by Sheila Kell
Jake quickly studied the man. He appeared to be telling the truth. Maybe Jake was just jumpy. “Would you tell me if you thought someone knew?”
The passenger turned to him and nodded. “Of course.”
That was all he could hope for. An uncomfortable silence made the remainder of the drive seem longer than it had been. Jake still wondered about whether he should worry. No one had known he was FBI except Bryant, and he hadn’t spilled the beans.
Still pondering what Arthur had said, Jake frowned when traffic had slowed to a near stop on Highway 6E. The game traffic. He hadn’t expected it to be backed up this badly. Maybe there was an accident?
Whatever the case, he’d never make it back to the house in time to leave with the family. Em would not be happy.
Twenty-Four
JAKE HADN’T RETURNED home yet. Dammit, he’d promised. Why hadn’t they left for the airport earlier? Then he’d be home. Heck, it wasn’t like the traffic was a surprise on game day.
Dressed in her Ole Miss jersey, looking more like a college student than the well-dressed women who attended the game, Emily smiled like it didn’t matter she would be alone, but she had a feeling her family didn’t believe her. Oh well. “Jesse, I promised I wouldn’t go if I was still in danger. So, what’s the verdict?”
She knew everything had been cleared, and she and Amber were finally safe. Thank goodness. But, she’d made that promise to her brother and wanted to allow him to be the one to release her.
Her brother shrugged. “We look good. Randall is in custody. He hasn’t been blaming you. He now blames Teri. And, we don’t think he worked with anyone else. He never called out any threats as far as we can tell.”
“So I can go?” Hope filled her. Jason would love it if everyone attended. Including Jake.
He’d been reluctant to drive their guests, but had finally agreed when she’d pushed him. They knew everyone was safe, and he could take the time to speak with Arthur. Maybe he’d finally forgive the man. Although her brothers hadn’t forgiven Arthur yet, so it might be more than she should expect.
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m keeping the guys around since we have Dad, even though he doesn’t demand it. A few members of the team will get to enjoy the game, but some will be on duty. The others are taking a much needed day off at the ranch.” He ruffled her hair. Something she’d told him she had hated since she’d turned ten. “Oh, expect Jason to keep an eye on you. He’s decided he wants to be part of HIS instead of a quarterback when he grows up, so he sees it as his duty to protect you, even though we told him you were safe.” Jesse chuckled. “That’s after he goes to the locker room to meet the team and quarterback.”
Emily attempted to put her hair back to rights. She should’ve worn a ball cap, but she’d chosen to at least keep her hair down to somewhat appease the high-faluting women, who’d put their noses too high in the air if she did. She probably earned it since she’d already breached the attire rule. She didn’t want to embarrass her father too much, but she wouldn’t give up the jersey, though. It was one of her brother’s old ones. Matt and Brad had attended Ole Miss and played football. Each year she switched out which brother’s jersey she wore. This year it was Brad’s.
Besides, it was much more comfortable than the heels and dress clothes many of the women wore to the game. Whoever heard of tailgating the way these people did it in The Grove was beyond her. Yet it was constantly noted as one of the best places to tailgate nationwide. She’d had great catered food in the past. It was just that if she wasn’t spoiled otherwise, she’d probably enjoy it. But she liked the grill and her jersey.
She couldn’t wait until Jason saw the difference. It was a pity they weren’t going to The Grove today. They were bypassing it so he could go to the locker room. “That’s okay. I would love to let him feel important. As long as you really think there’s no danger. I’d hate for him to get hurt.”
Tossing his arm around her and walking her toward the door, Jesse laughed. “Not only would I not put my son in danger, but Kate would have my ass. Trust us, sis.”
“I will as long as you don’t make me ride with AJ.”
While laughter rang out in the room, she heard said brother protest from somewhere behind them.
The excitement of the game bled into the box, even to the women, although Megan’s excitement meter seemed to be waning. Emily smiled at how AJ fussed over his wife. Who would’ve thought the player that he’d been would have ever been this way. Then again, who would have ever thought Jake would’ve fallen in love with her.
He still hadn’t made it. At least he’d called. There had been an accident and depending on the time he actually arrived, it’d be a last minute call on whether he’d make the game.
“Are you listening to me?” Sofia sat beside her at a bar table.
Emily shook her head. “I’m sorry. I was thinking about Jake.” She couldn’t help but smile. It didn’t matter that she was disappointed he might not make it. She’d see him later. She missed him, though, and it had only been a few hours.
“Ah. The smile returns. Will he make it back in time?”
Emily rolled a glass of water in her hands. “I don’t think so, but he’s going to try.” She took a swig. “What were you talking about?”
Her friend laughed. “You had asked me about the man I’d been seeing since we’d never finished our conversations before.”
“Oh yeah. You said he was married, but that was to change. That’s why you moved to New York City. To be by him.”
She smiled. “You were listening.” Sofia turned to Jason, who had stuck to Emily like glue although his eyes had remained mostly on the game.
To keep him from missing out, she had stayed mostly outside in the seats below the enclosure. She’d recently walked inside and sat down to cool off for a few minutes.
Sofia cleared her throat. “Jason, dear, would you get me a water, please?”
Bobbing his head, Jason stood and moved to the refreshment area.
“I’ll tell you all about him. He’s someone you know.”
Intrigued, Emily leaned her elbow on the table, closer to her friend as if waiting for a secret. She hated that she wouldn’t be living in New York City with Sofia. She and Jake would live somewhere near Baltimore. If only her friend had moved there sooner.
Jason appeared with the water, and Emily lost track of her conversation with her friend. This was her nephew’s day.
“Okay, my protector.” Jason blushed and Emily hid her smile. “Now, let’s get as close as we can and watch the rest of this game.”
“Thanks, Aunt Em.”
She almost grabbed his hand to lead him, but caught herself knowing he was all of thirteen going on fourteen, and wanting to be part of the grown up HIS team, and holding hands with one of the women was not going to fly.
“Did you see that pass? It was a perfect spiral, and it was easily sixty yards,” Jason ranted, excitement flowing through every word.
Emily listened as he commented on every play during the game. She tuned out half of what he said as he didn’t stop talking about every move the quarterback made while including all the locker room chat. It was nice to see him like this, though.
She couldn’t wait until Amber got as involved in something. She wondered what it would be that piqued her interest. She hoped it’d be volleyball as she enjoyed watching the games, plus they were indoor. Weather controlled. Until she decided on beach volleyball.
They sat down after an Ole Miss touchdown. “I’m so happy Poppy brought me here today.”
Thank goodness Jason had finally stopped his unwillingness of calling his grandfather Poppy. Emily agreed with him that it sounded like a girl’s name, but her father felt it special since he’d been named that by Reagan. He’d made his grandfather so proud by doing it. “I think he’s happy too. He’s enjoyed spending the time with you. I don’t think I’ve seen him s
mile so much in a long time.”
“This family has been so good to me.” Jason looked around the box behind him.
Emily smiled, and her heart contracted. He’d seemed to be part of the Hamilton family forever. Nothing would change the love they felt for him.
“Em.” Matt leaned down and said in her ear, “I need you to remain calm.”
Every muscle went on high alert, and her heart beat rapidly sending pulsing through her veins at a speed that throbbed throughout her body. When someone said that, there was a reason not to remain calm. Dear God. Amber. “What?”
“We need to go home.”
She closed her eyes. He didn’t have to say it. She knew her little girl was in trouble.
TRENT wasn’t waiting around for another wedding. There was no telling how long it would be before they decided it appropriate to take the plunge. He needed to leave. The senator, his father, wanted to get close with him, and he wasn’t ready to forgive the old man for lying to him all those years. He had to get away to figure out how he wanted to proceed with the Hamilton family. He guessed nothing had to change, but everything actually had changed. They wanted him to be a partner with them. To be one of them.
It was the perfect time to leave. Em and Amber were safe, and the men were preparing for their next mission. None had seemed to mind their precious break between assignments had been spent protecting the Hamiltons.
It was still hard to believe that he had brothers and a sister. Sure he’d known it a good part of his life, but to hear it said aloud, and for them to know made it all the more real. But they’d always felt like brothers and sister. It was his damn father who was the problem.
Trent needed to go to his mother and father’s graves. The father who’d raised him. The man he truly called and felt was his father. He had to speak with Roger McKenzie, even though the man was dead.
He needed to know what to do about Blake. Did he give him a chance to be the father he’d been denied? Or did he continue living the lie his mother had wanted them to live? It had been her secret to begin with. She’d never wanted it revealed, yet his dear old dad had decided every-fucking-body needed to know. Trent knew that was what really pissed him off more than anything. The man had ripped away something his mother had held dear. Something she’d been too embarrassed to reveal to the world. Blake had just tossed it out there like it was nothing.
He jammed another T-shirt into his suitcase then walked to the window. So lost in thought, he’d missed the beauty of the day. He could’ve been in the middle of a sea storm instead of a bright, sunny cloudless day.
Running his hand up and down the back of his neck, he heaved a burdened sigh. Where to go from here?
After a visit to his parents’ graves, he thought maybe he’d take a nice long drive. He hadn’t been to the beach in a while. Vacations on the coast with his family had been a highlight of his summer while growing up. Maybe he needed a bit of nostalgia.
He would miss hanging with his brothers and the men. He’d miss Em and Amber the most. The bonds he’d formed with them had been strong. Many had worried about that bond, but since he’d known from the beginning of their true relationship, he’d ensured it’d been platonic in nature. Still, they were close. And he loved that little munchkin. She was a ray of sunshine.
A knock on the door caught his attention. “Come in.” His unfocused gaze continued to look out the window.
“There’s an FBI agent here to see Jake.”
Trent spun around and raised his eyebrows at Danny, an HIS team member. How interesting. “When is he due back? Didn’t he call earlier with an ETA?” He’d tried to make the game, but traffic hadn’t cooperated, and Trent couldn’t wait to see the groveling he’d have to do to make that up to Em because she’d been looking forward to attending it with him.
“He’s just down the road. Maybe five minutes.”
“No problem. Check his badge and let the agent wait.” The more he thought about it, the odder it seemed since Jake had just driven the FBI deputy director to the airport. Why would they want to speak with him now? He shook his head. Damn feds and not communicating.
“We did check her badge. It looks authentic. Les is with her by the pool. It took some convincing to get her to go where no one else was around.”
Curious, Trent leaned against the window frame and folded his arms across his chest. “Why’s that? If she’s FBI, why not bring her inside to wait instead of standing in the heat?”
“Well, Les stopped me midway down the walkway to the house and took over.” He shot Trent an incredulous look. “I know we aren’t on duty, but it’s hard to stop.”
Trent nodded. True. They all seemed to be in protective mode 100 percent of the time.
“Anyhow, Les caught how her suit jacket fit weird. She’s wearing a bomb vest.”
“Fuck!” Trent pushed past Danny and snatched his weapon off the dresser on his way out the door, urgency in each step down the stairs. The entire time he attempted to think of a plan. What the fuck could he do? He wasn’t a bomb expert. He didn’t have a vest to protect him from a bomb blast. Hell, he was in shorts and tennis shoes. He really couldn’t do anything but get his ass blown to smithereens.
Danny halted behind him before he reached the back door. “Would you like your earpiece to know what the fuck is going on? You forgot to grab it when you took off like a bat out of hell.”
“Thanks, man.” Trent held out his hand and then inserted the piece of equipment in his ear. Hearing nothing, he searched Danny’s face.
“It’s quiet.” The man cleared his throat and continued, “They ran into someone along the way, and the woman insisted the three of them stay together.”
Trent’s heart palpitations went almost out of control. There were only two people Danny would warn him about since the family was at the game—Amber and Reagan. Christ. “What happened?” he asked in a raspy voice, sure it sounded as broken as he heard it.
The vein in Danny’s neck pulsed rapidly. That was the only visual sign Trent saw that warned him he wouldn’t like the man’s response to his question.
Trent’s breathing grew erratic, and he took a couple of deep breaths in hopes to calm it… calm himself enough to handle the situation correctly.
“The men rushed in to collect Mrs. K. and the girls, but before they reached them, Amber broke off running to Les to tell him about Dottie’s puppies. It was too late at that point. We don’t know the blast radius.”
Shit. He couldn’t just stand here. “Come on, let’s get where we can see what’s happening.” There had to be something he could do. Standing around here chatting wasn’t going to solve anything.
“Wait.” Danny grabbed Trent’s arm, squeezing taut muscles to restrain him. “Do you think I want to stand here longer than necessary? Fuck no. But you need to know. The woman wants Jake to watch his daughter die.”
Trent made to break free of the grasp and get to Amber. To pull her from the crazy woman’s grasp.
“Wait, dammit. Jamaal stepped closer to grab Amber, but the bitch showed us the dead man’s switch and threatened to use it. You know we couldn’t care less, but our angel was in there and without protective gear.” Danny tightened his jaw. “We just couldn’t risk it. He had to back off and leave it to Les.”
Holy fucking Christ! He’d heard enough. “Grab another earpiece for Jake, meet him and bring him around. Quietly.” Trent slipped through the house and out the back door. What good was he going to be? He just had to keep the woman occupied for five minutes. Until Jake arrived. He could do that.
SKIDDING the car to a stop, Jake almost jumped from it before he put it in park. Danny held out a Glock, body armor and an earpiece for him. He shoved the earpiece in his ear, grabbed the weapon and shook his head at the body armor. He needed to move, not take time to don the vest.
He couldn’t believe someone had his daughter.
Fuck! They’d thought everyone was safe. If only after Arthur had said something about watching his back he’d called and had the men protect Amber and Em, this wouldn’t have happened. The woman never would’ve gotten near his little girl.
It was his damn fault. He had to figure out a way to fix this. “What’s Les been saying? Does he have a plan to save them?”
Danny sighed. “Nothing yet. We’ve been chatting, and so far we’ve got nothing. He just pushed to get them near the pool. We can’t shoot her with that switch.”
Fuck. “How the hell did she get through?”
“Calm the fuck down, Jake. She had an authentic FBI badge. We may have been off-duty, but we aren’t that stupid. And, her suit jacket hid the vest well. Les just happened to catch something with it from afar.”
He took in a deep breath. Christ, his heart raced dangerously fast. “I’m sorry.”
The HIS team member nodded. “It’s best if we go through the house. It’ll allow you to arrive without her knowledge. Trent went to keep her occupied, hoping to get her to release Amber.”
“Fuck! What the fuck is going through her mind? Why is she here? Who is she?”
“We don’t know. She’s not speaking except to say she wants to see you and that she plans to take away your little girl like you took away some asshole in a raid. We can only guess she’s from your FBI op.” He turned back to glance at Jake. “She’s wearing a hijab.”
In all situations Jake had been taught to remain cool and calm, to keep his focus on his actions, not the individuals. He couldn’t do it this time. His body and his mind were wound tight, the reactions within him, the racing pulse wasn’t due to the pending action, it was due to fear for his daughter’s life and the prospect of losing her. He couldn’t fuck this up.
“What about the rest of the team?” He needed his brothers to help with this one. He also needed their bomb expert.
Nearing the back of the house, Danny lowered his voice to answer, “They’re on their way back from the game.”