“Fix what?” Alverez said, looking down at her outfit.
“It was a nice try, but that outfit is all wrong for you,” Dallas said.
“How tall are those shoulder pads,” Nana asked, walking over to smoosh down the pads. “Nearly three inches thick, I’d say.”
“Don’t forget shoes, Bridget,” Dallas called out.
Bridget waved a hand, indicating she’d heard. I looked down at Alverez’s shoes and chuckled. She had on black Nikes with white stripes. I checked Bailey’s shoes and noticed he had on regulation security shoes which looked like dress shoes but were flexible like running shoes.
“Have you done security detail work before?” I asked him.
“I worked for a smaller company in Oregon before they folded,” he said. “There wasn’t enough work to go around, so I didn’t get much field experience, but some. And, I took a course in Executive Protection.”
“Good. Then you can share your knowledge with Alverez. Today, the two of you are a team. And you’ll need to rely on each other to succeed. Your assignment is to keep track of these two,” I said, pointing to Nana and Dallas. “I’ll warn you—the last pair of security guards assigned to Dallas failed miserably. I was lucky we weren’t arrested.” Bailey and Alverez both appeared dubious. “Your task will be to keep them safe, from outsiders and themselves. You are to deliver them to my house by no later than eight o’clock tonight. Understood?”
“What’s the threat?” Alverez asked.
“It’s doubtful anyone would go after either one of them. But Nana is related to me, and a nasty scumbag was set loose who is a credible threat to Silver Aces staff and my family. More importantly, though, this assignment will give you both a chance to learn how to handle difficult clients without the worry of Silver Aces being sued.”
Both of them raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
“Best of luck.”
Dallas looped her arm through Nana’s and towed her toward the door. “Tootles,” Dallas called over her shoulder.
Bailey and Alverez hurried after them.
The remaining trainees returned, and after I updated them on an unknown threat against the security firm and their families, I handed out the earpieces that Tech had brought down to me. Dispersing in different directions, Drake went upstairs to guard Lisa and Abigail, three guys followed Tyler to the houses, and three guys left to meet with Whiskey at the store.
Alone again, I walked across the gym and entered Jerry’s office. Jerry was one of the site managers and helped with case assignments.
“Hey, Kelsey,” he said after he ended the call he was on. “What can I do for you?”
“What’s the expectation of privacy for the bunkhouse?”
“You sound like Grady.” He snorted. “None. Grady had the lawyers add into their contracts that we can search their rooms and belongings during their training period. We don’t need to provide notice, nor tell them that we even looked. I assume you’ll want the master keys and a list of room assignments?”
“That would save time, yes,” I said, grinning. “Was Axle Sorato’s room searched?”
“Nope. Feds never came back. And his truck is still here, too.” Jerry handed me a clipboard and a set of master keys. “I don’t have the keys to his truck, but they’re probably in his room. Happy hunting.”
“Jerry, what the hell is going on?” Wayne asked as he stepped into the office. “I was ready to board a plane when you called me back.”
Wayne was one of the full-time guards who took high target cases. He’d once gone with me to visit a voodoo witch in New Orleans. It didn’t go well. We ended the night with him singing karaoke at a biker bar.
“Hey, Wayne,” I said. “Were you part of the team who took down Chaves in southern Texas?”
“Yeah, I was there.” Wayne cocked his head, his scowl deepening.
“Chaves was released. He’s coming after someone or everyone. We don’t have enough details to know who his targets are yet. Want to help me dig up dirt?” I asked, holding up the clipboard and keys.
“Whatever you’re up to, does Grady know?” Wayne asked as he shook his head in disbelief.
“What fun would that be?” I asked, walking out of the office.
Wayne followed me and took the clipboard. “We’re searching the bunkhouse?”
“Room to room, including the room of the guy Chaves hired to spy on us. And his truck.”
Wayne whistled at the off-duty guys who were sitting around playing cards. “Need some more hands. We got trouble brewing and need to search the bunkhouse.”
All the guys stood and followed us out.
On the way over, I updated everyone on what little intel I knew. Then I explained that I wanted to know about anything odd in any of the rooms. Wayne and I would take Sorato’s room and truck. I unlocked Sorato’s door and then handed the keys off to one of the other guys. They took the clipboard and divided up.
“What are we hoping to find?” Wayne asked as he opened the closet and I walked over to the small desk below the dinky window.
“Anything: a phone, pictures, letters. I need to build a profile on this guy.”
“What about explosives?” Wayne asked.
I walked over to where Wayne was squatting in front of a duffle bag in the closet. “Is that—”
“A shitload of C-4? Yup.” Wayne stood and took a step back. “Luckily it doesn’t seem to be hooked to anything, so we should be safe. I wouldn’t light a cigarette right now, but other than that…”
I stepped into the hallway and called Grady.
“Yeah?” His short, clipped response told me he was already on edge.
“I need you to stay calm.”
“How calm?”
“Calm enough to keep everyone else from panicking as you evacuate Headquarters and move everyone off site.”
“What happened?”
“Wayne just found a duffle of C-4 in Sorato’s room.”
“Fuck. He was here for weeks!”
“Grady, get the kids out of the building. I’m pretty sure he didn’t have a chance to act on anything, but until we know for sure, I don’t want them on the property.”
“Sounding the alarm now. I’ll have a team take the kids for ice cream while the off-duty guys sweep the houses.”
“They’re already over here. I’ll send them back your way. I’ll also have them sound the alarm in the apartments.”
“Stay safe,” Grady said as he hung up.
“He pissed?” Wayne asked.
“He’s not happy, that’s for sure.” Several of the guys had stepped into the hall and had listened to the call. “Lisa and the kids are being relocated until we can do a full sweep. We’ll also need security rotations setup.”
Wayne split the guys into teams to protect the main house and search all the buildings from the roofs to the basements.
“Ryan?” Wayne called. “The bag I found appears safe to relocate, but I’m not as comfortable with that shit as you are.”
“Show me,” Ryan said, following Wayne into the room.
A moment later, Ryan walked out with the duffle bag thrown over his shoulder, heading for the exit. Wayne came out shaking his head.
“Where’s he taking it?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care,” Wayne said. “He wants us to stay clear of the room and Sorato’s truck until he does a full search. He’s going to go grab some of his gear.”
“Didn’t he get married recently?”
“He did. And his woman would freak if she knew he liked to play with things that go boom, so don’t slip up and mention this to her should you ever meet her.”
“She knows he works for a national security company though, right?”
“She knows he’s a badass. She just doesn’t know he’s a crazy fucking badass.”
Chapter Eighteen
It took five hours to search all the buildings from top to bottom. By the time Wayne and I returned to Sorato’s room, we tossed his keys, phon
e, pictures, and any scrap of paper we could find into a gym bag and carried it out to his truck to repeat the process. Then we took the bag to the main house where we could sort it while enjoying a cold beverage.
“What took you so long?” Grady asked, greeting me at the door and taking the bag I was carrying. “I was told the buildings were cleared half an hour ago.”
“We went back for Sorato’s personal effects,” I answered, stepping up on my toes to kiss his scowl away.
“We closed the store down early,” Katie said, walking over and taking the bag from Grady. “There’s a pitcher of Margaritas in the fridge.”
“Yum,” I said, getting a glass out.
Wayne pulled the pitcher, filled my glass, and returned it to the refrigerator before grabbing himself a beer.
“You both need to eat first,” Lisa scolded, filling plates and passing us each one. “I had food sent out to the guards too.”
I was about to ask where the kids were when my phone rang. I set my dinner plate on the counter and carried my drink with me to the back deck to answer the call. Grady followed me out.
“Kelsey.”
“It’s Mickey.”
“Hey, I was—” I stopped mid-sentence, my blood turning cold as I dropped the phone and drink and barreled into Grady. “Sniper!” I yelled, pushing us both to the deck floor as I heard the bullet hit the side of the house where Grady had been standing.
Grady rolled us toward the door before getting his feet under him and dragging me with him inside the house, through the living room, and around the corner into the kitchen.
“Aunt Kelsey?!” Sara yelled from somewhere upstairs.
“Stay upstairs! Is Nicholas with you?”
“Yes! Carl’s here too!” she called back from somewhere out of sight.
“Safe room! Now!” Grady yelled back.
“Kelsey?” Anne called from the hallway on the other side of the dining room.
Whiskey had her pinned to the floor with his body draped over her. Drake was also crouched in the hallway, his arms wrapped around baby Abigail.
I nodded at Whiskey. “Drake, give Abigail to Anne. Whiskey, get them through the access in my room to the safe room upstairs. Stay locked in until it's clear.”
Anne took Abigail, and Whiskey shielded both of them as he moved Anne down the hall, disappearing into my bedroom.
“Kelsey,” Lisa cried, clutching my arm from beside me in the kitchen.
“Lisa, I know you’re scared, but that room has three-inch steel walls. Nobody’s getting in or out unless Sara knows them.”
“Okay, okay,” Lisa mumbled. “What do I do?”
Just then, Drake dove from the hallway, past the open area of the living and dining rooms, and pulled himself up between Lisa and me.
“I’ve got her,” Drake said, holding Lisa away from the living room and shielding her with his body.
“Dumbass,” I said, grinning. “There’s five trained guards on this side of the room.”
“You told me to protect them,” he said, grinning back.
I rolled my eyes and felt Grady’s body beside me vibrate from his laughter.
“Donovan?” I yelled out.
“Basement!” he answered back. “A second shot was fired through the glass door down here. We’re trapped on the far side.”
“How many guys are with you?”
“I’ve got six.”
“Take the tunnel to Alex’s house and follow the trail back to the east property. Grady and I will split up and take the woods from the north and east while your team comes in from the south. Let’s trap this asshole!”
“Furnace room!” Donovan ordered the men with him.
Grady, Wayne, and I ran into the garage and got into one of my SUVs. Tyler and two of the trainees who were guarding the front of the house squeezed in as well.
“Drop me, Tyler, and one of the trainees off at the road, then you, Wayne, and the other trainee can come in from the center of the woods on the east side.”
Grady nodded but he let out a growl, looking in the rearview mirror. I jumped out of the SUV and yelled at the guy who had pulled in behind us. “Move your car!”
“Are you Kelsey Harrison?” the guy asked, stepping out of his car. “I was asked to give this to you.” He handed me a manila envelope that had Summons to Appear stamped on the front.
“Job well done, now move your fucking car!” I yelled, raising my gun at him.
He jumped in his car, putting it in gear to back up, as I climbed back into the SUV. Grady reversed onto the street, cutting off the guy and pulling out ahead of him. I tossed the summons on the floor of the SUV and yelled at Tyler to pull the flak jackets. His tall skinny frame was able to turn around in the crowded seat and stretch far enough to open the back compartment and pass jackets forward. I strapped one on before dropping another one over Grady’s head and securing the Velcro straps while he drove.
“First stop,” Grady called out, pulling to the side of the road.
I swung out of the car, shutting the door behind me as Tyler pushed one of the trainees out of the back and jumped out as well.
“If you’re not up to this, you can hang back,” I told the trainee.
“I’m game, but unarmed. I’m not licensed to carry a gun in Michigan yet.”
Tyler handed him a Glock. “It’s from your stash in the SUV,” Tyler told me as he pulled his own Glock. “So be sure to collect it later.”
“Okay, we go in quiet but quick. V-formation. I’ll take point. Fist up in the air means hold and freeze. If I drop to the ground, you better follow suit and take cover. Are you guys ready? This isn’t a drill.”
The trainee shrugged as he checked the clip in the Glock. I glanced at Tyler, and he grinned.
“Let’s root this fucker out,” I said, starting into the woods.
Tyler and the guy nicknamed Trigger flanked both my sides, about two dozen feet away. We were moving at a good clip but quiet enough that we’d hear anyone trying to move past us.
Fifty yards into the woods, I raised my fist into the air. I sensed someone nearby, but I couldn’t pinpoint the location. I glanced back at Tyler. He was scanning the woods. I glanced over my other shoulder at Trigger, and he was crouched down, aimed up ahead at the trees. I followed his line of sight and saw the shooter in camo, rifle still aimed to the west, toward the main house. I didn’t have a clear shot from my position. I glanced back at Trigger and gave him the nod, hoping his nickname was related to his shooting capabilities.
Trigger fired. The sniper screeched and was flung away from the tree. We watched him bounce off two large limbs, yelping each time, before he landed on the hard-packed ground with a loud whoof.
“We have a sniper down,” Tech called over his earpiece as we moved in.
The sniper was trying to reach for his rifle when I crushed his hand under my boot. He yelped again. I aimed my gun between his eyes, and he stopped moving.
“Search him. Check for an earpiece. There might be more than one shooter.”
“Found one,” Tyler said, pulling it out of his ear and cringing. “It’s all yours.”
“No, thanks.” I took a step back, away from the earpiece.
“Hand it over,” Trigger said, reaching for it.
A moment later Trigger jumped back at the same time we heard a gunshot in the distance. Trigger pulled the earpiece out and threw it to the ground. “Second sniper down. Now I know what it sounds like when a guy’s head pops.”
I reached into my boot and pulled flex cuffs out, handing them to Tyler. He rolled the guy and zipped his hands tightly together. We heard movement ahead of us and simultaneously crouched down and raised our weapons.
“Hold your fire, babe,” Grady called out before coming into view.
“Donovan’s team?”
“Pissed that they didn’t get to shoot anyone. I told Donovan it was unlikely your guy was dead so he could have first dibs.”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted him d
ead or disabled.” Trigger shrugged. “I took out his kneecap.”
“Kelsey let you take the shot?” Grady grinned with a raised eyebrow. “Usually she gets pretty territorial when it comes to threats against the family.”
“Damn tree was blocking my view,” I grumbled. “But I broke a few bones in his hand with my boot, so I feel better now.”
“That’s my girl,” Grady said, leaning in to kiss me. “Head home. Wayne and I will take care of this.”
“I’ll stay,” Tyler said. “Trigger, stay close to Kelsey until she’s back inside.”
I grinned at Tyler’s take-charge manner and shoulder nudged him. He’d likely go from prospect to challenging James for the president’s seat at the rate he was learning. Tyler holstered his gun, giving me a push in the direction of the house, before he leaned down to help Grady drag the guy off the ground and through the woods.
“Come on, Trigger. I’m not really sure what they have planned for that guy, but it might not be legal, so the fewer witnesses the better.”
“Fucker shot at a house full of women and children. He doesn’t deserve to live,” Trigger said as he walked with me through the woods.
I decided it was best to change the subject. “What’s up with the nickname?”
I looked over when he didn’t answer and saw him blushing.
“I was told never to lie to you, so I’ll tell you the truth. I was fifteen when I got the nickname. Let’s just say I’d get a little too excited on the few occasions that I ended up naked with a girl, and the rumor started that I had a quick trigger. By the time I was eighteen, I couldn’t shake the nickname, so I decided my best option was to learn to shoot guns really well.” He smirked over at me. “I also got better at sex.”
I laughed. “Who told you never to lie to me?”
“Everyone. They said you were a walking lie detector. They also said to never play poker with you.”
“Appreciate your honesty, but from this moment forward, you have my permission to lie your ass off if anyone asks about your nickname.”
“Thanks,” he said, before stopping and turning a scary shade of white.
I froze and looked around. “What is it?” I whispered.
Day and Night Page 15
