“Is that what you believe happened?”
“That’s what I’ve been forced to think. I can’t know for certain because you haven’t told me everything.” I was baiting my father into revealing more—a tactic he should easily recognize, but it was still worth a shot. “I think Mike was getting close to something, and that’s why Romeo got rid of him.”
Dad leaned forward in his chair. He pulled a photograph from a drawer and slid it across his desk. I picked it up and studied it. It was a dark, fuzzy photo of Mike speaking with another man.
“That’s Mike speaking with a CIA operative one week before the drug transaction was to take place at the warehouses where Teddy was killed,” Dad said.
“Wait. You’re saying Mike knew that the CIA was involved?” That couldn’t be right. “Teddy and I never suspected…”
“Are you sure Teddy didn’t know, or at least suspect?”
“He would have told me.”
“Would he? How well did you know Mike back then?”
“He was Teddy’s partner.” I thought about what Romeo had said to Mike just before he killed him—that Mike had made a deal with Teddy. I shook my head in disbelief. “Even if they both had known about the CIA’s involvement that night, that wouldn’t have changed how we conducted our investigation. Teddy was only going to observe.”
“And why were you supposed to back him up?”
“Because Mike couldn’t be there.”
“Mike chose not to be there would be my theory.”
I glanced down at the photograph again, and it clicked. “Because the CIA knew who Mike was. He didn’t want to be identified. But… How did they know Teddy would be there? Unless…” Unless someone had tipped them off about Teddy’s presence. And then they had executed him. “Are you saying that Mike set Teddy up?”
“I’m not saying that at all. But there are a lot of things that don’t add up.”
I thought about Marie’s note to me. “Marie thought Mike wasn’t sure who he could trust inside the Bureau recently. She even wondered about Special Agent Salazar.”
“Salazar?” Dad shook his head. “No way. I’m not buying it.” Dad opened his mouth to say something further, but stopped himself.
“What were you going to say?”
“I think I made a mistake letting you continue to dig into this case.” Dad was great at keeping all emotion from his face. It’s what made him an excellent interrogator and guardian of highly classified information.
“Dad, what are you keeping from me?”
“I’ve told you everything I know about Mike’s death and everything I’m capable of telling you about the night Teddy was killed. Everything else is classified above your clearance. What I can tell you, though, is that you need to stop asking about the circumstances of Teddy’s death. That case is closed and the files are sealed. Figure out a different way to draw Romeo out, and have someone with you at all times until this bastard is caught.”
I stood. “Dad, I told you after Mike was killed that I wasn’t asking for permission to draw Romeo out into the open. I think you already know that Romeo is responsible for several deaths. I don’t know why you’re talking to me like a regular citizen and not a former FBI agent. I understand security clearance, but you’re putting me in greater danger by keeping things from me. These cases are linked somehow. Either you can help me, or I can find out on my own.”
I was at the door with my hand on the knob when Dad said, “Stop. You’re right.”
I paused, keeping my hand gripped around the knob. Several moments of silence passed, and I didn’t budge.
“Think back to that night, Brooke. Why weren’t you with Teddy?”
“Because I was busy suffering from a miscarriage.”
“Why?”
“Because Romeo drugged me.”
“Why wasn’t Mike with Teddy?”
I glanced back at the photo of Mike with the CIA agent. “Because apparently—maybe—he was tipped off by the CIA.” I angled my head, studying my father’s impassive face. Who tipped Mike off? “Romeo. Romeo is—was—CIA.” And he had allowed Teddy to be killed.
Dad nodded. “Woodford Clay Harrison was a CIA operative. He was trained to infiltrate terrorist cells within the United States. He was part of the CIA’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Task Force.”
I turned the rest of the way around and stared at my father. “Was he there that night?”
Dad didn’t answer. He turned and looked out his office window.
“I don’t care about your stupid security clearance,” I said through gritted teeth. “Answer the question. Was Romeo there the night my husband was killed?”
Dad turned back and met my gaze. His face softened just slightly. “Yes, he was there. He pulled the trigger.”
I arrived at Mike’s funeral late, thanks to traffic around St. John’s Church. I had the driver drop me off a couple of blocks away. Dimitri had followed in a taxi.
As I neared the church on foot I was overwhelmed with memories of Teddy’s funeral. My chest tightened and a lump formed in my throat. How could my dad have known all this time that Romeo pulled the trigger that killed my husband and not tell me?
I was sure Dimitri could tell that Dad had said something that hit me hard, but he didn’t press for details. Now he followed me at a respectful distance. He was dressed in an ordinary dark suit and dark sunglasses; he could pass for an FBI agent and easily blended in with the crowd. I glanced over my shoulder from time to time just to verify he was there.
I turned at the sound of approaching vehicles. The funeral procession was approaching, led by a pair of police officers on motorcycles. Behind them was the hearse, several limousines, and a parade of police officers on foot and in squad cars. Additional officers on motorcycles were blocking side streets.
I closed my eyes and willed away tears as Marie was helped from one of the limousines. It was all so familiar. Marie wore sunglasses even though it was a dark, cloudy day, I presumed to hide bloodshot eyes. Her hair blew in the wind, and she wore a dressy black winter coat that she couldn’t button due to her pregnancy. Under the coat, she wore a dark gray dress that reminded me of the dress I’d worn to Teddy’s funeral—a dress I vowed to never wear again.
Pallbearers in dark suits gathered at the back of the hearse. Carlos was among them, and I could see he was barely holding it together. When they opened the back of the hearse, my knees nearly gave out. I was catapulted back to Teddy’s funeral like it was yesterday, yet in many ways it seemed so long ago. I sucked in a breath of brisk air, and tears stung my eyes. I found myself standing on the edge of a black hole of despair once again.
Just when I thought I might grab Dimitri and get the hell away from this funeral, I felt the steadying pressure of a hand to my arm. I looked from the fingers around my forearm up into the face of Declan. I immediately buried my face into his chest and sobbed quietly. His arm came around me, and he held me there so that I didn’t have to witness the procession of the casket, honor guard, and pallbearers.
“Shh. I’ve got you,” he said softly. He held me for several minutes.
When I looked up at him, his lips lifted in a small smile that didn’t even come close to his eyes. “I took a chance and thought you might need a friend.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me.
“Always,” I whispered, blotting at my face and nose. “This is too much.”
“Do you want to go? No one will blame you for not staying for the service.”
“No,” I said, sniffling. “Mike was Teddy’s best friend, and he was my friend. And I need to show Marie that she can get on with her life, eventually.” I looked up into Declan’s eyes. “It will be the farthest thing from her mind for a while, but she’ll find happiness again. Just like I have.”
Declan pulled me close and placed a kiss on the top of my head. “Let’s go in. Dimitri will keep us in his sights and text us if anyone shows up uninvited.”
I slid a hand into his an
d let him lead me through the crowd. We took a seat to the side and in the back. I snuggled close. “Thank you for coming.”
“You will always come first. I might not have acted like that the last couple of days, but you will always come first.”
Chapter 28
Declan
“Okay, let’s walk through the plan again.”
“Let me get dressed first.”
Brooke was standing at the foot of the bed in nothing but a bra and panties, having discarded the black dress she’d worn to the funeral. I was leaned against the bed frame in our hotel suite at The Jefferson. Although Romeo had managed to take photos of us the last time we were here, we had decided the security was as good as we were going to get. Plus, this time we pulled the curtains shut.
I watched Brooke rummage through her suitcase. She pulled a black sweater out and pulled it over her head.
“You’re beautiful,” I said.
She looked up as she slid her arms into the sleeves. It was amazing how she always looked shocked anytime I paid her a compliment.
“And you’re distracting.”
I sat up, placing a leg on the floor. “Come here.”
She eyed me suspiciously, then slid into a pair of jeans that fit much the same way a latex glove fits a doctor’s hand. She walked over and stood beside me. When she leaned her head down and placed her lips on mine, I couldn’t resist. I snaked an arm around her body and brought her across my lap so that she landed on her back, looking up at me.
“You. Are. Ravishing.” I brushed her hair off of her face.
“Thank you for showing up when you did. You have a knack for that.”
“I hope I’m always here when you need me. But I also know you’re fully capable of taking care of yourself.”
She gripped the back of my neck and guided my face down to kiss her again. She tasted of mint from freshly brushed teeth and smelled of a light fragrance I’d come to crave when she was absent.
I positioned my body over hers, and knew immediately it was a mistake. We didn’t have time for what I really wanted to do. After kissing her for several more seconds, I pushed myself off of her. “What you do to me,” I said.
She smiled. “The feeling is mutual.”
I pulled back. “Brooke, I’m sorry about Claire. I never meant to keep her from you. I just thought she was a part of my past that wouldn’t affect us. You know I would have eventually told you about her, but I should have made it a higher priority.”
“You’ve already apologized. And I forgive you. Where is Claire now?”
I looked at my watch. “She’s on her way to the airport to board a plane back to Ireland. With Darren.” I lay on my side and brushed my fingers over Brooke’s belly. “I basically told her that she had two choices. Get the help she needs in Ireland, and I’ll help her pay for it, or give it a try on her own. But either way, I told her staying in the States was not an option, and if she attempted to stay, I would make sure she would be arrested for assaulting you.”
“That’s… harsh,” I said.
“Darren told me the same thing. But I don’t see it that way. When she’s on her meds, she actually lives a normal life. Yet if I coddle her, she invariably stops taking her meds, and then she falls back into depending on me, believing I return the feelings she imagines. It’s a terribly sad cycle of dependence.”
“And you don’t want to enable her.”
“Exactly. I told Darren to deliver her back to Ireland and see to it that she gets the help she needs. And if he doesn’t, he can find himself another job.”
Brooke lifted both brows. “Harsh once again.”
“Just honest. Darren works hard for my company, and I love him, but he tends to take advantage of me, and I often let him. This time, I decided not to feed that particular beast.”
“Did I thank you for coming today?”
I smiled at the change in subjects. “Several times. Now, are you ready to talk about the plan for tonight?”
“Yes.” Brooke moved to get up, but I pulled her back for one more kiss. “Now you may go. Dimitri started texting twenty minutes ago. He’s waiting for us in the dining room. I had the hotel bring up an early dinner.”
Brooke pushed out of bed. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I needed a moment with you.”
She smiled, burying some of the sadness that Mike’s funeral had created. She stood at the side of the bed, between my legs. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?” I grabbed onto her belt loops and pulled her closer.
“I want you to know that you are everything to me. That my sadness at today’s funeral—”
I placed two fingers over her lips. “You never have to apologize for being upset over losing a loved one. You loved Teddy very much, and those memories are bound to come back from time to time. You have so much love inside you.”
“I never thought I would love someone again. Especially not as intensely as I have fallen in love with you.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Now let’s go. Today’s funeral and Dad’s manipulation have put me in the mood to investigate.”
Dimitri was already eating when we joined him in the dining room. “Everything all right?” he said. “I would have waited, but no sense having to warm up all of our meals.”
Brooke laughed, and it was the first time I’d heard her laugh in days. “By all means, don’t let us keep you from food,” she said. She examined the plates, then eyed me. “How many people were you planning to feed?”
“I didn’t know what everyone would want, so I ordered the lot.”
“The steak sandwich is fantastic,” Dimitri said. “But I think he only ordered one.” He shrugged, and I just shook my head.
Dimitri could be an arse at times, but somehow he and Brooke clicked. I think it was because he was an arsehole, and she called him out on it when she needed to. They had a mutual respect for each other. Not to mention, he had proven he would risk his life for hers. That’s all that mattered to me.
“Declan, you going to eat?” Brooke asked as she squeezed ketchup on her plate for the French fries.
Dimitri lifted a brow at me. “You okay, mate?”
Brooke turned and studied me.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I grabbed one of the remaining meals—a cheeseburger. “Let’s talk about tonight.”
“Okay,” Brooke said as she sat down at the table. The hotel staff had replaced the table for two with a larger one. “You,” she pointed to Dimitri, “are going to get to the restaurant early—just a guy in town on business, dining alone. Sit at the bar, order some food, a glass of bourbon, whatever.”
“Right,” Dimitri said. “I will text you both if anything appears buggered.”
“Rhiana is one of the bartenders. See if you can figure out which side of the bar she’s serving the most, and sit there. It’s a long bar and they stay busy. There will be at least two bartenders working it at all times, maybe three.”
“Brooke and I will arrive fifteen minutes after you,” I said. “That’s when you pay your tab and leave. Make your way around to the back of the restaurant in case she’s changed her mind about talking to us and makes a run for it. I’ll watch the front entrance. We’ll all be watching for any sign of Romeo.”
“Or of the brother—Christopher,” Dimitri added.
“Romeo might already be a step ahead of us,” Brooke said. “He might be there waiting for us. He’s been quiet, which makes me nervous.” The smile that had been on her face only minutes ago had vanished.
I touched her hand. “He’s not going to do anything to you with Dimitri and me around.”
“And we’ll have an entire restaurant of people,” Brooke said. “It’s not like him to show his face when he could be identified.” She was trying to sound confident, but she looked unsure of her own words.
“Which is why you will not go anywhere alone while we are out, including to the ladies’ room. If Romeo thinks for even a second he can get you
alone, he’ll pounce.”
Brooke didn’t argue. She just took another bite of food. Dimitri and I traded a worried look. I was thankful he was here. Together, he, Brooke, and I would put an end to Woodford Clay Harrison, one way or another.
Chapter 29
Brooke
Declan studied me as we walked along the sidewalk to the entrance of Marcel’s. “You look nervous.” He put an arm around me and hugged me closer, which helped with the below freezing temperature.
“Nervous, yes. But also determined.” I looked over at him. “I’m tired of this. I want so badly to put Romeo away. No one else can die. And I don’t know… I just hope Rhiana can help.”
“What exactly do you hope to learn from Rhiana?”
“I’m not sure. Mostly, I’d like to know why Romeo’s targeting the men on that list. I refuse to believe this all started because these guys got him kicked out of college. Though he did have a right to be angry over that, I don’t see how that would cause him to lose his mind and start killing people years later.”
I didn’t say it aloud, but I was also afraid Romeo was already targeting his next victim. He had been too quiet, and when Romeo went dark, bad things soon followed.
Just before we reached Marcel’s, Declan stopped and backed me up against the side of the building. He framed my face. “Listen to me.” His concerned look pinned me there in the shadows of the building. “We are going to be very careful in there. I don’t know why, but the night just feels off. Maybe it’s the fact that you haven’t heard anything out of Romeo in days. Maybe it’s because you and I have been out of sorts. I don’t know. But I’ve learned to trust these feelings.”
I placed a hand on his cheek. Worry lines formed between his eyes. “We’re just going to go in there and try to talk to Rhiana. That’s it.”
Declan’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out and looked at it. “Dimitri. He says he’s sitting at the far end of the bar. Rhiana had started there, but then moved to the other side. She’s now on the side of the bar closest to the entrance. You ready?”
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