“Tell him to sign the papers, fold them, place them in the envelope then seal it,” the Marine said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Just like that?”
The Marine was Tom Cooper, not known for his witty conversation. “Exactly.”
“Screw you,” the agent growled as he snatched the papers from the Marine’s large hand. The former Marine made no further attempt at conversation.
Agent Martin carried the tray with one hand, pinning the release papers underneath, so he could open the door of the interrogation room. Robert Scott thanked him and took a sip of juice.
“Read over the papers, Mr. Scott. I think everything is in order. Take as long as you need. After signing them, please fold them and slip into the envelope. For your own protection, we’ll let you seal the envelope. My supervisor will be here shortly. You can hand the envelope to him.”
Robert pulled the chair out at the same time he lifted a sweet roll to his mouth. Indignation and you’re-going-to-pay-for-this scowl replaced the scared nice-guy expression as he examined the papers.
~~~
“Take a load off, Dennis.” Chase shoved a wheeled desk chair at the FBI agent coming through the door. “Oh sorry. Special Agent Martin.”
He plopped in the chair and loosened the striped tie. “You guys are a bunch of clowns, you know that? And very unprofessional, I might add.”
“Why thank you, Agent Martin,” Carter Johnson’s Texas drawl came on top of a chuckle. “You FBI types tend to be a little serious, so I’m glad we could tickle your funny bone.”
He pushed back in the chair to relax his shoulders and watch the computer screen where Robert read the three-page document. “How many times has he gone over them?”
“Three. Maybe four.” Chase smiled as Tessa’s husband folded the document and placed it in the envelope then licked the seal. “Won’t be long.”
“Clever, putting the sedative in the seal on the envelope.” Agent Martin sniffed as he rocked in his squeaky chair.
“My idea,” Vernon chimed in. “The Pentagon does it all the time to subversives.”
“And you would be the conspiracy expert,” the agent said drily.
“Damn straight. And there he goes,” Vernon said pointing to the computer screen. Robert laid his head down on the table, snoring almost immediately.
Chase smiled. “You’re a genius, Vern.”
“Thanks, Boss. Cooper and Montgomery are handling the return. They moved his car to another hotel.”
“So, Agent Martin, what did you think of Robert Scott?”
“I think he’s hiding something.” He stood and stretched. “Hard to believe this guy is Tessa’s husband.”
“Hmm. Go figure.” Chase’s face remained serious.
“And you put a gun to his head?”
“I didn’t pull the trigger.”
“What an improvement. I’m surprised your ghoul didn’t carve his initials in his butt.” He glanced toward the Serbian, “No offense, Zoric.”
“None taken.” Zoric used his switchblade to clean under his fingernails.
“See you guys—never, I hope.” Agent Martin excused himself from the room.
“Hey, Boss.” Vernon forwarded a message to Chase’s computer. “Better take a look at this. Came through on Tessa’s regular phone to Robert several hours ago.”
Chase read the distress message. “Must be from one of the kids. Vern?”
“Agreed. I finished a scan on their home computer. Somebody has been snooping around Robert’s law firm.” Vernon switched screens. “The call center reported a distress call from Tessa. They sent her some help.”
“Who?”
“You’re not going to like this, Boss.”
“Why?”
“It’s Handsome Jones.”
Everyone scrambled to their feet. “We leave in five,” Chase ordered.
Chapter 7
“D id you hear something?” Tessa whispered. Handsome’s frown deepened before he took up a position at a narrow window while still holding the phone. How someone so big could move like a tiny ballerina amazed her. She remained frozen in place as she observed him separate the blinds with a sausage-sized finger and lower one eye to get a better view of the outside. She joined him and laid a hand on his forearm. “I’m scared, Handsome.”
He glanced down at her hand touching him then pulled away before speaking. “Pretty late for a visitor. Could be a bear snooping around. Nobody knows this place.” He shifted his attention back down to the phone. “Could have followed the ping off some tower.”
“Tower? I can hardly call out to order pizza when we visit Tahoe, unless I’m in town. How is this possible?”
“If someone was monitoring your husband, it could be done, especially if they’re wanting to find you.”
“Why me? I’m nobody. I study maps or follow economic patterns all day. My picture is next to the word boring in the dictionary.”
Handsome separated the blinds again to peer out. “We both know this is far from the truth, Mrs. Scott.”
When Tessa swallowed, it sounded like a gulp gone bad. “Okay. So, I’ve gotten into a little trouble in the past.” She pushed at his arm to move him aside so she could scan the area. It felt like moving a piece of furniture. The fallen snow glistened with the moonlight pushing out from behind the clouds. “What do we do? I don’t want to scare the kids for nothing.”
The big man removed his coat from an antique hall tree by the front door. His movements reminded her of a sloth coming down to the rainforest floor in some Disney film. The urge to help him created an overwhelming sensation of dread in her gut. She chewed the inside of her jaw to maintain calm.
“Do you have a gun?” she whispered when he pulled on a hat with earflaps the color of snow.
“Don’t need one.”
“How do you know? You can’t go running about in the night when some armed bad guys might be lurking behind a tree, Handsome,” she snapped, watching him pick up gloves resembling oven mitts.
He stopped and smiled down at her. “Bad guys? Lurking? You watch too much TV. Besides, I’m a pacifist.”
“Boy, are you in the wrong line of work. We need you in here.”
“You’ll be fine. Lock the door behind me. If I don’t come back in ten minutes”—he tossed the phone to Tessa— “call the number I programmed in for you.”
She glanced at the phone, suddenly irritated her son had put them in further danger. “Who is it?”
“The good guys.” Again, he smiled then unlatched the door. He stopped before stepping outside and glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping children. “It’s going to be all right, Mrs. Scott. No one will get in.”
He pushed out into the night like it was a walk in the park. Since the door lacked a window, she couldn’t determine what might be happening. Considering his ability to move in slow motion she wondered if he’d even appear in time to warn them of danger. She didn’t have much hope of seeing him out the window against the snowy backdrop, but she peeked out anyway. After waiting twenty minutes, instead of the ten he’d instructed, she dialed the number he’d programmed into the phone.
“Tessa?” Chase Hunter sounded surprised. Thank you, God, she prayed. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” His deep voice gave her strength and confidence things would work out. “Scared.”
“Where is Handsome?”
“How did you know—”
“Doesn’t matter. Is he there?”
“No. He went to check on something outside. We heard a sound.”
“And the kids?”
“Asleep. I didn’t want to alarm them if I didn’t need to. What is going on?”
“We’re on our way—”
“On your way.” She couldn’t keep the panic out of her voice. “All of you? Good lord! How much danger are we in?” When Chase didn’t respond, she realized how fast she’d been talking. He frowned on a lack of control from an Enigma agent. “Chase?”
“You�
�ll be fine.”
“So I’m told.”
“Keep your doors locked. Do you have a weapon?”
“Brought my winning personality and wit.” She heard him chuckle. “Of course, I don’t have a weapon. I’m with my kids, for crying out loud!” With another peek out the window, the only thing she could see was the occasional drop of snow from a burdened tree branch. “Handsome hasn’t come back. I bet he’s in trouble—or hurt—or dead—or…”
“Stop it. He can take care of himself.”
“I’m not so sure. He seems like a gentle giant.” She paused at an eruption of laughter in the background. His team caused mayhem while they tried to save the United States or, in this case, her. One of these days, they might decide to throw her to the sharks and watch her bleed out. Heaven knew she deserved it. It remained a mystery why they put up with her.
“Don’t let him back in the house.” Chase’s voice took on a tone of sinister warning.
“I can’t leave him out in the cold. He came to our rescue.”
“Yeah, about that… Do as I say.”
“I will not,” she fumed. “He could freeze to death. And, besides, the interstate is closed, and you won’t be able to get here.”
“The highway never closed.”
“A sign at the convenience store said to find an alternate route. Several semis turned over and were blocking the road.”
“Nope. Other than traffic moving a little slower because of the snow, the road crews have kept the highway clear in spite of the storm.”
“Strange. Handsome worked at that gas station. Filling in for a sister, I think.”
“Handsome doesn’t have a sister, or any family to speak of. His mother died in childbirth, and his father took off not long after. He grew up in the foster care system.”
A chill ran up her spine. “But he said—”
“Don’t open the door. Can you tell me where you’re at in case Vernon loses your signal?”
Although she remembered the route she’d followed to the safe house, how they got to this place was a little fuzzy. She had tried to keep the children calm, focused on them as Handsome drove their car. It hadn’t seemed very far at the time. She told him what she recalled. Why hadn’t she paid more attention? Her kids’ safety, maybe their lives, depended on it.
“That’s not much to go on, Tess. The road is only wide enough for one vehicle?”
“Yes. He had to use four-wheel drive to get back here. He’s a good guy, right?”
“He can be.”
“Great. I’m stranded with three kids, this big guy who came to our rescue, who may be more dangerous than whoever came after us…”
“Doubtful. Whoever came after you won’t want to cross him. He’s not a very patient person.”
“I think we’re talking about two different people. Doesn’t he work for Enigma? This means he’s a good guy. Right?”
Another burst of laughter from whoever rode with Chase. Considering all of their backgrounds, being a good guy might be a bit of a stretch in the character department. She was the token girl-next-door person. At least she used to be. Things had changed over the last year to tarnish her once-flawless image.
“Do as I say, Tessa. This once, can you follow orders?” Chase’s voice carried exasperation, meaning an I’m-going-to-kick-your-ass tone. “Do you have someplace to hide there?”
“It’s a tiny place. A closet, maybe.”
“Keep that option just in case.”
“In case of what?”
“Tessa, I need you to put your big-girl panties on and think this through. If someone is after you, then use what is there to protect yourself. I can’t imagine Handsome wouldn’t have some kind of weapon. Search the place. Stop being a nervous Nelly.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a baby.”
“Then stop acting like one,” he growled. “You fought the Taliban, saved the president’s life, and beat the hell out of a Libyan terrorist with a rolling pin. This is no big deal for you.”
Tessa rolled her shoulders before taking a deep breath. “You’re trying to sweet-talk me.”
A few more chuckles in the background, but none of them from Chase. “It’s been a long night. We’ll be there in another hour. In the meantime, I’ll see who else we’ve got to search for you.”
“Thanks, Chase. I’m sorry about this.” They’d become like family to her. Even Sam, who usually tried to undermine her and make life a living hell, had taught her how to survive in a pinch. If she had been dragged into this against her will, there would be consequences—like walking over a bed of burning coals.
“Not your fault.”
She looked down into Daniel’s cherub face and sighed.
“I think we may have a problem with your number two son.”
“I think he’s been hacking again.”
“He’s a genius.” Coming from Vernon, this gave her more pause than pride. The Enigma computer whiz managed to tick people off at the NSA and the Pentagon on a regular basis. “I’m taking the kid under my wing when this is over.”
She guessed Vernon Kemp thought he had another way into her life and especially her heart. “Okay, Vernon. Nothing illegal.”
Chase butted in. “Daniel does okay in that department all by himself.”
“What were you guys doing tonight? I thought you’d be in San Francisco for another day or so. I’ve been out of the loop since I brought the kids up here. Business or pleasure?”
“A little of both.”
Usually those words meant he enjoyed scaring the crap out of somebody deserving a bullet to the head. This is how it went with Enigma. When you thought they were a normal bunch of freedom fighters for the United States, they put on their demonic sense of justice badge and wreaked havoc on any unsuspecting terrorist, conspirator, or criminal.
“What does ‘a little of both’ mean exactly, or can you tell me?”
“Tracking a woman who was involved in the conflict diamonds’ business. Planned to confront her but ran into a problem we had to solve first. Before we could resolve the issue, someone decided to make her unavailable. Permanently.”
Two years ago, she would have been horrified at such casual conversation about a dead woman and conflict diamonds. Not anymore. “What stopped you?”
He exhaled long and slow. “She was with an innocent. Had to get him out of the way before we took her down or whoever she planned to meet later. Didn’t go as planned.”
She moved to the window to steal another glance at the whitescape outside. Having Chase on the phone gave her confidence. The sound of his voice always drove her into a black hole of emotions she held off exploring, but loved the way it warmed her nonetheless. He managed to instill a sense of fearlessness in her whenever these kinds of situations popped up.
Her thoughts drifted to her husband, Robert. His trip to San Francisco had prevented him from coming with them to ski these last few days. It hadn’t been easy to return to being the devoted wife again after escaping Afghanistan. Recently, with therapy, she had begun to enjoy being his wife again, even though she carried the secrets of the things she’d done in such a godless land. For all he knew, she was rescued by a bunch of Special Forces after getting lost in the wilds of a war-torn country.
“Tessa?” With her in need of his support once again, Chase’s voice reminded her without him, she would still be the captive of a mountain tribesman.
“Yes. I’m here. Took a peek outside. Nothing.”
“Keep me on the line as long as you can. Vernon is tracking your signal.”
“Are you still on speaker phone?”
Silence ensued for only a second. “Not anymore.”
Tessa closed her eyes as if he stroked her face. “I’m sorry we haven’t been getting along lately, especially since Afghanistan. It had nothing to do with you. I’ve been distant and cool toward you. I appreciated everything you did for me, for bringing me home to take up my life again. You are everything to me, Chase. I hope you k
now that. I miss our long talks, our lunches together at the university, everything.”
“Me, too. We’ll discuss it later.” Of course, she knew he couldn’t say too much because chances were, everyone would be straining to hear every little word. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
“If I hadn’t been kidnapped…”
“Then things would be different.” His voice resembled reading a stock market report. She guessed it meant he didn’t want the others to know the two of them had nearly crossed the line of ethical work relationships. Chances were, they wouldn’t discuss it later. Something always got in the way of talking about their special friendship because of being sidetracked by world events.
“Chase, you must know how I…” She froze.
“Tessa? What’s wrong?”
“Someone is trying to get in. The doorknob rattled.”
Chapter 8
“T essa? Tessa!” Chase snapped a little harsher than he’d intended. “Sam, check to see where the Highway Patrol is and if they can spare a man. Next, call the police at Truckee to do the same.” He pushed the phone tighter to his ear to hear the slightest sound.
“A step ahead of you. Already tried Truckee while you were stroking Betty Crocker.” Chase leveled an irritated gaze to silence the insults. “All units are out on calls of one degree or another. Highway Patrol has me on hold. She won’t be a priority.”
“Take the next exit, Carter.” Vernon sat in the back seat and stared at his laptop. “I think I found a shortcut.”
Carter took the exit a little too fast and swerved into a slide to correct. He let out a banshee howl then laughed. Chase frowned over at his teammate, never amused at his antics, but still wishing he could possess his zest for living life to the fullest. He guessed if you’d spent longer on the space station than any other astronaut besides Scott Kelly, you experienced things with a little more gusto, or maybe stupidity, in his case.
“Oops. Overcorrected. Let’s have it, Vern,” Carter chuckled as he stole a glance at the young computer genius. “Why, Vern, you’re as pale as a ghost. Better stay close when we get out, or we might lose you in all this snow.”
The Enigma Series Boxed Set Page 107
