Hit and Run: A Thrilling Novel of Romantic Suspense (Callahan Security series Book 3)

by Lori Matthews

  He knew he was staring, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He’d been scared out of his mind when he’d seen the tattooed guys facing off with his brothers on the pier. He figured that the little old lady behind them had to be Dani but it had taken him a minute. Mitch was right, the disguise was a work of art. Thank God his brothers had been close. He wouldn’t ever have been able to forgive himself if something had happened to Dani.

  She looked pale to him, but it was hard to tell under all the makeup. He’d wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her in the elevator. She was taking all of this on as her fault. It wasn’t. It was his for overreacting last night. For being an asshat. He’d find a way to make it all up to her. Everything. After they got Dottie back.

  Logan turned back to Dani. “Have you ever had any dealings with them?”

  Dani hesitated. “That’s sort of a hard question to answer.”

  “Try,” Logan growled.

  When Dani shot him a frown, Gage caught Logan’s gaze and shook his head slightly. Dani wouldn’t respond well to being yelled at. He oughta know.

  “It’s not that simple.” Dani licked her lips. “In the past, I did collaborate with some other hackers. I didn’t ask who the clients were. I got paid by crypto currency. So I can’t say for sure one way or the other. In the last couple of years, no, I have had no contact with the Triads.”

  Mitch blew out a breath. “We discovered they are the ones who are after you. Not the Chinese government. The Triads have Dottie.”

  “The Triads? Why are they involved? How did they find out about the project?”

  “The pictures you sent of the guys from the cruise ship, they are Triad members,” Logan said. “I called some FBI friends and asked them to run the pictures through NCIC. Turns out they’re wanted in California and over in Hong Kong. If we can figure out how they found out about the software, we might be able to figure out the bigger picture.”

  “Bigger picture?” Dani asked.

  Mitch nodded. “Someone has been after Drake for months, first trying to buy the software and then trying to steal it. But other things have been happening, too. Some of his business deals are falling through, and some of his sites have been sabotaged. We think it’s all connected. The sabotage started before the push for the software.”

  Mitch ran a hand through his hair and winced. He took his hand down and looked at his knuckles.

  “Did you hurt your hand when you punched Ponytail?” Dani asked

  “Not much. Just scraped my knuckles a bit.” He winked then asked, “So was it just by chance the software came into it, or was that the target all along? Did they even know about the software in the beginning?”

  Logan piped up, “Our people back in New York are working on sorting it, and they are making some progress, but not enough.”

  “The mole,” Gage stated. “My guess is the mole told the Triads about the software.”

  Logan raised his eyebrow. “What makes you think so?”

  Gage shrugged. “Word wasn’t on the street about the software a few months ago. In fact, there’s still only a handful of people who know about it.”

  Dani nodded. “That’s right. When Drake first came to me with the idea for the software, he hadn’t told anyone else. There was no paperwork. Nothing. He’d put the word out that he needed a hacker to build some software, but he didn’t offer any details. A go-between I use sometimes mentioned the job to me. Said he thought it would be challenging and I could make a lot of money but even he didn’t have details. Just a vague mention of it having something to do with facial recognition. I didn’t get more until I spoke directly to Drake. So there is no way the Triads knew about the project at that point unless Drake told them.”

  Logan nodded slowly. “I see where you’re going with this.”

  “Right. Once I agreed and managed to get the base code for it, I contacted Drake and told him what I would need. That’s when others were brought in to help gather the necessities. We’re talking early spring here. Maybe four months ago. When did the sabotage start?”

  Mitch took a swig of water and swallowed. “Beginning of the year. It was already well underway by the time we were brought on.”

  There was a knock at the door. All three men jumped up and moved toward the door. Mitch grabbed a vase from a side table and nodded at Gage. “Who is it?”

  “Room Service.”

  Gage looked through the peephole and nodded at Mitch. Logan stood to one side. Gage stepped back and opened the door. Mitch moved out from behind the door but leaned on the wall gripping the vase down by his side. The room service attendant rolled the cart into the room.

  “Where would you like it?” he asked.

  Logan stepped forward. “You can just leave it like that. We’ll take care of it.” He signed and handed the guy a tip.

  The waiter smiled “Are you sure you don’t want help setting up?”

  “Yes. We’re good. Thanks.”

  The waiter gave a little bow and left. Gage closed the door after him and came back and sat down.

  Mitch dropped the vase softly on the carpet and then moved over to the food-laden cart. “What about the food? I’m starving.”

  “You’re always hungry. It will keep for another few minutes.” Logan gestured toward the chair Mitch had vacated. “Have a seat.”

  Mitch grabbed a roll and grumbled on his way over to the chair. Gage smiled at his brother and sat back down on the floor.

  “You were saying?” Logan looked at Gage.

  Dani cut in. “What’s with the vase?”

  Mitch grinned. “Since we bring guns into the country we have to make do with whatever’s on hand.”

  “Right,” Dani said and shook her head.

  Gage piped up. “As I was saying, it has to be the mole. The mole found out about the software and told the Triads. They went from sabotage to trying to get the software. It would make sense for them to want a copy, for sure.”

  No one said anything as he took a sip of water. He continued, “If I had to guess, I would say they were trying to sabotage Drake’s stuff because they want a way in. Think about it. Drake has hotels all over the world just like this one. Some are even bigger, huge thousand-room places but he also has small boutique inns. If the Triads could get access, they could launder money, drugs, and human trafficking all through one system. It’s a gold mine for them really.”

  Mitch looked at Logan. “He’s got a point. It makes a lot of sense. We’ve been wondering about the sabotage for months. This theory makes all the pieces fit in place.”

  Logan agreed. “It does.” He stood up. “I’ll call the office and give them an update. It may give them another angle to check.”

  “Why don’t you give me a shot at it?” Dani asked.

  “A shot at what?” Mitch raised an eyebrow. “You mean figuring out who the mole is?”

  Dani nodded. “I’m rather handy with a computer.” She smiled slightly.

  “I bet.” Mitch grinned back. “Well, if you’re half as good on the computer as you are at disguises, we might be in business.”

  When Dani reached for her laptop, Gage hopped up and went around the coffee table. He took her hand and refused to let go when she tried to pull it back. “But first, we eat. Don’t know if we’ll be getting another chance anytime soon.”

  She frowned at him, but the loud rumble of her stomach told him he was right.

  He pulled her off the couch. “You need to keep your strength up. Dottie needs us to be on point.”

  Dani glared at him but then nodded.

  Thank you, God. He’d been so afraid she would deny herself food with the excuse she needed to work. She’d done it on the ship. Dani didn’t function well without food. He smiled at the memory of her calling him an “asshat” when she’d been hungry. The smile died. He was an asshat. She’d never forgive him for what he’d said, and he didn’t blame her. But he could make sure she ate and took care of herself.

  Her hips swayed as she wal
ked to the room service cart. She stood in front of it and stared. She didn’t pick up a plate.

  “Are you alright?” Logan asked. He’d just gotten off the phone and came to stand beside her.

  “Um, yeah. Just tired and hungry, I guess.”

  Logan frowned. “Dottie’s still alive.”

  She bit her lip and nodded quickly. Unshed tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.

  Gage’s gut knotted. Pain tore up his insides as if he’d been shot. She was going to cry again, and it was his fault. If he’d followed her…if he’d just kept his cool, the whole scene outside the cruise ship wouldn’t have happened.

  Logan squeezed Dani’s arm and then rubbed his hand up and down. “We’ll get her back.”

  Gage ground his teeth and fisted his hands. It had damn near killed him when Logan had put his arm around Dani at the pier. Now he was touching her again. Logan already had a woman in his life. He should not be touching Dani.

  Mitch glanced at Logan and Dani as he finished loading his plate. When he turned and saw Gage, he grinned.

  Gage opened and closed his hands again. He really wanted to wipe the smirk off his brother’s face. Mitch chuckled as he went by and winked at his brother. Gage turned and glared at Mitch.

  “What?” Mitch asked while trying to look innocent, but he couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Logan asked as he led Dani back over to the coffee table.

  Gage glared at Mitch. If he said one word, Gage was going to take him out.

  Mitch put his hands up in defeat. “Not a thing.” He winked again at Gage.

  Gage shook his head and went over to put some food on a plate. He wasn’t hungry, but he knew he should eat. Plus, he needed some breathing room. Being so closed to Dani and not being able to touch her was like dying slowly. He didn’t need Mitch’s knowing looks to aggravate him anymore than he already was.

  “Logan’s right, Dani. Dottie will be fine. From what we saw at the pier, she knows a thing or two about handling herself.” Mitch smiled.

  Dani picked up a piece of buttered croissant. “Yes, but she’s an…older woman and she’s been kidnapped by a group of thugs.” She put the croissant back down. “What is taking them so long? Why haven’t they contacted us?”

  Mitch took a sip of his drink. “It takes a while to organize an exchange. They have to pick their place and, if they’re smart, they’ll want someone on hand who can test the software. Gage mentioned earlier they grabbed a USB before and thought they had it.”

  Gage nodded. “They won’t make that mistake this time. I’m guessing they are waiting for their tech guy to arrive. So he can make sure it’s the real thing.”

  Dani took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She nodded and then looked at Gage. “We need a plan.”

  “Way ahead of you,” Mitch said through a mouthful of food. “Finish your lunch and then have a shower. We need a bit more time to work out some details. We’ll lay it out for you later this afternoon. Have a nap if you want.”

  Dani nodded. Exhaustion hung like a shawl off her shoulders.

  Gage stood up and signaled his brothers. Logan immediately understood, but Mitch sat in his chair chomping away. “Mitch,” he growled.

  Mitch took a bite of his bacon and egg sandwich and then looked up. “What?”

  Gage shook his head and then pointed to the door.

  “Why don’t we go and give you some time to yourself,” Logan said as he crossed the room to the door. After pulling it open, he turned to Mitch and pointed to the hallway.

  “Alright. Alright, I’m going.” Mitch popped the last bite of sandwich in his mouth and then stood up and walked over to the trolley. He put his plate down and started wheeling it out.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Gage asked as he grabbed his brother’s arm.

  “What?” Mitch asked. “I’m still hungry. She’s finished her food. I want more. There’s plenty left. I’m taking it with me.”

  “Seriously?” Logan shook his head.

  Gage wanted to smack some sense into this brother. “Leave it,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “No. It’s fine. Please take it. Mitch is right. I’m finished, and it will just go to waste.”

  Mitch turned and shot her a smile over his shoulder and then pushed the trolley out the door. “Thanks. We’re just down the hall, room twenty-five thirty, if you need us.”

  Gage turned. “Uh, lock the door after us. Make sure you check to see who is there before you open it, and don’t open it to anyone but one of us or the ladies across the way.” He leaned on the doorjamb. “Dani…I…”

  She peered at him over the top of her water bottle. Fatigue mixed with sadness marred her features.

  He wanted to apologize, to make her understand how sorry he was for what he’d said. He wanted to make her see that it was his fault Dottie was taken. Dani was his responsibility, but he’d screwed up, which led to their current situation. This was the exact reason sleeping with the client was a bad idea.

  “Get some rest. It’s all going to be okay. Promise.” He stood up straight and walked out into the hallway, closing the door after him. He was determined to keep that promise. Even if it killed him, or more likely, someone else.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Dani rose from the sofa and went to the bathroom. There was no nap in her future, but a shower definitely sounded good. She looked in the mirror and studied her face. The makeup was streaky. There were rivulets on her cheeks from her tears like a reminder of the nightmare she was living. So was this what she would look like when she was old? Would she live long enough to find out?

  Carly’s face flitted through her mind. She closed her eyes. She’d missed the call with Carly last night. As soon as she was out of the shower, she needed to speak to her sister. Carly was always a ray of sunshine and, right now, Dani needed all the sunshine she could get.

  Her thoughts ran to Dottie, who was older but still full of life. If anything bad happened to her, Dani would never be able to forgive herself. Who was she kidding? Something bad had already happened to Dottie.

  Now Dani had to fix it somehow.

  Gage had promised everything would work out. He meant rescuing Dottie. She wanted to believe him. She trusted he would do his absolute best to save Dottie. It remained to be seen if he would actually succeed.

  Dani leaned over the sink and turned on the tap. She scrubbed at the make-up wishing she could wash away her fears as easily. She peeled off her clothes and stepped into the shower. The spray pounded on her back, massaging away the ache, but leaving fatigue in its wake. Finally she gathered enough strength to turn off the spray. She wrapped her hair in a towel and her body in a big fluffy robe.

  After grabbing the laptop from her bag, she climbed on the bed and booted up the computer. She initiated a call to Carly. There was no answer. She glanced at the clock. Maybe she was having some sort of test? Or maybe she was in the bathroom? She waited another few minutes and tried again. No response.

  The low-grade fear bloomed into a state of high panic. Where was Carly? Was she okay? They would have called her if something had happened. Dani’s stomach dropped. They didn’t have her number. She’d gotten rid of her other cell when she left Juneau, and she’d forgotten to call the hospital and give them the new one.

  What if they’d been trying to reach her? What if something had happened to Carly? What if she…? Dani’s throat closed over with unshed tears. No. She wouldn’t think it. She grabbed her cell and dialed the number she knew by heart. Her hand shook as she held the phone. She connected with the switchboard and hit all of the appropriate buttons to get to Carly’s floor, praying the whole time that Carly was just gone for testing or something.

  The phone rang and rang, but no one picked up. Not totally unusual. Sometimes, it just happened no one was at the desk. She stared unseeing, willing herself to remain calm. Where was everyone? It was probably a busy day on the ward and the hospital sta
ff was occupied.

  She tried running lines of code in her head, but she couldn’t calm her thoughts. The weight of missing the calls with Carly sat heavy on her shoulders. She swallowed the huge lump in her throat. First she’d let Carly down and now Dottie. She was a hot mess.

  Rubbing her face with her hands, Dani realized she owed an apology to Ann and Elenore. She’d put them in danger. She owed them a lot more than an apology, but it was a place to start.

  Dani closed her laptop, deciding to get dressed and go across the hall before trying again. It was lunchtime so maybe there were fewer people on the floor at the hospital. That was probably why they couldn’t answer the phone. She rubbed her belly, where the few morsels she’d eaten sat heavy, making her queasy.

  She took a deep breath and then went and got her suitcase. She pulled out a pair of skinny jeans and a black cashmere sweater. She normally didn’t bother with nice things, but she loved the softness of cashmere. It was like wearing a hug, and she needed a hug right now. She needed all the warmth she could get.

  Dani dressed quickly and then brushed her teeth. She finished in the bathroom and sat down on the bed. She wanted to call Carly, but if they didn’t answer again, she would panic. She couldn’t seem to get herself under control. It was like once the damn broke when she was with Gage, she couldn’t stop the overflow of emotion.

  There was a knock at the door. Dani pulled herself off the bed and went over and looked through the peephole. Gage. She just didn’t need this right now.

  She blocked the tiny viewer with her hand and called out, “What do you want, Gage?”

  “Dani, can you open the door please?”

  She sighed and rested her forehead against the door. She was too much of a hot mess to deal with Gage at this moment. It had been difficult to just sit in the same room with him earlier. She’d been so damn happy to see him when he’d appeared out of nowhere. She wanted to scream at him for saying those horrible things to her, but she also wanted to jump into his arms, overjoyed that he was safe.

  She took a breath. She was terrified about Carly, terrified for Dottie, and she was angry. Angry she let Dottie get involved in her mess. She was on the knife’s edge of keeping control, and there was no way in hell she was going to cry or show any other emotion in front of him. He’d called her a harlot. She knew where he stood. He knew where she stood. She was a hacker and he was an asshole.