Risky Return (Covert Operatives Book 3)

by Virginia Vaughan

  “Are you okay?” Rebecca asked her, the high-pitched sound of her voice seeming frantic even to her own ears.

  “I’m fine. Why? What happened?”

  She forced herself to breathe and keep her voice steady before she responded. “Nothing, nothing. I was only checking on you.”

  But Missy wasn’t dumb. “I can tell by your voice something is wrong, Rebecca. What is it? Am I in danger?”

  “No. Someone shot at us at my house, but you’re safe. If they knew where you were, they would be there by now. Keep the door locked and the curtains drawn and don’t answer the door for anyone.”

  She made Missy promise and then ended the call, but once she hung up, Rebecca dropped the phone and sobbed into her hands as the weight of what was happening overwhelmed her. Someone had shot at her! It wasn’t right that she had to endure this. She was trying to do the right thing and it wasn’t fair the bad guys kept coming after her. Where was God in all this? Where was the truth?

  Collin rushed to her, his eyes searching hers as he pulled her to him and she laid her head on his shoulder. It was strong and comforting and seemed as if it could handle the weight of the world.

  “Missy is okay. How did they know we were here?” she asked him. “Did they follow us?”

  “I don’t think so. I didn’t notice anyone following us and I was watching.”

  She spotted several of her neighbors peeking through curtains and opening their doors to see what all the commotion was about. Now that the shots were over, curiosity would get the best of everyone and they would want to know what had happened. In the distance, the sound of sirens whirled toward them.

  When the first police car arrived, Collin told them what had happened. She was amazed at how well he was handling this situation. She was a wreck, shaking and scared, but he seemed unfazed. He’d reacted on instinct and drive, and it broke her heart to imagine he’d seen a lot of gunfire in his time in the army. But even those thoughts brought up new feelings of anger. He’d only joined the army to get away from her. She had to stop being so dependent on him. All she was doing was opening her heart to someone she knew would break it again.

  She walked toward him as a deputy was asking questions and taking down notes. “Did you get a look at the car or the shooter?”

  “The car was tan and a four-door. I couldn’t make out the tag number. The shooter was sitting in the back seat. I didn’t get a look at the driver.”

  The deputy glanced her way. “We’ll need to get your statement as well.”

  She took a deep breath and recounted what she recalled about the car. It wasn’t much. She’d seen it approaching but then Collin had reacted and shielded her.

  “Maybe we’ll be fortunate and find security footage of the car leaving the neighborhood.”

  Several more cruisers arrived and they taped off the area around her driveway, then started questioning those who’d converged in the street. Collin stayed beside Rebecca, his arm around her. Despite her earlier determination to not rely so much on him, she placed her head on his shoulder as tears slipped through. She couldn’t hold them back. Too much was happening and it felt like her world was being shaken. She didn’t even have time to breathe, much less figure out what was happening.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Collin whispered, tightening his grip on her.

  “I’m just ready for it to stop.” And she could probably make it stop by handing over Missy to the baby-selling ring, but she wouldn’t. No matter what happened to her, she wouldn’t give up on Missy or on taking down the people who seemed to think it was okay to kidnap women like Missy and steal their babies. She glanced up at Collin, remembering their child and how devastating it had been to lose the baby. Miscarrying was something she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy, but snatching a child from its mother’s arms... She shuddered at the thought.

  Kent arrived on the scene and Collin hurried to him. “Where were you? I thought you were on your way.”

  “I got here as soon as I could. I sent a cruiser. I heard the call over the radio. Shots fired. What happened?”

  “Someone shot up my car and nearly shot us.”

  Kent moved toward Rebecca. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m fortunate Collin was here with me.” She didn’t want to believe the worst about him, but he had known they were at her house. Had he arranged for the shooting? He was the only one who’d known they were there. She glanced at Collin as he pulled his hands through his hair. She recognized that tell of frustration, too. He had to be asking himself the same questions about Kent that she was.

  “We will interview your neighbors. Maybe one of them saw something more. Possibly, it’s the same people and they were watching and waiting for you to come home. Either way, once again, your house is a crime scene, Rebecca. You can’t stay here. Do you have somewhere you can go?”

  Tears filled her eyes that her home had been broken into yet another time. Would she ever consider it home again without feeling violated? She didn’t know, but Kent was right. Even if it wasn’t currently a crime scene, she couldn’t see staying here for now. It was time to make other arrangements. “I can go to my cousin Janice’s house. She has a spare bedroom.” And maybe hugging her cousin’s baby for a few hours would give her some comfort.

  Collin nodded. “I’ll call us a cab then drop you off at your cousin’s house. I need to get a rental since my car is now undrivable.” He motioned toward his car and she turned to see his sedan riddled with bullet holes.

  Kent nodded. “I’ll phone you when we know something more about the shooting.”

  When the cab arrived, she gave her cousin’s address, hoping she wasn’t imposing too much on Janice and her husband, David. Truthfully, she would rather stay with Collin—she would feel safer—but that wasn’t a good idea. She couldn’t take it if she fell for Collin all over again and he left her just when she needed him. She may trust him to keep her safe but she couldn’t—she wouldn’t—trust him with her heart.

  * * *

  Collin asked the cabdriver to wait while he got out, then he walked Rebecca to the door of her cousin’s house. He wasn’t surprised to find she lived in an upscale neighborhood. Rebecca’s father had taken in Janice as a young child after her mother’s death and she was probably used to the same privileged life that Rebecca had been raised in.

  He spotted Janice pull back the curtain and then open the door before they even reached it. She ran out to greet them, a worried look on her face as she threw her arms around her cousin. “Rebecca, where have you been? Your father has been blowing up my phone for the past hour trying to see if I’d heard from you. He called the hospital and discovered you were released. You haven’t answered any of our texts or phone calls.”

  “I guess my phone was on silent,” she said. “I’m fine. We’ve been at the police station talking with the detective in charge of my case.”

  He was surprised that was all she said. She probably didn’t want to worry her cousin, but she would certainly find out what happened at the house soon enough.

  “Have they found out who is doing this to you?” Janice asked.

  “Not yet, but something else has happened. I can’t go back to my house. I was hoping I could stay with you and David.”

  “Of course you can. Come on inside and tell me what happened.” She walked Rebecca into the house as Collin followed behind and closed the door. He would only stay a moment to check out the security of the house and make certain Rebecca was safe.

  He took a moment to notice the high-priced furnishings and rugs, but Rebecca distracted him when she squealed then rushed into the living room. He followed her just in time to see her swoop up a child from a playpen.

  “Hello, Matthew,” she said, giving the baby in her arms kisses on his chubby cheeks as he giggled. She turned to Collin and for the first time in a very long time, he saw happiness sprea
d across her face. He liked it.

  “Collin, this is Matthew.”

  He looked at the baby and saw a patch of blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes. He looked to be about a year old although Collin was no expert on babies.

  Janice laughed, put her hand on Collin’s arm and led him toward the sofa. “She always does that. She’ll be occupied for a while. Won’t you sit, Collin?” He sat and Janice took the spot beside him. “Rebecca told me about your mother. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you.” He was grateful for her civility. She’d never been openly hostile toward Collin, but then again she’d been barely a teenager when he and Rebecca had eloped.

  “How long are you planning on being back in town?”

  His intention had been to get in and out as quickly as possible, but he knew he’d only been lying to himself. If he hadn’t wanted to be here, he could have hired someone to close up his mother’s house. He’d wanted to see Rebecca, hoped to accidentally bump into her again just to get a glimpse of how her life was. It would have made him happy to know she had a good life. But he’d never expected to find her in danger. He glanced at Rebecca. She changed everything. “I’m not sure yet.”

  The baby started crying and Janice stood to take him, but Rebecca waved her away. “He probably just needs to be changed,” she said. “I’ll take care of it.”

  She carried him from the room and disappeared upstairs.

  “It must be strange to see Rebecca again after all this time,” Janice said once she was gone.

  Strange was an understatement. “It is.”

  “Twelve years is a long time. Tell me something about yourself. Did you ever get married?”

  He stared at her, looking for some sort of angle in her eyes, then remembered Rebecca hadn’t told anyone about their marriage or the child they’d lost. “I did once,” he admitted. “It didn’t work out.” It didn’t work out because he’d been a scared boy pretending to be a man and he’d let down the woman he loved.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Marriage is wonderful. David, my husband, and I have been together for eight years. Do you have any kids?”

  He shook his head. That was another dream that hadn’t worked out for him and Rebecca. “No kids. Is Matthew your only child?”

  “Yes, he is, but we’d love to have more. Rebecca’s always loved kids. I thought by now she would have gotten married and had a house full, but she’s never been that interested in anyone...” She gave him a sideways glance and left off the words except you.

  Her family couldn’t possibly understand since they didn’t know she was legally married to Collin, but it broke his heart to hear how alone she’d been for the past twelve years. He’d wished so much more for her than a life lived without love.

  A smiling Rebecca returned with Matthew in her arms. “He’s all clean and dry. I appreciate you letting me stay here. I hope David won’t mind.”

  “Of course he wouldn’t mind, but he’s out of town for the next several days.”

  Rebecca stopped and placed the baby back into his playpen. “Wait, David’s not home?”

  “Well, no, but it’s fine. We’ll have a good old-fashioned girls’ night.” She stood and took Rebecca’s arm. “Now, tell me what is happening with you. Why does someone want to hurt you?”

  Rebecca glanced at him before sitting her cousin down and telling her almost the whole story. Collin noted that she omitted the fact that she was hiding Missy out at the motel.

  Janice’s face was full of horror as Rebecca told her about the men and the woman who’d attacked her. “Rebecca, you have to stop this. Do whatever they want so they’ll leave you alone.”

  Janice was right, but the Rebecca he knew would never give up on someone. He saw determination flash through her eyes. “I can’t. I won’t. I can’t let them get away with hurting girls like this.”

  “But they’ll kill you, Rebecca.”

  “I won’t let that happen,” Collin assured them both.

  Rebecca’s eyes shone with gratitude but he still saw concern on Janice’s face.

  “No! Rebecca, you’re not the police. You shouldn’t be putting yourself in danger this way. Think about your father and how he would feel if something happened to you. What about me, or Matthew? I don’t want him to grow up without his aunt.”

  Rebecca pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be fine, Janice, but I can’t just walk away from this. Too many lives are at risk.” She pulled away from her cousin. “And I don’t think I should stay here after all. I don’t want to put you and Matthew in jeopardy.”

  “Don’t be silly. We’re fine. We have a security system.”

  “No, it’s not right to put you and Matthew in that kind of danger.” She turned to Collin. “It would probably be better if I stayed at a hotel.”

  He couldn’t argue with that decision. He could protect her better if he was closer and he could do that if she was in a hotel. “I think that would be for the best,” he told her.

  “Rebecca, no!” Janice grabbed her arm. “I won’t let you do this.”

  Rebecca hugged her again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I won’t drag you and your family down with me.”

  She turned to Collin and he led her outside as Janice followed them to the door.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked as they headed for the cab.

  She shook her head as she stared back at her cousin. “No, but it’s what I need to do.”

  He admired her bravery and determination so much. That was the Rebecca he knew, although she’d never had to face the kind of danger she was in now. As she slid into the back of the cab, Collin vowed he would keep her safe.

  FOUR

  Anxiety poured out of Rebecca as they rode to a hotel. So many thoughts rushed through her mind. How were they going to keep Missy safe? Who were they even fighting against and how could they ever win?

  Collin reached for her hand and squeezed it, then gave her a wink and a reassuring smile. “Everything is going to be okay,” he told her in a way that made her really believe him. It was a moment like this that she wished she could slide across the seat, lean into him, rest her head against his shoulder and take comfort in his reassuring words. But she hesitated. She’d clung to him in a moment of panic and fear before, but it seemed inappropriate to do so when she wasn’t hysterical. That part of their relationship had ended long ago. He’d packed up, left her and never looked back, never contacted her or tried to work out their problems.

  She’d missed him so much and he probably hadn’t even thought about her in the past twelve years. She’d found a way to live without him, but her life had been empty and incomplete without this man by her side. She’d lost her one chance at love when she’d lost Collin and she regretted every single day how things had happened between them.

  She was staring at him, watching the way his chin twitched as his eyes scanned the area, when she noticed a car approaching them as they entered an intersection. It wasn’t slowing down.

  “Car!” she screamed as it rammed into the back passenger side of the cab, just missing hitting Collin. The driver swerved and the car spun out of control. Collin’s hand slipped from hers and she went tumbling as the car flipped. Her seat belt locked and the final impact threw her forward, then backward. When it stopped, the car was on its side.

  Rebecca fought to regain her equilibrium after the impact. She spotted Collin a few inches from her, moving slowly, just as she was. The cabbie groaned then unbuckled.

  “Are you both all right?” he asked.

  “I think so,” Rebecca replied.

  “I’m okay, too,” Collin responded but he sounded as jarred as she was.

  The driver crawled out of the car, and Rebecca looked out the back window and spotted the other driver approaching. Her head was still spinning but she thought she saw the man pull a mask
over his face then take out a gun. She tried to yell a warning, but the words wouldn’t come. She reached for Collin, to try to tell him, but it was too late. The masked man fired two shots and the cabbie went down.

  Collin grabbed her arm and pulled her from the car. “Run!” he shouted at her and Rebecca took off, only vaguely aware of Collin behind her as a round of gunfire sounded in her ears. When she slowed or tried to stop, he pushed her along, forcing her not to give up. Bullets ricocheted around her and it was inconceivable that one didn’t hit her.

  They ran into the park and across the Moss Creek walkway before reaching the part of town called Medical Row, which was a group of buildings that surrounded the hospital.

  Collin grabbed her arm, slowing her to a brisk walk. “We lost him in the park.” Rebecca felt the tension flowing off of him. He was on high alert and ready to take on anyone who tried to get in their way. But what match were they for armed men?

  She heard the noise of sirens behind them. Had they captured the man who’d rammed into them then started shooting? Was the cabbie dead? And how had the people after her managed once again to know exactly where they would be for an attack?

  She was out of breath when they reached the hospital and entered the ER through the ambulance bay. No one was at the desk so they walked through. She’d seen this ER bustling, but now it was quiet and empty.

  Collin nodded toward an empty medical cart. “Grab some gauze and tape,” he told her, and only then did she notice how pale he was and how there was blood smeared on his fingers where he was holding his left arm.

  “You’re hurt.”

  “It’s just a graze. He hit me as we were running off.” He motioned toward the cart. “See if they have some.”

  “You need a doctor.” She started to search for someone but he stopped her.

  “The people that are after us don’t care about collateral damage, Rebecca. The cabdriver is dead. They won’t hesitate to kill any of these people here. We don’t have time to stop for paperwork and updated insurance information. All I need is to stop the bleeding and I’ll be fine.”