“We need to make ourselves more obvious.” She was the first one to say that.
He tossed the wrappers from their lunch in the nearest waste basket. “I can make it obvious.”
“How is that?”
“Like this.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her off her feet.
She didn’t squeal—the only reaction she had was a slightly raised eyebrow. “How is this going to be obvious?”
“Easy. That brown Chevy parked at the fish place next door? Its occupants have been watching us for the last five minutes.”
She didn’t look that way, and he admired her restraint. Her training. But he felt her tense beneath his hands. “You recognize anyone inside?”
“One man, white. Other than that, I can’t see enough to distinguish.”
“How do you want to do this?”
“If it’s the men we’re after, we need them to catch us off guard. At least in their head. So…we need to act distracted.”
“And how do you propose we do that?”
“Easy.” He slipped his hand into the long dark hair. “We look all lovey-dovey, and we go for a romantic stroll along the river. Make it obvious we’re focused on each other—and not the fact that someone may be trying to kill you. Once he realizes we don’t have the director, he’ll either pull back or if it’s you he’s really after, he’ll make his move.”
She leaned closer to him, so close Royal almost brushed a kiss against those soft lips.
He wanted this woman, and bad.
“So how lovey-dovey are you thinking this will be?”
Did she really want to know what he was thinking? “I know what I wouldn’t mind doing with you right now. But we should remember we’re out in public. Should probably keep it PG-13 or less. There’s plenty of time to explore the hotter stuff later.”
“Oh? You think there’s going to be a later, do you?”
“Don’t you?”
A flash of uncertainty hit her face. “Dakon… I… I’m not sure about being involved with someone I work with.”
“Then we take it day by day, step by step. Don’t have to let anyone know anything about it until you’re comfortable with it.”
She looked at him a moment, then surprised him by kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, we have a shooter to catch.”
He’d take what he’d get.
But she was right—they did have a traitor to stop.
And the sooner that was done, the sooner he could convince her to give him a shot.
There was nothing he wanted more.
Chapter Sixteen
SHE’D do it. She’d take a chance in a way she never had before. That it was with a man like Dakon Royal—a man with his reputation—was the biggest risk of all. But she felt right with the decision.
She’d not talked and laughed for two hours straight with a man other than Ed in her entire life.
That had to mean something.
What, she didn’t know, but she’d definitely take the chance on finding out.
And if nothing happened, nothing happened. But at least she wouldn’t have the regret of not trying.
He laced his fingers through her right hand, and she let him lead her down the street toward the river. She understood—he wanted to pull the tail out of the main area and where there were less people.
“You think this will work?”
“I don’t know. At the least I want a chance to get a good look at the guy. If it’s one of our three probable, we’ll be able to get a warrant, and get an arrest.”
She mulled it over as they walked. It would be enough. Maybe. They’d have to get the rest of the particulars after the arrest. They’d have seventy-two hours until they had to bring charges.
Brockman’s team could find that evidence well within the time limit. The team was that damned good.
She scanned the area, taking note of buildings and alleys and possible hindrances. “There. Head down to the river. There’s a bench there. We can sit, then see if we can spot the tail.”
“Sounds like an idea.”
He teased her the entire way, and Len fought to keep a serious face. Was he always like that?
She knew his teammates Georgia and Ana both liked and respected him. And she respected those two women and their opinions.
Maybe some of her earlier preconceptions of him had been too harsh and judgmental?
That would be something else she’d have to consider.
“I don’t want to go to Smokey’s.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Did he think she meant she didn’t want to go out with him at all? She tried to read his face—but he was trained FBI and ATF. This guy knew how to keep his feelings hidden.
Probably better than she did.
They sat on the bench, and watched the water. It was a windy early March day, and the river was choppy. Len casually turned toward the man on her right. His body was big enough to block anyone from seeing her watching for them. It would be their only real advantage.
They were both armed, and Len was highly aware of what they were about to do. They could be dealing with a highly volatile, extremely desperate person in a place they weren’t familiar with, under circumstances that they truly could not control.
All flirting aside, what they were doing was about to get extremely dangerous.
Chapter Seventeen
ROYAL had always prided himself on being a patient man. This was no different. They waited and waited.
Nothing happened.
His phone rang with a text. He clicked the screen. We’re in Cape G., Where are you exactly?
Georgia.
This was not part of the plan. He dialed his friend. “What’s going on?”
“Find cover, wherever you are. We’re on the way. It’s Whiler and his GPS is pinging in Cape Girardeau.”
“We’re armed. Down by the river.” He gave her the names of the street signs they’d passed. “Someone was following us, but I can’t confirm identity.”
“Hold tight. The rest of the team is coming for you. Keep safe.”
He grabbed Len’s arm and pulled her quickly toward the first open business he saw. They wouldn’t put civilians in danger, but they wouldn’t stand on the street the way they had been. Not with Georgia and the others on the way. There was a reason his teammates had changed the plan.
And Royal trusted them enough to do what they’d said. He trusted them with his life, no damned question about it. “Stay by the window, and be ready. George and the others are coming.”
“They must have gotten the first shooter. The hired gun.” Royal felt his already considerable respect for her go up. She didn’t seem fazed at all. “That’s the only way they could have met us this quickly.”
He understood what she was saying—in order for Georgia and Mal to meet them at this point, they had to have redirected within an hour after they separated from him and Len in the first place.
And they would only have done that if they had more information. But why hadn’t they called?
Fifteen long minutes and two cups of coffee later, two people Royal recognized entered the coffee shop. He waved a hand at J.T. and Ana.
His teammates headed toward him and Len. J.T. was the first to speak. “Guess you guys got into a bit of trouble?”
“Something like that. What are you doing here?”
“Georgia and Mal are still about twenty minutes outside of town with the director.”
“There were supposed to take Ed straight into the city. What happened?”
“There was an attack on the car. Mal will need to replace it, but every one of our people are safe,” Ana said in her slightly European accent. Her hair was down and loose and bright red.
She was no bigger, and no curvier than Len. So pretty, so sweet. And Ana had one heck of a background in martial arts.
The similarities between her and Len were surprising; he’d never been attracted to his teamma
te the way he was to Len. “Who?”
“A professional by the name of Johan Dvorak. Or at least that’s what his passport reads.” Ana accepted a cup of coffee from J.T., the youngest member of their team. “Says he was hired by Whiler.”
“Any reason why?”
“Hmmm. Not sure yet. But it wasn’t Director Dennis that was the target. You were right about that. We have a tech analyst pouring over Whiler’s computers and phone records. But the pro was able to give name, address, and description of our girl here.” Ana sipped the coffee as she sat down in front of Len. Between Len and the window. “Jas, I don’t know what you did to Whiler, but you surely pissed him off something good. Any ideas?”
“The only contact I’ve had with him the last year was when I requested clarification on a previous case file six weeks ago. I’m afraid that case file sat on my desk until three days ago. With this other business I’m working on for Ed I wasn’t able to finalize my report on that case audit.”
“Who ordered the audit?” Royal asked.
“Ed. Whiler was one of the candidates for the new division that we were hesitant about. We’ve been discussing him, Stephenson, and Gannan for weeks.”
Royal thought for a moment. “Whatever you found in that file was enough to scare him into throwing everything he had away. We need that file.”
“Later,” Len said. “A man just walked by. Whiler.”
Royal stood, joined by the three others. “J.T. and Ana, cross the street. Len and I will keep behind him on this side. Hopefully we’ll be able to surround him, and bring him in quietly.”
They left the shop, moving quickly.
Royal saw the man he’d known for two years looking in every window, agitated and almost erratic. Was Whiler suffering a psychotic break? Or was it something else?
They were gaining on him. Royal catalogued the people between them and their target. Half a dozen, mostly headed toward the coffee shop they’d just left. Almost twice that ahead of Whiler.
A lot of people to get in the way if something went down.
He looked at the woman keeping pace with him. “Lot of people.”
“We need to take him down as quietly as possible.” She was cool, calm, and unflappable. But her pretty eyes were worried.
“And as quickly. How else are we going to figure out if you want to marry me, after all?”
She smiled. “You always this impatient? This crazy?”
“Ah hell. You figured me out. But… you’re the first woman I’ve ever asked to marry me. Should have known I’d mess it up…”
“You’re insane, Royal.”
“Then it’s your sworn duty to ensure I’m not a risk to the public. So what do you say? We do dinner and dancing tonight? Once this is all over, of course.”
“It’s a date. Provided you behave yourself.” She picked up her pace; he matched her. “And we finish with this guy in time for me to get home and take a shower. Find a dress to wear.”
“That red one from the other night would be a sure win. Just saying.”
It was all he said. They were six feet behind Whiler. They were younger, more physically fit, and the man was still checking every window and bumping his way carelessly through the small crowd. Royal waited until Whiler was clear of the majority of the walkers.
“Whiler! Agent Whiler!”
The man turned around. His eyes met Royal’s.
Royal knew he would run. It was in the man’s eyes. “Don’t do it. You won’t be able to go anywhere. And we both know you don’t want to make a big scene out here.”
Whiler pulled his coat back. Royal saw the weapon. He shifted slightly, moving closer to Len, but not blocking her. “Drop it, Whiler. I’ve not got the only weapon aimed at your head right now. We both know how this is going to end if you do something stupid.”
“You don’t want your wife to hear about this over your body in the morgue,” Len said quietly. “Put the gun down, and hit the pavement. We’ll make this easy, and we’ll go somewhere and talk this out.”
Royal knew by the wildness in the guy’s eyes that it wasn’t going to happen that way. Whiler was too damned desperate. J.T. and Ana were coming up behind their target. Royal knew he had to keep the man talking. “What happened, man? You had a good career, why would you risk it?”
“Don’t move!”
“You have to know this isn’t going to work well. You need to put the gun down, before something else happens. Royal and I, you know we have to take you in. But if you have a good reason for what’s happened, we need to know it. We can work this out. We have the man you hired. He’s going to talk eventually. You have to know we need your side of things, and fast.”
Thirteen seconds. Ana would be behind Whiler. They needed to keep his attention for thirteen more seconds, at most. “Tell us, Whiler, why Len? Something in the personnel files? Something you did that you didn’t want the world to know about? What? Did you know we have no idea? That we guessed it was either you or Agent Gannan? You have maybe… ten seconds… to talk. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two, and… one.”
Ana had her weapon at Whiler’s head. J.T. was to the man’s right, close enough to subdue without being in the line of fire. “Lower your weapon to the ground! Do it! Now! Now!” Ana yelled the order.
Whiler had no choice but to obey.
Royal held his weapon steady on the older man until Whiler hit his knees on the pavement. Within a few more seconds Whiler was cuffed and subdued.
J.T. and Ana led him toward wherever they had parked.
That left Royal facing Len. “Well. A bit anticlimactic.”
“Maybe.” She tightened her coat around her shoulders. “Maybe not. I’m alive. You’re alive. Even Whiler is alive. It could have been a whole lot worse.”
“That’s a good way to sum it up.” Royal mentally said to hell with it. “So… pick you up at nine-thirty.”
She stopped walking and looked up at him. She smiled, a truly beautiful smile. “It’s a deal.”
“I don’t think it’s a deal, exactly. I think it may just be a… beginning.”
Epilogue
LEN hated red dresses cut down to her navel. But this dress was purchased especially for what was about to happen.
And Royal liked her in red. It was his thirty-fourth birthday and was exactly six months from the night they’d had their first official date.
He was about to get what he’d wanted for a long time.
She’d never let him take her to Smokey’s, not willing to have the eyes of their colleagues studying their every move. Or speculating on either of their careers. She knew there had already been rumors about her and Ed through the years, but her relationship with Royal meant so much more.
But tonight, they were going public.
It was just a simple dinner and drinks at the local cop bar, a place they’d both been hundreds of times.
Yet they’d never arrived there together before.
She knew it had bothered him—especially the longer they’d dated, but he’d also understood her reasoning.
PAVAD had moved into the new building two days ago. Tomorrow the teams would be relocating to the new offices.
It had been a long six months, division-wide, but it was about to be the greatest thing she’d ever worked on up to that point.
And even with the long hours she’d put in and the days out of town Royal’s team had experienced, he’d always been there when she needed him.
They’d spent almost as many nights apart as they had together.
But that was going to change.
He’d bought a house two months earlier, and had asked her to think about moving in with him. It was a big step for both of them.
Tonight she was going to say yes.
As soon as he got there. Len could barely wait…
Other Titles by Calle J. Brookes
PARANORMAL
Dardanos, Co. Series
The Blood King
Awakening the Demon�
�s Queen
The Healer’s Heart
Once Wolf Bitten
Live or Die
The Seer’s Strength
The Warrior’s Woman
The Wolf’s Redemption
A Warrior’s Quest
The Wolf God & His Mate
Out of the Darkness
Warrior Blind
Dardanos, Co: The Adrastos Series:
The Outcast
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Watching
Wanting
Second Chances
Hunting
Running
Redeeming
COMING SOON
Revealing
Stalking
The Witch
Calle J. Brookes is first and foremost a fiction writer. She enjoys crafting paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She reads almost every genre except horror. She spends most of her time juggling family life and writing, while reminding herself that she can’t spend all of her time in the worlds found within books. Calle J. loves to be contacted by her readers via email and at www.CalleJBrookes.com.
Also Available
At all Major Ebook Retailers
from
Lost River Lit Publishing, LLC.
& Calle J. Brookes
Seth and Alessandra in
RUNNING
PAVAD book Six
Seth Lorcan thrived on undercover work and he was good at it.
His latest assignment brought him dangerously close to the edge--and made him a target, from both the bad guys and the good. And if he didn't act fast, all the information he'd risked his life to obtain would be gone, just as quick as the memory card could be destroyed.
What he needed was a ride out of there...even if he had to take it.
Carjacking--carborrowing--was his only option.
But Seth got more than he bargained for when he took Alessandra Brockman...that was for sure.
Al wouldn't let him hurt her or anyone else. Especially when she realized just exactly who Seth was...
Beginning: A PAVAD Prequel Novella (PAVAD: FBI Romantic Suspense) Page 5