Sworn to Protect

by Susanne Matthews

As soon as they were through, Dan closed the gate behind them, and they continued up to the house. The screen door opened and Todd and a man Nancy didn’t recognize, both heavily armed, came out onto the veranda. Neil pulled up to the steps, turned off the engine, and jumped off the tractor.

  “You made good time getting here,” Todd said, coming down the stairs and shaking Neil’s hand.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you,” he answered, “but it’s a pleasant surprise. I was all set to have to explain myself to Mama.”

  Todd nodded. “I took care of that. Mac and Merry are safe and send their love. You know Morrison, don’t you?” he asked indicating the man on the veranda.

  “Yeah, but I thought you’d retired,” Neil said, nodding to the man.

  “Got bored and Todd convinced me I owed him one,” the man said. “I’ll do a perimeter sweep while you guys talk.”

  “When did you get here?” Neil asked Todd.

  “We arrived last evening. Roy brought us up and then put the gator back for you. Get her settled, and then I’ll bring you up to speed.”

  Todd turned to her. “How are you feeling?” he asked, his brow wrinkled in concern. The bags under his eyes told their own story. Like Neil, he probably hadn’t slept much these last few days.

  “Not bad,” she said. “A little stiff from being in the van so long, but otherwise, I’m good. I can even walk a little on my own. Is that fence really wired?”

  “It is,” Todd answered, “but the voltage isn’t very high. It’s to keep the animals out of the yard.”

  “What kind of animals?” she asked, hoping there weren’t any dangerous creatures here to worry about, too.

  “Roy’s cows occasionally get out of their pasture,” Neil answered, lifting her out of the cart and placing her on her feet beside it, dropping his arm around her shoulders. “Mama’s a mean-tempered goat who likes to eat just about anything she can find, so it keeps her out of the garden. There are a few deer who are quite fond of flowers, too, and the raccoons can be pesky little creatures if they get into the trash. Don’t worry. There aren’t any bears this far down the mountain. You’ll be safe here, I promise.”

  “I’m assuming you had time to go through the rest of Paxton’s files?” Todd asked, all business once more. “Did you find anything?”

  At the hopeful look on his face, she shook her head.

  “I’m sorry. I wish I had. All I can tell you is that Paxton was a lousy investor, but even he couldn’t be losing as much money as those books suggest. He was funneling money into something. I just don’t know what. I know that isn’t much help. Oh, I did see that Paxton signed over 51percent of his company to someone or something with the initial C.E.C. It could be Claymore Investments, I guess. Some companies have different corporate names.”

  Todd nodded. “Did you remember anything new?”

  She shook her head once more and read the disappointment in his eyes, but there was nothing she could do about the lost memories or her inability to find whatever was worth the price of her life.

  “Don’t worry about it. It was a long shot, anyway,” he said and smiled. “Why don’t you go inside and get some sleep?”

  “Okay.” She was too tired to argue although she wanted to know everything. “Will you still be here when I wake up?” she asked.

  “Probably not, but right now, I can’t say for sure.”

  “I hope we do meet again,” she said. “And, Todd, thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”

  Neil picked her up, carrying her effortlessly to the veranda and up the steps, and then into the house. The others followed.

  “Where can I put her?” he asked looking around.

  “Third door on the right is the master bedroom,” Todd answered.

  Neil carried her into the room and stood her beside the large bed with the log cabin patterned quilt on it. The room wasn’t big, the bed taking up a good chunk of it, but it was quaint and clean.

  “Get some rest. Todd has to brief me before he leaves, and I’ll fill you in when you wake up.”

  “You’ll tell me everything?” she begged, knowing his propensity for keeping things to himself.

  “Yes, ma’am. I promise. No more secrets. If Anderson is going to bait a trap and try to catch these guys, we all need to know what’s going on.”

  “That’ll be dangerous.”

  “No more dangerous than having people after you and not knowing where they’ll strike next. He’s just going to even the odds. If the trap works, we may be able to go home one day. Wouldn’t you like that?”

  “I may remember Crystal Beach, but I don’t remember it ever as having been our home.”

  “Get some sleep.” He bent and kissed her softly.

  He tasted of coffee and peanut butter, and she clung to him more than she had before, suddenly afraid this anchor was going to be torn away from her.

  Neil pulled away slowly.

  “Don’t let me sleep too long,” she said, reaching up to caress his cheek. He hadn’t shaved since they’d left the house in Florida, and he looked more like the man she remembered.

  “I’ll get you up at noon,” he promised. “Now, close those gorgeous eyes and sleep.”

  He crossed the room, shut the curtains and went out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

  Nancy yawned, removed the wig, and then undid the bandage around her ankle. After placing the wig and her glasses on the bedside table, she removed her jeans and crawled between the blankets. Within moments, she was fast asleep.

  * * *

  Neil entered the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe, and grabbed a muffin off the plate before joining Todd and Dan at the table.

  “Where’s Julia?” he asked.

  “Gone to bed in the back room,” Dan said and yawned. “Todd says we have to leave before noon.”

  “How come?” Neil asked. He’d expected the medical team to stay at least another week.

  “Because someone is looking under rocks, and we don’t want them to find out they helped us,” Todd said, shaking his head. “This case has more twists and turns than a maze.”

  “But doesn’t Nancy need them?”

  “Not really. She’s getting stronger all the time,” Dan said. “As long as she takes it easy and keeps taking her vitamins and antibiotics, she’ll be fine. She’s got some pain killers, but she hasn’t taken them in a couple of days. That woman’s a fighter. Nothing can keep her down.”

  Neil nodded, not at all pleased by this news, but well aware that the fewer people involved here, the easier it would be to keep a low profile.

  “I’m sorry, Neil,” Todd said, the solemn look on his face saying it all. “I know this puts you behind the eight ball, but Anderson said someone hacked into the hospital files and has been looking for the staff that looked after Nancy. They found the doctor, but since he’s deployed overseas now, they started looking into other medical personnel shifted around at that time.”

  “What about the nurse?”

  “They tweaked her employment record to show she left for Hawaii two weeks earlier. She’s safe.”

  Neil let out a sigh. At least Lynn wouldn’t have her life disrupted again.

  “How are you going to protect Dan and Julia?”

  Todd reached for a muffin on the plate, removed the paper, took a big bite, and swallowed.

  “Sorry. I haven’t eaten today. Before they joined us, the Secretary of the Navy allowed Anderson to amend their records to say they were aboard a nuclear sub on maneuvers in the Pacific, but that sub lands at the San Diego Naval Base in two days’ time. If anyone is watching the base, and we think this organization is much bigger than we expected, they have to get off that ship. Since everything about that voyage is classified, no one’s going to open their mouths and say otherwise. Anderson’s flying them to rendezvous with the sub off the coast of Vancouver Island. When the sub makes port, they’ll be aboard.”

  “What about my wife and son?” Dan asked
.

  “They’re already in San Diego, moving into officer’s quarters on the base where you’ll be deployed after the sub makes port,” Todd answered, smiling reassuringly at the doctor. “Nothing will happen to them. You have my word on it. Julia will be stationed there for the foreseeable future, too. It’s the best we can do, but with Navy records saying you’ve been at sea all this time, you’ll be as safe as we can make you.”

  Dan nodded. “Good enough. I’ll go and lie down for a couple of hours, too. If you need me for anything, just call.”

  As soon as Dan left the kitchen, Neil turned to Todd and frowned.

  “I don’t like this. We’re practically defenseless here.”

  “Not so. You’re one of the best, and the isolation’s on your side. Anderson needs every man he can get on the sting. How was the drive up?”

  Neil realized Todd had to debrief him and stowed his concerns for the moment.

  “Uneventful. Lou sends her best. I dipsy doodled around to make sure we weren’t being tailed. I’m glad Roy agreed to help us again. What did you tell him?”

  “The truth. He deserves to know the dangers, but he’s been in the program fifteen years, so he knows the ropes. He’s one of the first I placed. He’s aware that you have a group of pretty nasty people after you and need a place to stay for a few weeks. He and his wife, Barb, will see to it you get groceries and whatever else you need while you’re here. The pantry and freezer are fully stocked. It should last you a couple of weeks. Roy will drop off fresh milk, eggs, and veggies every couple of days, but he’ll do it early in the morning. He won’t see you and you won’t see him.”

  “Probably safest that way. How bad was the damage in Florida?”

  Todd shook his head. “I think we used up all the credits with the Big Guy on that one. There’s nothing left of the house burned clear through to the foundations. The firefighters couldn’t save anything. Whatever they used in the rocket launched into the house burned fast and hot—hot enough to incinerate bone according to the arson investigator they brought in. You’ll be pleased to know we are all officially dead.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “You, Ewan, me, Chuck, Tony, and a fake man labelled George, we’ve claimed was a vital government witness we were babysitting. The official reason for the explosion is a gas leak.”

  “That’s quite a hit for the service—four agents and an asset. What about Mac and Meredith? Where are they?”

  “As safe as they can be. Right now, they’re halfway across the Atlantic. Mac had her lying on the back seat and didn’t let her sit up until it was dark, so there’s a chance they don’t know Meredith was there. Still, because of her connection to Nancy, Anderson will put her in the program at least temporarily. Right now, she and Mac are being airlifted to a cruise in progress in the Mediterranean. Meredith quit the firm, claiming she’s too distraught over Nancy’s death to practice divorce law any longer.”

  “How will they be eliminated later?” Neil hated complex operations like this. The more cogs you had, the easier it was for things to break down.

  “For Mac, they’ll stage a car accident on the highway that night—rain and fog, conditions were lousy. Killed on impact. Wreckage not found until they need it. For Meredith, I expect it’ll be a mugging gone bad in some tourist destination over there. It happens.”

  “Sad but true. What’s going to happen to you?”

  Neil stood and filled his coffee mug and Todd’s.

  “I’ll have to disappear—dead is dead—but like you, I won’t be easy to settle. If Anderson’s trap works, it’ll only be temporary. We can all pull a Lazarus once they’re safely behind bars, but if it doesn’t, even if it’s only a small piece of the puzzle that’s unresolved, it’ll be permanent. I’ve contacted a buddy with the RCMP and he’s going to help me disappear into Canada. I’ve asked Meredith to come with me. She’ll fly from some European town under a passport issued by the Canadian embassy. We got close during this. It’ll be easier on both of us if we’re together.”

  “I’m glad. You’ve been alone long enough. She’s a good woman.”

  “I know. Maybe someday, we can all meet on vacation or something.”

  Neil chuckled. “Why not?”

  “For what it’s worth,” Todd continued. “Anderson’s more convinced than ever that these cases are related. We just don’t know how.”

  “Let me get this straight—we think the Russians, the Colombians, and someone in our own government want my wife and Fred dead because of something they may or may not know.”

  “That sums it up nicely.” Todd said, rubbing his head and yawning.

  “Great,” he snorted. “How to make the future look brighter. I’m assuming everyone else made it out safely?”

  Todd nodded his head. “They did, but as to where they are now, your guess is as good as mine. They went dark and have to deliver the package. When they get there, they’ll be tucked away as long as needs be. This will be hardest on Ewan. He didn’t volunteer to be sucked into this. They may be able to move him to a think tank someplace, but...” He shrugged and stared into the coffee cup. “Unless this is signed, sealed, and delivered, with all the parties involved in jail, life will never go back to normal for anyone.”

  “I understand,” Neil said, realizing that even if some of these guys were tried and convicted, unless the ring leaders were taken down, Nancy would still be in danger. “So what’s the plan?”

  Todd rubbed his chin. “You and Nancy stay here until you hear from me or Anderson. Pretend to be honeymooners like your cover says.” He pointed to an envelope on the counter. “Your new identities are in there. This may be the last time you see me. Assuming everything goes as planned, you’ll drive to Syracuse and fly to your new home. If it doesn’t, you’ll be going north, too.”

  “So that’s it? We go off into the sunset without ever learning the ending?”

  “You know that’s the way things happen sometimes, and it’s for your safety. We don’t solve the crimes, we protect those endangered by them. Maybe you’ll read about it or hear it on the news one day, but I can let you in on Anderson’s sting. By claiming the man in Florida wasn’t Fred and with him hidden with Chuck, Tony, and Ewan, they have an undercover agent pretending to be him. The Baltimore DA is going to file federal charges of money laundering against Claymore Investments based on the information Fred Russell provided, and our replacement is going to make an appearance. They’ve fortified a safe house outside the city. Fort Knox isn’t as safe as that place is right now.”

  “What if they don’t take the bait?”

  “Then, Anderson will have to think of something else, but if we win an indictment against Claymore Investments, we cut off the cash flow. By the way, we buried you and Nancy yesterday.”

  Neil nodded. “Okay. We’ll take the time to regroup and heal, but if I see anything the least bit suspicious, I’m heading up to Canada. I’ve got people I can call and count on, too. Watch your back. Whoever put that bugged computer program into Ewan’s hands has friends in high places.”

  “Speaking of the computer, I’ll take that tablet back with me. Anderson wants to see if someone can figure out who those accounts belong to. Worse comes to worst, he’ll ask someone from Olsen, Jensen, and Merriweather to have a look at it. They’ll at least be able to tell me if it’s one of theirs. Anderson promises to do whatever he can to safely get the information to you when this is over. You deserve closure. Now, why don’t you go and lie down on the couch for a while. I’m not heading out for a few hours yet and Morrison and I can stand guard. Once we’re all gone, I don’t know how much sleep you’ll get.”

  “Good idea. But when you leave, take this, too.” He handed Todd the USB drive he’d been carrying around the last few days. “I don’t want anything that could put Nancy in danger again. Wake me up in three hours.”

  He walked out of the room and lay on the couch. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

  Chapter Eighteen

&
nbsp; Nancy walked out onto the veranda and watched the sun rise over the mountain the way she had the first day they’d arrived. The air was scented with the aroma of pine and something else, an odor that added to her unease this morning. While the eastern sky was vivid pink and red, the western horizon, filled with heavy dark clouds, promised rain and lots of it. The brisk wind whipped the wig’s strands of hair around her face. While she had a couple of inches of her own, a curly, fluffy mop that belonged on a baby, she preferred wearing the wig since it changed her appearance. No one had come visiting, other than Mama and a few cows, but she would rather be safe than sorry. Physically, she was back to normal, but sadly she hadn’t reclaimed any of her memories.

  In the six weeks since they’d been here, an easy friendship had grown between her and Neil. She could understand why she’d married him, even knowing the demands of his job. He’d insinuated himself into her heart with his kind and caring nature. The man made her laugh and feel good about herself, but mostly he made her feel safe and cherished. The only real problem she faced were the nightmares.

  Night after night, she awoke sweat-soaked and crying, bringing Neil into the bedroom to hold and console her. He tried to get her to talk about the dreams, but she couldn’t remember any of them, other than sounds and voices, but the words were garbled and made no sense. Neil would crawl in beside her and hold her until she eventually drifted back to sleep. She couldn’t imagine her life without him in it now. He was her anchor, but she wanted more.

  While he’d spent more time in her bed than his own the past four weeks, he never touched her. Oh, they’d kissed, hugged, cuddled, and walked hand in hand, but when things started heating up, he pulled away. Why? Did he think she was still too fragile, or was something else preventing him from taking their relationship to the next level? She was thirty-five years old and wanted children—that desire hadn’t changed. Maybe it had for Neil. She couldn’t bring back Trevor, but surely he could love another child, too. She shook her head. Imagining problems wouldn’t make her feel any better. Maybe it was time to speak her mind about the future.