Mission Undercover

by Virginia Vaughan

  He must have hit his head on the asphalt when he leaped from the car. Add that to the fact that he was bleeding from at least two significant wounds. She needed to find a place to check out his wounds more thoroughly and they both needed rest and time to recover from this last attack.

  She jumped, startled when the phone in Blake’s pocket rang. She pulled it out, her hands shaking as she glanced at the screen. Only a number showed, no name, but the only person she knew who had this number was Matt. She could use someone on their side to tell her what to do.

  She pushed the answer button. “Hello, Matt?”

  “No, Holly, it’s Chief Waggoner.”

  She gasped in shock. “How did you get this number?”

  “The mayor’s assistant, Stephen, had this number in his phone when we searched through his things.”

  “You arrested Stephen?” Anger bit through her. She knew the young man had done nothing to warrant an arrest...except perhaps helping Holly and Blake escape. “For what crime?”

  “He and Mayor Banks are being detained for questioning.”

  Hot tears burned her eyes as the chief reaffirmed to her just how corrupt the NPD really was. “That doesn’t give you the right to go through his phone.”

  “I didn’t call to talk about them. It’s you I’m concerned about, Holly.” His voice softened, but the urgency remained in his tone. “You’re in danger. You were right about Mason. He’s out of control. I should have listened to you, protected you. I still can. You’re one of us. You just have to come in. I’ll make sure you’re not harmed. That’s my promise.”

  She glanced down at Blake. He did need medical help and the chief’s offer was tempting. Or maybe she was just so weary and so frightened that she wanted to trust Chief Waggoner. But she didn’t. And she realized he hadn’t said anything about protecting Blake, too.

  Then she remembered what Blake had told her about Mason claiming he had friends in high places on the force. She already knew the chief was corrupt, but was he the one calling the shots? “How do I know you can control Mason? You haven’t so far.” Because he hadn’t wanted to?

  His tone took on an angry bite, confirming her suspicions. He didn’t like having his authority questioned. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll do what I say.”

  So the chief was calling the shots. “What about Blake?”

  “He’ll be fine. Nothing has happened yet that can’t be undone.”

  He was trying to manipulate her by using their history together as leverage, but his once-friendly voice now sounded as empty and false as his intentions truly were.

  “No,” she told him, then hung up before he could make any more demands. She didn’t have time for his hollow promises or threats.

  The phone rang again and the same number popped up, so she turned it off. Her head was pounding and she was still rattled from being thrown around in the car, but she had no time to be weak. She had to think and make decisions. Their lives depended on it. First thing on the list was medical supplies. She needed bandages to stop the bleeding. She opened the door and searched through the vehicle, hoping to find a first-aid kit. She didn’t find one, which meant she would have to purchase some supplies. But did she dare risk stopping at a store with Mason and the chief after her?

  She sighed. She didn’t have much choice.

  She slid back behind the wheel and drove until she came across a convenience store on the outskirts of town by the campgrounds. The parking lot wasn’t full and it wasn’t large so she thought she should be able to get in and out quickly. She checked Blake’s pockets and found his wallet. Thankfully, he had cash on him because she’d long ago lost her purse and any money she’d had. She removed a few bills, eyeing the ring again. Now that she knew its story, she wanted to throw it out the window. Why did he still carry around a reminder of such pain and betrayal?

  Blake was still out beside her. She bent and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear, “I’ll be right back.”

  She hurried inside and found the first-aid stuff she needed, then grabbed a few bottles of water and two wrapped sandwiches, realizing they hadn’t eaten anything for quite a while. She approached the register.

  “Nice night,” the clerk commented as he rang up her items.

  “Yes, it is,” she agreed, hoping he wouldn’t linger over the transaction. She needed to get in and out of here as quickly as possible.

  “The view of the lake is amazing at night this time of year, especially from the east side of the campgrounds. Which side are you staying on?”

  She stared at him, the kernel of an idea settling into her. The campgrounds would be a perfect place for them to hide out. The cabins would be nearly abandoned at this time of year. She could find one that was unoccupied and they could take shelter there for a while, at least until Blake was back on his feet. Mason might search there eventually, but for now, it was a plan.

  “The east side,” she told him, a smile forming on her face. And thank you for the idea.

  She hurried back to the minivan and climbed inside, excitement bursting through her. She had a plan and that was much better than the anxious uncertainty she’d felt only minutes ago.

  She headed for the campgrounds and turned in, driving deep into the woods. If Mason searched here, he would start at the front so she didn’t even bother stopping at those cabins. She finally pulled up to a cabin that appeared to be unoccupied. No cars sat in front and she saw no signs of human activity—no boats, floats or grills evident.

  She slid out and hurried up the steps, peering in through the window. As she expected, it was empty. She jiggled the door handle. It was locked. She ran her hands over the door frame, hoping to find a spare key, then searched the porch, checking under planters and any nook or cranny she could find. Finally she found what she was looking for hidden inside a planter. She quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open, finding a few pieces of furniture and a small kitchen. It would do.

  She ran back to the minivan and drove around to the back of the cabin. She roused Blake, who was waking up. He was still groggy, but woke enough to walk to the cabin propped against her shoulder.

  “Where are we?” he asked groggily.

  “A cabin at the campgrounds. It’s a safe place to rest.”

  He nodded and allowed her to lead him inside. She walked him to the couch and he slid onto it. She went back out to the van to retrieve the first-aid supplies.

  “Let me check out your head,” she said and he complied, leaning forward so she could examine the back of his head.

  “You took quite a blow back here. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine,” he said, then tried to get to his feet. His knees buckled and he fell back onto the couch. “I’m fine,” he again assured her.

  “You’re not fine, but you will be. I don’t believe you have any permanent head trauma, but you had your clock cleaned real good. Your head will probably be buzzing for a while.” She taped a bandage onto the back of his head.

  She checked out his injuries and found his ankle was unbroken but was swelling from a terrible twist. His side wound had started bleeding again, and he had tiny pieces of shrapnel lodged in his back.

  She lifted his shirt so she could remove them and clean the wounds, and Holly saw other, healed scars on his back. She gently touched them, wondering about each wound and how he’d suffered with them. He would have a few more now in his struggle to protect her. Somehow, she knew instinctively that he’d been protecting someone when each wound had been inflicted.

  He shuddered when she touched them and she quickly pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “It’s okay,” he rasped. “It’s just that your hands are cold.”

  She turned away and began cleaning up the bandages while he pulled his shirt back down, but the images of those sca
rs wouldn’t leave her.

  “How did you get those?” she asked him.

  He shrugged and at first she thought he was going to brush off her question, but instead he looked at her and his face grew grim. “Remember I told you my Ranger squad was ambushed, and most of my team was killed? Well, I took six shots in the back.”

  Despite the fact that she’d seen the scars, hearing him say it made her shudder. “You’re fortunate to be alive.”

  He gave her a quick “I know” nod of his head then tried again to stand, using the arms of the couch to push himself to his feet. This time, his legs cooperated and he managed to walk, favoring his injured ankle, a little unsteadily, grunting across the room before falling again into a chair a few feet away.

  “I’ve got to get back on my feet.”

  “You need to rest and recover,” Holly told him. “You’re not a machine. Your body needs time to heal.”

  “I don’t have time,” he grunted then pushed himself to his feet again. “Mason could find us any minute.”

  Her hands shook and all the emotions she’d been pushing back came flooding through her. She covered her face and, unable to stop them, let the tears flow freely.

  She felt Blake sit beside her on the couch and leaned into him when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. All she could think of was what she would have done if something had happened to him, if she’d been left alone again and had to face Mason by herself.

  God, thank You for keeping him safe. The plea went up without her say-so, but it was true. She was so thankful that Mason hadn’t killed him and, she realized suddenly, so worried that he had.

  When her tears were spent, she wiped her face and pushed away from him. She glanced at him but didn’t see pity or annoyance in his face even though she felt those things. She didn’t want to be one of those crying, hysterical females. She was stronger than that, but here she was crying on his shoulder.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice dry and hoarse. “I suppose it’s all catching up with me.”

  He reached out and touched her face, pushing that stray strand of hair back. “You don’t have to apologize, Holly. I understand what you’re feeling. I went through something similar during my time as a Ranger. It’s hard to stop and feel your emotions when you’re fighting for your life. The emotion comes later, after everything has settled down. It’s like the second wave of an attack.”

  She nodded. “I guess that’s right.”

  “It’s a normal reaction. Adrenaline keeps you moving and responding. It’s only later that the reality of the situation hits your mind and your heart. That’s the point where you start second-guessing everything.”

  She sniffed back more tears. “Really? Rangers second-guess themselves?”

  “Sure we do. We’re only human. Usually it’s not about tactics. We do so much training that during a firefight the physical parts are almost instinctive. I don’t have to ask myself do I fight my way out or just start shooting. I just know. It’s the people that really get into your head, though. The people you help, the people you lose, even those you see while you’re patrolling. Being a cop wasn’t much different. Smaller weapons and fewer orders to kill.” He gave her a smile to let her know he was only joking. “Seriously, people can only take so much stress, then they snap.”

  “How did you handle it when you were a Ranger?”

  “I had Someone who could handle it for me. Jesus Christ.”

  She turned away. She didn’t want that to be the answer. She wasn’t ready to give everything to Jesus. He’d let her down too many times.

  “I take it you’re not a believer?”

  “I grew up in church. I even walked the aisle and accepted Jesus when I was a teenager. Jimmy and I were active in the church.”

  “Yet I sense you’re not so close to God now, are you?”

  “No.” She tried to bite back the anger that pulsed through her at the memory, but was sure it showed up in her tone. “Jimmy is gone. I’m sure there is a rhyme or reason for taking my husband from me, but I guess I’m not ready to hear it yet. He’s gone and when I think about praying, I just get angry. I didn’t think I still had any of that anger left inside me, yet it keeps manufacturing itself—reappearing just when I think I’m getting better.”

  She half expected him to shun her for admitting she was angry at God, but instead he nodded and pulled her close to him, his big arms wrapping her in his embrace.

  “I get that,” he told her. “I went through something similar when Miranda died. I wanted answers and I was so angry that she died before she could give them to me.”

  She closed her eyes, angry at herself for forgetting she wasn’t the only one who’d suffered a loss. He’d lost his fiancée and his Ranger squad. He’d suffered so much more loss than she had, yet he was handling it so much better. Because he’d found comfort in God instead of blaming Him? That must be the reason, but she still couldn’t bring herself to let go of her anger.

  “When I came to Northshore, I met Pastor Dave. I wasn’t really on speaking terms with God after all that had happened but, like I told you, I got involved in church to meet people and be accepted into the community. But along with reading my Bible again, I started meeting with Dave once a week for counseling, and soon realized I wasn’t angry anymore. It had been like a cancer growing inside me, and God just cut it out and tossed it away.”

  She pushed up and looked at him, thinking again of the ring in his wallet. “Then why do you still carry the ring around with you?”

  His face flushed and he seemed hesitant. “I don’t know. I guess I just haven’t been able to let it completely go.” He stared into her face and suddenly his look changed. A dizzying current crackled between them and Holly felt her pulse begin to race. “Until now,” he whispered, cupping her chin in his hands and gently kissing her.

  Holly melted under the weight of him, surprised by her intense feelings for this man. She’d come to rely on him and now she realized it wasn’t just because he’d rescued her. She was falling in love with him, with his protective nature and his caring manner. Even his scars gave him a depth she found attractive. Even after all he’d suffered, he kept fighting.

  She caught her breath and pushed away from him. She knew it was already too late. She’d fallen hard for this former soldier and could imagine spending her life wrapped in his arms. But the fear she’d felt at the idea of losing him hit her hard. She’d already lost Jimmy, and Blake was cut from the same cloth. He was quick to jump in to protect those who needed it, which meant he put his life in danger on a daily basis. And while she was thankful he’d taken that step with her, she just didn’t know if she could build a life with someone who took those kinds of risks.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t,” she rasped. She stared up into his face and fought the desire to melt into his arms again. “I can’t deny I have feelings for you, Blake, but I’ve already lost someone...” She shook her head and pushed back tears that threatened. “I just can’t go through something like that again. I never worried about Jimmy, but one day he didn’t come home and I know I’ll spend my life wondering each day if you’re coming home, too.”

  He nodded and pulled away, running a hand through his hair and sighing. “I understand that,” he told her, his voice choked with emotion. “Taking risks is part of my job. Not everyone can handle that kind of life.”

  “I think it’s more than just part of your job. It’s a lifestyle for you. It’s like you said earlier. You just react. You don’t think or anything. You just spring into action. I mean, you volunteered to come here to Northshore, to go undercover and step into danger when you had nothing drawing you here except a new challenge. I just—I can’t do that again.”

  He pulled away from her and stood, his ankle still shaky and frustration rolling off him in waves. He moved to the kitchen and rubbe
d a hand over his jaw. “No, you’re right. We need to focus on finding this drug ring and getting out of town. So...” He folded his arms and suddenly became all business. “Ben Casey. We need to question him.”

  He looked at her and she nodded. “Mr. Casey. There’s no way he wouldn’t know what was happening on his dock.”

  Blake nodded. “Then we need to go have a conversation with Mr. Casey.”

  “Yes, we do. But not tonight.” She stood to face him and slipped into nurse mode. “You need to rest and get your strength back.”

  “I’m fine, Holly.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re weak, your head is probably still spinning and that ankle is swollen. You need to be at your best before we start confronting anyone associated with the drug ring. And what if Mason attacks again? We both need you to be ready and strong.”

  “Yes, nurse,” he retorted giving her a slow smile to show he knew she meant well.

  She went to grab the cold pack that was part of the first-aid kit, hoping that the next time Mason confronted them, they would both be ready.

  * * *

  A night of rest had done wonders for him. He’d spent some time with a cold pack on his ankle and the swelling this morning was minimal. His head was clearer, too, and not just from the bump he’d sustained. Holly had been right when she’d rebuked him last night. He couldn’t deny he was falling for her, but he couldn’t let himself go down that road, either. She had her reasons and so did he, but the bottom line was that he didn’t trust his own feelings. They’d deceived him before with Miranda. How could he trust they wouldn’t let him down again?

  He pulled up and parked along the curb in front of Ben Casey’s house. It was early morning and a fog was lifting. He’d wanted to catch the man before he went to work, because he didn’t want to have to go back to that loading dock if he could help it.

  He knew Holly was hoping this man she admired wasn’t involved in drug manufacturing, but he’d learned you couldn’t always trust people to be who they claimed to be.