by Geri Foster
“I heard. She thinks Nagi might go ahead and kill El Hashem since he’s dying anyway.”
“Makes sense, Frank,” Garrett said. “They leave him behind and we might be able to get something out of him that would expose their future plans.”
“Let’s concentrate on Haley. What do you think? Where would she be safest?”
Only with me. But he couldn’t admit to that out loud. “Dallas, but we’re not getting there unless we drive. I’m sure Nagi’s men are watching the airport and bus stations. Before we do anything, we need to determine their intentions. If they have bigger plans, she might not be in danger at all.”
Frank paused. “I’m not comfortable letting her go back to her apartment or to the hospital. You and I both know it isn’t going to be that simple. Nagi won’t let an insult slide. He’ll come for her.”
“It’s getting late. We’ll check into a hotel, get something to eat, and some rest. I’ll have Harrington and Grey check out where they were keeping Haley and see if they can find evidence they’ve moved on to a bigger target, then we can reevaluate.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Frank hung up and Garrett turned to look at Haley. The frown on her face said it all. She’d never liked people making decisions for her. “You heard the conversation and I know you’re too smart to disagree.”
“I’m not disagreeing, but I’d like to have been part of the conversation.”
“Okay, what do you suggest?”
“Nothing, other than keeping me out of the hands of the crazy men who like to play with explosives.” She pointed a neatly manicured finger at him. “And I don’t want them coming after me.”
“That means we find a hotel, get dinner, and hole up until we hear from Harrington and Grey.”
“I agree, but I want my own room.”
Here we go. “No. Not going to happen. If there is any chance they’re following us, I won’t risk them showing up in the middle of the night.”
“Can we have separate beds or connecting rooms?
“I’ll figure out something that’s comfortable for both of us.”
“Yes, please. Do that. God forbid we should be uncomfortable.” Sarcasm dripped from her words.
Jim Douglas unlocked the back door of his shop and shooting range, Lock and Load, then dropped the key back to his pocket. He grew more nervous by the minute. He and El Hashem had agreed to meet today. The money would change hands and then he’d take possession of the product. If something didn’t happen soon, Jim would be forced to clear out his weapons vault.
If the feds paid him a visit now, he’d be up shit’s creek. It was two hours later when customers started showing up. Jim put on a smile and worked the counter.
A man and woman in their mid-thirties approached. The man had a beer gut that stretched his sweatshirt and the woman wore her long hair down with a fat roll for bangs. Poor thing looked like she’d never seen the inside of a beauty salon.
They both had their weapons secured in cases and the guy proudly flipped out his concealed carry permit. “We came for some target practice. Need to teach the little lady here how to handle a weapon. She’s never been to a gun range before.”
She giggled like a six-year-old. “I never even shot a gun.”
Her husband leaned heavily on the counter and winked. “She’s a virgin.”
Jim kept his fake smile in place. “I’m sure she’ll love it. Surprisingly, more women like to shoot than men.”
The man didn’t seem to like the comparison. “That’s because half of them want to be men. Damn butches.”
Jim didn’t let his smile slip. The idiot hotshot didn’t impress him, and he seriously doubted ‘the little woman’ was either. A lot of women lived alone and only wanted to protect themselves. They weren’t out there playing Wild, Wild West.
“Do you need any ammunition?”
The man shook his head.
Jim pulled out two target sheets and laid them on the counter. “That’ll be twenty-five dollars for an hour each.”
The guy reached in his back pocket for his wallet. Both gun cases were on the counter. Jim opened them and inspected both the weapons and ammunition. They each signed the standard waiver and Jim rung them up on the cash register. The couple snatched up their target sheets and quickly headed back to the shooting lanes.
Most of his customers couldn’t wait to start firing their toys.
“You’ve been assigned lanes ten and eleven,” he called out. “Be sure to use the safety glasses and the noise canceling headphones.”
They didn’t say anything as they disappeared behind the thick door. Jim knew enough about his clientele to surmise that neither one would use any of the safety equipment. The guy wanted to show off, and the woman wanted to satisfy her curiosity about big bad guns.
Poor bastards.
Two hours later, Hiram walked in. Tall, lanky, and skinny as a beanpole, he worked part-time after school. Jim only paid minimum wage, but Hiram liked being around guns. Jim often worried that, when he had other business to attend to, Hiram got into his stash and played gunslinger with himself in the mirror in the corner.
Jim didn’t really care, as long as the kid stayed out of the back room. If he caught wind that Jim had hundreds of military grade weapons in there, he’d never be able to keep his mouth shut. That’s the reason for the combination lock. He just hoped it didn’t entice Hiram to try to figure it out.
“How’s it going, man. I’m sorry I’m a little late. My mom had to pick up my younger brother from school.”
“That’s okay, it’s been pretty slow.” He pointed toward the shooting range. “There are six active lanes right now, but business will pick up later.”
Hiram walked toward the back. “You want me to do a walk through and make sure everyone is obeying the rules?”
Barely eighteen, he enjoyed nothing better than scolding adults. While always polite, he often tended to be a little too dictatorial. Hiram complained their customers usually ignored him and went about their business. He wasn’t a bad kid, so Jim ignored his grumbling.
Hiram didn’t get it. Jim just wanted their money. If people were determined to ignore range rules and blow out their eardrums or risk an eye injury, they could have at it. Hell, if county didn’t do regular inspection, Jim wouldn’t do squat.
Not wanting the hassle this evening, Jim shook his head. “Nah, let them be. Dust the shelves instead. Also, I’m stepping out for a few minutes. Watch the place.”
Hiram’s disappointment felt palatable, but Jim had other things to worry about. He needed to hear from El Hashem soon or he’d have to sell the hardware to the Russians. They were always eager to buy more weapons, but he’d have to take a cut in pay.
He left and went to a local bar. Two miles down the road and in an out of the way area, his pickup wouldn’t be spotted. Mindy Anderson came over to him immediately. They’d had a thing going on for a few months, but so far he hadn’t managed to get in her pants...yet. That’s the only reason he hung around.
“Hi there, Jim.” She mindlessly wiped down the spotless bar. “What can I get for you?”
Jim grinned and leaned closer. “How about a blow job?”
Mindy laughed and casually danced away. She’d learned her lesson well. Last time he came in, she flaunted her tits and he’d grabbed them and squeezed. After slapping at his hands, she giggled and remained out of his reach until he finally got fed up and left.
She snapped the towel at him, but he easily ducked.
“I ain’t giving you nothing. I told you, I’m not that kind of girl.”
Hell, Jim knew every woman was that kind of girl, he just had to figure out what she wanted. And he would. The way those daisy dukes hugged her ass gave him a hard on just watching her strut up and down behind the bar. And that sweet little halter-top she wore didn’t hurt, either.
Haley grew uncomfortable as she and Garrett stood across the counter from the hotel clerk while checking in for the night. They�
�d managed to get a suite with two rooms on opposite sides of a sitting area. That way she could fight the urge to crawl in bed with him while he slept. The thought sent sensual vibrations through her body. Garrett Mann excelled at making love and was a master between the sheets.
What a strange time for the most intimate moments of their relationship to flood her mind. She wondered exactly how red her face had turned. They’d been so in love they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. How she adored him for that.
Key cards in hand, he turned to her and handed her one. “I know we’ll be together at all times, but you’ll need this if you step out for ice or something.”
They walked toward the elevators, conspicuously carrying no luggage. She stopped and looked down at her blue scrubs. “I have nothing else to wear.” She glanced up at him. “I don’t even a toothbrush.”
“We can pick up anything we need. I saw a little store beside the front desk. It has the essentials.”
She grabbed the seams of her pants and tugged at the legs. “What about some clean clothes? I worked in these all night.”
He looked at her and his lips curled into a polite smile. “We’ll deal with that later. Once I’ve heard back from Falcon and we have a plan to get you somewhere safe, then we’ll worry about buying some new clothes.”
They stopped at the elevator and he pressed the button, carefully eyeing everyone around them. Worry lines marked his face and she instinctively knew he wanted to make sure he didn’t screw up at a time like this. He punched the number four, then they moved to the back of the elevator.
When they reached their floor, he nudged her gently and they stepped off and turned left. Their rooms were the last at the end of a very long hall. He looked down the opposite way before heading in that direction.
Once there, he slid the card in and the door unlocked with a soft click. He shoved it open, stood aside, and allowed her to go first. She entered, then stopped two feet inside the room.
“Not too bad,” he said, trying to sound light hearted. “Believe me, I’ve slept in a lot worse.”
“It’s okay. Small, but I’m sure we’ll manage to stay out of each other’s way.”
She secretly wanted to laugh at the irony. Her Dallas apartment hadn’t been much bigger. She’d decorated it to make it more stylish and cozy, but its size was admittedly laughable. He’d wanted them to move into something larger but she’d
been adamant about keeping her own space.
A couch, matching chair, a leather recliner, and a large desk occupied the living area. A TV hung on the wall, and a small refrigerator with a table and two chairs sat in the far corner.
She went into the bedroom on the right and found only a bed, two nightstands, a TV, and a bathroom.
He stood next her, gazing into the room as if afraid to budge. “I assume the other bedroom is identical.”
They walked silently across the living room and checked out the other bedroom. He was right. They matched perfectly. She certainly didn’t notice any difference. He looked at her. “Which one do you want?
“I’ll take this one, if it’s okay with you.”
He shrugged. “Like I said, I’ve had worse.”
She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “How much worse?”
He stilled, then seemed to stare right through her before shaking his head and walking away. “You don’t really want to know.”
“Maybe I do.”
He let out a weary breath. “I always managed.”
“You never talked about your assignments. Where you went, what you did.”
“I can’t tell you now, either. I go where they send me and do what I’m told.”
She pushed away from the door and came closer. “Garrett, did you ever cross the line? Do something illegal, anything that could get you called before congress or the FBI, or maybe arrested?”
He shook his head and she knew he wanted her to drop the whole subject. “You forget I work for a man who is accountable to the President and the DOD. They’re the good guys,” he answered softly.
“Those people are human, and in the state of politics today, I’m not sure I trust anyone.”
“President Davis is a great man.”
“Still, I always worried about you being gone.”
“You should’ve never let it get to you like that. It’s nothing more than a job. I was a Navy SEAL for eight years. I know how to handle myself.”
She lowered her gaze and realized he’d shielded her from all the horrors of what he did. She knew him well enough to know that he’d do whatever it took to get the job done. If his actions were ever questionable, they’d never end up in a report.
“You’re flesh and blood, Garrett. A bullet doesn’t have eyes. It kills indiscriminately.”
“I try to avoid those situations and just keep doing my job.”
“I know for a fact you put your life on the line whenever you leave for a mission.”
He chuckled. “Who told you that?”
“Frank Hamilton.”
His head shot up, and he sent her a questioning glare. “What does he have to do with this?” His discomfort showed in the somber expression on his face. “I can’t imagine why he’d confide something like that to you. He’s not one to talk.”
She stepped closer. “I told him I loved you and wanted us to get married. I wanted to know how high the odds were that I’d be a widow in five years.”
“Why did you ask him that, Haley? That’s a question you should have asked me, not Frank. We might have been able to work it out.”
“I didn’t ask you because I didn’t want you to lie to me, like you are now.”
Chapter Eight
Garrett had nothing to say to Haley. Yes, he risked his life, but Frank had no business telling her that. He wondered if his boss had an ulterior motive, that maybe the man thought their relationship might make him lose his edge. He wondered if Frank deliberately raised the odds to break them up. If so, it certainly did the trick.
He walked over to the couch and sat down, putting his arm across the back. “Okay, so you know the truth. I’m an agent whose job can be pretty risky. Did that stop you from loving me?”
She lowered her head and fiddled with her fingernails. “No, no it didn’t.”
“So, what did you accomplish by going behind my back to my boss? You feel better now?”
Garrett didn’t know whether he was more pissed at Frank, Haley, or himself. None of the Falcon agents discussed their missions with their wives. That’s a rule they all followed. Besides, national security had to be considered all the time. The wrong thing said in the wrong setting could easily compromise a mission and get an agent killed.
She sniffled, and Garrett’s heart cracked. He didn’t want her crying or sad, but she’s the one who called off their relationship. He assumed that’s what she wanted, so why the tears?
He fought the urge to go to her, but refused to get off the couch. If he stayed right there, he didn’t have to worry about hurting anymore. If possible. The crushing blow she’d dealt him left a pain he’d never forget. He didn’t dare get that close to the flame again. Not with Haley.
“I wanted you to quit Falcon Securities and get a normal job,” she whispered. “One where you would be safe and I wouldn’t have to worry.”
“For two years, you didn’t ask me that.”
“I knew you wouldn’t walk away from Frank.”
She sure assumed a lot for someone who didn’t know jack shit. It didn’t evolve around Frank, it was about making the world a safer place. She was right about one thing, though, he’d never quit. Not until he couldn’t do the job anymore.
“It’s all I’ve ever done, Haley, and I love what I do. And while you were thinking about what you wanted, did you ever once consider I know what is best for me?”
Her head came up. “Getting shot or maybe killed?”
“That’s not all this job is about.” He shook his head, “And it’s really no
ne of your concern. We’ve been done a long time. You live in your safe, happy world, and I live in mine.”
“But yours isn’t safe or happy.”
“You don’t know that. I rescued you, didn’t I?” He lifted his chin. “What if there were no men like me? Then you’d still be in the hands of the terrorists or probably dead by now.” He didn’t want to argue anymore. “For fuck’s sake, let’s drop this and order something to eat. I’m hungry.”
She slumped down into the chair across from him. “I appreciate you risking your life to save me.” She looked at him, her eyes sad. “I guess it’s best if we don’t talk about it anymore. You are who you are, and I’m...well, me.”
He shoved off the couch and walked toward the hotel phone then picked up the small menu. “What do you want?”
“I don’t care. A sandwich will be fine.”
Before he could say a word, his cell phone rang, he quickly answered it. Haley could tell it was Harrington, but Garrett turned his back and all she could hear were the man’s muffled words and Garrett’s murmured responses. After a two-minute conversation, Garrett hung up and held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
She jumped to her feet. “Why, what’s going on?”
“One of Nagi’s men is outside the hotel.”
“I assume he’s here for us?”
Garrett nodded.
“How in the hell did he find us?”
“No idea, but we have to move.”
She took his hand as he led her out of the room and into the long hallway. Not taking any chances, he turned toward the stairwell. Opening the door, he stuck his head in and looked both up and down the stairwell to make sure they were alone. He pulled her through the door and they quietly made their way down the four flights of stairs to the bottom. Again, he carefully cracked open the door to the lobby and took in their surroundings.
The coast appeared clear. The only people he saw besides hotel staff were Grey and Harrington. He got their attention and Grey motioned for them to join him and the other agent.
“What’s going on?”
