Christmas Undercover

by Hope White

  She stared at the headrest of the seat in front of her, trying to block out Will’s presence. He tapped on her window and she glanced out at his confused face. He looked as if he wanted answers.

  As if he deserved answers.

  She ripped her gaze from his emerald eyes. “Are we going or what?”

  As Nate pulled away, Sara’s eyes watered. Goodbye, Will.

  She felt utterly alone. She wasn’t working in an official capacity for the FBI, her supervisor hadn’t returned her calls and now she’d pushed away the one person who truly wanted to help her.

  “He deserves the truth.”

  She snapped her eyes to the back of Nate’s head. “Meaning what?”

  “Will saved your life and put himself at risk by protecting you. Don’t you think that deserves complete honesty?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Oh, yes, ma’am, it does. Will Rankin is one of the most honorable men I know. For some strange reason he’s decided you’re worthy of his protection. He’s usually got good instincts about people.”

  She gazed out the window as they passed a park filled with children.

  “So? Were his instincts right about you?” Nate pushed.

  She sighed. If LaRouche and Harrington were going to frame her, she’d better get ahead of this thing and confide in the local police.

  “Yes, his instincts are good.”

  “And?”

  “I’m FBI.”

  “Really,” he said, disbelief in his voice.

  “Yes.”

  “And you didn’t bother to tell me or Will that before now because...?”

  “I’m undercover.”

  “Then, you should have brought me into your investigation.” Nate got a call and answered his radio. “Detective Walsh, go ahead, over.”

  “Someone saw Petrellis at the Super Shopper, about half an hour ago, over.”

  “He’s still in town?” Nate muttered to himself, then responded into the radio, “Send a unit to check it out. If the officer sees Petrellis, he needs to call for backup. Do not approach him alone, over.”

  “Ten-four.”

  He clicked off the radio and eyed her in the rearview. “We’ll finish our discussion at the station.”

  Nate focused on driving, visibly frustrated by the call.

  “You think he should have left town?” she said.

  “Wouldn’t you? I mean, we suspect that he drugged Spike, and was following you around all day for some nefarious reason.”

  “What happened with Spike, exactly?”

  “Petrellis saw him outside the hospital and approached him, acting as though they’re buddies. He congratulated Spike on the new job with Echo Mountain PD and slapped him on the shoulder. Hard. Spike says he thought he felt a pinch, like a bee sting. That’s pretty much all he remembers.” Nate shook his head. “What is happening to my town?”

  Sara gazed out the window, feeling even guiltier that she brought trouble to the community of Echo Mountain.

  * * *

  Within minutes Will was on the phone calling Royce Burnside, the best lawyer in Echo County. Will had done search engine optimization marketing work for Royce’s law firm and knew of their stellar reputation.

  As a favor to Will, Royce said he’d meet him at the police station right after lunch. Will stopped himself from marching into the station alone, all fired up. He worked on marketing projects for the next few hours in his home office. Unfortunately, the image of a bruised and fragile Sara being aggressively interrogated kept seeping into his thoughts, distracting him.

  Will leaned back in his chair and pulled his fingers off the keyboard. What was Nate thinking? Sara wasn’t a criminal or a violent woman. She’d gone into shock after shooting a man, and had experienced traumatic flashbacks.

  Although he sensed that Sara wanted to go this alone, the more she pushed Will away, the more determined he was to help. Sure, he knew once this case was resolved and she was given her freedom, she’d probably leave town and he’d never see her again. It didn’t matter. She needed help and he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

  He warmed up butternut-squash soup from Healthy Eats for lunch, hoping Nate at least had the decency to feed Sara. Maybe Will would bring some soup just in case. He had plenty.

  Minutes stretched like hours as he waited for one o’clock.

  “This is ridiculous.” Although it was only twelve fifteen, he packed up a container of soup, grabbed a small bag of crackers and headed for the station. He brought his laptop as well, figuring he’d get some work done while waiting for Royce.

  Will wasn’t even sure Sara needed an attorney, but it wouldn’t hurt to have one in her corner.

  He parked in the lot, pulled out his laptop and moved his seat back so he could open it up and work. The whole work thing lasted about five minutes. Glancing at the building and knowing she was inside being questioned about a murder she didn’t commit drove Will nuts.

  Some folks would call him nuts for believing in a complete stranger.

  But they weren’t strangers. She’d exposed herself to him in a way he suspected she hadn’t with many, if anyone. When she’d hidden under the bed, clutching the blanket to her chest, she’d seemed like a child, fearing for her life.

  Something terrible had happened to Sara in her past, and it had all come rushing back after the shooting.

  Will tucked the laptop into his backpack and grabbed the soup bag. He didn’t care if he was early. He’d text Royce to meet him inside.

  As he headed for the building, he spotted a familiar car parked across the street from the police station.

  Officer Petrellis’s unmarked sedan.

  Surprised and concerned, Will glanced away, so as not to be obvious. He pulled out his phone and texted Nate about the car. They were looking for the retired officer to question him about yesterday, about drugging Spike and stalking Sara.

  “Hello, Mr. Rankin.”

  Will glanced up. Petrellis was heading toward him.

  “Officer,” Will greeted, then hit Send on the text to Nate.

  “What brings you to the station?” Petrellis said.

  “Visiting my friend Nate.”

  “And what about your other friend Sara? How is she doing?”

  “I wouldn’t know. I’ve been busy with work.”

  “How well do you know her, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “I don’t know her at all, actually. I helped rescue her after a nasty fall. That’s it.” He glanced at his watch. “Whoa, I’m late. Excuse me.”

  Will turned to walk away, to put distance between him and the retired officer with questionable motivations.

  Something stabbed Will in the arm and he instinctively jerked back. “Hey!”

  “You need to come with me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I need to ask you some questions.”

  “I don’t have time. I’ve got to get inside and...and...” Ringing started in his ears, and his surroundings went in and out of focus.

  “Here, let me help you.” A firm hand gripped Will’s arm and led him away from the police station, away from Sara.

  “No.” Will yanked his arm away. “I have to talk to her.”

  “Her? You mean Sara?”

  A part of Will knew he’d said too much. His brain was floating on some kind of wave, pulling him away from the shoreline of reality.

  They found Spike wandering the highway, Nate had told Will.

  That must be what was happening to Will.

  “Relax,” Petrellis said as they approached his car. “It will be over soon.”

  Over? As in...

  Was Petrellis going to kill him? Leaving the girls with no parents, and judgmental
grandparents to raise them?

  “No!” Will shouldered Petrellis against the car and fired off punches.

  “Will!” Nate called from across the street.

  Petrellis yanked Will forward, kneed him in the gut and cast him aside. Will collapsed on the pavement and watched Petrellis’s car speed off.

  “No,” Will croaked, wanting Petrellis to come back, to tell them why he was after Sara.

  Sara. The beautiful woman with the big blue eyes.

  “Will.” It was Sara’s voice.

  He looked up, into her worried eyes.

  “No, I want all patrols to be on the lookout,” Nate’s voice said from behind her. “He’s headed south on Main Street toward the interstate, over.”

  “Will?” Nate said.

  All Will could see were Sara’s blue eyes.

  “Nate didn’t arrest you, did he?” Will asked her.

  “No.” She placed a comforting hand on his chest. “What happened?”

  “Dispatch, I need an ambulance,” Nate’s voice said.

  “No,” Will said. “No ambulance.”

  “Will, you’re hurt,” Nate argued.

  “Drugged like Spike. Felt him stick my arm.”

  “Then, an ambulance can take you to the hospital.”

  “Everyone will know. My in-laws—”

  “This wasn’t your fault,” Sara said.

  “Stop worrying about them, Will,” Nate said. “The ambulance will be here shortly.”

  “Have to get home... The girls.”

  “They’re not coming home until seven, remember?” Sara offered. “It’s only twelve-thirty.”

  “Oh, yeah.” He closed his eyes, then opened them again. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She frowned. “I’m worried about you.”

  “What’s going on?” Royce said, joining them.

  “Who are you?” Sara said.

  “Your attorney,” Royce said. “Will hired me.”

  “Ambulance is here,” Nate said.

  Will stood, Sara holding onto one arm for support, while Nate gripped the other. He flopped down onto a stretcher, but wouldn’t let go of Sara’s hand.

  “I need to—”

  “Go find Petrellis,” Sara interrupted Nate. “I’ll ride with Will.”

  As Will was being examined by medical staff, he worried what his in-laws would think, what they would say. This would be the second time he’d been examined by doctors at the hospital in the past few days. In Mary’s and Ed’s minds, he probably threw himself onto the path of danger yet again by interacting with a suspected...what? What was Officer Petrellis, exactly? Will still didn’t know.

  Once they reached the hospital, Will was given a medication to counteract the drug. His brain fog began to clear and he was able to focus again. Sara said she’d be in the waiting room speaking with Royce, who had followed them from the police station.

  Will puzzled over Nate’s sudden turnaround from almost arresting her to letting her accompany Will to the hospital.

  “How’s your vision?” the nurse asked.

  “Good, excellent,” Will answered.

  “Are you nauseous or dizzy?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m much better now, thanks. Can I go?”

  “Where’s the fire?” Dr. Kyle Spencer, a member of SAR asked, coming into the ER. “Hey, buddy, I heard you were brought in.”

  “Hey, Spence,” Will said.

  “How’s the head?”

  “Fine.”

  “No headache?”

  “No.”

  “Blurred vision?”

  “Not now.”

  “So...when?” Spence studied him with concern.

  “After I got stuck with the drug.”

  Spence pulled out a penlight and checked Will’s eyes. “Did you fall and hit your head again?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  Spence was referring to an altercation in the mountains last year. That injury had left Will with temporary, selective amnesia. At the time Will didn’t remember that Megan had passed away. Once his memory returned, reliving that grief had left him gutted, as if she’d just died.

  “The medical team identified elements of the drug we found in Spike’s system and were able to give him, and now you, something to counteract the effects,” Spence said.

  “Yeah, so they told me.”

  “It wouldn’t hurt to rest this afternoon.”

  “Okay, doc.” Will shifted off the gurney and planted his feet on the floor.

  Spence studied him. “A-OK?”

  “Solid as a rock, thanks.”

  “Excellent.” They shook hands. “Until our next mission, then.”

  “Yep.” Will left the examining room and found Sara in the waiting area with Royce.

  “Hey, how are you?” Sara went in for a hug.

  It was a brief embrace that shocked Will. He didn’t want to let go.

  “I’m okay,” Will said. “Was Royce able to help you?”

  “Turns out it wasn’t necessary,” Royce said. “In case you do need me, you’ve got my card.” Royce smiled at Will. “Glad you’re okay. Take care.”

  “You, too.”

  Royce left the ER waiting area and that was when Will noticed a uniformed officer by the door.

  “Okay, someone’s going to have to draw me a map here,” Will started. “This morning Nate was arresting you, then he did a one-eighty and let you accompany me in the ambulance and now he’s posted a police officer, I’m assuming for your protection?”

  “Yeah, you and I need to talk. It’s rather crowded here. Officer Carrington will take us to the station, unless you need to go home and rest?”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  Will and Sara left the hospital with Officer Carrington, Sara’s eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. She seemed different today, stronger, more sure of herself.

  He almost wondered if she was the same person he’d found in the mountains. Of course she was, yet something had definitely changed.

  And he liked it, especially the hugging part.

  The ride back to the station was somewhat quiet. Will was desperate to know what was going on, but didn’t dare ask in front of a third party.

  Officer Carrington escorted them into a conference room at the station. Sara wandered to the window and looked outside.

  “First, I need to apologize for bringing this danger to Echo Mountain—” she turned “—and into your life.”

  “I don’t see a need to apologize. Go on.” He pulled out a chair at the table and sat, hoping she’d join him. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “The truth is, I’m FBI. I was on an undercover mission to find evidence against a company called LHP, Inc.—LaRouche, Harrington and Price’s company. I suspect they plan to distribute a sleep medication that will make them millions, and potentially put lives at risk.”

  “You followed them on a hiking trip?”

  “I bought my way onto the guide team, hoping they’d let their guard down and I’d find evidence of their plan. Then I saw Vic LaRouche throw David Price to his death. Wasn’t expecting that.”

  “Have you told Nate this?”

  “This morning, when he picked me up. He kind of—” she hesitated “—guilted it out of me.”

  “Yeah, I could see him doing that.”

  “Now I feel even more guilty because of what happened to you this afternoon.”

  “You didn’t stick me with the drug.”

  “Don’t be so literal here, Will. This is my fault. Maybe if I would have made a different choice.”

  “What choice? You’ve been in survival mode ever since you witnessed t
he murder.”

  She cocked her head slightly. “How do you do that?”

  “What?”

  “Offer so much compassion for someone who has been making your life a mess.”

  “What mess? I don’t see a mess.”

  “Will, Petrellis knows you and I are connected, so now you’re a target. The smartest thing for me to do is leave town and somehow draw them away from Echo Mountain.”

  “Why did Nate take you in this morning?”

  She pulled out a chair and sat at the table. Good, she was getting closer.

  “LaRouche and Harrington reported David Price missing this morning,” she said. “They claim he disappeared after he and I got into an argument.”

  “So they’re turning this around on you?”

  “Looks that way.”

  “But you’re FBI.”

  “They don’t know that, and they can’t.” She reached across the table and placed her hand on Will’s. “Only you and Nate know who I really am,” she said. “It has to stay that way. If these guys find out the FBI is on their trail, they’ll bury evidence so deep we’ll never find it.”

  His gaze drifted to her hand, and she slid it off.

  “You seem different,” he said, glancing into her eyes. “More grounded and confident.”

  “It feels better to have people know the truth, people I trust.” She cracked a slight smile.

  The door opened and Nate joined them wearing a frown. He planted his hand on Will’s shoulder. “Doing okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m good. How’s Spike?”

  “Embarrassed, but otherwise good.”

  “And Petrellis?” Sara said.

  “In the wind. For now.”

  “What’s his motivation?” she asked Nate.

  “Have no clue. Yet.”

  “Why did he take early retirement?” she said.

  “He had issues at home and it interfered with his work.”

  “What kind of issues?”

  “Not sure. He was a private guy.” Nate slapped a folder onto the table. “We’ve got a bigger problem.”

  Will and Sara shared a worried look.

  “One, your investigation has made Will a target,” Nate said.

  “Hey, Nate—”

  Nate put up his hand to silence Will. “And, two, according to your supervisor, there is no case. Officially, you’re on vacation, so that makes you a rogue agent with a vendetta.”