Hunted

by Sharon C. Cooper

  Now all I have to do is figure out how to juggle my time with her, my son, and work.

  Myles leaned back in the desk chair. Much of his day had been spent with Collin. They had started with breakfast at McDonald’s, his son’s favorite place. Then they ended up at Georgia Aquarium, where they stayed much longer than Myles had initially planned. When they finally arrived home, they streamed and watched the latest Disney movie.

  Myles enjoyed every minute but was secretly glad when Yvette called to see if she could spend some time with Collin. A couple of hours ago, he dropped his son off at her house, then stopped by Supreme Security to do some research. Not only was the office a few miles from Geneva’s home, but it also gave him a chance to use the company’s computer equipment, as well as provided him access to a database that he wanted to check out.

  A quick knock sounded at the door before it swung open, and Kenton strolled in. “I’m glad Egypt told me you were here. I was planning to call you after I took her home.”

  “Yeah, I was in the area and figured I’d stop in for a few. Were you able to get any information?”

  The other day, when Myles copied Whitney’s computer files, he hadn’t known what he would find. But he stumbled upon a file that didn’t totally make sense to him. For the last couple of months, Whitney had been adding a mishmash of information to a document. The last entry stated that she thought she was being followed but then chalked it up to being paranoid.

  Myles wasn’t sure if the document had been intentional or accidental placed in a folder labeled Collin’s Baby Pictures. He couldn’t help but think that it was for him to find if anything happened to her. Now, he just had to make sense of it all. He also had to decide if or when to share his findings with the detectives on her case.

  The two men had shown up at Whitney’s house the day before, just like Ashton predicted. Even though they roamed around the house, the detectives hadn’t found the listening devices. That didn’t surprise Myles. Their primary focus had been in Whitney’s office, specifically, her files. They were convinced her death was tied to one of her clients.

  Myles wasn’t so sure.

  Kenton folded his large body into the chair in front of the desk. “I made a call about the case names or the names you think are case names,” he said, referring to the information found in Whitney’s document.

  As a former FBI agent, Kenton still had contacts he could reach out to. It wasn’t something he liked to do considering how devastating his career ended with the agency, but Myles appreciated him making an exception.

  “Most of the information didn’t come up in the system, but they might be operations from other agencies like the CIA,” he said pointedly. “Or even NSA or DEA. However, my contact did get a hit on one of the names. The GEA Assassination was an FBI operation dated back a little more than seven years ago. You couldn’t find anything on it because it’s listed as classified, and the case is closed. He did say that it had to do with gun trafficking.”

  Myles nodded, finding that interesting. “Guns and gunrunners were some of the last subjects that she searched online,” he said absently.

  An unsettling sensation, a stirring in his gut, had him clenching and unclenching his hands. The more he dug for information, the more he was convinced that there was something even more sinister at play in all of this. Knowing Whitney was involved in something serious enough to get her killed was disturbing on so many levels.

  Why hadn’t she come to him? Or said anything? He might’ve been able to help. She could’ve still been with them, but instead, she had died at the hands of some asshole, and Myles had to find out who and why.

  He glanced at the computer screen. There was no way this was tied to any of the cases she was working on. He knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t take a job involving gunrunners, but then why was she digging for information?

  “You know…the public can access some FBI records,” Kenton said, and he pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and scribbled something on the notepad near the computer monitor. “Who knows, you might be able to find information on this website that can help.” He slid the note pad over to Myles.

  They talked a few minutes longer before Kenton stood. Myles had to get going, too, but he had hoped to sift through a few more of Whitney’s files. But what he needed more than anything was a break, some downtime to help him regroup. He couldn’t think of a better person than Geneva to make that happen.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. What’d you hear back about the mystery car outside of Whitney’s place the other day?” Kenton asked.

  “Definitely nothing as sinister as I expected,” Myles said. “It turned out to be a high school kid waiting on his girlfriend. Seemed the girl had a history of sneaking out after curfew and having him pick her up several houses away.”

  Kenton shook his head and chuckled. “Wow. This generation of kids…man. I’m sure having the cops show up at their houses went over great with their parents.”

  Myles could only imagine. The car sitting outside the house wouldn’t have been a big deal if there wasn’t an active investigation going on for Whitney’s death.

  “Well, I’m glad it was nothing else. Hopefully, Wiz can narrow down the signal for the listening devices.”

  “Yeah, he’s a little baffled but also impressed by this guy’s tech skills. Supposedly, there’s a maximum signal range. Yet, this bastard somehow exceeded it. Whatever Wiz is looking at has triangulated an area that’s miles long and wide.”

  “If anyone can figure it out, it’s Wiz,” Kenton said. “I’m sure he’ll have a neighborhood or an address for you soon.”

  “Yeah, I hope so,” Myles said and logged out of the computer. He not only wanted to nail this mystery guy but more than anything, he wanted to know what Whitney had stumbled onto. Was her death really connected to one of her P.I. cases? Or worse…did this have anything to do with one of her CIA operations?

  That was a stretch, but the sinking feeling in Myles’s stomach sent a strong signal that whatever was going on wasn’t over.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Geneva glanced at the slim platinum watch on her wrist and cringed. She needed to hurry. She had just enough time to freshen up and let the dog out to handle her business before Myles showed up, and he was never late.

  She opened the door, and Coco pranced around happily before running outside into the fenced backyard. Geneva closed the door and headed to her bedroom.

  When Myles called while she was at the restaurant to ask her out, of course she said yes. Geneva loved the idea of them doing something fun, and shooting pool was one of her favorite pastimes. She wouldn’t have him for the whole night since he had to pick Collin up from Yvette’s house later, but a couple of hours was better than nothing.

  She finished touching up her makeup and let Coco back inside just as the doorbell rang. “Dang, he’s early.”

  Barking, the dog made a mad dash to the front of the house, with Geneva following behind. When she swung the door open, the excitement of seeing Myles quickly turned into disappointment.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  Reuben stood on the other side of the threshold, looking at her and salivating as if she’d been offered up as his last meal. His long, high-pitched whistle pierced the air, irritating her even more.

  “Wow, you look hot. Did you dress up for me?”

  “Of course not. What do you want?” She put her hands on her hips and sighed impatiently. “And since when do you start dropping by my house without calling first?”

  “Since you stopped returning my calls. I wanted to see how you were doing, especially after what happened to your shop,” he said and entered the house as if she had invited him in. “What’s up with you?”

  A low growl from Coco caught Geneva’s attention, and she pointed to the family room where the doggy bed was located. “Go,” she said, and after a slight hesitation, Coco trotted away.

  Before closing the door, Geneva glanced around outsid
e, glad that Myles hadn’t shown up yet. Considering how he behaved the first time he’d seen Reuben, this time would probably be worse. It was no secret that he didn’t like the guy. She needed to make this visit quick.

  Still, it would be nice if Myles got to know her old friend. Reuben might’ve been a pain sometime, but deep down, he was a good guy. He had always been a gentleman with her, even claiming once that they would be perfect together if she’d only give him a shot.

  She strolled into the family room where he stood near the mantel, holding a framed photo of her, Journey, and their parents. She ran across the picture a few weeks ago when she was looking for something else and decided to display it.

  “Nice photo,” he said and set it back in place.

  “Thanks. Now, what do you want?”

  Reuben flashed that smile that probably made most women melt on the spot, but Geneva was immune from his charm. “You,” he said simply. “I want you.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  He walked toward her. “Come on, Gen. Why not?”

  “Because I’m seeing someone else.” Even if she weren’t, she wouldn’t hook up with Reuben again. He was a part of a past that she’d worked hard to leave behind.

  “And in seeing someone do you mean that you’re just kicking it? Or is this something more?”

  Geneva was slow to respond, not because she didn’t know the answer, but the words lodged in her throat. Why? She wasn’t sure. All of this was so new to her. It felt strange saying that she had a boyfriend. Myles was more than that, though. She just didn’t have a word for what she truly felt for him or what he was to her.

  “It’s serious,” she said.

  Reuben stared at her for the longest time, then burst out laughing. “Serious, huh? Gen, come on. It’s me you’re talking to. You don’t do serious. You take what you want and need from a man, then you kick him to the curb and keep it moving.”

  Dang, was that how he saw her? He made her sound as if she just used men—which she didn’t. Any hookups she’d been a part of were mutually beneficial, and they always knew the deal going in. No ties. No commitments.

  “We used to be so good together. If you were ready for something more serious, why didn’t you tell me?”

  What he meant was they used to be good together between the sheets. She hadn’t wanted anything more than his body back then, and at the time, she assumed he felt the same way.

  Now…she wanted more from a man…but not from him.

  “That was a very long time ago, and I’ve changed. I’m ready for something lasting. Something real.”

  Reuben laughed. “Come on, baby. Tell it to someone who doesn’t know you. On a serious note? You’re not the marrying type if that’s what you’re getting at. I’m not sure who put these thoughts in your head, but—”

  “Get out.” Geneva pointed toward the front door. “Go. Just get out. Now!”

  Reuben was still smiling when he looked at her, but then the smile dropped. “Oh, so you’re serious? I thought you were—”

  “I’m not saying it again. Get out and make this the last time you stop by here on a whim. As a matter of fact, lose my number. Whatever we shared back in the day will never happen again.”

  He lifted his hands out in front of him. “Okay. Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just…shocked.” He reached out to touch her cheek, but Geneva turned her head.

  “Reuben, I’m seeing someone, and I really care about him. I’m not trying to mess up what I have with him by screwing around with you. You need to leave.”

  Instead of touching her face, he fingered one of her large curls. She mostly wore her hair in a messy ponytail or a bun on top of her head. Today she was wearing it down, letting it hang past her shoulders in layers. It was a look that made her feel sexy, as well as sophisticated.

  “You really want to walk away from what we had?”

  She grabbed his wrist, forcing him to release her hair. “Yes. We’ve had this discussion before, and it’s been, like, forever since we’ve hooked up. What you and I had back in the day was fun, but I’m not that same person, Reuben. I’ve moved on. It’s time you do the same. That means no more showing up unannounced. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my date will be here in a minute.”

  Just then, the doorbell rang, and Geneva had to keep herself from groaning. Myles was always prompt, and of course, tonight was no different. If only she could’ve cleared out her unwanted guest before he showed up.

  Her dog barked, then zipped past Geneva. It was as if Coco knew Myles was outside, considering the way she whined and pranced back and forth in front of the door.

  “It’s time for you to go,” she repeated to Reuben.

  She walked across the room and opened the door. Her heart did a little jig. It didn’t matter how often she saw Myles or how much time she spent with him, the sight of him always had a visceral effect on her.

  Geneva didn’t know how long they stood there staring at each other, but the trance was broken when Coco darted out the door. The dog barked her greeting and danced in front of Myles with her tail wagging like crazy.

  “Hey, girl,” Myles said, bending slightly and rubbing Coco behind the ear. “I guess you missed me, huh?” Myles then turned his attention to Geneva. “I think you get more beautiful each time I see you. Hi.”

  For a man who didn’t talk much, he sure knew the perfect thing to say to make her heart melt.

  “Hi yourself,” she said and stepped into his arms.

  Geneva always felt cherished when he held her. And when his mouth covered hers, the heat sparking between them was almost enough to make her forget that it was chilly outside.

  Crushing her to him, Myles deepened their kiss, and the way his lips caressed hers sent a shock wave of desire soaring through her body.

  She would never get enough of this…of him. If anything, Geneva wanted to spend the rest of her life just like this: in his arms, sharing a passionate kiss, and savoring every moment of it. She just kept falling deeper and deeper for this man, and it didn’t scare her.

  When the kiss ended, they stepped into the house. Myles was barely across the threshold when he slowed. He hadn’t even looked Reuben’s way, but it was as if he somehow knew they weren’t alone. He moved farther inside and turned to where Reuben stood, exactly where Geneva had left him.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked Reuben, then glanced at Geneva. Myles opened his mouth to say more, but she stopped him when she placed a hand on his torso. Hopefully, her touch would keep him from starting a fight with Reuben.

  “He was just leaving,” she said quickly and looped her around Myles’s waist.

  “You’re the guy from the other day at the shop,” Reuben said and spared a glance at Geneva. “So, this is the guy, huh?”

  “Yes, and remember what I said. No more calls or just dropping by.”

  He folded his arms across his broad chest with a smirk on his face. “You ain’t gon’ introduce us?”

  “Nope, because you’re leaving.” She went to the door and opened it. “Goodbye, Reuben.”

  He didn’t budge. Instead, he said, “You didn’t give me a chance to tell you why I stopped by. I know who smoke-bombed your shop.”

  “Smoke bomb! Hell, those assholes set fire to my place. Stop screwing around and give me a name!”

  “A couple of neighborhood kids. Nothing you have to worry about, though. I got you. I’ll handle—”

  “Oh, hell no,” Myles barked. There was a lethal edge to his tone, and Gen could sense the deadly aura surrounding him. He was like a snake lying in wait, preparing to strike at any moment, and Geneva and Reuben stood straighter.

  “You don’t have to do shit for her.” Myles got in Reuben’s face. “Just give us the names. We’ll take it from there. Or let the cops handle it.”

  Reuben shook his head and chuckled. “It don’t work like that on the streets.”

  “Oh, so you are still hanging with the Devils, huh?�
� Myles said of Reuben’s former gang, the Minauros Devils. Geneva knew that remark was for her benefit. Myles insisted that Reuben hadn’t changed and that he was still hanging with lowlifes.

  “I didn’t say that,” Reuben snapped, glaring at Myles. The man seemed to grow a few inches right in front of them. He was a little taller than Myles and had a good twenty pounds on him. Reuben was also the type of man who fought dirty to come out on top. But Myles had a fearlessness about him, along with brains and stealth. Geneva would put her money on her man any day and every time.

  “What are you saying then?” Myles asked.

  “I’m saying that no cops are needed, and you know as well as I do why.” Reuben’s gaze bounced between her and Myles.

  Yeah, they all knew that there was no telling what would happen to those boys if the cops got their hands on them, but Geneva still believed in the legal system. To a point. She and Vanessa could’ve been killed that day, and that’s what she told Reuben. The time for trying to handle anything themselves was over. She wanted the delinquents arrested and charged.

  “You either give us some names or… Better yet, just leave.” Myles went to the front door and opened it as if knowing Reuben wasn’t going to snitch.

  “Fine. I’m outta here.” He stepped outside, then glanced over his shoulder. “Geneva, take care of yourself, and I’ll be in touch.”

  “Don’t bother. I told you, lose my damn number!”

  Myles slammed the door the moment the words were out of Geneva’s mouth. Then he turned to her. “You ready?” he asked, his coolness throwing her off balance.

  Geneva narrowed her eyes at him. “I was ready, but are you sure you don’t want us to go get Reuben and torture the information out of him? We could try flogging, maybe. Oh! Or we can attach jumper cables to his nipples until he tells us everything.”

  Myles’s eyebrows pinched together, and he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. “Sometimes, you scare me. You’re like a female version of Laz because that sounded exactly like something he would say. Hell, I think he has said that before.”