by Kat Martin
* * *
Bran sat on the bunk in the holding cell he’d occupied since sheriff’s deputies had arrested him. It smelled like stale beer and bad breath. Galen had questioned him, but he’d only repeated what he’d said before. Check Coffman’s pistol. A match would implicate the man in Petrov’s murder.
After that he’d stayed silent. During his phone call to Chase, his brother had warned him to keep his mouth shut until he had an attorney. Since he respected his oldest brother’s opinion, which was usually right, he clammed up. Let them interrogate Tank and see what they came up with.
In the meantime, they’d be running ballistics on Coffman’s .45 and checking the guy’s alibi for the night of Petrov’s murder. With any luck, something would click. The sheriff would find enough evidence to arrest Coffman on murder charges, and once army brass got involved, he could be pressured to roll on Weaver.
The long game for Bran.
And he would be out of jail.
He stood up as one of the deputies arrived and his cell door slid open with a noisy clang. The deputy, heavyset, with a slight paunch, motioned for him to follow. He wound up down the hall in the stark white interrogation room he’d been in before.
It felt like an hour passed, but it was only a few minutes before Detective Mace Galen walked in. Galen slapped a manila file folder down on the metal-framed table, ran two fingers over the blond mustache beneath his nose, and gave Bran a hard stare.
“You want the good news first or the bad news?”
He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. “I could use a little good news for a change.”
“Ballistics matched the bullet that killed Petrov to the gun we got when we picked you up at the county line.”
Bran felt a sweep of relief. “I figured.” But he hadn’t been sure. “What’s the bad news?”
“Bad news is Coffman claims the gun belongs to you. You planted the pistol, set him up to take the fall. He’s just an innocent victim.”
Bran snorted a laugh and sat up straighter in the chair. “Don’t tell me you’re buying it. The guy probably has a rap sheet as long as your arm.”
Galen ignored him and tapped the file. “You admitted to having a beef with Petrov before he died. You assaulted him. Now we have the murder weapon and your fingerprints are all over it.”
“The assault on Petrov was self-defense. I told you that at the time. He was hired to murder my client. You have the murder weapon now because I brought in Petrov’s killer. I took the gun off him at the roadhouse. Coffman’s prints are bound to be on it, too.”
“Anything you want to say before we officially bring charges?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a lawyer on the way. Be easier for all of us if you just arrested Coffman. You and I both know he’s guilty.”
“What I know is you’re not helping yourself with that attitude. Maybe a few more hours of cooling your heels in a cell and you’ll feel a little more like talking.”
Bran clamped down on his temper, reminded himself Galen was just doing his job.
“Maybe a few more hours and you’ll have what you need to make a case against Coffman, and I can get back to protecting my client.”
So far he’d been able to keep thoughts of Jessie out of his head. She was with Ty and he would keep her safe. The problem was, Jessie was a wild card. When she found out he’d been arrested, she’d wouldn’t stand by and do nothing, and whatever she did might put her in danger.
Never good at waiting, Bran fidgeted in his chair. Maybe he should make another run at Galen, try once more to persuade the guy to let him go.
He blew out a frustrated breath. Knowing his brother was right, he stayed where he was and kept his mouth shut.
* * *
Jessie sat in the waiting room outside General Holloway’s office. His assistant, Lieutenant Dickerson, had gotten the call from the gatehouse, and fortunately he remembered her. She’d told him she had crucial information she could only reveal to the general. The lieutenant had spoken to Holloway, and he had agreed to see her as soon as he arrived.
She’d been waiting an hour. It seemed like a week.
Finally Lieutenant Dickerson approached. Jessie recalled his sandy hair and slender, boyish features.
“Ms. Kegan? General Holloway is ready to see you. Please follow me.” He led her down a hall into the general’s office. Holloway stood up behind his desk as she walked in. The lieutenant closed the door behind her, leaving them alone.
“Good morning, Jessie. I understand you have something important to discuss.”
“That’s right, General. I appreciate your seeing me on such short notice.”
“I’m assuming this is in regard to your father’s death.”
“It’s in regard to the missing chemical weapons, sir. And my father’s death. As you know, I believe the two are connected.”
His eyes remained on her face. “I expected to see Captain Garrett here with you.”
“Captain Garrett is currently in jail. That’s part of the reason I’m here.”
Holloway’s interest sharpened, driving up his graying brown eyebrows. “I’m listening.”
“Brandon was arrested for bringing in a man named Wayne Conrad Coffman. Coffman is connected to a man named Weaver. Weaver arranged my father’s murder through his contacts in the army prison. He was hired by someone who wanted to frame my father for the theft of the weapons. If you want to find the stolen munitions, Wayne Coffman is the man who can help.”
The general rounded the desk and motioned for her to join him at the table in the corner. “I think we had better take a seat, and you can start from the beginning.”
Jessie took a deep, hopeful breath as both of them sat down.
* * *
Bran paced the interrogation room from one wall to the other, anything was better than just sitting there. With every turn, he cursed Mace Galen. The guy had to know the charges against him were bullshit. The gun belonged to the scumbag who’d killed Janos Petrov. The two were birds of a feather. Vultures.
Tension slid through him as the door cracked open and Galen walked back into the Spartan room. Bran wondered how long he and his men had been watching him through the two-way mirror.
“We got some interesting news. I figured you deserved to know.”
“Good news or bad news?” he asked, parroting Galen’s earlier words.
The detective’s mustache kicked up at one corner. “From your standpoint, very good news. Wayne Conrad Coffman was arrested for assault in Atlanta three years ago. He’s also been arrested in Memphis and Phoenix. He’s got a history of violent crimes, but the charges never seem to stick.”
Bran wondered if the Brotherhood had played a part in keeping Tank out of jail and if killing Janos Petrov was the kind of work he did for them in return. He wondered if killing Jessie had been next on his list. “I’m still waiting for the good news.”
“The good news is he was questioned as a person of interest in the murder of a federal judge in Nevada last year. There wasn’t enough to arrest him, but the MO matches the Petrov murder—.45 caliber gunshot between the eyes. And just like Petrov, the bullet recovered from the crime scene matches the one from the SIG P220 you took off Coffman.”
Thank Christ for that.
“Since you were working in Dallas at the time of the judge’s murder—verified by several people in your office—it looks like you’re going to walk.”
The tension in his shoulders relaxed. “About damn time.”
Galen smiled. “Guy with your skills needs a little set down once in a while. Keeps you humble.”
He almost smiled at the backward compliment, decided to take his brother’s advice instead. “So I’m free to go?”
“There’ll be some paperwork for you to sign on the way out. You can pick up your phone and your personal i
tems before you leave, but yes, you can go.”
“What about my rental car?”
“CSIs are still working on it. Might find something on Coffman we can use. You can pick it up from the impound lot in a day or two. We’ll let you know.”
It wasn’t the best news. He was anxious to get back to Jessie. He’d Uber to Hertz and rent another vehicle, figure a way to get the SUV picked up. He rose from his chair as the door swung open and one of the deputies stuck his head in.
“We got a problem, Mace. Army MPs are here for Coffman. They got a warrant, something about terrorism. They want him now and they mean business.”
Galen flicked a glance at Bran. “I don’t know whether to be happy about this or pissed.” He followed the deputy into the corridor.
Terrorism. One way to get the bastard to talk. Bran couldn’t help wondering if Jessie had a hand in this. He caught up with Galen as he walked down the hall.
“Any idea where they’re taking him?” Bran asked.
Galen turned. “Wherever it is, the guy will be lucky if he ever sees the light of day again.”
Worry settled over him. A terrorism charge was bad news. What if the army made Tank disappear into a dark hole somewhere. They needed him to get to Weaver. Jessie wouldn’t be safe until whoever stole the weapons was arrested. The thieves wanted her silenced. There were millions of dollars at stake. Tank was out of the picture, but there was always another killer for hire.
He collected his things, signed the release papers, and walked toward the front door. His mind was on Jessie and the fastest way back to her when he heard a familiar, softly feminine voice.
“Hey, soldier. Need a ride?”
The oddest sensation stole over him, a warm glow, like a long-awaited homecoming. He turned and smiled, thinking how pretty she looked even with her fiery hair mussed and no makeup. “Yeah, sexy lady. I do.”
The minute he reached her, he wrapped her in his arms. “Thanks for coming,” he said against her cheek, then he tipped her face up and very thoroughly kissed her.
TWENTY-FOUR
At the warmth she’d seen in Bran’s eyes, a lump formed in Jessie’s throat. She returned his kiss, clinging to him tighter than she should have. She’d been so worried. The relief she felt now made her eyes sting.
She forced herself to step away. It was dangerous to allow her feelings for Bran to grow, and yet she couldn’t seem to stop them. She managed to smile and tried to make light of the situation.
“You realize you smell like the inside of a sleazy bar, right?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I do. Not much I can do about it at the moment. Let’s get out of here so I can get cleaned up, and you can fill me in on what’s been going on.” He stopped at the top of the front steps, his dark brows pulling together. “How’d you get here?”
“Ty drove me to the airport and I picked up my car. I almost passed out at the long-term parking fee.”
“Dammit, Jess, what if the damned thing’s bugged?”
She just shrugged. “Ty and I took a look but didn’t find anything. Besides, I had to get down here. There were things I needed to do.”
“Where’d you park?”
She pointed. “The white Honda Accord just down the block.”
He grabbed her hand and started tugging her in that direction, careful to keep an eye out for any sign of trouble. Now that Petrov was dead, Graves most likely on the run, and Tank under military arrest, he had no idea what situation they might be facing.
His Glock had been returned unloaded, along with two full magazines. When he reached the car, he pulled the gun out of the plastic bag that held his personal items, shoved one of the mags into the grip, then clipped the holster onto his belt beneath his Henley and dark green down vest.
Feeling a little more secure, he glanced around, checking for a possible sniper or anyone who might have managed to figure out where Jessie was. He made his own brief check of the car, looking for anyplace a tracker could be easily hidden, but didn’t find anything.
He stuck out a hand. “I need the keys.”
One of her rusty-gold eyebrows went up. “It’s my car. I should be the one to drive.”
“No way I’m letting you drive,” he said.
Jessie huffed out a breath. “Fine. If it’s that much of a threat to your masculinity, you can drive.” She tossed him the keys and flounced around to the passenger side, jerked open the door, and climbed in. She looked so cute he couldn’t stop a grin.
Still smiling, he slid in behind the wheel, having to move the seat all the way back to fit. “Where are we going?”
“If you’d let me drive, you wouldn’t have to ask. We’ve got an appointment with General Holloway. He wants to ask you some questions.”
He slanted her a look. “Long as you promise he’s not going to throw me in the brig.”
“If he does, he’ll probably arrest me, too.”
He smiled. “At least this time I’d have company.”
She stopped just short of a return smile and pointedly wrinkled her nose. “We’ve got some time. Our suitcases are in the trunk. I washed everything so at least it’s all clean. I figured since you’ve been busy playing bodyguard I owed you that much.”
“Great,” he said. “Thanks.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
He laughed. “Wouldn’t think of it.” He pulled onto the road. “Why don’t you find us a room so I can shower and change. No way I’m talking to a general smelling like I spent the night in a gutter.”
She laughed.
He changed lanes, then turned the corner. “The weather is getting colder. We need some warmer clothes. You know a place we can buy some?”
“I remember passing an REI on Woodman Road.” A smug smile curved her lips. “If I were driving—”
“Okay, I get it. Just tell me where to go.”
It took less than thirty minutes to pick up some Under Armour, a couple of sweaters, two superlightweight puffy jackets, and whatever else struck their fancy. Since they’d never made it to Jessie’s apartment, Bran insisted she buy thick socks and a pair of winter boots.
From there, they pulled into an IHOP for a quick breakfast. While they ate, Bran phoned Ty to let him know he was out of jail.
“Glad to hear it,” Ty said. “I called Colt after I got back from the airport and told him you’d been arrested.”
“I’ll call him, let him know I’m not still cooling it in a cell. Thanks for taking care of Jessie.”
“She’s a keeper, dude.”
“I know,” Bran said softly, wishing he was the kind of guy who could make her happy, knowing he wasn’t. He shoved the dark thought away, phoned Colt and asked him to bring his weapons.
“Didn’t figure I’d end up back here—at least not last night. Sorry to put you to the extra trouble, but I don’t like being here without my gear.”
“No problem,” Colt said.
“We’ve got an appointment on the base. How about later this afternoon?”
“I’ll be there.”
Bran gave him the location of the Homewood Suites that Jessie had booked, nothing fancy and no pool, but with a living room and bedroom, it was spacious, the way he liked. Once he’d showered off the grime of the jail cell, he felt a helluva lot better.
Towel-drying his hair as he walked out of the bathroom, his gaze shot to the king-size bed. He thought of Jessie and his groin tightened, his mind sliding right back into the gutter.
“What time’s our appointment with Holloway?” he asked, walking into the living room wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.
Jessie rose from where she sat in front of her laptop, her gaze moving over his bare chest and suddenly sparking with heat. He was already aroused. When she moistened those full pink lips, he went rock hard.
“I wasn’t sure how lon
g it would take to get you released from jail. I told him I thought we could be there by 1:00 p.m.”
He didn’t miss the pulse fluttering at the base of her throat or the flush in her cheeks. “That doesn’t give us much time.”
Her eyes locked with his. “No...it doesn’t. Especially since I’m...I’m already dressed. We’d...um...have to be creative.”
“Yeah.” He moved toward her. She’d put on makeup, pulled her hair into a thick twist behind her head, and changed into the dark brown skirt suit she’d worn the first time they had gone to the base. “You game for that?”
She swallowed. Nodded.
Bran drew her into his arms, bent and nipped the side of her neck. “I missed you last night,” he said softly, then took her mouth in a hot, wet kiss.
Jessie moaned.
Bran kissed and tasted, slid his hands inside her jacket, inside her blouse to tease her nipples through the thin silk of her bra. He kissed her until she was running her hands over his naked chest, gripping his shoulders and repeating his name like a plea. Shoving up her skirt, he slid down a pair of pink bikini panties that had him groaning, then kissed her again and turned her around. In her high heels, the table was just the right height to bend her over.
And didn’t she look just fine exactly that way.
“Beautiful,” he said as he ran a hand over her sexy curves and began to stroke her. Never one to pass up an opportunity, he’d grabbed a foil packet before he’d left the bedroom, sheathed himself now, tossed the towel, and slid into her welcoming heat.
Jessie moaned and arched her back, taking him even deeper. He always worried she might relapse to her days in confinement, but instead, she gripped the opposite side of the table, making it better for both of them.
Clenching his teeth against the pleasure, he increased his pace until she was making soft little sounds in her throat. A few seconds later she started coming, her sweet little body clenching around him, and Bran completely lost it.
Lightning struck, or it felt that way. He gripped her hips and pounded into her, and Jessie came again. By the time he’d finished, both of them were sprawled on the table, limp and sated. Bran pulled her up with him, turned her into his arms, and kissed her.
