Kill Shot

by Amber Malloy

  A knife of guilt stabbed at him. It may have been an invasion of her privacy, but she had honestly left him no choice in the matter. Instead of ratting out Tank, he decided to change the subject. “Let’s talk about Plan B.”

  “Does it require us to be separated?”

  Eden had warned him that any perceived abandonment would trigger Ashe’s anxiety unless it was her idea. Separation might be a deal-breaker. “Only for a few days,” he lied again. He honestly had no idea what would happen once J8 got their hands on her.

  * * * *

  The amber light from the wall sconces helped the junk food on the table appear magazine ready. Ashe scanned the spread for what to eat next.

  Wrapped in the sheet from the bed, she sat at the table and took a bite out of the pepperoni-and-cheese pizza. It wasn’t remotely close to Chicago-style deep dish, but it didn’t taste half bad. She nibbled on the crust and waited for Walker to try his first cannabis-infused gummy bear.

  “This just seems wrong.” He frowned at the blueberry candy, studying it closely.

  “Don’t tell me a rough-and-tumble security specialist is afraid of one itty bitty weed-infused piece of candy.”

  Without further prompting he popped the gummy in his mouth and swallowed it whole. “Happy now?”

  “Give it another ten minutes then we’ll see.” Surprised that he’d never experienced a cannabis buzz before, she waited for the magic to happen. Walker snatched a slider off the room service cart then settled into the seat across from her.

  “Eden raised you, huh? What possible hell was that like?”

  “Why is that so hard to believe? She has two kids.”

  His frown twisted into several different stages of confusion. “I guess it says something that you turned out to be a successful lawyer, even though you do have a strange penchant for cannabis.”

  “In my defense,” Ashe laughed, “it helps level me out.”

  “Starting when?”

  “The kidnapping. Once I made it back Stateside, it wasn’t easy for me to acclimate to”—she searched for the words to lessen the blow of what she’d gone through. Surviving the trauma had become her goal—“everyday life.” A shell of a person was how she’d wanted to describe it. “But with self-defense training and tons of counseling, I became semi-functional. If things get too tense and I can’t stop the spiraling, weed helps. Since the Cape moved at the pace of a snail, I was able to keep myself talked down most of the time.”

  As he finished off his hamburger, he stared at her from across the table. Under such scrutiny, she began to fidget with her hair.

  After a moment he reached for a napkin and wiped his mouth. “In my line of work, I’ve learned to never promise results. There are too many variables to consider, but mainly people are unpredictable.” He threw down the wadded-up paper and grabbed the bottle in front of him. “When we find the man responsible for what you’ve been through, I’m going to make him pay,” he said before he chugged his beer.

  Incredibly turned on, Ashe wondered how she’d fallen this hard for a man she barely knew.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Overcast clouds hung low in the sky, threatening to burst with rain. It didn’t seem like the ideal time to shop at an outside mall.

  While Ashe wondered if cartoons played on a loop in Veronica’s and Mickey’s heads, she joined the women on the terrace for brunch. The vapid Barbies didn’t utter one word about the awkward energy from the previous night and Ashe felt no need to bring it up.

  “There’s a Hermes at the promenade,” Mickey muttered over a bite of cantaloupe. “Do you have a dress for the wedding, yet?”

  Something was bothering her, and she couldn’t put her finger on it. Ashe went over the events of last night and landed on Eden’s call. Walker’s attitude had shifted slightly after he’d spoken with the spy. He’d received a text this morning then claimed he needed to catch a quick run. Though he was never easy to read, his evasiveness seemed to speak volumes.

  “What?” she asked.

  “We can hit the Vera Wang shop.”

  “Unless you and Walker want to get married in Sin City. Chad thinks you might be pregnant, considering you two seem to be in such a rush,” Veronica added.

  The women stared at her from across the table, actually waiting for her to answer. Confused at how her life had spiraled, Ashe cackled manically and downed her orange juice with a hiccup.

  “Ladies, hope you had a lovely brunch,” Dan said, as the Chads joined them at the table. “We got a text from your driver. Your car is ready.”

  Something about the men’s upbeat mood rang false. Ashe dropped her sunglasses from her head to shield her eyes. She also hoped to hide the disdain on her face.

  “Don’t do too much damage, sweetie.” Dan reached into his hideous golfer pants and passed a credit card to Mickey.

  “I’ll do my best, honey.”

  “Hey, Ashe, sorry about last night,” Chad said. When Veronica stood, he put his arm around the blonde’s waist to cup her ass. “We were sun drunk from golfing. Hope you can forgive us?”

  “Sure.” He seemed sincere enough, but she knew his type. Next time he should leave copping an ass-feel from his wife out of his apology.

  “If you guys want first dibs at the sales, you’d better get going.” Dan pushed.

  With a strange feeling of dread, Ashe stood. She followed them down the stone path to the front of the hotel, keeping a good distance behind them. A flock of sea gulls flew overhead. The vultures that had swarmed the ransacked villages came to mind. The bad omen was easy to recognize.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Walker said loudly before he grabbed her arm and steered her away from the group. “If you don’t mind, I need to borrow Ashe for a minute.” The first car in the long line of taxis circled the driveway. A chauffeur got out of the black sedan to open the door for the women.

  “Don’t be long. The stores will be open soon,” Dan shouted.

  “You know how these two get,” Chad agreed with a creepy chuckle.

  “It’s time for Plan B,” Walker whispered in her ear while he pulled her away.

  “When?” Ashe swallowed the acrid taste that coated her throat.

  “Before you guys make it to the promenade.”

  “What about you?” Removing the glasses from her face, she placed them on top of her head. “You’re coming, right?”

  “I can’t.” He shifted his gaze away, a clear sign of deception.

  “But I thought—”

  “We got a tee time to keep, man. Let’s motor!” Dan hollered. They stood in a small huddle, staring at them.

  Walker gritted his teeth before he pulled her even farther away. “J8 will be taking over from here.”

  “Why? Did the militia find me?” Unnerved by his easy-going stance, she slipped out of his hold. Something didn’t add up. Ashe considered a mad dash back to the hotel, but he quickly snatched her close to his chest.

  “This is all my fault and I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  A million questions filled her head, but mainly Ashe wanted to know if she would ever see him again. She was in total disbelief and her eyes filled with tears.

  “Dan and Chad are desperate. One of them must have recognized you, and there was a hefty ransom offered on the dark web for you, so we have to move fast,” he urged. “Remember what to do?”

  “Of course.” Ashe’s voice cracked. “It’s not exactly rocket science.” They had been together for months, and in a matter of minutes, it would all be gone. Walker didn’t seem to be bothered in the least. Refusing to acknowledge his plan, she glanced at the sky. Quickly batting her eyelids, she tried to fight back the impending tears.

  “Baby,” his tone softened, “can you look at me?” He cleared his throat. “If you don’t get in the car, I’ll be forced to kill them. I promise that no matter what happens, I will find you.”

  Tilting her chin up, he touched his lips to hers in a tender kiss. Ashe believed every word he said
.

  “Time’s a-ticking!” Chad called out.

  Walker took the sunglasses from on top of her head and placed them back on her face. “Trust me,” he told her before she backed away from him and walked toward the sedan.

  She got into the opened door without looking back.

  “It’s about time.” Mickey turned around in the passenger seat, probably waiting for an apology. “You two act as if you’ll never see each other again.”

  Instead of acknowledging the twit, Ashe continued to stare straight ahead.

  Chapter Seventeen

  On their way to the mall, the wives yakked it up. Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes and Coach spilled from the inner depths of their empty heads and out of their mouths.

  Five miles to their destination separated Ashe from freedom or certain death. The previous night Walker had explained Plan B, but he’d felt confident they wouldn’t have to use it. In two miles, the driver would take the first exit off the freeway, pleading traffic. Instead, he planned to dump her into the arms of a professional killer.

  Ashe powered off her phone and put it in her jean-jacket pocket.

  “WLK Security has hit a rough patch, but things are looking better this quarter,” Mickey said.

  “Did Chad tell you that?” Ashe asked. She slipped the nail file out of her purse and positioned it between her fingers.

  “Yeah, he mentioned a virtual windfall.” The twit elbowed her with a wink.

  “Dan said it’s like we won the lottery.” Mickey giggled.

  She didn’t need more proof that the Barbie Bitches were in on the scheme.

  When they pulled off the highway, a dump truck blocked their path and Ashe locked eyes with the driver in the rearview mirror. His neutral expression turned into a frightening scowl.

  “Grab her!” the driver shouted.

  After he yelled those two little words, everything became a blur. Before he could hit the lock, she opened the door and rammed the nail file into his cheek.

  Veronica jumped at her. Halfway out of the sedan, Ashe slammed the car door on her arm. The sound of the woman’s bone cracking churned her stomach. While she screamed bloody murder, Mickey got out. The light turned green. Not willing to wait another second, Ashe thrust the palm of her hand into the blonde’s nose.

  As the light counted down, she bolted across the street to where a Mercedes SUV was waiting for her. Out of breath, Ashe opened the door and jumped into the passenger side.

  The driver held out his hand and steered the truck into traffic. “Phone,” he demanded.

  With no purse at her disposal, she dug into her pocket and handed him the burner. He slipped the cell into a small sack then placed it on the center console between them.

  Knowing Eden, J8 probably wanted to see if the people Chad and Dan had sold her out to had hacked into her cell. A simple reverse coding could lead the agency to the men who’d tried to buy her off the dark web. However, Walker’s partners didn’t seem that tech savvy.

  “Nice work with that chick’s nose,” the driver complimented her. “That shit was funny.” He reached for a button on the rearview mirror. “I have the target,” he said out loud.

  A mechanical voice chimed over the speakers, “Your next point of contact will be in seventy-six miles.”

  Ashe blew out a shaky breath of air with the belief that the calm shelter of Cape Cod and Walker were both probably a thing of her past.

  * * * *

  WLK Security had missed their tee time. Sitting in the country club’s restaurant, they waited for another slot. Since he had no intention of golfing with these idiots, Walker kept his eyes on his phone.

  “Another opening will be available in twenty minutes. You’d better count yourself lucky, buddy boy,” Chad said, as he took a seat across from him. “We want to expand the business, which means money will be tight for a while.”

  “Yeah.” Dan opened his menu. “We’ll have to scale back. We won’t be able to afford Tank anymore.” He took over for Chad, once their partner who had become too distracted by their young waitress, who’d set down their beers.

  Walker snorted at the smug jerks. They must have practiced their little speech. “Who will do the training?” He pointed his finger between the two rubes. “I’ve only seen you morons bench press donuts.”

  Chad attempted to suck in his protruding gut. “Hey, it’s just business. Quit taking it so personally.”

  As his partners babbled about something or another, Walker kept an eye on the sedan Ashe was traveling in. Thanks to Tank’s program, he could track her through Santa Barbara’s city cameras. A mere mile away from their destination, the car took a wrong turn onto the off ramp. Before the light changed, a dump truck blocked their path.

  “We have three new clients and feel the big dude doesn’t fit… How do I say—”

  “The look we’re going for?” Dan finished.

  “A huge security specialist doesn’t promote confidence in the people we’re guarding? Hmmm,” Walker shot back, “sounds like we’re supplying America’s Next Top Model and not physical protection.” He squinted his eyes at the screen to make out the blur of activity. The car rocked back and forth before the door flew open.

  “We’re not the bad guys in this situation,” Chad whined. “This is for the benefit of everyone.”

  When Ashe jumped out of the car, Veronica grabbed her wrist. In one swift motion she slammed the door on the woman’s arm. Walker barked out a laugh—not at the blatant display of violence, but more from Ashe’s grace under pressure.

  “Are you going to listen to us or keep watching cat videos?” Chad complained.

  He jerked his head up and glared at the fool, instantly silencing him. When he looked back at his screen, he thought he’d missed something, but Ashe had made it across the street and out of harm’s way.

  Satisfied, he turned off his phone. “I’m sorry. What were you saying? Oh wait, hold on. Maybe this will go better…” He signaled for Tank, who stood near the front door. Walker waited for the big man to join them.

  “What’s going on?” Dan cried.

  “Don’t get up on my account, dummy.” Tank pushed Dan down and took the seat next to him.

  “Go ahead, Chad.” Walker smiled with devilish savagery. “Tell Tank about your plans to can him.”

  Bright pink blotches worked their way past Chad’s shirt collar.

  “Pretzel sticks!” Tank yelled with a childlike glee. “Do you mind?” He slid the basket over to him. “I love these things.”

  “This is a partners-only retreat,” Dan barked. “Why are you here?”

  “You want to break it to them or should I?” Tank asked, stuffing his mouth full of the salty appetizer.

  “It’s been a long time coming. I think you deserve this.”

  “Ah, I knew you were a softy, boss.” Tank popped the last bit of pretzel into his mouth before he wiped his hands on Chad’s shirt.

  “What the fu—”

  “Shut up!” Walker growled. “The only thing keeping us from stomping you a new asshole is the room full of witnesses.”

  “It’s just that WLK business has nothing to do with him…is all we’re saying.” Dan nervously coughed in his hand.

  “Au contraire, mon frère. I’ve been your silent partner since…” Tank counted on his fingers then scratched his head in his audition for comedic lead.

  “Three years ago,” Walker offered, “when we had to restructure the business because you two yahoos misappropriated funds. It allowed the big guy to buy majority share.”

  “No way,” Chad snapped. “You could never—”

  “What? Afford it, you bigoted ass?” Tank finished for him. “Maybe I used all that drug money I made slinging rock on a corner in Brooklyn.”

  Walker laughed at the image that couldn’t be further from the truth. A whiz with economics, Tank had invested every dime he’d made during his stint in the military. By the time he’d left the army, his financial statements had become a sight to
behold.

  “Enough of this shit. Sign over the company to us now and we’ll tell you which door leads to freedom.” Walker offered them a choice.

  Tank leaned forward, pulling the papers from his back pants pocket. “Didn’t want to lose these, just in case I had to smack you in the mouth with them.”

  “Why the hell would we ever sign over the company to you?” Dan said.

  “Yeah,” Chad butted in, “we did all of the work.”

  “Hot damn! You silly fuckers are delusional, and all this time I thought it was an act!” Tank roared.

  “Common sense isn’t a flower that grows in everyone’s garden,” Walker told him.

  “Good thing I have an excellent memory. Let’s see…drugs, prostitutes, at least three contracts over a quarter-million that fell through—or maybe those were favors from gambling debts you owed?” Tank ran down the list. “And that’s just for starters.”

  “How much did you try to sell her for?” Considering Ashe safe, Walker felt he could finally broach the subject.

  “We don’t know what you’re talking about.” Chad’s gaze darted around the country club, probably in search of some sort of an assist.

  “Come on, man. I need you to be a realist,” Walker said. “Before you can even reach that door, I’ll be on top of you bashing your brains in. Now, answer my question.”

  “It wasn’t my idea,” Dan blurted.

  “Shut up,” Chad barked.

  “He recognized her from TV and knew we could pay off all our debts plus some.”

  Refusing to repeat himself, Walker raised his eyebrow.

  “Five million,” Chad confessed. “Alive.”

  Judging from the 60 Minutes video, Ashe had already walked through the other side of hell. He couldn’t believe these two idiots wanted to send her back there again.

  “Sign.” Tank pushed the papers across the table to Dan. He wrote his name then slid it over to the pudgy moron next to him.

  “She was a dirty lawyer,” Chad snorted. Indignant to the very end, he scribbled his name. “We were doing you a favor.”