by Rebecca Deel
“Back off, Nico.”
“I can’t. Our lives depend on Sam’s ability to do her job. It’s my responsibility to get every member of my team home in one piece.”
“She’ll work through it and come out stronger. You’ll see. I have her back. You know I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Nico studied him a moment, then gave a slow nod. “All right. I’m depending on you to keep me apprised of any progress she makes. I need to know if she’s incapable of doing her job, preferably before she takes another bullet.”
“Understood.”
“Let’s go. Maddox will come after us himself if we don’t return to the conference room.”
Joe went to the wall of cabinets and found a packet of Sam’s preferred OTC pain meds, then grabbed several bottles of water. He followed Nico who also carried several bottles of water.
“About time.” Maddox scowled at them. “Pass out the water and start talking, Nico.”
While Shadow’s leader began his summary of events, Joe pressed the packet of painkillers into Sam’s hand under cover of the table. She flashed him a smile and swallowed the pills while everyone’s attention was centered on Nico.
When Nico finished, Maddox pointed at Joe. “You’re next.”
Beside him, Sam stiffened. Did she think he would throw her under the bus? As Joe began his report, he wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed. Not wanting to push too hard, he loosened his grip. Sam entwined their fingers.
Surprised, he stumbled over a couple words, cleared his throat, and plunged ahead. Despite the distraction, Joe chose his words with care, glossing over Sam’s momentary lapse.
After he finished and Maddox moved on to Trace, Sam didn’t release Joe’s hand. Nice. He could get used to that.
Finally, Maddox turned to Sam. “Your turn.”
Her recitation was nearly identical to Joe’s with the exception of the additional medical information.
“Did you talk to her father?” Nico asked.
“He’s devastated. Mike lost his wife five years ago. Janine was an only child and they were close.”
“Why didn’t he report the threat sooner?” Trace frowned. “We could have rescued her before someone broke in.”
Ben set aside his empty water bottle. “Might have been two of them involved in her death.”
“I agree.” Nico dragged a hand down his face. “One to break in and slit Janine’s throat, one to keep watch with the rifle.”
“Evidence to back up that assumption?” Maddox asked.
“Gut only,” Joe said. “We didn’t have time to analyze the scene.” He’d been more interested in getting Sam out of the house.
“I’ll look into the police reports,” Zane said. “Cal might also be able to find out the information. He still has a lot of contacts inside the Metro Nashville Police Department.”
Cal Taylor had resigned as a homicide detective with MNPD the month before and was currently at PSI training for his first mission with Fortress. A SEAL teammate of Maddox, he was as tough as they came. Any team would be lucky to have him.
“I’ll contact him.” The Fortress CEO handed out five folders. “Shadow’s new assignment.”
Joe’s eyebrows rose when he saw a picture of a Hollingbrook cruise ship. “You’re sending us on a cruise? Why?”
“A few female passengers aboard this particular cruise ship have gone sightseeing and disappeared.”
“Same port each time?” Nico asked.
Maddox shook his head.
Ben scowled. “How many women are we talking about?”
“Seven to date.”
“Why haven’t we heard about it on the news?”
A snort. “Hollingbrook kept the information off the media’s radar. Didn’t want bad publicity. This cruise has experienced a long run of bad luck.”
“Didn’t the families make inquiries?” Trace asked.
“They were told the women voluntarily left the ship and didn’t return in time to board. The cruise line gave the families contact information for the local police departments. So far, none of the women has been seen or heard from again.”
“Are we posing as workers?” Sam asked.
“Trace and Ben will be working as security. They’ll have easy access to areas the rest of Shadow won’t. You and Joe are posing as newlyweds.”
CHAPTER THREE
Sam’s mouth gaped. “Newlyweds?” She glanced at Nico before returning her attention to Maddox. “Nico and Mercy are real newlyweds. No pretense required. Why not use them for the role?”
“Mercy isn’t a trained operative. More important, I have another role for her and Nico. She will be an artist in residence on the cruise ship. Nico is going along as her besotted husband.”
A slow grin curved Nico’s mouth. “Not a hard role because that is the absolute truth. I adore my wife.”
“What happens if the team has to leave the ship?” Joe asked. “Mercy shouldn’t be without protection.”
“Curt Jackson is going as Mercy’s assistant. He refused to act as a waiter. Claims he’ll cost the cruise line money in broken dishes. He’ll tote her supplies and prevent people from harassing Mercy while she works. If Shadow leaves the ship, Curt will stay with Mercy. I considered asking him to work security as well, but he wouldn’t have an excuse to stay with Mercy if Shadow chases a lead off the ship.”
At least they didn’t have to worry about the safety of Nico’s new wife. No one would get through that tough Marine to nab the artist.
“What about the rest of Shadow?” Sam asked. “We’ll need them if we leave the ship.”
“Ben and Trace will work security without being in the official rotation. They’ll keep an eye on you and Joe as well as Mercy and Nico on board ship. Hollingbrook launched an internal investigation into the disappearance of the women. Not long after that, Janine started having accidents. The longer Mike persisted in looking into the disappearances, the more serious the threats became until ultimately someone killed her.”
“Will he stop the investigation now?” Trace asked.
“He’ll never stop until he makes them pay for taking his daughter from him. That’s Shadow’s new mission. Find the men who killed Janine Hollingbrook. Second, unmask the people behind the disappearing passengers and dismantle the organization. The people responsible for Janine’s death may also be responsible for the missing women.”
“When do we leave and where are we going?”
“The jet will be ready to leave John C. Tune airport in two hours. The cruise liner sails from Vancouver to San Francisco, San Diego, down the pacific side of Mexico through the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale. You’re joining the ship in San Diego. By the time you board the jet, I’ll have more information from Hollingbrook. He’s arranging your accommodations aboard ship.”
Trace paled. “Oh, man. You better stock up on motion-sickness patches, Sam.”
She smiled, sympathy in her eyes. “I’ll be ready.”
Joe’s eyebrows rose. “How long is this cruise?”
“Twenty-three days.”
“Have there been passenger disappearances from other Hollingbrook cruise routes?”
“There’s a shorter Mexican cruise that departs from San Diego with one disappearance, but the other six missing women were on this cruise.”
“I want more details.” Nico stood. “Ports of call, contacts we have in the areas, our contact person aboard ship. We’ll travel heavy, Brent. Our hardware will prevent us from boarding.”
“Hollingbrook cleared it,” Maddox said. “You won’t have trouble boarding.”
“If I think Mercy is a target, I’ll send her here with Curt. I want him, Eli Wolfe, and Jon Smith assigned to her protection detail until I return.”
“If Wolfe and Smith aren’t available, I’ll watch over her myself. We’ll protect your wife.”
Nico turned to Shadow. “Pack your gear. I’ll meet you at the airport.” He strode from the room, phone in his hand.
/> As the remaining members of Shadow prepared to stand, Maddox said, “Joe, Sam, stay behind a moment.”
Sam’s hand tightened around Joe’s. He glanced at her and winked. Joe always had her back as she did his. They were partners and friends. Thinking about their linked hands, she wondered if there was a chance for a deeper connection. Sam focused on their boss as the conference room door closed behind Ben.
“How do you feel, Sam?” Maddox asked. His piercing gaze missed nothing. “You took medicine a few minutes ago.”
“Over-the-counter pain meds. I’m a little sore.” She smiled. “Joe hits like a linebacker.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Joe wince.
“I’m not surprised. He played football in high school. Any problems with flashbacks?”
How did he know? Sam’s teammates had been careful in their word choices, especially Joe. Yet Maddox somehow knew she had a problem when the shooter fired a volley of bullets her direction. “Flashbacks?”
Maddox leaned on the conference table with his folded arms. “I’ve been shot before. I know how it works. Some of the toughest SEALs I worked with had problems in the field after a close call. You almost died. I’d be surprised if you didn’t experience a flashback in the field.”
She glanced at Joe who squeezed her hand and gave a small nod. She might as well tell Maddox the truth. He suspected anyway. Would he pull her off duty?
Sam swallowed hard. She hoped not. The walls of her house were closing in on her. Never one for crafts or just staying home, she had read books and magazines and watched movies with Joe and by herself while she recuperated. Now she itched to return to work. She wanted to stay on the job. How else would she get past the reaction to gunfire? On orders from Marcus Lang, her Fortress-appointed counselor, she’d blown through boxes of ammunition in the past month. Taking live fire was a different animal and Sam couldn’t imagine how much worse she would have been if not for following Lang’s advice.
“I froze,” she admitted.
“For a split second,” Joe added.
“And that’s why you tackled her.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you mentally ready for a mission, Sam?”
“I am. This is my first time under live-fire conditions since I was shot. I’ll do better next time, sir.”
“You talked to one of our counselors?”
“Marcus Lang.”
“Talk to him again on the flight to San Diego. Be honest with yourself and me. If you’re not ready, take yourself off the assignment. I want you alive and healthy. While I value your skills as well as your friendship, your life isn’t the only one at stake. So is Joe’s and the lives of your teammates.”
Like she would forget that. Sam literally held four lives in the palms of her hands every time she went out on a mission with Shadow. “I’ll be fine, boss.”
“If you decide you need a little more time, contact me. I’ll pull Shadow and assign Adam Walker’s team to this mission. Adam and Veronica or Remy and Lily Doucet would be good substitutes for the two of you.” The buzz-cut blond stood. “Don’t wait too long to make the call.” Maddox glanced at Zane and left the room.
Sam sighed. “Brent doesn’t pull any punches.”
“Not when the consequences of playing nice are deadly.” Zane wheeled to Sam’s side, maneuvering his wheelchair with ease, and laid a fake marriage license on the table by her hand. “Want me to contact Marcus and set up a video chat during the flight? You can use the jet’s bedroom to talk to him without disturbing your teammates or baring your soul in their hearing.”
“Thanks, Zane.”
“Sure.” He started to leave and paused. “For what it’s worth, we’ve all been there. The only way you fail is if you give up.” With a quick smile, he zoomed from the conference room.
Joe tugged Sam to her feet. “We need to get moving. I’ll drive you home, go to my place, then pick you up on the way to the airport.”
“Sounds good.” Joe had moved to a house a few blocks from hers last year. Joe said he liked her neighborhood, but she thought it was odd that he chose to leave the apartment he raved about to buy a fixer-upper house. While magic with weapons, her partner was all thumbs with home repairs.
In her bedroom, Sam perused her wardrobe, puzzled about what to pack. Her preference was black fatigues, black t-shirts, and combat boots. She scowled. Guess a bride wouldn’t wear all black on her honeymoon cruise. Since she had to pack for every eventuality, including pursuit of the people responsible for the missing women, she packed her Fortress gear as well as two one-piece bathing suits with thin wraps to cover the evidence of her gunshot wound, capris, jeans, and tops.
No shorts. If Shadow had to chase a perp on the ship, capris would at least protect her legs. Sam had enough scars without adding more by tackling a suspect with bare legs.
After adding tennis shoes and the rest of her clothes and toiletries, Sam checked her medical supplies, restocking and adding more supplies her unit needed in jungle settings. She hoped the precaution was unnecessary.
Trace was going to be miserable the entire time they were on board the ship. The tough sniper fought a losing battle with seasickness. Sam dove back into her medical supplies stash and grabbed every anti-nausea patch she had. If Shadow was still on board ship in ten days, she would have to obtain more patches. Otherwise, Trace would be sick as a dog and useless as a bodyguard.
By the time Joe knocked on her door, Sam had her bags packed and in the entryway. “Ready?” he asked.
Sam grabbed her mike bag. “All set.”
“I’ll take the rest of your gear to the SUV while you set the alarm.”
After setting her alarm, she joined Joe in the vehicle. “Anything new from Maddox?”
“Hollingbrook gave us a suite. The rest of Shadow and Curt are in rooms close to ours.”
Sam stared. “A suite?”
He glanced at her with a grin. “The Honeymoon suite.”
“Why not house the whole team in there?”
“Can’t. That would blow our cover.” Another glance. “Are you nervous?”
“Why would I be?” Just because marrying Joe Gray and honeymooning in a suite anywhere with him was a dream of hers.
“Is there another reason why your hands have a death grip on the seat?”
Sam looked down. Joe was right. Good grief. She loosened her grip and relaxed in the seat. “I’m okay with it.”
“I’m not overwhelmed with your reassurance.”
She smacked him lightly on the shoulder with her palm, making him grin.
At the airport, Joe parked in the lot designated for Fortress Security and circled to the cargo area for their gear. “Anyone who sees inside the bags will never believe we’re on our honeymoon.” His lips curved. “Looks like we’re going to war.”
“We’re prepared for it.” Sam hoisted her mike bag and reached for one of her duffel bags.
“I’ve got it. I’ll carry it to the jet with my gear.”
She considered arguing but knew the effort was futile. Besides, her chest still ached from Joe’s tackle, not that she’d tell him. He already felt bad. No need to heighten his guilt. “Thanks.”
Sam crossed the tarmac to the jet and climbed the stairs into the cabin where she was greeted by her teammates, Curt Jackson, and Nico’s wife, Mercy.
“Where’s Joe?” Nico asked.
“Right behind me.”
“Pilots are ready. We’ll leave as soon as you’re settled.”
“Yes, sir.”
Joe entered the cabin, stored their gear, and held out his hand for Sam’s mike bag. Since the plane had an accessible mike bag on board, she handed the spotter hers to store.
When she and Joe were seated, the jet taxied down the runway, gathering speed until it lifted into the air. Once they were at cruising height, Sam received a message from her counselor that he was available and waiting for her to contact him.
Joe looked over. “Marcus?” he asked, voice low.
“Want company?”
She didn’t have anything to hide. Joe had been by her side for months after the shooting. Although he tried to act as though her choice didn’t bother him, Sam knew her partner’s body language. He wanted to be in that room with her. “Yes.”
He stood back and motioned for her to go ahead of him to the bedroom at the back of the jet.
Sam paused as she reached Nico and Mercy. “I have a conference call with Marcus Lang. Maddox’s orders.”
“Understood.”
Mercy smiled. “Tell Marcus hello for me.”
With a nod, she continued down the aisle with Joe at her back. Inside the room, she sat at the small table in the corner of the room and contacted Marcus. No point putting this off. The sooner she moved past the PTSD, the safer Joe and her teammates would be. She’d rather take a bullet herself than cause any of them harm.
Marcus Lang’s smiling face appeared on her phone screen a moment later. “Hello, Sam. Ready to begin?”
Not really. “I am. Thanks for talking to me on such short notice.”
“No problem.” The counselor’s gaze shifted. “Joe. Good to see you, buddy. Are you staying for our session?”
“Yes, sir.” Joe reached for Sam’s hand and linked their fingers together. “I’m here for moral support. I promise to remain silent unless you direct a question to me.”
“I want him to stay,” Sam added. “I assume that’s okay.”
“Whatever you’re comfortable with. I understand you had some difficulty today. Tell me what happened and we’ll go from there.”
She drew in a deep breath and started to talk.
CHAPTER FOUR
By the time Sam finished her session with Lang, she felt as though she’d bared her soul and then some. The one thing Sam didn’t want was for Joe to think of her as the weak link in the unit, especially in their partnership.
Joe tugged Sam to her feet. Instead of releasing her and heading for the door, he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her.
For a moment, she froze, shocked at the full body contact, then Sam melted against him, soaking up the comfort he offered in silence. For several minutes, Joe rubbed her back with gentle strokes, finally settling one hand at her lower back, the other cradling the back of her head.
