Born To Protect

by Christina Tetreault

  “Seriously, I heard Central Ale House has a great band playing this weekend. Do either of you want to go?”

  “Count me in.” Keith looked his way. “Connor?”

  He heard the silent request in Keith’s voice. The guy didn’t want a third wheel this weekend. “Sorry, Mad Dog, you’re on your own with him. I’ve got plans.”

  The meeting room door opened and Ax walked in followed by Spike. The guy still looked like hell, but at least he was out of bed.

  “Coleman got a call this morning from Lafayette Laboratory,” Ax said, getting down to business before he even sat in his usual chair.

  A United States-based research laboratory located in Annapolis with several branches scattered around the country, Lafayette developed some of the most state-of-the-art technology out there. Connor wondered why such an institution would be contacting the firm.

  Opening his laptop, Ax continued. “One of their scientists was due back from a tech conference on Tuesday. She never showed up. No one at the lab has seen or heard from Kassidy Buchanan since she checked out of her San Diego hotel Sunday afternoon.”

  Connor nearly choked on the coffee he’d swallowed. “Did you say Kassidy Buchanan?”

  “Yeah, do you know her?” Ax asked.

  He hadn’t believed the break-in at Becca’s house was simply some punk looking to make a quick buck. Instead, he’d thought it was someone searching for information they thought she might have, given her position with the senator. This new intel shot some holes in his theory. Maybe someone had been searching for info they believed Kassidy had access to instead.

  “Not well. We went to high school together,” he said. “I saw her stepsister Wednesday.”

  Ax checked the information on his laptop. “Becca André or Giselle André?”

  “Becca—she lives over in Alexandria with Kassidy.”

  “The Alexandria police sent two detectives over to speak with Becca this morning,” Ax informed him. “They’re supposed to be contacting the rest of Kassidy’s family as well.”

  “Then Lafayette thinks this is more than an employee quitting without giving her two weeks’ notice,” Keith said as Connor digested the information Ax just delivered.

  His boss nodded. “She specializes in artificial intelligence systems. The rep from Lafayette didn’t go into the specifics of her projects, but we’re talking the type of technology competitors both here in the United States and abroad would love to get their hands on.”

  “Are we assuming she’s a victim or suspect?” Keith asked, voicing the question going through Connor’s head.

  Kassidy had always been a little quirky. He didn’t see her as the type who would steal tech secrets and sell them to the highest bidder. Even if she had the right personality for such activities, she didn’t need the money.

  “Until we gather more info, we’re assuming she’s a victim. But we need to explore every angle. The police are doing the same.”

  “Have the police shared any information with us so far?” Connor asked.

  “They’re playing it close to the vest as usual. What little we have so far has either come from Lafayette or our cyber unit. They’re digging into her background now,” Ax admitted. “But since you know Buchanan, can you provide anything useful?”

  “I’ve seen Kassidy only once in over fifteen years, and it was brief. But I can’t see her selling tech secrets to competitors.”

  Of course, he couldn’t picture her working in a laboratory either. Yeah, she had been class valedictorian and all, so she was damn intelligent. Yet he pictured her living a life similar to his mom’s. Married to a man she may or may not love—when it came to his mom, he honestly wasn’t sure on that count—while doing nothing more taxing each day than a round of golf or a manicure, followed by lunch at one of her country clubs.

  “Money’s a big incentive. And it wouldn’t be the first time a lab rat sold their research to the highest bidder,” Keith said. “Last year there was the one from Bellsouth Labs who tried to sell his research to the Chinese government.”

  Connor remembered. The company had suspected the scientist and contacted the FBI, who managed to stop him before any damage could be done. In that instance, the lab rat, as Keith called him, hadn’t come from one of the wealthiest families in New England. Instead, he’d been a father of four who had a drug problem and a wife threatening to divorce him.

  “Money has never been an issue for the Buchanan family,” Connor said.

  If they were working to locate Kassidy, soon everyone at the table would know everything from her birthdate to where she’d attended college. His coworkers were smart. They’d quickly realize that if he’d gone to school with her, he came from Greenwich too. From there it wouldn’t take any of them long to link him to Patrick Anderson. Even if the arrest and conviction had happened well over a decade ago, people remembered him and what he’d done. Since everyone would soon know more about his background than he wanted, he might as well lay it out there now.

  “The Buchanans started their first shipping company sometime in the mid-nineteenth century. They still own half the waterfront in Bridgeport and Mystic, Connecticut,” he explained. “Kassidy’s grandfather still runs the company. Her father, Robert Buchanan, works on Wall Street.”

  Everyone at the table except Ax wore surprised expressions.

  “For someone you merely went to high school with, you know a lot about her,” Mad Dog commented.

  “It was a small school,” he answered. “And my mother and her husband live near Kassidy’s father and stepmother.”

  “Wasn’t Patrick Anderson, the dude the Feds sent away for investment fraud, from Greenwich, Connecticut? Any relation, Connor?” Keith asked, putting it together quicker than he had hoped.

  As much as he wished he could, he couldn’t deny it. “Unfortunately, the asshole is my father.”

  Across the table, Spike let out a low whistle. “Someone’s been keeping secrets.”

  “You can discuss Connor’s secrets over tea and cucumber sandwiches on your own time,” Ax said.

  And at some point, everyone at the table except Ax, who already knew all about his past, would question him. For the moment, they had more important matters to discuss, and everyone present knew it.

  “Connor, how well do you know the family? According to my intel, she has a biological sister and brother, as well as two stepsisters and a stepbrother.”

  He nodded. “Except for Becca, I haven’t seen any of them in years. But I know her stepbrother Graham lives in the area, and her sister Sylvia is married to Benjamin Rowe, the only son of Bruce Rowe. No idea where they live.” He searched his brain for any other family details Becca had shared, even though it was highly likely Ax already had the info at his fingertips. “Her stepsister Giselle André is engaged to a man named Max Shelton, and they still live in Connecticut. Her brother Edwin is currently living in London.”

  “Yeah, that’s basically what we got so far too,” Ax said. “How well do you know the stepsister she lives with? Any chance she’s involved in Buchanan’s disappearance?”

  “Well enough.” At the moment, his boss didn’t need to know he was intimately involved with Becca. Depending on where the investigation went, that could change. “There’s no way Becca André is involved in whatever happened to Kassidy,” he answered. “Did the police pass along that someone broke into Kassidy and Becca’s home over the weekend?”

  “No. Do you think it’s related to this situation?” Ax asked.

  “Not 100 percent sure, but it didn’t seem like a typical home invasion. Whoever it was left behind thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry. And some of it was in plain sight. Stuff easy to swipe and carry. But they made sure to take all the laptops, tablets, and backup hard drives in the place.”

  “Would’ve been nice for the Alexandria police to share. My gut tells me the two are connected.” Ax stroked his chin, a clear sign he was deep in thought. “Get in contact with Becca André as soon as poss
ible. I want you to get whatever you can from her. She might know something and not even realize it.”

  Pumping Becca for information wasn’t how he’d hoped to spend his night. But Ax was correct—she might know something that could help them find Kassidy and bring her home safely. “Will do.”

  Chapter Ten

  Unlike other criminal activities he’d been known to engage in, he’d always found kidnapping the most exhilarating. Unlike ordering a simple drive-by shooting or getting drugs into the hands of junkies, it took a lot of planning. Not only did you have to determine the optimal time and the place to grab the person, but also you needed a safe location to stash them until you got what you wanted from them. With so many variables in play, he never left the planning to his boys. He did usually let them do the heavy lifting these days though. He’d put in his time being someone else’s muscle. Now he preferred to distance himself from his organization’s activities as much as possible.

  Not this time.

  Dale insisted the woman remain unharmed until after he used her to get what he needed. Zane didn’t trust his boys with Becca André. They’d leave her breathing but not untouched. Too much money was on the line to disappoint Dale in any way. After, his boys could have their fun with her. Well, after he had his, of course. There was no way he was passing along that fine piece of ass to his boys before he had his fill.

  Zane watched her approach her usual bench. He, along with a few of his most trusted employees, had been following her since the day before they broke into her place. The bitch was predictable during the day, making his job so much easier. Although he could take her from her house at night, it would mean getting her security system disabled. Thanks to his connections, he could get it done before she even realized it was offline, but he considered such a tactic his last resort.

  His surveillance of her house and neighborhood showed most of her neighbors had security systems with cameras. At this point, he wasn’t willing to risk getting caught on video taking Becca from the house and putting her into a van.

  Besides, such a plan lacked any originality. Anyone could force their way into someone’s bedroom and take them against their will. Not everyone could convince a victim to come willingly.

  He could.

  He’d done it before, and this afternoon he planned on doing it again.

  Zane crossed the span of grass toward her. At the moment, she had her head tipped back and her eyes closed. He was only a few feet away when she looked down at the grinder he had watched her buy from a nearby food truck and started to unwrap it.

  Whenever possible, Becca left her office and enjoyed lunch on the National Mall. The sight of the Washington Monument looming at one end and the Lincoln Memorial at the other never grew old no matter how many times she saw it. Thankfully, there were both food trucks and fast food restaurants nearby, so she could get a quick meal and enjoy the view.

  Although definitely not the healthiest of options, she grabbed an Italian sausage grinder smothered in onions and peppers after leaving the office and then headed to one of her favorite benches near the Reflecting Pool.

  As expected, she wasn’t the only one out enjoying the late summer day. Tourists from around the world as well as others who called D.C. home strolled up and down the area, filling the air with a mix of accents and languages.

  Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes and let the sun warm her face. When the scent of her lunch made ignoring it any longer impossible, she opened her eyes and unwrapped the belly-buster of a grinder in her lap. Biting into it, she wondered what she and Connor could do outside again this weekend. All too soon the days would be shorter and, unfortunately, chillier. Before the weather changed, she wanted to soak up as much fresh air and sun as possible, and she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather do it with.

  Do it. The innocent thought brought to mind her brief conversation with Kassidy. Or, more specifically, Kassidy’s comments about being with a hunk who gave her multiple orgasms in a row, which, in turn, brought up thoughts of the last time she’d been with Connor.

  He’d woken her up Wednesday morning in the most pleasurable way imaginable before heading out. Since then she’d spoken to him, but unfortunately, his assignment as the Stones’ bodyguard and the senator’s party kept her from seeing him. Thankfully, he was supposed to deliver them to the airport this morning, so they should have the whole weekend together. For a moment, Becca closed her eyes again and envisioned him naked next to her.

  “Hey,” a male voice said from close by. “I hoped I’d see you here again today.”

  Occasionally when she sat out here for lunch, people struck up conversations with her. Impersonal and brief conversations, especially with tourists enjoying the capital for the first time she didn’t mind. She hated the instances when men hit on her because she was sitting alone, and they seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable. Whoever this man was, she suspected he wasn’t stopping to comment about the weather or the sight of the Washington Monument. Becca opened her eyes and glanced at the man standing near the bench and interrupting her pleasant daydream.

  “Hello.” She gave him a brief smile rather than telling him to get lost like she really wanted to do.

  “I often see you when I stop here for lunch. This is one of my favorite spots too.”

  Becca didn’t recognize him, but usually she preferred to take in the view rather than who might be sitting on the surrounding benches. “It’s beautiful here.”

  “You must work nearby,” the man said.

  She hated to be rude, but she saw no need to tell a complete stranger where she worked. “Uh, yes. I don’t work far from here.”

  In her experience, when she didn’t encourage more conversation by asking questions, men usually got the hint and left. Hoping the same tactic would work with this guy, she looked straight ahead and took another bite of her grinder.

  Her peripheral vision alerted her to the fact that, rather than walk away, her unwanted visitor sat on the bench and made himself comfortable.

  “I started working for the IRS back in January. I moved here from Florida and am still finding my way around. What about you? Have you always lived around here?”

  As a general rule, she tried not to judge people based on appearances. Sometimes it was difficult, though, and right now was one of those moments. Exactly what it was about the man, she couldn’t say for certain. Yes, he was dressed in a suit and wore a tie, but despite his clothes and polite talk, she couldn’t picture him working for the Internal Revenue Service or any other government agency.

  “I’ve lived here for several years. It’s a great city. There are always interesting things going on.” She shifted her position in an attempt to put more space between them and still remain seated.

  “My name’s Ross, by the way. What do you say we go grab some lunch? My treat.”

  She didn’t care what his name was. There was no way in the world she’d leave this park with him. Becca gestured toward her grinder. “I’m all set, but thank you.” Please take a hint, buddy, and get lost.

  The man moved closer on the bench, and his thigh brushed up against her leg. The slight contact set off warning bells in her head.

  “C’mon, I know a great little Italian restaurant about ten minutes from here. You won’t be disappointed.”

  If he couldn’t take a hint and leave, she would. “I really don’t have time for anything else today.” She checked her watch. “Wow, actually it’s later than I thought. I don’t even have time to stay and finish this. I’ll have to eat it at my desk.” She wrapped her grinder back up and slipped her purse back onto her shoulder. “Have a nice afternoon.”

  She stood and took a step away. For the next week or so, she’d be taking all her lunch breaks safely behind her office door rather than risk running into this guy again.

  “Please let me walk you back to your office.” The man stood too, making the warning bells echo louder. “Like I said, I see you here all the time. I’d like to ge
t to know you better. If you’re not busy after work, let’s meet for some drinks or dinner.”

  “I’m sorry. I have a boyfriend.”

  Rude or not, she didn’t stick around for his reply. She walked away as quickly as possible considering her footwear. She didn’t slow down, either, until she pulled open her office door.

  ***

  Ten minutes later, Zane took a long drag from his cigarette. Damn bitch. Now he had to either go into the house and take her or get her as she left work. Either way, he ran the risk of getting caught on surveillance cameras because, like the houses in her neighborhood, the garage where she parked had a few cameras inside. Whichever plan he settled on, he had to decide soon. Dale Fuller didn’t like to be kept waiting. Anyone else, he’d say fuck it and work on his own timetable, but keeping a man like Dale happy only benefited him and his organization in the long run.

  The cell phone on the dashboard rang. There was no name on the screen, just a number. He didn’t need a name to know who would greet him when he answered. Fuck.

  He took a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it out the car window. “Yeah,” he said.

  “Is it done?” Dale asked.

  “Not yet.”

  All Zane heard for several seconds was the sound of traffic. Dale always called from public places.

  “Why not? You said it’d be done by the end of the week.”

  He didn’t need to see the dude’s face to know how furious he was. The rage came through in his voice.

  “I made an attempt today, like I said I would. The bitch didn’t take the bait.”

  “Do what I’m paying you for. Or I’ll find someone who will. ”

  If anyone else spoke to him the way Dale was, he’d suffer for it and then find himself at the bottom of the Potomac. But Zane never knew when he might need Dale and his connections again, so he’d let the insult and disrespect slide.

  For now.

  At some point, the dude would no longer be a possible asset. Then Congressman Dale Fuller would pay for every slight he’d ever given him.