for a beat. “You gonna stick around and see your family or fly back with us?”
Waggs hadn’t had time to see his family while he was Stateside, and Blake knew he missed them. “Not sure. Depends on Jack.”
Blake nodded. Eidolon came first with all of them or it had. Now Grace was front and centre in his thoughts nearly all the time. “I better get back in,” he said standing.
“Make sure you rest that knee,” Waggs said when he groaned at the stiff joint.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Fuck off, asshole,” Waggs called making Blake laugh.
When he reached the ICU, he saw Grace and her mum walking out, arms around each other, heads together. He moved to them and Grace released her mum and slid into his embrace, planting her head on his chest.
He stroked her hair as he held her tight. “Tired, beautiful?”
She nodded against his chest. “Yep.”
“Let’s get a hotel close so we can be here for your dad.” He saw Henrietta walk away, head down and alone and called out to her. “Henrietta, would you like to come with us? I can get a room for you as well.”
Pax lifted her head and he caught the soft tender look she gave him in his toes.
Henrietta looked at him hopefully before turning to Grace as if asking for permission.
“Come on, Mom, come with us and then we can visit Dad together tomorrow.” She held her hand out for her mom, who took it, and they walked to the car for some much-needed sleep.
It was cut short when his phone rang, and Jack was displayed on the screen.
“Sorry, give me a sec,” he said holding his finger up and stepping away. “Jack?”
“We found Mitch. He’s been roughed up and locked in a shed at his place. He confirms it was Gunner who attacked him.”
“So, you’re absolutely sure?” Blake asked not wanting to believe it.
“I have a confirmed sighting of him in the US two days ago and the image Will is cleaning up places him at the cabin when Eddie was shot.”
“So he shot Eddie? That makes no sense. Is he out to finish Eidolon or protect us?”
“At this point we don’t know but it seems he’s working against us. It’s possible he’s being forced into it, and that would explain why he’s still protecting certain people.”