by Dale Mayer
And she’d seen enough of both sides to know which one she preferred. Without that softness, a man turned hard and ugly over time. One always had to keep reaching inside and filling in that gap with joy and tenderness. And she was grateful Cade appeared to have a bigger soft touch than a lot of other men.
“What about your reason for going to Norway?” she asked. “Did you get any resolution to that accident?”
His face turned grim, and he dropped his gaze to their hands, reaching with his other hand to cup her fingers, stretching them out as if studying her clean white fingernails. “Not really and yet we made some gain. You saw the photos.”
She nodded. “Do you think he’s still here?” Nervously she glanced around. “You have to understand that man was scary.”
He covered the top of her hand with his. “I don’t think he’s still here,” he said cautiously. “But, if it’s the same man, then obviously he is comfortable traveling and could be anywhere.”
She wriggled her nose. “As long as he’s gone from where I am, I don’t really care where he is.”
He nodded in understanding.
The waitress interrupted them. “Are you ready to order?”
Faith dropped her gaze to the menu and smiled. “I’ll have the eggs and toast, please.”
“Would you like white or wheat toast with that?”
“Do you have a sourdough?
“Yes, in both white and rye.”
Settling on sourdough rye, she waited for Cade to order. She wasn’t surprised when he ordered the exact same thing she had. He looked like he could eat. The man had to be six feet, even six two. He was broad across the shoulders, but there was a leanness to him—not a meanness, though there were rough-cut edges to him. But it was as if his body had struggled for a long time and was just holding on.
“How’s the hand?”
He glanced down at his gloved prosthetic hand and smiled. He held it up, the fingers moving and shifting at his command. “Technology has come so far,” he said, his tone marveling at what he could do. “Badger, this friend of mine who’s in the hospital for more surgery, his partner is a prosthetic engineer. She helped pull this hand together for me.” He curled the fingers in and reached for the cup of coffee.
She stared at it and smiled. “I hardly even noticed it.”
“Goes along with the foot,” he said with a smile. But his gaze was searching, as if to see if that would make a difference.
She stared back at him blandly. “Good for you that there are advancements today that make your life that much easier. Although I imagine a hook and a claw would even be of some help.” She held out both her hands. “I broke my right arm once, and it was terrible trying to use my left hand instead. I couldn’t write. I couldn’t do anything. I was horribly handicapped.” She motioned at his hand. “I can’t imagine what you went through to get to this stage, but you’re there now. I have to admit that I don’t think I could do half as well as you are.”
Cade laughed. “I think we’re all surprised at what we can do when we have to.”
She settled back. “And that’s the truth, isn’t it? We never really know what we’re capable of until we get there.”
“What will you do now about Elizabeth?”
Faith shrugged. “Keep phoning to see if there’s any change. I hope she doesn’t die while I’m off on one of my flights. But I have to work for a living, and I certainly can’t take six weeks off while she’s in a coma. Particularly if I’m not allowed to be at her bedside.”
“Have you considered doing an investigation into Mary, as to why she doesn’t want you there?”
“Briefly,” she admitted. “When something like that happens, all you can think about is the worst-case scenario, that maybe Mary had something to do with her accident, or maybe she’ll inherit Elizabeth’s estate,” Faith confessed. “I know Mary is living with her mother, but I wasn’t sure if it was her mother’s house or if it was Mary’s house, and her mother was living with her.”
“And, of course, it’s never a nice thing to consider,” he added for her.
She nodded. “The problem is, it’s hard to not consider something like that. But why would Mary so obviously try to keep me away if that was the case? It makes her look guilty as hell.” Faith stared off for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I think it’s just her pessimistic attitude. I think she really does think Elizabeth is better off slipping away into the dark night of death rather than fighting to stay here with us anymore.”
“Is her life so dark and despondent that she considers everything around her in such a negative way?” Cade asked. “I’ve been through some pretty shitty times. But I can’t say I would ever consider any of my friends needing to just slip away if they were in the same condition. I’d be in there at their bedside, rooting for them to fight and to come back to us.”
“Which is exactly what I was doing,” Faith admitted. “But apparently I pissed Mary off enough to have them stop me from sitting there.”
“Did you ever ask Elizabeth’s mother for her opinion?”
“No. I know the mother was pretty angry at me. She didn’t want Elizabeth to become a teacher because she figured it would be more torture.” At Cade’s confused look, she explained. “Elizabeth can’t have children. So her mother thought working with children would be like turning the screw, showing her what she couldn’t have on a daily basis.”
Cade leaned forward. “Or it would give her a taste of all she couldn’t have, and she would get the joy of working with the children she loves so much.”
Faith’s smile was lopsided. “See? You understand. That was my view. I thought spending time with the children would give her something she could never get any other way, but her mother was against it. And she was really angry at me for convincing Elizabeth to become a teacher.”
“How did Elizabeth choose teaching?”
“She’s always loved kids, so it was a natural choice,” Faith said with a laugh. “She was forever regaling me with tales of the kids and what they were doing. I know she loved going to work every day. She loved her kids and worried about them in the evening. She contacted their parents if there was an issue, and she was always there to lend an ear if anybody needed to just talk or she had willing arms if they wanted a hug. She adored her life.”
“So then it’s all good.”
“Maybe. And maybe her mother just didn’t like being proved wrong either,” Faith said. “I could contact her, but I’m not sure I want to deal with any backlash that might come from her or any additional flak from Mary.”
“Good enough. I think it wouldn’t hurt for the detective to take a quick look into Mary’s background and make sure there isn’t anything odd going on.”
“I wouldn’t mind either,” she admitted. “But I certainly can’t pay for a private detective, and, if there’s no case, you know the police don’t have time to dig into this either.”
“That’s true enough.” Cade stared off in the distance. “However, he is a friend of Laszlo’s brother, so it might be simple enough to just request it. On the other hand, I won’t know until I bring it up. I know the detective did say he would stop in and take a look and speak with Elizabeth if she woke up and let her know you were there for her.”
“That’s the thing. If she wakes up. So far there’s no change in her condition.”
“And we’ll take that as a positive sign,” Cade said smoothly. “No change also means no downgrade in her condition.”
After that, the two settled into an easy conversation about the weather in Santa Fe and various places across the country where they had both lived. But inside Cade added Faith to the list of people the hitman could target. “When you get home, you need to be super careful.” He skated over the full depth of what was going but told her enough to make sure she listened.
“This is your deal, and it’s bad,” she said gently. “But I doubt he’s going to give a damn about me.”
“I don’t want to take any
chances,” Cade said. “I’m being cautious. I want you to be too.” His gaze held her in place until she nodded. “I will,” she said quietly.
Just then the food arrived and offered them a chance to ease up the conversation.
She took one look at the bountiful plate and said, “Yum.”
He chuckled. “Glad to see you have a healthy appetite.”
“I can always eat,” she said comfortably. “My heart goes out to those people who eat and gain weight. That’s never been an issue for me.” She dug in. There was basically no talking until they were halfway through. She settled back again and smiled up at him. “Sorry, I’ve been eating so fast. I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”
“I presume for the last week you buried yourself in work and kept busy so as not to worry about Elizabeth.”
She nodded.
“So you probably haven’t been eating properly.”
“That about sums it up.” She studied him. “What about you?” She laid down her fork, picked up a piece of toast and took a bite.
He raised an eyebrow and curled his lips at her. “What about me?”
“Do you work?”
He shrugged. “Not really.”
She stared at him. “Now, in a way, that might be nice.”
“And maybe not. While I’m on this mission,” he said calmly, “I’m not taking employable work. Before I found any of this out, I was working toward getting a PI license. I’ve had a couple job offers, one from a military group I know of. They’ve set up their own private security company out in Texas. I was figuring out if that’s what I wanted to do.”
She frowned. “Would that be dangerous?”
He shrugged. “Yes, but no more dangerous than anything else I’ve done in my life so far.”
She nodded. “That in itself would offer a measure of comfort because it would be what you were used to.”
He looked up in surprise. “That’s very insightful of you. So many people think that, when we leave the military, we want to walk away and do something completely different. But it’s the job skills I know,” he said quietly. “And it’s hard to reframe your world with the injuries sustained and to find a way to make a living again. I don’t have to work. But I feel better when I am working.”
“I can see that. And given your injuries, can you still do the type of work this security company is offering you?”
He nodded. “I would think so. It’s my left hand, and that makes things a little easier, as I’m right-handed. Therefore, it’s not the hand that I would hold a weapon with. I can drive quite successfully. I can do all those kinds of things. In many ways, I’m not limited at all.”
“What about running, exercise? Things like that?”
“My prosthetic leg and foot can switch out for a blade, like you’ve seen on some runners. And that makes it a little easier, although it takes a bit of effort to remain balanced when it’s only one foot involved.” He chuckled. “Sometimes I wish I had two running blades because they’re so much faster.”
She smiled. “I’m really proud of you. You seem to be handling this very well.”
“I’ve done okay,” he said cautiously. “But don’t get me wrong, there are still times I wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares that just won’t quit. I’m being blown to pieces. My friends are being blown to pieces, and it’s like an endless loop that never stops.”
She winced. “I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. And don’t have any sympathy for me. Definitely don’t pity me.” His words hardened. “I’ve never been one to worry about what I can’t have or can’t do. I’ve always just found a way to do what it is I want to do and to forget about the rest.”
“I didn’t mean to sound like I pitied you. In fact, it’s the opposite. I admire you. And, if you can continue doing the kind of work you do even after your injuries, then that’s perfect.” She leaned forward, changing the subject abruptly. “Do you still have those photos on you?”
He raised his eyebrows but fished in his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Smoothing it out, he said, “Just the one.”
She continued to eat while she studied the photo. “I know it’s the same guy from the car thing. I just wondered if I had seen him anywhere else. It’s one of those faces you’re sure you would be able to recognize, but, at the same time, he could be so many people.”
“I know.”
The waitress walked by with a coffeepot. “Would you like a coffee refill?”
“Yes, please,” Faith said with a smile. She leaned back so the waitress could lean across.
When she was done, the waitress stopped and looked at the picture. “Hey, I know him,” she said with a frown. “Is he a friend of yours?” Her tone was edgy, as if that wasn’t a good thing.
“I wouldn’t call him a friend,” Cade said cautiously. “Where do you know him from?”
“He was here yesterday. He threw a fit over his breakfast. Said it wasn’t cooked right, and it was cold.” The waitress shrugged. “You get some customers who are like that. No matter if the same breakfast is served to five different people, you’ll always get one person who’s just plain miserable about it.”
Faith glanced at Cade, then back at the woman. “Any idea who he is?”
The waitress shook her head. “No. And I’m okay if he doesn’t come back. And, if he does, I certainly don’t want him at my table.” She laughed. “But he didn’t stiff me on the bill or anything, so that’s good. Even paid in cash, so no bouncing check or anything.”
“You didn’t happen to see what kind of vehicle he was driving, did you?”
She laughed again. “Sure did. It was a Lexus sports car. And I remember it had a seven and a five in the license plate. Beyond that I don’t know. I’m almost certain he shot me his middle finger as I stood at the window and stared at him.”
“Yeah, he’s got that kind of attitude,” Faith said. “Thanks.”
“Did he do something wrong?” the waitress asked hopefully. “I wouldn’t be at all upset to see him behind bars or at least harassed a little bit.”
Faith chuckled. “I think he likes to harass other people. He’s not used to being harassed.”
“Did he still have the beard?” Cade asked.
She nodded. “He did. Looked pretty damn close to that photo.” She turned and walked away.
Cade looked at Faith. She looked at Cade. “So, is he still in town?” Faith said in a low voice. “Will you track him down?”
Cade gave her a slow smile. “Oh, hell yeah. Don’t you worry. I’ll find him.”
Cade stood in the parking lot as he dialed Erick. As soon as Erick answered the phone, Cade said, “The waitress here saw our guy yesterday morning.”
“What waitress? What guy? And where are you?” Erick asked patiently.
Cade grinned. “Some things never change.”
“Nope, they sure don’t. You want to slow down and give me the information bit by bit so somebody like me can process it?” he joked.
“I’m at a coffee shop with Faith.” He looked around to see Faith standing outside her car on the phone too. He grinned at her, and she smiled. “I pulled out the photo at Faith’s request for her to take another look, and the waitress recognized him. Apparently he threw a fit about the food and then shot her his finger her when she stood in the window watching him as he disappeared in the Lexus convertible.”
“So Faith had that much right. And that was yesterday?”
“Yes, yesterday morning.”
“So, he’s probably still in town.”
“That’s the thought I had. That would be at least ten days apart from when Faith saw him.”
“Interesting,” Erick said quietly. “We’re still coworking all the accidents. But to have this many accidents … There are eight, by the way. That we know of among us, short of hearing anything from Geir. All but Laszlo’s father ended up in death.”
“Eight family members who may have been a
ttacked to get back the seven of us? Not Geir right? He had no one close he said.”
“Yes.”
“But Talon said he had nobody close too.”
“His best friend from school was walking along in a parking lot and was downed by a hit-and-run driver.”
“Another vehicular accident,” Cade said softly. “Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah, that’s what we’ve come to figure. All the accidents were vehicular.”
“Shit.” Cade stared at the parking lot. “Chances are he won’t use the Lexus to hit people with.”
“No, not likely. We’re tracking down names and looking for other rental vehicles. I did speak to Laszlo. He was on the phone to Norway this morning making arrangements for his father. They have a record of our hired gunman arriving and staying for two nights, then leaving again.”
“That makes sense. And we do have a name now.”
“Sure, but the name goes nowhere.”
“Oh, the waitress did say she remembered two numbers on the license plate.”
“Okay. I got that. I’ll add that to what Faith remembered, see if we can run that down.” His voice took on a distant edge, as if concentrating while he typed on his laptop.
“How’s Badger?” Cade asked abruptly.
“Out of surgery. Still not awake yet.” Erick’s tone dropped. “And Faith’s friend was in a car accident too, right?”
“Elizabeth Brown, yes, and no improvement on her either.”
“No connection to our case?”
“Not that I can see.”
“Good, we’ve got enough complications as it is.”
“All these accidents mean we’ll have a hell of a time tracking down anything on them.”
“I know. And, in all cases, there’s no suspect. And that’s even more concerning since someone has systematically run down everybody in our lives who matters.”
“I don’t know about you,” Cade said abruptly, “but I can’t imagine anybody doing that. I’ve racked my brain over and over again to figure out who could hate us all so much. I keep coming back to missions. But it’s always governments we’ve helped, overthrowing insurgents we’ve taken down, not anybody who would hunt us down on a personal level.”
