Line of Duty

by Christy Barritt

No one said anything for a minute.

  That was when Jaxon saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It was the same shadowed figure he’d seen twice before. The one who’d been at the hospital and on the sidewalk.

  “Keep an eye on Abby,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

  And with that he took off toward the figure in the distance.

  Abby felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she watched the confrontation between Jaxon and his family. She knew it was a sticky situation, and that there were no easy answers. But it was still so painful to see how mistakes from the past could tear a family apart.

  She prayed that this would not be a definitive moment in their relationship, but that they could pull through this and still come together.

  What Jaxon’s mom had done was wrong, but that didn’t mean that reconciliation wasn’t possible. Abby didn’t want to say whether that was the right or the wrong thing. But she did know that forgiveness was an absolute must.

  As the siblings talked quietly amongst themselves, Abby realized that she shouldn’t be here. They needed to have their own moment to process this.

  And where had Jaxon gone? What or who had he seen? Was it the Executioner?

  She shivered and rubbed her arms as she glanced around the crowd. No one else seemed to have noticed what had happened. People had gone back to dancing, the band still played, and everything looked idyllic.

  Abby leaned back against one of the buildings, trying to stay out of everyone’s way while still remaining close. Occasionally, she saw Luke glancing over at her to make sure that she was okay.

  But when someone tapped on her shoulder, she turned to see someone that she didn’t expect. A woman.

  “Abby Brennan?”

  Abby tensed. “That’s me.”

  “I’m Detective Cait Kovach with the Minneapolis Police Department. I need to ask you a few questions.” She held up a badge.

  Abby glanced at it and saw it looked legit.

  She glanced at Luke and Boone and saw they were deep into a family discussion.

  “Luke!” she called, pointing to the detective.

  Luke glanced over, saw the detective, and nodded. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Jaxon cut through the crowds, determined not to let this guy get away again. But the sheer amount of people out in town was going to make this harder.

  Or maybe he could use it to his advantage.

  He veered to the right, staying close to the sidewalk, and paused. In the distance, he saw the man in black still jogging away. He was headed toward the parking lot at the edge of town, Jaxon realized.

  Jaxon took a shortcut through an alley between two buildings, took a couple more turns, and stopped just before the lot.

  He spotted the man.

  He was younger than Jaxon had assumed, and his black clothing appeared to be jeans and a dark shirt with a leather jacket. The man glanced behind him and slowed his steps, as if he assumed he’d lost Jaxon.

  He was in for a sad surprise.

  Before the man could see him, Jaxon ducked behind a car one vehicle over from the black Volvo he’d spotted earlier. As soon as he heard the man’s footsteps, he leapt from his hiding spot, grabbed the man, and jerked his arms behind him.

  The man groaned.

  “Who are you, and why are you following me?” Jaxon demanded.

  When Jaxon had initially began chasing the man, he was sure that had something to do with Abby. Was this the Executioner?

  The man seemed too young. But it could be a reporter. Maybe even the reporter who had spilled the beans about where Abby was staying.

  “It’s not what you think,” the man said through gritted teeth.

  “Then you better start explaining.”

  “I will, I will. But you need to let go of me first.”

  “That’s not going to be happening. You’ve been eluding me for the past three days.”

  “I promise I can explain. Reach in my back pocket and pull out my wallet.”

  Still holding the man’s arms behind his back, Jaxon released one of his hands and grabbed the man’s wallet.

  What was inside surprised even him.

  Another surge of anxiety went through Abby as she followed the detective through the crowds. This woman just needed a moment of her time, and then Abby could return to the Wilder family.

  The detective in front of her remained cold and professional. Abby couldn’t get a good read on her, except that she’d come a long way to talk to Abby.

  The only comfort Abby found was in knowing that the Executioner was most definitely a man. This woman could not be the person pursuing her. The fact made her feel a little better.

  The woman reached a dark sedan with rental plates on the back and opened the door. “This will be the best place for us to talk,” she said. “It will be private, and Sheriff Wilder can meet us here.”

  Abby took one last glance back to the celebration in Fog Lake. Crowds still danced to the music. The band was loud, and she could hear the lyrics, “Our last Valentine’s Day. I never thought you’d go away . . .”

  How appropriate.

  Finally, she slipped inside the sedan. Nausea again roiled in her stomach. She might as well get this over with.

  Just as the detective started to slip inside, a strange sound filled the air. The roar of the music made it hard to distinguish, but it almost sounded like . . .

  The detective slipped to the ground.

  Abby lurched. A blot of blood formed on the woman’s white shirt.

  A gunshot. It had almost sounded like a gunshot.

  Abby reached for the door handle beside her and jerked it. But it was locked. The only way she could get out was to go over the detective.

  Before Abby could, a man grabbed the keys from Cait’s hand, climbed into the driver’s seat, and slammed the door.

  A man wearing a blue hat and a jacket.

  It was the Executioner. He’d finally found Abby, and now it was too late to escape.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “You’re telling me you’re who?” Jaxon still couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “My name is Ted Lamariski, and I’m with the CIA.”

  “Why have you been following me?” Jaxon released the man after seeing his official ID, but he still remained on guard. He couldn’t trust anyone right now.

  Ted straightened his jacket and took a step back, raising his hands in the air. “Sorry, man. I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

  “I didn’t say you scared me, but you definitely had me curious. You’ve been following me.”

  “I was sent here to recruit you for the CIA.”

  “The CIA? Why would I want to join the CIA?” His words made no sense.

  “We heard about the work that you did over in Iraq, and we knew that you had decided not to reenlist. We thought you would be a perfect fit for us.”

  “So you followed me?”

  “My boss sent me here to check you out first. He wanted to make sure you were the person he thought you were before we made you an offer. I’ve been in the information collecting phase.”

  “So you’re a spook?” This whole thing seemed surreal—and irritating.

  “Not exactly. I’m just a recruiter. As you know, the CIA does not work on US soil. But we do recruit here.”

  “I don’t know why you would think I would be a good fit for you.”

  “You have a reputation as someone who has integrity, who likes to fight for what is right, but who ultimately listens to orders.”

  Nailah’s face fluttered through Jaxon’s mind. Were they commending him for letting an innocent woman die? Anger burned inside him. That wasn’t the person he wanted to be.

  “I’m not the guy you want,” Jaxon said.

  He started to take a step away, when Ted grabbed his arm. “I just need you to think about it.”

  Jaxon bristled. “I’ve already thought about it. I’m not interested.”

>   “We know what happened with Khalshazar’s wife.”

  Jaxon froze and stared at him. “And?”

  “We knew that you were going to help her, and we know that her husband killed her before you could.”

  His heart pounded in his ears. “And that’s the kind of person you’re looking for?”

  “We’re looking for people who have a good instinct and who want the best for our country.”

  “So letting her die was the best thing for our country?” The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “I didn’t say that. In fact, we were hoping to make her an asset instead of her husband.”

  Realization spread through Jaxon. “Then why didn’t you guys tell me to help?”

  “We were on the verge of doing so when she died. We never suspected that was going to happen as it did. In fact, one of our guys talked to her, and that’s what set her husband off.”

  “I thought it was because she talked to me.” His heart beat harder.

  “As far as we know, Khalshazar didn’t know anything about that.”

  Stunned, Jaxon stepped back. All the guilt that he’d been feeling had been for nothing. Well, maybe not nothing. Nailah had still died, and he still felt pangs of grief about that. But it wasn’t his fault . . .

  Ted extended his arm and shoved something into Jaxon’s hand. Jaxon saw it was a business card.

  “Think about it, and give me a call,” Ted muttered.

  Before Jaxon could respond, Ted got into his car and took off.

  Jaxon had to get back to Abby now. He was so ready to have all this behind them.

  At least one mystery had been solved.

  Abby felt herself beginning to hurl, but the action never materialized. She pressed herself into the far corner of the car, as far away from this man as she could get. Not that it would help. She was trapped.

  She tugged on the door handle again. Pounded on the tinted window. No one could see her. No one could hear her screaming over the music.

  As the Executioner pulled away from the scene, Abby’s gaze darted. Where was Luke? Jaxon?

  Just then, Luke and Boone appeared from the alley. They glanced around, as if looking for her.

  But it was too late. They couldn’t see her inside the car. Instead, they spotted the detective on the ground and sprinted toward her.

  The Executioner was going to get away with this. Abby felt certain of it.

  A low moan escaped from her. This was how it was all going to end.

  “I never thought I’d get a moment alone with you,” the man said.

  Trembles claimed Abby’s entire body at the sound of his voice. She tried to get a good look at him, but all she could see was the side of his face. His hat still shadowed much of his features, his beard masked his face, and his jacket concealed his body.

  Was it Patrick?

  She’d think she would know something like that at this point. But it was hard to see.

  “Why are you doing this?” Abby could hardly understand her own voice because of the way it quivered.

  “Don’t you know that by now?”

  The calmness of his words caused another deep shiver to claim her. She wrapped her arms over her chest. “I didn’t kill Theresa.”

  “I didn’t say you did.”

  What? Wasn’t that what all of this was about? “Then why are you doing this? Why are you punishing me?”

  “Because all this is your fault.” His voice took on the singsongy tone again. “All of this was started because you put the idea in someone’s head.”

  “What idea?” Abby had no clue what he was talking about.

  “The idea that Patrick could have a better life with you.”

  “I didn’t know he was married.” Tears rushed down Abby’s cheeks again. It didn’t seem to matter how much time had passed, guilt still flooded Abby every time she thought about it. “I would’ve never met up with him if I had known.”

  “That’s what they all say.”

  What they all say? What did that even mean?

  She didn’t have time to figure it out now.

  Abby had to figure out a way out of this car. But how? They were getting farther and farther away from the downtown area. What was his plan for her?

  Just as they pulled onto the highway leading along the side of the lake, the man raised his hand. He held something. The next instant, spray filled the vehicle.

  Abby coughed, desperate to get the substance out of her lungs. What was that?

  Before she could dwell on it, she felt herself getting woozy.

  It must have been some kind of spray that would make her pass out, she realized. Panic tried to claim her.

  Abby tried to fight it, but it was no use. Her eyelids became heavier and heavier.

  The next thing she knew, everything went black.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Jaxon glanced around as he reached his family. He wasn’t looking forward to the aftermath of their conversation, and he knew they were probably still angry. Especially Ansley.

  They were never supposed to find out like that. But another part of him felt good knowing that it was all out in the open now. There were no more secrets. His family could choose whether to accept or to reject him because of his decisions. But he didn’t regret his relationship with his mom.

  He had other matters to attend to before diving into his family drama again. He spotted Luke bent down near someone on the ground. It was a woman. Blood blotted her shirt.

  “It’s the detective from Minnesota,” Luke told him, pressing a cloth on her chest. “Cait Kovach. I met her an hour or so ago. Paramedics are on the way.”

  “Where’s Abby?”

  “She was with the detective,” Luke frowned. “I don’t know where she is now, Jaxon. I’m sorry.”

  Concern ricocheted through Jaxon. “You mean you lost her?”

  Luke motioned to one of his deputies. “Come hold this on her chest.”

  As the deputy took over for him, Luke turned to him. “I’m going to put an APB out for her now. We’re going to find her.”

  Jaxon glanced around. “No one saw anything?”

  “No.”

  Jaxon knew what had happened. The Executioner had grabbed her. And there was no telling where he might be with her now.

  He felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He had to find Abby. Her life was on the line. He had no doubt about that.

  Luke’s radio crackled. “Sheriff, we’ve got someone at the hospital you’re going to want to see.”

  “I’m in the middle of something right now.”

  “It’s the woman who was missing,” the dispatcher said. “You’ll want to hear what she has to say.”

  Abby awoke to darkness. Cold, cold darkness.

  At once, everything flashed back to her, and she tried to jump to her feet.

  She couldn’t.

  Her arms were tied behind her. Her legs bound to a chair.

  Despite the feel of the rope around her, she tugged her limbs, trying desperately to move, to not feel like an insect trapped in a spider’s web.

  But she couldn’t.

  Her breaths came faster now, more shallow.

  The Executioner had tied her up somewhere. She was still upright. The ropes must be attached to a wall of some sort.

  What was this man planning to do with her? Where was the man now? Was he sitting in the dark, watching her, waiting for her to wake up?

  Abby had no idea. But she needed to think quickly.

  She glanced around, praying for her vision to clear. For the darkness to somehow fade.

  As she blinked several times, her eyes adjusted. She was in some kind of small living room area. A compact couch was against the wall across from her. There were no windows in this room, but light spread from a doorway at the top of a small set of stairs.

  Something about the room was strange . . . the height of the ceiling. The whole feel of the place, for that matter. Plus, there was a strange scent.


  Just where had this man taken her?

  As she felt herself jostle, she froze. Jostle? Why in the world was she swaying back-and-forth?

  Before she could think about it much longer, the door opened, and she heard heavy footsteps coming down to meet her.

  A half-moan, half-scream escaped her lips as she anticipated the pain to come.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Jaxon went with Luke down to the hospital. Whoever this Executioner was, he was smart enough not to keep Abby in the downtown area. He was happy that Boone and Ryan were there to keep searching, just in case. But this guy had taken her somewhere. Jaxon had no doubt in his mind about that.

  A woman lay in the hospital bed, bandages on her head, her blonde hair a mess around her face.

  Luke paused beside her and introduced himself. “Can you tell us what happened?”

  “I did something I shouldn’t have.” She sniffled and glanced out the window as if holding back a sob. “My husband and I have been having problems, so when I met Ralph while I was here, I decided just to forget my problems and have a little fling. It wasn’t even a real fling, but we did kiss. Then I got cold feet and realized that I couldn’t cheat on my husband like this. Ralph dropped me off at my car, but, as I was standing outside, I heard somebody. It was a man. He said he had lost his dog.”

  Jaxon felt the air leave his lungs.

  “I told him I hadn’t seen any dogs. As I turned to leave, he said I had to pay the price for my sins. He sprayed something in my face. I don’t even know what it was, but everything went black. When I woke up, I was in the trunk of a car. I heard him outside. He was whistling, but the sound faded. I saw that as my opportunity to do something. I found an emergency latch and got out.”

  “What happened next?” Luke asked.

  “I started running. I was in the woods, maybe at an old campground. I had a feeling he was living there. It didn’t matter. I just ran. The next thing I knew, I was lost. I had no idea where I was. Every direction looked the same. But I didn’t see the man. That was all I cared about.”