As she pondered the issue at hand, there was a knock on the door. Marina froze. Kevin had a key and would let himself in as he had last night. Whoever it was would go away thinking no one was home. Please go away.
There was a second knock and a woman called out, “Venus, KC sent me.”
Venus? KC? Kevin Collins. Why would he send someone without telling her about it first? Oh, God. Did something happen to him?
She flew off the couch and, with her hand on the doorknob ready to open the door, she paused. Kevin had said “they” were good. Could this all be a trick to get inside? Was this really a woman on the other side or a man disguising his voice? She needed something more to go on.
Marina needed to think of something only someone who truly knew Kevin would know. Of course, that’d mean I need to know something personal first. Not a great plan.
She removed her hand from the knob and stepped away from the door. The woman called out again.
“Venus, it’s okay. KC said if you want the remote for your candles, you should let me in.”
You bastard. You didn’t tell her about . . . oh, hell. Life and death were on the line. Worrying about who knew she had the vibrator in her nightstand was ridiculous. She should be grateful Kevin found the one thing he could use to prove the woman was on his side.
She went to the door but opened it only a crack. On the other side, she saw a woman dressed in a pair of jeans and a white blouse. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she seemed to be about the same height and build as Marina. This can’t be my new protection detail. She looks about as fierce as I do, which is zip.
“Trust me. It’s okay,” the woman whispered in a calm, reassuring voice, waiting patiently. There was something about her that said she might look sweet, but she was a bad ass. If Kevin had sent her, she knew the woman had to be able to hold her own, or she wouldn’t be here.
Marina peered around to confirm she was alone before opening the door all the way. When she did, the woman entered and locked the door behind her.
“Dr. Brimlow, I’m Master Sargent Margaret Graham. You can call me Maggie.”
Marina didn’t wait. There were a lot of questions, but she wanted to hear what Maggie was going to offer up first.
“Captain Collins . . . I mean Kevin . . . asked me to come and stay with you.”
“Without saying . . . goodbye?”
“Ma’am, he wouldn’t have left if he didn’t need to.”
She knew that. It didn’t make it any easier. Marina had no one yet had felt some connection with Kevin. His leaving so abruptly came as a shock. Deep inside she knew this was for the best. What she needed to do would only be more difficult if he was around. Suck it up, Marina. Stay focused and find a way to use this to your benefit.
“Is he returning?”
Maggie reached out and touched Marina’s arm. She could see Maggie was trying her best to console her, but she was outside her comfort zone. “I know he will if he can. Until then, he said to give you this but asked you not to connect it to any Internet. If you do, your location will be compromised. He said you’d understand what that meant.”
Marina took the laptop from Maggie. Even when he wasn’t with her, Kevin wanted her safe. She’d honor that request. The one about visiting her mother was one she couldn’t keep. All she needed to do was think of a way to convince Maggie to take her. Lying and manipulation aren’t my strong points. I wonder if there is a formula I can use to get the required results. Oh, if life were that simple.
With her laptop back in her possession, she’d review her data one last time while plotting her next move. This cloak and dagger bullshit wasn’t the change from my normal boring life I was looking for. I’m sure there must be something in between. Maybe not, though.
Chapter Nine
‡
He hadn’t made any promises to Marina, only to himself. That didn’t mean leaving her in Maggie’s care wasn’t troubling him. Leaving her without any forewarning bothered the hell out of him.
There was no doubt Maggie was all in and would do whatever it took to protect Marina. She’d proven herself to him when they’d hit The Mountain a few weeks earlier. If it hadn’t been for risking her life and those of her men by creating a distraction inside, things could’ve turned out differently.
Since it wasn’t a matter of trusting Maggie to do her job, why did he feel like shit for leaving? The goal was to keep Marina safe, and that was being done. He should be focusing on whatever Mark was about to tell him, not how Marina was feeling. No room for feelings. They are only going to get in the way. A distraction none of us needs.
Kevin knew it was too late. He already felt something for her, but he wasn’t exactly sure what that was. He’d faced death many times over the years. Being a target in the air or more recently on the ground was par for the course. He knew each mission meant life could be lost, either his or others.
This was unlike any mission he’d been on. Marina stopped being Dr. Brimlow and was just Marina. They were trained to avoid that, but there were times you couldn’t keep the wall up. Unknowingly she’d taken down his defenses, and he found himself thinking of her in ways he shouldn’t. No, leaving her when she needed him most somehow became the most difficult thing for him to do. Damn it, woman. What are you doing to me?
The wind from the chopper whipped around him as it approached. He knew whatever Mark had found out was a game changer. There was no other reason for Mark to risk meeting like this in broad daylight.
Once on the ground, Mark crouched down and got out. Kevin thought Johnson would be right by his side. He usually wasn’t far. Instead, Mark appeared to be alone. He was carrying a duffle bag. He knew it wasn’t his belongings, those traveled with him when they left the bayou. With everything that had gone down, he wasn’t surprised Marina’s belongings still hadn’t made it either. This was a time only necessities were thought of. Marina might not agree.
As Mark handed him the bag, he said, “You’re going to need these.”
Kevin met Mark’s gaze before opening the bag. His gut told him what it was, and he confirmed it when he looked inside. It contained two bulletproof vests, an assortment of weapons, and ammo. Closing the bag, he slung it over his shoulder. “What happened?”
“Jeremy Talroy, JT, escaped last night.”
Fuck. “You don’t just waltz out of a federal prison, Mark.”
“Not without one hell of a plan.”
“How did he pull it off?” Kevin asked, trying not to sound impressed.
“From what my sources say, he was being rushed to the hospital with what looked like a heart attack. On the way the ambulance was attacked, and the guards and medics were killed. JT wasn’t among the dead.”
That didn’t make any sense. JT was in prison, awaiting his trial for tampering with government documentation regarding the dam back in North Carolina. They knew he’d been paid well to cover up that it was intentionally blown.
“Why him? What are we missing?”
Mark shook his head. “The guards’ injuries were as expected in any gunfight, but they were hit hard. The medics were the same MO as the others. One bullet to the back of the head. This attack was well planned, and they weren’t going to leave emptyhanded.”
“Are you telling me the terrorists are the ones who have JT now? I thought he was only a puppet.”
“So did I. That might be what he wanted us to think. We’ve been unable to locate the head of this operation. Right now my gut is telling me it’s JT. If that’s the case, things are about to get a lot worse before they get better.”
Kevin understood why. If JT wasn’t the scapegoat they’d thought he was, he was out for one purpose: to take back the control they’d lost when he was arrested a year ago.
If what Mark was saying was correct, their sister, Casey, could be in grave danger as well. She was the reason JT was sent to prison in the first place. Casey had pushed the investigation into the death of Derrick’s late wife, Penny, and their daughter, Ki
m. If she hadn’t done so, JT probably never would have been caught.
If I were out for revenge, Casey would be my first stop. “Mark, if you’re right, Casey—”
“I know. Johnson and the others are on their way to take her and Derrick to a safe location. Hannah is also en route.”
“What about Bailey and Don?”
“They’re safe for now. Don took Bailey out of the country to get away from all this mess shortly after you left for the bayou. I’ve been keeping him up to date with everything that has transpired, except this latest incident. He only knows to keep her close and to stay offline. Our only method of communication will be the secure lines.”
“Anyone backing him up?”
“For now, they are out of my reach. To get protection outside the US, we’d need to come back on the grid. It’s a risk we can’t afford to take. If the wrong people get wind of what’s going on, what we’ve been up to, it could put us all in more danger.”
No one knew who was on JT’s payroll. Even with him in prison, General Floyd was killed. If JT was, in fact, the man in charge, his reach was vast; he wasn’t sure any of them were ready to find out how vast. Each time they believed they were getting closer to an end, something even uglier reared its head.
“Does Derrick know why they’re being moved from the ranch?”
Mark nodded.
No matter how much any of them hated those bastards, Derrick hated them more. Knowing his wife and daughter had been collateral damage on the attack in North Carolina was bad enough, but finding out that the person responsible was free again and most likely coming after his new wife and unborn child must have shaken him to the core.
Casey, you sure are a Collins. There’s only one way we do things. Rattle the hornets’ nest and hope we don’t get stung too bad. You can’t get much worse than this.
So much ran through his mind. He wanted to tell Mark he was getting on that chopper with him. He wanted to be there to help, if not lead, the protection detail for Casey and Derrick. That was his sister too. If they were positive she was the first target, nothing would hold him back. Nothing was guaranteed. JT was unpredictable, and a mistake now was going to cost lives. All they could do was cover as much ground as they could. Leaving Marina exposed wasn’t something he could do.
“Mark, I . . .”
“I get it, Kevin. We all face a time when duty isn’t as clear as it’d been before. I never realized that until . . . Hannah. It changes one’s perspective on life. When you no longer can tell where your life ends and hers begins. You stay here. I know you’ll do everything you can to protect the chemist. If we get through this, she’s going to need you more than either of you realize.”
This conversation was one he hadn’t expected. It’d been years, since they were both teenagers, that they actually conversed on something other than the service. For years the Navy was all Mark had. Kevin fell into the same trap with the Marines. It worked for both of them at the time. Now, he understood what Mark felt when he thought of Hannah in danger. The adrenaline that always ran through their blood as they faced a gunfight was increased a hundred times over.
That didn’t mean either of them could run from who they were or what they needed to do. These women were counting on them. Hell, the entire fucking world is counting on us stopping them. Things were about to change, and they knew no one was safe.
The two men normally parted ways with a nod. One look and they took a step forward and hugged each other, knowing until this was over, this was the last time they’d see each other. And if something didn’t change and work in their favor, it might be the last.
“Semper Fi,” Mark said as he released Kevin and headed back to the chopper.
Semper fi. Bring them all home safe, Mark. He didn’t move until the chopper was out of sight. From this point on he was on his own. The weight of it hit him like a Mack truck. He needed to get back to the apartment. Marina’s safety was all on him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to update her on the latest development. Not that I’ve told her much of anything yet. He knew somehow she’d feel guilty, and that wasn’t hers to carry. When he first met her, he didn’t understand she was the brilliant scientist who stumbled onto something. Now that he knew, he wouldn’t make the same mistake and blame her for things that were out of her control. The issue was the greedy people in the world who’d do anything to get their hands on her knowledge and use it for power and control. She was innocent, and he’d protect her innocence with all his might.
Forgive me, Marina. You need to stay in the dark. Knowing the truth is only going to destroy that lovely spirit you have. If I could give you anything, I’d grant you the freedom you want. If we get through this, I’ll make sure you get it.
He arrived back at the apartment and opened the door, expecting to see the two women sitting there sipping coffee or tea but neither were in the living room. He searched the apartment frantically, but it was empty. Fuck. I’m too late. They have her.
Kevin pulled out his phone and called Maggie. Please pick up. “Graham, what the fuck happened? Where are you?”
“Easy, Collins. Marina needed to see her mother. So we took a short road trip, and we’re on our way back.”
“You’ve no idea what you may have just done. They could use her mother against her. You know that.” Kevin’s voice was full of anger as he yelled into the phone.
“Since her mother is no longer alive, I don’t think that’ll be an issue.”
“You took her to visit a cemetery? What would make you do such a thing when you know what’s at risk?”
Maggie’s voice was softer when she responded. “Saying goodbye to those you love is hard. I know. I wish I had a place I could go and sit one more time with my sister. But I can’t because . . . you know why I can’t.”
Because no one knows she’s dead. No one knows you’ve taken on her identity so you can make these fuckers pay for what they did to her. Yeah. I get it. But I can’t risk Marina getting hurt. And if it means I have to be the bad guy and say no, then so be it. As long as she’s safe, I don’t care what she feels for me. “You should’ve waited. What’s your ETA?”
“We’re at the border of New Hampshire now. I would say we should be back in Rhode Island in three hours, tops.”
If Maggie thought that was supposed to make him feel better, it didn’t. So much could happen in that amount of time. He couldn’t blame her entirely as Kevin had only told her to keep Marina in her sight. He should’ve been clearer and said not to leave the apartment unless the location had been compromised. That was the problem with not providing all parties with all the facts. Hell, Maggie doesn’t even know Marina’s the chemist, never mind the general’s daughter. If Maggie knew who she was being so sweet and supportive to, she never would’ve taken Marina on that unauthorized road trip.
Kevin wasn’t about to share any of those details with Maggie until they were back and safe in the apartment. Until then, there wasn’t anything Kevin could do but pace the floor. All he knew was once Marina was back by his side, hell would freeze over before he let her out of his sight again. Even if it means I need to handcuff you to me, I will.
Marina knew Kevin wasn’t going to be pleased when they returned. That was something he needed to deal with. He’d made it clear he wasn’t going to take her so when the opportunity presented itself, she took it, without delay. The fact that she and Maggie connected on the loss of a loved one only made it easier. Maybe I can be persuasive after all.
When she started to dig into the ground, Maggie gave her a look as though she regretted ever agreeing to bring her to the grave site. When Marina pulled the urn from the ground and took it to the car, she thought Maggie was going to refuse to let her bring it back. She’d come up with an elaborate story to tell if she was faced with that situation. Maggie didn’t say one word. Instead, her eyes teared up before she looked away. If she weren’t trying to avoid questions, she would’ve asked Maggie if everything was okay. It wasn’t a time for sharing. It n
ever will be a good time to tell anyone what I did. It’s better everyone thinks I can’t be without my mother’s ashes. That’s so much better than the truth.
Holding the urn in her arms, she couldn’t help but miss her mother even more. If she were alive, Marina would have a person she knew she could trust totally. It was something she desperately needed right now. The only other person she felt compelled to open up to was Kevin, and that wasn’t possible. If Kevin knew everything, he’d never again look at her like he had on the chopper. He’d know this is all my fault and I deserve whatever I get. I shouldn’t be protected. I should be in prison.
Those weren’t the thoughts she wanted as they approached the apartment. It was only going make facing him even more awkward. The only positive was he’d think her standoff attitude was due to the little adventure she took with Maggie. For now, she’d play along with that. If not, he might become suspicious and take a look in the urn. That wasn’t something she could risk. Kevin didn’t seem foolish enough to open one of the vials, but if he did, there’d be nothing she could do but watch him die. Sometimes lying is the best thing you can do for a person you care about.
As she expected, Kevin was at the door looking mad as hell. “We’ll talk about this later,” he said to her as she entered.
Marina gave him a warm smile, carried her urn into the bedroom, and put it on the nightstand. She needed to keep it close to her. She couldn’t let it out of her sight, and since Kevin wasn’t going to bed with her, she figured that was a safe place.
She was just about to go back into the living room when she heard Kevin talking to Maggie, and he didn’t sound happy.
“If anything would’ve happened to her—”
“Nothing did,” Maggie replied defensively.
“You didn’t know that when you left.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” Maggie asked. “If there were parameters for the mission, you should’ve outlined them.”
Marina held her breath, waiting to hear his answer. Was he going to share with Maggie what he wouldn’t tell her? It’d be understandable as they were both in the Marines, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt her. It makes no sense. Why do I need him to trust me? How can I ask someone to give what I can’t give myself?
Southern Regions (Southern Desires Book 4) Page 10
