by Mary Alford
When the tenth minute passed and Jase still hadn’t returned, Reyna stepped out on the sidewalk. She peered over her shoulder one more time. Finally, she saw him coming from the back of the storage facility with the laptop bag tucked under his arm.
Relief coursed through her as he reached her side and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“What happened in there?”
“I’m not sure.” His expression grim, he glanced back in the direction he’d come. “The man behind the counter seemed extremely edgy the whole time I was there. He looked as if he was expecting someone to show up. I went out the rear entrance instead. He saw me leave and started to yell for me to stop. When I didn’t, I think he may have called for backup.” He slid her a look. “How did you pay for the storage locker?”
They continued walking at a fast pace toward the Land Cruiser, her breathing coming in frightened gasps. “I used cash. When I opened the account, there was an older woman working the office. I’ve never seen this man before.”
“Did you give her your name?”
“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly. “It just came out before I had time to think about using another alias. I’m not used to all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.”
“Did she ask to see your driver’s license?”
She nodded. “She did, but I told her I’d forgotten it and she didn’t push the matter. I realized I’d made a terrible mistake in giving her my name so I made up an address in another state.”
“Good catch. Still, it doesn’t really explain how they found out you left the laptop here.”
“I think I know how,” she said, and told him about her letter to Sara.
He nodded. “That explains it. They’ve been watching your friend closely, expecting you to contact her.”
“And I did. I’m sorry, Jase. I didn’t think...”
He squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. You’ve done remarkably well for not being used to covering your tracks.”
“What I don’t understand is why they just didn’t take the laptop. They’d have the evidence they need. Why put one of their men in the storage facility to watch for us?”
“Maybe they thought you copied the files? They would have to be certain there were no more copies floating around before...” He glanced down at her. “They can’t let you live, Reyna. Even if you don’t understand everything that’s on the laptop, you know too much, which is why we need to get out of here now before it’s too late.”
Jase stopped suddenly, barring her way with his arm.
“What is it?” she asked as fear and adrenaline trickled through her. His arm circled her waist and they ducked into the doorway of a store.
“See those four men dressed in casual clothing across the street?” he asked, and she nodded. The men were talking among themselves and they watched the people passing by as if they were looking for someone. “It could mean nothing. Maybe they’re simply waiting for their spouses, but I don’t like it.”
“Jase, they’re standing between us and the Land Cruiser. If we try to get to it, they’ll see us. We’re trapped.”
He flicked his gaze toward the men. “Maybe not. Look, they’re moving. We need try to blend in with the crowd until they pass by, then we can get to the vehicle.” He focused on her for a second. “Do you have any sunglasses?”
She shook her head. “No, I left them in the car.”
Jase thought for a moment then pulled the hood of her jacket up. “That’s better.” He took out a pair of dark shades from his pocket and put them on her. “Those will hide most of your face so they can’t recognize you.”
The four men continued walking down the sidewalk while scanning the crowd of people as they went.
Reyna froze. They were crossing the street. In a minute, they’d be right next to them. “Oh no,” she whispered, clutching his arm. He followed her gaze and saw what she did. “Jase...what should we do?”
“It’ll be okay. Just follow my lead.” Before she knew what he intended, Jase drew her into his embrace, leaned in close and slowly kissed her.
Reyna’s breath lodged in her throat.
She forgot about the men advancing closer. The fear and dread that had been her constant companions these past few weeks faded away. All she could think about was this man kissing her. A damn broke inside of her and then she was kissing him back, all thoughts of danger forgotten.
It had been so long since someone kissed her the way Jase did. There were so many times over the past six months when she would have given just about anything for one more kiss from Eddie. One touch. But Eddie was gone and kissing Jase, feeling their breaths mingling, his lips tenderly pressed against hers, it felt almost as if she were betraying the love of her life.
Reyna jerked away. Their eyes locked. She could read all the turbulent emotion in his gaze, and yet for the life of her, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. She absently reached up and touched her lips where his had rested.
“I’m...sorry. I just wanted...” He didn’t finish.
She could feel the color creeping up her cheeks. “No, it’s okay.” Looking away, she cleared her throat. “Do you think they saw us?”
“I don’t know.” He sounded as breathless as she felt. “But we need to get to the SUV while we still have the chance.”
In her head, she understood that he’d kissed her to keep her identity secret. That wasn’t what scared her the most. It was her reaction to it. Jase Bradford was far more dangerous to her inner peace then the men following them ever could be.
* * *
They slipped in with a group of people crossing the street. Jase tried to keep his mind on the threats facing them and not on the woman next to him, but it was a difficult task.
Just playing a part, he told himself. When he’d worked for the CIA, he’d gotten good at assuming a role. He’d even had to play the husband of a female asset once to get her safely out of a danger zone. Never had it shaken his resolve like kissing Reyna had. She felt so good in his arms, almost as if she belonged there. He had to keep reminding himself she was Eddie’s widow. She loved Eddie. Still, the hardest part was the unwelcome memories it churned up.
Memories of Abby.
He’d thought he finally gotten over losing her. But kissing Reyna had opened a wound he wanted to leave closed. It hurt too much to think of the sacrifice Abby had made...and for what? They were still no closer to identifying the people responsible for her death than they had been back then.
“Let’s hope they keep scouring the town for us, but still we won’t have much time,” he said in a strained voice.
As they neared the Land Cruiser, Jase’s chest tightened when he saw the new threat. Two men staring directly at them. “Don’t look up,” he whispered close to Reyna’s ear, and then he smiled down at her. “There’s two men heading our way. Try to look normal. Laugh as if I’ve said something funny. We have to get to our vehicle. It’s our only way out.”
She pretended to laugh, yet he could feel her trembling. He took her hand. He’d do anything to keep her safe, to make her less afraid. She brought out the protector in him.
“Almost there,” he murmured.
They rounded the front of the SUV. The two men stopped some ten feet away and stared at them and then at each other.
Jase unlocked the door. “Get in. Hurry.”
“Hey there, buddy. Hold up a second,” one of the men called out. Jase didn’t listen. He hopped in next to Reyna and fired up the engine.
“Hey, stop!” the man demanded once more. Jase put the vehicle in Drive and floored it without closing the door.
“That’s them. There’re trying to get away! Call for backup,” the second man yelled.
The door slammed shut next to him as Jase turned the nearest corner. He swerved, barely missing a parked car, and then glanced in the rearview mirror. Both men had rounded the corner. They were running after them with their weapons drawn and pointed at the vehicle. It looked as if they had some sort of silencer att
ached to the guns.
“Duck!” Jase shouted at Reyna. He shoved her onto the floorboard as a round of bullets struck the back window, shattering it instantly.
Jase kept as low as he could and still see the road ahead. Another round of fire took out the windshield.
He drove at breakneck speed down the narrow street then turned into an alley that was barely wide enough for the Land Cruiser to make it through. The vehicle shot out the other side of the alley and onto a residential road heading out of town.
“I think we lost them for now, but we have to get off this road and out of sight. These people are ruthless and, I’m guessing, just desperate enough to risk exposure. Why else would they fire on us in the middle of a town full of tourists?”
Reyna slipped back into her seat and stared at the ruined windshield. Visibly shaken, she turned to him with terror in her eyes. “Where can we go that they won’t find us?”
His thoughts circled in a dozen different directions. If they didn’t disappear quickly, they’d get caught. He couldn’t let that happen. He prayed desperately for guidance. It was imperative they find out what was so important that these people were willing to ambush them in broad daylight.
“The first thing we need is to find somewhere safe and secluded enough to take a look at the files. I have a friend who has a house on the other side of Silver Mountain. We’re about an hour away from his place.” He glanced behind them. No one followed so he slowed the vehicle’s speed. “We can’t afford to be out in public too long. They know this vehicle now. They’ll be watching for it.”
* * *
Reyna tugged her jacket closer against her body. It was freezing in the Land Cruiser in spite of having the heater blasting on high. Jase reached behind his seat, found an old blanket he kept in the back, and she wrapped it around herself for extra warmth. At least the snow had stopped for the time being. Still, they were both chilled to the bone. They needed to get out of the elements fast.
Jase spotted the remote gravel road he’d been watching for. “This will take us into Silver Mountain.” He slowed the vehicle’s speed long enough to type an urgent text message to his friend Aaron Foster, informing him that he and Reyna were in trouble and heading his way.
It took only a matter of seconds for Aaron to respond.
Gone abroad. House key is in the light fixture at the back of the house. How can I help?
Not exactly the news Jase was hoping for, but not totally unexpected. Since Aaron retired from Special Ops a few years back, he’d worked with the military to train other soldiers to become part of the specialized team. He was gone on average at least one week a month.
Need your expertise. Can we talk? Jase typed back.
Is this line secure?
Jase answered, Yes, it’s a burner.
Good, I’ll contact you at fourteen hundred hours.
Jase dropped the phone on the seat between them.
“He’s not home so we’re on our own for backup.” He explained about Aaron’s military background.
“Did you guys ever work together back then?” Reyna asked curiously.
Jase shook his head. “No, Aaron doesn’t know anything about my past. We met by accident about a year ago. Aaron was looking for a hunting guide, which I do in my spare time. We became friends. We still go hunting every fall and Aaron tells me stories about his days in Special Ops. I think he suspects there’s more to my story than I’ve told him but he never asks.”
“He sounds like a nice guy.”
“One of the best.” In truth, Aaron was one of the few people Jase had considered sharing his past with, but he’d always held back. Now there would be no other choice. They reached the edge of the town of Silver Mountain. Jase remembered it was similar to Eldorado in layout, the main street lined with rows of tourist shops and a handful of restaurants. Instead of driving through the town, he took one of the back streets.
“Aaron’s place is about as off the grid as mine. He told me once that he liked the solitude of the mountains because it helped him put things into perspective. He owns a two-hundred-acre ranch that you can only reach by driving down a ten-mile dirt road.” Jase could certainly understand Aaron’s need for solitude. The type of work they did made it hard to adjust to normal civilian life. Sometimes being alone was the best way of dealing with the nightmares.
Once outside of town, Jase drove slowly up the steep mountain road until he spotted the simple gate leading up to Aaron’s place tucked up against Silver Mountain. When they reached the house, he pulled the Land Cruiser around behind it and parked. The seclusion of the place could prove either to be the perfect hideout or the makings of the worst ambush ever. He noticed Reyna staring at the house.
“Jase, there’s a light on.” She pointed at the second floor. He saw it, too. A tiny light shone through slatted wood blinds. Had Aaron forgotten to turn off a light upstairs or was someone in there?
“Stay here. Let me have a quick look around inside.”
He started to get out, but she stopped him. “Jase... wait.” Her voice caught over his name and he turned back. Even exhausted, she was lovely. She had the type of eyes a man could get lost in.
He gave himself a mental shake. He was getting soft.
Reyna closed the space between them and went into his arms. After a second’s hesitation, he held her close. She was like a safe place in a terrible storm and he breathed in the fresh, clean scent of her. She smelled like the mountains he loved. Like a promise yet to be fulfilled.
He clung to her until she pushed away and he let her go.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“I will.” With one final searching look her way, he drew the weapon and got out of the vehicle.
SIX
With the exception of the light, the house appeared empty. He hadn’t seen any movement from inside.
Jase stepped up onto the deck, opened the top of the light fixture. The key had slid to the bottom.
He took it out and unlocked the door, then slipped inside. The first thing he noticed beyond the quietness of the place was that it was warm. Jase slowly crept upstairs to the room in question. He gripped the doorknob, counted to three to himself and swung the door open. The room was empty. In the corner, a tiny nightlight lit the place. He let out a huge sigh of relief and searched the rest of the upstairs. There was nothing out of the ordinary.
After a thorough search downstairs yielded nothing, either, Jase went back to the SUV. “Everything’s good. Aaron just left a nightlight plugged in.” He gave her a reassuring look. “We should be safe here.”
Once they went inside the house and locked the door behind them, Reyna stopped in the entryway and stood perfectly still with her eyes closed. Then she looked over at him and smiled. “This feels wonderful.”
He grinned at her enraptured expression. “Yeah, it’s amazing the things we take for granted—like heat and a dry place to stay.”
“Yes. How long can we stay?”
He wished he had a clear answer to give her. “I’m not sure. I want to get a look at those files and we need to lay low for a while. These people obviously have a lot of manpower on the ground.” He glanced at his watch. “Aaron should be calling soon. I’m praying with his help we can find a way out of this.”
Reyna followed him into the great room and sank down on the sofa. The crazy pace they’d been on since they left his house was taking its toll on both of them. Jase took off his jacket and sat down next to her. He wanted to be close. His desire to protect her ran deep.
“Why don’t you stretch out on the sofa for a bit? Try and get some rest.”
Before she could answer, his phone chirped and he picked it up. Aaron’s number appeared on the screen. Jase answered the call and put it on speaker so that Reyna could hear.
“Davis, I’m hoping you made it there safely?” Aaron’s booming voice came through the phone. He sounded tense, as if he were spooked about something.
Jase and Reyna’s gazes locked. �
�Yes, we’re here, Aaron. Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure.” Aaron hesitated. “I got a call from a friend right before you texted me. He’s been monitoring the ham radio for a while and there’s a lot of unusual chatter out there about a couple of fugitives. A man and a woman. If they’re talking about you, it sounds like they’re organizing a massive manhunt and they’ve looped in the local authorities. What kind of trouble are you two in?”
“I wish I knew,” Jase told him with an exasperated sigh. “I’m here with my...friend, Reyna Peterson.”
“Good to meet you, Reyna. It’s a shame it has to be under these circumstances.”
Reyna smiled. “Me, too. Thank you for giving us a safe place to stay.”
“That’s no problem. Now, what’s going on, Davis, and how can I help?”
Jase realized he had to start with the truth. He just hadn’t imagined how hard it would be. “Aaron, I need to tell you that my name is really Jase Bradford and I’m former CIA.” He hit the broad strokes of why he had faked his death, then went on to explain about Eddie dying and the reason he and Reyna needed his help now.
Aaron blew out an audible breath. “Wow, and I thought I’d seen some bad things during my time with Special Ops. You think whatever’s on the laptop is connected to what happened to your team?”
Jase furrowed his brow. It was too much of a coincidence otherwise. “My gut is telling me it has to be connected. Whatever is on it is obviously extremely important to someone.”
He took the laptop from the bag and let out an admiring whistle.
“I’m looking at the laptop now. It’s state-of-the-art. Looks like it’s equipped with a sunlight-readable touchscreen, a fingerprint scanner and some antitheft features. It appears impenetrable, but Eddie obviously cracked the code somehow...” He glanced Reyna’s way. “Any idea where he got it?”
“No, none.”
Jase studied it closer. “It’s military grade, but I’ve never known any of our people to use this particular type of laptop.”
Aaron was silent for a second. “I’d need to get a look at it. Can you use the video call feature on the phone? It’ll be the next best thing to me being there.”
