Hunter: A Reed Security Romance

by Giulia Lagomarsino

  “He set that explosion to take me out, to get Lucy alone. But Chance and Gabe are still with her, just not inside. So, to get her alone, he needs her inside.”

  “Right, but they’re evacuating.”

  “Exactly, and who would go in to make sure that everyone was evacuated?”

  “Gotcha. I’ll find out who’s running things and get a check on all personnel that are involved.” He hung up and Derek shot me a questioning look.

  “Are you thinking it’s a cop?”

  “I’m thinking if it’s not a cop, it’s someone impersonating a cop. Maybe someone that has a friend that’s a cop with that department. He could have taken his place.”

  “And because they would be wearing face masks, nobody would know that he didn’t belong.”

  “Exactly.”

  “It’s a stretch.”

  “Yeah, but it’s all we have to go on right now.”

  Derek nodded and turned down the road to the campus. We were about five minutes out. “Okay, one problem. He has her inside. How does he get out with her? If he’s not wanting to harm her, which he could have done long before we got involved with protecting her, then what’s his play? To keep her for himself?”

  “I guess.”

  “So, he has to get her out of the building somehow.”

  “And he can’t do that with the police surrounding the building. There’s no way he could just walk out with her.”

  “Unless he has someone working with him,” I surmised.

  “Possibly, but that’s still tricky with so many people around. He’d have to have one hell of a distraction to get her out without anyone noticing. Even if he drugged her and acted like she was unconscious, the paramedics would check her over. That’s too many fucking people involved.”

  “This has all the markers of a stalker. Stalkers don’t usually work with a crew. If I had to guess, I would say that he’s working alone.”

  “Which brings us back to square one.”

  We pulled up to the building a few minutes later and found Chance standing by the exit, arguing with one of the cops.

  “I’m fucking telling you that I need to get in there and find her. She’s been under our protection because someone’s been after her,” he yelled at the officer.

  “Sir, I already told you that we’re doing a sweep of the building now, but it’s going to take time.”

  “Excuse me,” I interrupted, turning to the officer. “I’m Hunter Papacosta. I work for Reed Security. We think that our guy may be impersonating one of your officers. Do you have a list of officers that are in the building right now?”

  “I don’t know what information you’re allowed to have. You’re going to have to speak with my captain about this.”

  My blood boiled with every word he said. My body clenched and I couldn’t hold it in. “Look, asshole. That’s my woman in there and I’m fucking telling you that someone is trying to get her. If you don’t help or at least let me in there to go find her, something’s going to happen to her and then I’m going to have your badge and make sure you’re picking up dog crap the rest of your life.”

  “I’ll get my captain on the phone,” he said, turning away from us.

  Derek leaned in to whisper to me. “Picking up dog crap? Is that actually a job?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll buy a dog and make sure he only shits in his lawn if I have to.”

  It took well over ten minutes to get the captain to get his ass on the phone with Sebastian, who was already on his way here.

  “My captain is coming over to assess the situation,” the officer said.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? This is taking too long. He could have her already and we’re just fucking sitting here.”

  “Calm down, man. Cap is almost here and he’ll get shit sorted out.” That didn’t make me feel any better. “I’ve got Chance, Gabe, and Jackson questioning people and looking for Lucy.”

  “Wait. What about Graham? Has anyone seen him? He wouldn’t have left without her.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, ever since that shit with Seth Mackenrow started, he’s been making sure she gets to her car.”

  “Chance,” Derek spoke into his microphone. “Look for Graham Kinsey. If he’s out here, we need to speak with him. We also need to find Seth Mackenrow.”

  “He just got out on bail this morning. Chances are, he’s not at the school.”

  “Still, we should find him.”

  Cap screeched up to the barrier in his pickup truck and got out, slamming the door behind him. Knight got out of the passenger side, decked out in all his gear, complete with shoulder and leg holsters. Never had I been so happy to have him on my side.

  “Where’s Captain Martin?” Cap growled.

  “He’s on his way, sir.” The officer took a step back, obviously intimidated by Cap. Cap crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the man. “I’ll just check on when he’ll be here,” he said, pulling out his phone.

  “What do we have?” Cap asked.

  “We’re looking for Graham Kinsey right now. He’s our best bet to finding out where Lucy is. We’re also looking for Seth Mackenrow, but we don’t think he’ll be here.”

  “As soon as the captain gets here, I’ll get Sean Donnelly on the phone to vouch for us. Hopefully, that will get us into the building to look for her. You’ll go in two teams and search for her. Knight, you’ll be with Derek and Pappy. Chance will take his team in. I’ll stay out here to coordinate with the captain and make sure we have control of the situation. Get suited up.”

  Derek and I went to the back of the Reed Security SUV and pulled out our gear. Luckily, we were always prepared for anything. I strapped my knife to my ankle and attached my leg holster after putting on my vest and shoulder holster. Derek was doing the same. After checking my weapons, I walked back over to Cap, who was now arguing with the captain.

  “You let my teams into the building now. They have more experience than any of the guys you’ve got in there and they know how to handle the situation. We’ve been vouched for by the department. Now, get your head out of your ass or I’ll get the chief on the phone and make sure you’re knocked down off your high horse to patrolman. Are we clear?”

  The captain was fuming by the end of Cap’s speech, but he lifted the tape and allowed us to enter. I pushed in my earpiece and pulled my weapon as we entered the building.

  “Chance is taking his guys in the south entrance,” Cap spoke into my earpiece. “The police are currently sweeping the first floor. Lucy’s classroom is on the second floor. Room 225.”

  “Copy that. Have you found Graham?”

  “Negative. Seth was also in class today, but he hasn’t been seen either. His football coach is also MIA. His name is Kevin Boots. 5’11”, 240 lbs, short, dark hair.”

  “We’ll be on the lookout.”

  Derek took the lead going up the stairs, with Knight and I following. Her classroom would be about halfway down the hall. We were about halfway up the stairs when the lights went out.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Lucy

  THE PHONE RANG during my class and I was shocked when I picked up the phone and was told that we had a code black. I remembered reading through the employee handbook when I was hired and reading that if I ever got a call about a code black, I was to remain calm and let my class know that they needed to grab their bags and exit the school as quickly and quietly as possible.

  I hung up the phone and smiled at the class. “Well, lucky you. We’re running a drill, so you need to gather up your things and quietly head to the south exit.”

  The students all stared at me, obviously unsure if I was telling the truth or not.

  “Well, let’s not keep them waiting. Please go out to the south lawn and wait for further instructions.”

  The class picked up their things with a mixture of fear and curiosity and headed for the door. Once everyone had cleared out, I headed for my office, which was just
a few doors down. I grabbed my purse and pulled out my phone, dialing Chance’s number.

  “Everything alright?”

  “We’ve been instructed to leave the building. It’s a code black. I’m going to the south exit.”

  “Alright. I’m coming to you.”

  He hung up before I could say anything else. I stood there for a moment, not sure if I should leave and hope to run into him or stay and wait for him. What if I left and then he was running all over the building looking for me? I tried calling him back, but the call wouldn’t go through. That was weird. I didn’t want to just wait around. I wasn’t sure exactly what a code black was, but I knew that it meant we had a threat of some kind. I shoved my phone in my pocket and went to leave, but my office door wouldn’t open. I jerked it, once, twice, but nothing happened. I checked the lock and saw that it was unlocked. I twisted the lock, trying to see if it was jammed somehow, but nothing happened.

  Shit. I started banging on the door, but I could see that the hall was empty. No one was around to hear me. I pulled my phone out and tried calling Chance again, but I still got nothing. What the hell was going on? I started to panic. If there was a threat, I needed to get out of there fast. I ran over to my window and tried to pry it open, but it seemed to have been painted shut. I ran back to the door and balled up my fists, banging and screaming for someone to help me.

  Finally, a face appeared in front of my door, but it wasn’t a face that I was happy to see. Seth Mackenrow stood on the other side. I took a step back, not sure if I wanted him to help me or not. He tried the knob but nothing happened. His eyes met mine and a tingle went down my spine. This was the kid that had slashed my tires. His sister had disappeared. What if he had been the one responsible for her disappearance?

  He stepped away from the door and I breathed a sigh of relief that he was gone, but then he was back moments later wielding a fire extinguisher. I stumbled back against my desk and shuffled around it to the back wall. He swung the fire extinguisher against the glass repeatedly until the glass broke.

  “Ms. Grant, is the lock jammed?”

  “Yes,” I croaked out.

  “Alright, stay back. I’m going to try and break down the door.”

  He didn’t seem all that threatening right now. In fact, he looked like he was trying to help me. I was so confused and I just didn’t know what to think about everything. He came running at the door full force, ramming his shoulder into the door. I flinched back as I heard it creak, but it didn’t give. He went to the other side of the hall and rammed again. This time, the frame gave a little. The third time he rammed the door, it gave way fully and the door broke in. I stood stock still against the wall, not sure what to do now. My instincts were screaming at me to run.

  “We should get out of here. They’re evacuating the building.”

  “We aren’t going anywhere,” he said, taking a small step toward me. I swallowed hard and looked at the door, wondering if I could make it. There wasn’t a chance.

  “Why’s that?” I asked, trying not to let my voice quiver.

  “I’ve been trying to get you alone for weeks, but you always have someone around you. Now I finally have you alone and we’re not leaving this room until I’m finished with you.”

  My whole body was shaking. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. There was no one in the hallway, no one that could help. My only hope was to draw him in, kick him in the balls, and run like hell.

  “Seth, I really don’t think now’s the time to talk. If you want to schedule a time during office hours-”

  “No! I won’t wait anymore. It has to be now.” He stalked toward me, his size easily twice that of mine. I looked around the room, hoping to see something that would help me defend myself, but all I saw was the chair and I didn’t think I was fast enough to get to it before he figured out what I was up to.

  He stepped right in front of me, gripping me by my biceps, squeezing a little too hard. I tried not to whimper, but I could already feel him leaving bruises.

  “Seth, please…”

  He looked confused for a moment and then shifted his weight. I glanced down and saw that he was right in line with my knee. I lifted and slammed my knee right into his crotch. I could feel my knee connect with his most sensitive parts. When he bent over, squeezing his eyes closed in agony, I raced around him, running out the door and down the hall. My heels and the tight pencil skirt I wore today were preventing me from running as fast as I could. My ankle gave out as I slipped on the tile and I fell against the wall. I tried to stand, but my ankle hurt too badly. I slipped off my shoe and tried to massage my foot, but everything hurt.

  Hearing footsteps, I slipped off my other shoe and got up, hobbling down the hall. I glanced behind me as I braced myself against the wall. Seth was walking toward me at a fast pace. Panic roared through me and I hobbled faster, praying that I could make it out of there alive. Tears pricked at my eyes as I heard his footsteps just behind me. His large hands encircled my waist and lifted me off the ground. I screamed and kicked, trying to wiggle out of his arms, but he was too strong. He kicked open a door and slammed it shut behind us, setting me down on a desk. He bent down and examined my ankle, caressing my foot with his large hands.

  “Seth, please, just let me go. I swear I won’t say anything to anyone. I just want to get out of here.”

  He looked up at me in confusion. “Let you go?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ms. Grant, I’m not trying to hurt you. I just wanted to talk with you. There are things you don’t know and I’m afraid you’re going to get hurt.”

  “Then let’s talk outside,” I said hurriedly. Not only was I terrified to be with this guy, but there was also the whole code black thing to be worried about.

  “No,” he said firmly. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for weeks and someone always gets in the way. This has to stop.”

  “What has to stop?”

  “You, hanging around with Graham Kinsey. He’s a murderer.”

  My eyes went wide and my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t have heard him right. There’s no way that Graham was a killer. “What are you talking about? Graham isn’t a killer.”

  “Do you know about my sister’s disappearance last year?”

  “Yes, I’ve heard and I’m very sorry.”

  “Did you know that Graham was sleeping with her?”

  “What? No, Graham would never…” I shook my head in disbelief. There was no way Graham would sleep with a student.

  “He admitted it to the police. He was the last person that saw her alive that night. She met him in his office to discuss their relationship. See, he was going to have her in class the next semester and teacher/student relationships aren’t allowed. Technically, at the time, he wasn’t her teacher.”

  “No, you have to be wrong about that. How can you be sure?”

  “Because I caught them,” he roared. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to walk in on your teacher nailing your sister?” I shook my head, not sure what else to say. “She was nineteen and he’s almost thirty. He took advantage of her.”

  “I agree if that’s true, but that doesn’t mean that he’s a murderer.”

  “I walked in on them that night. He was fucking her over the side of his desk, and then I listened as he told her that they couldn’t be together anymore. She was devastated.” He looked off in the distance, obviously caught in a painful memory. “She yelled at him, saying he never should have told her he loved her if he was going to break it off.” He looked back at me, tears shining in his eyes. “She told him that she was pregnant. Do you know what he told her?”

  I shook my head, not wanting to know what had been said.

  “He told her that she had to get rid of it. That he couldn’t afford the scandal. That he would lose his job!”

  I covered my mouth with my hand, not wanting to hear anymore. This was all too much. I had spent time with Graham. I had considered him a friend and all this time, he was har
boring a very dark secret. I wasn’t sure if I believed Seth that Graham had killed his sister, but if the rest was true, he was not the kind of person I wanted to be associated with.

  “He was the last one to see her. They have camera footage of him in the school later that night, but they can’t account for the whole time.”

  “Did they arrest him?”

  “They couldn’t. They didn’t have a body. They didn’t have any evidence that she disappeared even. There wasn’t a shoe left behind or her bag. She just vanished. She’s still considered a missing person, but it’s been a year. What are the chances that she’s still alive?” he asked quietly.

  All this time I had been afraid of Seth, but he was just trying to keep me safe. He must have noticed my friendship with Graham and worried for my safety. Suddenly, all his warnings made sense. All the times that he followed me to my car or watched from a distance. The night he followed Graham and I to the diner and then waited in the parking lot. He was concerned for my safety. He had even tried to tell me once, but he had been interrupted by Graham.

  “Seth, I’m very sorry for what happened to your sister and I understand now why you wanted me to stay away from Graham. You just scared me. I didn’t know what happened. I didn’t know that he was a suspect.”

  He nodded and stood. “We should get out of here. I’ll carry you outside. Just promise me that you’ll stay away from him from now on.”

  “I will.”

  Seth lifted me up and started for the door, but stopped when he saw Graham blocking the entrance.

  “Seth, put her down now.”

  I gripped onto Seth tighter, not sure that I wanted to be anywhere near Graham. I just couldn’t wrap my head around all this right now.

  “Seth, I’ll only ask one more time. Put her down. Now.” He raised a gun and my eyes widened in shock. Holy crap. He did do it. He’s the one that murdered Seth’s sister. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I didn’t want Seth shot, especially over me.

  “Put me down, Seth,” I whispered in his ear. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get out of this.”

  He looked at me and shook his head slightly, but I wiggled until he set me gingerly on my feet. I stood on my good foot, wincing as my other foot throbbed in pain.