by Anna del Mar
“I’m so sorry,” Ash murmured in a strangled voice.
“He marked her.” I fingered the thickened patch at the back of my neck where Red’s brand had once been inked. “He branded her as if she was common cattle.”
Ash massaged the spot that still burned sometimes. “But she freed herself.”
“It was the first thing she did when she went on the lam,” I said. “She worked as a day laborer picking strawberries to make the money to pay for the tattoo’s removal.”
“She’s very brave.”
“She’s not so brave.” I held on to the dog and gnawed on my lips. “Sometimes, that woman in the picture? She dreams of a sleep without nightmares, of a life with no memories. Father. Brother. Baby. How does she go on when everybody’s gone? Sometimes, when she remembers who she was, she doesn’t want to go on anymore.”
“She’s still alive.” Ash hugged me against his chest. “She’s still in the fight.”
“Then why does she feel so worthless?”
He let out a long breath. “It takes work to heal.” The pain of his private struggles permeated his words. “War drains the life out of the soul.”
“She didn’t go to war like you did.”
“She did.” He retrieved the cell from my hand. “She just doesn’t realize it, yet.”
My stare fastened on the horizon. It divided the sky from the lake as surely as the wall I’d constructed to separate my new life from that wretched woman’s life. She seemed to have existed eons ago in another universe. I sank into the gloom, drowning in a pool of misery, until Neil woofed, three resonant barks that slung me out of the darkness. I remembered Agent Steiner, sitting in the cottage. The past had caught up with me and I couldn’t avoid it forever.
Ash spoke quietly. “Do you want to testify against Red?”
“I don’t want to,” I said. “But I need to do it. Steiner is right. The only way I can be free of Red is if he’s behind bars.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Over the years, I witnessed Red committing several murders with my own two eyes, including my father’s. It’s all here.” I tapped on my temple. “I’ve witnessed torture, money laundering schemes and drug smuggling operations. My testimony is the only way to stop him from killing more innocent people.”
“If that’s what you want to do, that’s what we’ll do.” Ash entwined his fingers between mine. “But you have to promise me: you will not run away from me. You will trust me and, no matter what happens, you will fight to stay alive.”
I looked up at him. The plea in his gaze brought more tears to my eyes. I swallowed the sob choking my throat. It was so unreal to be here, having this conversation with someone who cared, someone who was willing to put his life at risk to help me. It was humbling, but inspiring. It was uplifting, but also terrifying.
“I can try,” I said, “but Ash, you have to trust me. This is my fight. You can’t shut me out or go behind my back. I have skills too. I haven’t survived this long for nothing.”
“As long as we’re dealing with Red, we have to be fluid and smart,” Ash said. “We’ve got to be clever. We have to compartmentalize the information, especially when Steiner is around.”
My eyes widened. “Do you think he’s on Red’s payroll?”
“It’s a possibility we have to consider,” Ash said. “We have to commit to doing whatever is necessary to achieve our objectives. Do you understand?”
“I’m not letting you die,” I said. “I’m not letting any of the guys get hurt on my account.”
“None of us signed up to die,” he said. “But you’ve got to be a team player and you’ve got to follow directions, even if they don’t make sense to you.”
“He always wins, Ash. He always gets his way.”
“Not this time.” He scooted me around until I faced him. “This is very important, Lia. What do you have that Ruiz Ramon Rojas wants?”
I almost choked. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” His glacial blue eyes burned through me. “At the safe house. He had all those agents killed. He killed your brother. He didn’t have you killed. Why?”
I hesitated. “Ash, I—”
“The truth,” he said. “That’s our deal.”
I stared at the lakeshore, at the mountains rising above it, at the spectacular scenery they offered together. Neil nuzzled the crook of my arm. I’d buried my secrets so deep, I had trouble admitting to anything. But one look at Ash told me he wouldn’t accept anything but the truth.
“The thumb drive,” I said. “The one Red kept in the secret safe with all the information on his bribes? I stole that from him before we left for Las Vegas. He’ll want it back before he kills me.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ash and I fleshed out the beginnings of a risky strategy. I didn’t like parts of his plan but I agreed to most of it because he was adamant and, other than running, I didn’t have any better ideas.
When we got back to the cottage, Ash huddled with the guys for a while. I went upstairs for a much-needed shower. Neil hesitated at the landing but came up with me at Ash’s signal. That’s how I ended up with a Peeping Tom sticking his big black nose and furry face in my shower. When I was done, lunch waited on the kitchen table, where Manny and Ash munched on sandwiches, gathered around Will and his laptop.
Without taking his eyes from the screen, Ash pulled out a chair and parked a loaded plate in front of me. I didn’t think I was hungry until I bit into my sandwich. Once I got a taste of the crunchy vegetables, shaved mortadella and fresh mozzarella, I discovered I was famished. To think I had once refused to eat. Even my palate was evolving.
“Are you ready for this next part?” Ash said, seeing that I’d finished with my meal.
“As ready as I can be.”
“Tell Wang we’re ready for Steiner,” Ash said.
“Sure.” Will left the kitchen, followed by Manny.
“I want you to have this.” Ash pressed a firearm into my hand.
I stared at the small automatic pistol in my palm. “What do you have against my shotgun?”
“This will give you better protection,” he said. “It’s a Beretta Nano, light and easy to shoot. It belonged to my grandmother. She would’ve wanted you to have it.”
“Oh.” Wynona was gone, and yet she still watched over me.
“I’ll teach you everything you need to know about it. Once you’ve learned how to shoot it safely, I want you to have it with you at all times. Promise?”
My stomach went cold. “Do you think Red will attack us here?”
“It’s a possibility,” he said. “But we have an advantage. We’ll know if he’s coming. We’re prepared for all contingencies.”
I wanted to believe Ash, but he didn’t know Red like I did. Red was beyond smart, beyond vicious. His billions bought him top-notch resources, and that included people. His lack of scruples was what made him so dangerous and powerful. He had brutality on his side and he never hesitated to use it.
The door to the cellar banged open. I jumped three feet high.
“Easy,” Ash said.
Wang escorted Steiner into the kitchen. Ears perked and tail up, Neil barked then tried to sniff the man.
“Down, boy,” Ash said and the dog lay at his feet obediently.
“You won’t get away with this,” Steiner said, eyes burning with indignation. “You can’t imprison a federal agent.”
“Sit down,” Ash said.
“You can’t order me around—”
“Sit. Down.”
Ash’s glare, combined with a rumble from Neil, persuaded Steiner to comply. He plopped down on a kitchen chair, grumbling like a cranky toddler. His eyes gleamed with surprise when Wang released his hands from the zip ties, stole a sandwich fro
m the tray and slipped out the back door.
Ash took a chair opposite Steiner and gestured to the food. “Help yourself.”
Steiner looked to me.
“They’re really good,” I said.
He selected a sandwich, bit into it and gulped loudly. “Kidnapping is a federal offense.”
“Who the hell kidnapped you?” Ash poured a glass of water and parked it in front of Steiner. “You were trespassing on private property. People don’t take well to trespassing around these parts. So stop whining and listen. The lady here has some things to say to you.”
“Look, Rose—”
“She wants to be called Lia,” Ash put in.
“Fine, Lia, you’ve got to listen to me,” Steiner said around a mouthful. “This is our last opportunity to put Red away—”
“I’m going to testify.”
Steiner’s mouth hung open, not a pretty picture with all that food in transit. “You are?”
“I intend to be in that courtroom in two weeks.”
“You will?” He stared at me for a few more seconds, before he resumed his chewing. “Good, very good. You’ve made the right decision. You won’t regret it.”
I wasn’t so sure about that.
Steiner’s eyes blazed with excitement. “I’ll get you into a safe house with a full protective detail by tonight.”
“I’m staying put.”
Steiner frowned. “You need to be in a safe house.”
“You may recall that the safe house didn’t work out very well for me the last time,” I said with as much backbone as I could muster. “It worked even worse for Adam and the other agents.”
“Fuck.” Steiner chucked the last of his sandwich on the platter and glared at me, lips twisted with frustration. He took a deep breath before he could speak again. “I swear, I’ll make this place more secure than Fort Knox.”
“This place is fine as it is.” I startled him yet again. “This time around, I have some other ideas.”
“Have you forgotten who we’re dealing with?” Steiner’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. “You need a protective detail, double—no—triple the size of the one assigned to you before.”
“I don’t want a protective detail,” I said. “It’ll only add to the body count if Red finds us.”
Steiner stared at me as if I’d gone off the deep end, which—part of me admitted—was a strong possibility.
“Wait,” he suddenly said. “You’re not deluded into thinking that these cowboys stand a chance against Red, are you?”
I stared at him wordlessly.
Steiner squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Please tell me you don’t believe in fairy tales?”
I said nothing.
He cursed under his breath. “It won’t work. Who the hell are they anyway?”
“Ash is my boyfriend.” I cringed inside, knowing I was exposing Ash to immense danger, but he’d been firm on this point. My stomach roiled with a surge of acid reflux that burned all the way up my throat, but I stuck to the gamble. “The other guys are his friends.”
“Your boyfriend?” Steiner snickered. “Here’s news: banging you doesn’t qualify him as a protective detail.”
“Watch your mouth,” Ash muttered, “that is, if you want to keep your teeth.”
Steiner threw his hands in the air. “This is ludicrous.”
“They have some training,” I offered cautiously.
“Is that supposed to impress me?” He groped for the pack of cigarettes in his pocket.
“No smoking, please.”
He ignored me and put a cigarette in his mouth anyway. “Don’t tell me that you think this collection of broken toy soldiers can protect you better than the Witness Protection Program?”
I straightened my back and stuck out my chin. “I won’t testify in court unless you agree to my terms.”
“I won’t agree to madness.” He pulled out a lighter.
Ash reached over, snatched the lighter from Steiner’s hands and dropped it in his pocket. “The lady said no smoking. She meant it.”
Steiner’s tone sent shivers down my spine. “Are you two out of your minds?”
“A protective detail here will only alert whoever might be looking that you’ve found me.”
Steiner’s forehead furrowed. “What are you trying to say?”
Ash’s stare shifted from Steiner to me, a silent request to go along, before his attention returned to the agent. “There’s a high degree of probability that there’s a mole in your office.”
Ash hadn’t mentioned his hunch to me before, but he’d asked me to be flexible, so I let this one play out. The cigarette stuck to Steiner’s slack slips.
“A mole?” he croaked. “You think there’s a spy in my office? You think Red has a source at the Justice Department?”
“I’m sure of it.”
The cigarette fell out of Steiner mouth and bounced on the table. His expression shifted from shock to indignation. “What kind of cockamamy operation do you think we’re running at WPP? We’re fireproof. My staff is solid.”
“Then how can you explain what happened in Ohio?” Ash said. “How do you suppose Rojas found the safe house and had Adam and your agents killed?”
“Rojas has vast resources at his disposal,” Steiner said. “His outfit is the largest and most influential drug cartel currently operating in the United States. His empire is valued in billions. He can afford the best hired guns on the black market. I can assure you, Rojas didn’t get his information from inside Justice.”
“I suppose there’s a small probability that your theory is correct,” Ash said. “But consider this: Lia sent you a warning, an envelope with a packet of Red Rush, remember? Where is it?”
“It can’t be,” he mumbled. “Is it possible? Do you think someone intercepted my mail?”
“Are you willing to stake your only witness’s life on it, knowing there’s a chance that someone in your office betrayed you?”
The agent met Ash’s stare but didn’t answer.
“I didn’t think so either,” Ash said.
Steiner slapped the table. “Now you have me doubting my own people. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume for a moment that there could be a mole in my office. Why are you talking to me?”
“Because we’d like for you to stay,” I said.
“Stay?” His eyebrows met over his sharp nose. “You lost me. You want me to stay here?”
“Yes,” I said.
“You mean you want me to go rogue?”
“Rogue? No,” Ash said. “We want you to do your goddamn job.”
“Let me get this straight,” Steiner said. “You don’t want a protective detail, but you want me, a highly trained federal marshal to organize a bunch of fools to protect my only witness in the most important federal trial of my career against one of the most vicious drug lords in the United States. Am I in the ballpark?”
“No,” Ash said. “We don’t need you to protect Lia.”
“Sure.” Steiner jeered. “‘Cause you think you can protect her better than I can.”
“Yes,” Ash said with mind-boggling confidence.
“Then why the hell do you want me to stay?” Steiner said.
“Lia needs a bridge into that Brooklyn courtroom,” Ash said. “That’s where you come in. I’m willing to allow you to stick around, provided that you can follow my rules.”
“Your rules?” Steiner’s thin lips quivered with indignation. “This is preposterous.”
“Take it or leave it.”
“But I have to coordinate with my office.”
“I’ll only testify under the condition that you keep my location secret.” The safety of Ash and his friends depended on that simple proposition
. “And I mean completely secret.”
“What about my boss?” Steiner said. “He needs to know that you’ll be at the trial. He’ll need to notify the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I’ll also need to coordinate with the task force, FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security—”
“Too many people,” Ash said. “Too many chances for leaks.”
“Red has deep pockets and a huge reach,” I said. “If you decide to partner with us, you can talk to your boss. He can make the necessary arrangements, but he doesn’t need to know our location. In fact, if he really trusts you, he’ll probably agree that it’s better to do this our way.”
“This is not how we operate,” Steiner said.
“I think your boss can be persuaded,” I said. “He needs me to testify. He knows what happened in Ohio. He realizes the dangers and risks associated with someone revealing our location. You’ll also make it very clear to him that I’ll only testify under my terms.”
“And if he doesn’t agree?”
“Then I’m gone,” I said. “You know how well I can disappear.”
Steiner plucked the cigarette from the table and, rolling it between his fingers, seemed to think about everything I’d said.
“There’s something else,” Ash said. “Something vital to the success of our plan.”
“And that is?”
“We want you to deploy a decoy,” Ash said.
“A decoy?”
“We want you to set up a safe house and a protective detail elsewhere,” I said. “It has to be an authentic setup.”
“To confuse Red.” Steiner understood. “To direct his attention away from here.”
“The decoy also provides you with the opportunity to flush out the mole in your office,” Ash explained. “Whoever is passing on information will surely be on the lookout for something like that. He or she will tell Red. At that point, Red will face some choices.”
“What kind of choices?” Steiner asked.