by Lexi Blake
River slammed the door closed and walked toward her Jeep, Heather’s words ringing in her ears.
Except she wasn’t Heather. She was someone named Solo and River was alone again.
Chapter Fourteen
“All right, I think I have this figured out,” Tucker was saying the next morning. He stood in front of a large board he’d decorated with pictures and a whole bunch of strings connecting names and faces. He’d spent a good portion of the previous evening making his reminder board.
Jax barely looked up from his computer. He hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten. Didn’t want to. He wondered if she was going to keep Buster or if she wouldn’t want him now. Would the puppy be another casualty in his never-ending drama?
He’d found some peace with her. For a few days he’d felt normal, better than normal. He’d been important to her and he’d been good at making her happy.
Now when she looked at him, she would see nothing but a criminal, a con man who’d lied to her. He wouldn’t even have a good place in her memories.
Oh, but she would be everything to him.
Owen put his hands on his hips, looking up at the monstrosity of a conspiracy board Tucker had spent all night putting together. “So Heather is really named Kimberly, but she likes Star Wars and has a nickname.”
“I think whoever gave her the nickname liked Star Wars,” Tucker corrected.
“And Ezra was Mr. White but then he was Ezra who was actually his dead brother who Solo killed but his real name is Beckett Kent?” Robert scratched his head, trying to follow.
Tucker nodded. “Although I bet she didn’t, like, put a bullet in him. I think she screwed up an op and Ezra blames her. And Levi Green is a mystery. If I’m right, then his real first name is Levi, but I don’t think he’s a Green. It would be pretty coincidental given the revolving color code names the Agency uses.”
“You missed one of his names.” Dante wrote something on a sticky note. He slapped it up next to Green’s face. It read DICKHEAD.
It was fitting. Jax had called that asshole about a hundred nasty names in his head. “Do we know if Ezra killed him?”
He hadn’t seen a body. They’d left directly after the incident with River, and Ezra had closed himself up in his bedroom. Jax had been too shocked to think about anything but the fact that River was driving away. The worst had happened. River knew about his crimes and she hadn’t waited for an explanation.
Big Tag chose that moment to walk in, carrying a coffee mug in his hand. He stopped and stared at the big wall. There was a picture of him with the names Ian Taggart, Big Tag, and Satan connected with carefully lined string. He nodded. “That’s fair. And Levi is alive. Too many witnesses. If he’s still at the motel this morning, I think I might have a chat with the fucker myself.”
“We can’t kill him.” Ezra walked in and slumped into a chair. “If we kill him, we bring the Agency down on our heads, and we would likely implicate Henry as well. Is she here yet?”
Big Tag shook his head. “She said she’s on her way.”
That got Jax sitting up straight and paying more attention. “Who’s coming? Did someone talk to River?”
He was well aware he was making an ass of himself, but he couldn’t help it. He was the sad-sack, pathetic SOB who would likely spend the rest of his life hoping to catch a glimpse of her or hear someone say her name.
“He’s talking about Solo,” Sasha said with a long sigh. “Or Kimberly. Or Heather. I need fucking note cards to keep up with this shit. Could you all wear name tags, please?”
Big Tag stared at the picture of Solo for a moment. “This is your ex-wife? You know who she looks like, right?”
Ezra’s eyes narrowed. “She looks like Solo.”
Big Tag snorted. “She’s a fucking dead ringer for my sister-in-law, Mia. You either like shopping at the same store or you have never gotten over this one, buddy.”
“I’m not going to talk about my ex-wife.” Ezra crossed the great room to pour himself some coffee.
“He told us she was his wife last night. Not his ex,” Tucker pointed out. “Did you forget your divorce? It’s cool because I forgot my name, so we’re on the same page. Also, I’m sorry I hit on her. I didn’t know she was your wife. I just thought she was a hot chick, and as long as Jax was getting some…you know how it goes.”
“I didn’t forget a thing. You misheard,” Ezra bald-faced lied because Jax remembered exactly what he’d said.
And it was a good thing Solo was coming because she’d taken River home. She could at least assure him she’d been okay.
Of course, he might be able to do that himself. He pulled out his phone and there was nothing on it. No flirty texts or pictures that got his heart racing. Nothing at all. He pulled up her name and wondered if she’d blocked him already.
I hope you made it home all right. Do I need to come and get Buster?
He stared and saw the floating circles that let him know she was replying.
He’s mine and I’m keeping him. Don’t you dare come after my dog. I’ll shoot you if I see you again.
It was good to know she was still mad.
Fuck. What the hell was he going to do now?
There was a knock and Sasha opened the door, ushering Solo in.
Big Tag nodded her way. “Hello, Mia. I’m sorry. I meant Kimberly. You look an awful lot like my brother Case’s wife. Ezra back there had a thing for her. Followed her all over the globe.”
Solo’s eyes found Ezra. “I didn’t know you dated.”
Ezra shrugged as he took a seat again. “I didn’t know you gave a shit. And I didn’t date Mia. I was her bodyguard for a while. She’s a lovely woman. Case hit the lottery with that one. She’s a journalist and a philanthropist. She does a lot of good in the world.”
“The comparison being I do a lot of bad, I’m sure,” Solo said. “I didn’t come here to fight with you. I came here to figure out what you’re going to do now.”
“How about you explain to us what you were doing here in the first place,” Ezra demanded.
“I was sent here by the Agency to discern what Henry is doing here.” Solo sat down beside Jax. “John Bishop was a legend at the CIA. When he resurfaced after his incredibly well-done fake death, there were people who worried he’d turned. There were a couple of factions with the Agency who wanted to send in an assassin.”
“They sent in you, didn’t they?” Ezra said, his eyes on his ex-wife.
“I’m not the assassin, Beck. And I think I’ve given them enough evidence that Bishop didn’t fake his death in order to start a life of crime,” Solo said. “He’s here because he fell in love.”
Sasha stood. “I have things to do. If we’re leaving soon, I want to be ready.”
Dante stood with him. “I’ll be in my room. I can’t handle all the love shit. I’m calling Damon. I want to go back to The Garden. We made a mistake following Fain.”
Owen sighed and pushed his chair back. “I’ll make sure they don’t do anything stupid.” He nodded Tucker’s way. “But I do like the soap opera playing out here, so I expect notes from you, mate.”
Ezra took a deep breath as they left the room. When Big Tag started to stand, he put a hand on his arm. “Let them go. I promised them something I might not be able to deliver. If they want to call Damon and head back, let them.”
“There was a reason we left England,” Big Tag replied, but he settled back in. “It’s dangerous for them to stay in one place for too long. As we learned yesterday. That fucker Levi has us in a corner.”
“I think we can still run this op.” He wasn’t going to give up on finding the data they needed. He was the one who’d screwed everything up. He hadn’t lost River only to run away without the one thing they needed. He turned to Ezra’s ex. “You can take me in. We go in this afternoon and we won’t leave the forest until we find it. Everyone else stays behind to deal with MSS and Levi Green. We go in light and fast and they might not know we’re gone.”
&nbs
p; Solo’s fingers drummed along the conference table as she gave his plan some thought. “Don’t worry about MSS. My boss has taken care of the problem. We can focus on the op.”
A brow rose over Ezra’s left eye. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me who you’re working for.”
She sent him a tight smile. “I’m afraid that’s classified. I do know the woods. I’ve spent a lot of time in them. I have a camp of sorts over the first ridge. It’s the perfect place to spend the night. It’s got a good view.”
“And by view, she means a view of Henry’s place,” Big Tag corrected. “Henry’s cabin is next door.”
“Henry is Bishop.” Tucker smiled like he was the smartest kid in the class.
Jax ignored him. “We have time to hike before it gets dark.” He frowned as a thought occurred to him. “Or not, since River has all the equipment.”
“I have some,” a new voice said. Henry Flanders strolled in through the back of the house, having come in from the side door. He was the massive cabin’s caretaker while its owners were in New York. His wife was with him, though she looked a bit pale. She carried a basket in her hand. “I’ve got a lightweight tent and enough supplies to get you through a day or two. The sun’s going to be out all day and that should help dry the ground.”
Nell placed the basket on the table with a wan smile. “I made some muffins. I also made a batch of protein bars, too. They’re good hiking fuel.”
Henry took a deep breath. “I think I should be the one to go. Ms. Solomon, if you’re not afraid to work with me, I’ll go with you and the rest can stay here. Mr. Green won’t expect me to be the one going in search of The Ranch.”
Nell paled visibly.
Jax couldn’t let that happen. Henry was already in trouble because his wife hadn’t known about his past. And she was pregnant. She didn’t need to worry about what would happen if her husband got caught. “No. The only reason you’re here and not in some Agency detention center is the fact that you have stayed out of the business.”
“I went to Mexico earlier this year to help out an old friend,” Henry answered. “I’m sure that was enough to put me back in the crosshairs. Wasn’t that around the time you were put on assignment, Ms. Solomon?”
A wry smile lit up Solo’s face. “Not at all, and unless Beck there put you in his report, the Agency doesn’t know about that. You were the one who saved Kayla Summers and that hottie actor of hers. I should have known it was you. Levi didn’t mention you at all in his report. Likely because he wanted to keep that information in his back pocket.”
“Or because it happened very quickly,” Henry replied. “I pretty much walked in and started killing people. He ran as fast as he could. Levi always did have excellent survival instincts.”
Solo’s eyes rolled. “He wrote you up but in his report you were a minor player and he shot you.”
“He didn’t shoot Henry. He fucking shot me,” Ezra complained.
Solo lost a bit of her smile. “Yes, he didn’t mention that part. The point is Jax is right. Henry Flanders is not of interest to the Agency anymore. I’ve made a recommendation to leave you alone and let John Bishop be a star on Langley’s wall. It ends there if you let it.”
Henry reached down and tried to take his wife’s hand.
She shifted away from him, turning to go into the kitchen. “I’ll make some tea to go with the muffins.”
Henry sighed and sat down. “All right, but I think if you’re going to make this op happen, you need to head out at night and work fast. Once you’re in the woods, they won’t be able to follow. I doubt Green is a mountain man.”
Ezra shook his head. “No. Solo isn’t a true guide. She grew up on the Upper East Side. What she’s good at is imitation. Jax has never been in the forest before. I’m not risking my men so Solo can play whatever game she’s playing.”
“I’m trying to save you, you dumb bastard. I stayed on because I heard a rumor that you were going to come for The Ranch,” she said. “I think you’ve got a leak in your group. The only reason there’s not a bunch of soldiers surrounding the place is the fact that they would have to let President Hayes know in his daily briefings, and then he would start asking questions. I think Jax and Henry are right. You do this quick and quiet and you might get out whole. They’re afraid of Hayes. One of his closest friends from childhood used to work for the Agency. He only left a couple of months ago and he still has friends on the inside. They have to play this as carefully as they can. If it’s a choice between letting the information go or risk letting the fact of The Ranch’s existence get to the White House, they’ll cover their asses and start planning ways to pin the blame on someone else.”
“I concur,” Big Tag replied. “Though I think someone should send Connor Sparks a heads-up at the end of this.”
“Only if you want a war,” Solo shot back.
“We know which side you’ll be on,” Ezra replied.
He was sick of the fighting. “Stop it, both of you. I’m going in and I’m going tonight. I’ll go alone if I have to. I think I should. I think I want to keep the Agency as far away from this as possible.”
“I can take you out there, Jax,” Solo insisted. “I did grow up in Manhattan, but I’m perfectly competent in the woods. I’ve spent months here learning. We’ll be fine.”
But he couldn’t trust her. “You have people you have to answer to. I won’t put the mission at risk.”
“I’ll go,” Robert offered.
Big Tag shook his head. “We need to be seen around town. Levi might be gone or he might be here, but I assure you he has people watching. If two of us go missing, they’ll start searching. He knows how hard Jax took the breakup with River. We say Jax is butt hurt and whiney and won’t come out with us.”
He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that, but he wasn’t in a position to argue. “I’ll go alone. I’ll be fine.”
“You won’t.” Solo stood up, facing him. “The woods are dangerous. You need a guide or you could die out there.”
He needed River, but he wasn’t going to get her. “I’m going. You can help me by prepping me or you can leave.”
Henry’s eyes were somber as he sat back. “You have a grid of where you think this place is? Let’s eat some breakfast and then lay out a map and see what we’ve got.”
Solo had her hands on her hips. “I’m not sending him out there alone. Beck, you can’t do this.”
Ezra stared at him for a moment. “Are you sure, Jax?”
He had never been more sure of anything in his life. “I’m going.”
Ezra turned his attention back to his ex-wife. “You can help him prep or you can leave, and if you walk straight to Levi and tell him what we’re doing, I’ll be the one who comes after you, and it won’t be for a tender reunion.”
“But if he dies, you’ll blame me. Can’t you see I’m trying? Please talk to me, Beck. I miss you. I know I screwed up, but there has to be a way to make you see that it doesn’t have to be the end of us. Let me take Jax out. Let me find this for you,” she pleaded.
“I can’t trust you. I can’t trust anyone who still works for the CIA. I’ll let you spend the afternoon prepping him and you can help with logistics, but I won’t send him out there alone with you.” Ezra stood, his decision obviously final. “I’m going to see if Dante and Sasha have calmed down and then I’m taking a shower. You guys eat something and we’ll meet back here in an hour to start our prep.”
Solo stared as he walked away.
Tucker picked up a marker and started writing on his sticky notes again. He pasted it on the line that connected Solo to Ezra. Whole lotta drama, it said.
“You know that’s true.” Big Tag seemed like the only one who was finding it all amusing. He strode over to Solo. “I think you should stay. Also, look up Mia Taggart. You’ll be surprised at the resemblance. Now I’ve got to go call my wife and fill her in. I left her alone at home with three kids and a massive dog who pees every time someone walks in th
e door. The least I can do is let her know Ezra has a secret ex-wife who is obviously going to cause loads of trouble.”
“I’m not trying to cause trouble. I’m trying to keep him out of it,” Solo said.
Tag shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?”
He walked off as Robert joined Tucker, adding to their wall of drama. Solo glanced at the door as though ready to leave now that her plan had failed.
“You can’t help Ezra if you walk away,” Henry pointed out. “You made the right call when you came out of cover to try to counteract Green’s effect on River. You made the right call when you saved Jax and Robert. Make it now. Help us even if Ezra doesn’t want you to.”
Solo seemed to settle in. “I’ll do what I can. And I know no one will believe me but I intervened for River’s sake. It wasn’t about any mission. It was about helping my friend.”
Jax took the opportunity to ask what he really wanted to know. “How was River when you left her?”
Solo’s face softened when she turned to him. “She was devastated and confused. I think she needs some time. I tried to talk to her, but I’m not her favorite person right now. She wouldn’t listen to a thing I had to say. I’ll try again this afternoon.”
“She still won’t listen. She was lied to.” Nell placed a tray with a pot of tea and several mugs on the tabletop. “The person she thought she knew was someone different. It’s difficult to find trust again.”
Henry’s jaw tightened. “Are you done, sweetheart? You can rest for a while before Caleb comes to check on you.”
She glanced over at Tucker’s wall. It was easy to see she didn’t find it amusing. “I think I will. I might go into town for a bit. No need to come with me. I can see you’re needed here.”
