“Maybe in a few days.”
“Great.”
He followed me to the back door, holding it open as I stepped through. I turned, shading my eyes from the bright fall sun as I regarded him. “Thanks again.”
He inclined his head slightly. “Be careful. And get some new shoes.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, well, you do what you have to do.”
Our eyes met for a long second. I felt like there was something about him…I don’t know what it was, but I felt like we were two survivors of the same screwed-up-past club. There was just something about the darkness in his eyes that spoke to the darkness deep in my soul.
“I’m Pepper, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Pepper.”
I kind of hesitated, waiting for him to give me his name. He didn’t. I finally felt like an idiot waiting, so I turned and waved.
“See you around.”
I walked away, trying not to limp too much. I heard his backdoor slam after just a moment. The sound was like condemnation, like someone judging me for what I’d done.
So much for trying to be someone else.
Chapter 4
Nolan
I watched her walk away through the thin curtains, thinking I should help her back to the main house. She asked me not to, but she was limping despite the fact that she was trying to hide it. But then I was afraid if I touched her, I might pick her up and bring her back inside, do things to her that her innocent kiss suggested she wasn’t quite ready for.
What the hell was I thinking, kissing a relative of my boss? I’d only been here for a couple of weeks. Why jeopardize it now? It wasn’t like there were a lot of job opportunities for a guy whose only real work experience was riding broncs and killing innocents in a war zone.
I turned away and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. I’d finished my last assignment yesterday and turned in my reports this morning. David told me to take the rest of the day off, unaware that that was like a punishment. What was I going to do, sitting here in this empty house all day?
I went into the living room and threw myself on the couch, switching on the television. There was nothing on but court shows and soap operas. I switched it right back off after just a few minutes, downing the last of my beer. I got up to get another and noticed the mail spread over the floor in front of the front door. Annie must have sent someone down to dump it through the thin slot in the door.
I only got junk mail most of the time. I had no bills. No rent, no utilities, no credit cards. David provided everything, including food if I wanted to walk up to the main house for meals. The food here in the cottage I had to provide, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. With the money I made, I could eat truffles every day if I wanted.
I gathered the mail and was about to toss it into the trash when I spotted a familiar bit of handwriting on the corner of one envelope. I pulled it out and studied it, wondering when she would finally give up. She didn’t know where I was. It was still addressed to the base where I was stationed before my deployment. The letter was probably weeks old because of all the red tape and obstacles it had to go through to finally find me. Just the fact that she’d written me, the fact that she wanted contact, was worrisome enough. I’d made it clear that I didn’t want to talk to her anymore. Made it clear that I’d changed and she’d be better off on her own. But she obviously didn’t believe me. This was the ninth such letter I’d received since then.
I didn’t bother to open it. I tore it in half and threw it in the trash.
The past was better left in the past.
Chapter 5
At the Compound
David stood at the head of the table, watching his operatives come into the room. It was Monday morning, time for the weekly meeting. He liked to have his operatives—the ones who weren’t out in the field on assignment—gather for these meetings so they could discuss active cases and seek advice for any problems or obstacles they’d run into. It reduced the feeling of being isolated that he was sure some of his operatives occasionally felt. And it kept him up-to-date on the current activities, so he was prepared for anything that might suddenly come up.
Kipling settled at the back of the room, an iPad on in front of him. Four of his operatives—Alexander was out in the field on a stalker case—settled on either side of the table, Nolan sitting somewhat alone at the far end, near Kipling. Knox and Elliott were side by side, whispering to each other, Ingram across from them, throwing pieces of ripped paper at Knox’s head. Three of the analysts, who were in charge of the background checks, settled beside Ingram.
“Time to get started,” David announced.
The group settled immediately, those who had notepads opening to whatever they might have written to support their anticipated remarks.
“Let’s start with a review of the ongoing cases. Ingram…”
Ingram picked up his notebook and squinted as he read his small, thin writing.
“Well, I’ve been working with a senator downtown trying to improve the security around his house. He has cameras installed already, but he wants Gray Wolf to update the system and train his people how to use it.”
“How close are you to completing the project?” David asked.
“Probably another day or so.”
David gestured to Knox. She stood, holding her hands behind her back like a student presenting a project to the class.
“I’ve been running daily security for a business man who believes his life is in danger from a former girlfriend. He has state of the art security in his home, so he doesn’t require us there, but he does appreciate me going with him to the office and to business meetings. So far, I haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, but he has shown me emails he’s received from this woman that are threatening in nature. I’ve given the emails to the police and they seem to believe the threat is only hot air.”
David inclined his head slightly. “Stay on it until the client feels comfortable letting you go.”
“Of course.”
David then turned to the analysts. They talked about the employee vetting they’d been doing for a new client, a construction company that just moved into the area a few months ago. They were also doing background checks for several other employers in the area, including a couple of tech companies and a real estate office.
When all the presentations were done, David picked up an iPad that was open to intake notes on a new case that had come in that morning.
“We have a new client. Tilford Technology. They recently experienced a break-in at their Austin facility that they have reason to believe is part of a group of break-ins that has been hitting large technology firms all over the state. It seems that this thief employs an unwitting young woman—a different woman for each break-in—to distract the security guard while the thief disables the security system and lets himself into the office he wants through the service entrance. With the security systems down, the only person whose face ever appears on camera is the young woman charged with distracting the security guard.”
“Clever,” Elliott said.
“Clever, but incredibly frustrating for both the police and the young woman who often is the only person caught and charged with the robbery. And these girls…they are so loyal to this guy that they find themselves doing more than five years in jail for him.”
“Must be good in bed,” Knox said in a low voice that was probably not meant to be heard.
David bit back a smile. “Yes, well, there are now seven women wanted by the police. Five have been caught, including the one here.”
“So we go talk to her,” Ingram announced.
“Yes.” David slid the iPad down the table. “I’m putting Nolan on this one.”
Everyone shifted in their seats, some seeming slightly surprised that Nolan was even in the room. David could see it on their faces, the distrust. Nolan had only worked with them for a few weeks. It would take time to develop report, but David really wished they would give Nolan a chance. And that
Nolan would push himself to be a bigger part of the team.
Nolan picked up the iPad and glanced through the information already pulled up on it. David watched, aware that Nolan was a good investigator. Better than he’d believed when he hired him. The operatives were meant to be muscle, bodyguards to protect the executives and politicians who most often hired them. However, there was occasionally a need for some investigation. The first case David put Nolan on was a young banker whose home had been broken into on more than one occasion. Nolan was on the case less than twenty-four hours when he put it together that the thefts were the act of a teenager, who lived down the street, who mistakenly believed that because of the man’s job, he had money just lying around his home. He was looking to score money for his marijuana habit. The kid was in jail by five o’clock, and the banker was safe and sound to return to his normal routine.
David had not asked Nolan to figure out who the thief was. He’d simply wanted Nolan to watch over the man and keep him safe. It was a brilliant piece of work that he hoped would be repeated with this case.
“Nolan, I’d like for you to connect with Detective Snider down at the Austin Police Department and view the security footage from the break-in with him. Then I’d like for you to get with the head of Tilford, Matt Tilford, and discuss measures Gray Wolf can take to keep this from happening again.” David turned to Elliott. “And you’re to be assigned to Tilford for the next couple of weeks, work security for him to and from his home and while he is at the office.”
“I’m bodyguard and Nolan’s security consultant?”
“For the time being, yes.”
Elliott glanced at Nolan, clearly not pleased with the arrangement. It was then that David noticed Pepper in the doorway. He didn’t know how long she’d been there, but the expression on her face concerned him a little. She’d been here for several days, running meals to Ricki and watching over Chase after school. The arrangement, logistically, was working well. However, Ricki was tense so often that he was beginning to think that just having Pepper here was not a good idea for her blood pressure. But the deal was made. There wasn’t much he could do to undo it.
He crossed to the door. She backed into the hallway when she spotted him, moving back to lean against the wall, her eyes on her feet. She was wearing a pair of Ricki’s tennis shoes because she’d torn the bottom out of her own. David had offered to buy her some new ones, but she’d refused to take money from him that she hadn’t yet earned.
At least she seemed to have a respectable attitude toward life.
“What’s wrong? Is Ricki okay?”
“She’s fine. I was just…I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.”
“No problem. Is there something wrong?”
She shook her head, her eyes coming up to meet his now. “I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot now.”
“Why?’
“I was just wondering if it would be okay to take Chase with me to the library later. It could have waited. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting.”
Relief flooded through David. He’d thought that…well, he’d thought something bad had happened to his wife and child.
“I would have asked Ricki, but she’s not terribly happy with me. But I thought if I could get a few books for her, she wouldn’t be so bored with the television.”
“That’s a brilliant idea,” David said, touching her arm lightly. “I appreciate you thinking of it. And, yes, you can take Chase.”
“Thanks.”
He started to turn, but then he looked at her again.
“Do you know where the library is?”
She pulled her phone out of her back pocket. “GPS.”
He inclined his head slightly. “Okay. Just be careful. Go the speed limit.” He started to cross the hall, then hesitated again. “Here,” he said, reaching into his own pocket, “take my SUV. It’s out front.” He handed her his car keys.
“I have my Jeep.”
“I’d feel better if you took the SUV.”
She smiled a little, a knowing look in her eye. “Yeah. More suitable to a child’s car seat, I suppose.”
He nodded, smiling himself as he went back into the room.
The meeting broke up a few minutes later. David followed his people out of the conference room, listening to the mumblings going on around him. Elliott snagged his arm before he was actually out of the room, pulling him back in.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to put Nolan on an important case like this Tilford thing? I mean, I know this company is a big deal. This could mean big things for the firm.”
“Yes, it could.”
“But Nolan? He’s not exactly a team player, is he?”
David’s eyes narrowed slightly. “And this is acting like a team player?”
Elliott’s eyes dropped to the floor for a second. “I just…we don’t know him well. I think it might be better to keep him on the small cases until he proves himself.”
“That’s why I’m the boss and you’re an operative. It’s my job to make these kinds of decisions, not yours.” David patted Elliott on the shoulder. “I understand your concerns, brother. But I know what I’m doing.”
Elliott nodded. “Okay, boss.”
David followed Elliott down the hall to the main workroom. Elliott and Knox headed out together, the large front door slamming behind them. He asked Annie to make a couple of calls for him, then turned to head to his office. As he did, he spotted Pepper there in the workroom, standing close to Nolan’s desk, watching as he scrolled through the information on the iPad. David was pleased to see Nolan interacting with someone in the office—if you could call him nodding from time to time interacting—but he wasn’t sure he liked that it was Pepper. He didn’t distrust her the same way Ricki did, but it didn’t mean that he didn’t hear Ricki’s concerns. The last thing he wanted was for Pepper to become involved with one of his operatives.
He’d have to keep an eye on that.
Chapter 6
Nolan
I could feel the stares of the other operatives after David slid the iPad down the table to me. They didn’t like that he’d given me this assignment. In fact, I was pretty sure none of these people liked me much at all. I was an outsider. The newbie. I had to prove myself, but I was never really good at that sort of thing. I just wanted to do my job as efficiently and quietly as possible.
When the meeting was over, I went to my desk to read through the information David had given me, formulating in my head what my next step should be. I was barely a page into it when Pepper suddenly appeared beside me.
“So, I wanted to thank you again for helping me out the other day.”
I glanced at her, the memory of her kiss suddenly flooding my mind. She was smiling, her full lips reddened, probably from chewing on them. It only made them that much more irresistible.
I still couldn’t believe that I’d kissed her. I wanted this job, so it didn’t make sense that I would sabotage myself by making out with the boss’s sister-in-law. Yet, not only had I kissed her, but I found myself thinking about her more often than not in the quiet hours of the day. Having her standing here, close to me, with the light rose scent that constantly drifted off of her, was more difficult than it should have been.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to focus on the iPad.
“You didn’t have to rescue me. And you definitely didn’t have to take me to your house to clean up the scratches.”
“It was nothing.”
“Oh, it was definitely something. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
I glanced at her, feeling like she was piling it on a little thick. Warning bells were going off in my head, telling me this girl was up to something. But then I looked at her and got lost in thoughts of slow, lingering kisses and long, lazy afternoons in bed.
“Well, I’m glad I could help.”
She moved closer to me, sitting on the edge of my desk, close to my chair. Her hip was right next to my arm. If I
moved just a little to the left…
“I should really get to work.”
“Are you working a new case?”
“Yeah. A series of robberies.”
“Sounds interesting.”
I glanced at her, wondering if she was being honest, or if she was just trying to flatter me. Her smile had faltered, but she forced it back out there when she saw me looking. However, it didn’t quite reach her hazel eyes, the gold flecks in those eyes not sparkling quite the way they’d done earlier. Again warning bells sounded in my head, instinct telling me she was up to something. But I had no idea what that could be.
And then she touched my hand and I no longer cared.
“I was wondering if your invitation to go jogging with you was still open.”
“Sure.”
She slid her hand over the back of mine, letting her fingers linger on my wrist. “Maybe tomorrow morning?”
“About six?”
“I have to help get Chase ready for preschool at seven-thirty, so that works perfectly.”
“I’ll see you then.”
She inclined her head slightly. “Yeah. I guess I should get back to Ricki.”
She lingered a moment longer, her fingers still playing over my wrist. Every nerve in my body was suddenly right there in my wrist, feeling everything about her touch. My fingers itched to touch her back, to slide over her ribs and hold those perfect, full, round breasts in my palms. And those legs…I’d always been something of a leg man. I loved the feel of smooth, silky thighs, the taste of the flesh between a woman’s legs, the sight of a woman’s legs bare and stretched out as she lounges on a bed.
I shivered, as I tried to discreetly pull my arm away.
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
She smiled, dropping a suggestive wink before she walked away. I couldn’t help but watch, finding it difficult to pull my eyes from her rocking hips. A woman like that could be the end of me. But not this woman—and not right now. I wanted to prove myself to David and for all the doubts I saw on the other operatives’ faces in the conference room when he handed me this assignment to just disappear.
CHASING PEPPER (Gray Wolf Security, Texas Book 5) Page 4
