by DJ Erfert
“Including Mac?” Johnny hesitantly asked.
Lucy laid a hand on his scruffy face. “Mac never completely understood what I went through with my windows. He loved me, but he … used me—to further his career. I know that now. You know what it feels like to see the horrors of death, and then share the excitement of changing those deaths. You go through them with me. You can’t know how much that means to me. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel alone. I love you.”
Lucy’s phone buzzed again. “It’s Junie. She wants to know if anything is wrong.” Lucy looked up into Johnny’s brown eyes. “Can we tell her?”
“Will she spread the news?”
Lucy smiled, lifting her brows. “Within moments of reading it.”
Johnny kissed her mouth … and said, “Text away.”
~*~
“Which room number was it?”
Lucy stepped off the elevator first. “207. Sunny said she’d meet us there.” She looked at the numbers next to the doors. “This way.”
She hadn’t let go of Johnny’s hand since his proposal, and in the short time between his truck and the hospital’s front door, they both had texts congratulating them on their engagement, including Johnny’s crew members. Dusty must have contacted them just after Junie had told Sunny. The ripple effect didn’t take very long before becoming a giant wave.
Lucy’s dad and Kate had met them in the lobby to hug them in person, but they declined to go upstairs and talk with Bridget. Instead, Kate and her dad stayed in the lobby and agreed to wait until she got the information she needed from Bridget. Lucy didn’t think it would take too long. Bridget must feel pretty bad with the concussion. Lucy could sympathize. Technically, she still had a concussion from her last mission.
“How’s Bridget doing?” Lucy asked Sunny, as she stopped next to her. The doctor didn’t look happy. A frown dominated her pretty face.
Sunny opened the door. “Go in.”
That seemed odd. Lucy squeezed Johnny’s hand and pushed through the door to find Bridget sitting up in bed with a laptop on the rolling table and two other agents sitting in chairs staring at Lucy. Now she understood why Sunny looked put out. Her patient was working.
“Bridget?” Lucy asked, “What are you doing? Why aren’t you resting?”
Bridget sat back and dropped her hands on her lap. “I am resting. I’m in bed.”
“You know, that’s driving your doctor nuts.” Lucy moved next to her bed. “I’d like to talk to Raul and Mariposa. Where are they?”
“They’re still down in the Yuma Border Patrol lock up.”
“That’s a three-hour drive from here,” Johnny said.
“But only a forty-five-minute flight by helicopter.” Lucy took out her phone to send a text to her dad. “I happen to know a man who has several.”
“Who are you?” Bridget asked, staring behind Lucy.
Lucy stepped to the side. “This is my fiancé, Johnny Cartwright. Johnny, this is Agent Bridget Monroe, FBI.” She noticed the agent’s gaze fell on the firefighter’s symbol on Johnny’s jacket.
“You’re engaged to a firefighter,” Bridget said quietly. “That’s surprising.”
Lucy began texting. “Why is that?”
“I thought you would be involved with another CIA agent.”
Lucy looked up at Bridget. “I went that route already—remember?”
Bridget laid her head back onto her pillow. “That’s right. You’re a widow.”
“Who do I need to speak to at the Border Patrol in order to see Mariposa Fernandez?”
“Uh, an Agent Markus Whittier. I’ll call him and tell him you’re coming, if you want.”
Lucy smiled at the name. He told her it was Mark. She guessed he didn’t like the formal name his parents gave him. “Yeah. He’s probably playing out in the desert, so he’d need time to get to the station anyway—if he’s at work today.”
Bridget snapped her fingers at the closest man sitting next to her. He stood up. “I’d like you to take Agent Roberts with you. I need him to interview them after you’re through. He’s up to date with my investigation.”
“I’ll ask my dad how much room they have. Otherwise, your agent can leave now and drive down there.” Lucy sent the text.
“Do you have any theories on why your friends want to speak with you and why they won’t cooperate with me?” Bridget asked, pushing her laptop aside.
Lucy shrugged, sighing. “I don’t understand it. Raul is a decent man. And Mariposa is a caring woman. Why they would carry anything dangerous just doesn’t make sense.”
“Unless they didn’t know what they were carrying,” Johnny said.
Lucy turned and gazed into Johnny’s face. “Wouldn’t you be curious about what was in a backpack you had on your shoulders? And after our coyote ditched us, wouldn’t they look inside to see if there was water or food?”
Johnny nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”
“So, when we found them, they still had the backpack, and that means they must have known what was inside it—or at least Raul knew, since he was the one who made the arrangements with Umberto.”
Bridget jumped into the conversation. “So that would mean that Raul carried the explosives knowing how dangerous they were—”
“And that he knowingly put Mariposa in danger, too.” Lucy sucked in her bottom lip and chewed it while she thought.
“He must have been promised a big payoff,” Agent Roberts said.
Lucy huffed. “He isn’t that kind of a man.”
“What kind is he?” Bridget asked, leaning forward and flipping her hair over her shoulder.
Lucy’s phone vibrated. “It’s my dad. He said the jet helicopter is at Sky Harbor and it seats six passengers.” She nodded. “Agent Roberts can come along.” Lucy let her stare land on Bridget. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to find out just what would make an otherwise civilized man do such an uncivilized act.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The black jet helicopter touched down on the small asphalt helipad outside the Yuma Border Patrol sector headquarters forty minutes after they took off from the Phoenix airport. Lucy sat in silence the entire way, leaning her head on Johnny’s shoulder and watching her dad and Kate holding hands while talking quietly to each other. The noise from the engine kept their conversation private, but they couldn’t hide the tender looks that fell from their eyes.
When the engine stopped and the co-pilot slid open the door, Mark was outside waiting for them.
“Lucy,” Mark said, holding his hand out.
Junie was nearest the door, and she took his hand first and stepped down. “No, my name is Junie,” she said smiling.
“Hello, Junie. I’m Mark Whittier. Welcome to Yuma.”
Lucy jumped down next and gave Mark a hug. “Hi! Bet you didn’t expect to see me again.”
Mark let her loose. “Not this soon.” He reached out and shook Johnny’s hand. “Nice to see you again, Johnny.”
“You too, Mark.”
“I brought a few extra people with me,” Lucy said as Johnny moved behind her, and Roberts stepped down. “This is Agent Preston Roberts, FBI.” After they shook hands, he moved aside and her dad jumped down, turned around, and helped Kate off the helicopter. “This is Special Agent Kathleen Laurence.”
“Hello,” Kate said, shaking his hand.
“And this is my dad, Cooper Steele.”
“Steele?” Mark reached out his hand. “I’m honored to meet you, sir.”
Lucy watched her dad grab Mark’s hand and shake it vigorously. “Agent Whittier, I want to thank you for rescuing my daughter from the desert the other day. I owe you.” He took a small card out of his pocket and passed it to Mark. “Just call me when you need me.”
Mark smiled at her dad and at Lucy, and at Kate, and at Johnny without saying anything, but his head kept nodding. It was at that point Lucy realized her dad went from being a simple carpenter—the man who raised her and loved her unconditionally—to
a man of importance. He was Cooper Steele, owner of Steele Reinforcement, dependable backup for hire and known across the country in law enforcement circles. The past twenty-four hours of Lucy’s life had taken a very odd twist.
“Mark, take me to Mariposa,” Lucy said. “I get the feeling she needs my help.”
“I think you may be right.” Mark tucked her dad’s business card into his shirt pocket. “When I told her you were coming to talk with her and Raul—she started to cry.”
Lucy touched his arm. “Was she scared?”
Mark shook his head, placing his hand over hers. “No, she looked more relieved. Come on. I have them waiting in an interrogation room.”
He led them through the side door of the headquarters. Lucy remembered the long hallway and knew they were close to the interrogation rooms. Mark used a keycard to open two sets of glass doors, advancing them through the hallway until he stopped and opened a door to a room with a large glass partition. Mariposa and Raul Fernandez sat on opposites sides of a small table with their arms stretched out in front of them, and they were holding hands. Lucy could see they had cuffs around their wrists. Mariposa still had tears on her face, and Lucy got angry with herself for not giving in sooner and coming to talk with them. For that matter, she should have met with them before she left the station a couple of days ago, even if she was angry with Bridget for being a twit.
Mark glanced around at everyone. “Are you going in alone?”
Lucy nodded. “Yes. I want them to feel free to tell me anything. And I don’t think that will happen if they have an audience.” She reached down to her ankle, and pulling up her pants leg, she unstrapped her holster and gun. “Here—” She gave Mark her weapon. “Hold this for me.”
“I don’t think you’ll be in danger of being over powered by Raul,” Mark said grinning.
Lucy frowned. “Until they can give me a good reason for what they did, and why they won’t cooperate, I can’t take the chance. I don’t want to hurt Raul.”
Mark’s smile faded, and he grasped the nylon holster tighter in his hand. “Okay, Lucy. I understand.”
~*~
Cooper watched his daughter walk determinedly into the interrogation room alone. The small room on the other side of the thick window was well lit, and he knew if she’d been in real danger—he’d have known about it already. He touched Kate’s hand, and she wove her fingers in with his, like they’d been holding each other longer than a short few hours. It felt so comfortable. In his heart, in his mind, it seemed like he’d known her all his life—without the complicated side effects of his first love affair.
“Hello, Jimmie,” Junie said quietly.
Cooper looked over his shoulder at Lucy’s best friend and saw her green eyed-gaze capture his. He hadn’t notice her phone go off.
“Really? … Uh-huh, yeah … Is it okay that I put this on speakerphone?” Junie nodded and touched another button. “Can you hear me okay?”
“Yes, sweetheart, I hear you just fine. Is Mr. Steele listening?”
“I’m here, Mr. Brockway,” Cooper said, stepping closer.
“First off, I understand that Lucy James is your daughter. Is this piece of intelligence correct?” Jim asked.
Cooper had spoken to Jim Brockway only a handful of times over the past two years—not much time in the grand scheme of things—but he could detect a hint of humor in his daughter’s employer’s voice.
“That would be true,” Cooper said, smiling at Kate.
“Hmmm,” Jim said. “I think we need to meet in person.”
“I’d like that, sir.” Cooper lowered his brows. “Is this the reason you called?”
“No, sir. Last night your daughter had another break-in.”
Johnny moved closer to the phone. “Did you sweep for bugs?”
“Yes, Johnny, I did—”
“Did you find any more?” Johnny asked quickly.
“Yes, I did, but I also caught the man who planted them on the camera I had hidden.”
Johnny made a fist and pumped it once, and Cooper held back a scoff. His daughter’s fiancé may have felt success, but all he felt was aggravation at Lucy being under surveillance in the first place.
“Have you identified the perp?” Cooper asked.
“I spent the past few minutes downloading the video onto my computer, and I can send you the best picture I have of his face. Just give me a moment or two to get the process down right … … I’ve texted it to Junie’s phone.”
The phone rang like a children’s bicycle bell, and Junie said, “We got it, now let me try to open my text without losing our connection.”
Cooper wanted to reach over and open it for her, but instead he squeezed Kate’s hand a little tighter. Kate wiggled her hand, prompting him to turn his attention her way. She mouthed, “It’s okay,” before giving him an adoring smile. Could she have felt his anxiousness at the loss of control? He couldn’t live through that again.
“Are you still there, sweetheart?”
“Yes, Junie.”
“I’ve got it,” Junie said, holding the phone out for them to see.
Cooper placed his hand under the phone and tilted it so he could see the screen better. “Son of a—” he stopped his curse before he finished it.
“Do you know him, Mr. Steele?” Jim asked.
“Yes, I do. He works for me.”
“I take it he was stepping outside his purview?”
“Yes, sir, he was.” Cooper looked over at Johnny’s reddened face. “I did not have my daughter’s house bugged. I swear it.”
“Can you explain why one of your employees is doing just that?” Johnny asked.
Cooper shook his head.
“What’s his name, Mr. Steele?” Jim asked
“My name is Cooper—his name is Rick Denim. I hired him about six months ago. He came highly recommended by another employee.” He ran his hand through his hair and around his neck. “There wasn’t anything in his background check that threw up red flags…”
“You have a mole in your company,” Roberts said quietly.
Cooper stared at the FBI agent, trying to understand what happened. “It appears that way.”
“What’s going on in here, Johnny?” Lucy asked. “Why are you upset?”
Cooper turned to find Lucy standing behind him staring at her fiancé. “You had another break-in last night, Lulu, but Jim caught him on video.” Junie tilted the phone toward Lucy. “He works for me. Or rather, he used to. He’s fired as soon as I get back to LA.”
“I recognize him,” Lucy whispered as she stared at the small image. She gasped a sharp breath and said, “That’s Patrick Brennan. He was Mac’s roommate in the academy.” She looked up at Cooper. “I’ve never met him, but I saw him once at a function. He disappeared before Mac could introduce us. Why is he working for you?”
Cooper felt the heat in his face blossom as the implications exploded in his mind. Someone planted Brennan in his organization, and he’d been used to get to his daughter—but by whom, exactly?
“He’s CIA?” Johnny asked, surprised.
“That didn’t come up in his background check, or it would have stood out.” Cooper took out his phone. “I’m going to find out. Jim, would you quietly check to see if he’s currently still employed with your organization?”
“I can do that.”
“Lucy …” Mark ran his hand down her arm. “Did you get your answers?”
Lucy nodded her head. “Very quickly.” She handed him two sets of handcuffs.
“How did you get these off them?”
“I picked the locks.” She shook her head and said, “Mariposa’s sister and nephew are being held for ransom, and they asked for my help in finding them before they’re killed.”
Junie gasped and held her hand to her throat. “Oh no!”
“Do they know where they’re being held?” Mark asked.
“Raul’s not positive, but he thinks near their original destination of Tacna.” Lucy gazed
back inside the thick window at Mariposa and Raul standing and holding each other. “I have a theory—”
Mark leaned closer. “Tell me.”
“Have you questioned the other men in the group?”
Mark shook his head. “I left it to Agent Monroe. She was in charge.”
Lucy rubbed her forehead. “I think they were blackmailed into being mules, and if Mariposa and Raul were, then there’s a good chance the others might have been, too. Raul swears he didn’t know about the dynamite. He only knew about the drugs. Are the others still here?”
“Yes. They’re waiting to be transported to the holding facility.”
“What will happen now?” Junie asked.
“I’m not sure.” Lucy looked up at Cooper.
Coop had his hands full with protecting her, but he didn’t know who to protect her from—the people bugging her home or the ones trying to end her life. He doubted they were playing on the same team. He finished sending the text to Jolene, his executive assistant, and had her open that file on Brennan with orders to keep the intel restricted just to Coop, and no one else.
“Agent Whittier, we need jump on this and bring in ICE,” Cooper said.
“Ice?” Junie asked.
Jim’s voice came through the phone. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.”
“And they would be the ones to have any drop houses under surveillance,” Mark said, taking out his phone. “Last year they raided twenty houses on the same day in three states, and captured a thousand illegal aliens in one sweep.”
Junie gasped. “A thousand people inside only twenty houses?”
“Yes, ma’am. They were stuffed wall to wall, and being held against their will with little water and almost no food. One hundred and eighty of those foreign nationals had felony criminal records and eighteen were fugitives.” He let his gaze fall on Lucy. “I’ll call my friend and we’ll get an operation going in that area, if there isn’t one already.”
“You have my organization at your disposal, Mark,” Cooper said.
Mark nodded. “I’ll let Dave know that, but they don’t go in alone. They include the local law enforcement agencies as well as Enforcement and Removal Operations, any US Marshals in the area, as well as the State Police.” He looked at Lucy. “Although we wouldn’t turn away any extra help to make sure things go smoothly.”