Текст книги "Secrets"

Автор книги: Cynthia Eden

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 13 страниц)

The fellow’s voice was cracking with fear... The voice was also different...not the same guy that Brodie had confronted at the Montgomery ranch.

“Brodie!” Jennifer cried out.

He glanced toward her. She’d run from behind the column and she’d picked up the gun.

The stranger’s head turned toward her, too.

“Damn straight,” the guy seemed to encourage her. “Keep that weapon on him, Jennifer. Don’t let him hurt me! I’m here to help you. You know that! I’ve always helped you!”

Help her?

“Brodie, that’s not the man who has been stalking me.”

Brodie spun the guy around. The man’s baseball hat fell off and hit the cement.

“That’s Nate Wesley,” she continued as she took a few steps forward. Her voice was shocked. “He’s the agent who was assigned the role of my father.”

Her supposedly dead father.

Hell.

Chapter Eight

Jennifer couldn’t believe she was staring at Nate. He should have been so far away, living a nice, safe, normal life.

Instead, Brodie had his gun against his chest, and Nate’s face was a picture of fear.

“I saw this guy take you from the hospital,” Nate said. “I thought he was going to hurt you—”

“I’m protecting her.” Brodie’s face and voice were just scary.

“How was I supposed to know that?” Nate’s voice rose, then cracked. “You came out, nearly running with her. You put her in your ride and you hightailed it out of there.”

They had been in a hurry to leave. Mostly because Brodie had been afraid the stalker might be watching them. Sighing, Jennifer lowered the gun in her hand. “Brodie, it’s okay. He’s not a threat.”

Brodie didn’t budge. “I’m not so sure of that.” His words were a snarl. “Why were you even at the hospital? How did you know Jennifer was in Austin? Why are you here?”

Nate flinched. He looked older...so much older. The lines on his face were deeper, and the gray at his temples had spread to streak through his dark brown hair. “I heard about what happened in New Orleans. The fire at Jennifer’s place made the news. I went to check on her, and I followed her trail to Austin.”

“You’re lying,” Brodie said flatly.

“No, no, I’m not! I wanted to help her! We worked together for years. You think I’d just turn my back on her if I thought she was in danger? I was worried, so I followed her. When I got to Austin, I remembered that you’d worked that rescue mission in the Middle East. I remembered the way Jennifer had been so determined to pay you back...”

Nate had been the one to connect her with Brodie’s parents. He’d pulled strings and gotten their address for her. Since he’d been so involved, yes, Nate would have made the connection between her and Brodie once he’d gotten to Austin.

“She changed after that mission... We both did,” Nate added quietly.

Jennifer crept forward. She still had the weapon in her hand, but she wasn’t aiming it at anyone. “Brodie, he’s not a threat.”

“I’m not so sure of that.” Brodie didn’t look toward her. “He’s here, following us...at the hospital—”

“Since I got to town, I’ve been listening to the police scanner,” Nate told him, body tensing. “I heard about the big fire at the Montgomery ranch. About the woman who was brought into the hospital. I knew the Montgomery property was near the McGuire ranch—”

“And how did you know that?”

“Because he’s the one who led me to your parents years ago.” Her left hand wrapped around Brodie’s arm. “Please, lower the gun.”

Brodie finally looked her in the eyes. “You really trust this man? With your life?”

“I—”

“With mine?”

Jennifer frowned. She looked down at the gun in her right hand. Nate’s gun. Nate had been following her, and he’d been armed. If he truly meant no threat, then why the weapon? Just for his protection? Or for something more...

Nate had been so adept at lying in the field. He’d gotten the deadliest of criminals to trust him within a matter of moments.

He’d taught Jennifer how to lie.

Brodie exhaled and stepped back. “Fine, have it your way...”

And she saw Nate lunge away from the vehicle.

Jennifer stepped in his path. She had the gun up and aimed right at her ex-mentor in less than two seconds’ time. “No,” Jennifer said softly. “I don’t trust him with your life.”

Then something happened. She’d stared into Nate’s eyes dozens of times. She’d thought that she could see right past the mask that he usually wore when dealing with others.

But she’d been wrong. Because this time, in this moment, she finally did see him for the man that he was.

His eyes hardened. His face tightened with fury. “I won’t die for you,” he shouted at Jennifer. “You’re going down, but you won’t take me with you!”

She shook her head. “Nate?”

“He’s coming.” He laughed, and the laughter echoed around them in that empty garage. “I called him. Told him where we were going for every second of that ride. You think you trapped me in here? He’s got you now. You and your lover. He’ll kill you both!”

Footsteps pounded then as men rushed from the darkness.

Only...

These were McGuires. Not her stalker. Not the man Nate had just said would come to kill her and Brodie.

“We called someone during the ride, too,” Brodie murmured. “And just so you know...no one’s dying tonight.”

* * *

THEY TOOK NATE WESLEY—or, the man known as Nate Wesley—into the McGuire Securities office. Grant and Sullivan kept a tight hold on him. Sullivan...this had been her first encounter with the youngest McGuire brother. For some reason, she’d expected him to be a bit softer than his siblings. He wasn’t. If anything, he seemed even harder, even more dangerous. A deadly intensity clung to him like a second skin.

Jennifer didn’t go into that office with them. She retreated to the bathroom as she tried to settle her ragged nerves. When she stared at her reflection in the mirror, Jennifer hardly recognized the woman with the haunted eyes and pale cheeks.

Nate came to betray me.

She’d trusted him, worked side by side with him for so long. She’d been trying to protect him, but he’d been in the hunt for her all along. It was really true... Her former life had been nothing but a lie.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of the sink. She wasn’t going to let Nate see her tears. She wasn’t going to let him see her pain at all. So she stood in that bathroom, and she didn’t make a sound as the tears fell. Those tears...they were for the friend she’d thought she had. They were for the life that had been hers for too many years...a life that was dead and buried now.

When the tears were done, she swiped her hands over her cheeks. Her eyes gleamed in the mirror. There’s still too much pain there.

She pinched her cheeks, trying to bring back some color. Never let them see your weakness.

That had been Nate’s advice, the first day that she’d been paired with him. She’d been so nervous. Her legs had been shaking like crazy. But he’d smiled at her, tapped her on the chin. Told her...

We’re in this together. An old pro and a rookie... They’ll never see us coming.

And they hadn’t.

Just as... I hadn’t seen Nate’s betrayal coming.

“Jennifer?” Brodie called. A light rap sounded on the door. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” Her voice was too flat, but at least it didn’t tremble. One more swipe of her hands over her cheeks, and then Jennifer turned away from her reflection.

Her head was pounding as Jennifer opened the bathroom door. Brodie was waiting in the hallway, and he straightened when he saw her. “You okay?”

No. She wanted to collapse some place, but Jennifer made herself nod. “I’m fine.”

“The hell you are.” Then he was wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. She wanted to sink into him and pretend the nightmare around her wasn’t real.

But it is. And I can’t escape from it.

“You don’t have to go in there,” he said as his arms tightened around her. “Grant and Sullivan can handle the interrogation. They’ve got backup coming. I called in Shayne Townsend.”

Shayne, right, he was the Austin police detective that she knew Brodie had contacted before.

“He’ll be here within twenty minutes—”

“I need to talk with Nate.” She pulled back as she stared up into his eyes. “I have to face him.” She’d face Nate and his betrayal head-on, even if it ripped out her heart. “I can get to him—I know I can.”

Brodie’s face was grim. “He wants you dead.”

Apparently, there was a line of people who did. She eased away from him and immediately missed the reassuring warmth of his body. “He’s not getting what he wants.” But she would get her answers. “He knows the man who is after me. I’ll get him to talk. I’ll get him to tell me everything he knows.”

“You’ll play nice with him—is that it?” Brodie asked her.

No, there wasn’t going to be anything nice about what was coming.

“Fine,” he said softly. “But if he doesn’t talk, then my brothers and I will get our turn with him. I assure you, there won’t be anything nice about the way we play.”

She believed him.

Brodie shook his head. “You’re trembling.”

Nate betrayed me. When would the pain from that blow lessen?

But how she felt didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter, not then. She and Brodie both needed to be safe. They needed the threat gone. “I want to talk with him now,” she whispered as she stared up into Brodie’s eyes.

His sigh was rough. “Fine. But you need to know...whatever he says in there, whatever he reveals, you’re safe, got it? I will be with you every moment, and I need you to know that you’re safe...with me.”

Her hand lifted, pressed lightly to the stubble that lined his jaw. “I already do know that.” Why else would she have come to Austin in the first place? She’d always felt safe with Brodie. He was the one who shouldn’t feel safe with her.

“I’m staying by your side,” he told her, voice gruff. “Every moment,” he said once more.

“That sounds like a good idea to me.” By her side—that was exactly where she wanted him to be.

“First, though,” Brodie muttered, “I need this.” And he kissed her. A soft, light caress of his lips against hers.

Tears stung her eyes again. She leaned into him, let that kiss linger. Her lips parted beneath his, and Brodie deepened the kiss. He seemed to savor her, and she just needed him. So much. The kiss had passion, but it also had...more. Emotion seemed to swell in the air around her, and there was a tenderness, a care to his touch that had her whole body tightening.

When he pulled back, his hand lifted. The back of his hand slid over her cheek. “I don’t like to see you cry.”

She hadn’t realized that the tears had escaped. She should have been more careful, but she’d been lost in him for a moment. “Brodie...”

A door opened down the hallway. Grant stuck his head out and frowned at them. “Are you two all right?”

She was shattering on the inside, but Jennifer managed, “Yes.” Brodie was at her side as they walked down that hallway and as they headed into Grant’s office.

Nate had been handcuffed to a chair. He sat there, glaring at her when she walked into the room. Grant moved to stand on Nate’s left. Sullivan, looking like an even rougher, angrier version of Brodie, stood positioned at Nate’s right.

“You’re going to let them do this to me?” Nate shouted at her as he yanked at his cuffs. Each wrist was handcuffed to the chair. “After all I did for you?”

Brodie was right at her side, just as he’d said he would be. “What you did for me?” Jennifer repeated, head shaking. “We worked together because we were assigned that job.” She tried to take slow, even breaths. Tried to look as though she were controlled, when really her heart was racing like mad in her chest.

“I could have let them kill you in the Middle East! I’m the one who called in the favors. I’m the one who got lover boy over there—” Nate’s eyes flashed at Brodie “—to go in and save you.”

Brodie’s shoulders rolled. “That’s lie number one.”

Nate tensed.

“We’ve been doing some digging of our own,” Grant murmured, never moving from his guard position near Nate. “You see...we have quite a few government contacts, too.”

Jennifer didn’t know if Brodie and Grant were bluffing or not, but the quick break in Nate’s expression told her plenty. Her stomach knotted. “You didn’t want to save me. You wanted to save yourself. You were afraid that my captors might break me, and I’d tell them about you.”

He glanced away from her.

“I wouldn’t have done that to you,” she whispered, and the words were the absolute truth. “I would have protected you.”

His gaze was directed just over her shoulder. He won’t look me in the eyes. “Nate!”

He jerked. “You don’t know what you’d do if the right pressure was applied. No one ever knows, not until it’s too late.”

She stepped toward him. “Is that what’s happening? Is someone applying pressure to you now?”

There were monitors to the right of Grant. Security feeds that showed different interior and exterior shots of the building. She saw Grant glance over at them. A man had just appeared in the feed on the lower right.

“Detective Townsend is here,” Grant said with a slight roll of his shoulders. “Sullivan, go let him in.”

Sullivan gave a curt nod and slid from the room.

Nate laughed. “A cop? What’s a cop going to do? I haven’t broken any laws! He can’t do a thing to me!”

Brodie’s glittering stare raked Nate. “You’re working with the man after Jennifer. You already admitted that you called him.”

Only the guy pulling Nate’s strings must have realized that they weren’t falling for his trap. He hadn’t shown at the parking garage.

Nate’s mouth clamped closed. Then his lips twisted. “There a law against making a phone call?”

Brodie took a step toward him. Jennifer put her hand on Brodie’s arm, stopping him. Her gaze stayed focused on Nate. “Talk to me,” Jennifer told him. “Tell me how things got so twisted.”

Nate shook his head.

“You’re supposed to be married. You and Shelly...you were going to start a new life together. Settle down, forget everything that had passed before. You were going to be free. We both were.” Shelly had been one of their government handlers. She’d wanted out, too, and she’d retired from the business with Nate. Jennifer had thought those two were really in love.

His jaw hardened. “I’m not talking about Shelly.”

That knot in her stomach got worse. “What happened?”

No answer.

“Nate!” She wanted to grab him. Shake him. “Why would you sell me out?” Then she remembered what he’d said to her in that parking garage. I won’t die for you. “He came after you,” she whispered. “Did he come to kill you? Is that what happened? Did he track you down and try to kill you first?”

His eyelids flickered, and Jennifer knew she was right.

“It’s someone we put away, isn’t it? He blamed you, just like he blamed me. Only...he came after you first.”

Nate turned his attention to the shut office door. “The cop isn’t going to do anything to me.”

Her head tilted. “Where is Shelly?”

He flinched.

“Nate...where’s Shelly?”

The door opened. She turned her head. Saw a tall, broad-shouldered man with sandy-blond hair follow Sullivan into the room. A badge was clipped to the man’s belt. The guy took one look at the scene before him and froze.

“Please, please tell me there’s a reason that man is handcuffed.”

But Nate wasn’t looking his way. Nate’s head had sagged forward. “Shelly’s gone.”

Chill bumps rose on Jennifer’s arms.

“He wanted me to suffer. Said I deserved it because of what I’d done.” Nate’s breath heaved out. “There was a fire...”

Her hands gripped his shoulders. “Nate, you should have contacted me!”

He shook his head. “She was gone in an instant, and he said I’d be next...if I didn’t give him you.”

Her hands tightened on him. She needed him to look up at her. “That’s how he knew I was in New Orleans. You told him I was down there.”

“What is going on?” The detective demanded.

Jennifer’s gaze jerked toward him.

“This man—” Brodie glared at Nate “—is working with a killer. The man who set that Mustang to blow, the man who torched the Montgomery stables.”

Nate started to laugh. “The man who is going to kill Jennifer.”

Jennifer backed away from him.

“The hell he is,” Brodie said, voice lethal.

Nate cocked his head as he seemed to study Brodie. “Is your family worth her life? Because that’s what the choice is going to be. He won’t stop.”

“Who is he?” Jennifer asked. “Give me his name.”

Nate laughed. “You don’t even remember him. Neither did I at first. All the people we worked to put away, and he’s the one who comes gunning for us? Sure never saw that coming, not until it was too late.”

She needed the guy’s name. “His voice was familiar.”

“I think he was falling for you,” Nate said, nodding a bit. “Maybe that’s why he went off the deep end. He thought you were perfect...that you were going to be his...and then he realized you were stealing his secrets.”

Jennifer stiffened. And the pieces clicked for her. Because there had been only one man that she’d walked the line with during her years as an agent. One man that she’d thought, Maybe he’s innocent, but then the evidence had shown just how guilty he really was. Just how evil. Her blinders had come off just in time. “Stephen?” She barely breathed the name. Stephen Brushard.

Nate laughed again. “I’m dead now. You realize that, right?”

“Okay,” the detective barked, and he strode forward with sudden aggression. “We’re taking this downtown. We’re talking murders...espionage... This is going downtown.”

Brodie caught Jennifer’s arm. “Who’s Stephen?”

She opened her mouth to reply—

But Nate beat her to the punch. “Rich boy, psychotic killer.”

Jennifer wet her lips. “He was...he was the first case I worked. I was so scared. Didn’t even think I could pull off being...her.”

Brodie frowned at that.

“Stephen Brushard was an American businessman with suspected ties to the Russian mob. It was believed that he was providing them with drugs, with weapons, but on paper he seemed so clean.” On paper and in person. He’d been so charming, so caring. She’d never had a man like him show any interest in her. As Jenny Belmont, no one had been interested in anything about her.

Stephen had been different. He’d been her assignment, but Jennifer knew he’d become more. She’d even gone to Nate in those early days and told him that she thought they were after the wrong guy. Stephen had to be innocent.

No one’s innocent. Nate’s reply had been flat. You’ll learn that truth soon enough.

And with Stephen, she had.

“They always do look good on paper,” Nate muttered. “That’s what covers are for. Then you rip past those lies and you see that no one has clean hands. They’re all stained with blood.”

She pulled in a quick breath and kept her focus on Brodie. “Stephen took an interest in me. I...I got access to his computer. Personal files.” That was when she’d learned the truth about him. She’d actually thought those files might exonerate him, but...they’d just nailed the coffin shut on his case. She’d learned about the monster hiding behind the man’s face. “I found out about an upcoming drop. I tipped off our handlers, and Stephen was caught in the act.” And Prince Charming had been locked up.

Nate yanked at his cuffs once more. “Prisons in Russia aren’t exactly known as paradise.”

The US agents had been working with their Russian counterparts. The bust had gone down so easily—almost too easily. And she’d been out of the country even before the bust had been made. “Stephen shouldn’t have known I was the one involved.” They’d been so careful. Her gaze slid back toward Nate. “We both should have been covered.”

Nate shrugged—or shrugged as much as he could in those cuffs. “The guy was smart. He put the puzzle pieces together... Guess he had plenty of time to figure things out while he was rotting in that Russian cell.”

And now Stephen wanted her to suffer, just as he had.

“Our cover is blown,” Nate said grimly. “And even my supposed death couldn’t stop him from finding me.”

But it should have stopped Stephen. With his “death,” Nate had more protection than she’d been given. A new name, a new identity. Yet Stephen had found him. How? Did Stephen have government contacts? Sources that had turned on her and Nate?

Grant and Sullivan had been watching the interrogation in silence, but now Grant stepped forward. A frown had pulled his brows low. “You said you called him,” Grant said, “and we found your smashed phone right outside of the parking garage.”

Nate swallowed. “Stephen told me to get rid of the phone and wait for him.”

Grant’s eyes narrowed on the man. “But you have his number. You called him.” A brief pause. “And you’re going to do it again.”

Frantically, Nate shook his head. “No way, that’s not happening. You think I’m going to set that guy up? After what he did to Shelly?”

“You should do it because of what he did to Shelly,” Jennifer nearly yelled at him. “Stephen has to be stopped!”

“Downtown,” Detective Shayne Townsend muttered again. “We are taking this mess downtown. Where are the handcuff keys?”

“He’s not leaving,” Brodie said, voice lethal, “not until he makes that call.” He stalked toward Nate, leaned forward until they were eye level. “You think this Stephen Brushard is scary? Wait until you have me and all of my brothers gunning for you.”

“You can’t say things like that!” the detective nearly shouted.

Brodie ignored him. “I’m betting you did some digging on me. On my family. You might even know about some of our missions.”

Nate’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“You will make that call,” Brodie said, “or you’ll be dealing with us...and the hell that we will bring to you.”

Nate’s gaze flew to her. “Jennifer, come on. For old times’ sake, help me.”

Old times’ sake... Had he really just gone there? “You were going to let him kill me, weren’t you?” Not just her, though. In that garage, he’d been prepared to attack Brodie.

“Uh...” She could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out what lie to tell her.

“The old times are over.” She glared at him. “Now make the call.”

* * *

“WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? Are you thinking?” Detective Shayne Townsend demanded as he grabbed Brodie and hauled him into the hallway. “You can’t threaten to kill a man right in front of me! Damn it, does the badge I wear mean nothing to you McGuires anymore?”

Brodie sucked in a hard breath and held tightly to his control. “It still means something. That’s why we called you and didn’t just go after this killer, Stephen Brushard, on our own.”

Shayne yanked a hand through his hair. “What have I walked into here? Sullivan only gave me skeleton details...”

“Because we were still walking in the dark ourselves.” And he wanted to hurry back into that room with Grant, Jennifer, Sullivan and dear old Nate to find out more. “All right, yeah, you know Jennifer was being stalked. Well, less than an hour ago, we learned that Nate in there is working for the guy.”

“And who the hell is Nate?”

“An ex-government agent.” He hesitated, then said, “Just like Jennifer. The guy was her partner in the field, but they both got out of the business years ago.”

Shayne squeezed his eyes shut. “Spies.”

“Ex-spies.”

Shayne swore. “Do you know the kind of paperwork we’re talking?”

“Nate is a puppet on a string. We have to pull in Brushard before that guy strikes again.” His muscles were locked down. “Before he kills Jennifer.”

“Wait—just wait.” Shayne’s expression turned pensive. “Have you gotten official confirmation that those two were spies? I mean, I know you have contacts in the government—have they backed up the woman’s story? How do you know you can actually trust what she’s saying? What he’s saying?”

“Grant is getting confirmation.”

Shayne’s sigh was loud and long. “And in the meantime, that Nate guy is just going to—what? Call in some killer who will waltz right up to us and turn himself in?”

No way would it be that easy. “I’d expect more of a fight. That’s why we want your boys in blue here.”

Shayne’s shoulders sagged. “Being friends with the McGuires is never easy.”

Brodie waited.

“He makes the call,” Shayne finally said, “but that only happens at the PD. Where we can monitor him, where my men can trace the call and be lead on this investigation.”

No, this wasn’t—

“You and your brothers aren’t vigilantes, Brodie. You can’t just keep a man handcuffed, no matter what he’s done.” Shayne jutted out his chin. “I’m taking him downtown. I have to do it—that’s my job. You and your brothers follow us. Then we’ll bring in the killer out there who’s gunning for your girl.” Shayne’s gaze was troubled. “You knew you were walking the line on this one already, didn’t you? That’s why you called me in. Not because you wanted backup.”

“The jerk nearly killed Mark Montgomery.” And when Brodie thought of Jennifer’s stalker, a killing rage coursed through him. Maybe he was worried about crossing the line because for Jennifer... I’d do it.

Shayne nodded. “We’re going to stop him, but we have to do it the right way.” And then Shayne marched back into Grant’s office, and Brodie followed on his heels.

“Uncuff him,” Shayne ordered when he stood right in front of Nate.

Grant didn’t move. Neither did Sullivan.

“I’m taking him into custody.”

Nate’s eyes widened. “On what charge? I didn’t do anything.” His cheeks flushed a dark red. “I’m the victim! I’m the one they kidnapped and handcuffed! You need to be arresting those fools!”

“Maybe if he hadn’t heard you raging in here, he would have bought your innocent act more,” Grant muttered.

Shayne’s jaw hardened. “Uncuff him. Now.”

Sullivan glanced at Grant. Grant looked at Brodie.

Jennifer frowned at them all.

“Stop the silent McGuire communication,” Shayne snapped. “My department will give you full backing to track down this Stephen Brushard. But we’re doing it the right way. And this guy...he’s getting put in a cell.”

Brodie nodded at Grant. Grant pulled the keys from his pocket. He unhooked the cuffs. Before Nate could jump out of his chair, Shayne had pulled out his weapon and the detective aimed it right at the ex-agent. “I’m following the law. Don’t mistake that for weakness on my part. You make any move to attack me or the McGuires, and you will regret it. I promise you that.” He motioned with his gun. “Now, stand up and keep your hands behind your back. You’re getting cuffed again—because I don’t want to worry about you trying to attack me.”

Nate’s glare should have burned the flesh right off Shayne.

When Nate was up and his hands were cuffed behind his back, the guy’s face turned an even darker red. “Do you know who I am?” He demanded as his white-hot stare raked Shayne. “You can’t do this to me!”

“Give it a rest, Nate,” Jennifer muttered. “They don’t care who you were or who you are... They’re taking you in.” Brodie hated the sadness in her eyes. She’d trusted Nate, but he’d sold her out.

Shayne pulled Nate forward. “Come on, my car’s waiting outside.”

Grant and Sullivan followed behind him. Jennifer started to advance, but Brodie blocked her path. “Are you okay?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

Her lips trembled, but then she pressed them together and gave a quick nod.

“Jennifer?”

“I... We worked together for so long. I think I might have even started to pretend to myself...thinking that we were some kind of family.” Her lashes lowered, shielding her eyes. “I would never have sold him out. I guess...I guess you really can’t depend on anyone but yourself, huh?”

His fingers cupped her chin. “You can depend on me.” He needed her to know that. To understand. Whatever came their way, he was going to be at her side.

“Do you mean that?”

Hell, yes, he did.

Her breath rushed out. “Thank you.”

He wanted to take her into his arms, to hold her tight, but the danger wasn’t over. They had more work to do. And now that they had the PD behind them, that work would go a hell of a lot faster.

“Come on,” he said, and they headed for the door.

Sullivan was the first one to exit the building. He went out, sweeping the area. The cameras had shown no sign that any intruder was close by, but since Nate said he’d tipped off Stephen, they didn’t want to take any chances.

Grant left next, armed, body tense.

Shayne pulled Nate out. Nate was digging in his heels. Twisting his arms. “I’m not telling you anything!” His voice rose. “I’ve already lost too much! I won’t lose anything else! I won’t!”

Brodie followed closely behind Shayne. Jennifer was at his side. Brodie’s gaze swept the scene. Shayne’s vehicle was just a few feet away. There was no sign of Stephen.

Because he got tipped off and ran...but we’ll pull him in again. We won’t lose him.

Shayne shoved Nate into the back of his car. Then he looked over at Sullivan. “Will you—”

“I’ll make sure the guy doesn’t cause any trouble.” Sullivan climbed into Shayne’s car.

Shayne nodded. “Good. Then let’s get out of here.”

They loaded into the vehicles and headed out.

Grant was in the lead vehicle. Shayne and Sullivan were driving in the second car with Nate. Brodie took the protective cover as the last in their line.

“We’re going to have Brushard in custody soon,” Brodie told Jennifer. He risked a fast glance at her. She looked so fragile. So tired as she sat beside him in that car.

“I was just doing my job,” she murmured. “I saw the evidence against him. He’d destroyed so many lives...” He heard the faint click of her swallow. “I had to turn him in, and now Stephen is trying to destroy me.”

He caught her hand. Held tight. “That’s not happening.” Not on his watch.

* * *

“WHY ARE YOU all willing to die for her?” The man known as Nate Wesley asked as he leaned forward.

Sullivan glared at the guy. He didn’t trust him for an instant.

“I mean, Brodie, I get that part. They’re lovers, right? Have to be.” Nate exhaled. “So she’s got him wrapped up tight, but you two guys? I mean, come on... You don’t want to get in Stephen Brushard’s way. Believe me, you don’t.”

Shayne kept his eyes on the road.

Sullivan knew the detective wanted Nate to keep talking—to keep digging his own grave with every word he said. Sullivan knew, because he wanted the exact same thing.

“You’re scared of the guy,” Sullivan muttered.

“He killed my Shelly!” Nate snarled. “Of course I’m scared of him. The man escaped a Russian prison. He’s got ties so deep with the Russian mob... He’s death. If you don’t give him what he wants, then he’ll rip your world to shreds.”