In Search of Truth

by Sharon Wray

“Really?” Pete said from the chair, obviously too lazy to lift his ass.

  “Yes,” Rafe said. “From what I heard at the station, Waring is looking into Alex’s past.”

  Garza took a brownie off a silver tray on the desk. “Did you know Waring was once in military intelligence?”

  Now Pete came over and took two brownies. “Are you fucking with us?”

  “Nope.” Garza took a huge bite and added, “My sources told me Waring was an MP officer in military intelligence. He was in for five years and got out to become a civilian cop. He has friends.”

  “Dammit,” Nate said.

  Rafe planted his fists on the desk. “You said yesterday that Kells got a phone call telling him that Zack and Alex were in Charleston?”

  “Yeah,” Nate said. “It set off a storm of fury and rage.”

  Rafe took his own brownie and ate it in one bite. “I heard, through the Fianna, that that call came from Kells’s contact—the one who kept you out of jail. This contact, apparently, isn’t happy that Zack disobeyed Kells’s order, Alex went AWOL, and came to Charleston to work with the Fianna.”

  “Jeez,” Garza said, “you’re not in the army anymore. Why would Kells’s contact care?”

  “No idea,” Rafe said. “But Kells’s contact can still make your lives miserable.”

  “Nate?” Pete ran his hands over his head and clasped his fingers over the braid that was so long it hit his ass. “Didn’t Kells’s contact negotiate our dishonorable discharges?”

  “Yes,” Nate said. “Kells took the deal on our behalf.”

  “What was the deal, Nate?” Rafe asked.

  “We were supposed to face a secret congressional committee for our actions in the Wakhan Corridor Massacre. If we were found guilty, we’d be sent to Leedsville with the rest of our men—the ones we rescued. Or we could take the dishonorable discharges, leave Fort Bragg with nothing including money and possessions, and never talk about any of this ever again.”

  “Is it possible,” Garza said in a hushed voice, “Kells’s contact could rescind those discharges and send you to prison?”

  Nate answered in a low voice, “Anything is possible.”

  Pete threw himself into a chair and covered his eyes with one arm. “I can’t believe this.”

  “No one is going back to prison.” Rafe’s strong voice cut through the room. “We’ll figure it out and come up with a plan.”

  “Alright. I—” Suddenly, Nate’s phone went dead.

  The lights dimmed, flickered, but stayed on.

  Rafe’s cell rang again and he answered, “What happened?”

  A moment later Rafe hung up and said, “Fuck.”

  “Again with the fuck,” Pete said. “What’s wrong with Nate now?”

  “It wasn’t Nate. It was a man named Mack.” The lights dimmed again then went out completely this time. In the dark, they could hear: “Zack and Allison are under attack.”

  Chapter 35

  Zack looked out the rearview window again. All he could see was that his world was fucked. He had nine bullets in his gun, a black van was on their ass, and the city was in total power outage.

  Aaaaand their cell phones didn’t work.

  He wound his way out of the French Quarter with speed and a fifty-dollar bribe to a rent-a-cop at a makeshift security checkpoint leading into the Garden District. The guard had wanted more, but it was all Allison had left in her wallet.

  Unfortunately, the guys following them had figured out the bribe thing as well and were now a few streets behind.

  So far, it was just a following. It hadn’t yet turned into a chase.

  Allison sat next to him, clutching his weapon. She’d turned on the radio only to learn that the airport was closed as well.

  As he drove, he watched the houses of the Garden District fly by. Even though he’d grown up here, once he joined the army, he’d rarely returned. It didn’t feel like home. Except he’d never tell Vivienne or Emilie that.

  They passed a broken statue in a front yard, and he had an idea. “I’m going to ditch the car near Lafayette Cemetery. Once we do that, we’re going to run. Hard.”

  She nodded. “You’re slowing down?”

  “I need the guys behind us to see us get out. Can you trust me? Do what I say without question?”

  “Of course.” She looked in her side-view mirror. “What about the car?”

  “Hopefully we can get the car later.” He thought of something else. “Do you have a flashlight on your phone?”

  “Yes. I also have the red lens app.”

  “Perfect. Get ready.” Zack parked in front of the cemetery’s iron gates and took the weapon. “Follow me with the flashlight.”

  He got out first and ran toward the gate that’d been built between two brick walls. While she held the light, he knelt. On the left side, he pulled a loose brick out of the wall. Please still be there. He shoved his hand in and felt around for… Got it!

  Another key in another wall. Hooah.

  He clutched the key and withdrew his hand. The van slowed down a block away. He needed Isabel’s men to see what he was doing for his plan to work. He used the key to unlock the iron gate and slipped through.

  Allison followed, the red-light flashlight bouncing around. “How do you have a key to this cemetery?”

  “When I was a kid, my friends and I found the caretaker’s spare.” He pocketed the key and held his weapon against his thigh. “We used to steal it and play hide-and-seek in this cemetery after dark. I hope it still works.”

  She followed his fast-paced stride. “That’s strange.”

  “But fun.” They moved quickly, using the red flashlight to dodge headstones, then hiding behind a weeping angel thirty yards from the entrance.

  Once the men parked their car and entered the cemetery, Zack threw rocks in the opposite direction. The men followed the noise, and Zack ran back to the gate and locked it.

  Zack returned to Allison and tugged her up.

  “Why did you lock the gate?” she whispered. “With these enormous perimeter walls backed up by even larger tombs, it’ll be impossible to get out.”

  “I know.” He kept his gun ready and let Allison guide them with her light. Slowly, they wound their way through the cemetery that looked like a city made of tiny marble houses.

  Allison tripped and Zack stopped. Once she was hidden behind a crumbling mausoleum, he climbed on top of a crypt to see if he could locate the men. They were forty yards away.

  When he jumped down, he noticed the worry in her eyes. “We’re not far from the center. We’ll be out of here soon.”

  They heard a man curse loudly, and Zack led her toward the path that cut through the middle. It took another fifteen minutes of hiding and waiting and running around tombs before reaching the gate on Washington Avenue, on the other side of the cemetery.

  Allison held the light while Zack unlocked the gate. The old key got stuck and he had to jiggle it. Unfortunately, the metal-on-metal sound reverberated throughout the cemetery and he heard footsteps coming closer.

  Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon.

  Allison’s red light bounced off white marble tombs and one of Isabel’s men saw it.

  The lock gave, and Zack swung the gate open. Once they were through, he shut the gate, reached through the iron rails, and started to lock the padlock again—until he dropped the key.

  The man fired, and Zack pushed Allison out of the way, making sure she was hidden behind the exterior brick wall.

  The second man appeared, running toward Zack.

  Zack found the key on the ground and locked the gate.

  The first man fired off two more rounds just as Zack threw himself against the wall. He reached behind to take Allison’s hand.

  “Hey!” one of the men yelled. “Let us out.”

  Zac
k had a decision to make. He could get into a shootout with the few bullets he had left, or take off with Allison and get to the safe house. The cemetery walls wouldn’t hold Isabel’s men for long, but it might be enough time for them to get away.

  The men were now rattling the gate and Zack took her hand and headed toward Coliseum Street. Then he prayed his safe house was actually safe.

  * * *

  Allison waited while Zack knocked on the door of an enormous house in the Garden District. The style reminded her of Pinckney House, except much larger.

  A minute later, they heard a female voice on the other side of the door say, “Who’s there?” followed by the distinct sound of a shotgun being loaded.

  “It’s Zack. And a friend. Please put down the shotgun Nate gave you.”

  The door unlocked and swung open to expose a tall woman with long red hair still holding a pink shotgun. “Hurry up.”

  Allison followed Zack inside. Once he relocked the door, he hugged the woman. LED lanterns lined the foyer and sat on every other stair leading up to the second floor.

  “It’s so good to see you, Kate.” Zack stepped back to wave Allison forward. “This is Allison Pinckney.”

  Kate leaned her gun against the wall and took Allison’s hands. “Welcome.” Then she looked at Zack again. “What are you doing here?”

  “It’s a long story.” Zack exhaled and ran his hands over his head until clasping them behind his neck. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but can we stay here until we can get out of town safely?”

  “Of course.” Kate led them through the foyer and up the stairs. She picked up one lantern along the way. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but you both look exhausted. Why don’t you rest and clean up while I make you something to eat?”

  Allison followed Kate upstairs, appreciating the pressure of Zack’s hand on her lower back. Her legs dragged like lead weights and her head felt fuzzy.

  On the second floor, Kate stopped near the first door and handed Zack the lantern. “Your rooms are adjoining. Despite the heat, you may want to start a fire for more light. There are also two lanterns in the bathroom. I’ve left them around the house because of the crazy power fluctuations.”

  Zack kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”

  Allison entered a bedroom made up in various shades of blue. Even in the lantern light, she could see the blue silk wallpaper decorated with images of herbs and flowers. The coverlet on the four-poster bed, also made of blue silk, carried the same embroidered design as the wallpaper. Two chairs flanked the fireplace, and drapes covered the windows. “This is beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” Kate pointed toward the door in the far corner. “Zack, your room is through there. If you need anything else, I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen. When you’re ready, you can tell me what’s going on.”

  Kate left, closing the door behind her, and Zack quickly built a fire.

  Allison sat in a chair near the fireplace, watching the flames. So much had happened. So many setbacks. And now they had so little time.

  He leaned one arm against the mantel and studied her. “How are you?”

  “I’m…shaky. Like I want to eat and throw up and run a marathon and sleep for three days, all at the same time.”

  “It’s the adrenaline.” His gaze found her lips. “It affects everyone differently.”

  “I suppose.” She pointed to his stained T-shirt. “You’re filthy.”

  He pulled it over his head and she stood before him. Her fingers traced the muscled indentations on his chest, disturbing the fine, dark hair. When she brushed over his pectoral muscles, near his nipples, he inhaled. Touching his body, so hard and strong and beautifully made, made it difficult for her to breathe. “Zack, what are we going to do? We don’t have the appendix and we’re running out of time.”

  “I don’t know.” The raw truth in his voice brought tears to her eyes.

  She wanted to solve their problems, bring him the peace she knew he craved. But she had no idea what to say. As her hands skimmed his ribs, his breaths shortened and his nostrils flared. Before she could think her way out of it, she kissed him.

  Her lips met his in a fiery storm of need and desire. There was nothing soft or gentle about her kisses. Nothing but the heat that coursed through her, sending her lower abdomen into a series of contractions. She might not be able to offer him the love she knew he wanted, but she could offer everything else.

  “Allison—”

  “No arguments.” She yanked off her blouse and cami. Her bra landed on the bed. “I need you. Now.”

  He growled and, before she knew it, she was on the floor with her jeans and panties stripped off. He didn’t even bother undressing. He just unzipped, released his erection, and drove into her. Her head hit the leg of the chair near the fireplace, and the hard floor offered no give beneath her back. His hands held her hips and he sucked her nipples until she cried out.

  His lips found hers again, and she untied the leather band holding back his hair. It fell over them, keeping her in his private space. His lips, his powerful hips between hers, his body driving into hers, all of it seemed raw and intimate at the same time. Her heart swelled until the pain forced a tear to fall.

  She raised her hips, and he lifted his head. He kept her gaze as he pressed her legs apart so he could pound even more deeply into her. She closed her eyes, giving herself over to the rising heat, the powerful spasms that started in her toes and ended in her core.

  As her world shattered around her, he dropped his hands to the floor on either side of her head. She gripped his tattooed biceps that bulged from holding his own weight. He threw back his head and let out a primal moan. His hair fell behind his shoulders and his tattoos seemed even more prominent in the firelight, as he held himself deep inside her, his hips forcing hers even wider. He stilled and his body stayed connected to hers. It was as if he was unable, or unwilling, to let her go.

  She studied his closed eyes, intricate arm tattoos, his chest looked carved it out of marble, and the pulse that pounded in his neck. Her wild man.

  But for how long?

  Now that they were on the verge of failure, would he leave her when this was over? She couldn’t love him the way he wanted. And she’d never want to hurt him the way she’d hurt Stuart. Zack deserved all of her and she wasn’t sure if she even knew how to do that.

  He kissed her softly. “No worrying.”

  She closed her eyes, mostly to hide her tears. “I’m not.”

  He nuzzled her neck. “And I didn’t just make love to the woman of my dreams.”

  She laughed even though she wanted to cry. What they’d done had solved none of their problems, but for some reason she felt better. She felt safer. She felt…loved.

  “Come on.” He managed to stand up, adjust his clothes, and carry her to the bed. “You rest and I’ll bring you up something to eat.”

  Her eyes closed even though she fought to keep them open. She was still naked, but the bed was too soft, the coverlet too cool, the firelight too hypnotic.

  He kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

  When she heard the click of his adjoining door, she knew she was alone.

  Chapter 36

  Thank God Kate’s house had a landline. And a spare, extra-large black T-shirt.

  Zack took another bite of his third sandwich, drank a huge swig of water, and dialed.

  Nate answered, “Iron Rack’s Gym. We now offer self-defense classes for the women in your life.”

  “It’s me.”

  Nate sighed. “Are you okay? Rafe told us you were being followed by Isabel’s men.”

  Zack told Nate everything that’d happened and ended with, “We didn’t find the appendix.”

  “I’m sorry, Zack. You’ve got to come back to Savannah. ASAP.”

  “I can’t, Nate. I’m running out of
time to save my sister.”

  “We can help you. We’ll work on it as a team. Because that’s what we are—a team.”

  “You can’t help. I’m not sure anyone can.” Zack leaned back in his chair behind Kate’s desk. “Besides, we can’t take off until the power is restored.”

  Zack took more bites of his sandwich before Nate said, “Let me tell you what’s been going on here tonight.”

  When Nate was done, Zack seriously considered going outside, finding Isabel’s men, and letting them shoot him. “Are you telling me that Kells’s contact—the dude who negotiated our dishonorable discharges with the secret congressional committee—knows I’m involved in this mess with Remiel and the Prince? And because of my actions, we may end up going to jail anyway?”

  It was like history on repeat—because of him and his actions, his men were screwed.

  “Yes,” Nate said. “That’s why you need to come in. Now.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Again, yes.” Nate lowered his voice. “This isn’t your fault.”

  “No? Whose fault is it?”

  “It’s Kells’s fault,” the female voice said from the doorway.

  “Who’s that?” Nate said. “Her voice sounds… Oh, hell no.”

  “I had no choice.” Zack stared at the woman in jeans and a white T-shirt, with a mass of reddish-blond hair.

  “There’s no coming back from this,” Nate said. “When he finds out—”

  “I’ll call you when we’re on our way home.” Zack hung up and said to Kate, “Nate knows where I am. He guessed.”

  She shrugged. “Honestly, Zack, I don’t care. I’m done with the lies, secrets, and violence.”

  “You’re wrong.” He moved toward the woman he’d known for years, the woman who’d saved them tonight. “Leaving him isn’t going to make you safer; it’s not going to change who you are or where you fit into this story. If you loved us”—Zack pressed his hands over his heart, hoping to appeal to her lighthearted side—“you’d come back.”

  She broke into a smile. “Of course I love you all. It breaks my heart that half of you are in prison, that I’m losing all of you as well as him.”