Special Forces Savior

by Janie Crouch

  “Is he on his way?” Jon asked, leaning against the worktable in the middle of the room.

  “Yeah. Five minutes.”

  “I can’t believe she locked us in here,” Jon continued. “I didn’t even see it coming.”

  “Drackett thinks she kept the two of us out of jail, but she and I are still going to have words about this.”

  And by words he meant he was going to keep her in bed for a week until she promised never to do anything to potentially threaten her life ever again. But Jon probably didn’t need to be privy to that info.

  True to his word, Drackett, surrounded by a dozen of Colorado Springs’ finest, entered the lab just a few minutes later. The police searched the room while Drackett let Derek and Jon out of Molly’s prison.

  “She’s on her way to the station,” Steve told Derek immediately. “Our agents are providing reports every fifteen minutes.”

  “I’m going there,” Derek said.

  Drackett stepped in front of him. “No, you have to stay here, get things going with the Edmundson arrest. It’s all I can do to convince them that you’re not to be arrested with her, Derek. They’re not going to let you anywhere near her at the station.”

  “He’s right, man.” Jon popped him on the shoulder with the back of his hand. “You can do more good for her here. Let’s go.”

  Derek was still torn.

  “Updates every fifteen minutes,” Steve reminded him.

  Derek nodded, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake he’d regret for the rest of his life.

  But as the day went on, Drackett’s people reported in at the promised intervals, assuring Derek of Molly’s well-being and even sending pictures every once in a while. Although she looked uncomfortable, bored and tired, she at least was safe.

  Derek could admit to his petty pleasure that she looked miserable in the pictures. Good.

  Drackett called in a favor and woke a federal judge even though it was early in the morning. The information on Edmundson and the White Revolution Party was sent to him electronically and within the hour the warrants had been signed for the arrest of the leaders of the white supremacy group as well as Senator Edmundson.

  Derek just wished the son of a bitch was here in Colorado, so he could arrest him himself. But he was in Washington, so the local feds were being called in to make the arrest. The arrest would be quiet, of course.

  Because this was a terrorist attack, under the Patriot Act he could still be arrested even though these photos probably couldn’t be used in court. Hopefully the photos would be enough to get a confession. Either way, every law enforcement agent in the country would be searching for evidence that would further tie Edmundson to the bombing.

  That bastard could expect to spend the rest of his life behind bars. If he was lucky.

  Liam and Andrea had come in to help in whatever way they could. Jon and Steve were currently poring over the pictures and data found on the drive. Derek was putting in calls to figure out exactly what evidence was held against Molly that had her being detained across town. Nobody seemed to know. Nor could anyone produce a warrant with an actual signature for her arrest.

  That would be because there was no evidence linking her to the lab explosion and probably no real warrant.

  A video call came through in the conference room where they were all working. Congressman Donald Hougland. Although Steve answered the call, Derek completely turned his back on the man. He didn’t have time for yet another speech about how he wasn’t doing his job right and as part of the best of the best, he should be doing better.

  Steve tried to waylay the congressman completely upon answering. “Congressman Hougland, right now is not a good time. We’ve had a significant breakthrough in the Chicago—”

  The congressman held up his hand. “I just heard about Robert. I’ve known him for years, and have seen him make some questionable judgments for what he thought were good reasons, but this is beyond unforgivable.”

  Derek turned back around to look at the man. At least he was being reasonable this time.

  “Congressman—” Steve started again.

  “No, just let me finish. I know some harsh things have been said about your competency over the past few days. It ends up someone was deliberately hindering your progress, which is sabotage, not ineptitude. So I apologize for my remarks. I was wrong.”

  “Thank you, Congressman Hougland. Everyone here appreciates that, I’m sure.”

  The older man laughed. “But they’ve got work to do, I know, I know. And while they don’t want to be rude—or maybe a few do—” he looked directly at Derek “—they don’t really want to talk to me. Understandable. Keep up the good work, everyone.” Hougland disconnected.

  Derek appreciated Congressman Hougland’s statement more than the man probably knew. Someone willing to admit when they were wrong, publicly, was the type of person needed in government office.

  But right now, he just wanted to make sure Molly got out of that police station. The work was tedious, proving up the chain at multiple agencies that there was no actual evidence on Molly, nor was anyone in possession of a signed, original warrant for her arrest.

  Without the warrant, the police couldn’t hold her. “Steve, I’ve traced the stuff on Molly and nobody has a signed warrant. It looks like all the agencies were just following each other with the APB put out on her. Nobody actually questioned it.”

  “Good,” Drackett said. “I’ll call Brandon Han and send him over. He’ll have her out in no time.”

  Brandon was a fellow agent and gifted profiler, who also held a degree and license to practice law. The man could run circles mentally around most people. Derek was sure he wouldn’t have any trouble getting Molly released.

  For the first time since she’d walked away from him in the lab, Derek could feel the pressure in his chest easing. She was going to be okay. Whatever plans Edmundson had for taking her had been thwarted.

  But the plans Derek had for her? Those were definitely not thwarted and she was in so much trouble. Spending at least the next two days with her tied to his bed until she saw the error of putting herself in danger ought to be a good start. Derek grinned and had to shift a little in his chair from the way his whole body tightened.

  But that was tonight. Right now there was so much paperwork to be done—the necessary, but boring part of any member of Omega Sector’s job—it would take the rest of the day to put even a slight dent in it.

  After all, it wasn’t every day that you were behind the arrest of a US senator. The evidence they had on the leader of the White Revolution Party was more circumstantial, but Derek was willing to bet Edmundson would roll over on everyone at the White Revolution Party if it kept him off death row.

  But something about all this was bugging him. Obviously the White Revolution Party and Edmundson had partnered together on the bombing. These pictures were almost irrefutable evidence of that. Not only of pictures of them together, but of them together looking at plans.

  The problem was why these pictures and info even existed in the first place. Their existence was not in Edmundson’s nor the White Revolution Party’s best interest, so they definitely hadn’t taken them, or if they had it had been for blackmail purpose.

  But Edmundson had known the data drive with the photos existed because he’d blown up the lab rather than have its contents come to light. Understandably so, now that its contents had been made public.

  But how had the drive come into existence in the first place? It didn’t matter for the purpose of Edmundson’s arrest, but it would need to be answered.

  Three hours later Drackett got the news Derek had been waiting for and immediately relayed it to Derek.

  Molly was out. Safe. Brandon Han was giving her a ride home since she was exhausted and—Steve had written it down so he could get it right�
�“knew Derek was going to blow all of this out of proportion and she just didn’t want to deal with him yet.”

  Everyone snickered at that.

  Maybe three days tied to his bed...

  Derek rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the exactness, boss.”

  Steve smiled. “Just part of my job.”

  It was late afternoon by the time they were all ready to call it quits. Things weren’t wrapped up, but at least the events set in motion by them today could carry on without their direct supervision. It was time to go home. No one had gotten a full night’s sleep since the lab explosion nearly five days ago. At least tomorrow was Sunday.

  “Molly and I probably won’t be here on Monday.” Derek told Steve on their way out. “She still needs some recoup time from what happened to her at Belisario’s compound.” Not to mention that Derek had plans for her that very definitely did not involve Omega.

  Steve nodded. “I understand.”

  “I sent those pictures and all the info from the data drive to you via email,” Jon told him. “Just in case you guys are looking for something to do.”

  “Yeah. We won’t be.” Derek slapped Jon on the back. “See you guys Tuesday.”

  Derek drove to his house, willing to give Molly a little more time before he went over there and “blew everything out of proportion.” Oh, she had no idea. He’d take a shower, grab a change of clothes and head over to her place. He didn’t plan to come back here until Tuesday.

  Derek clicked on his computer while putting on his clothes after his shower. He would take the laptop with him although he didn’t plan to spend much time, if any at all, looking at it. He had better things to do.

  He uploaded the email Jon had sent with the pictures, so they’d be readily available. He’d need to study them all in close detail later. He was just shutting the computer down when one picture caught his attention.

  The man in the corner with Edmundson. He was obviously part of Edmundson’s inner circle. But Derek recognized him.

  He’d killed him in the jungle near Belisario’s house.

  This man worked for Edmundson, but obviously worked for Belisario, too. What did that mean? Some sort of double cross? Was Belisario the one who had taken the pictures? To use for blackmail?

  Or maybe they’d underestimated Belisario’s involvement all along. They’d taken him at his word when he’d said he was questioning Molly for his “partner.”

  But maybe Belisario wasn’t just doing Edmundson’s dirty work. Maybe Belisario had a lot to lose also if Molly had discovered and reported the evidence.

  Derek grabbed his phone. Jon and Steve had already left the office, but someone would still be there. Derek would email Steve about his theory, but he wanted to make sure someone was already looking into Belisario right away.

  Liam answered the phone in the conference room they’d all been working in. Perfect. Liam knew the most about Belisario from his time in Vice. Derek explained what he’d seen in the picture, confirming his theory about Belisario being a key player in the bombing.

  “It would be a perfect cover-up,” Liam agreed. “A white supremacy group working with Latinos? No one would’ve been looking for that pattern.”

  “Definitely.”

  “Hang on, a report about Belisario came across my desk a couple hours ago, but I haven’t had a chance to look at it.”

  A moment later Liam let out a curse.

  “What?”

  “Report says Belisario’s not at his house, Derek. That he left this morning around seven o’clock in a plane.”

  Damn it. That was right after Molly got arrested. “Do we know where he was going?”

  Liam’s curse was ugly. “Colorado. The DEA’s inside informant said Belisario mentioned he was coming to Colorado.” Derek picked up his home phone while still on the line with Liam on his cell and called Brandon Han’s number since Molly didn’t have a phone right now. Han’s phone immediately went to voice mail.

  “Liam, has Brandon checked back in?” He finished tying his shoes while he waited for Liam to check if Brandon’s ID had been swiped anywhere in Omega.

  “He’s not here, Derek. Nowhere in the Omega facility.”

  “And I just called his phone. He’s not answering.”

  “Let me ping his phone, check his location.”

  Derek was already running toward his front door.

  “He’s at Molly’s condo.”

  “I’m on my way there now. Get Jon and Steve and meet me there. But keep this quiet. No locals,” Derek told him as he jumped into his car and pulled out of his driveway, tires squealing. He disconnected and threw his phone down in the passenger seat.

  Belisario was here in Colorado because he wanted to tie up loose ends.

  That loose end was Molly.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  All Molly wanted to do was go home, take a shower, sleep and see Derek. Not necessarily in that order.

  After the fourth hour of sitting in that interrogation room, with nobody having come in to see her, Molly had been pretty sure she’d made a mistake by turning herself in. How long could they keep her there? Indefinitely? Molly wasn’t sure exactly what the rules were when it came to a case that was tied to a terrorist attack. She was pretty sure they were different from a regular case. Maybe she’d die of starvation or old age or boredom right in the room.

  She had thought she would be questioned, but apart from the first officers who had brought her in, no one had asked her anything. Which was a little disappointing since she had been looking forward to rebutting whatever evidence had been found against her. Molly worked with evidence all day every day. If anyone could prove evidence was false, it was she.

  But they never brought it.

  After what seemed like a million hours, there had been a brief knock on the door before Brandon Han stuck his head in.

  “Hi, Molly. Steve Drackett asked me to put on my lawyer suit and come get you out. Are you doing okay?”

  Molly could’ve kissed his beautiful Asian face, but he probably wouldn’t have appreciated it. He was a pretty straight-laced guy, not to mention one of the most brilliant around Omega.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Just tired and bored.”

  “I understand.” His nod was sympathetic. “It shouldn’t be too much longer. I’m filing the paperwork for your release and since no one can find an actual arrest warrant, I’m betting they’ll be pretty quick to let you go.”

  “Great. I’m ready.”

  “Well, nothing is ever quick when it comes to paperwork at a police station, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  That ended up being another two hours.

  But now Molly was out. And Brandon told her that Senator Edmundson had been arrested. So it sounded as if everything had worked out the way it should.

  She wondered if Derek was still mad at her. Hopefully she could make him understand why she’d had to do it.

  Brandon gave her a ride home, stopping by a fast-food place on the way.

  “Do you want to go by Omega or just straight home?” he asked her.

  “Home, I guess. Derek is going to blow all of this out of proportion. I don’t think I want to deal with him yet.”

  Brandon raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you know Waterman. Legendary for blowing everything out of proportion.”

  Nothing could be further from the truth. But Brandon called it in to Steve Drackett as they drove to Molly’s condo.

  Brandon parked. “I’m just going to come in and check out your place real quick, if that’s okay.”

  Molly was relieved. After the week she’d had, a friendly presence inside her home was welcome.

  Molly stood against the inside of the front door while Brandon inspected the rest of the house.

  “Looks c
lear,” he told her, smiling, when he returned. “Do you want me to stay with you? Until Derek, or somebody else, if you really don’t want to deal with him, can get here?”

  Molly didn’t want to be a coward. She was going to have to be alone in her home sometime. It might as well be now. “No, with Edmundson already arrested, I think I’m safe. But thanks for the offer.”

  “No problem.” Brandon reached to open the door. “But don’t stay here alone if you get scared. Call Derek, or me, or anyone. Post-traumatic stress is a real—”

  Brandon’s words were cut off as the door burst open. The butt of a gun cracked him in the head before he could do anything and Brandon fell to the floor unconscious.

  Pablo Belisario strode into the room, followed by two of his goons. One shut the door while the other grabbed Molly.

  Molly was so flooded by terror, remembering what had happened the last time she’d been in Belisario’s presence, she couldn’t even fight. Not that she could do much damage to the much bigger man holding her.

  They backed her away from the door toward her kitchen. Brandon was lying on the floor unmoving.

  “What do you want me to do with him, boss?” the man asked Belisario. “Kill him?”

  “Not just yet, but tie him up,” Belisario told him, then turned to Molly. “It might end up that the agent can be of some use to us alive. We can always kill him later.”

  Belisario walked over to Molly and grabbed her chin. She tried to pull away, but his fingers sank painfully into her jaw. The man holding her arm gripped her tighter, also.

  “Of course, keeping someone alive can occasionally come back to haunt you,” Belisario continued, giving her face a brutal shake. “For example, I was supposed to kill you, but I didn’t. And here you are causing all sorts of trouble.”

  It was clear that Belisario did not plan to make the mistake of keeping her alive twice. Through the haze of fear, Molly tried to figure out why he hadn’t already done it. Why he’d come here himself. But as long as she was still alive, she was going to at least try to make the man see reason.