by Tara Randel
“One that has alerted them that you aren’t dead.”
Them? “Why would my telling Parsons I’m alive be a problem?”
The Major paused before saying, “Do you recall the name of the company he worked for?”
Mitch rubbed his temples. He could feel the start of a headache. “No.”
“Does Allied Brothers Defense ring a bell?”
Mitch closed his eyes. Ran the name around in his mind. And like a dam cracking open to allow water crashing through, events unfolded before him.
Walking with Hassan, trying to come up with a plan to find his father. Seeing Jack in the distance. Waving. Jack, a look of surprise crossing his face, turning to the other guy after handing him an envelope. Mitch stopping in his tracks to see the other man open the envelope, take out what looked suspiciously like money and stuffing it back inside. The other guy running off. Jack, head down, moving quickly in the opposite direction.
The next day, rebels attacked an outdoor market in a nearby town. A town where Allied Brothers, a private contractor firm, had just pulled out, leaving the townspeople unprotected and at the mercy of a violent takeover.
A raw groan escaped Mitch’s throat.
“You remember?”
He nodded and relayed the details of the incident.
“Allied Brothers have been on our radar for a while. We have intel that the company pays local rebels to attack areas the company vacates after reporting it is safe. The rebels hit hard, Allied goes back in, this time upping their fees where we’ve already employed them to safeguard. Until now, we couldn’t pin anything on them. After an investigation, we discovered your eyewitness account could help us nail them.”
Stunned at what he’d just heard, Mitch shot a pensive look the Major’s way. “I remember talking to Jack after I saw him. He came up with a bogus story about buying goodwill with the locals. I guess I didn’t want to know what was going on. I acted like I believed him.”
“It wasn’t until we found the boy you were helping that we discovered the truth. He also saw the exchange.”
Alarm skittered through him. “Is Hassan okay?”
“Yes. We have him in protective custody.”
“And his father?”
The major shook his head.
Mitch blew out a breath. “So what happened the day of the accident?”
“From our reports, Parsons figured out his mistake. Joined your group last minute to keep an eye on you. His buddies followed in a truck. Staged an attack.”
“Yeah. I got that part.” He rubbed his head, the fading scars sensitive to the touch. “Once the truck flipped, a guy knocked me unconscious.”
“Can you picture him?”
Over the screaming headache now firmly entrenched in his skull, Mitch recalled the scene. Until now, he’d only been able to make out a hand holding the gun that had clocked him. The more he forced his mind to think, the less he could make out. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure I actually saw his face.”
The Major took a photo from the file and slid it across the desk to Mitch. A man in his forties, black hair, dark sunglasses, wearing fatigues, the desert in the background. Mitch lifted the picture. As he studied the face, a shiver went through him when he noticed the scar dissecting the man’s cheek.
“Who is he?”
“Chad Duncan. CEO of Allied Brothers Defense and the subject of a joint task force investigation.”
Mitch stared at the photo, but instead of any recognition, his head pounded harder, causing double vision.
“Are you okay, Mr. Simmons?”
Mitch lowered the picture and rubbed his eyes. “Headache.”
“I understand you experienced a brain injury.”
“Yes. Trying to force memories makes the pain intensify.”
The Major nodded. “I’m going to leave this picture with you. Maybe, in time, you’ll remember more.”
“Where do we go from here?” Mitch asked, fighting the fatigue that came with battling the headache.
“We keep investigating.”
“I want to help.”
“Are you certain?”
“Of course. This guy, or people from his company anyway, tried to kill me.”
“Parsons has gone underground, but Duncan is back in the States.”
That explained Parsons’s canceling their meeting after Mitch had revealed the only card he held to his advantage. His supposed death.
“You can help us by bringing the company down, Mr. Simmons. Your positive ID would make the case stronger once we arrest him but at the same time, I can’t guarantee how Duncan will react.”
Mitch closed his eyes. By calling Parsons, had he unwittingly set a trap in motion? Or had Parsons’s surprise been a ruse? Now that Mitch thought about it, Parsons hadn’t seemed that shocked when he’d heard Mitch’s voice over the phone. If he and his boss suspected Mitch was alive, that would explain the feeling of “being watched” he’d experienced when he’d been traveling. Could this mean danger had followed him home?
No. Not now, when he was finally getting his family back.
“What about my wife and son?”
“I don’t believe they are in danger. Duncan’s not interested in them.”
He opened his eyes. “Can you offer protection?”
“If needed. We have eyes on Duncan. He’s in Miami. We don’t want to pick him up until we’re sure our case will hold up in court. I’ll let you know if he moves.”
Made sense, even if it didn’t make Mitch feel better.
“In the meantime, I’ve also spoken to the police chief. He is aware of the situation.”
This was so much worse than he’d ever suspected.
“I suggest you lie low. Try to remember if you actually saw Duncan’s face and can testify.” The Major rose and gathered up his file. “I’ll be staying in town for a few more days. You have my cell number. Call me anytime.”
Mitch walked him to the door, his legs numb. How on earth was he going to explain this to Zoe?
They shook hands again. The Major exited the studio and to his dismay, Zoe walked in seconds later.
“Who was that?” she asked, gifting Mitch with a quick kiss. “You’re not thinking about enlisting, are you?”
She chuckled at her own joke while Mitch tried to figure out how to explain the current situation.
When she glimpsed his serious demeanor, her smile slipped. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“We should go to my office.”
Her expression turned serious. “I don’t think I like the sound of this.”
He ushered her along, his mind racing while pain drummed a steady tattoo against his skull. He didn’t have any pain pills handy, but even those wouldn’t bring relief after he told Zoe the truth.
“Take a seat. I need to tell you something.”
“That’s the man who called my office, isn’t it?”
“He called you?”
She ran a shaky hand over her chin. “I forgot all about it when Leo got sick.”
Mitch pulled his chair from behind the desk next to Zoe’s. “He had some news about the accident.”
“I don’t understand. Was he there?”
He sank into the seat and faced her. Told her about the investigation, what he saw and how they needed his help to identify the man making illegal deals while working as a contractor for the US Army.
Her hands fisted in her lap. “Do you remember everything?”
“Most of it, but not the guy they’re looking for.” He picked up the photo. “The Major hoped seeing this would jog my memory.”
Zoe glanced at it, looking uneasy. “And did it?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“What happens next?”
“I want to help their investigation.”
She
jumped up. “And put yourself in danger again?”
“I have to do something, Zoe.”
“Even if it affects your family?”
“It already affects us,” he said quietly.
The color swept from her face. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a target, Zoe.”
“Did the Major tell you so?”
“Not in so many words, but look at the facts. That accident? It was staged on purpose to silence me. Along with everyone else, if they thought I’d died, their secret was safe. The Major came here not only to warn me but to update me on the investigation.”
Zoe slumped back into the chair. “Can’t they protect you?”
“They have eyes on Duncan. And until I can positively confirm his identity, I’m only of use for part of the investigation.”
“But you told the Major you wanted to help?”
“I do. By remembering this guy.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. Talk to my doctors. Maybe hypnosis. Anything.”
“What happens in the meantime?”
“I’ll keep you and Leo safe.”
She rose and began to pace the small room. “How can you when you’re the one who brought danger here to Cypress Pointe? Right to our doorstep.”
“I’m sorry about that. But I have to help catch this guy. I have to see it through.”
Stopping, she jammed her hands on her hips. “I’m canceling the playground ribbon-cutting ceremony.”
“What? No.” He stood. “This guy isn’t going to risk showing up where there are lots of people around.”
“You can’t guarantee that won’t happen.”
“No. Not any more than I can predict any other calamity that might take place in the future. Neither can you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So what do you suggest?”
“We go about business as usual. The Major contacted Bob and he’s aware of the situation.”
“Great. My mother’s boyfriend is involved in the danger, too.” She shook her head. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I, but we’ll go to the park. Celebrate another good accomplishment for the town. After, we can take off. Lie low for a while.”
“Will that really change anything? This guy will just keep looking for you.”
“Maybe, but in the end, the good guys will stop him.”
“You hope.”
“I saw the determination on the Major’s face. Heard the facts. It’ll happen.” He reached out to take her hand, but she jerked it away. “We’ll figure this out, Zoe.”
“No.” She stomped to the door, but had parting words before she walked out. “As long as you’re in danger, you need to stay away from Leo and me.”
Chapter Sixteen
ZOE STARED OUT her bedroom window at the gloomy gray sky. The forecast called for a fifty percent chance of rain.
“Perfect day for a ribbon cutting,” she muttered under her breath.
The dreary weather only added to the menacing undercurrent that had taken up residence ever since Mitch’s revelation. His memory had, for the most part, returned, in a most spectacular way. If she’d had to come up with a scenario of what happened to him, the truth would not have come close by a mile. The accident? Tragic, but people were in accidents every day. An accident because he’d witnessed something he shouldn’t have? More like a movie plot than real life.
How could this have happened? Their world turned upside down by a chance encounter that had taken place on the opposite side of the world.
She still couldn’t believe it.
“Zoe?”
She jumped at her mother’s voice, placing a shaky hand over her chest as she turned.
“Ready to go?”
Puffing out a breath, she took one last glance in the mirror to check her cream-colored blouse and navy slacks, fluffed her hair, then picked up her purse from the bed as she went out of the room. “Is Leo ready?”
“Chomping at the bit. Literally. That teething ring has seen better days.”
She stepped into her son’s room to find him in the playpen, carrying on a conversation with his stuffed lion. Indecision gripped her. Should she stay home? Keep her child safe? Canceling last minute had been an option, but after discussing the pros and cons with the police chief, they’d decided to go ahead. There was no proof danger lurked outside her door. She couldn’t stay inside forever.
“I’ll be home later this afternoon,” her mother chattered as she tidied up the room. “The art show will probably be a bust due to the threat of rain, but I promised to attend. Bob put up the booth last night so I’ll be protected.”
Protected.
Never before had reality hit her in the face as keenly.
Promised.
As the town leader, she’d always been good to her word.
Two words wholly at odds with her mission today. Couldn’t hold up one if she didn’t make good on the other.
When she talked to Mitch, he assured her they would be fine. She had to accept that, even though she wanted nothing more than to stay home, draw the curtains and keep her son safe in her arms.
“Okay, kiddo. Let’s go.”
Leo bounced around, giggling as she tried to pick him up. “Hold tight,” she said as she rested him on her hip, smoothing his flyaway hair.
“What’s gotten him all wound up today?” her mother asked.
“He knows we’re going out. That’s enough.”
Samantha swooped in for a big kiss. “Have fun, little man. Grandma will see you later.” She glanced at Zoe. “I’m not sure what’s up with you, but enjoy yourself today.”
She hadn’t told her mother about Mitch’s revelation, and apparently neither had the police chief. No point in having another worried person living in this house. “I’ll try.”
Procrastinating as long as possible, Zoe finally got Leo in the car seat and off they went. As she traversed the town, her mind stayed busy. She’d been worried about reconciling with Mitch because she was afraid he would leave, when instead he was determined to stay put and defend his life. His family. She admired the man he’d become, but how did she fight her own fears? Get through her own nightmares when he’d literally brought danger right to her?
It’s not like he did this on purpose, her inner voice argued. No, but the results were still the same. They would all be looking over their shoulders until this stranger, this man who wanted Mitch out of the way, was apprehended. She couldn’t fault Mitch for wanting to help catch the guy, but his actions reinforced all the fears she’d lived with since the bank robbery. Since the day she and her friend walked into danger, blithely thinking an adventure could never hurt them. She’d learned a hard lesson then, one that had formed who she was today.
And it had all come back courtesy of the husband she had fallen in love with again.
Pulling into the parking lot, Zoe was surprised to find a large crowd gathered in the park near the playground despite the cloud cover. Leo laughed and bounced when she settled him on her hip. She made her way through the throng, saying hello to various attendees as she headed in the direction of the blue-colored ribbon with the printed words Grand Opening in gold across the span of cloth. She found the chief waiting for her.
“Thanks for coming,” she said as Leo reached out for the older man. To her surprise, Bob didn’t scoop up Leo like he normally would. Instead, he seemed...focused. On what?
“No problem,” he replied. “I felt you needed me here.”
“Well, it is just a ribbon cutting,” she said, adding a note of humor to her voice. “We’ve done this many times.”
When he didn’t assure her his presence was no big deal, her internal alarm clanged big time. “Is there something going on I don’t know about?”
“Change of plans.” His gaze met hers.
“You should talk to Mitch.”
That explained the cop face.
The ideal strategy was not to interact with Mitch until the current situation was resolved. Then they needed a serious sit-down.
Scanning the crowd, she glimpsed Mitch, dressed in a casual polo shirt and jeans, camera in hand, taking pictures. “I really don’t have time. The ceremony is starting soon.”
The chief sent her a scorching look. “Talk to him.”
* * *
LOWERING THE CAMERA, Mitch’s gaze swept the crowd. No one suspicious. Still, he remained on guard, especially when he saw Zoe head his way, Leo on her hip.
She wasn’t happy. He could read it in her body language from twenty feet away.
“The chief said you needed to speak to me,” she said, coming to a stop before him.
He swallowed. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“The Major’s people in Miami lost sight of Duncan. Early this morning, he was spotted in Tampa.”
Her mouth gaped. “You think he’s coming here? Today?”
Mitch nodded. “He must have realized his game is up and wants to take care of loose ends.”
“Meaning you?”
“Most likely.”
He watched her control her composure. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I only found out a little while ago. By that time, it was too late to cancel the ceremony. It was last minute, we couldn’t figure out how to get the word spread in time. The chief is going to be stationed by you, so cut the ribbon, make the speech and leave. He also came up with a plan to divert the crowd, so play along.”
She glanced down at Leo. “I... What...”
“Max and Lilli are going to take Leo. Just a couple of friends holding the baby while you make your speech. While you’re busy, they’re going to move to the police station for safety.”
She tightened her hold on their son. “And you?”
“The Major has his men surrounding the park. I’ll be fine.” He kissed Leo’s head and touched her hand with his. “Go,” he said, his voice low and intense.
Setting her nerves on edge.
* * *
RETURNING TO THE area set up for the ceremony, Zoe had to force herself to get a handle on her emotions. They were using her ceremony to catch a bad guy? What surreal world had she woken up to this morning?
