ReDefined

by Michele Zurlo

  She was a rush of forceful energy who looked like she could kick serious ass and break hearts. Amy didn’t want to be left alone with Frankie and Jesse, but not because she doubted their abilities or their intentions. She didn’t want Jordan to leave—and so she forgot to reply. The moment stretched into an awkward silence.

  Frankie lifted her brows. “It looks like you hurt your ankle. Sprain?”

  “I’m not sure.” Jordan came to stand at the foot of the sofa. “She’ll need x-rays once this is all over.”

  “What happened?” Frankie faced Jordan with a flirty glint in her eyes. “Did she run away when you offered to show her your ropes?”

  Jordan didn’t seem to notice that Frankie was both flirting and teasing. His face remained impassive as he responded. “Amy and I were kidnapped tonight and almost murdered. We managed to get away, and I know who the perp is.”

  Frankie stared as if she was waiting for the punch line. “Somebody got the drop on you? You?”

  “We were drugged,” Amy supplied. She didn’t understand the tension between Frankie and Jordan, but she wasn’t about to sit idly by while some woman criticized her Daddy. “But Jordan managed to wake up and fight the guy.”

  The look he threw her was the opposite of indulgent. It bordered on impatient. Whether he didn’t want her defending him or he didn’t want her to reveal too many details to these non-agents, she didn’t know. It rankled her that he was treating her this way. After all, she’d helped fight off Lawrence.

  Jesse cleared his throat. “Jordan, why don’t you give me a tour of this place, and Frankie can take a look at Amy’s ankle? She is still one hell of a doctor.”

  “Fine. We’ll start with the perimeter.” With that, the two of them went outside.

  “If you had to lose your house and hide out, at least you got locked in with that gorgeous hunk of man flesh.” Frankie scooted down the table and peeled the leg of Amy’s pants back. “I’m going to touch it. Let me know what spots hurt.” She probed the foot, ankle, and leg.

  When she poked an area that really hurt, Amy hissed, and Frankie had her describe and rate the pain. “I think it’s twisted because it happened when the guy yanked me out of the car. My leg was wedged between the seat and Jordan’s head.”

  “I think it’s most likely a sprain as well. I’m going to splint it.” She glanced around for materials to use.

  “The first aid kit is in the bathroom. I sewed the gash in Jordan’s head.”

  Frankie looked impressed, but she didn’t remark. A few seconds later, she rummaged through the kit, which was huge and contained items one would expect to find in a medic’s bag, not a household first aid kit. “So, tell me. Is tall, silent, and deadly still single?”

  “No.” Amy wondered how this woman knew Jordan. Had they served together, or had they once been romantically involved? “He’s not.”

  With a wistful sigh, Frankie closed her eyes. “I didn’t think so. He’s too yummy and family-oriented to avoid that trap. I bet his girlfriend is hot. And sweet. He always went for the super nice ones.”

  “You’ll have to ask him.” Amy pressed her lips together to avoid saying something not nice to the woman who was going to be guarding her for the next day or so, and who was currently wrapping her ankle.

  “Tell me if this is too tight. It needs to be firm, but it shouldn’t hurt. And I’m going to get you some ice. It’s swollen, and Jordan is right about it needing x-rays.” Frankie wound the bandage around her foot and moved up her leg. “What about you? Do you have a boyfriend or husband who thinks you’re dead right now?”

  Her long-term fiancé most certainly did not think she was dead. “Only my parents and friends think I’m dead. Everybody else knows.”

  Frankie hesitated. “That’s right. Your sister is married to Jordan’s agent friend. I hear he’s a hottie too.”

  Malcolm was very good looking, but he was nothing compared to Jordan. Amy opted for a neutral response. “My sister thinks so.”

  Studying the bandage, Frankie drew her eyebrows together. “Is it okay where I tucked it under? There’s no other way to secure the wrap. There’s no Velcro.”

  “It’s fine.” It was tucked under the top layer, and it didn’t rub against her skin. “Thanks.”

  Frankie opened the freezer and took out the ice bin. “I bet you’re getting homesick. Don’t worry. This’ll all be over tomorrow. Jordan always gets his man or woman. He’s relentless like that.” She threw a towel over Amy’s wrapped ankle and set an ice-filled baggie on top of that. “This will help with the swelling.”

  The front door opened, and Jordan returned with Jesse. Before he closed the door, they heard cars approach. Jordan and the two security specialists drew their weapons. Amy looked to Jordan, and she relaxed when he holstered his weapon. “It’s Brandy, Dustin, and Malcolm.”

  The trio wasted no time in piling into the cabin. Malcolm man-hugged Jordan, but then he came immediately to the sofa and hugged Amy. “What the hell happened to you? Was this a bondage mishap? Damn it, Monaghan, you know better than to try advanced positions with a beginner.” He turned his fury to Jordan. “I’m supposed to let Darcy know that Amy is all right. I thought it was a foregone conclusion because she was safe with you. What the fuck is going on?”

  Jordan looked to Brandy, silently asking for instructions.

  Brandy, her hair pulled back in a severe ponytail, frowned. “Jesse, Frankie, can you give us a moment?”

  “Nope.” Frankie crossed her arms and faced Brandy. “We need to know everything if we’re going to do our job effectively.” Jesse took his position next to her, a united front.

  “Fine. You can stay. This is all confidential.”

  “Of course,” Jesse said. “Unlike a governmental agency, SAFE Security always keeps its client’s secrets.”

  It was a dig that Brandy ignored. She turned to Jordan. “Agent Monaghan?”

  “Director Lawrence drugged us. It might have been the wine we had with dinner. Amy had poured it, and then we got...distracted and left the room before finishing it off. After dinner, we were both very tired, and we fell asleep quickly. I awoke to Lawrence trying to drag me out of bed. Amy was already gone. Though I was groggy, I fought him. I manage to break his nose and land a few good hits, but I was too out of it. He hit me over the head with a spreader bar.”

  Heat rushed up Amy’s neck. They’d played with the spreader bar the morning before. Both Dustin and Malcolm sidled glances in her direction.

  “When I came to again, Lawrence was in a hole—I think it was some kind of grave he’d dug for Amy and me—and Amy was kicking him in the face to prevent him from getting out. Amy had loosened the knots on my hands, so I got out of the ropes, leaped across the hole, landed on Lawrence, and incapacitated him. He should still be there. He may or may not be alive.”

  Brandy’s brows drew together. “You don’t know?”

  “I’d been drugged and hit over the head. I wasn’t exactly thinking as clearly then as I am now. If I had been, I would have frisked the body for a weapon, and I wouldn’t have let Amy drag me away from there until you’d arrived. I would have sent her back to the cabin to call it in.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, the frown on his face showing how displeased he was with the way things had played out.

  Malcolm pointed at Amy’s leg. “How did she get injured?”

  Amy grabbed Malcolm’s hand, and he squeezed back reassuringly. “Mal, I’m okay. My foot got caught between the seat and Jordan’s head when Lawrence pulled me out of the car. I was playing like I was still passed out while I was trying to figure out what to do next. Jordan was unconscious, tied up, and wrapped in a blanket. Dustin, I’ll get you a new bedspread, and the bad guy knows your alarm code.”

  “I’ll change it,” Dustin said. “And don’t worry about the blanket. I’m just glad you’re all right.”

  “I’m wondering how you got Monaghan untied and Lawrence in the pit?” Jesse looked and sounded impresse
d.

  “When he dropped Jordan down next to me, I kicked the backs of his knees. He lost his balance and fell in the pit. Then I untied Jordan. He really didn’t do a good job with the knots, so they were pretty easy to undo. Lawrence couldn’t lift Jordan, so he had dragged him from the car, and the blanket had come loose. I tried to wake Jordan up, but he was completely out. Lawrence tried to climb out, and I didn’t know what to do, so I kicked him in the nose really hard with my heel. He screamed and fell down, which gave me time to finish untying Jordan.” She took a breath. “And then he tried climbing out the other side, so I went around and kicked at him to stay in the pit. Luckily, Jordan finally woke up because I think Lawrence was close to grabbing me and dragging me in with him. I’m pretty sure that Jordan has a concussion, and I put seventeen stitches in his head.”

  Brandy frowned in Jordan’s direction.

  Dustin high-fived Amy. “Nice. If you want, I can teach you kickboxing.”

  “I can teach her kickboxing,” Jordan scowled.

  “Jesus, not now, you two.” Brandy growled. “Stow the dominant crap for later. Right now we need to get out there. Director Lawrence may need medical attention if he’s not dead, and I’d like a full confession. If he’s involved with The Eye, then he’s high up, and we can get better intelligence from him. Brandt, Legato, Monaghan—get in the car. Sikara and Foraker, guard Amy.”

  Jordan dropped a kiss on Amy’s lips and admonished her to behave, and then the place cleared out. Frankie and Jesse had a silent conversation, after which, Jesse took a post by the front window. The curtains were drawn, and from his position, he could see the only point of entry from the woods.

  “Lawrence walked here,” Amy said. “Probably through the woods. He had to have come in from the back door. Jordan and I were in the front bedroom. We would have seen or heard a car.”

  Frankie smiled triumphantly. “So, you’ve managed to snag the elusive Jordan Monaghan. You naughty little minx. Why didn’t you say anything? I would have totally toned it down out of respect for your relationship.” She wandered to the back of the kitchen to take up her post there. “While we’re stuck here for hell-knows-how-long, why don’t you dish? I’d love to know your secret.”

  “You were fine,” Amy said. “I wasn’t offended. And I didn’t do anything. He pursued me. I certainly never thought I had a chance with a guy like him.”

  Jesse frowned, but he didn’t say anything.

  “You’re very pretty, and you seem sweet.” Frankie made the rounds, looking out every window on the living room/kitchen side of the cottage. “So I was right about that.” She turned her attention to Amy. “I could never go for a guy who couldn’t take me.”

  “Well, Jordan would never take a woman without her consent and cooperation. He’s dominant, not a jerk. Didn’t you two date? You should know that.” Okay, Amy was fishing for information, but she didn’t think she was out of line. After all, Frankie was openly fishing as well.

  Frankie wrinkled her nose. “Date? No. He’s a gorgeous example of man candy, but he’s not my type.”

  “You want a submissive?”

  Jesse disappeared down the hall, mostly likely checking that side of the house.

  Frankie shrugged. “I’ve been looking for years. I only know what I don’t want.”

  Somehow that admission made Amy feel sad for Frankie. Not too long ago, Amy hadn’t known what she wanted, but she’d had a support system, and then Jordan had opened a door to a new world that felt so right.

  __________

  Jordan peered down into the narrow chasm. The morning sunlight provided some light, and Dustin and Malcolm’s flashlights provided the rest. “I don’t understand. I beat the fuck out of him. Where is he?”

  “There’s blood,” Malcolm said, moving his flashlight over the bottom and up the far side. “A good amount, but not a fatal amount. We’ll have forensics test it.”

  “Whose blood is on this blanket?” Brandy held it up in one latex-gloved hand.

  “Mine, most likely. That’s the blanket I was rolled up in after Lawrence hit me over the head.”

  “With your own spreader bar,” Malcolm added.

  “And tied you up with your own bondage ropes.” Dustin snickered.

  “Fuck off, you two.” He knew they were ribbing him as stress relief. Not only were they standing on the edge of what had been meant as a grave for him and his little, but Lawrence had escaped. He pointed to a spot of blood a few feet away from the site. “Here. This is heading away from the car, so it’s not mine.”

  Brandy picked up the trail. She pointed to a piece of fabric. “He snagged his clothes here. My guess is that he’s lost blood and reeling after the fight. He can’t have gone far.” She continued walking, slowly making her way along an invisible path.

  “Chief? I didn’t know you had tracking skills.” Malcolm sounded impressed.

  “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Agent Legato.” Brandy stopped, studying a patch of dead leaves and the low plants typically found on a forest floor. “See the way the St. John’s wort is crushed? He fell here.” She put a yellow marker next to the crushed flowers.

  “How do you know an animal didn’t use this spot for a nap?” Malcolm asked.

  “The blood.” She pointed to bright red spots on the leaves and darker spots where it had soaked the soil. “He’s not trying to cover his tracks. He knows he’s been outed.”

  “Did you notify the Bureau?” Dustin asked. “He’s a wanted man now, right?”

  “Yes. I took care of that as soon as I got off the phone with Agent Monaghan.”

  “I just can’t believe it,” Dustin continued. “I’ve consulted with Miguel Lawrence on a few cases. He was always honest and above-board. All this time, and it was a cover. What does The Eye hope to accomplish by robbing convenience stores and trying to assassinate judges?”

  “Power,” Malcolm supplied. He’d spent the past several days catching up on the intel Dare had uncovered. “He wants power. Lawrence was passed over three times for promotions that would have taken him to Quantico and put him in charge of large-scale operations. He’s not content to be the director of the Detroit field office. To a man who wants power and glory, it’s small potatoes.”

  Dustin snorted. “I’ve turned down offers to transfer to Quantico. The higher you move up the FBI food chain, the more it takes over your life. I like knowing that I’m not going to miss my mom’s birthday and that I get to come home to the same wonderful woman every night. I’m not saying we have it easy, just that if you let it, this job can take over your life.”

  “Is that your way of asking not to be assigned to long-term undercover operations, Agent Brandt?” Brandy shook her head as she asked. “The hours are long and hard no matter what case you’re working.”

  Long and hard hours—Amy would have giggled at that. Jordan smiled as he thought about her laugh. It was refreshingly unguarded and honest. He loved to hear her laugh.

  “I don’t know that I’m cut out for that anymore,” Dustin said. “I plan to be married soon, and I want to start a family. I don’t want to be an absentee father. I’d change careers first, maybe go into consulting.”

  Jordan thought about what Dustin had just said. Malcolm was also finished with long-term undercover work, though Mal usually focused on white collar crimes and online scams. Those jobs were often a matter of gaining access and hacking. At the most, the undercover aspect only took up parts of a day. Jordan wasn’t ready to give up working undercover, and he didn’t know how Amy would feel about that. But how could he maintain his little if he was gone more than he was home?

  Then he shook the thought away. Amy had thrived just fine on her own. She wasn’t the type of woman to become completely dependent on him, and he wasn’t the type of man who would force her to rely solely on him. He admired her strength and independence, and he loved her little side that she’d shared only with him.

  “It’s hard, being gone a lot,” Malcolm
added. “Darcy has complained more than once about feeling like a single parent. Luckily we have a great support network of family and friends.”

  Jordan’s family lived in another state, and Amy’s family was no support network. And he hadn’t met her friends. He’d heard plenty about Paget, Cori, and Mandy, but he hadn’t met them.

  Malcolm clapped him on the back. “What are you frowning at? I’ve been looking at the same patch of ground as you, and I’m not seeing any crushed plants or drops of blood.”

  “I’ve never met Amy’s friends.”

  “Oh. Well, Cori and Mandy are nice. They’ve been over a few times. Neither have files, and background checks found nothing out of the ordinary. Cori is a project manager for an automotive engineering company, and Mandy is a blogger for an online political magazine. She writes a lot about gay rights, but I don’t think she’s a lesbian. Neither are married.”

  “What about Paget? She talks to her on the phone several times a week.”

  “Never met her, and Darcy hasn’t said anything substantive. She lives in Wisconsin, near your brother, Harvey. You might ask him to do some recon. Other than the basics, I can’t find a thing. She has a great credit score.”

  “If you two are finished trading gossip and planning for your future outside of the agency, we have an investigation to run.” Brandy’s tone warned that she was close to losing her temper. Most of the agents thought she was just a hardass dedicated to catching criminals, but Jordan knew the truth. Brandy avoided forging close personal ties with those in her command. Venezuela had left her with so many scars. Yet she hadn’t managed to avoid caring deeply for her agents.

  Jordan threw her one of his gentle smiles. She rolled her eyes and continued tracking the trail.

  “Here,” Dustin said. “Tire tracks in the mud. My guess is that he left a getaway car here. It’s not far from the intended dump site.”