Ben looked over her face and then nodded. He had a weird smudge on his eye, like someone had hit him. He turned to Bolton. “Let’s go talk.”
Bolton looked like he wanted to argue, but he limped to the living room.
Nadia turned back to her brother. “Where’s Dauntless?”
“Watching Remy.”
“Is she okay?”
Shadrach actually smiled, even though he was talking about being separated from his dog. Evidently there really was something going on between him and the doctor/genius/hacker who had lived in Sanctuary until Tommy kidnapped her.
Shadrach’s smile never looked like a real smile to anyone else, but she’d figured out when they were fourteen that it was how he showed he was happy. “She’s doing better.”
He filled her in on Tommy’s plan, the airplane, and what he’d done to Remy.
“No,” she breathed.
“She’s healing.”
Nadia nodded. “We have to get Mom back.” She didn’t want to tell him that it was her fault their mom was being targeted, that she could even be killed because of Nadia.
“Ben cloned the phone that Bolton has, the one you used. He played me Dante’s message. Up until then I didn’t know that Ben knew where you were, or that you were fine.” Shadrach pressed his lips in a thin line then said, “That’s why he’s getting a black eye. I punched him. Apparently it’s part of the training process when you go to work for him. People usually punch him at least three times before they get off probation, so I still have two to go.”
“You didn’t know?”
He shook his head. “I knew you weren’t dead, and that you weren’t hurt badly. Those I would have known. But nothing aside from that. Ben didn’t tell me anything.” He set his hands on her shoulders, and Nadia grabbed his forearms. She’d always known when he’d been hurt in the marines. It had always been that way.
He went on. “Listen, we’re still looking into what happened in Kentucky. The reports are sketchy, and we can’t get ahold of the sheriff there. Don’t assume Dante has Mom, not until we get word for sure. There were shots on the line, right?”
She nodded.
“We think he jumped the gun, made the call before he secured the compound.”
“So he might not have mom?”
“We just don’t know at this point, okay?” He paused. “How are you?”
She didn’t want to answer that. Too much had happened since they’d last seen each other. Bolton was…she didn’t even know what Bolton was. She’d seriously liked the man and had even thought that it might develop into something more, but no. “It’s hard to believe I was so wrong.”
She caught him up on what had happened to her.
Shadrach pushed out a breath. “I suppose I should be grateful you’re alive, but I’d rather shoot him.”
“I need to know Mom is safe before I go back to Sanctuary.”
Shadrach ran a hand down his face. “We have two days until Dante’s deadline to figure out what happened in Kentucky and make a plan.”
Nadia nodded. “I’m glad you’re here.”
His face softened. “Me, too. We’ll figure out how to help mom. Don’t worry. Ben has resources you won’t even believe.”
She tried not to worry, but evidently her present to her mom for not talking to her for years was to bring a killer and his army into her life.
“I should pray for Mom, but I can barely think of what to say.”
Shadrach shifted. “Don’t look at me. I don’t know how to do that.”
Nadia grabbed his hand and mangled a request to God that her mom was safe, that Dante wasn’t going to get his way in this. She said a couple of things without thinking it through and then muttered “Amen.” It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t have to be. She had wanted the chance to explain more to her brother about her faith and what it meant to her. Praying together was one better. Thank you, Lord. She wanted Bolton to believe, just as she wanted Shadrach to believe. They were both observers in her life, the same way she was an observer in theirs.
And her actions and reactions spoke volumes.
Help me to trust You, Lord. Help them to see the comfort and hope You give me.
Nadia opened her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Sure.” Shadrach shrugged like he didn’t know what else to do.
Nadia hugged him again. “I need to do something, so let’s make dinner.”
**
Bolton sat on the patio chair without wincing. Which he should have won a prize for.
“That bad, huh?”
Ben had always been able to tell when something was up. “Just tell me that Thea and Javier are still safe. That’s all that matters at this point.”
Ben let that linger in the air. They both knew precisely what was going on with Nadia Marie and exactly how Bolton had screwed that up—even if there had only been a dream of what could be and nothing more.
Bolton said, “She’s the one who called her mom and put her in danger.”
“And it’s your job to inform her of that fact?”
Bolton looked away, at the dark of the yard beyond the patio. Nothing but black for him to stare into, the way his life had always been. Were it not for the sparks of light—Thea, at least at the beginning, what he’d had of Javier, and yes, Nadia, too—he’d have thought he was blind a long time ago.
“You made the right decision going up against Dante. We knew what it was going to cost us. That wasn’t a surprise.”
“Us?” Bolton shook his head.
“I’ve paid plenty.”
He glanced at Ben, trying to read what might be behind those words. As usual, Ben gave nothing away. But Bolton had known him long enough to have learned that the man hid a world behind what he showed people. Bolton had plenty of secrets, but Ben was more like a void. Until you dug deep and realized he cared deeply, but also compartmentalized his entire life.
“You didn’t answer about Thea and Javier.”
“When the simple fact of contacting them will put them in danger, it’s difficult to check up on them.”
“So they could be dead, and I’d never know.”
“That’s not what I said.” Ben settled on the chair beside Bolton and stretched out his right leg so that it was straight. Bolton had seen the limp, but that’d been a good six years ago before he went to Sanctuary. “I get updates. The last was a week ago. I initiated a request this morning for more up to date information.”
That was it. Bolton’s whole world consisted of Ben making requests and then emailing Bolton in Sanctuary with “all good” or some such response. All because Dante had nearly killed him and then declared he would never stop trying until Bolton and everyone he cared about was dead.
“So you’re headed for the cache?”
Bolton shook his head. “I thought you were the master of stealth and interrogation. You’re just going to ask me outright?”
“With you, I’ve discovered the direct approach is usually better.”
“If I head for it and Dante catches me, the cache is gone. I can’t risk getting it when the threat is at this level.”
“So you take care of Dante and then make a break for it. Use the cache to fund your new life on the run.”
“Are you going to come after me?”
Ben blew out a breath. “I’d like to tell you I wouldn’t have to. But what’s in that cache might be too valuable to let fall into the wrong hands.”
“That’s why I’m nowhere near it. But I will be at some point, and then I’ll disappear. Then the big bad Ben Mason will no doubt add me to some government watch list. Thirty years from now some retired CIA agent will find me sweeping the floor in a cantina and have to decide whether or not it’s worth it to him to rush the rest of his drink just for the sake of capturing me.”
Ben chuckled. “I suppose that’s one way it could go down. Is that really what you want out of your life, sweeping a floor?”
“Sounds great to me. Break up a few bar fight
s so I don’t get rusty, go home to my beach-front shack and sleep to the sound of the waves.” Bolton paused. “Do you know I haven’t heard the ocean in years? I can barely remember what it sounds like.”
“Hot air, and sand everywhere?”
Bolton rubbed his forehead. “At least tell me you’re doing something about Nadia Marie’s mother.”
“Grant was closest. He’s headed there with a team to figure out what’s happening.” Ben flipped his wrist over and looked at his watch. “Should hear something soon.”
“She’s probably dead already.”
“And you’re missing the opportunity to comfort a beautiful woman when she’s upset.”
Bolton shook his head. “You know why that’s not for me. You of all people know why I can’t even entertain the idea of a love life. I’ll never be free, not out here.”
“You weren’t free in Sanctuary, and yet you did ‘entertain the idea,’ as you put it.” Ben shrugged one shoulder. “What was the difference there that you’re so dead set against Nadia now, when she genuinely needs you?”
“She has her brother. She doesn’t need me.”
Ben blew out a breath. “Keep telling yourself that and you’ll lose any chance you had at happiness. Trust me, I know what it’s like to see the thing you want and never get the chance to grasp it for yourself. That’s not the life I want for you, Bolton. It never was. You made your own choices, but you were a good kid, and you did the right thing by Dante.”
“Because I had no other choice.”
Ben got up then. “There’s always more than one choice, Bolton.”
He went inside, leaving Bolton alone on the patio with nothing but the night and his thoughts. Never a good thing.
Every single decision Bolton had ever made was only so he could be the man he was supposed to be—to live the life he’d always wanted to live. But he hadn’t stepped on others to get there. He’d never hurt anyone to get ahead. He’d only ever made business decisions his rivals weren’t been happy with. They knew business was like that. Especially competing in the same market.
His single fix-it-up bike had ballooned into a line of custom builds he’d sold to whoever could afford the price tag. Not a big market, but it was a big payout, and they were worth it. That was when he’d found out Dante was investigating him, because Dante had money in the competition’s business.
Enter the feds, and their investigation into Dante. Or so he’d thought.
When Bolton had decided to fight Dante, Bolton had hidden a trunk of money and weapons and a flash drive that belonged to Dante. This was Bolton’s out. Everyone needed money if they wanted to fund a new life, and who cared if the money wasn’t on the up and up? He’d stolen it from someone who wasn’t innocent—not by any stretch.
Nadia didn’t understand who Bolton was or why he did the things he did. Ben barely got it, though Bolton figured the man would’ve made some different decisions given he had three brothers who loved him. Not to mention a mom who loved to stick her nose in their business.
Bolton had no one, and before he’d moved to Sanctuary he’d barely had Thea and Javier.
Not exactly happily ever after material. At least, not the kind Nadia Marie was looking for. If Shadrach knew the half of it he’d probably put a bullet in Bolton’s brain.
Bolton wouldn’t stop him.
Or blame him.
Nadia could go back to her life in Sanctuary where she’d be happy, without all the pain his life would bring her.
Bolton leaned forward and laid his face in his hands. He’d wanted her on the helicopter with him, had planned to say goodbye at the hospital before he disappeared. It was selfish, but he’d needed her because he’d honestly been scared over the surgery. Now he’d ruined any chance of leaving with any kind of goodwill between them. She would no doubt hate him forever after this, which was pretty much the story of his relationship with Thea.
Nadia was never going to forgive him. Bolton had to stay the course and hope that she managed to get over it with time. Maybe she’d even forget about him once she realized her feelings hadn’t been about who he really was. Maybe she’d find someone else in Sanctuary. That pastor guy, Dan Walden, was nice enough. It could go somewhere.
Pain ripped through him that had nothing to do with Bolton’s injury.
In thirty or forty years, when it still hurt that he’d walked away from her, Bolton was going to wake up and realize he’d done the wrong thing. But what would be the point of regret when there was no way to change it? What was done, was done.
Nadia hated him.
“Bolton.”
At Ben’s call he got up and came back inside. Shadrach stood beside his sister. A stack of grilled cheese sandwiches were plated on the counter beside her.
“It’s not dinner,” Ben said. “Grant called me back. The compound is a mess, four dead. No one knows where the sheriff is, and their mom is missing.”
Chapter 9
Nadia walked beside her brother down the airplane stairs. The limp in Bolton’s stride had gotten worse through the journey by plane. From a tiny airport fifty miles outside Seattle all the way to Denver, where they’d disembarked the private jet. But that didn’t explain why Shadrach glared at him.
A SUV pulled up in front of them, and a man climbed out. He tossed Ben a set of keys and strode to the plane. On the back of the SUV was one of those stickers indicating the family who owned this car had two parents, three girls, and two identical little boys. Nadia climbed in the back seat beside Shadrach and sat on something. A DVD case. She picked it up and it fell open. Finding Nemo and Max and Ruby. She tossed the case on the floor. The seats smelled like Happy Meals. Ben drove them downtown and parked in an underground garage that was empty except for three older, nondescript cars.
Up the elevator.
The hall was dark until Ben hit a switch. He walked halfway down, and Shadrach nudged her. He motioned to Ben, who opened the door on a junction box. Instead of throwing a breaker, Ben put his hand inside. A blue light scanned from top to bottom, and the door at the end of the hall clicked open.
“Pretty cool, right?” Shadrach was excited, but the usual streak of nerd he hid below the marine persona was subdued.
Shadrach grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Nadia didn’t let go as they walked into the office, a drab and completely impersonal space that consisted of a cubical farm with no workers and doors on every wall—all closed. The far end of the room was lit by a single fluorescent light that blinked. Under that light was the only open door.
Ben walked in first, this casual air of lethality evident in him that was almost mirrored in both Bolton and Shadrach.
A woman sat at a computer in the conference room.
“Remy.” Shadrach breathed her name like it was a prayer, a fact Nadia made a mental note to ask him about later. Dauntless got up and trotted over to them. He went to Shadrach’s left side and sat, so he was almost leaned against her brother’s leg. Shadrach reached down. “Good boy, Dauntless.”
Nadia Marie scratched the dog on the way past. “Remy!”
Remy smiled, the red-rimmed glasses she’d worn in Sanctuary gone now. “Nadia Marie. It’s good to see you.”
Nadia leaned back from the hug. “How are you?”
Remy pressed her lips together and nodded. “Better.” Nadia smiled. After what Remy had been through, better was good. “You?”
Nadia didn’t even know where to start with answering that. She wasn’t going to say “fine.” Not when it wouldn’t be true.
“We’re good.” Bolton slumped into a chair with a wince. “Mostly.”
“You had the surgery!” Remy hopped up and raced to Bolton. She got him to lean forward and lifted the back of his shirt. The doctor was in.
How anyone’s brain could hold a medical degree, everything anyone could possibly know about hacking, and the smarts to do genetic research and engineering, was a total mystery to Nadia. But that was Remy.
Nadia glanced at Shadrac
h, who watched the pair with wary eyes. There was something there. Not quite a longing, but close to it. They had some kind of previously established connection. Remy had lived in Sanctuary, and Shadrach had known her before he showed up there. Nadia didn’t know much about them, but it looked sort of like he wanted to punch Bolton, throw Remy over his shoulder, and walk out—which pretty much equaled Shadrach being in love with the woman.
Nadia wondered if Remy even knew how deep his feelings went.
“The doctor did a good job.” Remy cleared her throat. “Before he was murdered by that other guy.”
Bolton straightened. “Glad you think so, doc.”
Remy started to ask him questions, while Ben wandered to another man Nadia hadn’t noticed. He sat at the far end of a conference table with a laptop. Ben leaned down, and they had a low conversation she couldn’t hear. Shadrach leaned his head close to hers. “That’s Will. He’s on Ben’s staff. Tech support.”
Nadia nodded. “And the guy driving the SUV at the airport?”
“Operational support.”
Remy clapped. “Let’s get started.” She sat back at her spot at the conference table and brought up a series of images on a wall screen. “This is what we have so far. A list of Dante’s known associates, all of whom we are running down via cell phone GPS to obtain their whereabouts and find out if they’re working with the man in question.”
Bolton studied the screen of pictures. Nadia didn’t recognize them, but most looked like those serial killer or terrorist photos on the news.
He said, “What about current DEA agents that could be sympathetic? Old colleagues he could contact for help?”
Remy clicked her mouse. “That’s the next page.”
The image switched to four men.
“Bottom right.”
Remy glanced at him. “You’re sure?”
Bolton nodded.
“Tristan Sanders is only on the list because he was Dante’s partner. We have no reason to believe he was dirty other than by association. In fact, we think he had no part in it. Otherwise there’d be more evidence.”
Sanctuary Deceived WITSEC Town Series Book 4 Page 9