Читать книгу The Men In Uniform Collection - Barbara McMahon - Страница 36

WHEN SHE GOT UP THE NEXT TIME, she was alone in the bed. Boone was gone, and her heart sank, missing him. She listened, but she didn’t hear talking, or walking, or Milo, and she was instantly afraid.

After pulling on her clothes, she padded to the door in Boone’s socks, opening it slowly. No one was in the living room. Had she dreamt that Seth and Kate had spent the night? Listening again, she still heard nothing. Even though she really needed to use the bathroom, there was no way until she found out what was going on.

Where was Boone? Maybe he’d taken Milo out? She hoped that was it, but since nothing good had happened in such a long time, she didn’t count on it.

Quietly, she went through the living room, scoping it out. No bags, no clothes, nothing that said Seth and Kate were there or ever had been.

The kitchen was empty, too. But there was a note on the table and the coffee was almost finished dripping. Christie let out a breath as she picked up the note. Okay. Boone had Milo, and they were just out front. Which was good, because it occurred to her that she had forgotten the gun.

It was no contest what she had to do next, and it had nothing to do with a gun. In the bathroom, Boone had kindly left a brand-new toothbrush, which she used with his toothpaste. She needed a shower, but she had no clothes to change into. Not to mention the fact that she didn’t want to risk being that vulnerable when Boone was out, even if he was just on his front lawn.

Retreating to the bedroom, she thought she could at least change socks. Maybe find a T-shirt that wouldn’t be too big. Opening his top drawer, she found his boxers, which was kind of fun, especially the black silk ones, but no socks. Those were in the next drawer over. She grabbed a pair, and saw the edge of a picture underneath the rest. She pushed the socks aside, and her heart leapt to her throat.

It was a picture of Boone and Nate. Just the two of them. They were sitting on a bunk in an almost bare room. They had duffel bags by their feet, and light camo pants. They wore white T-shirts with their dog tags dangling from their necks. Nate had his arm around Boone, and they were both laughing. She’d never seen Boone look like that, not once. He was happy, goofing. Looking a lot younger, although she knew it wasn’t that long ago, because Nate had his goatee. He’d only worn it for a short while, about two years ago.

They were in the Balkans. Where everything had gone to hell. This must have been taken pre-trouble.

Just looking at her brother and the man he’d sent to save her, made her knees tremble and tears come to her eyes. She missed him, goddammit. Missed him so much it made every part of her hurt.

“That was a damn good day.”

She jumped at Boone’s voice, and a second later, at Milo rubbing against her leg. “Don’t do that.”

“Sorry. I thought you heard the door.”

Boone had showered. He looked awfully good in khaki pants and a gray T-shirt, with his hair a little damp, and he must have just shaved because his jaw was so smooth. She swallowed, remembering last night, how he’d made her quiver. She looked back at the picture, not wanting him to see the heat in her cheeks. “What were you laughing about?”

“It was stupid,” he said, plucking the photo from her fingers. “As I recall, it had something to do with a redhead who had a very particular talent. Something you just don’t see every day.”

“I’m sure it was highly entertaining, but please, spare me the details.”

“That’s for the best. Now how about breakfast?”

“Great. I wish I had some shoes.”

“We’ll pick you up a pair on the way to the vet. We need to see that RFID.”

“I just want it out of Milo,” she said, following him to the kitchen. Halfway there, she remembered. “I’ll be back in a second,” she said, then turned and went to the bedroom. She picked up the gun, which was heavier than hers, made sure the safety was on, then put it in her waistband. By the time she got back to the kitchen, Boone had poured her coffee. She pulled out the cheesecake herself.

“Is that what you’re having for breakfast?”

“Yeah,” she said. “So?”

“Lucky Charms weren’t bad enough?”

“I’m a displaced person. Cheesecake is required.”

He snorted as he went to an industrial-looking blender on his counter. He pulled out protein powder, two bananas, some yogurt, eggs, wheat germ, and some other things she couldn’t readily identify.

She figured she was having cream cheese, strawberries, milk, eggs. All yummy and good for her. All she needed was a fork, and she was set.

Milo curled up under the table and snuffled happily. He didn’t even blink when the blender whirred, having heard it so often at her house.

Christie dug in, and while she ate the absolute best food the planet had to offer, she thought about her brother. They’d had a weird childhood, the way most every childhood was weird. Dysfunctional mother, absent father, not enough money, too many upscale neighbors. But she and Nate had gotten along for most of it. He’d been wild, but in a very subversive way. He’d known in junior high that he wanted to join the army. That he wanted to fight, and win. So he had never gotten into trouble, even though he’d done a million things that should have gotten him kicked out of school, if not put in jail.

That’s why it had been so hard to accept that he’d gotten himself into a situation he couldn’t get out of. He wasn’t supposed to die. He was the one who saved everyone else. He was the hero, who always got the girl.

“Hey, you’re not shoveling that nasty stuff into your body.”

“Yeah, well, suddenly I’m not so hungry.”

Boone sat next to her, his giant shake in an equally giant glass in front of him. “What?”

“Just thinking about Nate. I still can’t quite get that he’s dead, you know? Like it has to be some kind of mistake. Nate was…”

“Invincible.”

“Yeah. I saw him die. We’d had dinner, and he was really weird. He looked like hell, and he was jumpy and he wouldn’t talk to me. I was so worried about him.” She lifted her feet up onto the chair again, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I thought maybe he’d gotten into drugs or something. It was the only thing that made sense, even though it didn’t.”

“You were there?”

She nodded, wishing the memory wasn’t so vivid. “The parking lot was almost empty. My car was near the restaurant, but he’d parked across the way. There weren’t even any lights near his truck. I hated leaving him like that. I told him to come stay with me, but he wouldn’t.”

She took in a deep breath, and it was as if she could smell the scent of spices coming from the Thai restaurant. Feel the warm night air. “He hugged me goodbye, really hard. Told me he probably wouldn’t be able to see me again for a long time. But that I shouldn’t worry.”

Boone scooted closer to her, but he didn’t touch her.

“I got in the car, but I didn’t start it right up. I was debating if I should try harder to get him to tell me what was going on. I watched him as he walked to his truck. I gave it up then. Right as he was getting inside. I decided he wasn’t going to listen to me, so I might as well go home. I put my key in the ignition, and that’s when the sky exploded.

“I was thrown to the passenger seat, and I hit my head. I think I was knocked out for a minute, but I’m not sure. All I know is that when I looked out of my shattered window, his truck was completely engulfed in flames. It burned so hot. The fire captain told me there had to have been an accelerant used, because the inside of the cab was almost completely melted. They found enough of him, though, so that I could bury him.”

“Jesus, Christie. I had no idea.”

She didn’t say anything. Or even think much. Just tried to remember his face. The details, like his eyes, the way he smiled. “No one from the army came,” she said, finally. “No one. We didn’t even get a letter. Why is that?”

“I didn’t know. Not until four months after. If I had, I would have come.”

She shook her head. “I’m talking about the brass, Boone. His superior officers. The institution. He was the best soldier there was. I know it. He had medals. He was proud of what he did. So why weren’t they proud of him?” She turned, then, and looked into Boone’s green eyes.

“It wasn’t the army. It was something else.”

“What?”

He looked at the wall, then back at her, the internal debate written all over his face. Tell her? Lie? “There are groups in the government that have specialized interests. I’m sure you’ve heard of covert ops.”

“Spy stuff.”

“Right. One of these groups recruited us to do some jobs. It was all politically dicey, and dangerous as hell. It didn’t go as planned.”

“You’re telling me Nate screwed up?”

“No. None of us screwed up. We were sent to do something that turned out to be very wrong. When we refused to do it, this group wasn’t…happy.”

“This group. They’re who killed Nate? Who are after you?”

He nodded. “I really don’t want to tell you any more than that.”

She leaned over so her shoulder was pressed against his. “Thank you. It helps.”

“Yeah. I wish I could do more.”

“You are. You’re saving my life.”

“You’re Nate’s sister. There was never any question.”

She smiled, wanting so badly to kiss him. To drag him back to that awful bed and make long, slow love with him. Instead, she picked up her fork. The cheesecake was perfect.

BOONE CHECKED THE REARVIEW mirror yet again as he turned another corner. He’d studied his Culver City map before they’d left the firing range. He didn’t take the freeway or any logical approach back to her house. No one was behind them. Christie hadn’t said much, and the closer they got to her house, the more tense she became. She didn’t want to go back, and he didn’t blame her. Unfortunately, if she wanted her life back, there wasn’t a good alternative. “You okay?” he asked.

“Milo’s still sleeping,” she said.

“The vet said he might do that, remember?”

She nodded. “Still…”

“I know. But he got a clean bill of health, so no worries.”

“Right. No worries.”

“Hey, you were great at the range. And you’re going to be great once we get back to the house.”

She turned to him, pale, tight. “I wasn’t great at the range.”

“You hit the target.”

“The outside. Nowhere near his head or his heart.”

He touched the hand on her thigh, and while she didn’t pull away, she didn’t return the gesture. “I trust you.”

She sighed and looked out the passenger window.

“Talk to me,” Boone said, pulling the car over to the side of the street. They were still a few blocks away from her place, but it wasn’t far enough.

“I can’t do this. I can’t go back in there. He wins. He can have it, all of it. I just want to—”

“Who, hold on.” He put the car in Park and turned to her. Behind them, Milo stirred and whined. “What happened? An hour ago you were ready to kick his slimy ass.”

Christie wrapped her arms around her stomach. “I’m sorry. I keep thinking about that red dot on your chest.”

“He won’t kill me. He won’t kill anyone.”

“You don’t know that. He keeps winning, Boone. I know you’re trying. You’re all trying, but—”

“The one thing that’s true is that he can’t stay away from you. And that’s what we have to use.”

“Me. As bait.”

Boone hated this. Almost as much as she did. “That’s about it.”

“I could disappear. The world’s a big place. I’m young and healthy. I could get work, start again.”

“You’re right. You could. You could leave everything you’ve ever known behind. I can even get you a whole new identity. Social security card, driver’s license, all of it.”

“Great.”

“You could never speak to your parents again. None of your friends. Not even once, not even on their birthdays or if they have a baby. You couldn’t go to a funeral. Or use your experience on a résumé. In fact, you shouldn’t even go back into interior design, because he knows. He’d look. He’d keep looking. You’d never know when or if it was over. Never, because you don’t know who he is. All you do know is that he’s figured out every way to control your life. He’s taken everything that matters to you. The last thing you have is your right to live your life. But you can give that to him, too, if you want.”

She faced him, finally, and her eyes were so sad. “That’s what it’s like for you, isn’t it?”

He nodded.

“How do you stand it?”

“I don’t give up.”

She gave him a little smile. “Okay. I won’t, either.”

“I won’t let him have you. You know that, right?”

Her eyes closed for just a minute as she inhaled deeply. When she breathed again, she nodded, too. “I know.”

Boone put the car in Drive and they went those last few blocks and pulled into her garage.

Seth and Kate met them as soon as they walked into the house. This time, Christie remembered the gun, and she wielded it with a lot more confidence. It didn’t go back into her purse, but into her waistband. Just like a real soldier.

She fed Milo, who seemed his old self, then met with the others at the kitchen table. Christie found herself searching for red laser dots, on the dog, on the wall, on Boone’s chest.

“It’s okay to talk here,” Seth said, “but keep it down.”

“You mean there are still bugs?”

“Yes. In the living room, the bedroom and the garage. They cover everything but the corners, so be careful in there. Don’t say anything you don’t want him to hear.”

“I don’t want him to hear anything. Get rid of them.”

Boone looked as if he were going to pat her hand, but she backed away.

“I’m not kidding, Boone.”

“I know. It sucks. It’s impossible. But it’s just for a little while. Until we get him in this house.”

She put her head in her hands. “Fine. Do whatever.”

“You just have to remember where it’s safe,” Kate said. “In here. In the bathroom and in the guest room.”

“Oh, gee,” Christie said, sitting back up, “that’s swell.”

“Look,” Kate said, “we’ve got him covered. He can’t make a move near this place without us knowing.”

“Explain that, please.”

Kate leaned a little over the table. She’d changed from last night’s big sweater into a green button down shirt and black jeans, and her hair was loose and shiny. There was nothing girly in her eyes. “We wired everything. Including the perimeter. We replaced Boone’s cameras with some new ones that are much more sensitive. They cover a lot more territory and they can pick up a whisper.”

Christie nodded, thinking about the traps, but then it hit her. “Boone’s cameras?” She turned to him. “What cameras?”

Boone got up a little too quickly and went over to the coffeepot.

“Boone?”

“The whole point to this operation is to catch this guy. It has been from the start.”

“You put cameras in my house without telling me? It’s not bad enough I have some sick freak out there spying on me?” She stood, so angry she wanted to throw the damn chair at him. She walked out of the kitchen, and the second she was in the hallway she realized that she was on camera. Whether it was Boone’s or not, it was still filming her, still prying.

Had Boone seen her in her bedroom? Undressing? Had he watched her as she did something gross? Something she’d never want another person to see?

Turning on her heel, she went back to the kitchen. Boone was sitting with Seth and Kate, looking guilty as hell. “What about the bathroom?”

Boone shook his head. “It’s fine.”

“Is that the truth, or are you keeping it from me for my own good?”

“There are no cameras in the bathroom. There never have been.”

She left them again, first going to the living room to get her clothes together, then down the hall. When she got to the bathroom, she slammed the door, wishing she had an air horn she could blow into the goddamn microphones.

Dropping her clothes on the counter, she sat down at the edge of the tub and tried not to cry. She was so sick of tears, sick of fighting tears, and sick of having no control over any part of her life.

Even the good guys were liars.

Screw it. She’d give them one more day. If they didn’t catch the bastard, she was out of here. How much worse could running be? She’d find a new town, a waitress job. She’d sell her car and buy something old that ran. She’d even change her name, because this one wasn’t doing a lot for her. As for not speaking to her parents again, they’d hardly miss her. Her money, yes, but not her.

She’d still have Milo. He was the only one she could trust, anyway.

The lavender bath oil seemed appropriate for steaming off fury, so she turned on the water and added a healthy dose. She’d soak until she pruned, and then she’d soak some more. The last thing she wanted to do was go outside again. Ever.

She’d trusted him. With her life. And now she wasn’t sure what to believe. Better to assume it was all bullshit. All of it.