Gunning for Trouble Page 4

  Tension bounced off him in waves. Every muscle in his body seemed to be pulled tight and ready to snap. “Caleb?”

  He kept checking the rearview mirror. “We have about one minute to pull this off.”

  “What?”

  “The switch.”

  She had no idea what he was talking about. For a minute she worried he’d knocked his head in their big escape. “Maybe we should—”

  “I’m going to turn into another garage. Adam will pull up and your job is to jump in his car.”

  “How does he know where we are?”

  Caleb shook his wrist. “I told him.”

  “When?”

  “He’s been listening.”

  The answer popped into her head. The watch. That thing performed miracles, as far as she could tell. It linked them. Provided information. It could actually save them.

  She sat up and glanced behind them. The sirens screamed through the quiet streets, but she didn’t see the cars yet. She figured they must have had a small lead, one Caleb tried to use in some way.

  “Are you hurt?” she asked.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  The stiff arms made her think he was prepared for another option. Not that she would let it happen. She refused to be the reason he got injured. Jumping back into his life had not been her idea, but she had to take responsibility for dropping this mess on his lap. “I’m not leaving you in this car.”

  His gaze shot to her then back to the road. “Yes, you are.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You will and I’ll be right behind you.”

  “Caleb.” She laid her hand on his thigh and felt the tight muscles jump underneath. “Keep driving.”

  “Not an option. Get ready.” When she continued to sit there, he reached over and unsnapped her seat belt. “On my word you go.”

  She burned with the need to refuse. She wanted to stay with him, make sure he was safe and not in police hands—or worse. But the flat line of his mouth and flashing fire in his eyes told her to listen. Smart women didn’t question a rescue when the plan for one landed in front of them.

  “Avery?”

  “Okay, okay.” Not sure if he even intended to stop to let her out, she shifted. Crowding her body against the door, she was ready to move on his order.

  “Remember your bag.”

  She’d forgotten all about it. When she arrived at his condo, it was the most important package in the world. The groundwork for Rod’s concerns, everything she needed to make Caleb believe her, sat in there. Now surviving and making sure Caleb did also trumped all else.

  The street sped by her as Caleb maneuvered through alleys and off main streets. Red lights switched to green as soon as he got near them. When he didn’t bother to even tap the brakes to slow down, she figured Adam was providing access with another one of his computer programs. Assisted or not, Caleb managed to make a four-thousand-pound truck seem invisible on the abandoned streets.

  He no longer hunched over the wheel. Shoulders back and eyes always moving, he drove fast and sure, like a man born to outrun the police.

  He made a sharp turn that sent her flying into the door. “Sorry. We’re almost there.”

  She could tell that by the noise. Sirens rang out in every direction. She half wondered if the entire police department had taken to their cars in pursuit.

  “I’m ready,” she said, even though she didn’t feel it. Only now had her stomach stopped jumping around.

  “Good.”

  She didn’t even question his choice when he drove into a parking structure. She just slipped her fingers under the handle and waited to open the door. A glance over her shoulder at Caleb’s firm jaw and steady determination made her heartbeat bounce in double time. She wanted to make him promise he’d be fine, but she knew that didn’t matter to him. He was a warrior, strong and in charge, protective and dependable. Just as she always suspected.

  Without warning he hit the brakes. “Go now.”

  Knowing seconds could mean the difference between him being safe and the absolute worst scenario, she didn’t hesitate. She threw the door open just as her neighbor’s car pulled up beside her, facing the opposite direction.

  Adam held his arm out to her. “Get in.”

  They were men accustomed to having their commands followed. Not that she had any choice. The second she stepped out of the truck, Caleb had sped away. She could see the red brake lights and hear the tires squeal as he drove up the ramp to a higher floor of the garage.

  “Avery, now.”

  “Right.” She fell into the seat and dumped her bag on the floor.

  By the time Adam pulled back out to the entrance of the garage, police cars had descended on the block. Two blew by them. Another pulled over and idled across the street.

  “What’s he doing?” She really wanted to know what they were doing just sitting there and why they hadn’t left the area.

  “Checking our plates.”

  “What?”

  When the street cleared, Adam pulled out nice and slow. “That’s what I would do if I were him.”

  “What if he stops us?”

  “We’re just a nice couple going home from a party. Lucky for us, our sobriety shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “We’re in the middle of a police chase.”

  “Innocent people get stuck in those all the time.”

  “Where exactly do you live that this sort of thing keeps happening near you and you have so much information on it?”

  “Arlington, but you knew that, so I’ll assume you’re just engaging in a bit of nervous chatter.” He checked the mirrors and then smiled over at her. “Your neighbor must have a clean driving record, because the officer isn’t following us. Also, looks like your friend hasn’t gotten up yet and realized the car’s been stolen.”

  Her stomach turned again but for a very different reason this time. “I feel bad about that.”

  “Don’t.” Adam stole a quick look at her. “You did what you had to do and I’ll return it.”

  Part of her knew that she hadn’t had a choice, but she was too worried and panicked to think it through. “Where’s Caleb?”

  “You’ll see in about two minutes.” Amusement moved through Adam’s voice.

  “I thought I was the one with the nonsense-chatter problem.”

  “Nervous.”

  “What?”

  “I said you had a problem with nerves.” Adam pointed off to her right. “And there’s Caleb. Standing on the corner right on time, as usual. Was he always this punctual?”

  She glanced at the parking structure and the block between where they left Caleb and where they were now. “How did he—”

  “Dumped the truck, ran down the stairs, circled around the building.” Adam flashed her a smile. “You know, the usual.”

  “Impressive.”

  “Not really. That’s the easy stuff.”

  “What’s the hard stuff?”

  “You don’t want to know.” Adam pulled over and unlocked the door. “Good to see you made it.”

  “Everything run according to plan?” Caleb asked as he climbed in the backseat.

  “No issues.”

  “That’s a first.” He slumped back in his seat. “Head for the warehouse. Luke checked in. He’s on his way there, so we’ll have a welcoming party.”

  “Is it safe?” she asked as she turned around to face Caleb.

  He sat with his gun resting on his knee and his attention focused on the scenery passing by outside the window. “It’s totally secure. No one can get you there.”

  She wanted to knock the smugness right out of him. “I meant is it safe for us to drag a problem right to your friends’ doorsteps.”

  “Of course.”

  A nasty reply died on her lips when she saw Caleb’s drawn cheeks and the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine.”

  “You don’t sound it.”

  “It’s been a long night.
” When she scoffed, he focused those tired eyes on her. “I’ll be great once I know what you have in that bag.”

  “Information.” Almost everything they needed, and she hoped it was enough.

  “And what is it you know that almost got us all killed?”

  When he phrased it like that, it sucked the defensive anger right out of her. “I hope it’s worth it.”

  “That makes two of us, Avery.”

  Chapter Five

  Adam drove the car through the opened automatic gate and right into the warehouse garage by the southwest D.C. waterfront. When Avery stopped talking, Caleb assumed she was trying to take in her surroundings. He didn’t blame her for the confusion. It didn’t look like much.

  From the outside it was just another broken-down beige building at the edge of a commercial warehouse district lined with broken-down beige buildings. An electrified fence outlined the lot. Huge floodlights burned, showing every inch of the property. Even without an obvious security guard, nothing about the place offered an inviting welcome.

  The trucks that passed by on the way to load and unload merchandise at the other warehouses nearby accounted for most of the traffic in the area. Concrete walls and steel doors surrounded by cheap landscaping rocks and an empty parking lot were not exactly the usual signs of an intricate undercover operation. But that’s what hid behind the walls—the start of the new Recovery Project headquarters.

  Luke Hathaway had taken over running the Project in Rod’s absence. His wife, Claire, thanks to an unwanted inheritance from her crooked ex-husband, gave them this new start. She didn’t want anything from her ex, and she was all too happy to use the cash for something positive.

  They got out of the car and headed for the huge door that separated the garages from the main hub of the organization. The cameras two stories above their heads swiveled to follow their movements just as the steel slab next to the door slid open to reveal a lighted panel.

  “Impressive,” Avery whispered.

  “It will be in a few months.” Caleb pressed his hand against the scanner. When the lights turned green, he tapped his watch against the screen.

  “What happens then?”

  “The office will be done.” Caleb stepped back and waited for the thick door to push forward and roll open.

  She stood at the threshold as if she worried stepping forward would set off a new set of alarms. “It looks pretty done right now.”

  Not even close. They had set up the security system, moved in the elaborate computer system and set up the rows of monitors and surveillance equipment Adam required. One whole wall flashed with buttons and images. There was a large conference table in the center of the L-shaped desks and screens.

  The rest of the main floor was a work in progress, as was the loft at the top of the metal staircase that ran from the center of the room. Future plans included redoing the upstairs as a makeshift crash pad and building out the remainder for storage. A couch and relaxation area in the space under the stairs rounded out the blueprints.

  Her gaze swept over the entire space. “So, this isn’t your regular office?”

  “It is now. We had a breach at the old one. Had to abandon it and find something new.” Caleb left out the part where an assignment involving Claire blew their cover and accidentally invited the wrath of then-Congressman Bram Walters—now-dead Congressman Bram Walters. Recovery lost its office and legitimacy in the government’s eyes. They’d been operating rogue ever since.

  “Moving an office sounds worse than moving a house.”

  Adam snorted. “You wouldn’t believe us if we tried to explain.”

  “We can actually go inside.” Caleb whispered the suggestion in her ear. “Or are you afraid of getting shot at again?”

  “Something like that.”

  Caleb put an end to her gawking. She was safe here and he wanted her to know that. With his hand on her lower back, he gently guided her into the main room. “I think we can all stand a drink and a chair.”

  Luke stepped in front of them, coffee cup in hand, wearing jeans and yawning. “Have a rough evening?”

  “It must legitimately be morning by now,” Adam mum bled.

  “A little past six.” Luke smiled at their guest. “I’m Luke Hathaway.”

  “Avery Walker.” She barely moved her arm because she had a death hold on her bag but did shake his hand.

  “Were you injured?” Luke asked.

  “Just rattled. I’ll be fine.”

  “Where is everyone else?” Caleb asked.

  Luke took a long swallow of coffee. “Zach should be here in five minutes. Holden is at the house watching over Claire and Mia.”

  Avery didn’t act as if she was even paying attention to the conversation. Her gaze went to the ceiling and the industrial lights and open beams. “Wait, did you say women work for you?”

  Luke laughed. “I’m pretty sure Claire thinks we all work for her, but no. She’s my wife. Mia is Holden’s…” He looked at his friends. “What is her official title?”

  Caleb felt some of the tension seep out of his muscles. Just thinking about Holden’s attempts to get Mia to run off to Las Vegas and get married were enough to break through any bad mood. “Soon-to-be fiancée.”

  Avery smiled at that description. “She’s not sure?”

  “Oh, she plans to marry him. She just wants some closure on the case we’re working on first. She claims a wedding is inappropriate right now,” Caleb explained.

  Adam headed for the kitchen. “Drives Holden nuts, which is downright enjoyable to watch.”

  They all followed Adam’s lead. As Luke poured coffee, they took seats around the conference table. Caleb hated the delay. He was two seconds away from gnawing off his arm. He’d had a rough evening and had been more than patient in waiting to hear Avery’s story.

  Luke must have sensed Caleb’s frustration because after one glance in his direction, Luke started the conversation moving. “You showed up at Caleb’s condo tonight. Why?”

  She closed her eyes as she took a long swallow. “Rod.”

  Luke’s cup stopped halfway to his mouth. “Excuse me?”

  Caleb wanted to fast-forward through this part. “Yeah, she knows. Seems to know all about us and what we do.”

  Luke shook his head. “Not possible.”

  Avery sighed. “That must be the party line because you’ve all said it to me now.”

  “How?” Gone was the calm questioning. Luke had flipped right to angry.

  “From Rod,” she said.

  Caleb took over when Luke just sat there with an openmouthed stare. “Do you know where Rod is?”

  “I was hoping you did.”

  Luke took a deep breath then tipped back in his chair, lifting the front legs right off the ground. “You know we have about four hundred questions about you and Rod and what happened this evening. You up to filling us in?”

  “We should let her rest,” Adam said as he leaned against the sink.

  Caleb felt his patience expire. “We’ve waited long enough. She can talk now.”

  When Adam started to argue, she held up a hand to stop him. “It’s okay. Caleb is right. Rod contacted me about doing some private, off-the-books DNA testing for him.”

  “Why you?” Luke asked.

  “Let her finish.” Caleb didn’t like Luke’s rushed tone. Understood it but didn’t want Avery subjected to more yelling and intimidation.

  No matter what their history and how she had treated him, she’d shown a lot of courage tonight. She didn’t curl in a ball and cry. She wasn’t weak. She did everything he told her to do when he said it and helped them all out of a difficult situation. Sure, she was the reason they were in it, but Rod had placed her in the spotlight.

  Caleb once trusted Rod more than he trusted anyone. Now Caleb didn’t know what to believe. He grew up with a father who spent more time on overseas deployments than at home, so he understood responsibility and putting the cause first. He had lived his life knowi
ng the greater good sometimes prevailed over a family’s needs.

  None of that explained Rod’s sudden departure. He had the Recovery agents on his side. He didn’t need to go off on his own. He could trust the agents with anything and they would support him. It ate at Caleb to think Rod couldn’t see that simple fact and made a conscious choice to put Avery, an untrained innocent, in danger instead.

  But that wasn’t the only thing eating away at Caleb’s gut. The intersection of his lives, past and present, of people he didn’t even know had met each other, shook him, and not much broke through his outer shell that way.

  Avery toyed with the edge of her bag. Ran her fingers over the seam and concentrated all her energy on the process. “Rod was convinced someone was switching DNA results.”

  “Of what?” Adam stared at the ceiling for a second. “Or should I say who?”

  Her shoulders raised then slumped as she took in a huge breath. “Participants in witness protection.”

  Luke shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Rod believed women who were supposed to be alive and living under new identities had actually been killed. He said someone knows the yearly check-in schedules and is making plans to cover the murders.”

  “Damn.” Luke said it, but Caleb felt the shock just as strong.

  Avery continued. “The theory was that people from their old lives were paying to have them killed.”

  The magnitude of the corruption hit Caleb like a roundhouse kick to the jaw. His breath rushed out with a string of profanity. “You’re talking about a huge conspiracy. Someone in WitSec would have to be in on that. The arrangements between the insiders and the people paying for the hits and the actual killers would be huge.”

  Luke’s face turned red. “And expensive. That’s the point, right? Someone on the inside, probably several people, is making big money off this sort of access.”

  Avery bit her lip. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “What did they hope to gain?” Caleb asked.

  She stopped fidgeting in her seat and playing with the bag and dropped her arms to the table. Balancing her weight on her elbows, she surrounded her mug with her palms. “I have no idea. Probably revenge or maybe eliminate a trial witness if a case was appealed or required a new trial.”