Silent Night Standoff

by Susan Sleeman

  She didn’t want to talk to him, but she couldn’t ignore him, either. She pried her eyes open and squinted into the sun. He came into view, standing tall above her. Dressed in a power suit, white shirt with gray tie, blue eyes ringed with black searching hers.

  “Welcome back, sweetheart.” His lips lifted in a sweet smile.

  Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at him. At this man from her past. From her dreams.

  “Look at me, Skyler,” Darcie commanded from her other side.

  Skyler turned her head, seeing her best friend’s expression tight with concern. “Glad to see you’re conscious again.”

  Skyler’s head cleared and the afternoon’s terrifying events came flooding back.

  Clyde. The gun in her mouth. Its bitter taste. The stench of fear in the bank. Brady’s shot. Leaving the building. Faith.

  “Faith.” Skyler tried to sit up. “How’s Faith?”

  “She’s fine.” Darcie gently pressed Skyler back down on the gurney. “On her way to the hospital just to be sure.”

  Skyler sighed. “Good. What about Clyde? Did he... Oh, Logan.” She turned to look at him, surprised to find him still carefully watching her. “You were here. In the alley. Did Clyde...?”

  “Get away?” He nodded. “Yeah. I got off one shot, but he’s in the wind.”

  “There you are.” Jake’s angry voice came from the end of the gurney and suddenly Logan was jerked away. “What part of ‘stay out of our way’ didn’t you understand, Suit? You could’ve gotten Skyler killed with that foolish stunt.”

  “Jake, wait,” Skyler shouted, the effort making her head throb harder. “He saved my life.”

  “He could also have gotten you killed,” Jake said. “And putting you in that situation wasn’t his decision to make.”

  “But it worked out for the best, and he did save my life. Clyde blames me for Bonnie’s death. If he’d kept me with him when he left, he would’ve killed me the minute he felt safe enough to do so.”

  “What?” Jake glanced at her over his shoulder but didn’t release Logan.

  “Clyde said if I hadn’t texted you, they could’ve safely gotten out of the bank. So he blames me for Bonnie.”

  “That’s what he meant,” Logan muttered.

  Jake glared at Logan. “Meant by what?”

  “Before Clyde took off he said this wasn’t over and Skyler would pay.” Logan freed his jacket from Jake’s grip and pressed out the wrinkle. “Besides the obvious threat here, it’s also important to mention he called his partner Nicole. This is the first time we’ve heard her name, and he was under such duress we have to believe he wasn’t making it up.”

  “His name is Marty,” Skyler added.

  “Marty?” Logan moved closer to her.

  “Most of the time, they called each other Bonnie and Clyde, but in a private conversation when they didn’t think I could hear, she called him Marty and he called her Nicole. He also screamed out her name when Brady took her out.”

  “And you’re sure she called him Marty?”

  “Positive.”

  Jake stepped to the gurney. “We’re losing sight of the real issue here. Marty or Clyde or whatever you want to call him could be coming after Skyler.”

  Logan nodded. “That’s a very real possibility.”

  Jake locked gazes with Skyler. “I don’t want you going out on your own until this creep is brought in. Be on alert. In fact, you might want to stay home.”

  “Please.” She rolled her eyes and even that slight movement brought pain. “If everyone on the squad took precautions like that each time someone threatened one of us, we’d all be hermits.”

  “Talk some sense into her, Darcie.”

  “She has a point. Tempers flare at these standoffs, but the suspect usually calms down.” Darcie squeezed Skyler’s hand. “Besides, I’m less worried about Clyde and more worried that she may need stitches and has a concussion.” Darcie peered at her. “Loss of consciousness is a warning sign, honey. We should get you to the hospital.”

  “No.” Skyler wished she could shake her head for emphasis without worsening her headache. “I’m fine.”

  Jake got in her face. “You lost consciousness. County procedure dictates a trip to the hospital to be checked out.”

  “Procedure, schmedure. I’m good to go.” She tried to push him out of her way and sit up, but the arm Marty had grabbed buckled and a wave of dizziness assaulted her.

  “You’re fine?” Logan asked. “Explain why you can’t sit up then.”

  She shot him a frustrated glare. “Okay. You all win. I’ll get checked out, but I won’t ride in the ambulance. My car’s in the lot. I’ll drive myself. It’s less than a mile away. I’ll be fine.”

  “Ha!” Jake said. “Like I’d let that happen with a head injury.”

  Darcie crossed her arms. “And if he did let you go, I’d stop you.”

  “I can give you a ride to the E.R.,” Logan offered.

  Skyler shot a look at him. He’d never voluntarily offer to leave his crime scene before inspecting it. Never put anything before work. Not even her. Next thing she knew pigs would fly overhead.

  “I need to take your statement anyway,” he went on. “We can do it on the way and save time.”

  Right, my statement. The job.

  Skyler glared up at him, and tried to hide her disappointment, but she felt certain she hadn’t managed it.

  Nothing had changed. She still took second place with him. Third, if you counted his father, who truly came first since his career focus was aimed at making his father proud. That wouldn’t change even if Logan was dating again. Making his father proud was Logan’s top priority. Had always been his top priority, but Skyler had let the blush of love distract her and hadn’t seen it. Until the day he’d walked out on her. That horrible, horrible day the week of Christmas, he’d proved he wouldn’t be distracted from his mission to excel at the FBI.

  Ever. Not even for a chance at love and a life with her.

  * * *

  Logan’s phone chimed. Good. A distraction before Skyler’s frustrated glare brought back memories he didn’t want to think about. He’d suspected if he ever ran into her again, she’d be testy. But after two years, he didn’t expect to see her eyes as cold as the day he’d told her he was taking the job at the FBI’s Chicago office. Not one day since then had he found the weather in the Windy City to be colder than her expression that afternoon.

  His fault. He shouldn’t have gotten involved with her in the first place. Not when he was committed to reaching every milestone his FBI father had achieved, but doing so at a younger age. A relationship simply distracted him, and he couldn’t afford to be distracted.

  Especially not now. If he was successful in bringing in Bonnie and Clyde by Christmas, he’d become one of the youngest agents in the bureau’s history ever promoted to assistant special agent in charge of a field office.

  What father wouldn’t be proud of that accomplishment?

  Logan couldn’t relax before then. Or even after. He’d still have to succeed at the job or risk losing the old man’s approval. That meant undivided focus on the work.

  He glanced at his phone. His team had arrived and it was time to move this along. He turned his attention back to Skyler.

  “If you won’t listen to my medical advice, Skyler,” Darcie said, “there are plenty of shell-shocked witnesses inside who will.” Though she sounded mad, Logan could see she really cared about Skyler before she marched off.

  Logan waited for Marsh to follow, but he stood his ground, as if he felt a need to protect Skyler. Logan got that. Seeing both Marsh’s and Darcie’s protectiveness, he could tell the team had formed a close bond. Something Logan had no time for, and yet, when he saw this kind of camaraderie, his solitary lifestyle s
eemed kind of lame.

  Focus, man.

  He turned to Skyler. “I hate to do this, but you were in physical contact with Marty and could have contact DNA on your clothes. We’ll need to bag them before we leave.”

  “You can change into Darcie’s extra scrubs in the rig,” Jake offered.

  “Fine.” She looked at Logan as if she’d rather eat bugs than be this close to him. “It’ll only take me a minute to change.”

  Logan ignored the way her coldness kept unsettling him and forced a cordial tone to his voice. “Take your time. My team has arrived, and I need to talk them for a minute, anyway. I’ll send a tech out with an evidence bag for your clothes.”

  He headed for the lobby before he did something stupid like try to apologize to Skyler in front of Marsh. Not that Logan didn’t owe her an apology. He did. He was still certain his decision to leave had been the right one, but he was genuinely sorry he’d hurt her in the process. For that, he’d apologize when the time was right.

  Now he’d do his job and do it well.

  He’d only seen the lobby on the truck’s monitors, so he made a quick sweep of the place before stepping inside. Fellow agent Vince Wagner and the FBI’s Evidence Recovery Team were already processing the scene, and a privacy screen had been erected to hide Nicole’s body. The witnesses were no longer cowering on the floor by the counter but were sitting in chairs, chugging water.

  Wagner glanced up, his eyes instantly narrowing as he stared at Logan. He’d gotten the same look from most of the Portland agents. Logan understood their frustration. Totally understood it. They weren’t pleased that the FBI had brought him in from another office to head up their investigation.

  As far as they knew, he was there to use expertise gained on a similar robbery spree in Chicago, but it was more than that. Much more. His promotion was on the line. If he didn’t succeed, he was on his way back to Chicago. So it was time to make nice with all the players and get this done.

  He crossed the room to a forensic tech named Gary who looked like a thirtysomething version of Santa Claus.

  Logan gave the guy instructions to gather Skyler’s clothes, then asked for another bag to collect Faith’s clothing at the hospital. “You’ll also find a small amount of the suspect’s blood in the alley to process. I’d like all the results rushed.”

  Gary snorted. “You and every other agent in the bureau. You’ll need Inman’s approval for a rush, and, even then, it’ll likely take a week or so. Maybe more with the holidays.”

  He was right. The FBI lab had a backlog just like other law enforcement labs. Even with the special agent in charge of the Portland office requesting a rush, it was unlikely that the lab would move a bank robbery above homicides. It would take days for the results.

  Logan held out a business card. “Mind giving me a heads-up if you find anything? I hate to wait for a report to circulate through channels when the other suspect is still on the loose.”

  “You got it.” Gary pocketed the card in pants that hung below his belly. “I’ll get those bags for you.”

  Logan turned to Wagner, who was watching him with tired eyes. He’d tipped his head, catching the overhead light on his bald scalp, and his lips were pursed below a graying mustache.

  “Something bothering you?” Logan asked, hoping they could get any resentment out in the open and deal with it.

  Wagner shook his head, but he still seemed uncomfortable with Logan’s presence. For now, Logan would respect the guy’s wishes not to talk about it. “I’ve completed a preliminary interview with Deputy Brennan and learned Bonnie and Clyde used the names Marty and Nicole when they thought no one else could hear them. I suspect those are their real names. Let’s get this information to the rest of the team ASAP so they can get started on developing any additional leads.”

  “Finally, real names.” Wagner sounded relieved. “Maybe people will stop calling them Bonnie and Clyde like they’re some sort of heroes.”

  “I doubt the press will ever let it go. They thrive on the sensationalism the names garner,” Logan said, then changed gears. “I’d like you to handle the scene while I transport Deputy Brennan to the hospital to check for a concussion. I’ll finish my interview on the way.” Logan didn’t wait for Wagner’s agreement but glanced at the privacy screen. “Is anyone from the medical examiner’s office here yet?”

  “No.”

  “When they arrive, make sure the body’s printed and swabbed for DNA.”

  “And hope she has a record so we finally have a last name?”

  “Exactly,” Logan said, heading for the screen. “I’ll take a quick look—then I’m out of here.”

  He stepped behind it and heard Wagner stop a few feet away. At the sight of the body, Logan swallowed hard. He didn’t often deal with death in his job. He spent far more time pushing paper than anything, but Nicole wasn’t the first shooting victim he’d seen. Sadly, she wouldn’t be the last.

  He squatted next to her. Not wanting to contaminate the evidence, he resisted touching her, but he did notice an odd distortion to her face.

  “Check this out.” He changed angles for a better view. “See the way her nose and chin have shifted?”

  Wagner bent down. “Looks fake.”

  “Probably a prosthetic. Like you’d see in movie special effects. Maybe Marty or Nicole was a makeup artist. Would explain how they changed their appearance and why no one’s been able to ID them.”

  “That would make sense since the first robbery took place in L.A.”

  “Make sure the ME takes great care when she removes the prosthetics so she doesn’t damage them. Then get someone in the L.A. office to show them around Hollywood to see if anyone recognizes their work. And see if we can find out where the makeup supplies came from.” Logan stood. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to check with hospitals and clinics for a male of Marty’s description with a gunshot wound.”

  Wagner nodded. “But honestly, the amount of blood you described in the alley suggests a superficial wound at most, and he won’t likely need a doctor.”

  Logan decided not to lecture Wagner about following every lead no matter how small. It would only send a bad message that Logan micromanaged his team. That was the last thing he needed when he was trying to gain their cooperation. “Okay, I’m out of here. You have my cell, right?”

  “Yes,” Wagner said, appearing relieved Logan was leaving.

  He headed for the door, stopping only to grab the evidence bag for Faith’s clothing. He hated leaving the crime scene, but he believed Skyler was the key to cracking this ongoing investigation. As a trained officer, she’d likely noticed things during the robbery she didn’t even know she’d seen. He would do his best to bring the memories to the surface before they had time to fade. Conducting the interview immediately was crucial.

  He stepped outside and spotted Skyler sitting on the gurney, her face raised to the sun, the rich red highlights in her hair glinting in the warm rays. She’d replaced her frilly blouse with a faded scrub top, one pigtail stuck inside as if she’d dressed in a hurry. Despite a white bandage circling her head and baggy scrubs, she could still get his heart rate going.

  As she lay on the gurney earlier, he’d noticed her wearing the same pair of jeans she’d loved when they were together. Except in the passing of time, she’d sewn colorful patches on them.

  Just thinking about her free-spirited attire made him shake his head. The two of them were so different. He was a by-the-rules kind of guy, while she was easygoing, and yet they’d seemed almost perfect together.

  Skyler suddenly looked at him. Her eyes communicated everything he knew she must be feeling—fear, anger, frustration.

  A strong impulse to pull her into his arms, to shelter her from anything bad that might happen, had him taking a step back.

  Don’t go there,
man.

  She scooted to the edge of the gurney and planted a hand on her hip, a saucy expression on her face as her gaze settled on him. “You gonna stand there and stare at me or give me a ride?”

  Right, like even if he wanted to hold her, she’d let him. She didn’t accept help willingly. Outspoken and stubborn a good bit of the time, she stood on her own two feet. He hadn’t forgotten that part of her personality. Not with the earful she’d given him when he’d decided to take the Chicago transfer. That he would never forget.

  But he couldn’t let it get in the way. Neither of them could. He needed her help to find the bank robber who would make Logan’s career. And if his suspicions were correct, she needed him to keep her safe when Marty chose to attack.

  FOUR

  Logan took ground-eating strides toward Skyler. She should look away, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He still infuriated her, but there was no denying he was something to look at—his chin wide and chiseled at hard angles, black hair thick and wavy. But it was those steely-blue eyes that had always gotten to her.

  Intense. Dark. Maybe brooding at times.

  So what? She couldn’t stop the attraction, but she could stop herself from reacting to it and doing something stupid.

  She fisted her hands, letting her nails bite into the sensitive flesh.

  “Ready to go?” His mouth turned up in a lazy smile that was in direct contrast to his sharp focus, sending her pulse beating faster.

  Disgusted with her betraying emotions, she pushed off the gurney faster than she should have and nearly lost her balance. She grabbed the wall to remain upright. She waited for the wooziness to pass, and caught sight of small dark stains dotting the alley. Marty’s blood?

  The feel and taste of his gun in her mouth came roaring back, and she swallowed hard, forcing down the ensuing panic. She wouldn’t lose it now. Not here. Not in front of other law enforcement officers and certainly not in front of Logan.

  “You actually hit Marty?” she asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and fear.