“You made lunch.”
He controlled the urge to lean close and press his nose against her neck. Instead, he pulled out a chair. “If you can call it that when it’s nearly two. Sorry I didn’t wait for you, but I was starving.”
“If you’re still hungry, you can have half of mine. That sandwich is huge.”
“You burned a lot of calories tromping through the snow.” He took another bite and washed it down with a swallow of milk. “What do you have planned for this afternoon?”
“I need to stock up on lotion bars and lip balm. This time of year, orders for candles taper off and beauty products pick up.”
“You can make lotion into bars?”
“Sure. I melt batches of beeswax, mix it with butters and essential oils, and pour it into molds to harden. I find the work soothing.”
“If you say so. I noticed your back-porch steps are sagging. If you have tools and a few scraps of lumber, I can fix them while you’re busy in here.”
“There’s a tool box in the shed with the basics and some odds and ends of lumber near the beehives. You should find what you need.” She popped a bite of pickle that had fallen out of her sandwich into her mouth and crunched down. “Thanks for helping out. This is delicious, by the way. Maybe I will eat the whole thing.”
“You could stand to gain a pound of two. You’re thinner than you used to be.” He felt his neck heating when she stared at him and raised a brow. “Not that there’s anything wrong with the way you look.”
“You should probably just stop talking now.”
“Excellent idea.” He finished up his sandwich and stood to carry his plate to the sink. “I’ll take a look around outside and get those tools.”
“Pet the bunnies while you’re in the shed. They like it when you scratch them between their ears. I’ll be out to clean their bedding later this afternoon, but they enjoy attention.”
“Sure. Pet the rabbits. I can do that.” His lips curved in a smirk. “Should I ruffle the chickens’ feathers while I’m at it?”
She grinned. “They’d probably peck you.”
“Good to know.” Brody added wood to the stove, put on his jacket and gloves, and left the cabin through the back door. Keeping out of sight of any possible observer, he slipped into the trees behind the shed and skirted the property without seeing any sign of life other than a squirrel and a pair of blue jays who cawed raucously. Satisfied no one was around, he headed back to the shed, opened the door, and stepped inside.
The place smelled like chickens. The hens clucked, and the rabbits hopped out of their hutches into a pen littered with hay to investigate the disturbance. His nose wrinkled as he knelt beside the enclosure and reached inside to rub their soft ears. When a brown and white one nibbled his fingers, he smiled.
“You guys are pretty cute. How about I clean your area so Arden doesn’t have to?”
When they didn’t object, he raked the dirty hay into a pile and replaced it. Since he had no clue what to do for the chickens, he left them alone and looked for the tool box. After locating the large red case on a shelf with what he assumed were bee keeping supplies, he carried it to the back porch. Making a second trip, he found neatly stacked pieces of lumber obviously left over from some project beside the hives. Giving the wooden boxes a wary glance, he chose a few two-by-fours and set to work.
Brody had just finished screwing down braces beneath the sagging steps when his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he glanced at the display. Several missed calls from Luna. He swiped to connect.
“What’s up?”
“Finally. I’ve tried to reach you off and on for the last couple of hours.”
“The reception here sucks, and the messages just came through.” He ran a hand across the back of his neck as tension settled in. “Do we have a new case?”
“Yes, but Patch and GQ are handling it. A child abducted by a non-custodial parent. The father is a sports figure, and he wants to keep the whole thing out of the press. They should have his son back in a few hours, so you don’t need to worry about leaving Vermont.”
“Good, because I can’t go anywhere right now. Thanos is still very active in the area.”
“That’s why I’m calling. I’ve been digging into our old cases to see if any of them might be tied to Thanos. He seems to have a personal vendetta against you, so maybe Counterstrike cost him a big ransom in the past.”
“Did you come up with anything?”
“I’m not sure. I studied the kidnappings he’s wanted for, the ones the authorities believe they can pin on him, and they form a pattern. Rich, influential parents, all on the East Coast between Boston and D.C. Businessmen and politicians, for the most part. No one really high-profile who would have personal body guards.”
Brody leaned his elbows on the railing. “The man is cautious.”
“Yes. Thanos is smart and slippery to have avoided arrest for the past five or six years. He hasn’t made a mistake in a while. All the previous warrants for his arrest date back several years. Amy Jennings was his only recent screw-up, but my guess is he’s been active during the entire time.”
“Did any of our client profiles fit his MO?”
“A year and a half ago, Counterstrike rescued the young son of a tech company CEO, William Diggins.”
“I remember. The family was vacationing on Cape Cod. We took out two targets at the scene, but I was pretty certain the brains behind the kidnapping wasn’t on the property when we went in.”
“I wasn’t with Counterstrike yet, but the case caught my eye. One of the targets had a Greek last name. I couldn’t connect him to Thanos, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t working for him.”
“So, Thanos may have been behind the abduction but was never charged with the crime.” Holding the cell to his ear with his shoulder, Brody put the tools back in the case and returned them to the shed.
“It could be why he wants revenge. Other than the fact that we killed his second cousin last week. Counterstrike is costing him money.”
“But he said he recognized me, and Thanos couldn’t have seen me during the Diggins op if he wasn’t there. Also, he was able to locate my—someone from my past.” He hadn’t told his team that Arden was his ex-wife, just that an old friend was being targeted.
“He obviously has access to your personal history.” Luna’s tone was flat.
“Exactly. There’s a reason we keep our identities and personal connections under wraps. To avoid the situation I’m facing now.” Squatting down by the pen, he rubbed the rabbits’ ears when they hopped over to sniff his hand. “You didn’t find any other cases that could have involved him?”
“Not victims we rescued. I ran a search through unsolved kidnappings that meet our criteria during his active years, and one stood out. Senator Grant, the man who called us about Amy Jennings’ abduction, lost his grandson in a kidnapping five and a half years ago, a couple of months before Counterstrike’s inception.”
Brody jerked his hand away from the rabbits and rose to his feet. “That case was solved. The men who took . . . uh, John’s grandson were killed by the police while escaping with the ransom money.” He clenched his hand around the phone until his knuckles turned white. “Unfortunately, they killed the boy as soon as they got the money.”
“According to the police report I accessed, some of the cash was never recovered. Only about thirty grand went missing, so they thought it was lost during the chase. But what if there was a third kidnapper involved who shoved a few bundles of bills in his pockets and ran? Also, one of the men who was killed lived in the neighborhood where Thanos grew up.”
Bile burned the back of Brody’s throat. He swallowed several times, trying not to puke.
“Wolf, are you still there?”
“Yes.” He couldn’t manage more than the single word.
“I could be completely wrong, but I wondered if there was a connection. I’m sure if I keep digging, I might find more recent cases, as well.”
“Okay. I’ll call again if I learn anything else.”
He closed his eyes. “How’s your arm?”
“Healing nicely. Not too painful. Patch is satisfied I won’t have any lasting problems from that bullet wound.”
“Good. Take care of yourself.”
“You, too. Bye, Wolf.”
Before he could begin to process what Luna had suggested, the faint hum of an engine grew closer. Tamping down the heartache and rage threatening to overwhelm him, he slid his revolver from its holster beneath his jacket and edged around the shed until he had a clear view of the driveway. The vehicle approaching was a black Suburban followed by a dark blue BMW. He holstered his weapon and walked out to greet his friends.
Scarlet got out of the SUV and slammed the door. “Wow, this place really is out in the middle of nowhere.”
“Thanks for helping me out.”
As she approached, her gaze angled toward the cabin where Arden had just stepped outside with the dogs. They ran over to sniff the newcomers before wandering off.
“We’re happy to help. God knows, you’ve been there for me more times than I can count.”
Eli joined her and whistled as he surveyed Brody’s Mercedes. “That car is a thing of beauty. I hope the repair shop can do it justice.”
“They’d better for the price they quoted.” He reached out to clap Eli on the back. “It’s good to see you. Do you have wedding jitters yet?”
He snorted. “Hell, no. That would be Jaimee, not me. At this point, I think we’re both ready to be done with the planning and go straight to the honeymoon.”
“I don’t blame you. Come meet Arden. She’s a fan of yours.”
“I brought my new release for her.” He went back to his car, leaned inside, and came up waving a hardback book.
Brody walked toward the cabin and touched Arden’s arm. “Meet my friends, Scarlet and Eli. This is Arden.”
“Jaimee Fleming soon to be Croft.” She shook Arden’s hand. “I’m not active in the field any longer, so I don’t use my nickname, but the team can’t seem to stop calling me Scarlet.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Congrats on your upcoming wedding.”
“Thank you.” Scarlet studied her with sympathetic gray eyes. “You look stressed. Believe me when I say I’ve been in your shoes. Let’s hope Wolf can nail that bastard, Thanos, sooner rather than later.”
Arden only nodded, but she seemed to relax slightly before smiling at Eli. “I love your work. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise.” He held out the book. “Wolf seemed to think this might get him out of the doghouse.”
She grinned as she took it. “It’s a start. Thank you very much. I can’t wait to dive in.”
“Come on inside.” Brody held open the door. “Are you hungry?”
“We can’t stay long. We still have an hour and a half drive.” Scarlet gave Arden a quick smile. “But I wouldn’t turn down whatever it is I smell in there. That scent is amazing.”
“Lotion bars not food. I’ll send you home with a supply.” Arden led the way to the kitchen. “I do have blueberry muffins if you want a snack, and I can put the kettle on to heat for tea.”
“I could eat a muffin or two.” Eli slid his arm around his fiancée’s waist. “We’re not in that big of a rush.”
“Great. Have a seat in the living room since the table is covered in beeswax. I’ll get the tea water started.”
“I’ll help.”
Scarlet followed Arden into the kitchen while Eli dropped onto the end of the couch. Brody knelt down to add a log to the fire.
“How’d you let that one get away? She’s beautiful and seems nice. Plus, she has good taste in books.”
Brody rose to his feet. “How do you know she got away?”
“I understand the team doesn’t pry into each other’s private lives for safety reasons, but you’re obviously connected to Arden or that asshole wouldn’t be taking shots at her. You don’t look at her like she’s your cousin, so my guess is you were involved and she dumped you since you’re way too smart to have willingly let her walk away.”
Brody’s brows shot up. “You figured all that out from an introduction?”
“I study people. Often, they wind up as characters in my books. My take on Arden is that she’s not very happy with you. No offense, but you looked sucker-punched when we drove up. Still do, for that matter.”
“Maybe, but something else . . .” He gripped his hands into fists at his sides. “I can’t talk about it.”
“I don’t work with you, so if you ever feel the need to unload, I’m a good listener.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He turned when Arden and Scarlet returned with a tray of steaming mugs and a plate full of muffins.
“You two look serious.” Scarlet passed them each a mug. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Brody sipped his tea and grimaced when he burnt his tongue.
“Careful. It’s hot.” Arden nudged Henry out of the rocking chair and took the cat’s place.
“Actually, I’m glad you called me to come up here, Wolf.” Scarlet settled on the couch next to Eli. “There’s something I want to ask you, and I prefer not to do it over the phone.”
“That sounds ominous.” He gave her a cautious look as she pushed strands of long red hair over her shoulder.
“I hope not. I was wondering if you’d walk me down the aisle.”
Brody’s throat tightened. He was one of the few people who knew about the tragedy that had shaped this woman’s life. The trusted coach who’d tried to rape her as a teen-age girl, and her father’s suicide after he’d killed the man. The blame her mother had put on her for the whole nightmare. He knew the closest thing she had to a caring family was the Counterstrike team.
“I’d be honored. Truly.”
Her eyes gleamed with a hint of moisture. “Thank you. Since I don’t want to get bogged down in emotion, let’s talk about skiing. This cabin reminds me of the one I was living in in New Hampshire when Eli and I met. I used to cross country ski right out my door in the winter. I still do when we’re staying in Hawthorne.” She smiled at her fiancé. “But now it’s from a big-ass estate instead of a dinky cabin. I’m still not sure which I prefer.”
Arden shot Brody a sideways glance before smiling at Scarlet. “We seem to have more in common than I expected. I snowshoe daily, but I wouldn’t mind getting some cross-country ski gear. We used to spend time in Stowe with my sister and brother-in-law, downhill skiing, but it’s been years.”
“Oh yeah?” Scarlet eyed him up and down. “You’ve never mentioned you ski, Wolf.”
He shrugged. “As Arden said, it’s been a long while.” He cleared his throat. “Scar—uh, Jaimee was an Olympic biathlete. She could ski circles around all of us.”
“Hey, I hold my own.” Eli reached for a muffin. “It nearly killed me until she whipped me into shape, but now I can almost keep up.”
The banter continued, but Brody lost the thread of the conversation as he studied Arden. She was obviously enjoying his friends, and her eyes sparked with animation. He could only imagine how horrified she’d be when he told her the man currently stalking her might have been the animal who killed their son. If he told her. There was no proof. No reason to bring all that pain to the surface again.
He’d protect her, even though he was certain she’d want to know the truth.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh?” Arden’s touch drew him out of his thoughts, and he realized the others had risen to their feet. “Sure. I’m fine. Sorry, my mind was occupied. Are you two leaving?”
Scarlet nodded. “I’ll see you when you get back to Boston. Thanks for agreeing to give me away.”
“I’m glad to do it since I’ll be handing you over to a man who makes you happy.” He followed them t
o the door and gave her the keys to his Mercedes. “Thanks for dropping off my car at the shop.”
“No worries.” Scarlet smiled at Arden. “I enjoyed meeting you.”
“Likewise.” Her eyes widened. “Oh, the lotion bars. Let me get you a few.”
“Come to our wedding with Wolf. You can bring me some then.”
“That’s probably not—”
“Don’t make a decision now.” She interrupted Arden’s protest and linked her arm through Eli’s. “You still have a couple of months.”
Arden gave her a non-committal smile. “Thanks for the invite.”
Brody leaned against the doorframe as the pair drove away a few minutes later. After studying the still woods, he shut the door and faced Arden. “I’ll take you to their wedding if you’d like to go. You can be my plus one.”
She eyed him steadily, her jaw set at a stubborn angle. “Probably not a great idea.”
He let out a breath and turned away. “I expect you’re right.”
Chapter Seven
“What’s wrong? You’ve barely said a word all evening, and you look ready to take someone’s head off.” Arden put down Eli’s book and faced Brody.
He’d been working on his computer for a couple of hours. Whatever he was doing—and she was pretty sure she didn’t want to know anything about it—wasn’t making him happy. He’d stopped scowling at the screen, and for the last twenty minutes, had simply stared into space. His jaw was set in a rigid line, and his pale blue eyes sent a quiver through her.
“Sorry.” The glacial cold dissolved, and he attempted an unsuccessful smile. “Since you seemed pretty wrapped up in Eli’s latest thriller, I was delving a little deeper into Thanos’s background. Or trying.”
“How is that going to help us?”
“The man doesn’t work in a bubble. Knowing who he’s tied to could prove useful.”
Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3) Page 8
