“What was that for?” she asked, her body filled with conflicting emotions.
“You want it to look like we’re hanging out. That’s what I’d be doing if I was hanging out with you at six in the morning.” He grinned from ear to ear, and she almost forgot Sulyard waited on her porch.
Almost.
She hurried to the door.
“This is a surprise,” she said, trying to straighten her hair.
“I imagine it is.” He didn’t ask to come in, but signaled at someone in his car and pushed past her.
Quinn stepped close to Nina as if she needed protection. Sulyard raised a brow in surprise, then pulled a folded paper from his pocket. Nina didn’t have to see the document to know what it was. She’d handled plenty of them in her job.
“A warrant?” she asked, wondering if he was there to serve it or hand it off for her to serve on someone else.
“I’m sorry about this, Brandt.” He ground his teeth for a few seconds. “We’ll be searching your home.”
Nina gasped, her hand flying to her chest before she took a step back. She bumped into Quinn who’d moved even closer. She could feel the heat of his body and knew he was there for her. She was suddenly glad he’d stopped by.
He rested a protective hand on her shoulder. “Before I let any of you take another step, I demand to know what prompted this warrant.”
“The No-Fly List was hacked again. Monday. Around three a.m. The transmission was bounced all over, but we finally tracked down the source last night.”
There was nothing earth-shaking in his statement, and certainly no reason to search her home in the wee hours of the morning. She needed clarification. “Okay, so you tracked it down. What’s that got to do with me and this warrant?”
“Simple.” Sulyard firmly met her gaze; the intensity of his focus sent a wave of panic curling over her. “The transmission originated here, Brandt. At your house. During the time you came home to rest. I don’t want to think you’re involved in hacking the NFL, but I can’t argue with the evidence staring me in the face.”
QUINN DIDN’T LIKE this. Not one bit. Nina seemed calm, reading, then carefully folding the warrant before looking at Sulyard. She chewed on her lower lip as if uncertain about what to do. She hadn’t fought back or stuck up for herself. She’d simply acquiesced to Sulyard’s bullying as he fired off directions without a care for her feelings.
Quinn had started to tell Sulyard off, but Nina stopped him. Quinn supposed she was acting like a little mouse because Sulyard was her supervisor and he seemed quite willing to believe she’d hacked the NFL. But she had to be confused. Quinn would be in shock if his CO suddenly thought him capable of being a traitor.
Trying to keep his anger in check, Quinn stepped closer to Sulyard. “You can’t possibly think Nina has anything to do with this.”
“Can’t I?” He stared at Quinn. His face was haughty and smug, the way Nina had often described him in the past. “I know you SEALs like to think you know everything about everything, but you’re way out of your league here, buddy.”
Quinn’s anger flared. He fisted his hands to keep from strangling the man who should be acting far more sensitive to Nina’s plight. “The least you could do is treat her with the respect she deserves.”
“I’m simply looking at the facts and not letting my relationship with her cloud my judgment.” Sulyard cocked an eyebrow.
“Facts, as in more than one? All you’ve mentioned so far is that the transmission originated here.”
“Add that to her connection to your brother, which she’s readily admitted. And now it’s clear she wasn’t exactly truthful about having a relationship with you as well.” He paused as if he expected Quinn to deny it, but he’d be lying if he did. They didn’t have a relationship, but there was something going on between them. Her response to his kiss a few minutes ago proved that.
“Best case scenario,” Sulyard continued. “She’s trying to help Tyler by covering something up. Worst case, you two have the computer and are planning to use your little brother’s hacking skills as a way to make a quick buck.”
“Me?” Quinn’s anger went from minor irritation to seeing red in a flash.
Sulyard smirked. “Don’t think you’re immune to investigation because you’re a SEAL. I’m sure you’ve engaged in plenty of off-book ops, giving you skills needed to pull this off without breaking a sweat.”
No one questioned his reputation, his honor, and then stood there looking all self-righteous. Quinn didn’t think twice. He slammed his fist into Sulyard’s face. The satisfying crunch resounded through the room as Sulyard staggered back.
“Quinn, no.” Nina grabbed his arm.
At her touch, some of his anger receded. He lived his creed and didn’t often fly off the handle, but come on. This was unacceptable. No one got away with accusing him or Nina of being a traitor. He’d never betray his country. Never. And she was the most ethical and honest person he knew. She didn’t deserve this treatment. Neither did he.
“You’ll regret that.” Sulyard cupped his jaw. “The local authorities will be happy to haul you in for assaulting a law enforcement officer.”
“Go ahead. Call them,” Quinn said calmly, not the least bit worried. “I’ll be glad to tell the press all about the missing computer.”
Quinn would never follow through on his threat, but the last thing Nina needed right now was for him to be arrested. He had no doubt Sulyard would press charges once the case was resolved and Quinn’s threat no longer held any power. He would have to deal with the consequences then, but for now, his full attention remained on Nina.
Sulyard glared at Quinn. For half a second, he didn’t think the guy would back down. But another agent poked his head through the door to ask a question and Sulyard started barking orders at his staff.
The men spread out like an army of ants. Quinn didn’t recognize them, but by their pitiful gazes directed at Nina and her defensive response, it was clear she did. He could only imagine how much it stung, seeing her coworkers paw through her things.
Wait, things. They’d find the list she’d brought home from work. It was obvious that she’d now have to investigate on her own to clear their names. But she couldn’t do that without the file.
“Let me get you a glass of water.” He headed for the kitchen. On the way, he confirmed he was alone and grabbed her papers from the bag, then slid them into his waistband and pulled his shirt over the top. He had no idea if he was breaking the law.
An agent stepped into the room. Quinn casually strolled to the kitchen for the water. He returned and offered it to Nina, but she shook her head.
He really didn’t like seeing her this way. “Are you required to stay for this?”
“No, but I’m not sure I want to leave them alone in my house.” She shuddered.
“Won’t it be harder to stay and watch?” he asked softly.
She nodded.
“Then let’s give Sulyard a key and get out of here.”
Nina gave a clipped nod and crossed over to her supervisor. “I’m leaving.” She handed her key to him. “Lock up when you’re finished.”
He curled the key into his fist. “You’re a good agent, Brandt. One of our best. I don’t want to think you’re involved, but—” He paused and peered at Quinn. “Emotions can make us act out of character. Color our judgment.”
“Nothing’s coloring my judgment,” she said adamantly. “You won’t find anything.”
“I’m hoping you’re right. For your sake. Before you go, I’ll need your shield and your weapon. And of course, you’re suspended until further notice.”
Her shoulders drooped for a brief moment before she pulled them back. Quinn imagined standing before his CO like this. His reputation was everything to him. It was the same for all his teammates. They lived
by their creed, striving for excellence. There was no room for unethical behavior in that quest.
Nina retrieved her credentials from her purse and handed them over. “My gun’s in the safe in my room. I’ll get it.” She turned for the hallway, but an agent tromped toward her.
He carried a clear plastic bag holding a laptop. “Found this in the back bedroom closet. In a suitcase.”
Nina shot a horrified look at Quinn.
“Odd place to keep your hardware, Brandt.” Sulyard took the bag and turned it over to study the bottom of the computer.
“It’s not mine,” Nina said staring at it. “And before you say this is Ty’s missing computer, it’s not the right brand.”
“Still, it’s a machine you obviously wanted to hide.”
“I didn’t put it there.”
“Then who did?”
“I don’t have a clue.”
“This is your house, isn’t it?”
Quinn stepped closer to Sulyard. “Why don’t you turn the stupid thing on and do your computer mumbo-jumbo to figure out who it belongs to?”
“Forensic protocol requires us to take it back to the lab to image the drive before we analyze it.”
“How long does that take?” Quinn asked.
“Nina?” Sulyard asked.
“Depends on the size of the hard drive,” she responded. “A typical drive takes anywhere from two to five hours. If it contains a lot of graphic files, it could take longer. Worst case, though, it’ll be done by morning.”
“Can’t you rush it?” Quinn asked Sulyard.
He shook his head. “I want this information as quickly as you do, but we’ll do this by the book. We won’t rush a thing.”
“He’s right,” Nina said. “He has to be even more careful with me because I know the protocol and could use my knowledge to skate under their radar.”
Quinn faced Nina and lowered his voice. “You think they’ll be able to build a case?”
“I don’t know, but I’m not hanging around to watch.” She spun on her heels and marched toward her bedroom.
“Go with her and keep an eye on her,” Sulyard said to his agent.
Quinn heard a hint of regret in Sulyard’s voice, but Nina’s shoulders stiffened anyway. Her pain radiated all the way across the room. Quinn wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do.
This reminded him of the day of the explosion. His buddy Sully had been trapped. Quinn had been faced with a choice. He could either sit on the sidelines to stay safe or save Sully’s life. There was no choice, really. It was simple. Sully came first. So did Nina. He’d fall on a grenade for her without a second thought. Unfortunately, it was looking like he might have to do something that drastic to keep her out of jail.
Chapter Twenty-One
NINA SNATCHED up her purse and headed to the door where Quinn waited for her. The weight of her backup gun in the handbag gave her a bit of confidence. Thankfully, Sulyard could only seize her department-issued weapon. Being unarmed when she now knew someone was setting her up to take the fall for this hack would have added insult to injury.
“Just a minute, Brandt.” Sulyard held out his hand. “I’ll take your cell phone.”
She was so flustered that she’d forgotten the warrant covered all of her electronics. “Can I write down a few phone numbers at least?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“You know the answer. One flick of your finger and you alter the data. I can’t allow that to happen.”
She scowled at him. He was following protocol, but he didn’t have to be a jerk about the way he was handling things. He was her supervisor and should know her well enough to realize she wasn’t involved in this.
Tears pricked her eyes again, but she’d rather face a firing squad than cry in front of Sulyard or her fellow agents. She slapped her phone onto his palm. The techs would turn it off or put it in a Faraday bag before she could remotely access it to retrieve her data. She’d seen them disable her router, keeping her from remotely accessing her computer, too. This was the final straw. She felt violated. Exposed. For the first time, she realized how suspects felt when her team invaded their privacy. She vowed to be kinder and gentler in the future.
“I’m sorry, Brandt.” Sulyard bagged the phone. “But we have to stay objective about this lead. You’d be doing the same thing if you were me.”
“I’d be serving the warrant and taking computers, but you can be sure I’d be far nicer to someone who deserved my respect.” She turned and marched to the door, her anger at Sulyard taking over her unease. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Tell me one thing before I go. Was the hack successful? Were records in the NFL altered?”
He arched a brow. He likely thought that if she was the hacker, she’d know the answer. “Not that we know of, but DHS is still investigating.”
She turned her back on him and stepped onto the porch. Her porch, in the home that had now lost its value as a sanctuary. She took deep gulps of the crisp air as Quinn closed the door and joined her.
“Let’s go before he thinks of something else.” He put an arm around her shoulder and led her down the steps.
She should probably object, but the strength of his arm, the way he carried himself with confidence, helped her recover from the shock. She didn’t know what she’d have done if he hadn’t been there. Defending her honor. Even punching Sulyard. That would come back to bite him, but it was heartwarming to think about him defending her that way.
She reached for the car door.
“Let me,” he offered, his fingers warm where they touched her hand.
After she got settled, he jogged around the front of the car, leaving her instantly feeling alone and vulnerable. She didn’t like it. Didn’t like it one bit. She’d clearly let him back into her life. If the kiss hadn’t proven it, this would. Shoot. Maybe he’d never been out. Just lingering under the surface. She thought about the hours and hours she’d worked to get over him, time spent in futility.
How would she ever go back to normal again once he took off? Because he’d go. That she was sure of. No matter how much she hoped he’d stay, he would return to his team. Go back to his adventures, and she’d spend night after night trying to forget him.
He slid behind the wheel. “Where to?”
She hadn’t thought beyond escaping the house. Correction, she’d been thinking about him leaving her once this was over. She’d be in a similar situation then, too. Looking for support from those around her. And she knew she’d find it with her friends.
“I’ll call Becca or Kait.” She reached for her purse, then remembered her phone in Sulyard’s hand. The memory nearly had her crying. “Can I use your phone?”
“FYI,” he said, a little smirk on his face as he lifted the hem on his shirt and removed the folder holding the Hacktivist list. “This stuff accidently got stuck in my jeans when I went to the kitchen for water.”
He was a genius. “Thank goodness you remembered. I could kiss you.”
He angled toward her. “Well, come on. I’m not stopping you.”
She was tempted. Boy, was she tempted. But the last thing she needed was to willingly go down a path she knew she should avoid. She held out her hand. “Your phone?”
He frowned and dug it from his pocket. “Do you want me to sit here while you call?”
“Are you kidding?” She huffed a sour laugh. “Drive. I don’t care where. Just take me as far from here as possible.”
WILEY HUNKERED down behind the shrub near Brandt’s house and watched her drive away, leaving the FBI team behind. She’d come stumbling out of the house wearing exercise clothes. Her hair was wild and crazy, little curls sticking out in all directions. The SEAL had a protective arm around her as they’d climbed into his car to take off, but not befo
re Wiley caught a look at the sheer terror on Brandt’s face.
Priceless, and yet, a problem.
The Feds were there before Wiley wanted them involved. With the FBI goons carrying evidence bags from her home, he knew they’d traced his test hack back to her house. That meant he’d have to change his plan for this morning. An inconvenience, but he refused to let it get him down. Not after seeing Brandt’s panic. He’d never let himself hope that he’d actually get to see her team turn on her, but he had.
Oh, yeah. It was almost as good as doing drugs.
He could imagine the scene inside. Her team—the men and women she worked with—pawing through her things. Personal things. Things everyone hides about themselves.
Of course, they’d find the computer, too. But what about the tracker on her car and the phone he’d set up in her name? He’d planned to retrieve the tracker and plant the phone in the house after he completed the hack, but he couldn’t very well do that with the Feds crawling all over the place. And yet, the phone was crucial in his plan to tie her to Hamid. All the Feds were focused on was the inside of the house. He could safely grab the tracker and leave the cell in her car, right?
Sure, the Feds might find it odd that she’d left an incriminating phone in her car, but she was shocked when they arrived on her doorstep so they’d think they’d simply caught her by surprise and she didn’t have time to hide the phone.
He’d buy another set of phones to finish the job, but first he needed to send one last message before he left the phone behind. He crept behind cars parked on the street until he could retrieve Brandt’s phone and slide it from the protective plastic bag he’d used. Fear of discovery had his heart pounding, but it was still a rush, just like it had felt when he’d passed the agent in the hallway. He liked it. But he wasn’t dumb enough to linger and get caught.
He opened a text message to Hamid. Fortunately, Wiley had hidden Hamid’s bogus cell outside Mike’s place for just such a communication.
Web of Shadows Page 20
