Resurgence

by Rebecca Deel

  When they finished the ice cream, Adam tossed the trash into a nearby garbage can. “Want to walk for a few minutes?” He held out his hand.

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  He laced his fingers through hers. “For what?”

  “Knowing this was exactly what I needed.”

  They walked in silence for a few minutes. “Is there a chance someone has a vendetta against Carol?” he asked.

  “Of course. We have a long list of people who would like nothing better than to see all of us six feet under.”

  So did he. Knowing she had enemies made him long to stand in front of her, something he couldn’t do, not if he wanted a real, lasting relationship with her. Veronica was a capable woman with lethal skills. “Do you know if she has a physical list of enemies?”

  “I doubt it. If I can get into the office, I could check her case files.”

  “Would someone be on duty?”

  “Not usually. If we go after midnight, we should be safe enough until three or so. Some of the agents are early birds. So is Dane’s assistant.”

  “Assistant?”

  “Risa Shoemaker. She’s worked for Dane for years.” Veronica left the walkway and stopped at the edge of the lake. “This is so beautiful and peaceful. Thank you for bringing me here.”

  Adam moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Why don’t you buy a house near water?”

  She laughed, leaned her head against his shoulder. “As an employee of the government, I don’t make enough money. Property on a lake or river is too expensive for my skinny budget.”

  “If money weren’t an issue, would you live near water?”

  “In a heartbeat. I could get used to this.”

  He pressed a kiss to Veronica’s temple. So could he, especially if she was part of the view. “Beats sand and scorpions.”

  She turned and looped her arms around his middle. “You were deployed to the middle east?”

  “More times than I want to remember.”

  “What was your job in the military?”

  “Marine Force Recon.”

  Veronica’s head jerked up. “Special Forces? I should have known.”

  “How?”

  “There’s something about you. The members of the military I’ve dealt with are all skilled professionals. Those in Special Forces are in a different category altogether.”

  “Many of the operatives at Fortress are Special Forces. Maddox only hires the best.” He gazed into her eyes. “When we clear your name, what will you do next?”

  “I don’t know. If you had asked me that question two weeks ago, I would have said go back to work for the DEA. Now, I can’t answer that question. Would it matter to you what my answer is?”

  “Of course. I don’t like the way the DEA is handles your assignments. You need a partner you can trust at your back. I’m concerned that after we clear you, your fellow agents might never fully trust you again. On the selfish side, I don’t want to wait weeks or months to see you, to hold you.”

  “And if my choice is to go back?”

  “I’ll deal.”

  “My last boyfriend broke up with me because he couldn’t handle my frequent absences.”

  He didn’t want to think about her former boyfriends. Adam cupped her face between his palms. “I’m not him. I’ll miss you like crazy when you’re gone, but I won’t force you to make a change on my account.” Didn’t mean he couldn’t encourage her to look at all the options. Unless he missed his guess, Maddox would do a thorough background check on Veronica in preparation for offering her a job with Fortress. “Wouldn’t be fair since my job sends me all over the world as well.” He didn’t go alone, however. He always had a team at his back.

  He kept his kiss light, aware they were in a public place and he needed to stay alert. When he eased back, Adam was gratified to note Veronica’s eyes were unfocused, her breathing accelerated.

  “You have definite skills.” She tightened her embrace briefly, then released him.

  “How much time do we have before your friends know my name?”

  “Not long, tomorrow at the latest. Even if they don’t make the connection from the incident in Green Hills, they will from the surveillance footage at Cool Springs and the hospital. I’m sorry I dragged you into this, Adam.”

  “My choice,” he reminded her. “If necessary, I’ll tell them I’m your bodyguard.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Part of it. I’d rather they know we’re together, that you’re not a job to me.”

  “You’ll be even more of a target. They’ll rip your life apart.”

  “I want them to know you aren’t standing alone, that I have your back. Let them dig, Vonnie. They won’t find anything. The military will block their access to my service records and missions. Zane has the rest covered.”

  “If you decide to pause our dating relationship until I’m cleared, I’ll understand.”

  “Not happening.” He turned her back toward the SUV. “Come on. I have a craving for a steak and potatoes. There’s a small grocery store near here that has the best steaks in the area. According to Claire, their fruits and vegetables are second to none.”

  Veronica’s jaw dropped. “Do you always think of food this often?”

  He shrugged. “Fast metabolism and the long, hard workouts. Like you, we have to stay in top shape to do our jobs.” Adam scanned the area for potential threats. A couple female joggers, a dog walker, two teenagers. He didn’t see anyone waiting in the vehicles in the parking lot.

  Adam unlocked the SUV and helped Veronica inside, then drove to the grocery store. Thirty minutes later, they left with more than steaks and potatoes. He smiled as he stored the food bags in the cargo area. Lily would be thrilled with Veronica’s choice of chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. When he’d asked her if the dessert was too much after their mid-afternoon treat, she had lifted her chin and told him there was no such thing as too much dessert.

  Adam called Remy and invited him and Lily to dinner. “Tell Lily that Veronica chose dessert.”

  Remy laughed. “If it has chocolate, she will be a happy woman.”

  “Is there any other kind of dessert?” Veronica asked.

  “Not according to my wife. See you soon.”

  When they parked at the back of his house, Lily hopped out of the Doucet SUV, a look of anticipation on her face. “Where is it?”

  Remy rolled his eyes and Adam chuckled at her question. “In the cargo area.”

  She rubbed her hands, her eyes sparkling. “Can’t wait to see what it is.”

  Each of them carried a bag into the kitchen and unloaded the food. Lily did a fist pump in the air when she saw the chocolate cake.

  “That was my contribution,” Veronica said, and the two women exchanged high fives.

  “I’ll heat the grill.” Adam scooped up the brush to clean the grill and walked outside. Remy trailed after him.

  “What happened?” Remy asked, voice soft.

  Adam summarized the sequence of events for his friend. “We’re visiting Graham Norton after midnight.”

  “Want company?”

  That’s what he liked about working for Fortress. With rare exceptions, your teammates had your back even at home. “Sure.”

  “Heard anything from Jake?”

  Adam shook his head, glancing through the French doors to the woman caught in the middle of a waking nightmare. “I planned to call while we were out here.”

  “Go ahead.” Remy took the brush from his hand. “I’ll clean the grill while you check on Carol. When you’re finished, I’ll move our SUV to a more secluded spot. If I were the feds, I’d pay you a visit in the next few hours.”

  “Veronica thought it might be tomorrow.”

  “The victim is one of their own. Trust me, they won’t wait.”

  “The safe room is behind the mirrored wall in my closet.” He gave Remy the code. “If the cops show up, I want Veronica in there with Lily.”
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br />   “Hiding her will only work for a short period of time, Adam. Eventually, she has to talk to the feds.”

  “I know. Not tonight.” He clapped Remy on the shoulder and walked to the bench under the large oak tree in his backyard.

  Jake answered on the first ring. “She’s in recovery. The doctor said she’ll be back to normal in a couple months.”

  “That’s great news. Who relieves you tonight?”

  “Curt Jackson.”

  Adam relaxed against the bench. Excellent. Curt Jackson was a fellow Marine who was part of Jon Smith and Eli Wolfe’s Zoo Crew. The man was as tough as they came and looked as though he ate nails for breakfast. “Thanks, Jake.”

  “Glad to help. You just keep your woman safe.”

  His woman. Adam liked the sound of that. “That’s the plan.” To get to Veronica, they’d have to go through him.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Veronica glanced out the window to see Adam had moved to a bench under a tree, phone pressed to his ear. Although she longed to race outside and listen to updates, she forced herself to pay attention to the salad she and Lily were creating. As distracted as she was at the moment, Veronica counted herself lucky she hadn’t sliced a finger with the knife.

  The other woman was fun to be around. Instinct told her, though, that the operative was just as trained and tough as her husband and Adam. Something about the economy of motion and her state of alertness. Might be the circumstances. After all, she and Remy were on bodyguard duty along with Adam.

  “How did you meet Remy?”

  Lily grinned. “We went on a few missions together. He’s one smooth talker. All the Doucet men are. Anyway, I drew the short straw and was sent on a mission with him when a friend of his from childhood went missing. That’s when I found out what Remy is really like. Just because he’s smooth doesn’t mean he’s not sincere. I fell head over heels in love with the man in less than a week.” She paused. “Well, maybe I was starting to fall before then, but it took that week for me to realize that I loved him.”

  She was quiet a moment, weighing whether or not to ask the question begging to be asked. “Is it difficult to work with your husband?”

  “We don’t have a problem working together. Remy lets me do my job without being overprotective, but he keeps close tabs on me.” Lily tossed the tomato she’d been chopping into the salad bowl. “I watch his back, too.”

  Veronica’s head snapped up. “Maddox sends you out on missions together?”

  “He thinks we’re a great team. Because we’re together all the time, we anticipate each other in ways the other operatives can’t. Are you thinking about leaving the DEA?”

  She paid close attention to the cucumber she sliced. “I’m considering a change. I haven’t told Adam I’m looking a different direction, though.”

  “He won’t hear it from me. The pay and benefits are good with Fortress. Maddox takes care of his people.”

  “I understand he values his employees.” Not that she’d experienced the same care from her own agency, and that included Dane, who she had considered a friend. “Why did he sit at my bedside?”

  “Two reasons. One, he feels he owes you for the lives of his wife and daughter. Two, he was also taking care of Adam. He knew Adam wouldn’t sleep without someone to watch over you.”

  “Why didn’t Adam’s teammates help?”

  Lily peeled a carrot. “He doesn’t have a team at the moment. The team he led when he was captured in Belize fell apart in his absence. One of the men was so interested in stealing the leadership, he didn’t bother keep to track of Adam, basically sold him out. Adam’s sister, Claire, was kidnapped in an attempt to force Adam to talk, but she escaped and contacted Zane. Armed with your information, Z organized the rescue and went with us to free Adam from Collins’ clutches.”

  “Why doesn’t he have a new team?”

  “He focused on rehab and went on missions with other teams. Maddox and Adam have been vetting potential team members. So far, Adam isn’t satisfied with the options.”

  “What about you and Remy? Are you part of a permanent team?”

  Lily’s movements stilled. “We’ve worked with several teams.”

  “Do you want to be on a permanent team?”

  “It’s best to know your teammates. We’ve managed so far, but we want people we trust at our backs.”

  Remy opened the French door. “We’re ready for the steaks. The potatoes are almost cooked.”

  Veronica handed the container of marinating steaks to the operative. She grabbed an empty plate along with another pair of tongs to turn the meat, and carried them outside.

  She laid them on a cloth-covered table for Remy, then walked across the grass to Adam who still had his phone pressed to his ear. As she approached, he scooted over on the bench to make room for her. He was speaking with his boss.

  Adam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. She loved that he didn’t try to keep her from listening to his conversation, as though he wanted to share this part of his life with her as well. A minute later, Adam ended the call.

  “Have you heard from Jake?” she asked.

  “Carol is expected to make a full recovery. She’ll be off the job for a couple months.”

  That news was so much better than what she expected. She’d feared her friend wouldn’t make it out of the operating room alive. “Your quick thinking saved her life, Adam.”

  “We saved her life, Vonnie. We’re a good team.”

  Once the food was ready, they decided to eat outside on the patio. If she was an outsider looking at the four of them, she’d assume this was a gathering of friends who didn’t have a care in the world. She only wished that were true.

  After stacking the dishes in the dishwasher, Adam suggested they watch a movie.

  “Sounds good,” Remy said. “What are our options?”

  “Twister, Sahara, any of the Mission Impossible flicks, or we can go futuristic with one of the Star Wars films,” Adam said.

  After debating, they decided on Twister. Veronica scooted close to Adam and settled back to enjoy one of her favorite movies. In her mind, nothing beat those natural disaster stories.

  Near the end, Adam’s watch and phone signaled alerts. Remy paused the movie, his gaze on Adam.

  “Company.” He stood and walked to the kitchen, the rest of them on his heels. He turned on the large security panel, tapped a few keys and zoomed in on an approaching car. He hissed out a breath. “Feds.”

  Veronica’s gut clenched even as she pressed her hand against Adam’s lower back. “We knew they would come.”

  “I wanted to give you another night to rest before we faced them.”

  “It’s not your fight, Adam.”

  He slanted a heated look at her. “Wrong. We do this together or we don’t do it at all. In fact, I’m for the second option.”

  “How far out are they,” Remy asked.

  A glance at the screen, then, “Quarter mile.” Adam turned to Veronica. “I’d rather you didn’t talk to the feds tonight, Vonnie, but it’s your choice.”

  She blinked. “How can I avoid them?”

  “I have a safe room. You and Lily can wait in there until they’re gone.”

  He’d already thought this out, she realized. Maybe planned to take the choice from her, then thought better of it. She understood the need to protect her rode him hard. “Hiding will delay the inevitable.”

  “I know. I want you to take them on when you’re at your best. Will you go to the safe room with Lily?”

  Veronica considered her options and knew there was only one choice she could live with. She cupped his cheek. “I can’t hide.”

  He stared at her without speaking for a heartbeat, then nodded his head, accepting her decision. “They question you here with all of us present. The only way you leave this house with them is if they have an arrest warrant. If they do, you don’t say a word to anyone until your lawyer arrives.”

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sp; “I don’t have one.”

  “Yes, you do. She represents Fortress and its operatives. She will be happy to represent you.” A wide grin. “She hates the feds.”

  “Why would she represent me, then? I’m a fed.”

  “You’re my fed.”

  Guess that made a difference. Hope the lawyer believed the same. Veronica had a feeling she might need one before this mess was unraveled, the real culprit caught.

  “If we’re entertaining the enemy, we need coffee,” Lily said. “Think chocolate cake would soften them up?”

  That brought a round of laughter and a flurry of activity to get ready for their unwanted visitors. The coffee dripped into the carafe when another alert sounded. Their visitors had arrived.

  Veronica rubbed her palms on her thighs, hoping she wouldn’t be spending the night in jail.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Adam stood in the doorway as the nondescript car stopped in his driveway. Two men dressed in dark suits, white shirts, and dark ties watched him as they covered the distance to his porch, their eyes wary.

  They were right to keep an eye on him. A minimal background check told the feds that he was a well-trained soldier and any fool could see he was involved with Veronica.

  “Adam Walker?” the taller of the two agents asked.

  “Who are you?”

  “Clay Forrest, DEA.”

  Adam shifted his gaze and question to the other man without a word.

  “Art Crosby, DEA.”

  “IDs.” After examining the contents of the creds wallets, he asked, “What do you want with me?”

  Forrest took the lead. “To ask you questions about Veronica Miles.”

  “What about her?”

  “You admit you know her?”

  “Why deny the obvious? You wouldn’t be here unless you identified me from a video feed while in Veronica’s company.”

  “Let’s go,” Crosby said, his eyes assessing Adam. “We’ll conduct the interview in our offices.”

  On their home turf? Not a chance. “Talk to me here or not at all.”

  “We could arrest you and take you in,” he spat out. “You’ve been seen with a person of interest in an investigation.”