by Rebecca Deel
The sun was peeking over the horizon when he stepped off the elevator and let himself into the suite. Grace twisted on the couch where she’d been watching the sky lighten. The silhouettes of Mason and Nicole indicated the two were once again on the balcony. Unless he was mistaken, the two were sharing a heated kiss. Guess Mase had taken his advice to heart.
Grace walked to his side. “Is Bear finished?”
“Just left. Your SUV is ready.”
Satisfaction lit her gaze. “As soon as we’re home, I want to pick it up.”
Trent hugged her. “Tired of my company already?”
“Of course not. You might be deployed any time. I need transportation while you’re gone. PSI doesn’t mind you borrowing an SUV from them. I doubt they’d be so accepting of me doing the same. I’m not part of Fortress or PSI.”
“You’re mine, baby. Fortress and PSI look after their own and that includes the families of their operatives. No one would say anything if you used the vehicle. They’d be happy to know you’re safe.”
“I’m still glad I don’t have to. I hate driving someone else’s vehicle. How should I pay for the SUV? Do I need a loan from the bank or pay Fortress in installments?”
Would he start this long day by fighting with his girlfriend? Man, he hoped not. Trent had many things he wanted to do in the next few hours, starting with kissing Grace Rutledge. “You don’t pay anything, sweetheart.”
She stared. “How can that be? Bear worked hard to retrofit the SUV. He probably has a family to feed and needs money to do that.”
Funny how she assumed Bear had a family while Trent always believed the man was single. “The SUV is my gift to you. Your safety matters to me, Grace. Remember, you agreed to the SUV as a safety measure for me.”
“I didn’t expect you to pay for it, honey.”
“I love you. I want to do this. It’s for your peace of mind and mine. Please, let me give this gift to you and myself.”
Grace threw her arms around his neck and drew his head down to hers. Long kisses later, she pulled back enough to whisper, “Thank you, Trent.”
“The first of many gifts I want to give you over our lifetime.”
“The first of many gifts we’ll give each other,” she corrected. “We’re a team.”
He lowered his head and captured her lips. When he came up for air, he said, “A team for life, my love.” Nothing would make his life more complete. Unless they added a child or two or more to their home. But he was getting ahead of himself. Trent hadn’t asked Grace to marry him yet. He wanted an engagement ring before he popped the question.
“Are you hungry, baby?”
Grace wrinkled her nose. “Not really.”
“What about something light? Maybe yogurt, granola, and fruit.”
“That sounds good as long as it comes with a large coffee. Does the hotel restaurant serve yogurt?”
“If it doesn’t, we’ll find one that does. I need to check for evidence of the shooting before the sun rises much higher. Do you still want to come with me?”
She nodded.
“She’s not the only one,” Nicole said. She and Mason walked in from the balcony, hands clasped. “We want to go as well. You might need backup.”
Trent’s eyebrow rose. Backup from two untrained people?
Mason squared his shoulders. “At least you can use two more pairs of eyes to look for clues or keep watch for trouble.”
He smiled. “Can breakfast wait until we finish searching the area? We don’t want to attract attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barton and Weston have posted a watch on us.”
“Will you spot them?” Grace asked.
“Depends on how good the surveillance is.”
“We can provide cover for you.” Nicole grabbed her purse and slipped the thin strap crosswise over her body.
The hotel lobby was deserted except for the sleepy desk clerk who barely acknowledged them with a glance before returning his attention to a thick textbook laid open on the desk.
Trent was grateful his school days were long behind him. He’d never been a fan of tests or homework. He wished the kid a silent good luck with his studies.
“What do we do now?” Grace asked.
“We’re going to look for a restaurant that serves breakfast, including yogurt. On the way, I want you to stop at the entrance to the alley on your right. There are several flags from different countries hanging on the balconies of the apartments. Point them out to me and the others. You and Nicole get your cell phones out and take pictures. Mase, keep your attention on the street. I’ll search for a brass casing from the shooter’s weapon.”
Nicole grinned. “We’re supposed to distract anyone watching us.”
“Exactly. Mase, if something grabs your attention, sing out.”
“You got it.”
They walked the hundred plus feet between where Trent suspected the shooter stood and where his SUV had been struck by a bullet. “Get ready.” They walked a few more feet. “Now, baby.”
Grace glanced up at the apartment balconies. “Hey, Nic. Look.” She stopped and pointed at the flags fluttering in the cool breeze.
“That is a gorgeous sight. I want pictures of that.”
Trent let go of Grace’s hand for her to take pictures as well. Mason casually moved behind him and turned his back on the girls snapping pictures with their phones.
Easing into the alley’s shadows, Trent scanned the ground. Light glinted off a small piece of metal. Satisfaction swirled in his gut. Behind the cover of his friends and girlfriend, he crouched and scooped up the brass casing with a cloth and shoved it into his pocket. “Got what I needed,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.” His skin was crawling, a bad sign. Were the police watching them or the enemy? Urgency to hustle Grace out of the line of fire led Trent to clasp her hand and urge her to walk.
“Great.” Nicole shoved her phone into her purse. “I’m hungry. We’re heading for a restaurant for real, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. Grace wants something light.”
“Perfect. I saw a place across the street.” Nicole headed for the corner to cross with the light.
“Wait, Nicole.” Mason hurried to catch up with her, his attention focused to his left.
Trent’s instincts kicked into high gear. “Stay here,” he said to Grace and began to run.
At that moment, tires squealed on the asphalt. A black Silverado raced up the street and angled straight for Nicole. No cars or pedestrians were in the way of the driver.
“Nic, look out!” Grace screamed.
Mason sprinted toward Nicole, grabbed her, and shoved her out of the path of the truck. The vehicle leaped the curb, fender clipping Mason before the driver steered back to the street.
The construction worker flew through the air, hit the ground and rolled to a stop.
Nicole scrambled to Mason’s side. “Mason!”
Trent aimed his Sig at the fleeing truck, pulled the trigger twice, shattering the rear window. He caught a glimpse of a dark baseball hat on the head of the driver before the vehicle careened around the corner and disappeared from sight.
He turned to see Grace on her knees beside Rio’s cousin. Trent crouched by her side as he scanned the area for more threats. “How bad is he, baby?” Sliding his Sig into his holster, Trent grabbed his cell phone to call for an ambulance.
“I’m fine,” Mason said, struggling to a sitting position. He winced and clamped a hand to his side.
“Mason, you could have internal injuries.” Nicole wrapped her arm around his shoulders to lend her assistance. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll pass. We just left there. I don’t want to spend any more time in that place.”
“You were hit by a truck,” Grace said. “A doctor needs to examine you.”
“I told you, I’m okay.”
“Mason, please,” Nicole whispered.
“I’m fine, baby. I promise.”
Grace scowled at Mason. “If Rio were her
e, he’d simply haul you up and force you to do what’s best. Don’t make me play the bad guy, Mason. You won’t like it if I do.”
A frown. “How did I miss the fact that you’re stubborn?”
“Look at it this way. If you’re just bruised, you’ll be out of the ER in a couple hours. Do it for Rio. He loves you and I owe him for saving my life.”
Mason sighed. “You play hardball, Grace.”
“Only with people she cares about.” Trent waggled his phone. “Do we need an ambulance or can you make it to the SUV?” He’d bring the vehicle around if he had to. The possibility of another assailant in the area concerned him. If someone else targeted the women, Trent want to be on hand.
“I’ll make it.” Mason’s tone was grim. “Let’s go. I don’t want to create a spectacle on the street.”
Trent helped him to his feet. When Mason swayed, he draped the man’s arm over his shoulder and started him toward the garage.
“Hold it!” a deep voice ordered. “You can’t leave.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Trent’s eyes narrowed at the stocky man jogging their direction. The guy had authority almost oozing from his pores. The cop sent by Barton and Weston to keep watch on them. He looked the part, including the bulge under his ill-fitting jacket from a shoulder holster.
“This man needs to go to the hospital,” Grace insisted as soon as he was close enough.
“He looks fine to me.”
“You’re a cop, not a doctor.” Trent glared at the man. “Grace is a nurse. She says Mason needs a doctor so we’re taking him to the hospital. Tell the detectives if they have questions, they can talk to us while my friend is being checked out.”
He maneuvered Mason around the cop blocking their path and continued walking to the garage. By the time they reached the SUV, Mason was pale. Trent unlocked the vehicle and assisted him into the back seat where he slumped against the cushion with a hiss. Nicole climbed in after him.
Reaching into the cargo area, Trent grabbed his mylar blanket and thrust it into Nicole’s hands. While the trip to the hospital wouldn’t take long, the blanket would help him retain heat and prevent shock.
Minutes later, Trent pulled up to the emergency room entrance for the second time in twenty-four hours. He helped Mason from the vehicle and into the hospital with Grace and Nicole trailing close behind. Once his friend was in an exam room, Trent moved his ride to the parking area and called Rio as he walked back to the ER. His gaze scanned the area.
“Kincaid.”
“It’s Trent. Mason’s been injured. He’s mobile, so I don’t think his injuries are bad. He’s in the ER being examined by a doctor.”
“What happened?”
Trent filled the medic in. “The truck clipped him, tossed him into the air. I don’t know if Nicole realizes it yet, but your cousin saved her life. That truck was aiming for her. Mason shoved her out of the way, but didn’t get clear fast enough to spare himself.”
“I’ll contact Josh and tell him I’m heading to Dumas. I’ll be there in two hours.”
“Look, I know he’s family, but let’s wait and see what the doctor says. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
“You need backup, Trent.”
“If Mason is out of action, I’ll request help. Deal?”
The medic was silent a moment. “Yeah, okay. As soon as you hear from the doctor, I better be the first phone call. I’ll have to contact his father if Mase’s condition is serious.” A sigh came through the speaker. “I should call Ethan, too. He’ll want to know the latest.”
“Copy that.”
He strode into the hospital waiting room in time to see Barton get into Grace’s face, crowding her into a corner where she couldn’t get away from him. Fury roared through Trent. “Back off, Barton,” he snapped.
The detective swung around. “You left the scene of an accident. I ought to run you in for failing to report it.”
“You’re here. Obviously your own man reported the accident. My priority was getting our friend to medical help.” He eased in front of Grace and folded his arms across his chest. “You have questions, Detective? Ask them instead of browbeating my girlfriend.”
Barton scowled. “I want a rundown of everything that happened, starting from the time Weston and I left the hotel. You leave anything out, I’ll slap the cuffs on you for obstruction of justice.”
Trent’s eyebrows soared. “You want a detailed accounting of the number of kisses I scored from my girlfriend, too? Because that was the most important time I spent.”
“Don’t, sweetheart,” Grace whispered. Her hand pressed against his mid-back.
“Recount your movements, St. Claire.” Barton yanked a ratty notebook and pen from his pocket.
Trent reached behind him and threaded his fingers through Grace’s. He hated she was in the limelight again because of their unknown assailant.
He summarized what happened, leaving out the detail that he needed a window replaced in his SUV because of a bullet. Shouldn’t make it too easy for the irritating detective. That would raise his suspicions since Trent hadn’t made his dislike a secret. Besides, Trent had to remain out of jail to protect Grace and her sister. If Barton and Weston discovered he hadn’t reported the shot at his SUV, that’s exactly where he would end up.
“Go through your story again, St. Claire. You say you went to the garage after we left. Why?” A smirk appeared. “Making out in the backseat with Blondie?”
That weasel. He’d go to any lengths to show Grace in a bad light. Trent’s free hand clenched. “I needed a window replaced. Road hazard cracked the glass.” Not a lie. The shooter was a hazard on the road in front of the hotel.
“Uh huh.” The cop’s tone indicated he didn’t believe Trent’s claim for a minute. “Any way to verify your story?”
“Call Fortress headquarters. They’ll pass a message to the car tech who replaced the glass.” Trent made a mental note to send Bear a text, explaining the situation, and to call Fortress. He didn’t want Bear to hold back too much information. If Barton and Weston detected the deception, they’d wonder why it was necessary.
“Give me his direct number.”
“He works for Fortress. Maddox protects his employees. The car tech will call you.”
“And how long will that take?” the detective spat out.
“About five minutes after you leave the message, depending on what he’s involved in.” Trent grinned. “Once Maddox determines you’re a legitimate detective with the Dumas PD, of course.”
“The beat cop said you took a couple shots at the truck racing from the scene. You could have hit an innocent civilian. You’re a prime candidate for reckless endangerment charges.”
“I hit what I aimed at, Barton. I wasn’t reckless.”
“I need your weapon. Now.” The detective held out his hand.
Trent blew out a breath. That Sig was a particular favorite of his. “I want this weapon back, Detective.” Fat chance of that happening any time soon. Barton would delay the return as long as possible.
“Might be a while, though. A long while. We have to run ballistics tests and match the slugs to what’s found in the truck. If we find the truck.”
Jerk. Good thing he had another Sig in his Go bag plus a backup weapon.
“Why did you shoot at a moving target?”
Seriously? “This clown jumped the curb and tried to mow down Nicole. Grace and her sister are my principals. My job is to protect them.”
Disbelief crossed Barton’s face. “How do you know he aimed for her? Maybe this guy is a bad driver. Plenty of them out there on the road.”
“This one aimed the truck at Nicole and never corrected his course, even when he jumped the curb,” Trent said as he handed over his Sig, grip first. “No other vehicles on the road or pedestrians or stray animals, and no reason to swerve toward Nicole. This was not an accident.”
Barton grunted and shifted his attention to Grace. “You’re next, B
londie. If you can quit hiding behind your boyfriend.” He sneered.
Grace shifted to Trent’s side. He tucked her under the shelter of his arm. “My name is Grace, not Blondie, and my story is the same as his.” She recited a detailed account of what happened since the detectives left their suite, including the number of kisses she exchanged with Trent. “In case you wanted to know, he’s an exceptional kisser, Detective.”
Trent pressed a gentle kiss to her temple to hide his smile. Grace Rutledge had spunk and he couldn’t wait to marry her.
A flinch from the cop. “I’ll take your word for that. What about the other broad? Where is she?”
“I imagine my sister is in the hallway, waiting for word on Mason’s condition.”
Muttering under his breath, Barton strode from the waiting area.
Grace sagged against Trent’s side. “He’s convinced we made up the whole incident.”
“His own man will dispute that.”
“We could have hired someone to attack, making us look innocent.”
Trent eased her into his arms. “Complicated. There would be a money trail.”
“Your teammates or another operative could have pulled it off.”
“If the attack were part of an operation, absolutely. Otherwise, no. We’re mission oriented, love. Because we’re well trained, we are careful to confine our skills to operations, not personal vendettas.”
Raised voices in the hall drew Trent’s attention from Grace. Nicole. “Come on.” He led his girlfriend from the waiting room.
In the hall, Nicole glared at Barton who loomed over her. “I told you what I know, which isn’t much. The only thing I’m concerned about is my boyfriend’s condition. And no, you’re not barging in there to question him until the doctor is finished. Buzz off, Detective Barton.”
“Listen, lady, I’ll run you in for interrogation if you don’t cooperate. I can question you for several hours.”
“Try it, buddy. I answered every question you asked me. You’ll have to dig up rest of the answers for yourself.”
“You don’t have any idea why someone wants to kill you?”
Nicole was silent a moment, leading Trent to believe she hid something. Barton came to the same conclusion because his eyes narrowed and he leaned in so close his nose practically touched hers.