Chase

by Sidney Bristol

  Sarah wrapped an arm around her daughter.

  “I could stay with my family,” Sarah said.

  “And put them in danger?” Gabriel shook his head.

  “We’re going to keep you safe,” Matt chimed in.

  “This is how we can help.” Mari glanced around the table, meeting the gaze of each of her former cellmates.

  “Fine.” Mari scrubbed a hand across her eyes. “I want out of here as soon as possible—and I do not want to see him.”

  Nikki couldn’t argue with the woman’s demand, even if she didn’t entirely agree. She didn’t know how their family fell apart, what had happened for them, but when she’d met Nico, she knew the most important thing to him was ensuring his daughter’s safety. He was willing to do whatever was necessary—for her. As wrong as his actions were, Nikki could appreciate what he thought he needed to do.

  “Right. We’re going to organize security, get you some more food.” She stood and nodded toward the front of the house. They couldn’t risk the backyard, and Isabella would hear anything they said in the garage, so their options were limited until the house could be cleaned up.

  Gabriel and Matt followed her into the living room.

  “This the best plan?” Matt asked.

  “Yes.” Nikki braced her hands on her hips, wishing she was in a suit for these conversations. It was easier to be taken seriously. “Keeping them here is not ideal, but we’ve already put Wilson’s people on the run. We want to control this, let them think their specialists are all still under their thumb.”

  “Aiden and Madison are coming here to watch them,” Gabriel said.

  “You sure about that?” Matt arched a brow. “He won’t like putting Madison in danger.”

  “He didn’t, but we’re short on people,” Gabriel replied.

  “We need to let Nico know we have them. That happens first.” She nodded at Gabriel’s phone that hadn’t left his hand since they started pulling strings to get balls moving. They needed to loop Nico in quick so they could get ahead of whatever plan Wilson had in the works. Besides, the man had seemed anxious for word of his daughter.

  “I’ll do that now, then we can get a start on today’s events.” Gabriel tapped the screen of his phone, then held it to his face.

  “Events?” Matt asked Nikki, voice low.

  “Yeah, we’re checking out all the events we think Wilson might hit,” she replied on autopilot.

  Nikki held her breath. They were banking on Nico jumping ship. If he didn’t, at least they’d rescued the hostages, but it might lose them more lives if it triggered Wilson’s plan. There was just no way to tell if they’d made the right decision yet. If they could trust Nico. She prayed he answered, that he was as invested in getting his daughter back as he seemed, and that they hadn’t just played into a trap.

  “No answer.” Gabriel grimaced. He adopted a drawling, good-ol’-boy tone. “Nico, it’s Bobby. I got that boat we were talking about the other day. It’s real nice. You should come by and see it sometime.”

  He dropped his arm, the screen dark.

  Shit.

  That wasn’t good.

  * * *

  Gabriel made a left turn and a gust of sea breeze caught him in the face rushing in through the open windows. The sounds of the current Top 40 pop hits, the beach, and street traffic were their backdrop. It could be any Miami morning, except today they were on the lookout for bombs.

  “It’s up here, isn’t it?” Nikki leaned forward. She’d put her hair up into a messy ponytail. He couldn’t stop thinking about taking the elastic out and running his fingers through her hair. “Gabe?”

  “What? Oh, yeah.” He checked the street sign as they passed. “Ever thought about growing your hair out longer?”

  “My hair?” She blinked at him. “Well . . . not really. It’s long enough I can put it up or leave it down. Any shorter and it would be annoying. Any longer, it would be everywhere.”

  “Oh.”

  They rolled on in silence for a few seconds.

  “Do you . . . like my hair?” Nikki asked without looking at him. She flicked a speck of dust from the screen of her tablet.

  “Yes. I was just curious is all.”

  “Oh.”

  “Here.” Gabriel pulled the Skyline to the curb.

  The park was full of activity. People, mostly in their early to late twenties, were erecting a stage in the middle of a paved area. Signs promoting the University of Miami were stuck in the grass. It was an event in the first stages of setting up. And everyone appeared as though they belonged.

  “I think the liberal talk would attract Wilson, but I don’t know. Kids, though, it makes the news if you hurt someone’s kids.” Nikki shook her head.

  “Yeah, but—”

  His phone rang, cutting him off. Emery’s name flashed across the dash display.

  Gabriel jabbed the window buttons with one hand and activated the call with the other.

  “Do you ever sleep?” Gabriel asked.

  “Nico is at Classic Rides right now.” There was strain in Emery’s voice, the kind Gabriel hadn’t heard since the hit team was in town. Their tech had to be burning the candle at both ends.

  “What?” Gabriel glanced in his rearview mirror and shifted into drive, whipping the car around back the way they’d come. A few pedestrians scampered out of his way, one of whom flipped him off.

  “He’s at Classic Rides. You’re the closest. Julian and John are out in Homestead, Tori, Roni, Aiden, and Madison are at the meth house with the hostages. It’s you guys.”

  “On our way,” Gabriel said.

  “Did you call him again?” Nikki asked.

  “Yes, he didn’t answer,” Emery replied. “The phone has to be off. I’m not getting any GPS data for it.”

  “What if he got our message, gave Wilson the slip, and is trying to get back to his daughter?” Nikki grasped the door handle and held on as he wove through traffic, cutting it close.

  “Shit. I hope he has something to tell us.” Gabriel pressed the accelerator out of a turn and the tires squealed.

  “Keep me updated. Later.” Emery hung up and the stereo went back to the radio.

  “How far away are we?” Nikki asked.

  “Thirty minutes, maybe? Call him.” Gabriel nodded at the dash.

  Nikki tapped the display and brought up Nico’s contact, then hit dial. The line rang. And rang. The automated voice mail answered.

  “Fuck.” He hit the End Call button on his steering wheel. “He must not have the phone on him if we can’t get him to answer.”

  “Why can’t things go according to plan for once?” Nikki groaned and threw her head back against the seat.

  “We had a plan?”

  “Not really, but this wasn’t it.”

  “Honey, best-laid plans.”

  “Shut up and drive.”

  He laughed and she glared at him. Man, he dug it when she was angry. It was better when she smiled or laughed, and best of all when she moaned in pleasure, but he’d take this moment. What a difference a few days made. She’d gone from cold and professional to hot and passionate. Okay, passionate was maybe a stretch, but she was trying, for him. For what they might have. It was more than he’d ever thought might happen.

  “What are you smiling about?” she asked.

  “You.”

  “Me?”

  She just didn’t get it.

  “Yup.” He grinned and lowered the window a bit, exhilarated by the rush of the wind and her presence.

  “You don’t make any sense.”

  “I don’t have to.”

  “I’m done with you.”

  “Babe, you just started.”

  She shook her head and stared out of the window.

  He cut through a few alleys and drove as fast as he dared all the way to Classic Rides, shaving off a good five minutes on the drive. Since the shop was technically closed, he pulled around behind the garage and parked on the street. On the off chanc
e this was a setup, he didn’t want to trap himself in the garage yard.

  “I’m going around the front. You go through the garage. Remember the codes?” He pulled his gun from under the seat and checked the ammo.

  Nikki rattled off the codes like a pro.

  “Great.”

  He reached across, cupping the back of her head, and planted a kiss on her lips. She squeaked, probably in outrage. They were in deep on this case, but they couldn’t forget to live, to savor these moments together, because they weren’t promised more. What they had was now, in the moment, and he wouldn’t give that up.

  Gabriel leaned back, cherishing the pink tinge on her cheeks, how her lips parted and she blinked at him. Nikki had no clue how much she meant to him. He didn’t just love her, she was his whole world, and he’d been without her so long it hurt. Nothing could fill that place inside him.

  “Get inside.” He got out of the Skyline while she stared after him. It wasn’t every day he could rob her of words. When he finished wringing Nico’s neck, he’d have to put this on his calendar as a day to remember.

  He kept close to the fence that lined the back lot of Classic Rides. Several hopeless cases of restoration sat covered in tarps next to a few others that were up for sale. That was the nice thing about being here. There was never a lack of projects to be done. If they weren’t tracking down the bad guys, they were fixing cars. It had kept him happily occupied for nearly four years, but he wouldn’t miss it. When this was over, he was leaving Miami with Nikki. The others would have to understand.

  The low metal fence was barely bumper high. He stepped over it and quickstepped to the side of the garage. The parking lot that he could see was empty, but that didn’t mean anything. He spared one glance behind him, making sure Nikki was inside. If it came down to it, Emery would engage the panic security system and she would be locked in, safe and sound until help arrived. It was a dirty move, and she’d probably chew him out for it if things went sideways, but she would be alive.

  He pressed his back against the metal siding and drew his gun, keeping it behind his thigh in case some passerby got an eyeful they didn’t want.

  This corner of the shop was partially glass, so those in the front part of the office could see the streets on all sides. He could also look through the windows and get a better view of the front of the shop.

  A man in flannel and jeans stood with his back to the shop, staring out at the street.

  Why hadn’t Nico answered his phone?

  Gabriel walked slowly to the corner of the building.

  “Nico, stay right there,” he said.

  To Nico’s credit, the only indication he’d been startled was a slight hunching of his shoulders.

  “I thought you’d be here faster,” Nico said.

  “What do you have on you?” Gabriel didn’t care what Nico thought or if they’d failed his stupid test.

  “Nothing.” Nico slowly lifted the tail of his shirt and turned. He patted his pockets, swiping his hands back and forth to show he was completely empty-handed.

  “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

  “They were watching me. I trashed the phone and headed here.”

  A bit of movement inside the shop caught his eye. Nikki emerged from the dark hall and into the shop front.

  “Shit,” Gabriel muttered under his breath. To Nico he said, “Inside.”

  Nikki glanced between them before approaching the front door and unlocking it. Gabriel brought up the rear, aiming his gun at Nico’s backside, right between his shoulder blades. Gabriel could drop him in a single shot if he had to. And if the man made a move against Nikki, he’d do it even faster.

  “I can appreciate the caution.” Nico held up his hands and glanced behind him.

  Gabriel locked the front door, amused that Nikki also had their guest at gunpoint. “Sorry, we aren’t all that trusting. That’s why we’re going to get along so well, Nico. Down the hall.”

  He spared a glance at the street, searching for any watchers, any indication they were being fooled, but it was quiet. Besides, Emery no doubt had all eyes and ears on at the shop, so he would know the moment there was trouble.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Gabriel pulled Nikki behind him and followed Nico closely.

  “Turn right,” Gabriel said as they reached the last door on the hall. It was the main office, Aiden’s domain, but it also had an emergency exit and two cameras since the safe was also hidden here. Most of the time both doors were locked, but since Nikki had entered through here, they were open.

  Nico stopped in the middle of the office, hands held out at his sides.

  “Is Becky okay?” His voice was stone hard. This was a man who would come unglued if a hair on his daughter’s head was hurt.

  “She’s okay. Have a seat?” Nikki gestured to one of the two guest chairs in the office.

  Gabriel pushed her around to Aiden’s chair and dragged the other guest chair a little distance from Nico and turned it to face him.

  “What do you want me to do?” Nico practically collapsed into the chair, all the air leaving him. How much stress had he been operating under, knowing the lives of his daughter and ex-wife were resting on his not screwing up? On his doing exactly what a madman wanted?

  Nikki pulled her phone from her pocket, tapped the screen, and set it on the desk in front of Nico.

  “You are aware you’re being recorded?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Nico replied.

  “Can you state your name for the record?”

  “Yeah. My name is Nico Silva. I used to build bombs for the army before one took my leg.” He rattled off his numbers and stared at Nikki so hard Gabriel wondered what the man was going to do.

  “We need to know what Wilson had planned.” She leaned forward, one arm braced on the desk. She was a federal agent again. But she was still different. She didn’t just want to close the case; somewhere along the line she’d become invested in helping Nico Silva.

  “All I know is that Wilson had me make fifteen barrel bombs and a dozen smaller ones. I’d make them and he’d take them somewhere else. I don’t know what he wants to blow up. I tried. I tried telling him the kind of explosion he wanted needed to be tailored, but all he said was make it big.”

  “So you have no idea what or who he wants to blow up?”

  “No. I have no idea.”

  “Shit.” Gabriel sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

  “That wasn’t the agreement, Nico. We said we would rescue Becky in exchange for information about what Wilson wants to target.” Nikki’s voice changed, going icy cold and hard.

  “I don’t know. Wilson doesn’t trust anyone with that kind of information.” Nico spread his hands.

  “Then you need to go back and make him tell you.” Nikki leaned forward, resting her forearms on the desk. “Your plea deal hinges on that information. Without it, you’re going down with Wilson for all of this. It’ll be you and him taking the hardest fall because these were your bombs. You’ve already admitted that.”

  Gabriel watched the woman across the desk. She was going to withhold the help she’d promised Nico? That wasn’t like her. He no longer knew her. At least, not like this. She was a creature of the FBI, spouting the black-and-white lines he’d always hated.

  “Yes, but—”

  “There are no buts, Nico.” She didn’t raise her voice, but the cool quality of it sliced through Nico’s protest.

  Nico’s gaze narrowed. Whatever rapport they’d built with him was gone. “He’ll kill me, and what will that solve?”

  “He’s going to kill other people if we don’t find out what he’s targeting,” she countered.

  “If we find the bombs before they go off, I can disarm them.”

  “That’s a big ‘if’ I’m not willing to bet lives on. Go back, or no deal.” She shook her head.

  “You can’t do that.” Nico scrubbed a hand across his mouth. He bounced his foot and picked at the fr
aying edges of a hole in his jeans.

  “Yes, I can. You’ve only admitted your own role in all of this. You have to give me more if I’m going to be able to get you out of this mess, Nico. Do something so I can. Becky is an awful lot like her father.”

  “Don’t. Don’t bring her into this.” Nico thrust his finger at her. Gabriel tensed. If Nico made another move . . .

  “You did that, Nico. Maybe not intentionally, but you did that.” Nikki stared right back at Nico, not the least bit cowed by such a hard, dangerous man.

  “It’s not like that.” He leaned forward, hands clenched.

  “Easy, man.” Gabriel held up his arm. They needed to calm down. To take it down a few notches. “Look, the FBI doesn’t just cut a deal because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are rules we have to follow. You and I, we have to trade something. Information. If we do that, Nikki and I will do everything we can to haul your ass out of the fire, okay?”

  “What about the others?” Nico swung his head around to look at Gabriel.

  “What others?”

  “The others like me? The ones whose families were kidnapped?”

  Gabriel glanced at Nikki. They didn’t want these men talking too much, but if they worked together they might uncover more. Besides, if they didn’t stop Wilson soon, it would be too late to help them at all.

  “We can make a group deal, but that’s if you get us something we can use,” Nikki said.

  “Fine. I gotta get out of here.” Nico pushed to his feet and pivoted toward the door.

  “Be safe, Nico,” Nikki said.

  “I was safe. Now I’ve got to be stupid.” He stalked out of the office and down the hall.

  “Hey, wait up, man.” Gabriel spared a glance at Nikki, tucked his gun in his waistband, and followed Nico out.

  Nico paused in the front of the shop, surrounded by shirts and floor mats. He turned, his lip curled in a sneer.

  “Hey.” Gabriel held up his empty hands. “I know she’s being hard on you, but it’s the rules we have to play by. They aren’t fair.”

  “They never are.” Bitter words.

  “Tell me about it.” He shook his head. “You going to be okay going back there? It sounds like Wilson had a lot of people working for him that need help.”