She locked both hands on Logan’s arm. “Who’s here? What’s going
on?” She looked around the area.
Logan cupped a hand around the back of her neck. “Don’t do
that, honey. Just act normal so you don’t draw attention.” He pulled her in for
a quick hard kiss. While staring into her eyes, he reminded her, “You trust me.
Don’t forget that.”
She nodded, forced her shoulders to relax so that she appeared
casual—and didn’t budge. “What’s going on?” she asked calmly. “Tell me who’s
here.”
The dog barked, and Logan looked up to see that the woman
watched him more closely. “Morton’s goons, or the traffickers, hell I don’t
know. But Reese is here, too. That’s his car.”
“You think—”
“No.” Logan shook his head. “Hell, no. Reese might be up to
something, but not that. Not ever.”
She searched his face. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.” Reese would never deliberately put a woman in
harm’s way, or assist anyone else with that agenda.
“Okay then. If you trust him, I do, too. So I should probably
tell you…I see Rowdy’s car.”
Flummoxed, Logan stared at her. “I thought he was going to
steal something.”
“He’s not a car thief,” she complained with ire, then she drew
a breath. “He kept old beat-up cars, weapons, changes of clothes…everything he
or I might need, at the warehouse. That old sedan parked about six or seven cars
down? It looks like his.”
So Reese wasn’t alone. Hopefully that meant he had
backup—instead of two victims. “If I can get inside, I can work it out.”
Suddenly the woman and dog started toward him. She smiled,
waved as if she’d just seen him, and Logan didn’t know what to think.
“Who is that?” Pepper asked with accusation.
“I think she might be Reese’s dog sitter.” When the woman
strode over to his side of the car, Logan rolled down the window.
Still smiling, she leaned down to speak to him. “You’re a
friend of Detective Bareden’s?”
More than a little confused, Logan said, “I am.”
“You’re a police officer, like him?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. You have the look.”
Logan had no idea what the look might be.
“Something is going on, so play along, please.” Faking a
friendly chat, she leaned on the frame of the window. “There’s been a parade of
people going into his apartment. One is a particularly sinister character who
has a bodyguard of sorts with him. I don’t think we have a lot of time, so if
you want to come with me, I can get you inside. We’ll act like old friends. Does
that work?”
Jesus. He didn’t know what to think. “You’re Alice?”
“Yes. I’m a neighbor. Now do you want in or should I try to
think of something else?”
Like what? “I do.” Logan turned to Pepper. “You’re going to
leave with Dash.”
She licked her lips. “There are probably men around back, as
well.”
“I don’t think so,” Alice said. “I took the dog for a walk
around the perimeter and didn’t see anything else amiss.”
With effort, Pepper pulled her gaze away from Alice and back to
Logan. “I can stay and help—”
“No.”
She spoke in a rush, both urgent and offended. “You promised my
brother that you’d stay with me. You promised
me.
And, Logan, you know you can’t do this alone.”
“I can and I will.” But he hated to let her out of his sight,
she was right about that.
Alice said, “If I could offer a suggestion? Bring her in, and
she can stay in my apartment with me. It’s secure.”
Secure? An odd word choice for a run-of-the-mill neighbor
lady.
She looked over her shoulder at Dash, who pretended to adjust
his radio. “He’s with you?”
Unbelievable. “Yeah.”
“He can handle himself?”
“He can,” Logan said.
“Good. He can keep an eye on the bully at the entrance.” She
opened his door as if greeting a longtime friend. “Let’s go then.”
Giving her a stern frown, Logan hesitated before getting a gun
out of the glove box. He put it in the waistband of his slacks, under his
shirt.
“Walk over and greet Pepper,” he told Alice. “Both of you wait
by the side of the car for me.”
The dog barked excitedly, and Alice said, “I do believe he’s
enjoying himself.” With no apparent cares, she went around the car to carry on
an animated faux conversation with Pepper.
Few things really threw Logan for a loop anymore, but he had to
admit, Alice had him reeling. He walked to Dash and slipped the gun in to him
through the open window. “It’s loaded, so be careful.” He’d be left without a
weapon, but he could improvise.
Dash rested the gun over his thigh and lifted a brow. “Who am I
supposed to shoot? The gorilla up front there?”
“If necessary, yes.” Briefly, he explained Alice and her
dubious plan. “I’m going in. Pepper will wait in Alice’s apartment with her
while I check on Reese.”
“And kick ass—if necessary?”
Yeah, if it came to it, with or without a gun, he’d demolish
all threats, because that’s what it’d take to keep Pepper safe. “If this setup
goes south…”
shit, shit, shit
“…get Pepper away from
here. Preferably across state lines. Then you can go to the police. But not
here.” There were too many unanswered questions, and he didn’t know who to
trust.
Dash clasped his arm. “Much as I’m enjoying the adrenaline
rush, I’ll enjoy it more if you come out of this whole-hide.”
“Count on it.” He looked over at Alice, who alternately played
with the dog and treated Pepper like a long-lost friend.
Other than appearing a little shell-shocked, Pepper played
along well enough.
Best to just get it over with.
Pasting on a huge smile, he joined the ladies, and together
they strode back into the building. He kept the women on his right, away from
the jackass guarding the door. Except for an appreciative look at Pepper, the
man barely gave them any attention until the dog started snarling at him.
Like a cool, seasoned pro, Alice said, “Cash, behave.” After
stroking the dog’s head, she smiled at the guard. “Sorry. He’s usually well
mannered.”
The guard gave her a dismissive nod.
A minute later, Logan saw the ladies safely ensconced in
Alice’s apartment. Pepper wore an empty look, twisting his guts in a sick knot
of dread.
“None of that,” he told her.
She looked at him, nodded, but he could see what it cost her to
find her grit.
Alice said, “One moment, please.” She offered the leash to
Pepper.
Absently, Pepper stroked the dog with a gentle hand, but her
expression turned feral. “I don’t like this. If anyone has hurt my brother—”
“The guard wouldn’t be there if that was the case,” Logan told
her. “I still have time.”
“You aren’t armed,” Pepper argued.
“He will be.” At the hall closet Alice went on tiptoe to
retrieve a box. She took out a revolver and handed it over to Logan. “Don’t
worry. I have another in my bedroom. We’ll be safe enough.”
Reese had said she was strange. Well, he couldn’t have been
more correct. “Get the gun now.” He wanted to see it in her hands before he
left.
While Alice left to do that, Pepper watched him take off his
hard-soled shoes and set them on the floor. Next he stripped off his dress shirt
and pulled his T-shirt free from his slacks.
Carrying a Glock, Alice reentered but faltered when she saw him
removing his shirt. “What are you doing?”
“Preparing,” Pepper said, grim-faced. “He needs to be
unhindered, and he has to be able to get in there unannounced.”
Logan put the gun in his waistband.
“Do you need a knife, too?” Pepper asked.
“I don’t want to cut his throat, honey.” He pulled his T-shirt
over the gun.
After giving the leash back to Alice, she went about checking
the locks on the windows and closing the drapes.
“I already got the windows in the bedroom and bathroom,” Alice
told her.
“We’ll dead bolt the door behind you.” Pepper checked the lock
and nodded in approval. “As Alice said, it looks sturdy. And don’t worry, I’m
not opening the door to anyone I don’t know.”
Seeing she had more to say, Logan waited.
“We won’t interfere, but, Logan…”
She braced her shoulders and her courage, as he knew she’d had
to do too many times in her life.
Touching her soft, warm cheek, he said, “Try not to worry,
honey. You have my word, I’ll do everything in my power to see that Rowdy isn’t
hurt.”
Lips trembling, she knotted a hand in his T-shirt. “Damn you,
Logan.”
It amazed him that one woman had become so precious to him. On
the off chance he failed, he wouldn’t walk away without her knowing. “I love
you.”
Her eyes flared and her hand fell away from him. “What…?”
“I
love
you.” Smiling, he said,
“Think about that while I’m gone, okay?”
And with that parting shot, he left.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
O
NE
OF
THE
MANY
precautions they’d taken as partners was that
Logan had a key to Reese’s apartment, and Reese had one for his home. As it
turned out, he didn’t need the key to get in.
Someone—probably Andrews—had left it slightly ajar, no doubt so
he could sneak in on Reese without risk of being heard when the door closed.
Logan followed suit and left it slightly open.
After scanning the entryway and finding it empty, he followed
the drone of conversation in a back room. On silent feet, the gun now in his
hand, he inched forward.
“You won’t get away with this,” Peterson said.
What was she doing here?
Andrews laughed. “Of course I will. I didn’t become a powerful
man by being ineffectual. But I’m not in a rush, so we’ll just bide our time
until I have word that Pepper is under wraps.”
Logan didn’t let the sick threat affect him. Pepper was safe;
Andrews couldn’t threaten her now.
Reese gave a huff of scorn. “With the club shut down and you
playing a zombie, you don’t have the resources needed to go after Pepper.”
“You have no idea how my operation has grown. But as it turns
out…you’re right. It’s tough to build a large entourage of truly trustworthy,
capable gunmen. That’s why I’m utilizing new contacts.”
“The traffickers?” Peterson asked.
“Exactly. After the untimely assassination of their boss—”
Reese interrupted to ask, “Were you the sniper, by chance?”
Peterson curled her lip with disdain. “I wish I could take the
credit. But I’m guessing that was Morton.”
Apparently they’d worked out their differences. Logan was
careful not to cast a shadow, not to bump anything.
Was Andrews here alone?
And where was Rowdy?
Please, God, don’t
let him be hurt.
It would devastate Pepper.
Andrews laughed. “He brought me the bomb to use but I couldn’t
very well fake my own death and leave behind a witness, now could I? That’s not
smart business. He knew too much, and I decided his dealings would be more
profitable for me without him taking a cut.”
Finally he heard Rowdy say, “You are such a cowardly
fraud.”
It relieved Logan that no one sounded hurt or even too fearful.
Rowdy and Reese were both cool and analytical. Peterson sounded outright
pissed.
He took a small step forward.
“By now,” Andrews said, “the traffickers will be closing in on
your sister.”
Glacial with defiance, Rowdy said, “Fuck you. She’s safe.”
“Logan Riske has a brother. The brother owns property,” Andrews
stated. “These things are easy enough to know when you have police
contacts.”
Logan peeked around the door and saw Andrews and another,
bigger man, both armed. Rowdy stood at the foot of the bed, Reese and Peterson
on it.
In that split second of time, he saw Reese staring at Peterson
with accusation.
Judging by her tone, it infuriated her. “Say it and I’ll beg
him to shoot you first!”
“Then how?” Reese asked.
“I thought it was you,” she told him.
“You’re the one who’s been suspicious. You’re the one who met
with the bastard.”
“Oh, please,” Andrews said. “The conniving bitch only wanted to
know the other cops who are on my payroll. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant?”
“Yes. And they have been uncovered. I have a full report ready
to go. Whether you kill me or not, I’ve accomplished that much.”
So neither Peterson nor Reese was dirty? They’d only been
suspicious of each other? Later, after he had Andrews locked away, he’d allow
himself to feel relief.
But right now, with menace throbbing in the air, he didn’t
lessen his focus.
Reese said, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t…
didn’t
…trust you,”
Peterson snapped.
“But you do now?”
“Well…yes.”
“Great.” Irony dripped from Reese’s tone. “At least I can die
knowing I eventually won you over.”
“And you think I feel any differently, you impudent ass?”
Logan understood their ploy. Stall, distract, redirect the
attention. He appreciated their efforts because it gave him a chance to peek in
again, to better formulate a plan.
Andrews kept his gun loose at his side, but his goon maintained
a dead aim on Rowdy.
Proving he had a streak of cruelty a mile wide, Morton spoke
with sick anticipation. “Your sister will go missing, you know. No one will ever
see her again, but believe me, she’ll be put to good use.”
Instead of going into a fury, Rowdy grew calmer. “No, I don’t
think so. She’s safe—and you’re pathetic.”
Did Rowdy want to enrage Andrews? If they started shooting,
Reese and Peterson were sitting ducks. Or…had Rowdy noticed him? Was he drawing
their fire to save the others?
Logan couldn’t let that happen.
He only needed to distract the men for a single second. He
knew, given any opportunity, Rowdy would react. Between the two of them, they’d
make it work.
If he shot Andrews, the goon might kill Rowdy.
If he shot the goon, Andrews could take aim on Peterson or
Reese.
The room was small enough that, if
anyone
started shooting, they’d all be eating bullets. Best to avoid
that if at all possible.
With that decision made, he put the gun back in his waistband
and slowly inched into the door frame.
Proving a keen awareness, Rowdy’s gaze went right on past Logan
so that he wouldn’t give away his position.
Reese flattened his expression and leaned a little in front of
Peterson.
To assist him, Rowdy frowned and looked at the closet. He
widened his eyes.
Taking the bait, Andrews jerked around to face the new threat,
and Logan was on him. He caught Andrews’s wrist and pressed his gun hand down,
squeezing hard until the weapon fell from his hand.
Rowdy and the other man crashed into them, and Logan heard a
whispered
pop, pop, pop.
The silencers made the shots barely detectable, but a searing
burn cut through his right upper arm. Damn it.
Refusing to let any injury slow him down, Logan brought his
left elbow up and into Andrews’s face and smashed his nose. The bastard howled
in fury and grabbed for him. Logan drove him forward until they fell into the
dresser, then landed hard on the floor in a tangle.
As he reared back to demolish Andrews, he saw the odd twist of
his neck, the wide sightless eyes and slack mouth.
Morton Andrews had broken his neck and faded away with little
fanfare.
Disbelief obliterated the pain in his shoulder.
Reese shouted, “Damn it, Rowdy, stop it!” He rattled the entire
bed with his objections. “You’re going to kill him!”
Logan saw the gunman sprawled under Rowdy, unmoving, his face
bloodied and battered. “Rowdy.” He got to his feet and clasped Rowdy’s shoulder.
“That’s enough.”
Breathing hard, fist cocked, Rowdy pulled back, paused and then
shoved to his feet. He stood heaving for only a moment before bending to go
through the man’s pockets.
After finding the key to the cuffs, he turned to Logan and
flattened his mouth. “Sit down, why don’t you?”
Logan ignored that to collect the guns now strewn every fucking
place. He tossed them on the bed near the lieutenant’s feet, and in the process,
managed to get blood everywhere. Shit.
Rowdy stepped in front of him. “Seriously, Logan.
Sit.
”
He glanced at his arm, at the slow oozing of blood and
blackened flesh, the swelling. Disgusted, he said, “I’ll ruin the bedding.”
“Damn you, Logan,” Reese snarled as he struggled with the key.
“I can buy new bedding!”
“You’re sounding hysterical,” Logan told him.
Reese drew a deep, strained breath. “No.” He drew another. “I’m
perfectly fine. Please sit down before I get free and
kick
your ass!
”
Now that the others kept pointing it out, his arm went from
numb to screaming pain. “Yeah, all right.” But rather than join Reese and
Peterson on the crowded mattress, he went to the wall and slid down to the
floor.
Rowdy crouched down in front of him to check the wound. “Damn,
man. I’m sorry. I tried to control his gun hand, but he—”
“You’re not hurt?”
Rowdy gave him a comical look and laughed. “Bruised head to
toe, but otherwise fine—thanks to you.” Gingerly, he lifted Logan’s arm. “It
looks like the bullet passed through. Do you think it hit bone? Does anything
feel broken?”
“No. It’ll be fine.” It had to be; with Andrews out of the way,
he wanted time with Pepper. He did not want to be incapacitated.
“Sucks that it’s your right arm.”
Done discussing it, Logan said, “Dash is outside keeping an eye
on one of Andrews’s men.”
While continuing to poke and prod like a damned doctor, Rowdy
asked, “My sister?”
It astounded Logan that Rowdy didn’t seem more concerned for
her. “In the apartment with Alice.”
“Ah. Good. I was counting on you keeping her safe, and you did.
I owe you for that.”
“You don’t owe me a damned thing.” Majorly pissed off at
himself, Logan put his back to the wall and stretched out one leg. “I don’t
fucking believe this.”
Peterson said, “I’m calling it in.”
Reese flipped over the fallen thug, now coherent and groaning
in pain. He pulled his arms behind his back and fastened the cuffs to his
wrists. Taking his gun from the bed, he said, “I’ll let the ladies know we’re in
the clear, then take our third man off Dash’s hands.”
Rowdy walked out—but surprised Logan again by coming right back
with two towels from Reese’s bathroom. They’d really done a number on the
apartment. Blood, bodies and bullet holes… Reese would need a damn cleaning and
repair crew.
“Maybe you should lie down,” Rowdy said as he pressed one towel
to his arm.
Logan eyed him, snorted and shook his head. “Not
happening.”
That made him grin. “Yeah, I’d probably fight it, too.” He held
the towel against Logan and spoke quietly. “Morton had bad plans for Pepper. He
was going to—”
Logan cut him off. “I heard. But he’s dead now. And she’s
safe.”
“She’s…free,” Rowdy agreed. He held silent a moment. “He told
us where the traffickers are set up.”
Peterson covered the phone and scowled at him. “You will
not
get involved, Rowdy Yates, do you understand
me?”
He readjusted the towel. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I mean it. I’m already preparing a team to go there. We’ll
handle it—”
“Yeah, sure. No problem.”
Peterson stalked away while barking orders into her phone.
Logan couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re a miserable liar,
Rowdy Yates, and a worse nurse.” He took the towel from him. “Go fetch your
sister. You know you’re dying to.”
“She’s going to kick my ass when she sees you got shot.”
“I don’t know about that. But if
you
got shot, she’d probably kill me herself.”
Rowdy gave him a funny look, then laughed. “Boy, are you in for
a surprise.” He left to find Pepper.
So Rowdy thought she cared about him? That’d be nice, Logan
decided. Better than nice, and worth a bullet.
Less than a minute later, the dog barked, and Pepper hurried in
with her long-legged gait—until she saw him sitting on the floor.
Logan got caught in her mesmerizing gaze. He smiled to put her
at ease. “Hey.”
Fury straightened her backbone and squared her shoulders.
“You’re
shot.
”
“I’m fine.” And he was. Yeah, he hated it that Andrews had
gotten off so easily, especially after the verbal threats toward Pepper. But…it
was over.
He’d now be free to put all his considerable concentration into
winning her heart. Anticipation started a slow burn that all but blocked the
pain of his injury.
When she just stood there, staring at him in horror, Rowdy gave
her a nudge. “It’s just his arm, sis. He won’t expire on you.”
“Don’t be a jerk!” She shoved away from him to step over and
around Andrews, then came down beside Logan. She took the towel from him and
lifted it. “Ohmigod.”
She didn’t mention his declaration of love, but she must care
for him, given her reaction. Logan pressed the towel back to his arm. “Kiss me.
It’ll make me feel better.”
Rowdy snorted.
“You’re both insane,” she complained, but she did kiss him.
Peterson finished her call, took in their cozy position, and
rolled her eyes. “Ambulance should be here any minute.”
That got his attention off Pepper. “I don’t need a damned
ambulance.”
“Tough. You’re getting it anyway.”
Alice stood there, stoic and silent, holding the dog’s leash.
He whined and lurched this way and that, unsure what to do, still uncertain of
the situation.
Probably smelling the blood.
Sitting on the side of the bed, Rowdy held out a hand, and the
dog came to him like a long-lost friend.
Reese strode back in with Dash but froze when he saw Alice. It
was only then that Logan realized she still held the gun loosely in her
hand.
Without taking his gaze off her, Reese said to Logan, “A couple
of units showed up. They have a handle on things.”
“Good.”
“Paramedics will swarm in soon, probably along with a half
dozen uniformed cops.” They both spoke quietly.
He nodded toward Alice. “You want to deal with that before they
do?”
“Yeah.” Reese moved closer to her. “Alice?”
Eerily mute, she freed her finger from the trigger, turned the
gun around, and offered it to him.
He took it with alacrity. “You were going to shoot
someone?”
“If it came to that, of course I would.” She couldn’t seem to
pull her gaze off Andrews. “Dead?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Why is it unfortunate?”