Don't Let Go

by Rebecca Deel

“Bravo was out of the country.” They’d been tromping through a forest in Bolivia, tracking a terrorist group who kidnapped an American oil executive’s wife, demanding an exorbitant ransom for her release. The oil executive was more interested in paying Fortress to free his wife than fund the terrorists and their activities. But while Bravo had been successful in freeing the woman and eradicating the terrorist group, apparently Zoe had been fighting against Lyons. He should have been here. “What happened?”

  “Macy and I planned to meet Piper and Sasha for dinner one night. I stopped by her house to pick up Macy because her car was on the fritz. Isaac was there. He and Macy were in the middle of a blazing fight in the front yard. He was furious because she planned to go to dinner with us rather than spend more time with him. I parked in the driveway so I couldn’t help but overhear their words. Isaac slapped Macy hard, knocking her to the ground. I got out of the car to help her, but he was angry and out of control. He shoved me away from her, then got into his car and left Macy and me on the ground.”

  Fury boiled in Simon’s gut. “Go on.”

  “I had a bad ankle sprain and used a walking boot for two weeks after that incident. The doctor cleared me to ditch the boot before you returned home.”

  If Lyons was still alive, Simon would hunt him down and teach him to treat women with more respect. He longed to pound someone’s face, but since the object of his fury was dead, he wrestled down the hurricane of emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Zoe cupped his cheek. “I promised Macy I wouldn’t. I warned her if I felt threatened by him or if he ever touched me again, I would go straight to the police, Trent, and you. She begged me to remain quiet, Simon. She said Isaac would have been kicked out of PSI and he would have left town. Macy loved him.”

  “She was right. He’d have been kicked out of PSI. Lyons deserved any punishment he received. You should have told me.”

  “We weren’t dating then, Simon.”

  “That’s not the reason you kept this a secret from me.”

  A gentle kiss on his mouth before she murmured, “I knew you would take him to task for hurting me when that wasn’t Isaac’s intention. He was out of control at that moment.”

  “Operatives can’t be out of control any time. If he is, he can’t think or react properly. On a mission, he risks his own life as well as that of his teammates or client if he loses control.”

  “I didn’t think about that.”

  “If anyone threatens you again, promise that you’ll tell me immediately. For me to focus on a mission, I have to know you’ll tell me if anything or anyone scares you.”

  Another kiss from the woman in his arms, this one more of a claiming. He reveled in her claim. When she drew back, Zoe said, “I promise, Simon.”

  The door to the interrogation room opened. “Ready to resume, Zoe?” Ethan asked.

  She nodded, her gaze still locked with Simon’s.

  “Wait in the hall, Simon.”

  After what happened during the previous interrogation session, he was reluctant to leave Zoe alone with Ethan and Stella. Simon captured Zoe’s mouth in a quick, hard kiss before standing. He slid a warning glance toward Ethan before returning to stand watch in the hallway outside the room.

  He called Zane.

  “Yeah, Murphy.”

  “It’s Simon. What do you have for me?”

  “I pulled the camera footage from Liam’s security system.”

  “What did you find?”

  “Not much. The perp was wearing all black, including a ski mask. I’m cleaning up the images, hoping for more.”

  “That’s not what I wanted to hear, Z. Did he get inside the house?”

  “No. He couldn’t get past the alarm system and locks. Liam received an alert, but in light of Piper’s hospitalization, he’s forgotten.”

  “Do you have a general description?”

  “He’s about six feet, muscular, moves like he’s a professional. If he’d had a few more minutes, he might have bypassed the security system.”

  Simon frowned. “He’s one of us?” Could the rogue operative be in Otter Creek?

  “I don’t think he’s black ops. I sent the footage to your email and Liam’s. Tell me what you think when you see it. How’s Piper?”

  “She should be released soon. Other than a lingering headache, she should be fine.”

  Zane remained silent a moment. “What aren’t you telling me? You know something else. Spill.”

  The tech wizard was sharp. “She’s pregnant.”

  A laugh sounded over the phone’s speaker. “That great! I’m happy for them. The boss will be, too. What about Zoe?”

  “Blackhawk and Stella are interrogating her about Lyons’ death.”

  “Once they eliminate you and Zoe as suspects, they’ll focus their attention on finding the real killer.”

  “Have you sent Ethan the footage from PSI?”

  “Already done. Zoe’s phone should be at PSI by ten this morning.”

  “Excellent. Thanks, Z.”

  “Yep. Anything else?”

  He thought about what Zoe had told him. “Tear Isaac Lyons’ life apart.”

  “What am I looking for?”

  Simon told Zane about Zoe’s injury. “A man that out of control didn’t wake up one day and decide to be abusive toward his girlfriend.” The idea that any man would treat a woman in that manner turned his stomach.

  “We didn’t find anything in his background check. You know the boss wouldn’t take a chance on someone like that.”

  “If Lyons had one hidden weakness, he might have others.” One that someone could have capitalized on.

  “I’ll see what I can find.” He ended the call.

  Simon placed another call, unsure this one would be successful. Brent Maddox was not a pushover. However, he had a soft spot for women in danger.

  “Maddox. What do you need, Simon?”

  “To report the latest from Otter Creek and ask a favor.”

  “Go.”

  Simon summarized the events of the past 24 hours, ending with him and Zoe being summoned to the police station for questioning in the death of Isaac Lyons.

  “How did Lyons die?” After Simon relayed the details, Maddox growled. “That isn’t the work of an amateur.”

  “No, sir,” he agreed. “That’s why I was treated to a full interrogation by our police chief.”

  “Why did Blackhawk focus on you?”

  “Zoe’s mine.”

  “Ah. So, you finally made a move, huh?”

  Simon scowled. “What? Did everybody in Fortress make bets on when I would claim her?”

  “It’s good, clean entertainment in a world filled with darkness and evil, my friend. So, yes, everyone wagered a buck or two on the date you grew a spine and asked her on a date.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you stepped up.”

  He snorted. “You like your operatives happy and settled.”

  “Keeps them stable. What’s the favor?”

  “Information. I want to know the name of the rogue operative.”

  “Why?”

  “Someone is stalking Bravo and our women, sir. Knowing the name of the rogue will help us be prepared.”

  “No, it won’t.”

  He blinked. “I don’t understand.”

  “The rogue is no longer a threat to you or anyone else. He’s dead.”

  “What happened?”

  “He went after a member of the Shadow unit.”

  Simon’s eyebrows rose. “Which one?”

  “Ben Martin.”

  He whistled softly. “Stupid move on the rogue’s part to go up against a Navy SEAL. Ben’s all right?”

  “Banged up a little. He’ll recover.”

  “Do we know who the rogue sold the information to?”

  “We should have that nailed down in the next two hours. Zane assigned Bridget, Trace Young’s wife, to the sea
rch. She’s almost finished.”

  “Good. Would you have given me the rogue’s name?”

  “What do you think?”

  Simon rolled his eyes. Should have known better than to try and weasel information from Brent Maddox.

  “Keep me apprised. If you need anything, contact me. We’ll take care of it.”

  After he ended the call, Trent sent a reminder text about the meeting at PSI scheduled for ten. Hopefully, Ethan and Stella would have the information they needed by then.

  An hour later, the door to the interrogation room opened again. Ethan inclined his head toward his office in a silent order for Simon to follow him. After a quick glance inside the room where Stella and Zoe were still talking, he trailed the police chief. Once he crossed the threshold, Ethan closed the door and pointed at one of the visitor chairs in front of his desk.

  “Time to tell me what’s going on, Simon. I’m responsible for the safety of Otter Creek’s citizens, including your girlfriend when you aren’t by her side. I’ll do my job more effectively if I have more information.”

  Simon didn’t have much choice if he wanted to protect the town and woman he’d claimed as his own. “What do you want to know?”

  “Was Lyons a one-man crime spree or should I be prepared for more trouble?”

  “I don’t know.”

  When Ethan glared at him, Simon held up a hand to placate the cop. “Bravo and Durango have a meeting at ten o’clock this morning. We’re still gathering information from our sources. We should have more soon.”

  Ethan leaned against his desk, arms folded. “No more secrets. I’ve been Special Forces. I know the missions you take on and the enemies you make when you do your job right. How much of a threat am I looking at?”

  “We had an operative go rogue. He sold information on Bravo and possibly Durango and their families. We don’t know who has the information yet. We will. One of the tech geeks is tracking that down.”

  Ethan scowled. “And the rogue agent?”

  “Dead. He made the fatal mistake of going after a Navy SEAL.”

  “We’re looking at terrorists out for revenge against Bravo and maybe Durango.” He dragged a hand down his face. “Tell Zane and Maddox that I want to be copied in on every piece of information they learn. No exceptions.”

  The police chief studied Simon for a moment, then said, “While it’s possible terrorists are responsible for what’s been happening with Zoe, that’s not their typical MO. They don’t harass. They kill. Who else is after your girlfriend, Simon?”

  His hands clenched. “If I knew that, half this battle would be over. Bravo would go after them before they had a chance to do any more damage.”

  “We’ll help where we can. You and Zoe are free to go. Stay available. I’m sure Stella and Nick will have more questions. In the meantime, if you leave town, we need to know.” His gaze was intense and direct. “For Zoe’s sake, getting her out of town might be the best way to keep her safe.”

  “I don’t know if I can convince her to keep the bakery closed for a few more days.” While she was making a living, she wasn’t flush with cash.

  “Figure out a way. Short on funds is better than dead.”

  With that grim pronouncement echoing in his mind, Simon walked to the interrogation room. “We need to leave, Zoe. I have a meeting at PSI.”

  Stella rose with Zoe. “Be careful, Zoe. If you feel like anything is wrong, even if you can’t figure out what it is, call for help. We’d rather be on the spot for a false alarm than for you to assume your imagination was overactive when trouble is stalking you.”

  Zoe flinched. “I wish you had chosen a different word.”

  “Being blunt might save your life.”

  Zoe joined Simon in the hallway and they walked through the bullpen and lobby to the stairs in front of the police station. He slid his arm around her shoulders and tucked her close to his side as he led her to his SUV. While they’d been inside the interrogation rooms, Otter Creek had come alive, and now citizens streamed down the streets and sidewalks, heading toward jobs, school, or one of the restaurants in town.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked as he unlocked his SUV and helped her inside.

  Zoe shook her head. “Are you still angry with me?”

  “I’m angry at myself.”

  “Why?”

  “For being such a coward. If I had stepped up sooner, you’d have told me about Lyons. He would have been kicked out of PSI and maybe Macy would be alive. If Lyons killed Macy, her death is partly my fault.”

  “Don’t, Simon. You couldn’t have known.”

  He trailed his knuckles lightly down her cheek and shut the door. Time to go to PSI.

  Simon shut the passenger door and circled to the driver’s side. When he grasped the handle, he heard an engine rev nearby. Simon glanced up to see the barrel of a handgun pointed his direction.

  He dropped to the ground and rolled under his SUV as bullets sprayed his vehicle.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Simon scooted to the other side of his SUV. “Stay inside,” he ordered Zoe, and crouched by the rear wheel, weapon drawn as police officers poured from the station behind him. A blue four-door sedan sped away. A moment later, two prowl cars raced from the station in pursuit, sirens blaring and lights flashing.

  As Blackhawk headed his direction, Simon stood and opened the passenger door.

  “Simon!” Zoe dove into his open arms. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t understand why none of the bullets hit the SUV. Was the shooter a bad shot?”

  His arms tightened around her. “He was accurate enough.”

  “But the glass didn’t break.”

  “My ride is reinforced and the glass is bullet-resistant.”

  “Simon.” Ethan’s gaze scanned over Simon and Zoe. “You two okay?”

  “No injuries.”

  “Lucky.”

  He scanned the area and noticed three town citizens sitting or sprawled on the sidewalk. Officers raced to their sides to render aide. Others formed a barrier between the injured and the street in case of more trouble. A few blocks over, sirens from fire engines and ambulances could be heard coming closer, responding to the scene. “How bad are the injuries?”

  “Through-and-through on one, bullets kissed the other two. Could have been worse.” His dark eyes pinned Simon. “Think about what I told you.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Take Zoe inside the station. Call Trent and tell him you’ll be late for your meeting. We need statements before you leave.” Ethan turned away and organized the scene, deploying resources to the best advantage.

  Simon urged Zoe toward the station, gaze constantly scanning the area in case the shooter decided to try again. Although unlikely, he wasn’t taking chances with Zoe’s life.

  He propelled her up the stairs and into the safety of the station. The desk sergeant waved them into the bullpen. Simon didn’t argue with him. The waiting area by the front desk was surrounded by glass and made Zoe more vulnerable to attack.

  They hurried into the bullpen and Simon steered Zoe into the interrogation room. He didn’t like having only one entrance and exit, but anyone who wanted to harm Zoe would have to go through him to get to her.

  He seated Zoe at the table and dropped into the chair next to hers. Simon grabbed his phone and called Trent.

  “St. Claire.”

  “It’s Simon. Zoe and I will be late.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Drive-by shooting at the police station. Zoe and I have to give statements to the police.” Again.

  “You two injured?”

  “No, but three civilians were shot. Minor injuries.”

  “Target?”

  He glanced at Zoe whose gaze was locked on his face. “Me.”

  “I’ll call Ethan to offer our assistance. We may have to delay our meeting. You and Zoe stay off the street. As soon as you’
re free to leave the station, head to PSI. We’ll come up with a plan.”

  “Yes, sir.” Simon slid the phone into his pocket. “After we finish here, we’re to head to PSI.”

  She looked surprised. “Shouldn’t we lend Ethan a hand?”

  “Trent is going to offer assistance. We can’t be among the volunteers, Zoe. Bravo shouldn’t be volunteering, either.”

  “Why not?”

  “That wasn’t a random drive-by shooting. The shooter was aiming for me. The people injured were hit by bullets meant for me. I’m not sure whether I was meant to die to make you more vulnerable to attack or if I was the target all along.”

  “You think this could be related to the terrorist?”

  “We don’t believe in coincidence in our line of work. There’s a reason for everything that happens.”

  “But this man could have killed people.” Outrage filled her voice.

  Simon was glad to hear the fury in her voice instead of the stark fear of moments earlier. “Terrorists don’t care about the fallout as long as they meet their objective.”

  “If you were the target, they failed. We’re putting our friends in danger.”

  “That’s what we’ll discuss with Bravo and Durango. We have to devise a plan to handle this situation.”

  “We don’t know who to look for.”

  He cupped her cheek. “We’ll find them. Trust me. Trust my team.” Simon drew Zoe into his arms and held her close, thankful she was alive and unharmed.

  Minutes later, Stella hurried into the interrogation room. She dropped onto the chair across the table from them. “Simon, you first. Tell me what happened in as much detail as you can remember.”

  After he complied, the detective turned to Zoe. “Your turn. From your perspective, what happened? What did you see?”

  Zoe’s story matched his with fewer details.

  Stella frowned. “Not much to go on. Would Zane be willing to hack into traffic cams for us and send us the footage of the incident?”

  Simon’s eyebrows rose. “Don’t you need a paper trail for the lawyers to hide behind?”

  “We’ll establish one. No judge is going to deny our request, but that process takes time that we don’t have. Although you two were likely the targets, we can’t be positive that’s the case. By now, the shooter could be anywhere. I’d at least like a starting point. We need to find the shooter and determine if he had a grudge against one of my co-workers, or just you and Zoe.”