Authors: Reggi Allder
C
hapter Fourteen
Brick
woke from his restless sleep. He could get up and make a pot of coffee or allow himself the luxury of more sleep. Still bone tired, he turned away from the light coming from the window in the great room and closed his eyes. It crossed his mind he was avoiding the time when he’d have to see Kelly, but he didn't examine that thought.
At nine
o’clock he couldn't sleep any longer. Before making his way to the kitchen, he stopped outside her bedroom and peeked in. Angelic in sleep, she laid exposed in her tank top and underwear. As he scanned her, and listened to her rhythmic breathing .What it would be like to lie down next to her and run his hand down her soft form. Cursing his own need, he quietly closed the door.
In the kitchen, he found the Italian roast coffee beans and made a pot of coffee
and took a full mug out to the back deck that overlooked the lapping water of Lake Tahoe. In a teak deck chair facing the turquoise water, he sipped the thick liquid and counted the days until this assignment was over.
After h
e was shot, he'd turned down a chance to resign with benefits. He’d never quit. The FBI was his life. It was all he had, all he needed. If it hadn't been for Don asking him to check on Kelly, he’d be in his new office in San Francisco orienting himself to his assignments there.
A
fter this mission was over, he wouldn't see her again. Before he’d returned his mind had been filled with thoughts of a new start in San Francisco. Now it was hard to concentrate on anything but Kelly.
A gust of wind rustled the leaves of the birch trees at the water's edge, a sound so gentle it
wouldn’t be heard above the traffic noise in San Francisco's South Bay. Maybe he needed the city noise to keep his mind filled so he couldn't hear the sound of his own lost dream of a wife and kids.
Here in the Sierra
Nevada mountain range, it was hard to ignore the desire that pounded in his chest.
Enough
He
checked on Amanda’s boyfriend, Norman Rampac, and was told he was a local bad boy. Recently accused of petty theft and smoking dope, Norm had an outstanding warrant. Reno Police would use that to hold him for now.
The scrap of paper he got from Amanda was still in
his pants pocket. He retrieved it and punched in the number. It rang four times and then a voice message picked up. “Leave your name, number and the date and time you called.”
The message gave no clue to who owned the number.
It was so short it’d be difficult to recognize the voice if he heard it again. Damned waste of time, everything they’d gone through last night was for nothing. He was no closer to finding out who ransacked Kelly’s house or who paid for information about her.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of light near the grove of trees where he had
first parked his car. He picked up his mug, took a sip of coffee and casually looked in the direction of the trees. There it was again, another flash, a reflection of light off a pair of binoculars?
H
e walked slowly to the backdoor, careful not to look in the direction of the trees again. Opening the door to the cabin, he ran into Kelly on her way outside.
“
Go back. Someone's watching the cabin.” He pushed her back into the living room. “I saw something on the ridge near the grove of pines. Stay here. I'm going to take a look.” He started to leave then turned and said, “Stay here and this time I mean
stay in the house
. I'm going out through the side door in the garage and try to circle around the cabin to see if I can get a look at him.”
“
Don't go.”
“
I've got to check it out. Remember stay in the cabin until I come back. And keep away from the windows. I don't want whoever it is to see you.”
“
Okay, but Brick.”
“
Yeah.”
“
Please be careful.”
***
The brush around the cabin gave good cover. Brick was able to make it to the edge of the property without being seen.
A man
, black hair, black jeans and a black T-shirt crouched next to a pine tree, his expression grim. He didn't look at the wonders of the Sierra Mountains or Lake Tahoe. Looking toward the Shaw cabin, he held high-powered binoculars to his eyes.
From his angle, Brick
couldn’t see a weapon, but couldn't be sure the man didn't have one. The guy put down his binoculars and stood, appearing to be making a decision. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he picked up the binoculars again and peered at the cabin.
Brick gazed in that direction as well. He hoped
Kelly had done as he told her and stayed the hell away from the windows.
Just then
his eyes met the stranger’s. The man's brown eyes widened, then he ran.
“
Wait!” Slipping and sliding, Brick found it difficult to get traction on the floor of pine needles.
The man paused to pick up his binocular case and
he tackled the guy. They rolled on the ground and he felt every chunk of Sierra Nevada granite that lay under the carpet of pine needles.
The athletic stranger
punched him and then used the high powered binoculars like a weapon, beating him about the head.
H
is skin broke open above his eye. Warm blood ran down his face. Now he was pissed. He ducked from another punch and sent a blow to the man’s midsection then hit him again for good measure. The guy dropped to the ground. He forced his hands behind his back and secured them with his handcuffs.
Damn
He should didn’t think he’d have to use the cuffs so soon.
“
What the hell!” the man yelled.
“
Quiet,” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his FBI identification and put it in the guy’s face.
The man
froze.
“
Why were you watching the cabin?” He shoved his ID back in his pocket.
“
I didn't break any laws.”
“
Why are you here?”
“
I don't have to tell you.”
“
Answer my question or I’m taking your ass to the FBI office. You can answer questions there.”
“
I got nothing to say.”
“
About what?”
“
About anything.”
“
Most people watch the lake. Why were you watching that house?”
The sun beat down on Brick and a
wasp buzzed his head. He swatted it away and waited for an answer. A trickle of blood ran down his neck. He reached up and felt a cut on his ear where the binoculars had hit him.
“
If I don't get a straight answer now, I'm arresting your sorry ass and holding you until you have something to say or until you're old enough to be a grandfather.”
Nothing.
“I’ll give you an easy question.”
“
What's your name?”
No answer.
“Okay buddy, get up.”
“James.”
“What?”
“James.”
“Why are you here?”
“
I’m not telling you anything else.”
“Okay James.
You’re on the way going to jail.” He yanked the guy to a standing position and pushed him forward.
As they approached the needle-covered trail
, James jabbed him in the ribs and tried to run. He grabbed the guy. They lost their footing and tumbled down a steep slope.
C
hapter Fifteen
B
rick rolled down the embankment. His right knee hit a granite boulder. A jolt of pain shot through him, but the rock stopped his descent.
James
tumbled a few yards farther down the slope, before coming to a stop in the mud of a minor creek that meandered toward the lake.
Ignoring
the burning sensation in his leg, he jumped up and limped to where the James lay still on his back.
“
Get up!”
“My hands are still cuffed. I can’t get up.”
He yanked James to a standing position. “Try anything else and I'll make sure you do time. Now walk or I’ll drag you to the cabin.”
The man glared at him
but walked slowly toward the cabin.
In order not to
startle Kelly and remind her of the attack in her home in Palo Alto, he called her name. Then he entered the living room, with his quarry in tow.
“
Sit down. Over there on the hearth.”
James sat.
“If you cooperate, I'll remove the cuffs.”
James didn’t respond
.
T
here was that look again, the angry eyes of a trapped animal.
Kelly
came into the living room and stared. “Brick, what happened?”
“Jam
ie is that you? What’s going on? Why are you handcuffed?”
“This guy was spying on the cabin with binoculars.”
She turned her back on him and smiled at him “Jamie you weren’t spying, were you?”
Jamie
shrugged and looked down as if to admire the old carpet.
“
I’ll get you a cup of coffee or would you rather have a glass of water?”
She treated
James as if he had dropped by for a neighborly chat. She didn't realize it, but she was playing good cop to his bad cop, a well-known interrogation technique.
“
Water would be good?” James smiled.
“
I'll be right back.” She quickly left the room.
Brick
ran a hand over his jaw. His ear throbbed and he was developing one hell of a headache. He reached up and felt a bump forming on the side of his head. He must have hit his head when he rolled down the embankment or was it a hit from the binoculars?
Jamie
’s feral eyes tracked his every move.
Kelly
re-entered the living room carrying a tray with a pitcher of ice water and one glass tumbler. Apparently he wasn’t being offered anything to quench his thirst, punishment no doubt for a perceived mistreatment of her friend James.
She set the tray on the coffee table in front of the sofa
and glared at him with narrowed eyes.
James sat up
and watched her.
“
Undo the man’s hands Brick. How can he drink the water? Jamie, you won't do anything foolish will you?”
He
shook his head, but his body was tense and an angry expression crossed the taut features.
Holding the key to the cuffs,
Brick leaned over the man and whispered in his ear. “Make a move to hurt Kelly and it will be last move you ever make.”
He released the
cuffs and put them in his pocket, then causally leaned against the living room wall, but his eyes never left James.
“
More water?” Kelly asked.
“
No.” The man pushed his straight black hair out of his eyes leaving a trail of mud on his forehead.
She
took his glass and put it back on the tray. Then she sat in the blue velvet wing chair facing the fireplace.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The tension strained the atmosphere.
“
Why are you here?” Brick’s voice seemed to boom in the stillness.
“
To warn Kelly.” He ran his hands through his unruly hair.
“
Jamie what could you possibly warn me about?”
“Does he have to
know?” He stared at Brick.”
“
He’s a friend, just like you’re my friend.”
“Shit Kelly, he’s a
n FBI agent.”
“
I know.”
“
Damn,” Jamie said.
Brick didn’t
say anything. Let the two of them work out who he was. It didn’t matter to him what either of them thought as long as he got information he needed.
“
Kelly, you know I work in room service at the Big Top.”
“Yeah.”
“I was in Johnny Vega’s suite picking up food trays after one of his parties when I overheard him talking. He didn't know I was still there.” He exhaled slowly and rubbed his hands together in a nervous jester.
Brick saw
Kelly’s impatient expression, but she didn't interrupt him.
“
Johnny was pissed as hell. He told his men to snatch you and haul you back to him. Johnny said, ‘I could kill that bitch. She stole my system and I don't care what you have to do, you bring that little bitch to me!’ James swallowed hard. “When I heard that, I just got out of there.”
“
Oh God,” Kelly whispered.
“
Did you overhear anything else?” Brick asked.
“
No, I just got out of there as fast as I could and I'm not going back.” He took a quick breath. “Can I have more water?”
“
Sure.”
She
filled his glass and then Brick watched her walk up and down the living room in a random pattern going nowhere.
James
finished the water and stood. “I want to get out of here.”
“
I’m going to have to hold you as a witness. You’re lucky, because I’m going to put you in custody. That will keep you alive.”
“The hell
—” James twitched. “I didn’t do anything.”
“It’s a
bout keeping you breathing.” Brick stood away from the wall he’d been leaning against and came closer to James. “You’re Kelly’s friend. You admit it. And Johnny wants to kick her ass. You get in the way and your ass is the trash. I’m offering you a way to stay alive. I’d take it.”
The guy’s
shoulders slumped under the weight of the information. “Shit.” He looked up and for the first time fear shone in his widened eyes. “What have I got myself into?”
An hour later a cab pulled up to the cabin
’s front door. The cabbie got out and rang the doorbell. Brick answered. An FBI agent he had worked with in the LA and who had recently transferred north stood at the door.
“Hey
Mike, how is it going?” He shook the man’s hand at the door.
“
Can’t complain. Got my package?”
“Yeah
. I’ve arranged for James to be delivered to the FBI Sacramento office. You okay with that?”
“No problem. It’s a nice day for a drive
.” Mike smiled.
Neither of them spoke of their concern
that someone in the bureau had turned to the dark side.
Brick watched
the taxi sped away. His back crawled as if someone was still watching him. He scanned the area and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He rubbed his temples and shook off the feeling. It was just residual feelings from earlier in the day.
Back in the
kitchen, the throb of his head and the growl of his stomach fought for attention. His stomach won. He rummaged through the cupboard looking for food. Kelly joined him and sat at the table.
He glanced up from the cupboard and peered into her bleak eyes. “You knew Johnny was after you.”
She nodded. “I couldn’t stand his cruelty anymore. I told him it was over. I was leaving. But he wouldn’t let me go. I was terrified of him. I waited until he trusted me again and went on a business trip. I took a chance and ran.”
She paused.
“He said I belonged to him. That’s how he thinks of people. He owns them.” She frowned. “He’ll do whatever it takes to get me back. If he can’t, he’ll kill me.”
Her fear was almost palpable.
“Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
“What
else could there be?”
What better way
for her not to answer the question than to ask another question? “There’s nothing else?”
“What can I say?
”
Another question
, he’d been sympathetic but now she was beginning to annoy him. He watched her squirm under his gaze. She was hiding something.
“
I was an immature kid when I met Johnny. I grew up when I saw what a brute he really is.” She swallowed hard and blinked back a tear.
A pang of guilt rocked
Brick. She thought he was protecting her. Again he was reminded he was only using her to get to Vega.
“
Is there something you want to tell me?”
“What else could there be?”
She looked away from him.
S
he was terrible liar. An experienced lair could’ve looked him straight in the eye with their eyes wide open and unflinching. Still, it seemed more and more likely Kelly was up to her pretty little neck in some dirty business.
He pushed back the memory of the
sweet, naive teenager she’d once been. The most likely scenario was that he’d eventually be forced to arrest her.
A
n FBI agent had been murdered. Johnny Vega was somehow involved. He now believed Kelly was too, but how? He faced her and she glanced at him a plea for understanding in her expression.
He didn’t speak. She didn’t move. S
ilence filled the room.
A drip of blood ran down
his neck. He brushed it away.
“
You’re bleeding!”
He reached up and felt
blood oozing from the cut on his ear.
“
Come into the bathroom. I'll bandage it.”
“
I’m fine.”
“
It’ll only take a minute. It could get infected.”
“
Forget it.”
“
Please.”
It was obvious she wasn't going to let it go until she gave him first aid. Reluctantly,
he walked into the bathroom.
“
You’re so tall. Sit down, so I can clean the cut.”
He sat on the edge of the tub. She came close to inspect the wound. Her
slim leg brushed his thigh and her soft breast touched his shoulder as she leaned toward him.
Damn his treacherous body. Her closeness sent a
shard of desire through him, more painful than the cut on his ear.
“
Oh God, there's blood all down your neck!”
He felt her fingers tremble as she cleaned the area
with a cotton ball and peroxide.
“
It's still bleeding. You need stitches.”
“
I'm fine.”
“
But—”
“
Put a damn bandage on it.”
“
You need stitches.”
“
Do it. I can't sit here all day.” He sounded harsher than he’d meant to sound.
She bit her lip and p
ain registered in her expression. He hadn't wanted to hurt her feelings, but his ear throbbed, his head pounded and his knee ached. He was frustrated at his lack of progress in getting information and he wanted to take Kelly in his arms and make passionate love to her. He never would.
“
It’s my fault you were hurt. I'm so sorry.”
“
It wasn’t you,” he said still sitting on the edge of the tub.
She was
too near. There it was again, her soft vanilla scent, sweet and delicate. Almost against his will he pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers.
Her
mouth opened and his tongue entered.
S
ighing, she pressed against him. Her legs wrapped around his thigh.
He groaned.
He shouldn't kiss her, shouldn’t want her, but he felt so bad and she felt so good.
She aligned her body with his and he
felt her body heat. She clung to him as he ran his hands down her back to the perfect curve of her buttock. She trembled and her lips parted further, allowing his tongue to flirt with hers. He heard her ragged breath as his hands ranged over her body. She seemed to melt into him. He continued his exploration, deepened his kiss and allowed his hands to caress her thighs.
She moaned
softly.