She wanted to rail against his logic, after all, a woman should be able to move about freely without fear for her safety. But then, I know more than anyone that they’re right. Pinching her lips together, she nodded. “Point taken.” Looking around, she deflected, “I was told to let you in and stay in case there are things you need or information I can provide. Uh…is there anything you need right now?”
“No, ma’am,” Cam replied, his smile gentle. “We’ll start doing our jobs and will let you know when we’re ready to go over information with you.”
“Okay, then I’ll just be…uh…I was going to sit at the reception desk, but uh…”
“That’ll be fine,” he assured. Turning, he added, “Oh, and this is Nathan.”
The man who had entered the hall, standing slightly behind the others, moved forward as they turned to go back to the front. He nodded in greeting, then stopped, his eyes widening for an instant, before narrowing, moving over her face.
Her heart pounded, the blood roaring in her ears, as she looked into the face of the man she thought to never see again. The man with the dog! She had spent years in her family perfecting a pleasant, blank stare so that no one around her had a clue of her thoughts or intentions. Right now, she pulled upon that experience, giving no outward sign of recognition. Nodding slightly in greeting, she kept her head held high as she moved past him to the lobby, pulling out her laptop before sitting down, for all appearances seeming to not have a care in the world.
Nathan stared at the blonde woman as she walked past him, her head held high, an air of confidence pouring from her. He did not know her and, yet, he had the strangest sense that he might have seen her somewhere before. Her voice, low and melodious, sounded familiar.
Giving his head a shake, he turned to follow Cam back to their vans. He had helped with several home installations of security equipment, but this was the first one with a building this size. Not one to ask too many questions, he was a careful observer. Seeing Cam go for the metal door, he moved to assist.
“First things first,” Cam explained. “The glass door they have is pointless against someone wanting to enter. One hit with a crowbar and the whole thing will shatter.” It took both of them to carry the new door to the front and by the time they had, Jude had the old door off the hinges and Patrick had dismantled the door frame.
Patrick and Jude returned to the vans to obtain more equipment and then headed through the back of the building to the stairs that led to the roof. It took a while for Cam and Nathan to refit the opening with new framing and to install the steel door. A shatterproof glass window was in the upper part of the door, allowing visibility.
Agatha watched the process from the desk while appearing to work on her computer. Well, not the process…more like just the man. She wondered if he had been working for the Saints when he tracked and rescued her. She cast her mind back to Bayley’s boyfriend, Nick. She remembered, when she first saw him, she was sure he was a Fed. But, maybe he was a Saint as well.
She tried Googling Saints Protection & Investigations but came up with nothing. No hits. No links. Nothing. Her fingers continued tapping on the keyboard, but she was unable to discover any information.
Cam’s phone vibrated and he glanced at the screen. With a chin lift to Nathan, he stepped outside, walking away from the building for privacy.
“Yeah?”
“Someone named Agatha Christel, at your location, is doing an Internet search on us,” Luke said.
Cam turned and looked at the young woman sitting at the desk. “It’s the woman from the center. Startled her when we got here. She had the door unlocked and was daydreaming. Never even heard us approach.”
“Fuck, man. You can walk as silent as a ghost when you want. I wouldn’t have heard you either, if you didn’t want me to.”
Chuckling, Cam shot back, “No stealth…we just walked in and she jumped a mile. I might have groused a bit about personal security.”
“Yeah, I bet you did. So, she’s clear?”
“Probably just trying to make sure we’re legit. I showed her ID.”
“Got it. We’re here so, whenever you start patching the work through, I’ll check it.”
“Thanks, man.” Cam hung up and put his phone in his pocket as Nathan walked over with the old door and threw it in the back of his truck, which they had agreed he would use to haul unused pieces to the dump.
“Everything okay?”
“Seems our welcome committee has been Googling us while we worked. She won’t find anything, but any hits go straight to Luke. He just wanted to know if we needed to be concerned. I told him we startled her and she was probably just checking us out.”
“I know this seems weird, but there’s something about her that seems familiar.”
Grinning, Cam added, “Maybe you should tell her that you’re the only single Saint.”
Rolling his eyes, Nathan refused to admit to Cam that he’d had his eye on her from the moment he saw her standing in the hall talking to him, her wide, amber eyes taking them all in.
They walked back to finish the installation and he casually glanced over at her, seeing she now had a book in her hands. Antigone by Sophocles.
“Interesting book you’re reading,” he said, smiling as her eyes shot from the page to his. “I haven’t read it in a while.”
She pulled her lips in, her brow wrinkled, as though trying to discern if he was making fun of her.
He watched the doubt pass across her face and rushed to say, “Seriously. I took an Ancient Literature class in high school. All my friends hated it, but I really liked it.” Shrugging, he said, “I never went to college, so it was the last class like that I took, but I kept up with the reading myself. Last one I re-read was Medea by Euripides.”
Agatha’s face relaxed as she realized Nathan was serious and, more importantly, did not recognize her. “I used to spend a lot of time in…um…a library and so I read a lot of different things. When I first read it, I had no idea what it was talking about.” Covering her mouth as she smiled, she admitted, “I had to read books on what it was about just to be able to read the actual book.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he said, gaze focused on her mouth, making her blush, before catching her eye again. “Well, I’d better get to work.”
“Oh, are you finished with the door?”
“Installation. We still have to get it all wired.”
She opened her mouth, but then shut it before saying anything. Nodding, she watched as he tossed a wave and headed down the hall. Sucking in a deep breath, she dropped her chin to her chest, the familiar ache now piercing.
That night, when I saw him come toward me—first his dog, and then he followed—the moon was full and his face, handsome and calm. So unlike the faces of my father and brothers. He had the same dark hair and trimmed beard as now, rugged and manly. Whereas the men in my family could curse and yell, he had spoken softly. The affection for his big dog was obvious and I wondered what it would be like to have him turn that same, kind affection to me. But where I was going, there was no place for someone like him. And now? Even though I did not go into witness protection, well, I’m still tainted with the blood of my family, aren’t I?
The lobby suddenly felt restrictive and she jammed her book into her bag, stalking out into the sunlight. A bench was just outside the building and she plopped down onto the seat. With her elbows resting on her knees, she leaned over, placing her head in her hands. God, what am I doing?
“Are you all right, miss?”
Jumping, she yelped again, immediately feeling foolish. Looking up, she saw Nathan at the door, staring down at her. “Yes, yes. I was just…um…sitting.”
Nodding once, he moved to the van to gather more equipment. As he walked toward the door, she asked, “Are you the only one running back and forth to get the stuff you all need?”
“No,” he laughed. “But, I’m the newest to the group, so as I’m learning the ropes it helps for me to become a
cquainted with all the hardware.”
“Oh, you’re new?” she asked, with what she hoped was a nonchalant tone to her voice.
“I’ve been friends with them for years, but new to this aspect of the job.” He looked up toward the roof and said, “I’d better get back to work. Enjoy the sunshine.”
Her eyes followed him as he moved through the new door. Leaning her head back against the warm brick wall, she blew out a long breath. Just the look of him sent shivers down her spine, and not the bad kind. For an instant, she allowed herself the luxury of imagining if she were different, what it would be like to be with a man like Nathan. Jumping as the door opened again, this time she saw Patrick move to the van.
Standing, she looked at the grocery down the street and determined to do something besides just pine for a man she could never have. At least I can do something kind for them all.
7
Nathan stood on the roof of the building, holding the camera as Cam readied the mount. Movement on the quiet street snagged his attention and he watched as Agatha walked down the sidewalk. His eyes followed her until she entered the grocery store.
“Yep, looks like it’s struck.”
Startled, he looked down, seeing Cam staring up at him, a wide grin on his face. To the side, he heard Jude laughing. “What?”
“You man. You’ve been staring at Agatha, who is very pretty so I’m not surprised, and by the look on your face, I’d say you’d like to ask her out.”
He opened his mouth to deny it but the words caught in his throat. This woman was the first in a long time to capture his attention. The last few dates he had gone on, he found that as he stared into the face of his date it would morph into the shadowed image of Agnes. Thinking he was losing his mind, he eventually gave up dating and would just occasionally pick up a random woman in a bar, go back to her place and, when he got home, immediately shower, as though to get the scent of her off. Might have been a dick move, but even sex with someone else had not rid him of the image of the woman from the woods.
Sighing, he looked at the others, saying, “Nah. Just admiring a pretty woman.”
They got back to work and he focused his attention on the intricate system they were installing and Cam’s explanations.
“This’ll have cameras on all sides of the building that feed directly into a security service that we utilize at Alvarez Security. They keep employees monitoring the cameras twenty-four-seven. The owner, Tony Alvarez, was an Army Special Forces buddy of Jack’s and his business is top-notch. Jude’ll wire them so they can’t be cut off and if anyone tampers with them, Alvarez will get notified and they’ll, in turn, notify us. Same for the cameras inside.”
“This is a lot for a non-profit business, isn’t it?”
Nodding, he said, “Jack is picky about the residences or businesses he’ll agree to service. If their needs are more simplistic, he recommends one of the local security companies. But, this place is special. They harbor women who’ve escaped domestic violence or a pimp. Whatever they need to start over, this place tries to get them on their feet. My Miriam is a nurse and she heard about what they do and when we heard they needed security, Jack stepped up.”
“He cuttin’ them a deal, ‘cause this shit’s got to cost a ton?”
“Actually, when the director came to him, she said they had gotten a large, private, anonymous donation and she wanted to use it on security. Hell, Jack told her that he’d only charge her half and she could use the rest for the women. To be honest, he’s only gonna charge for some of the equipment. The rest is just our own donation.”
Finishing on the roof, they climbed back down the indoor ladder, securing the flap door above them. Just as Nathan’s feet landed on the floor, he turned and came face to face with Agatha. His gaze dropped from her wide eyes to her hands, which were filled with grocery bags.
“I bought lunch for everyone…uh…if you want it,” she explained.
Cam’s feet hit the floor and he looked at her, his smile wide. “Lunch? Ma’am, you didn’t have to do that.”
“I thought you’d be getting hungry. I found a card table and some folding chairs in the supply closet. I’ll set them up in the kitchen.” At their surprised expressions, Agatha quickly turned and walked down the hall, a little embarrassed. Entering the kitchen, she opened the bags and took out subs piled high with deli meat. Not sure if they drank soda, she bought water bottles instead. Quickly setting everything on the wobbly table, she moved to the counter just as the men walked in.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Nathan asked, noticing there were only four subs placed out on the table.
Looking at the bag in her hand, she suddenly shook her head and lied, “I’ve already eaten something. I bought a few things for the center. I’ll go put them in my car.” Turning quickly, she hurried out of the room, leaving him staring at the back of her.
“Stop wondering and just ask her out,” Jude said, biting into his sandwich.
“She’s pretty,” Patrick added, “and seems real nice. Go for it.”
Cam studied him carefully before saying, “Something about her has got you thinking. What is it?”
Shaking his head slowly, Nathan said, “I don’t know. I don’t recognize her, but you’re right. It’s like there is a strange sense of déjà vu. Something about her seems familiar, but I’ve got no clue what it is.”
“She’s skittish,” Jude said.
He swung his gaze back to the others. “Think she works at the center because she had needed it at one time?”
Shrugging, Cam asked, “Would that matter to you?”
Pondering the question, he shook his head as his protective instincts kicked in. “No. I just think she needs to be handled with care.”
“You’re used to skittish people when you track and rescue them. You’ll be fine.”
Track and rescue them. Patrick’s words resounded in his head as the memory of the woman in the woods from two years ago slid through his thoughts once again.
The sound of his phone ringing usually had Nathan bolting from bed, but it had taken him a long time to get to sleep, so by three a.m., he was out cold. If it weren’t for Scarlett standing on his bed, nuzzling him awake, he wasn’t sure he would have heard it at all. Grabbing the offending device, he knew it could only be bad news at that time of night.
Getting the information, he disconnected before jumping from bed, shaking the sleep from his foggy mind. “Come on, girl. We’ve got a job.”
The call from the local Sheriff’s office sent he and Scarlett to a campground in the next county. Pulling up to the deputy’s vehicle, he noticed a woman talking to the officer. As he approached, the woman rushed to him before the deputy had a chance to speak.
“Please, you gotta find her.”
“Ma’am,” the officer interrupted, “let me give Mr. Washington the information so he can start looking.” He turned to Nathan and said, “Female. Twenty-two years old. Name is Gail Stanton. Wearing jeans, light blue sweater and a navy, hooded fleece jacket. Brown hair, brown eyes—”
“White shoes…sneakers,” the woman blurted. “She’s got her hair pulled up in a ponytail.”
“Ma’am,” the officer said again, but the woman was not to be deterred.
“She’s got a shiner on her left eye and bruises. She’s got bruises.”
Nathan’s gaze jumped from the woman to the officer, then back to the woman.
“I been tellin’ her to leave him. He’s mean as a snake and when he comes home drunk, he’s even meaner. He got home from his night out with his buddies and started in on her again. She managed to get away and knew me and my husband were here camping with the Boy Scouts.” Her head jerked back to a campsite on the other side of the parking lot where a man stood, guarding the tents.
“She got here and was scared shitless. Her car’s an old junker and it barely got her here. I told my husband we had to keep her safe. Then Thomas, that’s her boyfriend, called and said he was on his way and she’d b
etter get herself back.”
“And, did she go with him?” he asked, uncertain why they would need a tracker if she had.
“He never showed up!” the woman shouted. “But she got scared that he was almost here and took off through the woods. I tried to get her to call the police but she was scared Thomas was gonna come and might put us or the boys in danger.” She reached out, grasping his arm, her face twisted in fear. “But she ain’t come back yet.”
“Do you have something of hers? Something my dog can follow.”
“That’s her car right there,” she said, pointing to a rusty, old-model sedan.
“That’ll do,” he replied, taking Scarlett to the car and opening the door. Scarlett put her front paws on the seat and sniffed the steering wheel. Climbing back out, she put her nose down and began to track.
Turning back to the woman, he asked, “What’s your name, and is there something that she will know is just from you?”
“Betsy…Betsy Deater. And, uh…tell her that Betsy said…,” she paused, wringing her hands in front of her, “uh…oh, yeah…the sand is warm but watch out for jellyfish.”
Nodding, he turned on his radio and powerful flashlight, moving in right behind his dog and following her into the woods. The night made tracking particularly difficult for him, although Scarlett did not seem to mind. She did not have the same problems dealing with tree roots, low branches, and slippery pathways.
Thirty minutes later, Scarlett stopped and sat down. Shining his light toward the bushes to the side, he called out, “Gail? Gail? I’m Nathan Washington and this is my dog, Scarlett. We were sent by your friend Betsy Deater. She’s worried and called the police. We want to take you back to safety.”
For a second, the sight of a dark haired, dark-eyed young woman hiding in the shadows of the woods struck him, reminding him of Agnes.
The woman, tucked into the shrubs, held up her hand to shield her eyes. “I aint’ goin’ back to him.”
“I’m not taking you to anyone, Gail. I just need to get you to safety and to let the Sheriff know that you’re okay. And, if you want to press charges, then you can.”
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