by Mary Stone
While Gabe worked to control his obvious panic, Ellie leaned on her antique dresser, battling her own rising sense of unease. Her mind refused to help. Instead, it insisted on dredging up vivid memories of exactly why Gabe was in WITSEC.
Ellie remembered the knots in her gut when she’d learned Kingsley had kidnapped Jillian, using the file clerk as bait to lure Ellie to his lair.
Ellie’s Audi Q3 bumped down the dirt driveway off Clements Ferry Road, teeth clenched as the Master’s voice guided her back to the warehouse where his sick obsession with her first started when she was only fifteen years old. The rusted-out, sagging metal structure loomed on the hill, conjuring reminders of the time she’d spent trapped inside.
As she approached the building, a chill swept over her. The Master is only a man, she reminded herself before pressing on. She had no choice but to continue. That monster had Jillian.
When she first stepped into the shadowy interior, she was as good as blind. The only light flickered from a single, bare bulb. She waited for her eyes to adjust while, from within the darkness, a steady drip-drip of water pinged the floor. Over time, shadows formed into murky objects, so she eased forward, her hand hovering near her holster. A metal table solidified in her path first, then a human-shaped figure.
That was how Ellie discovered her best friend. Unconscious. Her head listing to one side, and her mouth slack.
But the rope cinched around Jillian’s neck was the detail that struck true fear into Ellie’s heart. That, and the audible click of the complicated pulley mechanism the Master had created, which tightened the rope every thirty seconds.
Goose bumps flared at the unwanted memory. Ellie rubbed her hands up and down her arms, soothing the prickly flesh. The truth proved more difficult to banish. If she hadn’t shown up to rescue Jillian, her friend would have slowly strangled to death.
The high-pitched rasp of Gabe’s breathing softened and slowed, alerting Ellie that he’d be ready to talk soon. She listened with half an ear while her mind wandered to the other person who’d nearly killed her. A man she’d trusted with all her secrets…Dr. Powell.
During Ellie’s attempt to rescue Jillian, she’d believed the middle-aged and very kind Dr. Powell was an ally. If it hadn’t been for Gabe rushing in to shoot the doctor as Powell pretended to help Ellie free her friend, both Ellie and Jillian would be six feet under right now. The mild-mannered doctor had fooled them all, working out of the Charleston PD office as the resident police psychologist for years. No one had been the wiser.
Proof that evil came camouflaged in a variety of ways.
Ellie’s hand curled around the dresser’s edge at the memory of all those times she’d spent in Dr. Powell’s office, revealing her innermost thoughts and fears. Never once suspecting that he was part of the nightmare of her past or that he passed every bit of private information she shared straight to Kingsley.
Gabe was the reason Dr. Powell was dead, and Ellie was free. Kingsley would never forgive his former assistant for that. Or forget.
Ellie straightened from the dresser and began circling her room, her tension mounting with each passing moment it took for Gabe to calm enough to explain.
“I went to the mailbox this afternoon, and I found a box.” Gabe whispered as if he was worried the boogeyman might be lurking right around the corner, eavesdropping. “It was from him. Kingsley.”
Although she’d already suspected it to be the case, Ellie’s stomach still tightened when she heard the name. If Gabe was right, that meant Kingsley was back in action. “Are you sure?”
“The address was in his handwriting. I worked with him long enough to recognize it immediately. And…there was a bird inside.”
When no further explanation came, Ellie’s gaze returned to her dresser, as if an answer might materialize, genie-like, from one of her perfume bottles lining the top. “A bird? I’m sorry, I’m not following you.”
“I started bird-watching as a hobby, something to pass the time. I was even considering joining the local Audubon society until I opened the box.” Gabe broke off, his breath a harsh rasp in Ellie’s ear. “The bird was dead. Its eyes stabbed out and throat sliced.”
“Kingsley.” His name was like knives leaving Ellie’s mouth.
“Yes. He knows, Ellie. I don’t know how, but he does. My new identity and where I live, even my new hobby. For all I know, he’s watching me as we speak, getting ready to grab me any second and punish me for turning on him.”
Ellie chewed her lower lip. Gabe was right. There was a chance Kingsley planned to grab him any second now, but somehow, she doubted it. A quick capture wasn’t exactly Kingsley’s style.
“I don’t think so. There’s a distinct possibility that he’s holed up somewhere miles away from you, recovering from his injuries. He could have easily sent a lackey to do this kind of dirty work. Plus, we both know how much Kingsley enjoys playing his twisted little games. It’s likely that he’s content deriving pleasure from toying with you.”
She didn’t add, for now. Gabe was worked up enough without her fanning the flames of his fear.
Gabe, though, knew Kingsley well. He said the words for her. “For now.”
Ellie pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, trying to think this all the way through. “Walk me through your steps these past couple of weeks. Who have you had contact with? In-person and electronically.”
Seconds ticked by before Gabe replied. “No one. I go to a coffee house to order and say thank you to the barista, check out books at the local library, bird-watching, but that’s, uh, that’s about it. It’s not like I moved here to join clubs and make new friends.”
There was an unusual cadence to his speech that struck Ellie as odd. A little hiccup, followed by a rise in pitch. She frowned, then shrugged the oddity off as nerves. Or something to delve into further when Gabe’s alarm bells weren’t ringing so loud.
“I’m not accusing you of anything, Gabe.” She kept her voice slow and even. “These are questions that need to be asked.”
“You think I wanted to give Kingsley the chance to find me? I know I didn’t recognize how truly horrifying he was when I first worked for him, but I promise, I’m not stupid.” Gabe’s tone softened this time, to the point that he almost sounded sad. “How do you think he found me?”
Ellie was already racking her brain over the same question. If Gabe was telling the truth—and she had no reason to suspect he wasn’t—then how had Kingsley tracked him down? That was a mystery that needed quick solving.
“I’m not sure, but trust me, I’ll do everything in my power to find out.”
“I know you will.”
His simple declaration of confidence tugged at Ellie’s heart. The hand pressed to her forehead fell away, and she straightened her spine. She would get to the bottom of this. She’d been the one to arrange for Gabe to go into WITSEC, which made her responsible for what happened to him. Dammed if she’d let Kingsley hurt another person on her watch.
“For now, stay put. Forget your lattes, books, forget going for a walk. Stay locked inside and keep your eyes peeled. I’ll call you back as soon as we have a plan. If anything else happens, no matter how small it might seem, call me immediately. Me. No one else.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’m talking to anyone else, so you’re the only one I can call.” Gabe gave a nervous little laugh. “If there’s any way you could please pick up quicker next time, though, I’d really appreciate it.”
Ellie shot a guilty look into her mirror. She looked pale. Heck, she felt pale.
“Sorry about that. I turned my ringer off before a work meeting, and I must have forgotten to turn it back on. I promise to answer right away next time.”
After a few more encouraging words, Ellie hung up, her mind spinning as it struggled to process what Gabe had told her. She needed a plan. Quickly. Lucky for her, she had her own planning committee conveniently seated at the dinner table down the hall.
Despite the seriou
sness of Gabe’s call, Ellie found herself smiling a little bit as she rushed from her bedroom. If she knew that trio as well as she suspected she did, they were sitting on pins and needles, trading ideas on who was important enough to pull Ellie away from her food. All three of them, nosy as hell when it came to her life.
Their interest grew once they’d started sharing Ellie’s apartment, a roommate situation she owed to the bomb that destroyed her Audi. Ellie had hired private security, but both Jacob and Clay insisted on staying on as additional protection. That worked perfectly for Ellie. If anything happened to Jillian because of her, Ellie would never forgive herself.
Jacob and Jillian had used the time together to grow even closer as a couple, whereas Ellie and Clay? Well, she wasn’t sure exactly where they stood. Ellie sighed as she retraced her steps to rejoin her friends in the dining room. That one weekend they’d shared the same bed had been wonderful, but ever since they’d returned from their trip to Florida, their relationship had grown increasingly strained.
Living together in the FBI ACTeam building hadn’t helped, but the real kicker was discovering Clay had not only agreed but actively participated in convincing Katarina to trade a prison sentence for entry into the WITSEC program. Even now, Ellie’s blood boiled, thinking about how Katarina had escaped the consequences of her crimes, but at the time? Oof. Her blowup at Clay had served as the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Only in this case, that last straw propelled Ellie and Clay back into the friend zone.
Ellie paused before she rounded the corner, twirling a red curl around her finger. Sometimes when he didn’t think she’d notice, she caught Clay staring at her with intense hunger and longing in his dark eyes, only to turn away the moment he spied her watching. She was pretty sure he wanted more than friendship, and some days, so did she. But any time she considered making the first move to tell him as much, something inside her shied away.
No, not something. Someone. Nick Greene, to be precise. Her complete failure to maintain a relationship with her ex-boyfriend had taught her a hard lesson: romantic relationships and detective careers didn’t mix. Not for her, anyway.
Lifting her chin and pulling her shoulders back, Ellie entered the dining room and paused behind her abandoned chair. Forks dropped to plates. Chatter ceased. Three pairs of eyes focused on her.
“So?” Jillian swept a stray tendril of blonde hair behind her ear, worry furrowing her brow. Ellie’s roommate and coworker spent enough time with her to read the unnatural stiffness in Ellie’s posture.
“That was Gabe Fisher. He got a package in the mail today, in Kingsley’s handwriting. Addressed to his new alias.”
Jacob swore under his breath while Clay nodded. “We were afraid this might happen,” Clay said.
“Sure, but this quick?” Jacob’s head whipped toward the special agent, making his K-9 partner release a low, worried whine from his spot on the dog bed. “Shh, it’s okay, Duke.”
Clay shrugged. “The Marshals are excellent at their jobs, but they can only protect those people who follow the rules precisely.” He met Ellie’s gaze. “Did he say he followed the rules?”
Ellie thought about the change in Gabe’s tone. “He said he did, but…” She lifted a shoulder. “It’s possible he slipped.”
Clay looked grim. “From what I understand, it happens more often than not. Plus, Kingsley has the kind of resources that most people can only dream of, and when it comes to Gabe, he’s highly motivated to seek revenge.”
Clay’s calm demeanor washed over the table. Not for the first time, Ellie found herself grateful for the FBI agent’s quiet confidence, a trait she attributed to his work on the bureau’s anti-trafficking coordination team.
Clay’s ACTeam role was what drew them together in the first place. Fortis assigned Ellie to help the agent with a cold case involving a runaway named Charity, which led to a wild chase to capture a serial killer, and ended with a dark web auction organized by Katarina Volkov herself.
Jillian pushed the remnants of her chicken curry around her plate, trailing yellow streaks across the white paper. The grooves above her nose grew more prominent, a sure sign that she was deep in thought. “You know, one of my old friends from college is in the Marshals’ Washington office. Her name is Mirabel Green. We don’t keep in close contact or anything, but we do touch base once every year or so. You want me to reach out to her and ask if she might be able to help?”
Ellie considered Jillian’s offer for a moment before shaking her head. “Thank you, but let’s hold off on that for now. It’s good to know you have a contact in case we do end up needing an insider we can trust.”
Clay patted his mouth with a napkin. “Speaking of the Marshals, did you tell Gabe to call the marshal handling his case?”
“No, not yet. I wanted to check in with you first and make sure that was the best plan. Do you think it’s safe?” Ellie sipped her water, hating that she even had to ask that question. Leaks in any organization were possible. So were traitors. Ellie knew that to be true personally.
Clay tapped a finger to his chin as he mulled it over. “What proof do we have that there is a leak or a mole inside the U.S.M.S.?”
Jillian exchanged a glance with Jacob, her mouth twisting. “Do we need more of a reason beyond the fact that Kingsley knows Gabe’s whereabouts?”
“I don’t think that’s enough of a reason to jump to any conclusions. With Kingsley’s network, there’s no telling how he got the information.” Ellie rubbed her aching temples. “We know that he’s had moles in the Charleston police department, though, so who’s to say the informant isn’t from an outside agency? Or a computer hacker?”
“I agree. And even if there is a leak somewhere, the chance that Gabe’s personal marshal is involved is slim. In my mind, that play would be way too risky and obvious.” Clay lifted his eyebrows at Ellie. His subtle way of asking if she agreed.
Ellie nodded. “Right, and for better or worse, the local marshals are Gabe’s best shot at protection for now.” She picked up her phone and redialed the last number, hitting a button to switch the call to speaker.
The phone only rang once before Gabe picked up. “Ellie?”
“Yeah. Listen, I need you to call your marshal as soon as we hang up and tell him what happened.”
“Okay, I can do that.” Gabe’s ragged intake of breath filled the dining room. “Does that mean I have to move again?”
Ellie sought Clay’s gaze across the table. She caught the inclination of his head, which confirmed her own instincts. “I’m afraid so. It’s not safe for you to stay there, now that he knows where you are. We need to set you up with a new name and house as soon as we possibly can.”
Gabe cleared his throat. “What if I don’t want to? What if I’m okay taking my chances here?”
The sudden increase in Gabe’s volume made Ellie frown.
Clay leaned forward, a growing storm clouding his eyes. “Pardon my French, but why the ever-loving hell would you want to stay there, knowing that Kingsley has your location locked and loaded?” The FBI agent’s voice was soft. Dangerously so.
Silence followed, broken only by Sam’s whimper as she twitched on her dog bed next to Duke, chasing imaginary bunnies in her dreams.
Ellie fisted her hands tightly in her lap as her suspicions grew. “Gabe? Is there something you need to tell us?”
Clay obviously had the same suspicions. “Now isn’t the time to hold anything back. Not if you’d like to keep on breathing.”
At Clay’s sharp reminder of what was at stake, Gabe let out a low moan. “I met someone, okay? I know, I was stupid and didn’t follow the rules. I’d say I’m sorry, but that would be a lie. He’s decent and smart, and the thought of picking up and leaving and never seeing him again breaks my heart.”
Clay and Jacob groaned in unison. Ellie dropped her face into her hands. Oh Gabe, what did you do? She felt bad for him, but at the same time, she wondered how he could be so reckless.
Clay pinched the bridge of his nose. “Am I dreaming, or did you tell Ellie a few minutes ago that you hadn’t met anyone?”
“I said that because I didn’t want to move, but now I guess it’s happening anyway.” Gabe sighed over the line. “It’s not my fault that Kingsley found me, so how is it fair that I have to upend my life all over again?”
Clay dragged a hand through his short, dark hair and waited for Gabe to reach the inevitable conclusion. They all waited.
Gabe’s sigh lasted longer this time. “Right. Life isn’t fair. I should know this better than anyone.”
Ellie’s heart twinged. “I’m sorry, Gabe, because you’re right. It’s not fair. We understand that, but unfortunately, the facts don’t factor fairness into consideration. Your safety has to come first. Now, walk us through your movements over the past few weeks again, and please, don’t leave anything out this time. We can’t keep you safe unless you’re completely honest.”
The next few minutes were spent listening to Gabe recite his movements and periodically responding to questions that Ellie, Clay, or Jacob decided to ask. By the time they finished this round of inquiries, Ellie felt confident that Gabe had shared everything he remembered.
“Thank you, Gabe. That was very helpful. Now, listen closely. As soon as I hang up, call your marshal like we discussed. Then, once you hang up with them, I need you to remove the SIM card and battery from your phone. From now on, only contact me with a burner phone.” Ellie paused to give Gabe a chance to process her instructions. “Did you catch all that or should I go through it again?”
“No, I understand. Call the Marshals, then remove the SIM card and battery.” He sounded on the verge of tears.
Once they said their goodbyes and she ended the call, Ellie leaned back into her chair with a loud exhale that transitioned into a groan.
Jillian studied her. “So, now what?”
“Now, I ask Fortis for permission to fly to Portland. If Kingsley is monitoring Gabe, that means he might be lurking somewhere nearby, and I want to be there if he is.” Ellie inhaled deeply before meeting each of her friends’ eyes in turn. “I need to be the one to take that bastard down, once and for all.”