Fearless Pursuit (Off The Grid: FBI Series Book 8)

by Barbara Freethy

  And then there was the lone FBI agent who knew Natasha was playing both sides. Had Carl Wilson been studying the crowd for clues as to who had killed Natasha? Had he realized then his own life might be in danger?

  The images were so real in her head, she could almost feel the presence of each of those people, and they were all watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. This would be a big scene in her movie, she thought. And by the time it was finished, hopefully she would know even more of the details.

  Until then…

  She got down on her knees and placed the flowers on the ground. Then she put her hand on the gravestone. She knew its warmth came from the sun, but it also gave her the surreal feeling that Natasha was welcoming her.

  "It's done, Natasha," she murmured aloud. "The truth of your death will be known. You didn't commit suicide. You didn't abandon your son in the harshest possible way. Your life was taken from you. You knew it might happen. You were playing dangerous games. In the end, you left the dark side and came to the light. It must have been terrifying, but you were brave. Far braver than I've ever been."

  She paused, then continued, "Maybe that's not true anymore, because searching for your killer has made me find a courage within myself that I didn't know I had." She smiled to herself. "Everyone thinks I look like you. They see you in my eyes. Some see you in my stubborn determination in the face of all odds. I'd like to think I got that from you. I'd like to think that you would have enjoyed being my grandmother."

  "But that could just be a fantasy," she added. "I know you didn't like being a mom. You should have done better by your son. But you loved him, and he knows that now. So does Phillip. I think they were the true loves of your life, especially your son."

  She thought about what else she wanted to say. "I can't begin to know where you really came from, how the loss you suffered in your early life affected you, how deep the hole inside your heart was, but I'm going to try to tell your story in a way that people will see that there were many sides to you—some good, some bad, some indifferent. But you were human, and you were complicated, and while some may still judge you harshly, at least they'll be judging the real person, and not the movie star."

  Clearing her throat, she added, "Just so you know, I found your killer. Edward Coleman will go to jail for your murder and for Julia's murder. He's finally going to pay for what he did."

  "No, he's not."

  She whirled around at the sound of another voice. Sylvia!

  She jumped to her feet as Sylvia pointed a small black revolver at her. "What are you doing here?" she asked as fear and truth slammed into her.

  "That was a great speech, Maya, but you're wrong. My father didn't kill Natasha. He didn't kill Julia, either. His worst crime was to believe the lying bitch you call your grandmother." The bitter fury in Sylvia's words rocked Maya back on her heels.

  "Why don't you put the gun down?" she suggested.

  "I don't think so. Haven't you figured it out yet, Maya? You're a smart girl. You took down the entire club, didn't you? You and your questions. I told the men that you were dangerous. But they didn't believe me, because they never believe a woman can take a man down. Their arrogance is unbelievable. I watched Natasha betray my father and Constantine. She played them for fools. They thought they were running her, but she was running them. I tried to tell them. They wouldn't listen. They said she was a dumb bitch and she'd keep doing what she was told."

  Her nerves tightened with every sneering word that fell from Sylvia's lips. She looked around, suddenly aware that they were isolated in this grove of trees, separated from the rest of the cemetery, and the office and gift shop were a mile away. No one would hear her scream. Unless someone just happened to come by. She needed to keep Sylvia talking.

  "Did you know what Natasha was doing?" she asked. "That she was spying for Constantine and your father?"

  "Of course I knew. At first, I thought she was having an affair with my father, until I realized he was turning her into an asset."

  "So, you knew your father was a spy."

  "I found out when I was twelve years old. But he didn't know I knew, not until much, much later, not until I told him I saw Natasha going through his desk. He knocked her around for that. I thought he might get rid of her," she said coldly. "But he had a strange obsession with her. All the men did. They loved her and they hated her at the same time. Whereas I just hated her. I saw her for who she was. The way she treated your father was disgusting. She was a terrible mother. I felt bad for Rex, because I knew what it felt like to have shitty parents. We had that in common."

  She licked her lips. "What about Julia? Did your father rape her?"

  "Maybe," she said dismissively. "It wouldn't surprise me. He was not the man everyone thought he was. He was born to be a spy, to be a killer, to be evil. He's the devil in a mask; he always has been."

  "You're so cold."

  "I am cold. I've been cold my whole life," she said, her eyes lit up with an odd light. "He destroyed me, too, you know, when I was a little girl. But I still tried to protect him. All my life, I stood up for him, even when he didn't stand up for me. I even tried to save him this week. Because I knew you were going to tear everything down, just like she did. Which means you have to die, too." She took aim with her gun.

  "You killed Natasha? Not your father?" She wanted to be very clear on the facts. If she was going to die, she wanted to know the truth first.

  "He didn't want her dead; he just wanted to own her. I, however, wanted her gone."

  "And Julia? You killed her, too?"

  "I thought if we gave you a murderer, you might stop, but even after your grand speech, I knew you were lying."

  "So, you sent someone to burn down my house?"

  "That was already in motion, but once again, you escaped. And when the FBI showed up at my father's house, his housekeeper contacted me. I was able to leave the club before Jax could arrest me. I was always suspicious of him. I should have fired him the first second I saw him. I knew he was hiding something."

  "Did you also know his father—Andrei Markov?"

  "What?" Sylvia asked, showing surprise for the first time. "Andrei Markov was Jax's father?"

  "You did know him."

  "He played chess at the club. He was handsome. I had a little crush on him, in fact."

  "Do you know who killed him and his wife?"

  "Is that why Jax came to the club?" Sylvia shook her head in bemusement. "I did not see that one coming. Constantine was responsible for Markov's death. He sensed Markov was going to run, and he thought Novikoff liked him too much. So he killed them Markov and his wife.”

  She couldn't believe how pragmatic Sylvia was when she spoke about cold-blooded murder.

  "But I didn't know there was a kid," Sylvia continued. "I wonder why Constantine let Jax live." She shrugged. "His parents must have stashed him somewhere. Lucky him. But let's get back to you, Maya. You started all this in motion, not just with your questions, but because you look like Natasha. I could see it happening again, all the men thinking you were just like Natasha—pretty but not at all dangerous. I see you for who you are, and I am not going down without taking you with me."

  "Why? Why don't you just run? Disappear where no one can find you. Killing me won't accomplish anything." She was running out of time. She could see it in Sylvia's face. She needed a distraction. "And it wasn't me who sent the FBI to your door; it was David. He's the one who betrayed you. Haven't you wondered where he is? I'll tell you—he's at FBI headquarters, and he's confessing everything. Your only chance is to run. Another murder will only slow you down."

  The blood drained from Sylvia's face. "You're lying. David wouldn't betray me. He loves me. He's the only one who really loves me. He's my son. He's my blood."

  "He saved himself, Sylvia."

  "I don't believe you."

  "Yes, you do. You know he's weak. You know he can be turned."

  "David," Sylvia murmured, suddenly lost i
n a world of pain.

  Maya bolted behind the nearest tree. A bullet pierced the bark next to her. She took off running as another shot rang out. She dove behind the trees for cover.

  Another blast echoed through her head, and she felt a stinging pain in her shoulder. She'd been hit! But she couldn't stop running. Sylvia would kill her if she did.

  She darted around a huge statue of Jesus, crying out as the plaster splintered next to her head. She ran through more trees, around the back of a gardener's shed. And then she froze as Sylvia faced her once more, hatred in her burning eyes.

  "Natasha didn't fight, you know,” Sylvia said. "She drank what I gave her and went fast asleep. She trusted me. She thought I would help her with Rex. She underestimated me, just like everyone else." Sylvia lifted her gun.

  Maya threw up her hands in some sort of weak self-defense when another shot rang out. But it wasn't aimed at her.

  Sylvia fell to the ground, her expression one of shocked horror.

  Maya dropped her hands as she saw the man with the gun. "Jax," she cried, running into his embrace.

  He held onto her so tight she almost couldn't breathe. But she didn't care. She needed his crushing powerful body against hers.

  "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He pulled back to look into her eyes and then his gaze moved to her shoulder. "You're bleeding."

  "I don't think it's bad. But it was going to be. She was going to kill me. I tried to run, Jax."

  "I know you did. I heard the shots. They led me to you." He pulled her sleeve down. "Thank God, it's just a graze. You'll be okay."

  Her gaze moved to Sylvia. The woman's eyes were wide open and completely devoid of life. She turned back to Jax. "Sylvia killed Natasha. It wasn't her father, Jax. It was her. She killed Julia, too."

  "I figured that out too late. Well, not the part about Natasha, but about Julia."

  "She confessed to both. She hated Natasha. She hated her father as well. I think he abused her, but she was still trying to get his love, trying to protect him. It was so twisted. She said everyone underestimated her. She told her father that Natasha was using him, but he didn't do anything about it. So, she took care of it herself. She was insane."

  "I should have seen that."

  "She hid it very well. She also said that Constantine ordered the hit on your parents and on Novikoff. I'm afraid they are dead, Jax. I wish they weren't."

  He gave a grim nod. "I knew they were."

  "But now Sylvia's dead, and she can't tell anyone what Constantine did." She gave him a worried look. "What if we can't prove he killed your parents?"

  "We will," he said confidently. "Everyone is talking. Everyone is trying to sell each other out, to get the best deal. There's no honor among spies."

  "I thought that saying was about thieves."

  "It still holds true."

  She drew in a breath and let it out, her heart finally starting to slow down. "How did you find me?"

  "Your grandfather told me where you'd gone. I was just afraid I wouldn't get here in time." He shook his head, a fierceness to his gaze. "You scared the hell out of me, Maya. I didn't want to lose you. I'm in love with you."

  His words made her heart ache. "I'm in love with you, too."

  "Even after I lied to you?"

  "Yes. I couldn't help falling for you."

  "I couldn't help falling for you, either." He put his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a hot kiss, only breaking away when police cars and FBI agents started arriving at the scene.

  They didn't get to speak again for another thirty minutes as she related everything that Sylvia had told her. Finally, Jax led her to his car, assuring her that one of the other agents would return her mother's car to her mom. But he was taking her home with him, and she wasn't about to argue.

  Late Tuesday afternoon, Jax sat on his living room couch, tending gently to Maya's wound. He bandaged the deep scratch on her shoulder, taking as much care as he could not to hurt her. He was thankful that the bullet had only grazed her soft skin. It could have been so much worse.

  "I'm sorry it took me so long to get to you," he said, gazing into her beautiful green eyes, relieved that they were bright and filled with warmth and life. "I had just entered the cemetery when I heard the first shot. My heart stopped. And then I saw you running and Sylvia chasing you." He shook his head. "I should have been faster."

  "Stop." She put her hand on his thigh as she moved closer to him. "You had perfect timing. You saved my life—again. It's getting to be a habit."

  "I really thought the danger was over when I texted you earlier. I know that's why you felt comfortable enough to leave your sister's house. I should have made sure everyone was in custody before I told you that. It was a big mistake. I just wanted you to know that the main guys had been arrested."

  "No more apologies. You were busy, and I probably jumped too soon. I knew everyone hadn't been arrested yet, but I wanted to tell my grandfather, and then he asked me to tell Natasha, and that's why I went to the cemetery. When I was talking to Natasha, I felt like someone was watching me, but I thought it was Natasha's spirit. I know that's silly. I should have been more aware."

  "And I should have seen Sylvia for the menace she was."

  "She told me that no one ever saw her as being important. Even when she tried to warn the men about me, they wouldn't listen. They didn't think I was smart enough to figure anything out, but she knew I'd get to the truth. That's why she killed Julia, to give herself a scapegoat. She also said she didn't believe me when I told her I was going to quit. I guess I wasn't that good of an actress after all." She blew out a breath. "I haven't had a chance to ask you what happened with David. I know he must have given you enough evidence to get arrest warrants."

  "He did."

  "How did you get David to turn on everyone?"

  "We photoshopped images of David meeting with prominent FBI agents and told him that we'd make sure his bosses saw them. Or he could start working for us. He chose to save himself. He gave us everything, all the details of the current operation. He had copies of confidential papers that had been exchanged. He's been a goldmine of information."

  "Will you be able to keep him alive to testify against everyone?"

  "We'll have to. But, as I said, others are now talking as well, and the people who were forced into compromising positions like Bragin and Wallace are being forthcoming."

  "You must have been up all night, putting everything together."

  "I was."

  She ran her fingers down the side of his face in a tender gesture. "You're exhausted. We don't have to discuss everything now."

  "I will tell you whatever you want to know, Maya, maybe not this second, but later. The most important thing is that it's over. You're safe and your family is safe. I can promise you that we are going to build the best and tightest case against every individual we picked up today." He would do everything in his power to keep that promise.

  "I know you will, Jax. I'm not worried. And it may sound terrible, but I'm glad Sylvia is dead. She had no remorse for taking Natasha or Julia's life. She was dead inside. The only emotion she showed was when I told her that David had betrayed her."

  He nodded. "David was her kryptonite. She kept him in the operation, even knowing that he was too weak to play the game she was playing."

  "He's probably the only person she ever loved. I don't think she even loved herself. But it sounds like she had a hard childhood."

  "No excuse."

  "Agreed." She let out a breath and gave him a tentative smile. "So, what's next?"

  He smiled, happy that he didn't need to get back to work until tomorrow. "Nothing. We have absolutely nothing to do for at least the next twelve to fifteen hours."

  "I have a few thoughts. Some of those involve you sleeping, some don't."

  He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're not angry with me anymore?"

  "It's hard to be mad at someone who has saved my life more than once. I wish
we hadn't started this—us—on a lie, but we have the truth now. And maybe I'm speaking prematurely, because there isn't really an us yet, but—"

  He put his fingers against her lips, not wanting to see the doubt in her pretty green eyes. "There's an us, Maya. There's been an us since I first saw your face. Your beautiful gaze sucked me in, and these pretty freckles…" He ran the tip of his finger down her nose. "They sealed the deal."

  "I've always hated my freckles."

  "I love them." He gave her a soft kiss. "I couldn’t look away from you the first time I saw you, and I don't think I can ever look away from you again."

  She blinked back teary emotions. "That's so sweet, Jax. I haven't been able to look away from you, either. And I'm looking forward to getting to know you a lot better."

  "You already know my deepest secrets. There's not much more to find out."

  "I disagree. There's a lot more. But you can't lie to me again." Her tone turned serious. "You can say that you can't tell me because it's classified or whatever, but you can't pretend with me. Not again. Not ever."

  "I can make that promise. I should have told you the truth before we slept together. It was selfish. I just wanted you so damn much, I couldn't let you go."

  "It was an amazing night." She paused, wanting to be clear. "I don't want to rehash the past. We've both been living in the world of yesterday for the past week. I want us to be in the present and maybe think about the future."

  "What do you see in our future?"

  "Well, I don't have a crystal ball," she said with a smile. "But I see you and me." She cupped his face with her hands. "A lot of kisses and a lot of loving."

  "And maybe a movie…"

  "Maybe a movie." Then she pressed her sweet mouth against his.

  Epilogue

  Seven Months Later…

  Maya looked out the limo window as they waited to pull up in front of the Starlit Theater on Hollywood Blvd. There was a line of cars in front of them, and she was more than thrilled to see the huge turnout for the premiere of her movie—Between Light and Shadows: The Secret Life of Natasha Petrova.