“Probably the real clerks.”
Guilt slammed into her from every direction. She did this. She brought evil to this store and cost those men their lives.
“Don’t.” Caleb brushed his fingertips down her cheek. “Don’t take this on.”
“But I—”
“Sent an email.” Caleb nodded in the direction of the front room. “This is his crime, not yours.”
She didn’t trust her voice. Leaning into Caleb’s hand, she nodded.
“Wait here.” He stepped into the room before she could grab him. After a quick check of the bodies, he shuffled through the shelves and stopped at a black box. The top opened.
“What is it?”
“It should be the security tape, but it’s gone.”
Looked as if nothing was going to go their way. “Like I said, pros.”
“We’ll call Luke as soon as we’re in the car.” Caleb closed the door and put a hand on the small of her back. With gentle pressure, he guided her toward the back door at the end of the hall.
“You think someone is out there.”
“There were two bodies in that room. Two missing uniforms. With our one dead guy out front, the guy who left must be waiting somewhere nearby.” Caleb’s face closed up. “The worst part is I let him get by me. He walked right out of the store.”
“Now who’s taking responsibility for everyone else’s actions?”
He dropped a quick kiss on her mouth and was gone before she could pull him closer. “There are probably a million places to hide outside and only a few ways for us to escape.”
She couldn’t fault his logic. She just wanted him to be wrong. There’d been enough death for one day. She wanted a shower and a long, deep sleep in Caleb’s arms. Getting her life back would be a big plus, but she doubted that would happen anytime soon…if ever.
Again, he positioned his body between her and potential danger. He walked out first, gun ready and gaze scanning the area.
Knowing he didn’t need her fighting him, she only followed when he motioned her outside. The alley smelled like spoiled food. Other than stacks of trash-cans and cardboard boxes, there was nothing much back there.
He shook his head. “This doesn’t make sense.”
She had no idea what gnawed at him. Her mind wouldn’t focus long enough for her to think the situation through. “Can we keep going?”
When his gaze met hers, the harsh lines on his face softened. “Yeah.”
In double time they headed around the side of the building, past the empty store next to the mail place. His head never stopped moving and his weapon never wavered. They ducked back against the wall when a lone car passed by the road, then they walked again.
The front of the building looked the same as when they went inside. There was a car in a space perpendicular to the building and theirs was in the space down about thirty feet from the front door.
She pressed her back against the cool cement wall. “Maybe he left?”
Caleb shook his head. “Not likely.”
The back of her neck itched. She guessed it was her mind playing games, but she felt as if someone was staring at her. Assessing and waiting. Hanging out with Caleb and the rest of the agents did that to her. Made her question everything and everyone. She wasn’t sure how they lived that way, but she didn’t fight the effectiveness.
She scanned the line of trees on the far side of the lot. “Hiding?”
“That’s my guess.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
He leaned a hand against the wall next to her head. “A decoy.”
From this position, if anyone saw their whispered conversation, they would assume intimacy. The way he leaned in, pressing his chest against hers. The way he never broke eye contact.
“Meaning?” she asked.
“I’m going to walk out there.”
There were only two options and she knew he wouldn’t nominate her, but still. “Absolutely not.”
He bent his elbow and crowded in closer. “You want to keep standing here?”
“Call for backup.”
“Zach is on the way, but I don’t want him shot either.” He reached into her bag.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting some supplies.” Caleb pulled out a small lens.
She’d never seen it before, so she did a quick check to see what else she’d missed. “When did you put that in there?”
“On the way out of the warehouse.”
“Resourceful.”
He aimed the lens at the trees then swept across the parking lot to the side closest to them. “It’s one of my skills.”
“One of them, yes. See anything?”
“No.”
“So, it’s safe?”
He hesitated. “Stay behind me, head tucked, hands on me, and I mean stuck to me so that I can’t tell where I end and you begin. Got that?”
“Yes.”
“You hear footsteps or gunfire, you get into that car and drive. Do not look back.”
“I’m not leaving without you.”
He placed the keys in her palm and folded her fingers over them. “Tell me you agree or we don’t move. And keep in mind the longer we stand here, the more likely we are to become victims.”
“That’s low.”
“I’m serious.”
She tightened her hand on the bag over her shoulder. “Caleb.”
“Avery.”
The man defined stubborn. “Fine.”
He started moving. They stayed close to the building with her back to the wall and shuffled from post to post, tucking behind each and trying to keep out of sight. Nothing could get to her. An attacker would have to get through one of two immovable objects to reach her. She bet Caleb would be tougher than the thick inches of wood and steel.
When they’d gone as far as they could and remain under the building’s awning, he stopped her. Any further movement would expose them. Keeping her behind the post, he held her an arm’s length away. With careful footsteps he walked away from her and slipped to the front of the post.
She knew he was trying to draw fire by sacrificing his body for hers. She didn’t want a martyr. She pushed away from the safety and flattened against him again, ignoring his string of whispered profanity.
“We do this together,” she said.
He didn’t respond, but he did start sliding around the post. They got the whole way to the front of the car without anything happening. No one jumped out or fired. They didn’t have to duck for cover. But Caleb didn’t ease up. Every muscle vibrated with alertness. His gun fit in his hand as though he was born with it there.
She lifted her hand and aimed the automatic door opener at the car. Before she could hit the button, he batted her hand down.
“Wait.” His attention went to the ground.
“What is it?” She followed his gaze. The sandy area around the car door was pristine. No clues that she could see.
Something about the site struck her as wrong, but she couldn’t say what. She followed a visual path around the front of the car and then to the back. There, near the rear tire, was a partial footprint.
The answer hit her. There should have been more. Hers and his. The place had been wiped clean while they were inside. She couldn’t figure out why that would happen.
Caleb pulled her with him toward the side of the building as he screamed the word “Run!”
They got ten racing steps before the ground shook and a thundering boom shrieked in her ears. An invisible wall of air pressed against her back. Her bag was ripped off her arm as a wave of heat engulfed her.
She tried to focus but the trees blurred in front of her and her feet left the ground. The force pushing from behind her didn’t stop. The air left her lungs as she slammed against the dirt on her knees. Momentum shoved her head into the ground. She tried to lift her head but the world spun and her neck grew heavy.
She heard Caleb yell her name right before the world went dark.
> Chapter Twelve
Trevor hung up the phone. Listening to the excitement threading through Russell’s voice ruined Trevor’s day. The man rambled on about how he’d taken out Avery Walker. About how it could never be traced back to him and would look like an accident with the fuel line.
A car bomb. Talk about not being subtle.
Russell actually bragged about killing one of the Recovery agents. Trevor couldn’t see Russell strutting around, chest puffed out and mouth smug, but he heard it. The man acted as if he’d achieved something impossible and brilliant. As if this was a good thing.
The idiot.
There were men you did not want as enemies. The Recovery agents definitely qualified. Not too long ago Trevor had made a deal with Luke. Trevor couldn’t think of another person, another group of men, he would have forgiven for the death of his brother. The reluctant respect ran deep.
When Trevor made the hands-off promise, he intended to keep it. Russell’s actions threatened that tenuous stand-down. If Recovery got even a whiff of Trevor’s involvement with Russell and the death of one of their own, they’d be relentless in their pursuit. His company, his security, even his freedom would be threatened. He had power, but they would die for their cause. It was hard to win a battle against people who had nothing left to lose.
Recovery would come hard and lethal and not stop until they wiped out the people responsible for killing their fellow agent. And eliminating an innocent woman? That was one of those things Luke and his crowd would never accept. They would dig until they uncovered every last participant in the WitSec scam. Dig and destroy.
Trevor hadn’t wanted to get involved. He’d hoped Russell would piss off the wrong person and suddenly disappear. The chances were good. The man worked completely without boundaries. Smart but dangerous in his belief of his infallibility. Men like him always met with a quick and nasty downfall. It was just a question of who would hand it to him.
Trevor had created the trail to point all fingers back to Russell should anyone figure out how to access the WitSec computers or Russell’s personal files. Trevor laid all the groundwork so that as soon as he tracked down the incriminating tape, he could sit back and wait for Russell’s crushing blow.
Russell had ruined the timing. Now Trevor had to move faster than anticipated.
The only way to end this, to protect his behind-the-scenes assistance, was to hand Russell over to Recovery. Trevor would have to erase any lines or hint of a connection between him and Russell. The conspiracy would begin and end with Russell. That’s what Luke would find. Everyone involved in this mess would be satisfied and safe. Those who benefited could collect their cash and then find a new scheme.
Except Russell. The dead didn’t need cover.
Trevor picked up the phone. He’d need his best men on this. The Recovery agents wouldn’t be easy to track. They were experienced in losing tails and experts in hiding their tracks. But Trevor needed to know where they were at all times. The only way to battle them was on an even field. That meant he could lose more of his men. For Russell’s sake, that better not happen.
THE CLUNKING WOULDN’T stop. It was as though a huge metal press kept clamping down in Avery’s head. It smashed and thumped. But that was the good part. The pain pinging around the inside of her skull was the worst.
She sensed the lights were on. The ground underneath her was hard and flat. She inhaled, trying to pick up the smells of that awful alley and orient her mind, but the scent was more familiar. Then the muffled voices around her grew more distinct. They went from rumbling in the background to…loud and yelling.
“Caleb, sit down.”
She recognized Luke’s shout and the soft hum of the machines from the warehouse. That quick the tension eased from her shoulders and the hammering in her head slowed its beat. The light touch of fingers against her forehead contrasted with the tight grip on her hand.
“Well?”
She’d know that demanding tone anywhere. Caleb. She struggled to open her eyes.
“She’s awake,” a female voice whispered.
“Finally.”
Two women. Their voices swirled around her, coming from near her feet. It was a strange event in a house full of men. There was only one explanation.
“Mia and Claire?” Avery asked.
Someone squeezed her hand. “Wake up.”
Only Caleb would issue an order like that. Even though Avery dreaded the shock of light, she slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling beams came into focus. She saw a flash of the room and then Caleb’s face moved right in front of her.
“About time.” He hovered, his face pale and his mouth turned down. He managed to look furious, relieved and terrible all at the same time.
She touched her fingertips to his cheek. “You smell like smoke.”
“You look like hell.”
“How romantic.”
“We came within inches of being barbecued.” If possible, his mouth turned down even farther. “Zach did recon on the bomb and brought back the pieces. I called in a favour with the authorities for the rest.”
“Bomb?”
“Zach’s our explosives expert.”
“But where?”
“Under the car. Remotely detonated.”
The harsh scratch of Caleb’s voice and pained expression made her think the worst. She did a mental head count of the voices she’d heard. The idea was to figure out who was missing from the room. “Did someone die?”
“You almost did.” His husky voice sounded deeper than usual.
“Don’t be an idiot. She did not.” Luke shoved Caleb to the side. “How’s the head?”
She raised her free hand and felt a bandage. “What happened?”
“You don’t remember?”
The bang and the heat. The fire. She bolted straight up and grabbed for the hand that had been holding hers. “Where’s Caleb?”
“Still right here.” That fast he was at her side again.
All the people in the room came into focus, but she concentrated on him. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.”
She struggled to sit up and would have fallen back down on the conference table except for his arm around her shoulder. The world flip-flopped as her vision blurred. For a second she thought she’d blow that throw-up record, but then the room stilled.
The women crowded in front of her on each side of Luke. They were like light and dark. Both had long hair but in different shades. She knew them from their photos in the paper, but the grainy images didn’t capture the energy that bounced off them. Mia reminded Avery of sunshine, while Claire radiated pure sultry heat. Beautiful with matching looks of concern.
“I thought we’d never meet. This is a heck of a way to do it.” As careful as possible, Avery glanced between them.
Claire smiled. “Luke eased up on his house restrictions when he heard about the explosion. I have a one-hour reprieve. I’m sure he’ll be hustling me back home in a few minutes.”
Luke nodded. “And it’s over. Holden should be back any second.”
“I thought I heard a clock ticking.”
“Claire.” The warning was clear in Luke’s tone.
“What?” She threw her arms wide. “Everyone is here. We’re perfectly safe.”
Luke glared at his wife’s stomach. “You get sick every ten minutes right now.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Avery had so many questions and so much she needed to say to Caleb, but there was a protocol to these types of things. And Claire’s happiness was contagious. “Congratulations on the baby. That’s wonderful news.”
From her interactions with Luke, Avery knew he would be a terrific father. Strong and protective and so obviously in love with his wife. When Claire smiled, he smiled. Even when he glared at her, a sparkle in his eyes said he enjoyed the male-female battle. That he would shatter if he lost her.
“We’re thrilled.” Claire’s hand went to her still-flat abdomen.
Not f
or the first time, Avery thought about Claire’s past and wondered how she’d ever made it to this point. She and Luke had overcome so much. They survived a monster and put aside their troubled past.
It gave Avery hope. Maybe Caleb could learn from Luke’s example. If she could figure out a way to take the heat between them and spin it into something deeper, Caleb might look at her as if she mattered to his future. That was the dream, but in looking at Mia and Claire’s smiling faces, Avery realized dreams do sometimes come true.
Luke frowned at her. “Avery, you should rest. You’re banged up and have a gash over your eye.”
“That explains the killer headache.”
Caleb bent down and slipped his arm under her legs. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“Stop.” Luke held out a hand and kept it there until Caleb put her back down on the table. “The injury is nothing serious. A nuisance only. You know that.”
Caleb grunted. At least she thought that’s what the noise was. It was hard to tell since he didn’t stand up again. He leaned against her, his weight almost crushing her. If his warmth hadn’t felt so good she would have asked him to loosen his hold.
“You two were lucky today. The attackers had a plan and a backup. If that second guy had stuck around after throwing the switch…” Luke stared up at the ceiling.
Avery was grateful he stopped. She didn’t want to think about what could have happened. What did happen was bad enough. “Don’t feel lucky at the moment, but tomorrow might be better.”
Luke laughed. “I bet. Sleep and we’ll debrief you later.”
“Of course you’re not going to question her now. She needs to recover first.” The outrage in Claire’s voice almost made Avery laugh.
Luke didn’t seem as amused. “Didn’t I just say that?”
The love between Luke and Claire overrode their bickering. Anyone watching closely could see it. Avery envied the closeness, the comfort in knowing you could argue with someone and not lose them.
She turned to the one man she thought could give her that. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.”
“I think we should check on Caleb’s leg.”
Avery hadn’t even noticed Zach until he spoke up. He stood at one end of the conference table with his arms folded over his chest. The frown he sent Caleb didn’t look too promising.
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