Shadowed

by Kariss Lynch

  “We understand, sis. I promise we’ll take care of it.” Micah plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote.

  Nick couldn’t stand still. He had to do something. He reached for Kaylan’s hand. “Let’s go talk to a couple of the neighbors. Follow my lead, okay?”

  She trailed him out the door and onto the porch. “You don’t really think the neighbors had anything to do with this, do you?”

  “No. But we’re going to find out if they saw anything.” He locked eyes with her. “Subtly. This person is good. The last thing we need is to cause people to ask questions or let this character know we’re asking around.”

  “Let’s start with Nina.” Kaylan motioned to the middle-aged woman watering her flowers next door. “She’s the neighborhood busybody. All three of her girls are in college, and I think she just misses the ability to mother. Did I ever tell you her husband designs video games?”

  Nick grinned. “Remind me to never mention I’m in the military around him. I don’t want to be part of the next generation of couch warriors.”

  Nina saw them coming and waved as Kaylan and Nick crossed into her yard. “Kaylan, so good to see you again. Isn’t it nice that the weather allows for flowers as we move into fall?” She gestured to the yard around them, waving the hose in the process and grazing their feet with water. Kaylan jumped back, giggling in spite of the reason for their visit.

  “Oops, so sorry. Can’t help it. I talk with my hands all the time. My girls tell me I will never lose a beat if I go deaf someday.” She chuckled and cast a glance skyward. “Fingers crossed that never happens.”

  Nick smiled, but his heart wasn’t in it. He felt exposed out and about in the neighborhood. They didn’t know where Janus lurked. They only had a grainy shot from a bungalow in South America. His eyes wandered the neighborhood. A black car sat toward the end of the block, and he had a feeling Micah’s FBI buddy resided inside. He squeezed Kaylan’s hand, hoping she would direct the conversation. She replied with gentle pressure. Nick refrained from smiling. They were becoming an old married couple already if they could read each other’s body language.

  “Nina, have you seen someone around our house the last couple of weeks dropping something off or anything like that?”

  Nina’s eyes lit, and Nick knew they would have to be careful with their questions. If they could just ask the right one, maybe she would talk and let something slip that she wasn’t even aware was important.

  “Uh-oh. Did you miss a package delivery? You and Megan know you can always have things sent to our house since I work from home and all.”

  “We really appreciate that, ma’am.”

  Nina groaned. “Ma’am. You Southern people make me feel so old.” She studied Kaylan and Nick. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen anyone around your house, but I’ve seen some action over at Mildred’s old house.” She motioned to the house across the street. “Like what?” Nick asked as he glanced in that direction.

  Nina leaned in close, her short pixie cut curling around her ears, the gray giving her a distinguished look. “I guess her absentee kids finally decided to show up and clean out her house.” She shook her head, her light brown eyes sad. “She was an amazing woman. Too bad they didn’t spend more time with her.”

  Nick squeezed Kaylan’s hand again.

  She responded in stride. “Anything else, Nina?”

  She sprayed another arc of water towards the flowerbed. “I did see someone wandering around the neighborhood at night around three a.m. a couple weeks ago. You know these teenagers, never up to any good. Thank goodness my girls made it through that stage and are in college now.”

  Kaylan smothered a smile. “Well, I guess it was nothing then.”

  “Oh, nothing is ever nothing, dear. I know what I saw.” She bit her lip and blushed. “Of course, I can’t be completely certain since it was dark and across the street. But I’m sixty-eight percent sure.”

  Nick scanned the houses around the block again and moved his arm around Kaylan’s shoulders. “Anyone new to the neighborhood?”

  Nina shrugged. “No. Not for a few months anyway since Jenna and Cathryn moved in. Both of them travel quite a bit. I suggested they should just move in together. We should all look out for one another, you know.” She leaned in close again, and Nick struggled not to laugh at his mental image of middle-school girls gossiping over the latest new kid in class. He could barely hear Nina over the water rushing from the hose. “If you ask me, though, I think Jenna has a man coming to see her.”

  “I haven’t seen anyone over there,” Kaylan chimed in.

  Nina rolled her eyes. “That’s because he doesn’t want to be seen. But I saw someone slip out just the other night when I was out for a late-night stroll with our dog, Roxy. She went crazy barking at a man who climbed into a black car.”

  “Do you know what kind of car it was?”

  Nina waved the hand holding the hose again, sending a stream splattering against the stucco walls of her home. “That’s my husband’s area of expertise.” Nick could tell she grew bored with the conversation. She walked over to turn the water off.

  “You sure it just wasn’t another teenager?” Nick grunted as Kaylan elbowed him in the ribs, but Nina appeared not to have heard.

  “I’ve got to get supper on, but I hope you find your package, dear. Please let me know if I can be of any help.” She waved to them both and disappeared inside.

  Kaylan turned to Nick as they moved out of Nina’s yard. “I don’t know whether to laugh or be terrified that Nina sees ghosts wandering our neighborhood while I sleep.”

  Nick tugged on her hand as he looked up and down the street. “Well, I know where we are going next.” He only hoped Jenna and Cathryn would be as talkative as Nina had been. Kaylan had said her new neighbors were reserved but kind, and she was usually a good judge of character. But right now Nick didn’t trust anyone, even the sweet gossip now cooking supper next door.

  Chapter 17

  AFTER KNOCKING ON Jenna’s door and finding no one home, Nick advanced on the next house on their stop. Kaylan said Cathryn traveled a lot and that much was clear from her front yard—no personal touches, no unique floral decorations, only plants that thrived on their own. Kaylan rang the doorbell.

  “Too bad we missed Jenna. She’s amazing. She lived in England growing up and runs in marathons and relays all over the world. But you’ll like Cathryn too. She tells great stories. She’s lived all over the place. Can you imagine what an adventure that would be?”

  Despite the gravity of the situation, Nick smiled at his girlfriend, loving the way her eyes lit up despite her nerves. Always looking for the best in people, that was his girl. As much as he admired the trait, he couldn’t reciprocate. He’d seen too much. He trusted few, and those few had earned it.

  The door swung open and a short, blonde, middle-aged woman stood before him. Surprise swept across her face before she schooled her expression in a smile. “Kaylan, so nice to see you again.”

  “Sorry to just drop by like this, Cathryn. This is my boyfriend, Nick.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Nick extended his hand. Her grip was firm and quick. Maybe they did the kissing thing where she was from.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Kaylan told me some of your stories from dinner the other night.”

  Cathryn smiled. “When you’ve lived all over the place, there is a lot to tell.”

  “How long have you lived in the neighborhood, Cathryn?”

  “I moved in a few months ago, but I travel a lot for my job. Sales keep me very busy. And please forgive me. I would invite you in, but I still have boxes sitting out. Kaylan has kindly volunteered to help me.”

  Nick kept his eyes on Cathryn, but squeezed Kaylan’s hand tighter.

  “Yes, just let me know when you want to start.”

  “I leave for another business trip in a few days. Come over any time in the evening, and I will show you what needs to be done.”

  “Sure. Happy to help.”

  Nick squeezed her hand again.

  “Oh, I almost forgot, have you seen anyone hanging around our house lately?”

  Cathryn’s smile drooped a bit. “Not that I have noticed. But I am gone a lot. Is everything all right?”

  “Oh, yes. Megan and I just weren’t sure if we missed a package.” Cathryn gripped the door. “Sorry I couldn’t help. I hope it turns up.”

  “We appreciate it.” Nick began to pull Kaylan off the porch, sensing the neighbor would grow suspicious if they asked anything else. “Nice to meet you.”

  “And you as well,” she said before closing the door.

  “Well, now that we have officially ruled out my neighbors, can we please figure out what to do with me and Megan?”

  Nick wrapped his arm around Kaylan as he scanned the street, every nerve tingling on high alert. “We didn’t rule out all your neighbors. That Jenna lady wasn’t home, and I didn’t even start working the block.”

  “Babe, Jenna is fine too. You heard Cathryn. Just busy ladies who make enough money to live by themselves.”

  They reached Kaylan’s porch. Nick stopped and turned Kaylan to meet him. “You know what I love about you?” He searched her eyes, seeing the fear she held at bay.

  “Oh, so many things, I hope.”

  He chuckled. “Definitely your humility.” He kissed her forehead, then cradled her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking soft skin. “I love your heart. I love that you see the best in people. You did that with Eliezer in Haiti. And you do it with me. But that also scares me, Kayles. People aren’t all good.”

  Her eyes softened a fraction, some of the fear fleeing under his gaze. “Sometimes people behave better when someone gives them the opportunity.”

  “I don’t have that luxury, Kayles. I need to protect you.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Sometimes people just need someone to believe in them, invest in them, point them to Jesus.”

  “Oh, babe, I don’t doubt that. My life is proof. But I don’t trust anyone right now. And I need you to trust me, and be more aware of those around you. Can you do that?”

  Her eyes searched his. “What’s going on, Nick? What aren’t you telling me?”

  “You know I can’t tell you.”

  “Why?” Frustration colored her tone. “Some part of your job is threatening my safety and my roommate’s. Why can’t I know?”

  Nick fought for patience, his combat-ready, no-nonsense Navy SEAL mode slipping to the surface. “Kaylan, please drop it.”

  “No, I want you to answer me.”

  Micah stuck his head out the front door. “Thought I heard voices. Megan said she didn’t find anything missing. Everything okay out here?” He stepped outside as his gaze shifted back and forth between Kaylan and Nick, clearly unsure who to side with.

  “I was just asking Nick why I can’t know what’s going on since it affects Megan and me.”

  “Oh.” Micah met his best friend’s gaze. “You know we can’t answer that, sis.”

  “Maybe you should make an exception.”

  Nick chose his words carefully. “Kaylan, I hope this is the last time you and I have this conversation.” She flinched but didn’t waver. “I can’t talk about what we do on most missions, especially this one right now. I most likely won’t ever be able to, and if you can’t accept that, you and I are in for a very rocky relationship. Believe me, I will always tell you as much as I can. I will always invite you to be part of the process, and you can trust that when I leave, I am always out there doing what I am doing for you. This time some crazy person decided to make it personal. So we had to involve the FBI. We will inform them when we discover anything that they need to know. I realize this is asking a lot, but it is the price you pay for dating a SEAL, and you do have a choice in that. So decide what you want before we make this more permanent.”

  Kaylan looked back and forth between Nick and Micah, her face beet red. She tossed her hands in the air and rolled her eyes, clearly biting back an angry retort. “Fine. So now what?”

  “I’d like you and Megan to stay with us the next few days, at least until we figure out a game plan.”

  Before Kaylan could respond, Megan appeared behind Micah with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. “Micah filled me in. I’m going to my boyfriend’s house for a couple days. Call me when it’s safe to come back home.” She glared at Nick as she passed him and headed out to her car.

  Kaylan groaned, clearly torn on whether to chase Megan or leave it alone. With a cry of frustration she threw open the door and stalked into the house. Nick and Micah followed her inside, Nick wound as tight as a ticking time bomb. Silence descended in the room as Kaylan plopped down on the couch. Micah stood sentry at the door while Nick perched on the couch armrest facing Kaylan, fighting to stay calm.

  Not only was he frustrated that he didn’t know how to protect her, but he was also frustrated that they would never have the kind of relationship where he could tell her everything. He could live with it until she questioned it. Then the walls came up and the claws came out to defend his position. He knew she was still learning his community, but terror fought his need for her to understand quickly.

  “Kayles, look . . . ”

  She threw up her hands. “No, don’t, Nick. I get it. And I’m sorry I asked. Just promise you will tell me what you can. It’s hard for me to know what or who to be afraid of when I don’t know what I’m looking for. And everything and everyone in California is strange or a stranger right now. Am I supposed to live suspicious of everything?”

  Micah crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “Kaylan, this will be over soon, we hope. This is just a precaution. We just need you to trust us. You can trust the SEALs we’ve introduced you to and their families.”

  “I just want to protect you, Kayles.” Nick leaned forward and brushed a stray strand behind her ear, thankful when her eyes softened and she didn’t pull away.

  She nodded, chewing on her lip. He could almost hear her racing thoughts. With a sigh she stood. “I’ll go pack a bag.”

  Nick watched her go and then met Micah’s eyes.

  “She’ll get it, Hawk. She’s just scared and reacting.”

  Nick began to pace, adrenaline coursing through him as he calculated ways to catch Janus. “I’m scared too, man. But we’ve got to find a way
to stop her before she hurts someone else we love.”

  Kaylan fought tears as she unpacked at Nick and Micah’s place. Dealing with the threat to herself was bad enough, but to have her roommate involved without any choice in the matter made her restless and angry. Kaylan’s heart broke for her friend. She hated to send Megan into the arms of another jerk. She knew this guy would dump Megan within the month, knew that Megan used physical intimacy to medicate her pain. Kaylan knew as soon as this ended, Megan would be more surly and sarcastic than ever. And Kaylan hated it. She hated that these men took advantage of Megan, hated that Megan believed she couldn’t do better. Hated that Megan allowed it and encouraged it. But most of all Kaylan hated that she didn’t know what to say or do to change it. Kaylan knew there was a Father who desired to heal Megan, if only she would let Him.

  Nick knocked on the open door to Micah’s room, and Kaylan quickly wiped away a tear. Not fast enough, though. Nick immediately came to her side.

  “Babe, I’m so sorry. This is just temporary. We’ll figure this out.”

  Her eyes filled, but she blinked the tears away and focused on unpacking her clothes on Micah’s bed. “It’s not that, Nick. Well, maybe a little. It’s Megan.” She met his eyes, her heart racing at letting him see this side of her. “I hate involving her in this. I hate that she went to her latest boyfriend’s place. I hate that he will use her and then dump her. And I hate that she doesn’t think more of herself.”

  Nick nodded and sat on the edge of the bed as she continued to unpack. “What’s her background, Kayles? She said she had a rocky past.”

  “She won’t tell me much. But from what I gather, her mom left when she was a kid. She was the only child of an Army soldier who knew how to drink but not how to raise a kid. They moved around a lot, and she got pushed off onto whatever family would take her when he deployed.”