Beginning: A PAVAD Prequel Novella (PAVAD: FBI Romantic Suspense) (5 page)

LEN
drove most of the way. They reached the Illinois border after two and a half hours, sticking mostly to state highways and round about ways. Royal was quiet in the backseat but she knew the man wasn’t sleeping. Ed was just as quiet.

It gave Len time to think.

They pulled into Lawrenceville and Ed texted his daughter. “They’re waiting at the McDonalds.”

“Give me directions.” She followed his instructions and maneuvered the vehicle into the restaurant parking. She recognized the handsome dark-haired man and Ed’s daughter Georgia where they waited inside Agent Brockman’s personal vehicle.

She parked next to them, while Ed woke Royal.

Georgia hugged her when she got out of the car. “I’m glad you were with Dad.”

“What’s going on? Royal wasn’t entirely clear.”

“Someone broke into your apartment. Your landlady knew you were out of town and she went to investigate. With a ball bat,” Malachi Brockman said. “She was lucky she wasn’t hurt.”

Len would make a point of calling her friend later. Gretta was one of the few non-FBI friends she had in this city. The idea that the other woman may have been injured worried her. “She’s ok, then?”

“She managed to scratch the guy across the arm. We’ve got it being processed now. I put my father’s name on it; and I took it to a friend at the police station in your district, Jasmine,” Georgia said. “Just in case. He’s going to call me soon with results.”

Royal stepped up behind Len, and placed a hand casually on her shoulder. She tried not to stiffen and pull away. Georgia and Malachi were both extremely perceptive people—both were profilers—and she knew Georgia at least would see how nervous Royal was making her.

And they both knew Royal really well. They’d know he was…

She made herself think different thoughts. Fast.

“I think we need to reevaluate,” Royal said. “I’m not so sure the deputy director is the only target.”

“What makes you say that? The attack was in his garage.”

“It was. But
you
were with him. I think the focus has shifted to both of you. Something was said yesterday.
You
know the specifics of almost every person in the St. Louis field office. That means
you
have probably seen the reason behind these attacks. And someone searched
your
desk, and now
your
home. That means something. Director Dennis’s office wasn’t touched. But yours was. And I’m assuming it’s just as difficult to get into your office as it is his. I’ve been in that part of the building, and I’ve evaluated the security a time or two myself.”

“So what are you thinking, Agent Royal?”

“I’m thinking we bait a trap.”

“How?” Len looked over her shoulder at him. He wasn’t quite as tall as Malachi Brockman, but his shoulders were just as wide. And he was just as muscled—if not more so. His skin was several shades darker, and he had a small trace of beard stubble growing on his chin, whereas Agent Brockman was clean shaven. But they were both highly gorgeous men.

Attention getting, most definitely.

“Len and I will take a different route. And we’ll let it be known we have the director and are heading through Cape Girardeau. See if we can’t flush the traitor out.”

“I’m not so certain I want to use Len as bait,” Ed said.

But Len understood what Royal was getting at. “It’s part of the job, Ed. And I’ll be fine. Royal and I are both federal agents who know how to take care of ourselves.”

“I think we kick ass,” Royal squeezed her shoulder. “And we’ll get the rest of
our
team involved. Have them split up and tail the three possibles. One will head this way, I’m sure of it. Breaking in to Len’s place was a sign of desperation. And we’re not going to figure out
why
until we know the
who.
”

“I think it will work.”

She watched Ed for a moment, knowing he had to agree or they couldn’t go forward. And she knew why he was hesitating—because he was overprotective of the few people he let into his life. The people he cared about—they were his world. And she was lucky enough to be one of them. “Ed—I trust Royal. He’ll keep us both safe. And I’ll do the same. We need to catch this guy. Before everything we’ve worked for these past months crashes and burns around us.”

SHE
was looking at him with a piercing expression in her hazel eyes. Royal knew it, but he avoided saying anything until she pulled the car back out onto the road.

“You know this will work.”

“I hope so. And I think you’re right—if someone is after both me and Ed, I want him coming
this
way. Then we’ll do what it is we have to do.”

“So do you mean it?”

“What?”

“When you said you trust me?”

“Professionally.”

“Ah, come on. You know it’s more than that.” Royal smiled at her. They had several hours’ of drive time left—quiet time, just the two of them. Other than the fact that they were trying to draw out a traitor, he couldn’t think of anything better than being alone—even in a car—with a beautiful woman he found infinitely attractive. “You know you find me the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen.”

“Someone has a high opinion of himself.”

But she was teasing, and they both knew it.

They spent most of the next hour talking—about anything and everything. Including classic literature. She preferred the more adventurous—he liked the more sociologically based. But they both enjoyed reading more than watching television, going to the mountains rather than the tropics, and relaxing away from people.

She had a cabin she’d purchased four years earlier in the south of Tennessee. He went camping every year in the same region.

He’d never enjoyed his time alone with a woman—while clothed—more.

They stopped for lunch in Cape Girardeau; they were enjoying themselves, but neither of them had forgotten the true purpose of them being so south of St. Louis.

For the trap to work, they had to be found first.

“We need to make ourselves more obvious.” She was the first one to say that.

He tossed the wrappers from their lunch in the nearest waste basket. “I can make it obvious.”

“How is that?”

“Like this.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her off her feet.

She didn’t squeal—the only reaction she had was a slightly raised eyebrow. “How is this going to be obvious?”

“Easy. That brown Chevy parked at the fish place next door? Its occupants have been watching us for the last five minutes.”

She didn’t look that way, and he admired her restraint. Her training. But he felt her tense beneath his hands. “You recognize anyone inside?”

“One man, white. Other than that, I can’t see enough to distinguish.”

“How do you want to do this?”

“If it’s the men we’re after, we need them to catch us off guard. At least in their head. So…we need to act distracted.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

“Easy.” He slipped his hand into the long dark hair. “We look all lovey-dovey, and we go for a romantic stroll along the river. Make it obvious we’re focused on each other—and not the fact that someone may be trying to kill you. Once he realizes we don’t have the director, he’ll either pull back or if it’s
you
he’s really after, he’ll make his move.”

She leaned closer to him, so close Royal almost brushed a kiss against those soft lips.

He wanted this woman, and bad.

“So how lovey-dovey are you thinking this will be?”

Did she really want to know what he was thinking? “I know what I wouldn’t mind doing with you right now. But we should remember we’re out in public. Should probably keep it PG-13 or less. There’s plenty of time to explore the hotter stuff later.”

“Oh? You think there’s going to be a later, do you?”

“Don’t you?”

A flash of uncertainty hit her face. “Dakon… I… I’m not sure about being involved with someone I work with.”

“Then we take it day by day, step by step. Don’t have to let anyone know anything about it until you’re comfortable with it.”

She looked at him a moment, then surprised him by kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, we have a shooter to catch.”

He’d take what he’d get.

But she was right—they did have a traitor to stop.

And the sooner that was done, the sooner he could convince her to give him a shot.

There was nothing he wanted more.

SHE’D
do it. She’d take a chance in a way she never had before. That it was with a man like Dakon Royal—a man with his reputation—was the biggest risk of all. But she felt right with the decision.

She’d not talked and laughed for two hours straight with a man other than Ed in her entire life.

That
had
to mean something.

What, she didn’t know, but she’d definitely take the chance on finding out.

And if nothing happened, nothing happened. But at least she wouldn’t have the regret of not trying.

He laced his fingers through her right hand, and she let him lead her down the street toward the river. She understood—he wanted to pull the tail out of the main area and where there were less people.

“You think this will work?”

“I don’t know. At the least I want a chance to get a good look at the guy. If it’s one of our three probable, we’ll be able to get a warrant, and get an arrest.”

She mulled it over as they walked. It would be enough. Maybe. They’d have to get the rest of the particulars after the arrest. They’d have seventy-two hours until they had to bring charges.

Brockman’s team could find that evidence well within the time limit. The team was that damned good.

She scanned the area, taking note of buildings and alleys and possible hindrances. “There. Head down to the river. There’s a bench there. We can sit, then see if we can spot the tail.”

“Sounds like an idea.”

He teased her the entire way, and Len fought to keep a serious face. Was he always like that?

She knew his teammates Georgia and Ana both liked and respected him. And she respected those two women and their opinions.

Maybe some of her earlier preconceptions of him had been too harsh and judgmental?

That would be something else she’d have to consider.

“I don’t want to go to Smokey’s.”

“If that’s what you want.”

Did he think she meant she didn’t want to go out with him at all? She tried to read his face—but he was trained FBI and ATF. This guy knew how to keep his feelings hidden.

Probably better than she did.

They sat on the bench, and watched the water. It was a windy early March day, and the river was choppy. Len casually turned toward the man on her right. His body was big enough to block anyone from seeing her watching for them. It would be their only real advantage.

They were both armed, and Len was highly aware of what they were about to do. They could be dealing with a highly volatile, extremely desperate person in a place they weren’t familiar with, under circumstances that they truly could not control.

All flirting aside, what they were doing was about to get extremely dangerous.

ROYAL
had always prided himself on being a patient man. This was no different. They waited and waited.

Nothing happened.

His phone rang with a text. He clicked the screen.
We’re in Cape G., Where are you exactly?

Georgia.

This was not part of the plan. He dialed his friend. “What’s going on?”

“Find cover, wherever you are. We’re on the way. It’s Whiler and his GPS is pinging in Cape Girardeau.”

“We’re armed. Down by the river.” He gave her the names of the street signs they’d passed. “Someone was following us, but I can’t confirm identity.”

“Hold tight. The rest of the team is coming for you. Keep safe.”

He grabbed Len’s arm and pulled her quickly toward the first open business he saw. They wouldn’t put civilians in danger, but they wouldn’t stand on the street the way they had been. Not with Georgia and the others on the way. There was a reason his teammates had changed the plan.

And Royal trusted them enough to do what they’d said. He trusted them with his life, no damned question about it. “Stay by the window, and be ready. George and the others are coming.”

“They must have gotten the first shooter. The hired gun.” Royal felt his already considerable respect for her go up. She didn’t seem fazed at all. “That’s the only way they could have met us this quickly.”

He understood what she was saying—in order for Georgia and Mal to meet them at this point, they had to have redirected within an hour after they separated from him and Len in the first place.

And they would only have done that if they had more information. But why hadn’t they called?

Fifteen long minutes and two cups of coffee later, two people Royal recognized entered the coffee shop. He waved a hand at J.T. and Ana.

His teammates headed toward him and Len. J.T. was the first to speak. “Guess you guys got into a bit of trouble?”

“Something like that. What are you doing here?”

“Georgia and Mal are still about twenty minutes outside of town with the director.”

“There were supposed to take Ed straight into the city. What happened?”

“There was an attack on the car. Mal will need to replace it, but every one of our people are safe,” Ana said in her slightly European accent. Her hair was down and loose and bright red.

She was no bigger, and no curvier than Len. So pretty, so sweet. And Ana had one heck of a background in martial arts.

The similarities between her and Len were surprising; he’d never been attracted to his teammate the way he was to Len. “Who?”

“A professional by the name of Johan Dvorak. Or at least that’s what his passport reads.” Ana accepted a cup of coffee from J.T., the youngest member of their team. “Says he was hired by Whiler.”

“Any reason why?”

“Hmmm. Not sure yet. But it wasn’t Director Dennis that was the target. You were right about that. We have a tech analyst pouring over Whiler’s computers and phone records. But the pro was able to give name, address, and description of our girl here.” Ana sipped the coffee as she sat down in front of Len. Between Len and the window. “Jas, I don’t know what you did to Whiler, but you surely pissed him off something good. Any ideas?”

“The only contact I’ve had with him the last year was when I requested clarification on a previous case file six weeks ago. I’m afraid that case file sat on my desk until three days ago. With this other business I’m working on for Ed I wasn’t able to finalize my report on that case audit.”

“Who ordered the audit?” Royal asked.

“Ed. Whiler was one of the candidates for the new division that we were hesitant about. We’ve been discussing him, Stephenson, and Gannan for weeks.”

Royal thought for a moment. “Whatever you found in that file was enough to scare him into throwing everything he had away. We need that file.”

“Later,” Len said. “A man just walked by. Whiler.”

Royal stood, joined by the three others. “J.T. and Ana, cross the street. Len and I will keep behind him on this side. Hopefully we’ll be able to surround him, and bring him in quietly.”

They left the shop, moving quickly.

Royal saw the man he’d known for two years looking in every window, agitated and almost erratic. Was Whiler suffering a psychotic break? Or was it something else?

They were gaining on him. Royal catalogued the people between them and their target. Half a dozen, mostly headed toward the coffee shop they’d just left.  Almost twice that ahead of Whiler.

A lot of people to get in the way if something went down.

He looked at the woman keeping pace with him. “Lot of people.”

“We need to take him down as quietly as possible.” She was cool, calm, and unflappable. But her pretty eyes were worried.

“And as quickly. How else are we going to figure out if you want to marry me, after all?”

She smiled. “You always this impatient? This crazy?”

“Ah hell. You figured me out. But… you’re the first woman I’ve ever asked to marry me. Should have known I’d mess it up…”

“You’re insane, Royal.”

“Then it’s your sworn duty to ensure I’m not a risk to the public. So what do you say? We do dinner and dancing tonight? Once this is all over, of course.”

“It’s a date. Provided you behave yourself.” She picked up her pace; he matched her. “And we finish with this guy in time for me to get home and take a shower. Find a dress to wear.”

“That red one from the other night would be a sure win. Just saying.”

It was all he said. They were six feet behind Whiler. They were younger, more physically fit, and the man was still checking every window and bumping his way carelessly through the small crowd. Royal waited until Whiler was clear of the majority of the walkers.

“Whiler! Agent Whiler!”

The man turned around. His eyes met Royal’s.

Royal knew he would run. It was in the man’s eyes. “Don’t do it. You won’t be able to go anywhere. And we both know you don’t want to make a big scene out here.”

Whiler pulled his coat back. Royal saw the weapon. He shifted slightly, moving closer to Len, but not blocking her. “Drop it, Whiler. I’ve not got the only weapon aimed at your head right now. We both know how this is going to end if you do something stupid.”

“You don’t want your wife to hear about this over your body in the morgue,” Len said quietly. “Put the gun down, and hit the pavement. We’ll make this easy, and we’ll go somewhere and talk this out.”

Royal knew by the wildness in the guy’s eyes that it wasn’t going to happen that way. Whiler was too damned desperate. J.T. and Ana were coming up behind their target. Royal knew he had to keep the man talking. “What happened, man? You had a good career, why would you risk it?”

“Don’t move!”

“You have to know this isn’t going to work well. You need to put the gun down, before something else happens. Royal and I, you know we have to take you in. But if you have a good reason for what’s happened, we need to know it. We can work this out. We have the man you hired. He’s going to talk eventually. You have to know we need your side of things, and fast.”

Thirteen seconds. Ana would be behind Whiler. They needed to keep his attention for thirteen more seconds, at most. “Tell us, Whiler, why Len? Something in the personnel files? Something you did that you didn’t want the world to know about? What? Did you know
we
have no idea? That we guessed it was either you or Agent Gannan? You have maybe…
ten
seconds… to talk.
Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two,
and…
one.
”

Ana had her weapon at Whiler’s head. J.T. was to the man’s right, close enough to subdue without being in the line of fire. “Lower your weapon to the ground! Do it! Now! Now!” Ana yelled the order.

Whiler had no choice but to obey.

Royal held his weapon steady on the older man until Whiler hit his knees on the pavement. Within a few more seconds Whiler was cuffed and subdued.

J.T. and Ana led him toward wherever they had parked.

That left Royal facing Len. “Well. A bit anticlimactic.”

“Maybe.” She tightened her coat around her shoulders. “Maybe not. I’m alive. You’re alive. Even Whiler is alive. It could have been a whole lot worse.”

“That’s a good way to sum it up.” Royal mentally said to hell with it. “So… pick you up at nine-thirty.”

She stopped walking and looked up at him. She smiled, a truly beautiful smile. “It’s a deal.”

“I don’t think it’s a deal, exactly. I think it may just be a… beginning.”