Red Zone

by Sherri Hayes

  Fuller took his time strolling across the parking lot to the front entrance of the restaurant, apparently not at all concerned that he was already ten minutes late for work. Hansen caught up with him two steps from the door.

  “Mark Fuller?” he asked.

  The man looked up at him, appraising. “Who’s asking?”

  Hansen removed his badge from his pocket and showed it to Fuller. “I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”

  Fuller’s eyes went wide a split-second before he took off running. Hansen was instantly grateful that his wife had insisted he get in better shape. Otherwise, he never could have kept up with a man at least twenty years his junior.

  The chase lasted for roughly three blocks before Fuller started to slow, then stumble. Hansen was on him before he picked himself back up, slamming him down to the pavement, and reaching for his cuffs. He kept his knee in Fuller’s back until he heard the satisfying click of metal as the handcuffs closed over the man’s wrists.

  Standing, Hansen flipped the man over and helped him to sit up.

  “I haven’t done anything.”

  “Then why did you run?” Hansen asked, towering over Fuller.

  “Why wouldn’t I run? Everyone knows you cop types harass people just for the fun of it.”

  Hansen laughed. He’d been sitting in his car waiting for this man for days. Maybe all the isolation was going to his head, but the thought that he had nothing better to do with his time than chase after some conspiracy theorist struck him as hilarious. Fuller looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. Maybe he had.

  When he finally got himself under control, Hansen picked up a small wooden crate someone had discarded in the alley and set it down a few feet in front of Fuller. Hansen sat down, his hands folded in front of him.

  “As I said before, I have some questions for you.”

  “I told you I don’t know anything. I’m going to be late for work.”

  “You were already late for work when you pulled into the parking lot. I doubt you’re highly concerned. Now, where have you been for the last week?”

  The man’s mouth opened in shock. “You’ve been watching me? Oh man . . .”

  “Answer the question.”

  “Are you gonna call the cops and have me arrested?”

  “No. Not yet. Right now, I’m trying to figure out what you know, and then I will decide if I turn you over to the local police.”

  “Is this about the car I rented?”

  Hansen smiled. Now we’re getting somewhere. The guy wasn’t as stupid as he let on.

  “Why did you rent the car? You aren’t driving it.”

  Fuller shook his head. “It wasn’t for me. Look. Some guy came in while I was working last week. He said he had a job for me. I was suspicious at first, so I asked him if it was something illegal. He swore to me it wasn’t. He just needed a rental car, but since his license had been suspended, he couldn’t do it himself. Told me he had to go see his sister who was sick, and the only way to get there was by car. I almost told him no, but the money was hard to resist. I don’t make much flipping burgers, you know.”

  “So this man, he paid you to go rent a car for him. Then what?”

  Fuller shrugged. “Then nothing. I just rented the car and drove it back to the restaurant. The guy met me here, paid me, and then took the car.”

  “So why did you disappear for a week?”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve had some cash. I decided to have a little fun. Enjoy myself.”

  “So this guy still has the car?”

  “Yeah, as far as I know. He had me rent it for two weeks.”

  “Do you think you could recognize the man if you saw him again?” Hansen asked, standing.

  “Yeah. Not every day some dude offers you cash to rent him a car.”

  Hansen pulled Fuller to his feet.

  “Good. You and I are going to go look at some pictures.”

  The first thing Gage noticed when he woke up was that he was not alone in bed. His arms were wrapped around Rebecca, his face lying between her shoulder blades. She was still sound asleep, her naked body flush with his. He hugged her closer, using one hand to brush the hair away from her neck. It felt good to touch her again like this, to be with her so intimately.

  His thoughts drifted back to the previous night. He’d walked out of the bathroom to hear voices at the door. It hadn’t crossed his mind to consider what he was wearing, or not wearing. Spending years using communal showers had rid him of any level of modesty a long time ago.

  What he hadn’t expected was Rebecca’s reaction. He’d watched various expressions cross her face before she’d practically run toward him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. Gage had wasted no time removing her clothing and carrying her to the bed. They’d been apart too long. All he wanted to do was feel that completion he’d only ever found when connected to her in the most primal of ways.

  He ran his hand down her side to her hip. Her skin was smooth under his palm. She looked so peaceful as she slept. There was even a tiny smile gracing her lips. He could only hope she was remembering last night. It wasn’t something he was likely to forget anytime soon.

  A knock on the door drew his attention. Rebecca stirred and turned her body toward him, stretching, giving him an unobstructed view of her breasts. The woman had no idea how tempting she was.

  “What time is it?”

  Gage glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Almost ten. We forgot to set the alarm last night.” He ran his finger down her cheek, and smiled when she blushed.

  The knock sounded again, louder than before, and he sighed.

  “I need to get that.”

  She started to get up. “I should—”

  His kissed her, and she sank back down onto the bed.

  “Stay. I’ll go see who it is and get them to go away. Probably the hotel manager making sure we have everything we need or something. Wouldn’t be the first time,” he said, slipping out of bed.

  He plucked a pair of jeans from his bag and threw them on, not bothering with underwear. Gage hoped to go another round before they had to leave for the photo shoot. If he had his way, they wouldn’t leave the hotel room until they had to catch their flight home. He didn’t think Mel would be too happy with him, though, if he blew off the reshoot.

  His bare feet padded across the carpet to the door. As he went, he picked up their discarded clothes and tossed them into the bedroom so they wouldn’t be visible from the door.

  Whoever was on the other side was getting impatient. They knocked again, even louder.

  “Hold your horses. I’m coming,” Gage yelled.

  Reaching the door, he noticed the tray of food they’d ordered last night sitting untouched. His stomach grumbled a protest, reaffirming the visual reminder that they’d foregone food in favor of other activities. He was about to lift the cover to see what she’d ordered them, when another knock came.

  He sighed and glanced through the peephole.

  Mel?

  Gage opened the door to his manager, who was all decked out in a suit and tie.

  “Mel, what are you doing here?”

  “Well, good morning to you, too, sunshine,” he said, pushing his way into the room. “I brought you some breakfast and coffee.”

  Gage rubbed a hand over his face in frustration and shut the door. Mel had already made himself comfortable in the sitting area. He guessed the plan of making Rebecca see stars again was out of the question.

  As if she’d heard him call her name, Rebecca appeared through the bedroom doorway. She had dressed, but her hair still had that wild quality to it, probably from him running his fingers through it all night. He smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back. Something in her eyes worried him. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything he could do about it at the moment.

  “Oh. Hello, Rebecca. I didn’t realize you would be here,” Mel said.

  Gage thought he detected a little irritation in his tone,
but he had no idea why. Rebecca was his girlfriend. Hopefully, after what transpired last night, she was going to be in his life for a very, very long time. Why wouldn’t she come with him to LA?

  Rebecca’s frowned deepened. “Yes. Gage invited me to come along to keep him company.”

  “I’m surprised you were able to get time off work with such short notice.”

  She shrugged and walked over to where Gage stood. “My job is flexible.”

  Gage knew exactly what his manager would ask next, and he wanted to halt that line of questioning before it reached that point. He laced his fingers with hers, squeezed her hand, and led them to the couch next to Mel.

  “Thanks for breakfast. We didn’t get in until about one, and we were both exhausted. Did you fly in this morning?”

  Mel was still watching Rebecca, but he answered Gage’s question. “Yes. My flight landed about two hours ago. I stopped by the studio to make sure everything was set up properly this time, and then came here. The last thing I want is for something to go wrong again. This is your first national ad. It will put you on the map outside the sports world.”

  “I don’t want to be on the map outside the sports world. I like things the way they are,” Gage said, taking a sip of his coffee and then offering it to Rebecca.

  A look crossed Mel’s face that Gage didn’t understand, but then it was gone. His manager checked his watch and then stood to leave. “I’ll give you two a few minutes to freshen up and finish breakfast. I’ll meet you downstairs at eleven, and we’ll take the town car over to the studio together.”

  “Okay,” Gage said, standing to see his manager out.

  Mel opened the door and paused. “I take it she’s coming with you to the studio.”

  Gage frowned.

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t she?”

  Mel smiled, but it seemed off.

  “No reason. I’ll see you downstairs in less than an hour.”

  Gage watched as Mel walked down the hallway to the elevator. Closing the door, Gage turned to find Rebecca standing behind him. He reached out to her, but she stepped back. Were things going back to how they’d been?

  He reached out again, but she shook her head.

  “Hansen called.”

  The reason for her hesitation became clear. It made the rejection a little easier to take.

  “And?”

  “He’s got Fuller down at the local police station looking at photos. Someone paid him to rent the car. If he can ID someone, we should have our man.”

  “Man?”

  “Yeah. Man.”

  Chapter 31

  After Mel left, Rebecca went to take her shower while Gage ordered them breakfast. His manager had brought a single cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Given neither of them had eaten any of their meal the night before, they both wanted something more substantial.

  The hotel’s bathroom was small compared to what she’d become used to at Gage’s house, but it was still bigger than what she had in her apartment in Knoxville. She tried not to think about that too much as she stepped into the shower and began to lather her hair.

  Deciding she wanted to give a relationship with him a chance was all well and good, but the fact remained that they lived and worked in different cities. He couldn’t move and neither could she. There was no professional football team in Knoxville, and there was no FBI office in Nashville. Two hours didn’t seem like a lot, but when it came to trying to juggle a relationship, who knew? Just the thought of sleeping in separate beds again gave her a nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  She tried to push those depressing thoughts aside as she reached for the soap and started washing her body. As her hands glided across her breasts, down to her belly, she remembered the last time she and Gage had showered together. Too bad they didn’t have time this morning. It was an experience she couldn’t wait to repeat. Maybe if it hadn’t been for Mel’s interruption, things would have gravitated in that direction.

  Thinking about Gage’s manager again halted all her sexual fantasies. Something about the man was off. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

  Reaching between her legs to clean herself, she froze. Her fingers were covered in creamy goo. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the cool tiles. Condom. They’d forgotten to use a condom.

  Movement from inside the bedroom caused her to spring into action again. She couldn’t think about forgotten condoms right now. Other things had to come first.

  When Rebecca emerged from the shower, Gage took his turn. Once they were both dressed, they sat in the small seating area eating the bacon, eggs, and pancakes he’d ordered and discussing Hansen’s phone call. Knowing it was a man narrowed down the suspect list but not by much. There was still the possibility it was a fan, someone not in Gage’s immediate circle of acquaintances.

  The more they talked about it, the more Rebecca’s mind kept returning to their visit from Gage’s manager, Melvin Maxwell. He’d never been one of her favorite people, but the trip to his office the previous week combined with his responses that morning had her pushing him up on her list of suspects.

  She had no proof other than something about him rubbed her the wrong way. It was enough to put her on guard. It wasn’t enough, however, for her to say anything to Gage. If she were wrong, she didn’t want to cause problems between him and his manager. No. She would watch and wait. Hansen should have something soon. If it was Maxwell, it was better she kept him close for when they had the proof to nail him.

  Before they left the room, she made sure she had her gun in place at her ankle, loaded and ready to go. Gage watched as she made sure everything was working properly before strapping it in place. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.

  They were halfway through the lobby when she spotted Maxwell standing near the doors. He was on his phone, engrossed in conversation. She knew the minute he spotted them. He frowned, and his eyes narrowed slightly. One thing was obvious. Melvin Maxwell didn’t like her being there one bit.

  “Right on time,” he said, disconnecting his phone call and glancing down at his watch.

  “You did say eleven.” Gage must have noticed Maxwell’s irritation as well. His hand, which had been gently caressing her back as they walked across the hotel, moved to grip her hip.

  “Yes, I did,” he said, smiling. “Are you both ready, then?”

  “Let’s get this over with,” Gage said, moving toward the entrance.

  Rebecca dragged her feet, and he glanced down at her. She ignored him and addressed Maxwell. “After you,” she said, smiling her sweetest smile.

  Maxwell cocked his head to the side, appraising her. She thought he might try to protest, but then he turned and walked out the door. They followed.

  “What was all that about?” Gage whispered in her ear.

  She shook her head. Even if she was able to explain it to him, she couldn’t. Maxwell was too close, and they weren’t likely to shake him for the remainder of the day.

  The ride to the photo shoot was tense. Gage could feel her anxiety and was reacting to it, so she tried to relax. She doubted Maxwell would do anything to jeopardize the shoot, even if he were the stalker. He’d put too much work into keeping his identity concealed.

  A small woman with bright red hair greeted them as they exited the car. She looked over at Gage, and her gaze lingered appreciatively. Rebecca took hold of his hand, staking her claim.

  “It’s good to see you again, Jenny.”

  The young woman took in their linked hands, and her cheery expression faltered.

  “Is everything set up and ready to go?” Maxwell asked, cutting through all the pleasantries.

  “Oh. Yes. Dane has everything ready. All we’re missing is Gage.” She smiled again, flirting. Rebecca didn’t like it, but she figured she would have to get used to it if she was going to have a future with him.

  Thinking about the future reminded her of what she’d discovered earlier. What would happen if she were pregnant
? How would he react? She knew he loved his niece, but there was a big difference between being an uncle and being a father. Was he ready for that? Was she?

  She tried to focus on what was going on around her as they walked into the darkened studio. There were lots of cords and panels, lights and umbrellas. The whole place looked like a disorganized maze.

  Gage gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before following Jenny back behind one of the panels to change, leaving her alone with Maxwell. He didn’t say anything. Then again, neither did she.

  Rebecca watched Gage step out from behind a completely different panel wearing nothing but a pair of gray boxer briefs. His back was to her, and she couldn’t help but admire the way they fit. Her man was quite the specimen.

  Rebecca smiled. Her man. It felt really good to think of him as hers.

  He walked to a lighted spot in the center of the room and turned. Gage squinted, looking into the darkness. She knew exactly when he spotted her. He smiled that cocky grin of his she’d come to love.

  A few seconds later, an older man, maybe in his early fifties, stepped into view with a camera, drawing Gage’s attention. The man was talking, but it was too low for her to hear what he was saying. Gage nodded and turned to the side. After several adjustments, the older man lifted his camera and began taking pictures.

  She’d lost count of how many pictures were taken when the man said something else to Gage, and he walked off to the side behind the panel he’d emerged from earlier. He was gone for only a few minutes before returning. The new underwear was black. She honestly couldn’t say which she liked him in more. He looked hot in both.

  The entire time she’d been standing there watching Gage’s photo shoot, Maxwell had been on and off the phone with various people. Some sounded like clients. Others, she didn’t catch enough of the conversation to tell. She was trying, discreetly, to keep an eye on him without him knowing. The man was perceptive, however, and when he hung up from his latest phone call, he called her on it.

  “You seem very interested in my conversations.”

  “Not really.” She shrugged, trying to downplay the fact that he’d caught her spying.