by Angi Morgan
He’d portray scum again if it meant finding Pike’s killer. And what about you and Darby? She’d be safe. His wants didn’t matter.
He wouldn’t be able to protect Darby forever. The government would stash her someplace safe until Thrumburt could file charges. She was their only viable witness. That might be months down the road. The O’Malleys would be secured as well.
He attached photos and sent them to his electronic drop box. Three or four forwards later and no one would be able to trace the source for several days. By then, he’d have the information safely stored in two or three places.
It was even money something had already happened to the original files at the police station. He needed Darby’s copies. And he knew how he’d have to get them.
“Dammit!”
“Did you say something?” she asked from behind the closed door.
He’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed the water was no longer running. The bathroom door opened and the candlelight made her skin glow. The effect made him want to spout poetry or something as utterly embarrassing. “Just kicked my toe. I hate candlelight.”
Liar. He didn’t care about the dark, but loved the way the candle glow had turned her hair a deeper auburn. The way the honesty of her heart showed on her face. Her loyalty had reminded him why he’d become a police officer.
Darby had given him back his soul. She’d shown him hers. He knew her.
She wouldn’t run. She wouldn’t go into witness protection. She wouldn’t leave the family she’d just reunited. He knew that much about her.
And as a result, she’d die.
It was that simple.
“You are a very complicated woman with a beautiful heart, Darby O’Malley.” He wanted to drag her into his arms but if he did, he wouldn’t let go.
“You ain’t so bad yourself.” She smiled while towel-drying her hair.
A pause stretched into several seconds of silence. He had no freakin’ idea where those words had come from and was at a total loss as to what to say next.
“Did you get in touch with Brian?”
“Just getting to the call.” He tried to ignore her quizzical look, but gave in with an explanation. “I’ve been thinking about our next move.”
“We decided to hand over the evidence to Thrumburt and find out where Michael was taken.”
“Right.”
She looked like a woman getting ready for a hot date of country dancing. Low-riding jeans, a green undershirt and a plaid top—layered to make her look ordinary, yet worn specifically to hide her Glock. Anything but ordinary.
“Have you changed your mind about what we should do? Do you think Michael is still in danger?” she asked.
“I’m not worried about your brother.” Man, she was cute in tight-fitting jeans. He switched his stare to the phone cards in his hands. “We need to think about your safety.”
“Hey, I can take care of myself.”
“Right.”
She popped his leg with the towel, taking him off guard and causing him to yelp in fake pain.
She giggled. “Seriously, Erren. I’ll be fine. I’ll testify Monday and we’re good. Case closed.”
She didn’t know the extent of the corruption or how many agencies were involved. No one did. Yet.
All his doubts about what to do next were gone. He’d made up his mind as soon as he’d seen the picture of Knighton, his handler. He’d keep his promise to Pike and the Sergeant Major—protecting Darby at all costs. She had a life and deserved to keep living it. He’d become the witness the government would stash in the middle of nowhere.
He could handle being a nobody stuck in nowheresville in a mindless job, lying to everyone he met. Hadn’t he basically done that for the past seven years?
Darby wouldn’t last three hours. She just wasn’t a liar.
“Guess you should call Thrumburt,” she said. “I’m going to dry my hair.”
“A message from a dead guy should get their attention,” he mumbled too softly to be heard over the hair dryer.
Using Michael’s SIM card and subsequently the man’s phone number, he selected the attachment to prove he had the evidence, punched in Knighton’s number and hit Send. Then opened the phone and switched the SIM cards again. He’d call Thrumburt from the prepay number issued to them at the cabin.
He didn’t want to leave her. He fought hard not to pull Darby into his arms and make love to her one last time. She trusted him enough to make the call with her in the bathroom, but he’d choose his words carefully, just in case she was listening.
“We found it.”
“Where should I pick it up?” Thrumburt said.
“The files are electronic. I’ll forward to your phone, then give you the whole package when I see you.”
“Are they what you expected?”
“Everything we discussed and worse.”
“So she’s in serious danger.” There was no missing the sadness in Thrumburt’s voice.
“You could say that.”
“When will you turn her over to witness protection?”
“The Medic took O’Malley to the VA on South Lancaster?” Erren answered so Darby could overhear and assume he hadn’t known her brother’s location earlier. “We’ll meet you there within an hour and I’ll be proceeding.”
“I’ll make the arrangements,” Thrumburt said. “It’s too bad, Erren.”
Yeah, it’s too bad. A lot of dirty cops would be brought to justice with no guarantee they would go away for life. And with her testimony she’d lose everything. He positioned the phone cards in the green case for safekeeping and stuck it in his pocket.
They’d had a nice run while it had lasted.
The hair dryer cut off and she walked from the bathroom. He plastered a blank look on his face in order to convince Darby their encounter hadn’t meant anything to him. He had to become the man who didn’t care or she’d see through his act later.
“Let me grab my boots and I’m ready to take off.” She walked to the closet. “What did you mean you’ll be ‘proceeding’?”
Erren dreaded what he had to do next. She wouldn’t react well. He’d hurt her with his stupid remark about wasting his time. They’d worked through it, learning to trust each other. He doubted she’d be able to forgive him for the blindside he was about to hit her with. He was lying for her this time in order to protect her family—not because he didn’t think she could handle the job. She’d eventually find out, but not before the damage was irreparable.
“I’m dropping you off at the hospital.” He inwardly flinched at what he might be losing. It wasn’t his. There wasn’t any hope in his line of business.
“What about the meeting with Brian?” She sat next to him on the bed to pull her boots on and arched her eyebrow.
God, he wanted to kiss her. One last time? Her soft lips begged to be kissed, but he couldn’t risk it. If he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to hide his desperation and need.
“You can handle the meeting with Thrumburt on your own,” he said.
“Where are you going?”
“Hey, my job was to get the package delivered. That’ll be done in about half an hour.” He forced his words to be normal, unconcerned. The next ones would cut a lot deeper. “All the fun’s over here. Time for me to disappear.”
Her sharp intake of breath let him know the words had served their purpose. The last thing he wanted was for this afternoon to end. Their oasis in her bedroom was something to keep his nights restless for a long time.
He stood, waiting for her to come back with an equally demeaning phrase.
Call me a coward. Call me a son of a bitch.
She didn’t. Her expression froze into a mask. The easy, confident smile had vanished as she’d stiffened. She seemed to be that insecure cop he’d met on her kitchen floor.
He called himself worse and gave her the credit.
“We should probably go.” He crossed to the dresser and slid his gun in the back of his
borrowed jeans. He handed her the Glock. “We’ll need to collect your backup disks.”
He searched her expression in the mirror. Staring at the door, still not speaking. She’d shut down in a way that scared the hell out of him.
Erren had assumed her laptop had been collected after her “kidnapping.” But in the hands of the dirty cops, they’d probably confirmed she knew facts which could take them all down. They’d want her eliminated as quickly as possible.
“Not a problem.” Her voice was level, without emotion. Those emerald-green eyes held a deep wound he was responsible for. Guilt slashed into him deep and hard…and the scar wouldn’t easily go away.
God, he hated hurting her.
She walked into her closet, knelt on the floor and pulled up the carpet. She had a safe. A stack of CDs, a second Glock and some cash were stacked on the floor while she put everything back into place.
Good. A secret she’d kept…even from him.
ONE MINUTE DARBY HAD BEEN a part of an undercover operation, and then with one comment was back to a paper-pushing nonentity. This afternoon she’d found a man who was different—perhaps special. And now she was just a good time.
Thank goodness the drive had been short. Straight highway, deafening engine. Her father’s car had provided the perfect reason not to say anything. Now they were parked in front of the VA hospital with the same loud engine idling through the open windows and silence.
What could she say? Or what was she supposed to say? Have a good life? If you’re ever in Dallas look me up? Thanks for some of the hottest sex I’ve ever experienced?
“I’ll make sure the Sergeant Major’s car is returned,” he said.
“Do you need the address?” Lame. She really couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“I’ll find him.”
Find her father. Not her. That certainly showed where she rated. She opened the door, and standing by the car, she retrieved the oversized purse where she carried the evidence, money and her Glock.
“Darby?”
She wasn’t about to be lame again and held her tongue. No telling what she’d end up saying.
“I should have asked about your brother’s message as soon as I met you, but I wanted you to…” Secret Agent Man struggled for words. He finally shrugged. “Hell, it was fun.”
“All right then. It was…fun.” Be sarcastic, angry—not hurt. If she said anything else, she might ask him not to go. And that wasn’t a good idea. There wasn’t anything more to be said or done.
“Just one more thing,” he said. “I need your disks.”
“What? Why are you asking?”
“I’m not asking, darlin’.” His fingernail tapped metal, drawing her attention to the 9mm SIG now in his left hand, resting on his lap. “The bag, hon.”
“You’re pulling a gun on me? I thought we trusted each other.” She opened the purse. Why would he want her files? What was he up to? He didn’t need the evidence in San Antonio. Would he back off if she pulled her weapon? He wouldn’t shoot her. At least she didn’t think he would.
“Careful now, O’Malley. I know what you’ve got in there. And forget the gun in your boot. Woman, your thoughts are as clear as a neon sign flashing on your face.”
He laughed and the sound scraped over Darby like fingernails on a chalkboard. He really was a charming SOB. She’d been taken in by everything. She threw a CD case at his chest, wishing she’d aimed a little higher. He didn’t flinch, almost as if he’d anticipated she would miss.
“All of them, Darby.”
She pulled her backup copies and set them on the floor-board.
“This isn’t right, Erren. You know Thrumburt won’t have a case without the disks.”
“I’ll keep them in a safe place.”
Could she believe him? What place was safer than the district attorney’s office?
“This wasn’t a part of the plan.”
“Sorry, Darby, but it’s always been a part of my plan.” He reached across the seat and shut the door. “Stay close to your family. We’ll get you and your family out of here safely.”
The car tires screeched from the parking lot. Fighting back the hot sting of treachery, she also swallowed back the hurtful emotions threatening to explode.
She turned around and walked straight into Brian Thrumburt. “You got here fast.”
“As did you, Darby.”
“You don’t seem too surprised that Agent Rhodes is driving off in my father’s car with the copies of my files.”
“He warned me that would be a possibility.” Thrumburt pushed his glasses up on his nose.
“Don’t you want to know where he’s headed or go after him or something?”
“Oh, I’ve got it covered. There’s a GPS locator on the cell phone he’s using and I have a unit standing by.”
A unit? Brian obviously knew more about what was going on than she did. What else was there to do? It seemed they had been lying to her the entire time.
“Are you making arrests tonight?”
“You understand that we can’t go into details at the moment.” Two men in black suits stepped into the light, showing their U.S. Marshal badges. “Marshals Thomas and Campbell will escort you to a safe house.”
“Not until I see my family.”
“That’s not advisable,” he said flatly as if he sincerely believed it was necessary. “They’ll be joining you as soon as we secure a location for Michael.”
“Listen, Brian, I understand you have to protect your witness from the boogie men. But I’m not going anywhere until I’m assured my family is safe and they know what’s going on.” She reached out and took hold of her bag. “I’ll carry it. The bastard took my gun, but I have stuff for my dad.”
He released his grip and she kept her second weapon.
So that was the key to getting away with a lie? Speaking with force? Or speaking like you believed it and in yourself.
“We should check through her purse,” said Thomas or Campbell—she hadn’t caught who was who.
“Not on your life, buddy.” She slung the strap over her shoulder. “I don’t let any guy wander through my tampons.”
Stay angry. Don’t laugh.
The marshal took a step back and gestured toward the hospital’s door.
“Keep the car running,” Brian instructed.
Thomas or Campbell led the way, the ADA walked next to her and the second marshal stayed outside with the car. Before she could duck into a bathroom and slip the second gun from her boot, they came to a room with an empty chair out front.
Brian knocked. The Medic pulled the door open to a normal-sized hospital room very much like where her brother had been that morning. Michael looked exactly the same. Had it only been fifteen hours since she’d seen him?
Sean stretched in the corner chair. “Hey, Dar.”
“How’s he doing?” she asked her father as he turned from the window to see her.
“John Doe here,” the Sergeant Major nodded toward the Medic, “nicknamed such for his refusal to give his name, says Michael’s fine. Everything checks out and his body just needs some uninterrupted rest.”
“I actually said the test results in his file were inconclusive and I wasn’t certain when or if he’d wake up.” The Medic directed his opinion to Brian, who obviously wanted an update as well. “Time for my adiós.”
The Medic left the room. She hadn’t even thanked him.
“Say your goodbyes, Darby. The marshals would like to leave in ten minutes.” Brian was the perfect ADA, looking at his watch, addressing the room and not touching his glasses once.
“Everyone can wait outside.” Her voice was rigid instead of vibrating like her insides. She hooked her free hand around the strap to keep it from trembling. No one argued or spoke a word. Both men turned on a dime and left. Sean and her dad came closer from the window side of the room and she was finally allowed to see Michael. He looked as if he was in a peaceful sleep and she wanted to shake him, shout him awake l
ike she had when it was her responsibility to make certain he got to school on time.
“What was that dude talking about?” Sean asked, sounding like Michael…but not Michael.
“We found the proof. He hid the information at my house.” She stroked Michael’s arm, but looked at her family. “He got kicked out of the academy to work undercover, gathering evidence that will put some dirty cops away for a long time.”
She wanted to cry and swallowed down the impulse. She was so proud of her little brother. She rubbed his arm again. He’d gotten a tattoo. A symbol they’d used to represent the O’Malley children. An O with four points of the compass. Each of them was a different direction, baby brother being west.
“Did you see this, Sean?”
“Cool idea to have a tat of the O’Malley O.”
“The guy with glasses said you were leaving with U.S. Marshals?” her father asked. “Are you in trouble for this morning?”
“Weird thing about that evidence, Dad, is I’m part of what Michael was protecting. I can corroborate the information and I need to testify.”
I’ve made two promises I won’t break—to keep you safe and to put the bastard who shot Pike away. Erren’s words pounded her brain.
“Are you going into witness protection?” Sean asked.
“Only for a while.”
“Are you sure? If they’ve already killed one police officer, shot Michael and tried to kill you… What’s to stop them from trying again?” Her brother’s voice began to rise. “Do you know who did this?”
Oh, my God!
“That mule-headed chameleon.” She waved Brian inside the door and poked him in the chest. “Where has he gone?”
“Excuse me?” Brian looked around the room for help, falling back another step as she poked his chest again.
Sean and her father stood with their arms crossed and lips firmly closed, silently backing her every move.
“Erren wouldn’t have driven away from unfinished business. Even with the evidence Michael collected, we don’t know who pulled the trigger. He didn’t leave town. He’s gone to confront those monsters on his own.” She would do whatever was necessary to save her partner from himself. “And you’re letting him.”
“It’s our best course of action.” Brian couldn’t retreat any farther with his back to the wall and Darby’s finger in his chest.
