“That was before a shot was fired. I don’t need a bodyguard. That’s a damn order, Agent Romano,” she snapped. She slung the laptop bag over her shoulder and took the cases out of his hands. She knew how important it was for them to be kept safe. He stuffed the car keys into her fleece pocket and zipped it up.
“Be careful. There may be others out there. We’ll meet you at the Suburban.” Romano took off at a run in the direction Novak had taken.
Charlotte nodded and pulled out the sat phone, but when she tried to turn it on, the screen declared it was out of juice. Eban had charged them all last night so she must have taken a dud.
“Dammit.” She gritted her teeth as she picked up the two unwieldy steel boxes and chose speed over stealth. She kept low and stayed within the banks of the creek as she jogged down the hill. Presumably, the shooter would be making their escape from Novak and Romano if they had any sense.
Her heart thumped a little harder than usual as adrenaline flowed. Nothing like getting shot at to wake you up. A bird took off in fright from a tree overhanging the stream. She swung around, fear drumming her chest. Unseen eyes seemed to follow her progress, and she hoped it was only her overactive imagination coming out to play, or maybe the knowledge there were surveillance cameras in the woods to the west. She adjusted her grip on the cases, but the muscles in her hands and wrists were sore and needed a rest. She paused beside a big conifer, trying to hear over the rush of blood through her ears.
Who’d taken a shot at them? Were there more shooters out there? She checked the sat phone again, turning it off and on. Nothing.
It seemed quiet enough, but Charlotte couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched. She reached down for the cases again, wishing she had another hand with which to hold her weapon. She started trotting down the side of the creek bed again, concentrating on not slipping or twisting an ankle on the occasional patches of icy mud.
A man stepped out from behind a tree twenty feet in front of her, and she slammed to a stop. He pointed a rifle straight at her chest, finger curled around the trigger.
“You need to put the gun down, sir,” she instructed firmly.
“Now why’d I want to do that, little lady?” He spoke with a drawl, but Charlotte couldn’t pinpoint the accent beyond the US.
She forced her racing thoughts to slow. Panic was a waste of energy. Ask open-ended questions. Make him feel like he was being heard. Paraphrase his comments. Work in a few emotional labels.
Did he know she was an FBI agent? Her fleece covered her ID, ballistics vest, and the weapon on her hip. Nor was she dressed in business attire which was normally a dead giveaway.
She didn’t know. “You live around here?”
Was he from the compound? He didn’t look like an environmentalist. He didn’t answer her question.
“Know anything about that gunshot I heard a few minutes ago?”
He didn’t say anything, but something flickered in his eyes.
She was doing a terrible job of getting him to talk. She decided to mislabel an emotion to draw out an emotion. “I realize you’re scared of me—”
His face scrunched in disbelief. “Scared of you? I’m not scared of you.” He took a step forward and lowered the gun a few inches.
“Then I don’t understand why you’re pointing a gun at an innocent woman, sir?”
The gun lowered another few inches, but it was still pointed straight at her. If it went off it would take a miracle to miss her at this distance. His eyes ranged from her bobble hat down to her boots as if he couldn’t quite figure her out.
His gaze focused on the two cases she held. “Put the cases on the ground and the laptop with it.”
“The cases?” she mirrored, stalling for time.
She didn’t know if the guy was from Eagle Mountain or an outsider. Either way, he should not be here. Someone had messed up.
“Those things in your hands. You stupid or something?”
She raised her arms a little. “Are you intending to rob me, sir? Am I being mugged?”
If he had any inkling of a moral code, the words should have made him pause.
The man’s expression tightened.
“Why do you want these?” She took a couple of steps closer. Novak and Romano had gone haring off in the other direction because that was where the shot had come from. Had it been a deliberate act to split them up or had this guy outmaneuvered the two HRT operatives?
“Drop them on the ground and step away.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“None of your business.”
“I beg to differ under the circumstances.” Her tone was non-judgmental.
He brought the gun up and took a step toward her. Spoke between gritted teeth. “Put. The. Cases. Down. And. Step. Away!”
The words hung loudly in the air.
She hoped Novak and Romano heard the guy yelling at her. She licked her lips nervously and took another step closer to the wrong end of that gun barrel.
“Fine. Fine. But you have to be careful with them else you’ll break them.” She laid both cases gently on the ground as if the contents were eggshell-fragile, before taking a few steps back. He moved forward and glanced down.
This was going to be interesting. How did he expect to keep pointing that rifle at her and pick up the cases? The only answer to that conundrum was if he shot her.
Yikes.
His expression hardened, and his finger started to tighten.
“Of course, you’ll need the combination to open them to get rid of the tracking beacons if you hope to get away with this.”
He looked confused for a second. “You’re bluffing.”
“Dude, if you have any idea what you’re trying to steal, then you know there will be added layers of security.” In reality, she had no idea if there were trackers inside the boxes but the important thing was, he was about to lower the rifle.
Or maybe not. “Get over here and unlock these things. First, toss the Glock.” He indicated the woods.
Damn. She couldn’t afford for someone to steal the boxes even if the actual drones were gone. Confidential operating instructions and specifications were inside, not to mention the military-grade encrypted laptop. She couldn’t afford for this guy to even know the boxes housed a drone. Maybe he hadn’t seen Romano flying the machines. Maybe he was simply taking the opportunity to rob her.
She slowly removed her weapon with her fingertips and tossed it away. She approached him, looking for weakness. He was a heavy-set man about six feet tall. Gray-blue eyes and a ginger beard.
She wasn’t stronger than he was, but she didn’t have to be. She was probably faster. And, unless he was a martial arts master, better trained.
“What do you want this stuff for, anyway?” She leaned over the case and made it look like she was about to open the thing. Not that she could, because it turned out there was a biometric lock on it. Excellent.
She didn’t wait for a reply. She sensed more than saw him take a breath. Her fingers closed around the handle of the laptop bag, and she whirled, shoving the gun barrel to the side with one hand while at the same time connecting the bag solidly to his temple. The rifle went off, but she didn’t let go of the hot barrel. She dropped the bag and straight-armed her free palm into his nose, causing a gush of blood to pour from his broken snout. He cried out as his head went back, but Charlotte didn’t relent, wouldn’t relent until he was disarmed and no longer a threat. She brought her knee hard into his crotch and head-butted him when he jerked forward. He finally let go of the rifle but tried to grab her around the waist. She smashed the side of her fist into his ear, and he toppled to his knees, groping for his weapon. She kicked, connecting her shin to his jaw and, finally, he went down.
Charlotte snatched the rifle away from his fingertips and then unzipped her jacket to access her cuffs. She was turning him over and clamping both wrists together when she heard the sound of footsteps running in her direction.
She snapped the cuffs
tight and raised the rifle as Novak burst through the bushes and stopped short.
A slow grin spread over his features, and Charlotte was shocked at how attractive he suddenly looked.
“What?” she asked, walking over to pick up her Glock.
“We caught the idiot who took the potshot. Then he started laughing, saying we’d ‘walked right into their trap.’ I came as fast as I could to make sure you’re okay.”
The man on the ground groaned.
“Of course, I’m okay,” Charlotte said with a hint of smugness. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t happy to show that she could take care of herself. Negotiation was something she’d actively pursued, not something she did because she wasn’t capable of taking bad guys down any other way. She scanned the surroundings.
Novak matched her stance. “Backup is on the way.”
“Good. I tried to call the IC, but my sat phone wasn’t working.” A wave of tiredness washed over her. Probably the adrenaline ebbing in her blood. “You better bring him along, and the rifle. I’ll carry the cases.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Novak said respectfully and, for once, Charlotte didn’t doubt his sincerity. This was the sort of thing he valued. Violent action and overpowering strength. She was disappointed she hadn’t been able to talk her way out of the situation. It wasn’t like there had been time to establish a behavioral stairway but still…
Romano arrived with another prisoner in tow, this one barely out of his teens.
Charlotte blew out a frustrated sigh. Why did people make such dumb choices? Why did they sabotage their lives this way?
“Read him his rights, would you?” she asked.
Novak did as she asked, for once not questioning her reasons. They began picking their way back down the mountain to their vehicle, waiting as the deputies ran along the road to meet them. Charlotte didn’t want to talk. She stowed the cases in the back of the Chevy along with the other equipment.
She took photos of both men in custody and would bet all her meager savings they were part of some antigovernment group and already in the system.
“Ask the deputies to transport both prisoners to the county jail but keep them separate and isolated,” she told Novak under her breath. “I don’t want them talking to anyone. No lawyer. No media. Not even the sheriff.”
“Want me to interview them?” Novak asked although he didn’t look happy with the idea.
She shook her head. She appreciated Novak was letting her lead on this. She had a lot more experience than him in this area of investigations. “You need to get your team back together, and I need to get back to base.” She wanted to check in with her people. See if there were any developments, although they would have called her. Then she remembered the sat phone she carried was defective so maybe not.
She thought about their options. “Send Romano to make sure these guys are handled properly by the deputies. We’ll call McKenzie, and he can dispatch agents from the ranch to interview them ASAP. I want to know if they’re part of Harrison’s group or from elsewhere. I want to know exactly what they were planning.”
One side of his lips curled up, and she was hit by the fact that his rugged features were actually sickeningly well put together. How had she really not noticed before today?
“Sounds like a plan.”
She knew they’d have to fill out FD 302s for this, which was a pain. But these men might have valuable intel they might be willing to barter in exchange for lesser charges. Right now, they were looking at serious prison time.
She looked up at the mountain. “Think there are more of them out there?”
Novak stared along the dirt path. “Maybe. And we need to deal with the possibility before we do anything else.”
“Agreed. Can I borrow your phone?”
He frowned as he handed her his sat phone, and then he turned back to Romano to give him instructions. And Charlotte forced herself to stop staring at Novak like she’d never seen him before.
The sooner they got through the next two days the better.
* * *
Novak drove the now familiar road back to the ranch. He was still trying to process the train-wreck his emotions had been when he’d heard that gunshot and realized Charlotte was alone and in danger. The relief that had engulfed him when he’d found her not only safe, but in charge of that motherfucker had been like a shotgun blast to the chest. He’d wanted to run over and give her a hug, but she had more than proved she didn’t need his help or approval. As far as she was concerned, she was simply doing her job. It was his problem that he had a visceral reaction to seeing her in danger.
He checked his watch as Charlotte spoke to McKenzie. Still a couple of hours until the sniper teams changed over. He’d spoken to them via secure comms, and the assholes who’d shot at him, Romano, and SSA Blood had not come out of the main exits. Novak doubted they’d come out of the secret tunnel either as they’d had eyes on it for some time prior to the gunshot.
Either there were access points to the compound that the FBI didn’t know about, or these two jokers had infiltrated the perimeter the deputies had set up. The latter seemed much more likely.
“Ask him if we can request a drone with thermal imaging capabilities to be parked over the area so we can see if there are any more of these clowns out there.” He held Charlotte’s clear blue eyes as she nodded and then did as he asked. She covered the microphone. “He’s going to put in a request to headquarters.”
Novak breathed out through his nose, trying to lessen the tension in his body. He didn’t like the breach in security, and he could hear McKenzie making the same complaints into Charlotte’s ear.
“Put him on speaker.”
Charlotte raised her brows but did as Novak asked.
Oh boy, McKenzie was as pissed as a scorpion in a skillet.
Novak finally found a gap in the man’s tirade against local law enforcement to interrupt. “As much as I agree with your feelings, sir.” He never wanted to relive the fear he’d felt for Charlotte when that second gunshot had sounded. “We need concrete action in the meantime.”
He watched Charlotte tense up and knew she was going to hate what he was about to suggest. “Why don’t we call up the Enhanced SWAT teams out of Atlanta and LA to take over guarding the perimeter?”
Charlotte’s eyes narrowed.
“I realize that it might look like an escalation to the people inside the compound, but I need to know someone has my men’s backs if we’re to operate safely. If we have a bunch of disparate nationalists lining up to try to infiltrate the area and ‘help’ Harrison’s group, then the situation is gonna go south fast. Someone will get shot. Someone will die. I do not want it to be one of my men.”
Silence reverberated around the cab.
“They’re my men too,” McKenzie said softly. “I’ll make the calls.”
Novak released a long pent up breath as McKenzie hung up.
Charlotte hunched deeper into her hoodie.
He didn’t like the defeated look in her eyes, but this was the right thing to do. “Sorry.” Jesus, since when did he apologize for doing what was tactically appropriate?
She slowly shook her head then sat up straighter. “No. You’re right. We need to make sure we have a secure perimeter, and the sheriff’s deputies are obviously incapable.” She caught his surprised expression. “What? You think I want agents in more danger than they are already? I want everyone to go home safe, but especially my colleagues who put their lives on the line every single day.”
He swallowed tightly thinking how close she’d come to being shot today. “I know you wanted to have less of a police presence.”
“Yes.” The muscle in her cheek flexed as she clenched her jaw. “But even if we have more personnel, it doesn’t mean the people inside the bunker have to know about it.”
That sounded like a strategy he could get behind.
“What do you suggest?” The ranch house was coming into view in the distance.
�
�Let’s go talk to McKenzie. We’ll have to dig a bit deeper into our toolbox to get these people to talk to us.”
“How do you propose to do that?”
A smile curved her mouth, and he found his eyes drawn to her lips. He dragged his gaze away. Stop it. She’s not interested in someone like you.
“I have a few ideas. Let’s go have a chat with the boss.”
Chapter Fifteen
“This situation isn’t going to work,” Charlotte said to their boss after surveying her kingdom, which had been gradually taken over by McKenzie’s people. Novak was relieved McKenzie was here rather than in the barn with HRT. Bad enough the boss was bunking with them now. “We need room dividers in here that allow us to do our jobs without distraction or interruption from whatever is happening in the Command Center.”
McKenzie looked unimpressed. “So far all you guys have done is sit on the end of a phone that no one picks up.”
Charlotte’s brow crinkled. “And do you think that’s easy, boss? Do you think it’s not incredibly tiring simply waiting for the other person to pick up the phone, knowing it could happen at any moment and also knowing you need to be totally on your game if and when they do pick up? Especially when your boss is conducting sensitive meetings a few feet away?”
“You’re starting to make me feel unwanted, SSA Blood.”
“It’s nothing personal, boss. But ideally I’d like you to set up elsewhere.”
“There isn’t anywhere else.” McKenzie’s eyes were reddened with fatigue but also filled with humor. Novak appreciated the guy didn’t object to people pushing back as long as they also followed orders.
“What about the den we were in last night?” Charlotte suggested.
“I moved out of the barn, and I’m sleeping in there now. Sorry.” McKenzie rubbed his eyes. “I couldn’t stop thinking in the barn with people still actively working the case all around me.”
Novak mentally fist pumped.
“Try earplugs. They work wonders.” Charlotte shot Novak a glance, and his lips twitched. “You want us to be able to work effectively, and you want to be well rested, correct?”
Cold Wicked Lies Page 13