Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3)

by Jannine Gallant

  “Sounds logical. What did you learn?”

  “Up until he dropped off the grid completely several years back, Thanos lived in Queens. He comes from an extended family, most of whom have been in trouble with the law, but they always had plenty of cash. I expect due to their illegal activities. An uncle was busted for embezzlement. A cousin is currently doing time for counterfeiting. The family was basically into white collar crime until Thanos turned to kidnapping. The money he stole from his victims is undoubtedly stashed in offshore accounts.”

  “Does he have a wife or kids?”

  “Not that I can dig up. Thanos has a reputation with women—not a good one. There were a couple of abuse complaints filed by ex-girlfriends. But they all dropped the charges.”

  Her lips curled. “Sounds like a real charmer.”

  “The guy is scum.” Brody’s voice was harsh. “Other than in Queens, he doesn’t have many ties except for a history of vacationing in the Caribbean. By now, he may own a private island there through a shell corporation. As I said, Luna is better at hacking those types of records than I am.”

  Arden laid the book on the coffee table. “What about college friends?”

  “He never went. We have that in common.”

  “Hardly. You joined the Navy straight out of high school, not a crime syndicate. Every success story doesn’t begin with a degree.”

  “True.” He smiled. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  The appreciation and affection in his eyes made Arden squirm. She refused to get sucked back into Brody’s world. Because if she broke down and admitted she’d never stopped loving him, she would never find any kind of peace. Dragging her gaze away from his, she focused on the conversation.

  “Thanos doesn’t have any friends in this area? No one he’s staying with?”

  “Not that I could find.”

  “Do you have Luna looking into his connections?”

  His eyes darkened. “She’s been researching past crimes. What’s on his rap sheet is only part of the picture.”

  Before she could respond, her cell rang. She picked it up off the table and stared at the display. Jim. Wondering if he wanted an answer about the concert date, and feeling more than a little awkward, she rose to her feet and walked to the window. Lifting the blind a few inches, she stared out at the moonlight glimmering on the snow-covered yard. “Hi, Jim. What’s up?”

  Behind her, Brody uttered something beneath his breath she didn’t quite hear.

  “I’m glad my call finally went through. A friend who has a fishing cabin up here contacted me a couple of hours ago. Rod needed a reference for a carpenter since someone broke into his place and damaged the doorjamb.”

  “A bear out of hibernation?”

  “Not unless the bears are using a can opener and a coffee pot. Whoever it was left a sleeping bag on the bed. My buddy was worried the poacher might return, and since he wanted no part of a confrontation with a potentially armed intruder, he went to a motel for the night.”

  Arden turned and met Brody’s watchful gaze. “Did he call the sheriff’s office?”

  “Yes, but the deputy on duty was responding to a domestic situation. He said it’d probably be morning before he could go check it out. Anyway, I wondered about the man who took a shot at you earlier. Maybe the intruder wasn’t a poacher. The guy stalking you could have holed up in Rod’s cabin since it was empty.”

  Brody stood and approached her, a question in his eyes.

  “Jim, can you give Brody directions to your friend’s cabin. He’ll want to check it out, just in case.”

  “Your ex-husband is still there?”

  “He will be until he finds the man who shot at me. Let’s hope this is the break we need. Here’s Brody.” She held out the phone.

  He took it. “Grant, here.” Brow furrowed, he listened for a minute. “Got it. Sounds like the cabin isn’t far from Arden’s place as the crow flies, but no direct road access between the two since it’s on the opposite side of the lake.”

  Arden rubbed her hands up and down her arms before walking over to the woodstove and kneeling between the dogs to put another log on the fire. After adjusting the damper, she stroked their soft fur. Hero let out a low groan.

  “I’ll snowshoe over there and hopefully catch him by surprise when he returns. Thanks for the heads-up. I appreciate it.” He paused for a second. “I’ll tell her.” After disconnecting, he returned her phone. “He said he’d call you tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure Jim’s concerned about an armed lunatic in the area when his kids will be with him for the weekend.”

  Brody gave her a long look before nodding. “I’d bet money Thanos was the one who broke into that cabin. What I’d like to know is where the hell he is right now.”

  “Maybe he went into town to buy supplies. He could be back at the cabin by now.”

  His gaze went toward the door. “Or he might be outside keeping watch, waiting for a chance to make a move. Damn, I wish I’d asked Scarlet to stick around.”

  “I thought she didn’t work in the field anymore.”

  “She doesn’t, but she hasn’t lost her skills.”

  Arden rose from the floor. “I don’t need someone to babysit me. I’ll lock the place up tight, and your car will be parked out front. If Thanos is watching, he’ll think you’re inside with me.”

  “Unless he sees me leave alone on foot. I don’t want to risk it.”

  “I could go with you.”

  Brody was quiet for a moment, his lips pressed into a tight line. “Then I’d be focused on your safety rather than taking out that asshole, which is a certain recipe for trouble. Shit.”

  “I’m not helpless.” She balled her hands into fists at her sides. “I have a pellet gun in the closet. I’ve used it to scare away foxes and coyotes when they go after my chickens. I’m pretty sure a direct hit at close range would slow Thanos down.”

  Brody’s eyes widened. “Can you hit a target?”

  “I’ve pegged a tin can from about forty yards.”

  “Good enough, but a pellet gun is worthless. We keep a spare sidearm with ammo as an emergency backup in all the company SUVs. Would you be willing to aim and shoot if that bastard came at you?”

  She thought about her answer as her stomach churned. Finally, she nodded.

  Brody glanced at the watch strapped to his wrist. “It’s almost nine. Let’s wait another hour and then turn off all the lights. If he’s out there, he’ll think we’ve gone to bed. My guess is he’ll return to that fishing cabin and wait for a better opportunity. He’s not going to try to break into this place when the dogs would alert us to his presence. He has to know I’m armed.”

  “You’ll leave here at ten?”

  “If you’re comfortable with that plan, I will. I’m not happy about the situation, but I feel that’s the only way the risk to you will be minimal.”

  She let out a long breath. “Yes. I just want this to be over.”

  Resting one big hand on her shoulder, he squeezed gently. “It will be. Soon. I’ll go get the revolver and take a look around while I’m out there.”

  Arden sat on the couch and waited, her insides tied in knots, imagining Thanos sighting down the barrel of a rifle at Brody and pulling the trigger. His only priority was her safety. He didn’t seem the least bit concerned about his own. Finally, the door opened, and she slumped against the cushions in relief.

  He flipped the deadbolt and turned, holding a silver-barreled pistol with a black grip. “I’d swear no one is out there. Even if he had an infrared scope, he couldn’t see all that far because the trees would block his view. Unless he’s perched up in the top of one.”

  She eyed the gun. “A city boy from Queens?”

  “That was my first thought. He’s not exactly your outdoor sportsman type. Still, we’ll stick to our plan. It’s damn cold out there. That alone should deter a long surveillance.” He set the revolver on the coffee table. “It’s loaded, and the safety is o
n. Do you know how to use it?”

  “Point and squeeze the trigger.”

  He smiled. “Basically. There are a few tricks to ensure greater accuracy. I’ll show you.”

  She stood, picked up the pistol, and held it pointing downward. “It’s heavier than I expected.”

  “You’ll want to use two hands. It gives you better balance.” He stepped behind her and put his arms around her. Demonstrating the proper technique, he guided her hands to point at the door. “Do you feel the difference?”

  He was solid and warm and familiar, holding her close against his chest. Her breathing came a little faster as she tried to focus on what he was asking. “Yes.”

  “This is the safety. If you hear anything, release it and aim at the point of entry. Don’t hesitate, Arden. Don’t call out a warning. Just shoot.”

  She nodded. “I’ll do what I have to do. But I don’t want to shoot you by mistake.”

  “I’ll announce my presence before I get near the cabin.” Finally, he released her and stepped away. All the warmth went with him, and she shivered. Wrapping herself in a hug, she went to sit down in the rocker.

  Brody took a seat on the couch and picked up his laptop. They didn’t talk much as the minutes ticked by, both immersed in their own thoughts. Arden sat with Henry on her lap, stroking his back in a rhythmic motion, telling herself Brody would return safe and sound. That he’d hand Thanos over to the police, and her life would be her own again. She did her best to convince herself she wouldn’t be sorry to see him walk away.

  She knew what she wanted. She was happy with her choices. Wasn’t she?

  “Time to go.” He closed the lid of his computer and rose to his feet.

  Setting her cat aside and getting a nasty feline look in response, Arden stood and followed him through the kitchen. Once he’d put on outdoor clothing, she lifted a flashlight from the shelf over the washer and handed it to him. “The beam is pretty powerful.”

  “Thanks. I don’t want to attract attention on my way there, but hopefully I won’t need anonymity coming back.” He stood still for a moment, holding her gaze. “I don’t expect any trouble here, but you know what to do if Thanos tries to break in.”

  “I’m tougher than I look. I’ve made choices I thought would cripple me, and I survived.” Burying our son. Leaving you. The truth hung between them, unspoken. “Shooting a killer doesn’t even come close.”

  He pulled her against his chest and held her. Words weren’t necessary as she let herself lean on him, absorbing his warmth. Feeling the love she didn’t want to acknowledge.

  After a moment, he stepped back. “Go ahead and turn off the lights. Make sure you lock the door behind me.”

  With a nod, she extinguished the lamps glowing in the living room and felt her way to the kitchen. “Be careful.”

  “I will.” Metal scraped on wood as he picked up the snowshoes lying on the bench. The soft creak of the door opening and shutting behind him followed.

  Moving forward, Arden flipped the lock and shivered again. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she put on her jacket, hoping to warm up before returning to stand in front of the fire. Once there, she stood still to wait. And wait. Then wait some more. Alone in the darkness with thoughts that made her want to scream.

  When Hero raised his head and growled low in his throat, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

  “What is it, boy?” Her voice was no more than a whisper as she picked up the revolver and released the safety. Straining, she couldn’t hear anything but wind blowing through the trees.

  When the dog growled again, she backed into the kitchen, keeping her gaze trained on the front windows. Too soon for Brody to have returned. Was someone sneaking around the house, looking for a way to get inside?

  Wood splintered, and the door crashed against the wall. A figure was silhouetted in the moonlight. Without hesitation, she raised the gun. Her hands shook as she pulled the trigger.

  The reverberations in the small space nearly deafened her. Without waiting to see if she’d hit him, she sprinted the length of the kitchen, flipped the deadbolt, and yanked open the back door. Through the ringing in her ears, faint barking echoed, followed by a shrill yip. She didn’t stop, fleeing straight out across the ice covering the lake. Sliding on her shoes, she went down hard on one knee. Pain ricocheted up her thigh. She scrambled to her feet and ran on as the ice creaked and groaned beneath her weight. Cracks splintered the surface, and she screamed when something brushed her leg.

  Heidi. Her dog whined and pressed close.

  Arden chanced a look over her shoulder.

  The dark bulk of her pursuer was backlit by the starry sky. His feet slipped out from beneath him, and he crashed onto the ice with a loud whack. Aiming the revolver at the prone figure, she closed her finger over the trigger and squeezed as a string of expletives echoed through the night.

  The retort didn’t quite drown out his harsh cry. Turning, she ran toward the trees on the other side of the lake. She’d just reached the shore when a thunderous crack sent her to the ground. Cautiously, she raised her head to look back at the lake.

  Not a gunshot. A wide hole had opened in the ice, and her pursuer was floundering in the water. She stared in horror as he went under, reappeared briefly, and then sank beneath the surface again.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God.” She pressed one palm to her lips to keep from crying out.

  Heidi whined and huddled against her. Slowly, Arden pushed to her feet. When bushes rustled behind her, she swung around, the revolver clutched in both hands.

  “Don’t shoot!” Brody broke through the trees, breathing heavily as he lumbered toward her through the snow. “Are you hurt?”

  “No.” Her legs gave way, and she fell to her knees.

  Moments later, he dropped down beside her to pull her into her arms. His gaze went toward the lake. “Where’s Thanos?”

  She shuddered. “He broke through the ice. I didn’t see him come back up a second time.”

  “I heard shots. Did you hit him?”

  “I’m not sure. Probably.” She pressed her face against his chest. “I was so scared I couldn’t hold the gun steady. I shot at him when he broke into the cabin and then ran. When he fell on the ice behind me, I shot at him again. That time he yelled.” Her voice quavered. “I think he hurt Hero. Heidi came after me, but not Hero.”

  “We’ll go find him in a minute.” He let go of her and rose to his feet. “Stay here while I look for that son of a bitch.”

  Shaking with cold, she sat on the ground beside Heidi while Brody tramped along the shore on his snowshoes. After a few minutes, he returned and helped her to her feet.

  “I couldn’t see him anywhere in the water. There are cracks all through the ice, so I didn’t dare walk out onto it.”

  “Can we go back to the cabin? Hero . . .”

  “Yeah, we can go home. You’re trembling.”

  Her teeth chattered. “My shoes are soaked since I didn’t exactly have time to put on boots or more layers. I wasn’t prepared for a sprint across the damn lake.”

  “Jesus.” He wrapped an arm around her. “You could easily have fallen through.”

  “I wanted to take the most direct route to get to you.”

  “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left you.” He scooped her up against his chest and powered through the snow. “That bastard must have still been waiting outside when I left. He hung out just long enough for me to get too far away to intervene and then went after you.”

  She clung tightly with an arm around his neck, too exhausted to protest that carrying her would only slow them down. “At least it’s over now.”

  “He got what he deserved. Asshole.” Huffing for breath, he didn’t speak again until they reached the far shore.

  Heidi ran ahead and gave a couple of barks. A shape moved away from the house and limped toward them.

  “Hero.” When Arden struggled against him, Brody let her slide down until her feet touched the gro
und. Running the last few yards, she dropped beside her dog and stroked his fur with an unsteady hand. “What did he do to you, huh?”

  Brody pulled the flashlight from his pocket and held the beam on the dog. “No blood. He might have kicked him.”

  Hero whined and licked her face before limping after Heidi as the two dogs headed toward the cabin.

  “Go on inside, babe.” He cupped the back of her neck with his gloved hand. “Take a shower to warm up. I’m going to look around again, just to make sure, but I shouldn’t be gone long.”

  With a nod, she followed the dogs onto the back porch. Freezing air blew straight through the kitchen. Taking a breath and telling herself a busted door was the least of her problems, she pushed it closed to stop the worst of the draft and added wood to the fire before sitting down on the floor beside Hero to feel his leg. He whined a little when she touched it, but she didn’t think it was broken. Just a badly bruised hip.

  “I’m sorry, sweetie. You were brave to try to protect me.” Holding back tears, she rose to her feet and entered the bathroom. After turning the shower knob to hot, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the enclosure. As the water poured down, she gave in and sobbed.

  Thanos had been a kidnapper and a murderer. Still, she’d taken a life. Or as good as, even if her bullet hadn’t been what killed him. She’d done what was necessary to stay alive, but accepting the consequences wasn’t easy.

  The shower door opened. Choking on a sob, she stared up at Brody through a haze of tears. His eyes held a wealth of regret and pain. She knew he was blaming himself, and that only added to her misery.

  “I’m okay. I shouldn’t have let it get to me.”

  “Anyone with an ounce of sensitivity would be affected by what you just went through.” After turning off the shower, he wrapped her in a towel and carried her into the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pulled her onto his lap and simply held her.

  Taking a few deep sniffs, she finally stopped crying and leaned against him, her wet face pressed to his warm neck.

  “I’m responsible for everything that happened tonight. None of this is on you.” His voice rumbled above her ear.