Irritation itched through her. She tried to remain calm, but he was freaking her the heck out. “I asked you a question.”
For answer, he pulled off the road and drove to the first pump at a quaint little gas station, and then stopped the truck. “Give me your phone.” He held out his hand.
She frowned. What was happening? Shrugging, she dug in her purse and brought out her cell phone. “I haven’t called anybody.” In fact, she’d forgotten to even charge it with the excitement of the night before. She looked down at the screen. “The battery is almost dead, and there aren’t any messages or anything.” Was somebody from the team supposed to call her?
“Phone,” Wolfe repeated, his hand out and his tone lacking inflection.
She slapped the phone into his hand with more force than was necessary. “Don’t you believe me?”
“Yes.” He stepped out of the truck, his boots loud on the cracked concrete. Then he tore off the cover and removed the battery, tossing it toward the antique garbage can by the pump. He dropped the phone and stomped on it, sending plastic scattering.
Dana’s mouth gaped. “What are you doing?”
He leaned down to pick up the pieces and then deposited those in the garbage as well. “Do you have any tablets or Bluetooth devices on you?”
It was like talking to a robot. She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. “What is wrong with you?” she breathed. He had just destroyed her phone.
“Dana.” One word, spoken in a voice with no give.
Had she dropped into an alternate universe? “No. I don’t have a tablet or any Bluetooth devices on me.”
He tugged his phone from his back pocket and hit a speed dial, pressing it to his ear. “Brigid? Hey.” His eyes were hard and remote. “Yeah. Go into Dana’s online accounts, any clouds, and delete everything, would you?”
Dana scrambled to release her seat belt. “Wait a minute.”
Wolfe handed her the phone. “Tell her what you want to save. Pictures only. No data.” He shut the door and moved to the back of the truck to pump gas.
Dana shook her head, her body going numb. “Um, Brigid?”
“Hi. What the heck is up with him?” Brigid burst out. “He sounds weird.”
“Get the full story from Angus.” Dana huddled over the phone, feeling like she should whisper. “He just broke my phone and he’s not talking to me and the guy he’s chasing planted a bomb and it totally changed everything.” She looked behind her, tracking Wolfe’s movements. Betraying Wolfe’s trust right now seemed like a bad idea, but this was all going so wrong so fast.
“A bomb? Is everyone okay?” Brigid asked, her Irish accent deepening.
“Yeah, and I’m sure Angus knows more than I do right now, so definitely call him,” Dana said, which was the truth. “Then call me and tell me everything Wolfe isn’t, if I can’t get it out of him. Which I will. But call me anyway.”
The sound of typing came over the line. “What do you want saved?” Brigid asked.
“All of it,” Dana burst out. “Don’t listen to him. He’s way off, and I don’t want to lose any of my stuff.”
More typing sounded. “I’ll save all of your pictures, but there’s no reason to save GPS or any of that data, is there?”
“Well, no.” Dana craned her neck to watch Wolfe pumping gas, his gaze not wavering from the gas tank. “I guess that’s okay, and I don’t have any articles or story drafts in the cloud or anything.”
Brigid typed faster, the sound rhythmic. “Well, he obviously thinks you’re in danger and wants you to be untraceable. You should probably find out why.”
Dana’s legs shook. “I’ll ask him, but so far, he’s not talking to me.” That Gary Rockcliff had found them and planted a bomb was scary as hell, and she could understand that Wolfe was spooked. Or pissed. Or both. She couldn’t read him.
“Angus said that Roscoe is with you. What’s his mood? He reads the guys pretty well,” Brigid said.
Dana glanced down at the snoring dog. “He’s sleeping, but he’s hungover.”
“Oh. Then he won’t be much help until tomorrow.” Brigid kept typing.
This might be a mistake, but she couldn’t let Wolfe take on the lunatic by himself. “Have the team go to Wolfe’s house and check out his office. Look at the evidence board he has set up.” She was betraying his confidence, and her voice shook. He might hate her, but he’d still be alive.
“Evidence board?” Brigid asked.
“Yes,” Dana whispered.
Wolfe replaced the gas nozzle and then opened his door, holding out his hand. “Phone.”
Dana faltered and handed him his phone, trying to read his expression, but it was like trying to get through a stone wall with no cracks.
“Hey,” Wolfe said into the phone. “Do me a favor and tell Force to be ready. Bye.” He tore his phone apart and beat it into pieces on the ground before tossing it away. He glanced at the dog and retook his seat, shutting his door and driving out of the area. “Seat belt.”
Oh, he did not.
She crossed her arms. “No.”
He checked left and then pulled onto the quiet road. “Belt. Now.”
“Fuck. You.”
His gaze lifted from the pavement to the sky before he yanked the wheel to the right and pulled off the road. Slowly, deliberately, he put the vehicle in park and partially turned to face her. No words. Just burning topaz eyes and a jaw that was solid rock.
The saliva in her mouth dried up as she faced him, her stomach cramping. The area around her solar plexus ached, making breathing difficult, which she tried to hide. Anticipation ripped through her, tossing her into a fight-or-flight mode. She really wanted to flee.
He reminded her of a cougar that had gotten its leg stuck in a trap near the river one time, snarling and furious before the vet arrived to free him.
She cleared her throat. Once and again, searching for anger, but all she could find was bewildered concern. “I want to help,” she said.
“You will. For now, put on your damn seat belt.” He didn’t move.
She remained still. He’d just sworn, so she was getting some kind of reaction out of him. “How am I going to help?”
“We’ll discuss it on the way.”
Okay, so much for concern. Finally, her temper was shoving through the fear, and she let it have free rein. “Not a chance, buddy. You tell me right now what’s going on, or I’m getting out of this truck.” She didn’t have to stick around for this.
“You won’t make it.”
She wasn’t a violent person, but smacking him in the nose was starting to have appeal. “Since you’re trying to pretty much hide me, I’m guessing that Rock has a way to trace me? Or that he wants to?”
“I don’t want to put my hands on you, Dana, but I will. Secure your seat belt.”
“You already put your hands on me last night,” she retorted. “You want to go? Oh, we’ll go. Bring it on.”
He blinked. Finally. “What?”
Now he was paying attention and actually seeing her instead of going through the motions. She put both her hands up, fists ready. “You want to use hands and be all threatening, then you can bring it on. I may not draw first blood, but you’re gonna hurt.”
He shook his head like a dog splashed with water. “Have you lost your mind?”
Yes. One hundred percent she had freaking lost her mind. But at least he was talking to her now, and if she had to act like a lunatic to get through to him, then she would. “You obviously are spoiling for a fight, so let’s go, big man. Show me how tough you are.”
“You are about to get spanked.”
Okay. She had not expected that one. She drew back slightly. Well, all in or all out. “Maybe you’ll get spanked.” She launched herself at him, swinging one leg over him and landing to straddle him, her hands clamping on his face. The steering wheel dug into her back, so she shimmied even closer. Then she kissed him, full on the mouth, pressing as hard as she could.
&
nbsp; He pulled her away by her ponytail. “What. Are. You. Doing?”
She panted, her mind spinning, her instincts misfiring. “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just really happy I jumped on your lap?”
“Jesus. It’s a gun.” He yanked the gun free and settled it on the dash.
She gyrated against his pelvis. “I think you might have another one in there.” Even now, he felt pretty good beneath her.
His mouth opened and then closed like a landed carp. “You are fucking crazy.”
“I wasn’t until I started dating you,” she blurted, trying to defend herself. “Before you, I was totally normal. Ate healthy, worked out, never challenged a guy twice my size to a brawl.”
“We are not dating.”
“The hell we’re not.” She softened her hold on his face. “After last night, we are so totally dating.” Was that what had been happening? “You’re being a jackass to push me away? To make me go on my way and leave you alone?”
His head drew back. “I am not being a jackass.”
The dog farted loudly from the back seat.
“See? Even the dog thinks you’re being a jackass.” She was feeling a little ridiculous, because if he didn’t want her, she’d just acted a total fool. But he’d definitely been all in the night before; he wanted her. Yeah. That had to be the truth. “You can be all robotic and act like a moron, but I’m not going on my way.”
He breathed out, for the first time in hours looking like her Wolfe. “How did I lose control so quickly?”
“Oh, honey,” she murmured, caressing his whiskered jaw. “I’m not sure you ever really had control, you know?” She leaned in and kissed him again, her heart thumping when he finally kissed her back. “Now. Let’s start at the beginning. Rock obviously found me and planted that bomb and now you’re afraid that he’s coming after me?”
“Yes, and we’re calling him Gary now. He doesn’t deserve a nickname.” Wolfe’s big chest filled with air and then deflated.
Now they were getting somewhere. “How did he find you?” she asked.
Oops. Wrong question. Wolfe’s eyes got all narrow again. “He didn’t find me. He found you.”
She grimaced. “Oh.”
He released her ponytail and cupped her entire neck. “He killed Candy, and he said he’s coming after you next if I don’t stop tracking him. By the way, I’m pretty sure he’s dating Theresa Rhodes.”
She shivered.
She’d put her entire family in danger. Her stomach revolted, and she had to swallow several times to keep from throwing up. “Well, okay then.”
“Even if I stop, he’ll still come after you,” Wolfe said, feeling so strong and solid beneath her. “He can’t help himself. He’ll wait and watch and then strike. You’re being locked down while I go after him. It’s nonnegotiable.”
She coughed out a laugh. “So your plan is to tick me off, drive me back to town, drop me in a safe house, and then go take him out?”
Wolfe lifted one shoulder in a shrug, nearly dislodging her. “Kind of. I wasn’t trying to tick you off, but I was so angry, am so angry, that it’s hard to talk. I’m trying. You kind of have the plan right. Except we’re going to stop at the next grocery store without cameras, ditch the truck, steal another vehicle, and then drive back home. I can’t be sure that Rock, I mean Gary, didn’t leave a tracker somewhere on this truck.”
“Oh.” It seemed he had it all planned out. “I’m for the idea of stealing a car, but I hope we get this truck back sometime, if possible. I like it.” Her stomach felt hollow, and she tried to hide the terror clawing through her. “I’m not hiding in a safe house when I can help track him. I’m a good journalist, Wolfe.”
“We’re dating, right?”
The world brightened. “Right. We are dating.” It was nice to have him back.
“Then one of my jobs is to protect you, wouldn’t you agree?” His thumb rubbed beneath her jaw.
The trap he’d set was a neat one, but she wasn’t born yesterday. “I think it’s my job to protect you, too.”
“You can do that by staying safe.” He leaned in, his nose touching hers. “I want to make you happy, and I don’t want to be a jackass, but I am locking you down. Period.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
The Ramcharger Wolfe had hot-wired hadn’t been kept in very good shape. Roscoe glared at him from the hollowed-out back seat. “You shouldn’t have combined different alcohols last night,” Wolfe muttered. “It’s your fault you’re feeling poorly.”
Roscoe tossed his head and lay down on the exposed floor.
Dana stared out the window, her body appearing more relaxed than earlier even though she was still giving him the silent treatment. Although he could understand why she didn’t want to go into protective custody, he wasn’t going to budge on the matter. He didn’t like making her unhappy, but he’d like it a whole lot less if she ended up dead.
She might also be a little peeved that he’d been so grumpy this morning; he couldn’t blame her. As soon as they got a little closer to the office building, he’d buy her one of the sweet lattes she loved. It was the least he could do.
They’d had fast food for lunch and dinner, but neither he nor Dana had eaten much. Roscoe had gone to town with the burgers, though.
They drew closer to the office, and he went through his favorite drive-through, buying drinks for the entire group, even though it was after supper time. He even bought a couple for the new puzzle lady and the British chap, just in case they were in the office. If not, he’d save the drinks for later tonight.
He pulled up to the office, noting the number of cars. “Looks like everyone is here.”
“Uh-huh,” Dana said, turning pink.
He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable, so he enfolded her hand with his. “Listen. I’d like to get this settled here and now, before we go inside.” Arguing in front of everyone else just wasn’t his style.
“I’m not arguing with you, Wolfe.” She curled her fingers through his.
His trapezoids relaxed marginally. “Okay. Good.” It was nice when she decided to be agreeable and make things easy for him. “I appreciate it.”
“Well, don’t. I’m not arguing because I’m not going into hiding. That would make me not only a crappy journalist but a rotten friend to Candy. She deserves better.” Dana tilted her head in a purely challenging way.
He didn’t want to tick her off again, but he wasn’t going to relent. “Let’s go inside.”
“Sure.” She removed her hand and opened her door.
He did the same, helping Roscoe over the seat. The dog landed on the pavement and immediately ran over to the trees to take care of business. He might have puked a bit, too. “I told you a burger on a hungover stomach wasn’t a great idea,” Wolfe called. At least for a dog.
Roscoe barked back and quickly returned, looking spritelier.
Wolfe surveyed the parked vehicles. “Why is everyone working on a Sunday?”
“How should I know?” She pressed her hands to her hips. “I’m going to say, once again, that you should have your entire team after Gary.”
“Not a chance.” He turned and strode to the front door, opening it for her. Sometimes things were so clear he truly didn’t understand how everybody else got it wrong. The elevator was a little tight with Roscoe in it, or maybe it was the anger coming off Dana that made the harrowing ride uncomfortable. He tried to think of a way to gain her cooperation without being too bossy.
Nothing came to mind.
The door opened and he gestured her inside after the dog.
Brigid, her red hair wild around her head, immediately emerged from case room two and rushed over to the dog, dropping to her knees for a full hug around the German shepherd’s thick neck. “I’ve missed you.” Her voice was muffled in the fur. Then she stood and made a beeline for Wolfe. “I’ve missed you, too.”
He took the full impact hug, lifting the latte tray out of the way, and patted her small back, sm
iling at how her dark red hair seemed to brighten the dismal room. Or maybe it was her Irish brogue. “You make this place a home, Bridge.” His feelings toward her were as brotherly as they were toward Nari, and no way was he letting his disastrous life touch her.
Her face softened. “Oh, Wolfe. You’re a sweetie.” Then she turned to Dana for a quick hug. “Let’s grab lunch tomorrow if we get the chance. I want to hear all about the wedding and Roscoe’s adventures.”
Dana’s face lost its pinched look for the first time that day. “That sounds lovely.”
“She won’t be here,” Wolfe said bluntly.
Dana’s brows narrowed into a V and her jaw jutted out.
Wolfe looked around the vacant room. “Where is everybody? The cars are all here.”
Brigid took his arm. “We’re all in case room two, and we’ve been waiting for you.”
He didn’t have time for another case, but he let Brigid lead them past the hub of desks, carefully balancing the large latte tray. Everyone was in the room. His entire team with case file folders, filled yellow legal pads, and pens all over the table.
Raider stood and held out a hand. “It’s good to see you, brother.”
“Welcome back.” Wolfe set the tray on the table, needing to get this done with so he could move on to killing Gary. “I brought some for everyone.”
Angus Force sat at the head of the battered conference table, next to Malcolm West. Pippa, his girlfriend, sat next to him, with a tray of goodies in front of her. Wolfe’s mouth watered at seeing the chocolate chip cookies. Raider and Brigid reclaimed seats on the other side of the table, next to Nari, Jethro Hanson, and Serena Johnson. Even Agent Millicent Frost, her bobbed hair streaked with blue this time, sat over in the corner petting Kat. Frost consulted sometimes with the team and had all sorts of interesting gadgets to play with.
Wolfe eyed the two remaining chairs and pulled one out for Dana. “It looks like we’re gearing up for an op.” His blood started to hum, and he sat, reaching over to dispense lattes. Good thing he’d bought extra so Frost could have one.
“We are on op,” Force confirmed, not touching his latte. He leaned to the side and kicked the door shut.
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