“What is that?” Riley asked.
“Sh.” She thought one of the voices was familiar.
The camera lifted off the ground and pointed at two men sitting in chairs, gags in their mouths. One had a bloody, busted nose while the other hung his head forward to the point she couldn’t make out more than his profile.
Standing between both men was the man she recognized.
Thomas.
“Is that thing on?” Thomas asked.
“Yeah,” someone of screen said.
Mark Forest stepped into the frame, gun in hand. “This is proof of job completion, invoice twenty-three ninety-four.”
Riley reached over and closed the laptop, but not before she heard the first blast of gunfire.
She covered her mouth. Her whole body trembled.
“Erin? Erin, look at me, please?” Riley took her hands in his.
Parts of the events leading up to now made sense. Not entirely. Someone had sent this video to her Osman. Why? Was he blowing the whistle on people? Was his death really an accident?
“I need to see the email,” she said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She pushed his hands away and opened the laptop. Before the video could continue, she closed the tab and went to the email. She studied the sender information. The email was generic, likely a throwaway from someone who didn’t want to be identified.
Someone had sent this to her co-worker.
He’d marked it as important.
She needed to know what became of the meth lab report.
“Erin, talk to me.” Riley turned toward her, his hand braced on the back of her chair, his other hovering over her track pad hand.
“I think...” She swallowed, fitting her hypothesis together. “I think Osman was ratting people out, and that’s what got him killed. That’s what made Mark try to kill me.”
There was no doubt that if this video got out, Mark and his company were over. They’d be lucky to be arrested if not outright killed.
“I can’t give this to NexGen.” Her next leap of logic was that her parent company knew. “NexGen had to know something. They had some idea this was going on. He would have told them, don’t you think? That invoice bit. Unless, he paid for the hit, and that video is the confirmation?”
“We don’t know anything.” Riley took her hands in his.
“I have to do something with this—”
“We will. Give this to me. Grant and Melody can take the video up the chain. We’ve got people who can have this figured out before we land, okay?”
She nodded.
This was so over her head she didn’t know what to do.
MONDAY, DALLAS INTERNATIONAL Airport, Texas.
Mark sat in the SUV parked across from the terminal. Any moment now, Erin Lopez would arrive, and a series of events would be set into motion. Ever since Mark began doing these off-the-book jobs, he’d used others to cover up the end goal. People asked fewer questions about a freak allergic reaction resulting in death than they did when someone was killed during a mugging.
With any luck, Erin’s story would be neatly wrapped up in a bow.
Following her kidnapping by the family members who held her responsible for the deaths of parents, siblings, and cousins, one, lone survivor would finish the job.
Khalil would get the revenge he’d always wanted and Mark would have one loose end tied up. There was still the matter of that email to deal with, but Mark could handle that. There were ways.
First, Erin. It always came down to her. He’d misjudged her the first time around and suffered from that mistake. Once she was out of the way, it would all fall into place.
IT WAS EARLY EVENING by the time Erin’s flight landed and they were through with customs. She shuffled forward, still no less stunned by the video she’d witnessed hours before. Riley kept a steadying hand on her lower back, guiding her through the crowded airport.
Everything came back to her. The kidnapping, the attack, Thomas, yesterday. It was because of that damn video. She hated being helpless, unable to change the course of things. The series of events that landed her here weren’t even because of her. Not really.
“Come on, this way,” Riley muttered.
Erin placed her hand against her ribs. She needed to breathe evenly. More controlled. Yet she couldn’t make herself slow down and take a damn breath. Pain stabbed through her spine and organs to bore against her sternum.
“I need a moment.” She side stepped the crowd and braced her hand on the back of a chair near the doors.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Sit.” Riley directed her into the closest chair and knelt in front of her.
“It’s just the pressure changes and sitting. I’ll be fine.” Not to mention stress and everything else.
“When was the last time you took something?”
“I don’t know.”
The hair on the back of her neck rose.
Erin glanced over her shoulder. Through the glass, out by the curb, a man was staring at her. He turned his head the instant their gazes crossed. She was left with the impression of tanned skin, dark hair and eyes.
“Are we ready to go?” She winced.
“I think so.” Riley stood and peered outside. “Yeah, looks like Grant and the others are loading. You okay to walk?”
Erin wanted out of here.
Riley took her hand and helped her to her feet. Together they stepped through the sliding glass doors out into the hot sauna of a Texas day. She fanned herself and glanced at the same man standing at the curb.
He was looking at her again, and this time he didn’t back down
There was something about his stare, the way he had it aimed directly at her that caused a shiver.
“Erin? Hey, Erin?” Riley stopped her halfway to the car. His gaze searched her eyes. “Something’s not right.”
“I’m fine. Can we just go?” She winced, the muscles in her back cramping up.
“Hey, guys?” Riley waved at Grant.
Erin put one foot in front of the other, but it was a challenge. She finally gave up and let go of Riley’s hand to bend forward, hands on her knees and struggle for breath.
“Fuck this. Erin, I’m sorry.”
Riley scooped her up in his arms. She cringed at the pain shooting through her back and around to her chest, but at least they were moving. She’d put up with the pain if they just got out of here.
He carried her all the way to the SUV and got in, cradling her on his lap.
“Where’s the nearest hospital?” Riley asked.
Erin turned her head. The same young man stood a dozen or so feet away, still staring at her. She buried her face against Riley’s shoulder and willed him away.
“It’s going to be okay,” Riley muttered.
Moments later they sped off, leaving the unknown man in their dust while Erin struggled for breath.
16.
TUESDAY. SAFE HOUSE, Las Colinas, Texas.
Riley turned the SUV off and glanced around the gated community. Their latest safe house was a bit too close to its neighbors for his taste, with no perimeter fence. He’d have preferred a hotel or something, but this was what Zain had lined up. He had to have his reasons.
Vaughn and Nolan climbed out, stretching after still more hours sitting in uncomfortable chairs at the hospital. At least now they knew the extent of Erin’s injuries. A fractured rib and deep tissue bruising wasn’t fun, but it was better than being broken. The pain she’d experienced was due to knots and tension, both of which would be helped by a healthy dose of muscle relaxers.
“Come on.” Nolan knocked on the roof. “They’re supposed to have BBQ for dinner.”
“Right behind you,” Riley said. He glanced in the rearview mirror.
Erin had yet to move. That haunted look was still on her face, and he didn’t know how to fix it.
Nolan glanced from Riley to Erin, then shook his head. Vau
ghn nodded at the house and Nolan followed the other man across the stone walk to the front door.
Riley got out and opened Erin’s door, bracing his hands on either side. She’d been closed off from him all day, and he didn’t like it.
“You still bothered about that guy? The one you saw at the airport?” he asked.
“He was looking straight at me.” She turned her head and stared at him.
“You’re a pretty woman. You were also clearly not doing well. Maybe he was concerned and didn’t know what to do? People see shit happening all the time and just stand there taking video instead of helping.” Riley didn’t like the way this unknown man had scared Erin, but he didn’t want to let on to his own concern.
She just kept staring at him.
“If he comes around, we know what he looks like. Come on, let’s get inside.” He nodded at the house.
Erin reached out her hand and he took it. The muscle relaxers must be kicking in. She held on a bit too tight, not that he minded. He enjoyed being the one she turned to. If he could figure out how to make her trust him more, he’d do it. With any luck, he’d get a chance to when he came to Miami. If he had to ask off from work, maybe it was worth it. At least until they knew where they stood with each other.
She got out of the SUV and glanced around.
“Is it just me, or does this part of Texas feel like the Middle East?”
“They share a longitude line with northern Africa and the Middle East, so it makes sense the climates would be similar.”
“Stop making sense.” She set her eyes on the house. “Anyone from NexGen call to see where we were?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Riley and Erin walked hand in hand toward the sprawling ranch style home that would be their safe house for the next twelve hours. Given what they’d discovered while on the flight, he was glad they were postponing the visit to the NexGen offices till tomorrow. They needed to figure out what the hell they were going to do about the video Erin had found embedded in those sub-folders. With any luck, Zain had already cracked that nut, but Riley wasn’t going to hold his breath.
“Hungry?” Riley asked.
“I know I need to eat. Does that count?”
“Sure does.” He opened the door and ushered her into the house.
The smells of dinner had his stomach growling before he even got over the threshold.
“We didn’t leave you any,” Nolan called out.
Brenden wasn’t anywhere to be seen, probably because he’d taken first watch and therefore wanted to pass out on a horizontal surface for a bit.
Grant and Melody were in the living room adjacent to the kitchen and dining area. For once, they seemed to have found a companionable state of existence. They sat on opposite sides of the sectional, both with laptops. Erin’s equipment was on the ottoman with the screen lit up.
“What did you find out?” Erin crossed to the sectional and gripped the cushions.
Grant glanced at Riley. Grant, Melody and Brenden had left the hospital earlier in the hopes of doing some digging. Judging by that look they’d found something.
Erin reached out and waved her hand.
“I’m right here,” she said.
“He doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to tell you everything.” Riley didn’t need Grant to say the words. They’d worked together long enough that some things, Riley just knew.
“Not a good idea?” Erin frowned up at him.
“I’m guessing he’s figured out who the people are.” Riley kept staring at Grant, whose face didn’t change. “He probably even knows who the victims are.”
“Tell me.” Erin turned to glare at Grant.
“It’s not that simple.” Melody set her laptop down and twisted to face them. “Erin, you have to walk into NexGen tomorrow. We don’t know what NexGen’s role in all of this has been. Were they complicit? Were they customers? Are they innocent?”
“I don’t want to walk in there ignorant. Either I was set up, or I was pulled into this. I want answers. I want those people’s families to know what happened to them. I want Thomas and Mark to pay.”
“I get that.” Riley held up his hands. He wasn’t sure if Erin was about to throw a punch what with all that teeth grinding.
“So I’m doing nothing? Is that it?” Erin glared at Melody then Grant.
“You’re doing something.” Melody stood and took a few steps until her knees bumped against the cushions separating the two women. “All we want to do at this point is handle this correctly so that you are safe, and we do our job. It’s a delicate balance.”
“What are you doing, then?”
“Our home office has the link. They’ve made the identifications and will reach out tomorrow through the proper channels to report Mark and what we know.” Melody bit her lip.
Riley knew what she wasn’t saying.
They didn’t know if Mark’s company, his off the books arm, did jobs for the government or someone else. By doing the right thing and handling this through the correct channels, they could be inviting problems for Erin and themselves. Erin could become more of a target and Aegis Group could find themselves on the wrong side of some influential people. Not everyone cared about the costs to getting the job done.
“This is bullshit.” Erin turned and stalked down a hallway, leading away from the main part of the house.
“Erin...” Melody stared after her.
Riley grimaced and watched Erin duck into a room at random.
“I should talk to her,” Melody said.
“Let me?” Riley knew Erin better. He understood the guilt driving her to do something. Melody could never get that.
He strode down the hall to the closed door.
“Erin?” He tapped on the door. “You aren’t trying to run away again, are you?”
He tried the handle and found it was unlocked. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Erin sat on a padded bench at the foot of the queen-sized bed, bent forward with her face in her hands. He shut the door behind him and crossed the room to sit next to her. The shit she’d been through this last week was the kind of stuff no one should have to deal with, and yet she’d taken it all in stride. It spoke to the strength of her character and her resolve to see this through till the end. She was more concerned about others than her own safety. He admired that about her even if he would like nothing better than to lock her in a closet for her own good.
“I get that this is frustrating, but we’re trying to protect you and take care of Mark. It’s not simple,” he said.
“Don’t you think I know that?” Erin pushed her hand through her hair and sat up slowly.
“Then what are you mad about?”
“Everything?” She blew out a breath. “I should have gone through his stuff sooner. I should have found the link. I should have done something sooner.”
“You had no idea. You couldn’t have done two jobs at once, anyway.”
“It shouldn’t have stopped with him. Someone should have been told. We should have taken care of this.”
“What did you tell me? I can’t shoulder the blame for everything? Erin, you’re taking on too much responsibility. The way I remember it, when you found out about Mark’s team doing shady shit, you called them on it and got them fired.” In his book that was some pretty stand up stuff.
“I just did the right thing.”
“Not everyone does that. I bet when Allied got let go they had a lot of fires to put out and you weren’t on their radar but now that you are, it’s personal with them. Which is all the more reason to be ultra careful. We aren’t trying to hide this. We’re just trying to make sure the good guys stay alive.”
“I hate not knowing what’s going on.”
“You’ve got a bit of a control freak in there, don’t you?”
“You’re just now noticing?” She chuckled.
“I only know one way to rein in your control freak.” He reached over and tugged on a lock of he
r hair.
“Don’t.” One side of her mouth screwed up, betraying her words.
“We’re going to do the right thing. We’re all on the same side here.” He wound her hair around his finger, not pulling, but he could. “NexGen hired us to bring you home safe, and we’re committed to that. Even if that means protecting you from them. We don’t know if they’re involved yet. Okay?”
She nodded and leaned against his shoulder. He slid his arm around her waist, some of the tightness easing in his own chest.
“Any word from your brother?” she asked.
“Which one?”
“The one who was hurt? Matt?”
“I’m taking no news as good news right now. Casey did text me back. He’s got something tonight, but he’s going to try to meet up with us tomorrow afternoon.” If everything worked out that would mean he’d meet up with Casey once the protection detail job was over.
“Will I get to meet him?”
“Do you want to?”
“It might be useful to know a local cop.”
“He’s not exactly local, but if you’re going to be here even for a few days I’d like to know someone can look in on you every now and then.”
“Careful, I might start to think you care about what happens to me.” She poked his ribs.
“I care.” And that didn’t make him panic. It was new, weird and oddly appealing.
Erin lifted her head off his shoulder and peered up at him as though she didn’t quite believe him. He didn’t know how or why, but this was different. He cared about her. He felt things that made him want to run, but not as much as he wanted to stick with her. It was a change. One that didn’t leave him second guessing himself. It was like he looked at her and knew this was his destination.
“Yo.” Nolan knocked on the door. “You want to make a room service order?”
Riley grit his teeth and resisted the urge to tell Nolan to fuck off.
“You want to go out there?” Riley nodded at the door.
“Not really. If I do, I’m going to want to dig.” Erin pushed to her feet.
“Okay, then how about I make us both a plate and we eat in here.” He nodded at the TV. “We can find something to watch.”
Dangerously Taken (Aegis Group Lepta Team, #1) Page 19
