The SEAL's Special Mission

by Rogenna Brewer

  Still the outcome of Stan’s surgery weighed heavily on her mind. She was taking quite a risk. This could turn out very bad for all of them if Stan died. She had so many questions. None of which she felt she could ask Nash with Ben in the backseat wide-awake.

  Nash pulled a map out of the glove box and then broke into her thoughts with a few more left-turn, right-turn directions. And then he was quiet for a long time.

  Too long.

  “Nash,” she said loudly. “Are you awake?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m awake,” he responded groggily.

  She hadn’t seen another vehicle in at least twenty or thirty minutes. Clearly they were in a rural area where few ventured. The snow already on the ground snuggled up against the shady north side of the trees and more was expected to fall later this week. At least they weren’t above the tree line.

  A dense forest of evergreen made up of pines, spruces and firs surrounded them, broken only by the occasional grove of aspen or cottonwood.

  “Turn right, here.” Nash pointed her down a dirt track. It couldn’t even be called a road.

  “Are we there yet?” Ben asked.

  “Almost,” Nash said.

  “I don’t think that bad man will find us way out here,” Ben said.

  He sounded in good spirits considering the day they’d just had.

  But the last thing Mal needed was for Ben to be afraid of federal agents.

  “It was bad of Agent Tyler to shoot out the back window—”

  “Is that his name, Tyler?” Nash asked. “Makes sense, then.”

  “What makes sense?”

  “He shot that other man,” Ben said.

  “What other man?” She glanced at Ben in the rearview mirror. She felt as if she was missing part of the conversation.

  “He’s referring to the other agent. The older one.”

  “Stan?” Mal slammed the brakes in the middle of the deserted dirt road and shot a glance toward Nash. “You sh—”

  She stopped herself just in time. But Ben still caught on.

  “No, he didn’t.” Ben had unbuckled and was leaning over the seat now. “The bad man shot him. He was going to shoot us, too. But we were very quiet and he didn’t even see us.”

  Mal looked from Ben and then to Nash for confirmation. The fact that he didn’t say anything was enough. “But Stan—” What had Stan said, exactly?

  “That son of a bitch shot me.”

  She just assumed that son of a bitch was Nash.

  “Oh, God.” The son of a bitch was Tyler. And Stan had grabbed her arm and tried to warn her. No wonder Ben had been shaking his head while she was on the phone with Glaze. She just thought, well, she didn’t know what she’d thought other than the boy did not want her to hurt Nash.

  “Next right,” Nash repeated.

  “What? Oh.” Mal set the car in motion again, turning right onto another dirt road that opened into a small clearing. She refused to let panic set in as they slowed to a crawl along an unmarked road. Snow and gravel crunched beneath the tires of the SUV.

  The high beams lit on a rough-hewn log cabin. The carport to the left was big enough for four vehicles and was lined on three sides with firewood and it also housed equipment most people would not leave out in the open.

  At least not in the city.

  Mallory could make out two covered snowmobiles. And another couple of ATVs. This was obviously someone’s recreational getaway.

  The firewood fence and large tarps weighted down with small boulders were designed to keep the natural elements out, not the criminal ones. But then she noticed that there was also a shed the size of a barn with a secured padlock.

  “We’re here.” Ben stated the obvious.

  Reaching beneath the seat between his legs, Nash pulled out the gun that Mal had hidden there, letting her know he’d been wise to her hiding place all along. Checking the safety, he tucked it away as he got out of the SUV. Now he was one up on her and she was losing track of all the firearms. Her SIG didn’t have a safety, which is why she’d switched to carrying her assigned gun.

  But he still wore her cuffs and she was still in charge.

  Stiff and sore from the drive, however, Mal could barely move. She got out of the car and opened the passenger door for Ben, who was still wearing Nash’s ball cap.

  They waited for Nash on the porch while he grabbed her bag and took his time getting out of the Tahoe. He stopped to pick up the key beneath a painted rock at the foot of the stairs. The handcuffs limited his movement only to the extent that he needed both hands for what most people could do with one.

  “You’ve been here before.” She spoke without thinking. He’d said he hadn’t.

  “Never,” he repeated.

  “Are we breaking and entering?” Ben asked with far too much seriousness. Mal squeezed his hand. She was beyond thinking what she should and shouldn’t be saying in front of him. The boy had hidden from a gunman and witnessed an attempted murder—having a father who stole cars and broke into houses was probably not such a big deal in retrospect.

  Especially when that man could keep them safe. It was one of the reasons she’d gone back for him.

  And here she’d been patting herself on the back for being a great mother.

  “More like uninvited guests,” Nash said, opening the door. “It’s okay. They’re not going to mind that we’re staying here.”

  Whether that was true or not was debatable.

  Mal could tell by Nash’s slow and deliberate movements he was having trouble holding his own. But once inside, he got a fire started while she wrestled to keep a wide-awake Ben in check.

  There didn’t seem to be any electricity, but they found a small water closet of a bathroom in a dark corner next to the stairs without having to venture upstairs.

  And there was running water, which was a relief. Some folks winterized by shutting off the water in the winter, especially if they didn’t plan on spending time in their vacation home. Others, like the residents of this cottage, which was far from the ski resorts, did so by insulating the pipes and leaving a drip.

  There just wasn’t any hot water.

  After washing up, she showed Ben how to leave a drip so the pipes wouldn’t freeze and burst, making them not only uninvited houseguests but also expensive ones.

  Then she made Ben lie down on the couch and started removing his shoes despite his protests. “But I’m not tired.”

  “You will be once you close your eyes.” She removed the ball cap Nash had given him, but he insisted on holding on to it as she covered him with a knitted afghan and pulled it up to his chin. “It’s been a long day. We all need to rest.”

  After settling Ben, Mal moved closer to the fire. She missed the car heater already.

  She stood in the middle of the room with her hands tucked beneath her arms.

  “That goes for you, too, Mal. Get some rest.” Nash tossed her a protein bar. She caught it by sheer surprise.

  He sat down across from her with his weapon flat on its side, balanced on his knee and pointed away from her and Ben. She took that to mean he wasn’t going anywhere and planned to stand watch.

  It was too dark to explore their surroundings, though she would have liked to check out the upstairs. There were probably a couple of nice cozy beds up there, but with no heat except for the fireplace, this was the coziest room in the house.

  Mal curled up on the opposite end of the couch and shared the covers with Ben. The fire gave the cabin a warm, cozy glow. There was a small kitchen area to her left, and behind her stairs. A low divide between the kitchen and the living areas was lined with bookshelves. There were a few paperback novels on the shelves, but they were mostly filled with kids’ books and games. That was a nice surprise. She didn’t know how long they’d be her
e, but at least she’d be able to keep Ben entertained.

  She’d been waiting for Ben to fall asleep before demanding answers from Nash, but Ben had been asleep for several minutes now and neither of them had said a word. The boy’s restless murmurs reminded her of all they’d been through today.

  Nash’s half-hooded eyes held hers while she sat with her feet tucked under her legs in the semi-dark, holding a silent staring contest with an ex–Navy SEAL. His long lashes made him look dreamy, though she knew he was wide-awake. His color looked better now than it had all day—night—but she knew that could just be a trick of the firelight.

  Beads of sweat still formed across his upper lip.

  “You didn’t shoot Stan.”

  “No, I did not,” he said.

  She expelled a big breath with something close to relief before reminding herself the man was still quite capable of killing. “Why would Tyler—?” She shook her head because it just made no sense.

  “That I don’t know,” he said. “But I do know Christopher Tyler has every reason to hate me.”

  “Why?”

  “Classified.”

  “Is that going to be your default answer for everything?”

  “I’ve only used it once. But pretty much.”

  His teasing sounded like the old Nash and she involuntarily snorted.

  “I ratted his brother out for torturing prisoners.” He held up his cuffed wrists. “How about we start this bit of catch-up with you letting me out of these?”

  “I would think those bracelets would feel quite natural on you by now.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.” He raised his hand to scratch his nose. “I’ve been busted on so many charges I’ve lost count. But it’s always to catch the bad guys.”

  As if he could set himself apart from those bad guys now. Body Language 101. An itchy nose was a telltale sign of lies and deceit.

  But she didn’t need to catch him scratching his nose to know he was trying to charm her. His last seven, almost eight years were one big lie.

  He lowered his hands when she did not walk over and immediately release him.

  “I haven’t decided what I should do about you yet,” she admitted.

  “I can protect us better without these getting in the way.” There was some truth to that argument. He was armed and dangerous. And the handcuffs weren’t going to stop an ex–Navy SEAL from causing harm and doing damage. Truth was, if he’d wanted to hurt her or Ben he could have done so by now.

  “Protect us from who? Tyler?” She still felt a sense of disbelief.

  “Not just Tyler. I’m not running from the law.”

  “These people who are after you—”

  “Al-Ayman,” he said before she finished her sentence.

  “Al-Ayman, are they going to find you here?”

  “I hope to hell not.” His mouth held a grim line. “We’re pretty much off the radar here. No one can associate me with the town of Rock Springs or this cabin.”

  She tossed back the afghan and dug the key out of her pocket. He held up his hands and she yanked him by the chain. “This doesn’t let you off the hook, Nash.” She hovered over him. “You’re still in my custody.”

  His only response was to tilt his chin and look at her strangely.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” He seemed irritated by her question. “You’ve just changed, that’s all.”

  She inserted the key into the lock. His skin still felt cold and clammy, reminding her why she’d insisted he pull over at the gas station in the first place. And then she’d gone and mugged him in the bathroom. “You should maybe get some rest. Hydrate. Take a pain reliever or something.”

  She turned the key and released him from his bonds.

  “Careful, Mal.” He rubbed his wrists. “It’s starting to sound like you might care.”

  “Nothing happens to Ben,” she said. “Or so help me, Nash, I will shoot you. As for guns, keep yours locked up or under your control at all times. Ben is far too curious for his own good.”

  She settled back on the couch and pulled the afghan high over her shoulders and closed her eyes.

  Mal was surprisingly able to relax fairly quickly, but whenever she felt herself drifting off, she’d force her eyes open, only to find Nash staring at her unwaveringly.

  Eventually one of them would have to trust the other enough to fall asleep.

  * * *

  “WHAT’S THAT NOISE?” Tess spoke into her cell phone.

  “A C-130 Hercules,” McCaffrey said. “I’m at Buckley getting ready to board a flight back to North Island. What’s up?”

  She covered her opposite ear and pressed her cell phone closer to her face. “Sorry, I know it’s late and you’re probably anxious to get back home.” She glanced at her watch. It was well after midnight. “I’m at a small mom-and-pop gas station here in Eagle, Colorado. The FBI is in the head dusting for prints.” She glanced over her shoulder and stepped farther out of their listening range. “I thought you’d like to know that Glaze heard from Mallory. The FBI was using her smartphone to track them with an app called Mama Bear.” Once the FBI had realized Ben’s cell phone was on the move, they were able to catch up quickly. “They were maybe ten minutes behind when Mal called her cell phone.”

  “Is Nash in custody?”

  “No, they haven’t caught up to them yet.” Tess paused briefly before going on.“There’ve been a couple of curious developments I’d like to go over with someone who is not on a rampage.” She glanced toward the store where agents Tyler and Glaze were inside interviewing the owner while the evidence recovery and processing team scoured the restroom for traces of forensic evidence. A cell phone battery had been discovered in a trash barrel next to the pumps. “Glaze is in an uproar because Mallory lied about her location and then cut the call short. She said they were at the Kum and Go across the highway instead of at this mom-and-pop store.”

  Tess stood outside the light, pacing along a frozen ditch where the restroom key had been found. “Since they’d pinpointed her to the exit, he believed her. You know the type of place—corporate, clean, security cameras all over. No sign that Nash and company were ever there. However, a review of security footage shows Bari Kahn gassed up his motorcycle at the Kum and Go about four hours earlier. We’re sure it was him. We got a good shot without the helmet and ran it through facial recognition software.”

  She took a deep breath because this was going to be hard for Mac to hear.

  “Tyler has convinced Glaze that Nash coerced Mal into lying. That and the marshal’s last words combined with the terrorist’s presence, are pretty good pieces of proof that Nash and Kahn are in cahoots.” She reminded him that Bari had been the manager of the Little Eagle Lodge in Eagle, Colorado—the motel where Jenny Albright, now Jenny Erickson, had worked. Jenny had discovered hidden cameras in a trailer home she’d rented from Bari. With Itch’s help, Jenny and her young son escaped from becoming Bari’s next victims.

  Tess had had the pleasure of arresting Bari the first time.

  But despite her best efforts at trying to make the kidnapping and sex trafficking charges against him stick, being a foreign national with ties to terrorism had made Bari a better candidate for detention at Gitmo.

  How was any intel worth that man being free for these past six years?

  Tess sighed heavily. “You’re not going to try to convince me this is all just a coincidence that I’m standing at the Little Eagle Gas and Go, are you?”

  “Never said it was,” McCaffrey chuckled. “But don’t be so certain Nash is there to meet up with Kahn because they’re working together. Kahn could be trying to flush him out. Nash could be distracting you. Or leading you straight to Kahn.”

  “If that’s his intention it’s working. The FBI is following
up on leads to Kahn as we speak. I suspect we’ll be here all night. Tomorrow we’re broadening the search to the town of Eagle. According to the store owner, Mallory attempted to purchase three bottles of water and a map of California on a credit card in her name. And he distinctly remembers Nash mentioning California several times. He also had a lot to say about people who don’t return restroom keys, but that’s beside the point.”

  “Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Do you need me there?”

  “No.” Tess ran a hand through her dirty-blond hair, which was probably more dirty than blond right now. “I’m sticking to David Glaze like glue. If this goes south, it’s going there in a hurry. Just keep your team on standby. And, Mac.” She hesitated. “Tell Itch to give Jenny and Josh an extra hug tonight. He might need to be extra vigilant if Bari is headed to San Diego.”

  “Will do.”

  Tess disconnected and crossed the lot toward the store. Glaze came out with two coffees in hand. “Here.” He handed her a paper cup. “You look like you could use this.”

  “Thanks. How’s it going in there?”

  “I think we’re done here for the night. I’ve booked rooms for everyone at the Little Eagle Lodge. We can continue our search from there in the morning. And set up a command post if we need to. Don’t worry—I got you a single.” He produced a packaged toothbrush from his pocket and handed it to her.

  “Thanks again, Dave.” She saluted him with the toothbrush.

  “It’s David,” he said. The agent was actually quite charming when he wasn’t red-faced and shouting into cell phones. “I know you have your own agenda for this op, Tess. But he’s already shot one of my men. If he hurts Mallory I’m not going to be able to guarantee your man’s safety.”

  “He’s not my man,” she emphasized. “Mallory and Ben are my main concern here.”