His dark brown eyes narrowed. “You don’t want to whittle down the field for me?”
“I’ll let you know if we get any definitive information.”
Underwood pushed his chair back and stood. “You do that. Since Ms. Grant looks completely exhausted, I’ll let you go.” He rounded the desk and opened his office door. “Where will I be able to reach you?”
“You have my cell number.” Brody helped her to her feet. “I dropped my phone in the yard when the explosion went off, and one of the firefighters must have stepped on it. Thankfully it’s cracked but still works. Arden’s phone is toast, but we’ll both be in Marblehead for the foreseeable future.”
The sheriff nodded and ushered them to the front of the building. “I’ll be in touch.”
GQ rose from the couch in the waiting room as Underwood headed back to his office. “Gee, that didn’t take long.”
Brody rolled his eyes. “Funny. I’m surprised you aren’t asleep.”
“I nodded off a couple of times.”
Luna closed her laptop and grinned. “Nodded off? You were out cold for the last hour. Let’s get moving. Arden looks ready to collapse.”
“I’m okay. Thanks for waiting around.” She tried to smile, but was pretty certain it wasn’t very convincing. “And for driving all the way up here to try to warn us. And for calling 9-1-1. Thanks to you, the first responders arrived in record time.” She knew she sounded slightly hysterical but couldn’t seem to shut up. “Oh, and let’s not forget the clothes on my back. If you hadn’t packed a bag before leaving, I’d still be wearing my robe.”
“At least your outfit fits.” GQ’s aqua blue polo shirt strained across Brody’s shoulders and barely brushed the waistband of his jeans. “Thank God I put on my pants before the house burned.”
“I’m just glad you’re both safe.” Luna shuddered. “Hearing that explosion while I was talking to Wolf on the phone scared the crap out of me.”
Brody opened the exterior door and squinted up at the pink sky to the east. “Dawn’s breaking. Are you too tired to drive back to Boston?”
“Hell no.” GQ tossed the keys to his corvette and caught them. “We’ve gone days at a time without sleep. How about you?”
“I’m too amped up on adrenaline and anger to rest. Anyway, it’s morning now. I could eat breakfast.”
Arden’s stomach threatened to revolt at the thought of food. She didn’t say anything as they walked to his car, which had survived the fire with nothing worse than a coating of soot. When he opened the door, the dogs scrambled out and strolled around the parking lot, peeing on anything that smelled remotely interesting. Henry uncurled on the driver’s seat to stand up and stretch. She picked up her cat and cuddled him. His ragged purr in her ear eased her tightly drawn nerves.
“What’s the plan, Wolf?” Luna leaned against the bumper of GQ’s car. “Do you still want to try to set up a sting?”
“Unless he uses that credit card again. I’m sure the bastard didn’t hang around long after setting off the blast. He could be halfway to New York by now.”
“Unless he’s waiting for news on how you both fared.” Luna frowned. “I’ve been tracking his activity going back a couple of decades, trying to get a feel for the man. He has a real fondness for the Caribbean and vacationed there frequently in the past. Not so much in the last few years, however. He used to be something of a playboy, but since he upped his illegal activities, he dropped off the social scene.”
Brody snorted. “He’s a known criminal. Apparently partying isn’t worth the risk of getting busted and doing hard time.”
“Or he’s keeping his social activity on the down-low. Based on a few indicators, I think he has a place in the Poconos under another name, but I haven’t been able to isolate the identity he’s using or the exact location. Not yet, anyway. I’m still working on it.”
“Upstate New York may be a good place to set our trap.” Brody laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “But right now, I want to take Arden home.”
Luna nodded, her eyes filled with sympathy. “We can discuss specifics later today.”
Arden walked around to the passenger side while Brody called the dogs and loaded them into the rear seat. After settling with the cat on her lap, she leaned back and blinked grainy eyes. A minute later, the car rocked slightly as he got in, slammed the door, and started the engine.
“Do you want to stop somewhere to eat or hit a fast food drive-thru?”
“I’m not hungry. Whatever you want, but I’m too filthy to be seen in public.”
He reached over and covered her knee with his palm, then moved it when Henry batted him with his paw, claws extended. A low growl followed.
“Sorry. My poor kitty has been through hell and is in a crappy mood.”
“You can’t blame him. If you don’t want anything, I’ll grab food to go somewhere down the road.” After a moment, he spoke again. “This is overwhelming, I know, but we’ll take it one day at a time and handle everything as it comes.”
Her throat burned from both smoke and unshed tears as they left Whitetail Crossing behind. “Thanos first?”
“No, you first. You can make an appointment to see your old doctor in Marblehead. Or a new one, whatever you want. Once you and the baby get a clean bill of health, then I’ll take down Thanos.”
“At least I left clothes at the house. I’ll have something to wear. I don’t want to think about my business or I might cry, but I need to notify customers I won’t be able to fill orders.” She let out a long sigh. “Overwhelmed is a good word to describe how I feel. Overwhelmed and very, very sad. All my pictures of River are gone. Not to mention our old wedding photos that I couldn’t bring myself to throw away.”
“I have plenty of family pictures. I didn’t toss the ones from our wedding, either. I used to pull out the album to look at your beautiful, smiling face and feel more like an ass than ever for not being more sensitive to your needs. Or at least that’s what my mother told me was my major downfall. I was clueless.”
“Oh, Brody.” She rubbed her damp eyes. “We’ve both made mistakes.”
“I guess we have, but not anymore. We’re starting with a clean slate.”
“Somehow, I doubt life will be all sunshine and roses, but we’ll communicate better this time. You might not have been sensitive to my needs, but I didn’t express them clearly. Neither of us did.”
They drove in silence as the sun crept higher above the horizon, and Arden was lulled into a semi-conscious state, grief and exhaustion catching up with her. She roused when he slowed to enter the drive-thru of a fast food place.
Brody gave her a questioning look. “Do you want anything?”
“No.” She sat up a little straighter, shifting the cat on her lap where her legs had gone numb. The thought of rubbery eggs and greasy hash browns made her slightly nauseous. “Actually, I’ll have a chocolate milkshake. I know it’s about a million calories, but that’s the only thing that sounds good.”
“I don’t think the calories will hurt you.”
He ordered and pulled forward to the window. Once he’d paid, collected the large bag of food, her shake, and his tall coffee, he drove out of the lot and got back on the road. Deftly eating an egg and sausage muffin with one hand and steering with the other, he cruised down the interstate while she sucked hard to draw the thick drink through the straw. Behind them, the dogs whined, and Henry kneaded her leg and butted his head against her arm.
“Ah, hell. They haven’t had breakfast and are no doubt hungry.”
“I ordered extra eggs and bacon for your four-legged palls. We can stop and buy cat supplies before we get home, and there’s still dog food at the house.”
She clenched the hand wrapped around her cup. “At least your wallet and phone were in the pocket of your jeans. I have no money, ID, or means to communicate with the outside world. I know I sound whiny . . .” She bit her lip. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re entitled to hav
e a major meltdown.” He gave her a cautious smile, but his eyes held worry. “Scream if it’ll make you feel better.”
“It wouldn’t. My throat hurts, as it is.”
“Mine’s a little scratchy from the smoke, too.” He finished his breakfast sandwich, sipped his coffee, and then lifted a second paper-wrapped muffin from the bag. “You can feed the rest to the dogs.”
Arden pulled out a container of eggs, ripped it in two, and scooped half the food onto each side. After saving some bacon for Henry, she added the other strips to the eggs. Turning in her seat, she gave Heidi and Hero each their makeshift meal. Once she was facing forward again, she broke up the bacon and laid it on the bag for Henry. The cat attacked the fragrant morsels with enthusiasm.
“Thank you, Brody. You’re being pretty damn wonderful, and I haven’t exactly acted grateful.”
“Why should you?” The pulse throbbed at his temple as he bit into his sandwich and chewed furiously. “It’s my fault you lost your cabin and everything in it. If I’d killed that son of a bitch sooner, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“He’s to blame. Not you. Never you.” Her tone was fierce.
He loosened his tight grip on the wheel. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to forgive me for this.”
She reached over to stroke his scratchy cheek. “I love you. None of my anger is directed at you. I promise you that.”
Turning his face, he kissed her hand. Emotion flooded his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. After a moment, he focused on the road again, and they finished the drive in comfortable silence.
Arden relaxed back in her seat. For the first time since she’d woken in the dark to the smell of smoke and reverberations from the explosion—shouting for Brody with no idea where he was—she let the panic and fury drain out of her. All those negative feelings served no useful purpose. Just the opposite. She couldn’t change the past. She needed to let go and move on.
When they pulled into the driveway at Marblehead an hour later, she got out and carried Henry inside while the dogs ran around the yard sniffing. Brody followed with the bags of cat food and litter, along with the new litterbox they’d picked up. Bernice met them at the door.
Her eyes widened, and she simply stared. “My goodness. What happened?”
“Someone torched Arden’s cabin. We were lucky neither of us was seriously hurt.” Brody dropped his load on the entry floor. “We both need to take showers to wash off the grime.”
The housekeeper pressed a hand to her chest. “That’s horrible.”
“Arden will be moving in permanently.” He nodded toward the cat. “So will Henry.”
“I’ll put the cat’s things in the laundry room.” Her tone turned neutral.
“Thank you, Bernice. I’m sorry about the extra work.” Arden set Henry down when he fought against her hold. “I’ll clean the litter box.”
The woman simply nodded. “Will you be dining in this evening?”
“I think so.” Brody gave her a quick smile. “Unless work interferes. Arden will definitely be here.”
“I’ll go see about lunch, then. I’m thankful you’re both okay.”
“We are, too.” Arden headed up the stairs, leaving Henry to explore his new surroundings, and Brody followed. “I’ll use the guest bath to shower.”
At the top of the stairs, he slid an arm around her waist and squeezed. “Fine, but I hope you’ll move back into our room for good.”
She turned to lean against his chest and nodded, soaking in his warmth as his arms tightened. “I want that. I want to find our new normal.”
“We will.”
After she pulled away and headed toward the room she’d been using, his phone dinged. She stopped in the doorway to listen as he answered.
“Do you have something? We just got home.” The bedroom door shut behind him with a click.
Arden gripped the frame and let out a breath. Probably Luna. Possibly with news about Thanos. A shudder worked through her as she pried her fingers off the wood jam and continued through the bedroom to the attached bath.
A glance in the mirror made her temporarily forget about the phone call and whatever strategy they were discussing. Her face was gray with soot, and her eyes were red-rimmed. Lank hair straggled around her face. She looked even worse than she’d imagined. After turning on the shower, she peeled off the clothes Luna had loaned her and stood shivering for a moment until the water ran hot and steam rose.
Standing beneath the spray was cleansing in more ways than one. As the filth washed down the drain with the soap and shampoo, her skin tingled, and her exhaustion abated. By the time she stepped out onto the mat, she was determined to tackle her problems head-on. After dressing in jeans and a bright red shirt and towel-drying her hair, she headed downstairs to the kitchen where the landline was located. Getting a new cell phone was near the top of her mental to-do list.
Arden paused at the window over the sink. Brody stood on the lawn in what looked like an intense conversation with Silas. The other man nodded a few times, his long, dark hair shining in the sun, his features stoic. After a moment, they did a fist bump, and Brody walked back toward the house. The door shut a minute later, and footsteps approached.
She leaned against the counter as he entered the room. “What’s going on?”
“Luna has a lead on Thanos’s whereabouts.” He stopped in front of her and smoothed a strand of semi-damp hair behind her ear. “I didn’t want to leave until we got things on a more even keel here.”
“But you can’t waste an opportunity when one presents itself, right?”
“The sooner this is over, the better.”
“I agree. Where is he?”
“Thanos paid for a meal in Providence near the Brown campus, which is something of a surprise after his actions in Vermont didn’t pan out the way he’d undoubtedly hoped. Maybe he’s short on funds and focused on another target, a college kid with wealthy parents.”
All her nerves were back, fluttering in her stomach. “You’re driving to Rhode Island?”
“We’ll take the chopper. Luna’s putting out feelers to law enforcement to see if anyone has gone missing in the vicinity. If we can get a jump on this, we’ll nail him.” Worried lines creased his forehead. “I hate leaving you, but Silas swore he’ll stick to you like gum on hot asphalt. I trust him to protect you with his life.”
She let out a shaky breath. “I sure hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“If I thought Thanos was anywhere near here, I wouldn’t leave.” He pulled her close and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “I wanted to go to the doctor with you.”
“I plan to make an appointment for tomorrow. Maybe you’ll be back by then.”
“God, I hope so.” He pulled away and cupped her face in his hands. Bending, he kissed her slowly. “Make one for today instead. I need to know everything is okay, and Silas will drive you wherever you want to go.”
“If there’s an opening, I’ll take it.” She forced a smile. “Please be careful.”
“I will.” He kissed her again. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
The door shut behind him, and immediately the house felt empty. Determined to stay busy instead of obsessing over something she couldn’t control, she called the medical clinic she’d gone to in the past and was lucky enough to get a cancellation for later in the afternoon. Sitting at the counter eating cheese and crackers and grapes while she made phone calls and sat on hold for what seemed like hours, she discovered she would need a copy of her birth certificate in order to get a new passport or replace her social security card and driver’s license. Taking a deep breath, she hung up the phone, ready to tear her hair out. When Henry twined around her feet, she scooped him up and hugged him.
“You look frustrated.”
Arden glanced over as Bernice entered the room. She’d been in and out a few times to stir the pot of chili cooking on the stove, and the kitchen smelled amazing.
/>
“I am.” Her eyes widened as she noted the time on the digital clock over the stove. “Crap. I need to leave soon. Do you know where Silas is?”
“He’s fertilizing the roses out front.”
“Thanks.” Arden slid off the stool, set down the cat, and headed toward the front door. A muffled ringing from Brody’s office made her pause. Frowning, she walked into the room.
“Surely, he didn’t forget his phone,” she muttered. When a ding sounded, her brows shot up. “Or maybe he did.” Settling onto the desk chair, she pulled open draws.
A black cell phone in a Ziplock bag rested on top of some notepads in the shallow center drawer. A burner phone, by the look of it. Definitely not Brody’s. Hadn’t he had one that belonged to Thanos? A chill slid through her as she picked it up and depressed the button through the bag to light the screen.
What, you aren’t taking my calls now? Bad move. I don’t like being ignored.
The fine hair on her arms rose as she read the text. There was nothing to indicate who had left the message, but she knew it was from Thanos. Her skin crawled.
“You’ll be late if we don’t leave now.”
Arden jerked her head up and stared at Silas standing in the doorway. “Okay. I was . . .” She took a breath to calm her nerves. “Can I use your phone to call Brody while we drive?”
“Of course.” He stepped farther into the room. “Is something wrong?”
She slammed the drawer shut. “I don’t know. I hope not.”
He pulled his cell from his pocket and tapped the screen to unlock it before handing it to her. “Call Brody now. You can be a few minutes late.”
She dialed his number and waited while it rang, her gaze locked on Silas. When his voice mail picked up, her shoulders slumped. “Brody, call me on Silas’s phone when you get this message. Something weird happened. I’m fine, but call me.”
Silas shook his head when she held out his cell. “Keep it for now. I’m sure he’ll call back as soon as he has service.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Do you still want to go to your appointment?”
Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3) Page 25
