by Rebecca Deel
Adam lifted one shoulder. “Takes more than a thug to take down a Marine.”
“Did you hear about Dane?” Veronica asked Walsh.
A frown. “No. What happened?”
“He’s dead.”
The operative stiffened. “And you think I killed him.” A statement of fact, not a question.
“You tell me.”
“I had no reason to kill him.”
“Even if he was responsible for Veronica’s capture and torture?” Adam asked. Beside him, Veronica jerked. He shifted so his thigh pressed against hers.
“Why would he arrange her kidnapping, then send in rescuers?”
“He might not have expected Adam and the others to arrive so fast,” Veronica said. “If the DEA were in charge, the rescue would have taken much longer to organize.”
Walsh snorted. “We don’t have that kind of luxury.”
“Good thing for me.”
“Look, Veronica, nothing personal, but I don’t know you. I had no reason to mete out vigilante justice over someone I’ve spoken to on the phone a handful of times.”
“What did Dane say when he called you?”
“What are you looking for?”
“Anything to help us figure out who killed him.”
“How did he die?”
“Car accident,” Adam said. “The police report said he lost control of the car, maybe due to mechanical failure, and hit a grove of trees, head on.” Zane had included that bit of information in the text granting him permission to approach Walsh’s house.
“That’s not possible,” Veronica said. “Dane was obsessive about his vehicles. He worried about Cissy’s safety while she was on the road.”
“Then we need to look at his car.”
“I’d rather not have to break into the police impound lot. Makes a visit behind bars much more likely.”
Adam smiled. “We wouldn’t get caught, but breaking in won’t be necessary. I have a friend who works for Metro police as a homicide detective. He can get us in there legally, although the other way would be a challenge and more fun.”
“Your idea of fun leaves something to be desired, Walker.” Despite her words, Veronica’s eyes sparkled with humor. “What did Dane say when he called, R.J.?”
“You missed your check-in on an op in the Chihuahua province and he was worried. He wanted me to get word to Fortress.”
“Did he say why he wanted Fortress to find me as opposed to the DEA?”
“Just said something odd was going on in his unit.”
Another finger pointed straight at the DEA. Someone Veronica worked with was out to frame her for treason and possibly the murder of her handler. “How long have you been in contact with Veronica?” Adam asked.
“Two years. Why?”
“Has Dane ever contacted you before?”
“Sure. Like I said, in this business, we help each other. Trident spends a lot of time in areas where the DEA is gathering intelligence or setting up a sting.”
So did Fortress, but Maddox wasn’t in the habit of contacting other agencies to rescue his operatives. Had Cissy misunderstood Dane? Maybe he wasn’t convinced Veronica was guilty. Perhaps he knew someone was setting her up and suspected one of his own as the culprit. “Did he mention anything like this happening before now?”
“Nope.”
“How did you know to contact me?” Veronica asked. “I never heard of you before our first phone conversation?”
“Dane owed me a favor. I helped another of his agents out of a jam. I needed information, fast. You had been working in the area where we had a mission scheduled to rescue a five-year-old girl.”
“I remember that. I had to leave for another assignment right after we talked so I never found out how the mission went. Will you tell me how it turned out?”
“She’s a happy seven-year-old, getting ready to turn eight. She has a few nightmares. Other than that, she doesn’t seem to have suffered many repercussions.”
“Have you heard rumors about treason in the DEA ranks?”
His eyes narrowed. “Other than you selling out? No.”
“And yet you still contacted Fortress on my behalf. Thanks for that.”
Walsh inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Your information is spot on every time. I owed you for that at least. If you are guilty, the feds will deal with you on their terms.”
“They already tried,” Adam said, his voice soft. “Someone shot at her a couple hours ago.”
“Huh. Kidnappers trying to reacquire their prize or co-workers targeting her?”
“That’s what we’re looking into,” Veronica said. “Has anyone asked you about me in the last few days?”
Walsh shifted his weight, stretching out his injured leg with a wince. “A couple of people besides Dane. Carol Rossi and Graham Norton both contacted me, looking for information on your whereabouts.”
“What did you tell them?” Adam leaned his forearms on his thighs.
“Nothing. What could I tell them?”
“You didn’t mention calling Fortress?”
Anger flared in Walsh’s eyes. “I’m not a newbie to this game, Walker. After Dane’s call, I knew better than to trust anyone with that information. I figured if you and your friends saved Veronica, you’d stash her somewhere safe.” His gaze shifted to Veronica.
“Tell me,” she said.
“Norton said you and he were very close. You didn’t call him as soon as your feet touched U.S. soil.”
“He’s a friend who wants to be more. I don’t.” She stood. “Thank you for speaking to us, R.J. How soon will you be back at work?”
“Three or four months. I have a lot of physical therapy ahead of me.” He limped to the front door ahead of them.
“I noticed the pictures of your family.” She smiled. “They’re beautiful. You’re a lucky man.”
He nodded. “They are my world.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet them as well.”
“They’re not here.” He slammed the door behind them.
Adam thought about his words as he walked with Veronica to the SUV. He waited until he was driving from Walsh’s home before he said, “What do you think about Walsh and the interview?”
“Something more is going on with him than restlessness from being sidelined.”
“He said his family wasn’t there, not that they were out running errands or at the doctor or dentist. They aren’t living at the house with him at the moment.”
“Wonder what happened?”
“Divorce rate is high in our business, Vonnie.”
“Same with law enforcement, unfortunately. It’s hard when your spouse is gone most of the time.”
True enough. He knew many military buddies who divorced because of the multiple deployments and difficult adjustments when the loved one returned home. He glanced at Veronica. “Tell me about Graham Norton.”
“There’s nothing much to tell.”
“Vonnie.”
She flashed him a look filled with irritation. “We’ve been on several missions together. He is also deployed overseas quite a bit.”
“I thought you didn’t have a partner.”
“I don’t. Remember, I gather intel, then my handler sends in the rest of the team. Graham has been on those teams.”
He was silent, waiting for her to continue.
Finally, she sighed. “He wants more than I can give him, Adam.”
“What does that mean?”
“We went on a few dates. He pressed for more.”
“You didn’t want more?”
“I don’t feel the same way he does. The chemistry isn’t there for me. He’s a friend, nothing more. I didn’t think it was fair to go to dinner or a movie when he was hoping for a more serious relationship, so I quit accepting his invitations. And before you ask, yes, I did explain how I felt. I like him, Adam, but only as a friend. I didn’t want to hurt him by giving him hope for more when there’s no chance more wil
l develop.”
He squeezed her hand. “He’s not taking no for an answer.”
“Not really.”
“Maybe I can help with that.”
“No.”
Her flat tone and narrowed eyes had his lips curving. “You expecting me to call him out for a duel at dawn?”
“I can handle him myself.”
“I didn’t think otherwise. I merely meant that knowing you’re dating someone new might encourage him to focus his attention elsewhere.”
Veronica was quiet a moment. “Are you serious about us dating, Adam?”
His head whipped her direction. “Definitely. You game to try?”
“It will be a challenge.”
“Everything worthwhile is.” Another squeeze of her fingers. “You’re worth the effort.”
“I hope you still think so as we dig deeper into this mess. The more we learn, the guiltier I look. Whoever is framing me is doing a great job. You would be better off staying as far away from me as you can.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Adam drove to a nearby cafe and parked in the adjacent lot. “Come on. I’m starving and you didn’t eat much this morning.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Her emotions were running high, but her body still needed fuel to function at peak efficiency. “We still need to eat, Vonnie. If you don’t find anything here to tempt you, we’ll try somewhere else.”
When they walked into the cafe, Adam’s stomach growled. Veronica nudged him. He winked at her and led her to the order counter. Ten minutes later, a cafe employee brought food and drinks to their table.
After they returned to the SUV, Adam asked Zane for Carol Rossi’s location. Seconds later, he received the address. He showed the screen with the information to Veronica. “Recognize this?”
She groaned. “That’s the DEA office.”
“Maybe we should try Graham next because I’m not taking you to your office. I’d rather not have to bust you out of jail.”
“She’s a good friend. I’ll ask her to meet me somewhere neutral.”
“Think she’d do it without telling anyone?”
Veronica nodded.
“It’s your decision. However, your meeting place must be somewhere defensible with many exits, too many for your fellow agents to cover if Carol sets a trap for us.”
“Us?”
He sent her a pointed look. “You aren’t going by yourself. If she’s a true friend, she will understand why the man you’re dating is watching your back.”
“You’re right.” She pulled out her phone and typed a text. A minute after she hit send, the reply came back. Veronica did a fist pump. “She agreed. We’re meeting at Cool Springs Galleria in two hours. She has an appointment in the area anyway.”
“Perfect. Lots of exits and a crowd to get lost in if it’s necessary.” He drove toward the interstate. As he accelerated on the entrance ramp, Zane called.
Adam tapped his Bluetooth. “You’re on speaker with Veronica.”
“You holding up okay, Veronica?”
“Adam is taking good care of me.”
“What did you learn from R.J.?”
“Not much.” Adam summarized the few pieces of information they picked up while interviewing Walsh.
He sighed. “I’m not surprised based on what I discovered over the last few hours.”
“Talk to me.”
“R.J. is in hock up to his eyebrows.”
“Why?”
“Gambling. That’s why his wife left him and took the kids. Apparently a bookie sent a leg breaker to her work to collect on the debt. This clown threatened to hurt the kids if R.J. didn’t pay.”
Adam scowled. He’d expected Zane to tell him Walsh was in debt because of the house, land, and the kids’ private tuition, not this. Probably shouldn’t be surprised, though. Some guys needed the adrenaline rush even while stateside. His addiction to adrenaline might have cost R.J. his family.
He didn’t understand why a man would risk losing the people who mattered most in his life. The only person left in Adam’s family was Claire. He and Claire lost their grandmother a few months earlier. At least he’d been home to support Claire through the grieving process. Nana lived long enough to ride herd on him through the worst of his recovery from Collins’ handiwork.
“Is there a sudden infusion of cash into his bank accounts?” Veronica asked.
“Not that I can find. However, he might have an offshore account. That will take me longer to track down and I need a direction to start the search.”
“Not worth your effort at this point. Check his email. See if there’s an indication of him being the leak.”
“Copy that. Adam, Carol is on the move. Do you want me to send the link so you can track her signal?”
“She agreed to meet us at Cool Springs Galleria in two hours. Keep an eye on her signal. If it look as though she’s heading somewhere else at our meeting time, let me know.”
“No problem. In the meantime, I’ll dig into Carol Rossi’s background. Let me know when you’re ready for Graham Norton’s location.”
After Adam ended the call, Veronica twisted in her seat. “What did you think about R.J.?”
“He’s skating on a razor-thin ledge and about to plunge over a cliff.”
“You thought that before Zane told you about his gambling?”
“He is restless, edgy, and paranoid. If his wife hadn’t left him already, she would have walked out soon.”
“Why do you think that?”
“If Walsh doesn’t get help soon, he’ll fall further into paranoia. He could endanger himself and his family.”
“How do you know?”
Would she consider him weak? Might as well find out now. It was no secret he’d sought professional help after his time with Collins. “I experienced the same symptoms after I was freed in Belize. Maddox guilted me into talking to a Fortress counselor. He used Claire and my grandmother’s safety against me. He was right.”
“Talking to the counselor helped you?”
“Didn’t stop the nightmares.” He still suffered from those, though not as frequently. “She did help me not to reach for the nearest weapon every time Claire or Nana walked into my room. Does the DEA offer counseling services to their agents?”
“Of course.”
“You take advantage of it?”
She remained silent.
“I’ll take that as a no. Once you’re cleared, you should think about talking to someone.”
“I’ve talked to you and Maddox.”
“Not the same, Vonnie, and you know it.”
Veronica turned away to stare out the window. “I’ll think about it,” she muttered.
Adam wanted to push her for more of a commitment for the sake of her mental wellbeing, decided to let it alone for now. They drove in silence the rest of the way to Cool Springs.
In the mall, he bought them both a cup of coffee in the food court as they waited for Carol to arrive. “Are you angry with me?” he asked Veronica.
“Of course not. You care. I can’t fault you for that.” She cupped her hands around her cup. “Do you really think I need counseling?”
“Vonnie, you went through a traumatic experience in Mexico. I’m amazed at how strong you are, but there can be repercussions later. If you start having issues, I want you talk to a DEA or Fortress counselor.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “Okay.”
“Nica!” a female voice called. A woman with long red hair pulled back into a ponytail hurried toward them. When she reached their table, she hugged Veronica. “I’ve been worried about you. Where have you been?”
Veronica patted the seat beside her. “Sit so we can talk. Carol Rossi, this is Adam.”
Carol dropped into the seat, her gaze locked on Adam. “Adam Walker?”
“That’s right.”
A slow smile curved her lips. “I was beginning to think you were a figment of Nica’s imagination. I’m glad to finally meet you,
Mr. Walker.”
“Adam, please.” He slid the extra coffee he’d purchased to the agent.
“Thanks for the coffee. Call me Carol.” She turned to Veronica. “What is going on? Dane was acting like a grumpy old bear for days before….” Carol stopped, horror dawning in her eyes. Her hand clamped on Veronica’s. “Nica, have you heard about Dane?”
“I know he’s gone.”
The other agent sighed. “At least I don’t have to deliver the bad news. Where have you been for the past two weeks? You didn’t tell me you were leaving.”
“Mexico. Dane sent me on another assignment in the Chihuahua province with orders not to tell anyone I was leaving the country.”
“No one knew you were going on an assignment. Graham was driving everyone nuts, demanding to know where you were. He’s been worried sick about you.”
Adam draped his arm around Veronica’s shoulders. Seeing his action, Carol’s eyes widened, comprehension dawning in her gaze. Exactly the reaction Adam was after. He wanted Carol and any others she talked to after this to know he cared about Veronica. If she went missing, he would never rest until he found her and brought her home, no matter how long it took.
“Dane asked me not to tell anyone in the office where I was going,” Veronica said.
Carol’s cheeks paled. “Nica, if anything had happened to you after Dane’s death, no one would have found you.”
When Veronica’s gaze shifted to Adam, he gave a slight nod. He wanted to see Carol’s reaction to the news of Veronica’s captivity.
“I was captured by Los Diablos, Carol.”
She gasped. “What? How did you escape?”
Veronica reached for Adam’s hand. “Adam and some of his friends found me.”
Carol turned widened eyes Adam’s direction. “How did you know she needed help?”
“Dane reached out to someone with contacts in Fortress, told him Veronica was missing.”
“He must have done that right before he died. Nica, what is going on with you?”
She blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Come on. First you disappear and have to be rescued by an outside group, then we’re told you’re a person of interest in an investigation.”
