Lethal Memory (A Counterstrike Novel Book 2)

by Jannine Gallant

  “I have eyes on the neighbor. An older woman upstairs changing the sheets on a bed.” GQ’s voice spoke in his ear. “Chances are good you can get in and out unobserved.”

  “Once you’re in position, I’ll knock on the front door and hopefully draw that asshole out to check the peephole.” Luna’s voice was tight.

  “Copy that.” Wolf responded quietly. “We’re on the move.”

  Noah pulled his lockpick case from his pocket as he approached the neighbor’s door. It took him thirty seconds to jimmy the lock. As they hurried down the hallway toward the back of the house, an orange striped cat strolled out of the living room and rubbed against his ankles.

  “At least it isn’t a barking dog,” Wolf murmured.

  A door off the dining room opened into a small garden. Pushing the cat back inside with his foot, Noah stepped out onto the brick patio. A high wood fence lined with azaleas enclosed the small space. Bending, Wolf cupped his hands and boosted Noah up onto the top of the fence. He hooked one leg over the rough boards and bent to grip his buddy’s hand. With a tug, he pulled him up beside him, and they jumped down to the ground, landing in the brittle leaves scattered beneath a bare maple.

  “We’re in the backyard.” Noah spoke into his mouthpiece. Staying low, he ran up to the pair of French doors and stooped to examine the lock. “The alarm is set. No one visible inside.”

  “Approaching the front door now,” Luna responded. “I’ll create a scene. Maybe he’ll disarm the doors in order to get rid of me.”

  Noah clenched his hands into tight fists. “If not, we’ll have to risk giving up the element of surprise. One way or the other, this ends now.”

  * * * *

  “Do you have what you need to make the serum?” Wagner stood in the doorway, a scowl drawing his brows together. “The answer better be yes, or I’m shooting the old man now. My patience has reached an end.”

  “I have it,” Charles answered. “All I need is time in a lab.”

  “Finally.” Some of the tension seemed to drain out of him before Wagner turned his gaze on Riley. “Now, to deal with you.”

  “Let my grandfather go. Even if he does mention your name, no one will believe he isn’t simply confused.”

  “While that may be true, I can’t risk the attention. Sorry, Riley.” He pointed with the revolver. “Back into the living room with Clement.”

  Instead of following orders, she faced Charles. “You intend to go along with his plan to kill me? No arguing? Nothing?”

  “I’ve pleaded your case more times than I can count. He’ll shoot me if I don’t cooperate.” Charles stuffed his shaking hands into his pockets. “I wish there was another way, but—”

  The melodic chime of the doorbell interrupted him. Riley’s pulse leapt, and she gripped the edge of the desk.

  “What the hell?” Stepping farther into the office, Wagner grabbed her arm to drag her across the hall. “Let’s go. Now! If you open your mouth, I’ll shoot you where you stand and take my chances.”

  Riley let him pull her into the living room as the bell rang again. If Scarlet had sent the police, wouldn’t they announce their presence or simply break down the door? Still, she had to use any distraction to her advantage.

  “Get in there with them, Charles.” Wagner hurried to the front door. “It’s a woman. I expect she’ll go away if we don’t answer.”

  The bell rang again, and fists thumped the door. “Hey, let me in. I forgot my key.” The voice was muffled but familiar.

  Luna! Which means Noah is nearby.

  Barely able to contain her excitement, Riley ran toward the front windows and pulled open the curtains.

  “Hey! I don’t think—”

  Spinning around she glared at Charles and pressed a finger to her lips.

  “What’s going on, Riley. Who’s at the door?” Her grandfather rose to his feet. “Can we leave now?”

  She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the window. Ignoring Charles, she rushed toward the doorway.

  “Stop right there.” Wagner pushed her back into the room with the barrel of his gun and shut the door as an alarm blared.

  “That woman must have found her key and set off the alarm.” Charles’s face had lost all its color. “If she comes in here—”

  “I don’t know who the hell she is, but she doesn’t live with Ralph and Hazel. Get out there and tell her you’re housesitting for the Coates.”

  “But—”

  “Use your head and don’t panic. Just get rid of her.”

  Charles nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. He opened the door, stepped out into the entry, and pushed it shut behind him.

  “If you yell, I’ll kill that woman along with the two of you.” Wagner shoved her grandfather out of the way, grabbed her around the waist, and held the gun to her head. “Don’t be stupid, Riley.”

  “Let us go. You can’t leave our dead bodies in your friend’s house and simply walk away. Your fingerprints are all over this place.”

  “Shut up!” When the door opened slowly, he tightened his grip.

  Charles stood in the doorway, eyes wide. He opened his mouth and then shut it without speaking.

  “Did she leave?” Wagner’s loud question fell into deadening silence as the alarm shut off.

  Noah followed Charles into the room, his revolver trained on the older man. “It’s over. Let go of Riley. Now!”

  Pulling her more fully in front of him, Wagner shook his head. “You try to shoot me, and you risk hitting her. I don’t think you’ll take the shot.”

  “You won’t get out of here alive.” Noah spoke calmly. “Giving up now is the only way you survive. Make the smart choice.”

  “As long as I have her, I have leverage.” His voice escalated. “Out of my way.”

  Noah looked straight into her eyes and gave a slight tilt of his head to the right. Riley jerked sideways as glass shattered. Wagner released his grip and pitched forward onto the floor. Falling to her knees, she stared in horror at the hole in the back of the man’s skull.

  “He’s down.” Noah pushed past Charles and kicked the gun out of the way as Wolf and Luna entered the room. Kneeling beside Riley, he gripped her shoulders. “Are you okay? There’s blood on the side of your face.”

  She touched her cheek and blinked at the smear of red on her fingertips. “His, not mine.” Nausea surged up the back of her throat, hot and burning, and the room swayed around her.

  Noah pushed her head down and wrapped an arm around her back. “Breathe through your nose, babe. I’ve got you.”

  Somehow, she managed not to puke, and after a moment, the darkness receded. When she opened her eyes, Luna was leading her grandfather out of the room, speaking quietly to him. Wolf fastened a pair of handcuffs around Charles’ wrists before pulling his phone from his pocket to make a call.

  Riley avoided looking at the fallen man. “I didn’t hear a shot.”

  “GQ used a silencer. Opening those curtains was a smart move on your part.”

  Gripping Noah’s arm, she rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around his waist. Pressing her face against his chest, she simply held on. “Is it finally over?”

  “It’s over. You’re safe.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before urging her out into the entry.

  “Riley?” Her grandfather’s voice shook as he cupped his palm over her shoulder.

  “I’m okay, Grandpa.” Turning in Noah’s arms, she forced a smile, wishing she could erase the fear and confusion clouding her grandpa’s expression. “We’re both going to be just fine.”

  Tears dampened his eyes as he met Noah’s gaze. “Thank you for coming, young man. She means everything in the world to me.”

  “To me, too.” Noah reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I love your granddaughter more than I can say.”

  He nodded. “Can we go home now? I have chores to do, and the cows don’t like to be kept waiting.”

  Riley’s smile faded. “Soon,
grandpa. We’ll go home soon.”

  * * * *

  Riley stood on her toes to kiss her grandfather’s cheek. “Good night grandpa. I’ll be by to see you soon.” She glanced over at Noah and smiled. “We both will. Maybe we’ll take a drive out of the city since the weather’s supposed to be cold but sunny through the weekend.”

  “I’d like to take a trip up to New Hampshire. At dinner, Eli said he needs a new manager to keep an eye on his estate. Sounds like the place has plenty of room to plant a garden in the spring, and I’m tired of being cooped up in this little apartment.”

  “I know you are.” Riley squeezed his arm. “You’re doing amazingly well since the last treatment, but let’s give it a few months before we discuss moving you out of Harbor House.”

  His eyes twinkled as he regarded her. “I can wait until after Christmas. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds like something we’ll talk about later.”

  Noah grinned. “You know your granddaughter. She likes to weigh the pros and cons before committing to a decision.”

  “But once she does, she’s all in.”

  Warmth filled her as the two men she loved more than anything shared a moment of complete understanding. “True, but right now, I’m committed to going home and getting some sleep. I’m exhausted after cooking for the entire Counterstrike team. Not that I wasn’t glad to do it after everything they did for us.”

  “The turkey was excellent.” Her grandpa rubbed his stomach. “So was the pumpkin pie. I’m fuller than a tick.”

  “That’s what Thanksgiving is all about. Eating too much and spending time with family and friends.” She turned to smile at Noah. “I’m sorry none of your family could join us, but at least you and your brother are talking again.”

  “We had a couple of conversations.”

  She gave him an encouraging look. “Hey, it’s a start.”

  “I suppose. At least he agreed to get some help for his alcohol addiction.”

  Her grandpa cleared his throat. “Everyone had a real good time.” He rested his hand on her shoulder. “Go home and get some rest. Take care of my girl, Noah.”

  “I always will. Good night, Clement.” Noah shut the door behind them and took Riley’s hand as they walked down the hallway. “He’s doing amazingly well.”

  She glanced up and smiled. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am about his progress.” She paused at the front desk to sign out. “Have a good evening, Tanis. I hope you got to eat some turkey.”

  The receptionist buzzed them through the door. “I did, and my boyfriend stopped by to have dinner with me. After what happened to you and your grandfather, I’m sure glad you were both around for the holiday.”

  Noah held the door open. “We all are. Happy Thanksgiving, Tanis.”

  “Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.”

  Outside, they hurried through the chilly evening air to reach her car. Once inside, he turned to face her as she stuck the keys in the ignition. “I was wrong.”

  “Huh?” Riley stared at him. “About what?”

  “Thinking you should wait until the official trials started to treat your grandfather. The final changes to the formula have made all the difference. I’d say he’s recovered at least eighty percent of his functionality.”

  “I’ve been holding my breath, hoping he won’t relapse this time. It’s been two weeks, and he’s still showing no signs of regression.”

  “Which is why I shouldn’t have pushed you to wait. Not that you listened to me.”

  Reaching across the console, she touched his arm. “I will always value your opinion. Never doubt that. I just couldn’t stand to see him sinking further into confusion. I was willing to take a calculated risk.” She let out a breath. “Even though it terrified me.”

  “You weighed the pros and cons and made a decision.” Noah repeated his earlier comment. “I trust your judgement.” His eyes softened. “Let’s go home. Your place or mine?”

  “Yours, since Stormy is there. Besides, we still need to finish cleaning up the kitchen after that feast.” She started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.

  “I bet Scarlet did it before they left.”

  Riley glanced over and grinned. “I’d be afraid to wash dishes wearing that rock Eli gave her. That’s some ring.”

  “I’m glad she finally agreed to his proposal. Those two are great together.”

  “They really are.” An easy silence filled the warm interior of the car as she drove through the city streets. When they reached his home, she parked and turned off the engine. “You seem to have something on your mind. Care to share?”

  “Let’s go inside first.”

  He waited on the sidewalk until she reached his side and then clasped her hand in his as they strolled up the walk.

  “You sound so serious.”

  “Maybe I feel like settling a few things.”

  Riley’s stomach did a little flip as she wondered what was bothering him. After he unlocked the door and pushed it open, she rubbed Stormy’s ears when her dog ran up to greet them. “I told you we’d be back soon, girl.”

  A single light glowed in the living room, and the fire had burned low in the grate. Releasing her hand, Noah bent to throw another log on the fire. “Have a seat and let’s talk.”

  “You’re making me nervous.” Riley dropped onto the couch cushion, and Stormy curled up at her feet.

  Noah sat beside her. “Why? You know I love you.”

  “Yes, I do.” She slid closer when he wrapped his arm around her. “I love you, too. I can’t believe I’ve only known you a little over a month. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  “Me, either, but we both have demanding jobs. Coordinating schedules won’t be quite so easy once you go back to teaching and start supervising those trials.”

  “We’ll make time for each other.” She rested her palm on his thigh. “Dr. Ernst is helping with all the government reports, and I’ll have my pick of grad students for the hands-on work with patients since the university kicked Charles out of the graduate program.”

  “The kid should be in jail along with that dirty cop, Connolly.” Noah’s voice hardened. “Might as well lock Brasher up, too, since he was too stupid to realize his own partner was the one feeding Wagner information.”

  “She was in debt up to her ears, and Wagner offered her a way out.” Riley let out a sigh. “Charles may very well do time, depending on what a judge decides, but I feel sorry for him. He made bad choices and got in over his head in a situation he couldn’t control. Still, he never wanted me to get hurt.”

  “He was willing to sacrifice you to save himself. That’s unforgivable in my book.”

  Riley stroked his cheek. “Most men don’t have your courage.”

  Noah shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but we seem to have gotten off topic.”

  She smiled. “What were we talking about?”

  “Us. Spending time together.” He pulled her across his lap and bent to kiss her. When he finally came up for air, his voice was gruff. “I’m tired of asking your place of mine. I want one home, with you.”

  Her heart swelled with happiness. “You want me to move in with you?”

  “For a start. This house is bigger than yours, but your drive to work will be longer.”

  “I don’t care.” She drew his face down to kiss him again, and her whole body heated. “I can’t imagine anything better than waking up with you every morning.”

  “Unless it’s going to bed with you every night. I love you, Riley.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He stroked her hair, burying his fingers in the silky strands. “I didn’t exactly come prepared for this conversation.”

  “What do you mean?” She snuggled in, pressing her cheek against his warm neck.

  He picked up her hand. “That giant diamond Scarlet was wearing tonight.”

  Riley jerked back and stared at him. “I don’t need a proposal.”

/>   “You don’t?”

  She laughed softly. “Not yet.”

  He squeezed her tight. “Give me some time, and I’ll do it right.”

  “You’ve done everything right from the very beginning. You’ve given me all I could ever want and then some.”

  He kissed her with a depth of emotion that filled her heart with fierce joy before smiling down at her.

  “Here’s to you and me making beautiful memories together. Always.”

  Coming Soon

  Imminent Danger

  Book Three in the Counterstrike Series

  Can they rekindle their love before a killer strikes?

  Brody Grant had it all—wealth, the woman of his dreams, and a young son he loved more than life. But his world came crashing down the day River was kidnapped and murdered. Torn apart by grief, he creates Counterstrike, a covert team of highly trained operatives whose sole mission is to rescue kidnap victims.

  After losing her only child, Arden Grant tried to pick up the pieces and go on. But her husband is distant, immersed in his perilous quest to save others. Leaving Brody to live in the backwoods of Vermont, she searches for solace in simplicity.

  Brody finds fulfillment in his work, even if he can’t forget the only woman he ever loved. Until he crosses paths with a vicious psychopath with a very personal connection. On a single-minded crusade to track down his adversary, Brody unwittingly puts Arden squarely in the crosshairs of a ruthless murderer.

  Arden wants no part of the danger her ex-husband brings into her safe but lonely world. Except neither of them can find peace until they stop a madman and put the past to rest. And maybe discover a future together they both believed was lost forever.

  About the Author

  Write what you know. Jannine Gallant has taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. A recent empty-nester, she grew up in a tiny Northern California town and currently lives in gorgeous Lake Tahoe with her husband. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Jannine enjoys hiking and snowshoeing in the woods around her home with her dog, Ginger. You’ll discover the beauty of nature woven into all her fast-paced romantic suspense novels. To find out more about this author and her books, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.