Secret Service Setup

by Jessica R. Patch

  Did he?

  Yes, but that was impossible.

  “Come on.” Jody tossed him a Kevlar vest and worked on securing hers. “We have to move. Fast.”

  “We?”

  “We’re going out the front doors and into the Suburban. We might make it if we move fast. If he’s in the north woods. But in case he’s faster...” She patted her bulletproof vest and held up the keys. “I’ll cover you.”

  And who would cover her? A Kevlar vest wouldn’t protect against a head shot. “No way.”

  “Please do not play the chivalry card now. I can handle myself. I’m not the target.” She drew her weapon and motioned for the door, then turned to Wheezer. “I’m taking him to Granny’s house. Let Wilder know.”

  Wheezer nodded.

  Evan followed Jody as they hurried through the house to the front door. “Go time,” Jody said, and stepped out, surveying. “Clear.”

  Growling, Evan crouched and ran for the SUV, Jody on his six.

  Gunshots fired.

  Evan scrambled for the passenger door and opened it, using it as a shield. “Get in first, slide over.”

  He shoved Jody inside and she scrambled to the driver’s side. Evan jumped in and locked the door. Another shot hit the windshield. Bulletproof. “Go, Jo!”

  “Ditch that phone. I don’t care how encrypted it is. Someone found you here and it may have been through that.”

  No way his phone was hacked or tracked. He’d written the codes himself. “This thing is impenetrable.”

  She peeled from the circle drive. “Now is not the time to get cocky.”

  Evan tossed his phone.

  Another shot clipped the front bumper of the SUV. Jody laid on the gas and barreled down the long drive, nothing but dust behind them.

  Had his pride endangered them? Could someone have breached his codes and tracked them with his phone? Could it have been Lawman1?

  Glancing back, he groaned.

  “Wheezer will find the phone and do a sweep. And before you say how great you are and how secure the phone is, remember that Wheezer is one of the best.” Jody turned left.

  “My whole world is on that phone. My Scripture verses!” He huffed and buckled his seat belt.

  “Last I checked, Scripture was meant to be hidden in your heart not downloaded to your phone. You’ll live.” Her wooden tone brought a smile to his face. Yeah, he was pouting, but it irritated him that his phone might have been the key to finding him. He was once again trusting in himself and his own abilities. He wasn’t perfect. He was human. Flawed.

  “Well, you got your way.” They were in this together. Evan was far from alone. Now he had himself to worry about—and Jody.

  “That I did.” She glanced at him, a smirk on that pretty face. A face he’d nearly kissed before they’d been fired on. “Don’t worry, I didn’t have Shep hide in the woods and fire at us to get us on the road.”

  “Because you’d never do that?” He chuckled.

  “Because Shepherd missing a shot—even a planned one—would tarnish his perfect record and he wouldn’t stand for it.”

  “He’s never missed a target?”

  “Nope.” Jody hit the interstate.

  Wow. Evan glanced in the back seat that was loaded down with supplies. “You sure you didn’t set that up?”

  “I had planned to come talk you out of being a hero and going rogue after I packed up the Suburban, but I only tossed in the backpacks. Wilder keeps this thing loaded down with everything from bomb gear to ghillie suits.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t plan on it leading to...”

  “A kiss,” he murmured.

  “Right. I wasn’t levelheaded back there. You and me...we’re not gonna happen, Evan. Ever again.” Her tone was calm and collected. No anger. Simple fact. “I won’t lie and say that I never have some of those old feelings crop up when I look at you. I do. But that’s all it is. Old feelings.”

  Too much between those old feelings for new ones to grow. Understood. Still hurt. But she was right. They weren’t happening ever again. She was afraid he’d hurt her again. So was he. “Where are we going?” Changing the subject was in order. “What’s Granny’s house? Code?”

  “No. We are going to my granny’s house. She willed it to Meghan. When Meghan died, Wilder took possession of it. It’s near the Chattahoochee River—do not start singing that country song.”

  “You like that song.” He chuckled and hummed.

  “When Alan Jackson is singing. You’re no Alan Jackson.” She slid a mischievous look his way. “More like Harrison Ford.”

  He frowned. “What?” Then it dawned. “Oh. The Fugitive. Nice. Glad you’re finding the humor in all this.” He wished this was nothing more than a movie to entertain an audience for two hours.

  She snickered, then sobered. “With no devices, we’ll be safe at the cabin while we decide the next step and while Wheezer works to crack through to the hit site and dissolve the funds.”

  “You heard him. It could be weeks. You going to put your life on hold for me like that? Hole up in a cabin with me and wait it out?”

  Jody turned on the radio. “I don’t know, Evan. I guess we’ll figure it out as we go. For now, you need to stay off the grid and safe. Stillwater State Park is the best place.”

  “Jody, we both know the agency, in conjunction with the FBI, will start with CCM. They’ll look into all real estate holdings and check each and every one of them. We have maybe forty-eight to seventy-two hours before they realize Wilder owns a cabin on the Chattahoochee.” He couldn’t help but sing the last words to the tune of the country song.

  She rolled her eyes and remained quiet. There was no denying truth.

  It was only a matter of time before the jig was up.

  Neither party after them meant safety.

  And now Jody was a fugitive with him. When the government swooped in on them, she’d be arrested, too. Unless they could clear both their names in three days.

  “You hungry?”

  “Not really, but you’re going to tell me to eat anyway.” He cranked up the heat. It was in the forties today.

  “We’ll pull over at the next exit and grab some snacks.” She pointed to the back seat. “In that blue backpack, you’ll find a couple of ball caps.”

  He reached behind and took them.

  “You manage to get out with your sunglasses?”

  “No. But I have my wallet and some cash.” He slid the ball cap on his head and handed the other one to Jody. She always looked good in a cap.

  After stopping for snacks, they hopped back on the interstate. An hour later the scenery became thick with pines as they traveled down a gravel road. Evan cracked his window. The sound of rushing waters. If he wasn’t running for his life, this would be a peaceful place to relax and unwind.

  “You been here before?” he asked.

  “As a kid. Rafting, canoeing, fishing... There’s a waterfall not too far from the cabin. It’s pretty secluded.”

  “Sounds nice.” Evan had never had those kinds of vacations. He’d never had vacations period.

  They drove deep into the park and up a small hill. A log cabin with a long porch came into view. An old weathered picnic table sat kitty-corner from the house; a monstrous tire swing hung from a pine branch.

  “Come on. Let’s get settled.” Jody tossed her ball cap and started unpacking the back seat.

  At the door, she fished for the keys.

  “Jo?”

  “Yeah?” She didn’t reprimand him for using her nickname.

  “You can leave me here. Go back while you can. While it’s safe for you.”

  She unlocked the door and toed it open, wrinkling her nose.

  All he smelled was mustiness from a cabin that needed airing out.

  Stepping inside, she dropped the a
rmful of supplies on the kitchen counter. “Evan, I’m not leaving you. Don’t misconstrue it, but accept it.”

  There was no talking her out of this. No going back. He admired her tenacity not to give up on him. She hadn’t given up on him in the past, either, and it had come back to haunt her. How could this woman do it again? Stick it out with him knowing she could get into trouble—had been in trouble before, lost it all. How could he convince her to leave? It was the only way to protect her physically and emotionally.

  Flashes of Mama crying in her bed over Dad solidified it. He wouldn’t make Jody cry over him ever again.

  “You realize the ramifications?”

  “My eyes are wide-open, Evan. You’re innocent. I can’t turn my back on you.” No accusation in her voice. Not even a harsh tone. Simply who she was. But Evan felt the conviction deep into his bones. He’d turned his back on her. Emotion clogged every pore in his body. He felt it burn the backs of his eyes.

  “I’ll bring in the rest of the supplies.” It was all he could manage.

  * * *

  Weeks? Jody hadn’t thought this through. She couldn’t be on the run for weeks with Evan. The proximity alone was enough to suffocate her. The ride to Granny’s cabin had given her a measure of time to resolve some issues. No more getting swept up by the past. No more getting swept up in the even more appealing man that Evan was now.

  She was doing her duty. Making sure he stayed alive. Hoping he could be exonerated. An opportunity she’d never had. But did she need to go to this much trouble? And that moment when his lips touched hers—it would have become much more intimate than a peck had the gunshots not ensued. What was going on?

  Her heart tried to pipe up, but she shut it down.

  She did not care about Evan.

  Except...she did. Cosette would have some kind of psychological term for her. Wilder would call her a moron. But it was what it was. She cared.

  But she couldn’t. Not in a personal kind of way.

  Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out nothing but lint and a gum wrapper.

  “You looking for this?” Evan held up her small jar of vapor rub. “You left it on the desk in the camera room. I grabbed it on our way out. How bad is it?”

  Her fingers brushed his as she accepted the jar, then she opened it and dabbed it under her nose. “We need to open a window. Critters have died in here and there’s some mildew. Metallic smell like rusted pipes. Stagnant water.”

  “I smell a musty old cabin.”

  “I envy you that.” She wrinkled her nose as Evan opened a window, the biting January wind rushing in. “Wood smoke. I’ve always loved that smell. Reminds me of my dad.” He’d passed away five years ago. Evan had been there at the funeral with her, holding her hand and comforting her.

  “I envy you good memories.” Evan would have no fond ones of his father. He crossed into the small kitchen that opened up to the cozy living room. Opening the fridge, he frowned. “Well, we have water and water. Oh, and water.”

  She snickered. “We’ll have to run into town for some groceries. It’s a small place. But we shouldn’t go together. I don’t want someone seeing your face and calling a tip line or something, and I’m sure by now there’s a tip line.”

  Jody grabbed a few backpacks and arranged them by the doors in case they needed to make a fast exit. After she finished and did a walk of the property, she came inside to a fire blazing in the fireplace. Perfect.

  Coffee. Wood smoke. The smells covered, if only a little, the other smells that had hit her like a semi truck. “I found caffeine,” Evan said. “It’s not a fancy brand but it’s hot, black and I made it strong.”

  Also perfect. She crossed to the old fireplace. She’d sat on this brick hearth many times. Wilder had jumped off pretending to be a superhero and had to go to the ER for stitches. Jody had razzed him relentlessly about how un-superhero-like he was and she’d taken a few Wilder Flynn poundings for it.

  Perching close to the fire, she held out her hands for warmth as Evan brought her a cup of coffee. She thanked him and sipped.

  He sat next to her, cinnamon and citrus. Fear...that was a first. She didn’t care what science said, she could smell fear. Excitement. Anxiety. And right now she smelled fear. “What’s the matter?”

  Evan slid his gaze from the fire to her face. “Nothing, why?”

  “Evan, I smell it. Are you nervous someone is going to find us here?”

  Smirking, he set his coffee cup on the hearth. “Authorities will. At some point. I’m trying to run down in my head who might be apprising Lawman1. I have no way to hack into that offshore account to uncover the truth. I have no phone.”

  “Bible’s in the nightstand drawer in the master bedroom. Why don’t you take that room and you can read all the Scripture you want.” The fire blazed, cracked and popped. A tug of conviction came that she should be reading God’s word. Trusting Him. She wasn’t sure she could after all the pain she’d endured.

  “Remember that time we went to Colorado in February?” Evan asked.

  Jody sipped the strong, bitter brew. “The lodge in Telluride?”

  The vice president’s son loved to ski, and she and Evan went wherever Talbert “Tal” Derringer IV went. That guy was hard to keep up with. Constantly kept them in a state of anxiety. He was a ladies’ man at twenty-three and he’d hit on Jody more than once. Evan had threatened to pop him upside the head for it, but Jody had reminded Evan that wasn’t really protecting him. Tal knew it, too. Arrogant little ferret. But that wasn’t what Evan was referring to. He was reminded of the seclusion. The lodge. The fire. Sipping hot cocoa. Well, this cabin and this situation—it wasn’t romantic. Wasn’t anything like that.

  “You still ski?” he asked.

  “No. No time.” She loved it, though. White slopes. Crisp. Icy. Fast and furious. “You know after I left protection detail, Tal called me a few times to ‘get together.’”

  Evan’s eyes showed surprise. “That guy is a piece of work. I knew he was totally into you and hated me.”

  Jody laughed. “He wanted to know if we had a chance since you were out of the picture and I wasn’t assigned to him anymore. Couldn’t care less about what had gone down.”

  “I hope you told him never in a million years.” Evan snorted.

  “In a roundabout way. I think he thought I’d be thrilled to date a younger man who was as wealthy and powerful as himself. I hope it didn’t dent his fender for long.”

  “I doubt he ever recovered.” His grin was sad. “Anyway, I never liked him. But I’d have taken a bullet for the punk.”

  That was the job. Didn’t have to love everyone, but you did have to promise to lay your life down for them. “I think he watched The Bodyguard one too many times.”

  “You’re no Kevin Costner.”

  She laughed again.

  “I found Scrabble and some Uno cards in a cabinet while you were outside charting getaway plans.” His boyish grin did a loopty-loop in her stomach. “I didn’t see a TV, though.”

  “No, this place is meant for good old-fashioned family fun.” Now it was a safe house. “I guess we need to run into town now.”

  “Do they have a public library?” Evan asked, and drained his cup.

  “I think so. Why?”

  “I’d like to use the computer. Don’t worry, I’ll be cautious.”

  Jody stood. “Evan, you have to trust someone other than yourself at some point.”

  “I know. I do. I just...”

  “Trust yourself more. Maybe you need that Scripture about trusting in the Lord again.”

  “I ditched my phone.” Evan’s voice was teasing, but it held some truth. “I have nothing.”

  Her dad used to say that’s how God liked it. Then all they had to rely on was Him. That’s how she felt. Stripped bare. Nothing left. But instead of relying on God,
she’d done the opposite. She hadn’t invited Him into her pitiful circumstances.

  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

  The Scripture gripped her soul. She hadn’t invited God in or run to Him when she’d struggled for justice in Afghanistan. No, she’d left the military and had run straight to Evan. Trusted in a man who wasn’t even a believer, and that trust and refuge had crumbled.

  She glanced at Evan. Could she truly blame him for all the mess in her life? No. She had a lot of blame to carry, too. Evan wanted her forgiveness, but she hadn’t even forgiven herself for her sins.

  “Let’s go.”

  “To the library?”

  “Whatever you want, Evan. I’m picking my battles and if you say it’s safe, I guess I’ll trust you.” For safety’s sake only. She rummaged through her backpack and retrieved a burner phone. “By now, Wilder knows we’re here. I’m going to call and see if they found the shooter.”

  On the way Jody called. Wilder hadn’t found anything but shoe treads. Beckett had tracked them to the back side of the woods and road. The shooter must have parked a car or hopped a ride. After the road, the trail turned cold. Every news channel had the banner running on a constant loop about Evan Novak, the fugitive, and a tip line had been set up. Then came another interesting fact. Terry Pratt had shown up thirty minutes after the shooter breached CCM.

  “What did you tell him?” Jody asked.

  Wilder huffed. “Nothing. I said I didn’t know where he was and that was the truth at the time. Wheezer told me after he left that you’d taken Evan to the cabin.”

  “Did you get a vibe from Terry?” Jody asked.

  Cosette’s voice filtered through the line. “I was there. He asked all the right questions an agent would, but his eyes and body language said he didn’t believe that Evan was a corrupt agent or that Wilder had no knowledge of your whereabouts.”

  “I was telling the truth!” Wilder insisted.

  “Yes, well, he didn’t believe you,” Cosette said.

  “What did I do wrong? I didn’t shift or—”

  “Now is not the time,” Cosette said. “I don’t suspect he’s your corrupt agent, Jody, but I can’t say it definitively because I’ve seen some believable sociopaths.”