by Rebecca Deel
“No problem, sunshine. Always happy to help damsels in distress. You wouldn’t happen to have a sister who’s single, would you?”
She laughed. “Sorry, Zane. I’m an only child.”
The communications expert gave an exaggerated sigh. “Just my luck. If you wise up and dump Morgan, give me a call.”
Alex scowled. “I’m going to dump you out of that wheelchair the next time I see you if you don’t quit hitting on my girl, Murphy.”
Deep laughter rumbled from the phone. “Not nice, man. Anything else I can do for you?”
“Nope. Maddox in?”
“Hold on. I’ll transfer you. Let me know if you need anything else, Alex.”
A moment of silence, then, “Maddox.”
“It’s Alex. You’re on speaker with Durango.”
“Saw the news coverage of today’s service. Looked packed. Any signs of trouble?”
“No. Who’s watching Mother and Porter?”
“Lily Stanton and Remy Doucet. Your family will be safe with them, Alex. What’s the latest on the investigation?”
Alex spent a few minutes summarizing the events of the past few days.
“Ivy’s in the room now?” Maddox asked.
“I’m here,” she answered.
“How’s the head?”
“Much better.”
“Do you need anything from me?”
She glanced at Alex, eyes wide. “Is he serious?” she whispered.
“I wouldn’t have made the offer if I didn’t mean it,” Maddox said. “You’re involved with Alex and you are now a target. You’re also under Fortress’s protection. What do you need?”
“Two things.”
“Name them, Ivy. If I can, I’ll take care of them.”
“Can you have someone check on my parents, please? I’m concerned Evans might try to harm them. I know Fortress is located in Nashville. My parents live in Belle Meade.”
“I’ll take care of it. Next?”
“For my peace of mind, would you please check that Lee Hall is still in prison?”
Alex reached around and grasped Ivy’s hand. He hated that note of fear in her voice. Patience, he counseled himself. His angel was coming around, her fire reigniting. One day, her fear of Hall would be gone.
Maddox was silent a moment. “Who is he?”
“Ex-boyfriend,” Alex replied. “He hurt Ivy. Choked her, threw her down the basement stairs and locked her in for three days in total darkness.”
Every member of Durango stiffened, anger a thick cloud in the room. Stella scowled.
Del’s hand clamped over Josh’s. “He choked you? Ivy, you didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t tell anyone except Alex and the police.”
She scowled. “How could Aunt Mari still want you with that creep?”
“Ivy,” Maddox said, interrupting Del’s tirade. “I’ll personally check on him. If he’s not behind bars, I’ll set the wheels in motion to track him down. Alex, anything else?”
“Not right now.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Guess that explains you sleeping with a light on,” Rio said to Ivy. “How long ago did this happen, sugar?”
“About eighteen months.”
“The panic attacks and claustrophobia?”
“Stem from that same incident,” Alex said.
“Somebody ought to do the same to Hall,” Quinn muttered.
“I plan to make an impression on him if he shows his face around Ivy again. Quinn, what did you learn about Evans from your contacts?”
“His life was plain vanilla until his father died. He quit his job, skipped town, and showed up in a militia group located in the hills of Kentucky. The group loves to play war games.”
“They fall in the government conspiracy camp?”
“Oh, yeah. The whole lot of them are crazy as loons. Neighbors complain about them shooting in the woods at all hours of the night, but law enforcement can’t do anything about it. The group owns a lot of acres and the boys and their peashooters don’t cross the property lines.”
“I take it there aren’t any near neighbors, then,” Josh said.
“No. Sounds carry at night, though.”
“Friends?” Alex asked.
“Head man in the militia is Trap McGee. He’s a real sweetheart. Served time for armed robbery, rape, and statutory rape, though he claims the latter was an unjust conviction because the 13-year-old girl was his common-law wife. He believes the government is oppressing the freedom of law-abiding citizens.”
Josh snorted. “And he’s an example of a law-abiding citizen?”
“Are there a lot of militia groups?” Del asked.
“In all fifty states, beautiful.”
“Why doesn’t the government do something about them?” Ivy asked.
“Can’t,” Stella answered. “People have the right to collect weapons and bullets, set aside supplies in case of a disaster, and print whatever rhetoric they want, no matter how crazy those words appear. The only groups law enforcement keep a close eye on are the radicals who don’t mind using domestic terrorism to make their points. Those are the ones who take hostages and blow up buildings, among other nasty things.”
“How does Evans’ group feel about the military?” Nate asked.
Quinn sighed. “We’re government-sanctioned thugs.”
“Implying we’re stupid as well as pawns of the government.” Rio shook his head.
“Can we get to McGee?” Josh asked.
“Sure, if we go into their compound with a bunch of Special Forces soldiers armed to the teeth. McGee never leaves the property. The compound is like a fortress. You can dig them out, but it’s going to cost you.”
“Any other friends in the group?”
“Guy named Jason Wainwright. He’s an accountant, a real genius according to my sources. That’s why the militia doesn’t have any money problems.”
“That’s what we all need, rich crazies brandishing guns,” Nate said.
“What about his enemies?” Alex asked. “Does he have any?”
“Just you, my friend. Seems everyone else thinks old Neil’s a great guy.”
“Any nibbles on D.C. connections?”
“Not so far. Evans has been very careful. My guess is he developed a friendship with someone on the Hill and used them to get the information he needs without showing his face around the capital buildings.”
“So we look at the staffers, see if we can connect one of them to Evans.” He reached back, patted one of Ivy’s hands. “Come sit with me, angel.” When she dropped onto the couch beside him, Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulders. With his free hand, he pointed at Rio. “Behavior patterns.”
“Loves movies, military black ops video games. Hasn’t seen the inside of a church since he was five. Goes through women like used tissues. Hates to read.”
Del rolled her eyes at that.
“Hasn’t been in contact with his family since he dropped off the grid after his father’s death. No children of his own that I could find.”
“What kind of movies does he like?” Ivy asked.
“Political action thrillers.”
“Looks like he’s creating his own.”
“Any one woman more special than the others?” Alex asked.
“Seems to have a soft spot for a woman named Lola Bridges. She works at a tavern outside Somerset.” Rio held up a hand. “I already asked Maddox if Fortress had someone nearby. They don’t.”
“We could ask Maddox to send Eli Wolfe up there if he’s not on an op,” Quinn said. “That frog boy could charm the legs off a lizard. Doubt Lola would stand a chance against him.”
Josh grinned. “His wife might object to Eli sweet talking another woman.”
“Wife?” Del twisted to stare at her husband. “Eli’s married?”
“To a woman named Brenna Mason. She’s a writer.”
Ivy sat up straighter. “I love her books. I’ve read them all. We have
her books on the store shelves, Del.”
She grinned. “Guess I’ll have to read more romance.”
“The point is,” Quinn interrupted, “Eli could question her without arousing suspicion.”
“As long as he doesn’t take Jon along,” Nate said. “That man has the thousand-yard stare down to a science and he always has that dangerous vibe going.”
“Except when he looks at his wife, Dana,” Josh said.
“He’s married, too?” Stella’s mouth dropped.
“And fiercely protective of the lady. She was the victim of human trafficking, had a very rough time of it. Right now, he won’t go anywhere if he can’t be back home by nightfall.”
“Somerset’s only a few hours from Nashville,” Rio said. “And I’d feel better if Jon went along just in case the militia gets wind of Eli questioning Lola.”
“Want me to contact them?” Josh asked Alex.
He nodded. “Tell them to watch their backs if they go.”
Josh pulled out his cell phone and walked into the bedroom.
Alex turned to Nate. “Finances?”
“No trail since his father died. Evans went off the grid totally. Closed his bank accounts, no credit cards, nothing.”
Ivy frowned. “What does he do with his money?”
“He’s a conspiracy theorist so he might bury it in the backyard, stuff it in his mattress or he could be tossing his money into the communal militia fund. I did find an account for the Blue Ridge Militia at a Somerset bank.”
“Opinion?” Alex asked.
“Probably the communal fund. Dude’s got to have money to fund this campaign against Durango. He won’t be able to take us on with peashooters because we won’t go down easy.”
Josh returned to sit beside Del. “Eli and Jon are on board. And they are taking their wives with them. They figured Brenna and Dana would enjoy the trip and planned to go on to Louisville for a few days. Neither of their wives have spent any time in Kentucky.”
“Smart SEALs,” Quinn said. “Using their wives for cover, but also making sure the militia can’t follow them back home, too.”
“With their wives along, Wolfe and Smith will be all the more deadly if the militia boys make a run at them.”
“Any more information on Evans?” With no positive responses, Alex said, “We need backgrounds on Dad’s staffers. Rio, take Elise Fredrickson, Dad’s personal assistant. Quinn, Sean Pierce, senatorial aide. Nate, dig up whatever you can find on Anthony Wells. He’s a research analyst. Dig deep. He might be a good fit for Fortress. Josh, you take Ian Rhodes, the public relations guy. I’ll arrange interviews with the staffers starting tomorrow. They all indicated a willingness to speak with me.”
“What can I do?” Ivy asked.
“Check with your friend, Henry. See if Porter made contact with him in the last two days. Find out if he’s heard anything in the art circles about the paintings that he can share.” He turned to Del. “Would you and Stella mind getting a meal for everybody and bringing it back here? Then you two can help with the research. I need the background information before the interviews tomorrow.”
“By the way,” he told his team, “We’re invited to visit with Charlotte Abrams and Sam tomorrow.”
Ivy’s hand clamped onto Alex’s. “We’re visiting the president’s daughter?”
He chuckled. “She’s looking forward to meeting you, angel. I thought you would enjoy meeting Sam.”
“He’s adorable,” Del said. “I wish I’d known we were going to see him. Is there a bookstore nearby?”
“Two blocks from here.”
“Great.” She turned to the marshal. “Can we make an extra stop? I want to pick up a few books for Sam. There’s a great series for kids that features a blue elephant like the one Durango gave him.”
“Glad to. I need a book to read, anyway.” She looked at Alex. “Do you want me to take my car or one of the SUVs?”
He dug out his keys, tossed them to her. “Take mine.” His vehicle was equipped with bullet-resistant glass and armor plating. Yeah, it put a hole in his wallet, but that precaution had saved their lives during the summer. No Special Forces soldier ever took safety for granted.
Durango scattered to different areas of the suite to begin researching. Alex stood, helped Ivy to her feet, and guided her into the small kitchenette. Not much privacy, but he didn’t need it to give his girl the next charm for her bracelet. After such a sad day, he figured she could use something fun.
“What is it?” Ivy asked, concern in her gaze.
He dug the charm from his pocket. “Close your eyes. I’ll tell you when you can look at the next charm.”
She smiled, complied with his request.
Alex attached the charm and kissed her knuckles. “Okay, angel, you can look now.”
Ivy twisted the bracelet, searched for her new charm, and burst into laughter. “It’s a coffee mug.”
“For my coffee addict.”
“You have the same addiction, buddy.”
“While that is true, coffee is no longer my top addiction.” He smiled. “I’m hooked on your kisses.”
His phone vibrated. Scanning the screen, he frowned. “Clay, what’s up?”
“Your father’s PR man, Ian Rhodes, was murdered an hour ago.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Ian’s dead?” Alex dragged a hand down his face. “How?”
Ivy drew in a deep breath, her joy at the new charm dissipating in light of this latest bombshell. Good grief. How many people were going to die because of one man’s thirst for revenge?
She frowned. Maybe it wasn’t Evans who killed him. Washington, D.C. wasn’t exactly a small town. Crime happened there as it did in major cities all over the country. Yeah, but what were the chances of that happening? Too coincidental to be true, much as she might want it to be. So the shooter had to be Evans covering his own tracks or the poisoner. The real question was why? Did he threaten someone? Her circular reasoning was why she was a teacher, not a cop. She understood art, not criminals.
Alex listened for a couple minutes, sighed. “Yeah, okay. Keep me posted. And before you ask, all of us have been in a suite at the hotel for the last two hours.” He snorted. “Right. You would have gotten around to it sooner rather than later. I don’t for one minute believe you’d give me a free pass on this.”
“What happened to Ian?” she asked when Alex ended the call.
“Someone shot him in the heart,” he answered, his expression grim. “One shot.”
“Clay thought it might have been you.” Ivy’s face burned. “Just because you’re a sniper? What kind of cop is he?”
“A good one, angel. Every member of Durango is more than capable of the murder, but I’m the most likely suspect because of my skill and it’s no secret I’m hunting my father’s killer. Clay has to consider maybe I found out Ian was the culprit who poisoned Dad and decided to exact my own revenge.”
“Would you have killed him?” she whispered.
“I would rather see Evans and the poisoner behind bars, especially since I don’t plan to spend years locked away from you. But if either comes after you, I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger, baby.” He clasped her hand in his. “We need to tell the others.”
When Alex passed along the news, Josh whistled softly. “Ian knew something or suspected someone.”
“Or he was the source of information for Evans and Evans turned on him,” Quinn said.
“Tear Ian’s life apart,” Alex said. “We need to know if Evans contacted him. As the public relations guru, Ian knew people and had access to a lot of information. It’s probable he had contacts in the military community. Whoever fed Evans the info about Badger has to have military contacts. I’ll call Zane, turn him loose on Ian’s emails. Josh, how soon do you think the crime scene team will be out of Ian’s place?”
“A few hours, at least. Why?”
A hard look at his friend. “Don’t ask.”
“Whatever you�
��re planning, do not go alone.”
The door to the suite opened. Del and Stella walked in loaded with food bags and a bag from the nearby bookstore. Josh and Nate sprang up, relieved the women of the bags.
“We picked up hamburgers and fries for the hearty eaters in the crowd,” Stella said. “For those of us who don’t eat like overgrown teenagers, we brought some salads.”
Del glanced at Ivy and winked. Thank goodness her cousin knew her so well. After the stress of this long day, Ivy didn’t think she could stomach anything heavy. Just the thought of eating hamburgers made her stomach churn.
“Anything develop while we were gone?” Stella asked.
“Ian Rhodes was murdered,” Nate said. “One shot through the heart.”
“Leads?”
“Clay is supposed to let me know what develops.” Alex opened one of the food bags and started laying out the burgers.
“And you don’t believe he’ll be forthcoming with the information.” She shrugged. “I wouldn’t if the case was mine.”
“You and I don’t go back thirty years as friends, either.”
“No, but he’ll have to consider you a suspect, Alex.”
Anger burned in Ivy’s gut. “He didn’t do it. It’s not right for him to be the scapegoat every time the local police and the FBI can’t figure out where to turn next.”
The man in question looked up and winked at her.
“We know your boyfriend isn’t guilty, Ivy. We’re all witnesses that he was here in this suite. However, look at it from law enforcement’s perspective. Alex has means, motive, and opportunity. He could have slipped out of the suite and confronted Ian Rhodes. He’s carrying two weapons right now.”
Ivy’s gaze darted to Alex. He smiled. Of course he was armed. He’d never go anywhere without a weapon, especially knowing someone was gunning for her and Durango.
“From what I know of Durango,” Stella continued, “he has more stashed. No question Alex has the skills necessary. If he discovered Ian had killed his father, it’s not a stretch to assume he’d act on that knowledge.”
When Ivy opened her mouth to protest, Stella held up a hand. “I’m not saying I believe that because I know the man Alex is. Clay can’t discount Alex as a suspect. After all, he hasn’t seen him in fifteen years. People can change in a lot less time than that.”
