Brutal Obsession (The Safeguard Series, Book One) (18 page)

“He’s not, of that I’m sure,” Ashlyn said with resolve, slipping her delicate hand into his. She was a mass of contradictions, because he believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that she could do what was needed to survive if that time ever came. She was strong, intelligent, and cunning in a way that was admirable. “But after looking at that list…I think I might know who it is, after all.”

‡

A
shlyn lay in
bed and listened to the silence as the wheels in her head spun. She’d thought maybe she had all of this figured out, but Keane had said Paul Bostle couldn’t be the one who had murdered Jarod Garner. Even though the IT technician’s name was on the list and he had the required skillset, he’d apparently been in with Bishop Vance during the time in question. Bishop had somehow gotten a Trojan virus from searching the Internet on his desktop at work, which had set him back for his upcoming day in court on some random national monument trespass case brought about by some group’s nonviolent protest, advocating free college tuition for certain special interest groups. It also would have postponed the Glasson case, but she couldn’t think about that now. That ruled out Paul and Bishop.

She wondered if she was a horrible person to think that someone she’d worked with for a couple of years could actually be a murderer. Paul had been nothing but nice to her and more than a bit helpful ever since she’d met him. Yes, he was a little odd socially. But that certainly didn’t make him a stalker and now a killer. Is this what she had been resorted to, suspecting someone because they knew how to use a computer better than her? Dissecting other people’s personalities and labeling them something they weren’t because she didn’t understand their motives?

Ashlyn turned on her side, the roughness of the sheets letting her know they were new and hadn’t been broken in yet. They needed to be run through the dryer with a few dryer sheets. Maybe that would be a small contribution she could make tomorrow while they passed the day. She pulled the other pillow close to her chest and willed herself to close her eyes. Instead, she found herself staring at the open door. Keane had asked that she keep it open and she had, although she would have felt safer in the same room with him. That would only be asking for trouble.

Dennis Paavo or Adam Walker. Ashlyn turned to face the wall, the light blue appearing darker than when it was daylight. Both men had been in the elevator with her the other day. She’d turned Dennis’ invitation to dinner down a couple of times. She just didn’t have the time or desire to date anyone, especially a coworker. She’d told Agent Coulter that, but nothing had ever come of it. He hadn’t been in the building last night, though. Had Adam? She didn’t recall seeing his name on the list.

Keane had told Coen to contact Agent Coulter to let him know Aiden’s name had shown up on the list, but yet he hadn’t been in the office that morning with them. Had someone used his credentials? Ashlyn refused to believe that Aiden could be responsible for all of this, considering the man spent what time off he did have at an animal shelter or at his local community center fostering his Animals for Elders program. No one who loved animals as much as he did could have sliced a man’s throat down to the—

Thud.

Ashlyn sat straight up, looking around the room. She instinctively held her breath, listening for where the noise had come from. Her skin prickled at the thought of being found, but wouldn’t Coen have seen someone lurking around the house? What if he and his partner had fallen asleep across the street in their garage apartment? What if whoever was supposed to be watching the house had needed to go to the bathroom for just a second? Or get something to drink out of the refrigerator?

Thud.

“Shit,” Ashlyn whispered frantically, reaching for the Px4 Storm on the nightstand. She inhaled somewhat evenly now that she had a powerful firearm in the palm of her hand, giving herself the ability to protect herself. No one could hurt her inside these walls…not with the amount of security this house provided. But had Keane heard the same noise? It appeared to be coming from outside, but she couldn’t be sure.

Ashlyn didn’t want to turn on the bedroom light for fear of letting whoever was out there know she’d heard them coming. She hadn’t felt comfortable changing into something that would make her feel vulnerable, so she’d kept on the sweatpants and a T-shirt, minus the running shoes. She was grateful for that as she set the bottom of her feet onto the cold hardwood floor. The bed squeaked as she stood from the mattress, causing her to wince in fear of someone hearing the uncoiling of the springs.

Ashlyn took a tentative step forward, listening as closely as she could to the air around her. Nothing. It was silent once again. She still held her weapon out in front of her, trained on the doorway. Her finger was aligned with the barrel and not the trigger, the way she’d been taught. She flicked the safety off to make the weapon condition one—ready to fire. She wouldn’t shoot unless absolutely necessary, and even then…she would ensure her target’s identity before firing at anyone.

“Ashlyn.”

“Jesus Christ!” Ashlyn whispered harshly as she turned the corner of the small hallway. Keane was standing there with his firearm in hand, wearing nothing but a pair of khakis. He’d taken a shower earlier when Coen was still here, but his hair was still damp. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you.”

“Which is why I said something before you rounded the corner and realized I was here.” Keane kept his tone low as he moved forward. Ashlyn lowered her weapon and took a step back when he advanced, placing a warm hand on her arm. The difference in temperature was obvious from the way his fingers practically burned her flesh. “I want you to go into the bathroom, lock the door, and stay there. You don’t come out for anyone but me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, but you can’t go out there your—”

“Ashlyn, my job it to protect you, not the other way around,” Keane explained all the while guiding her to the small bathroom at the end of the hall. He flipped the light switch, although used the dimmer so the light wasn’t that bright. “Remember, do not open this door for anyone but me.”

Ashlyn would have argued had Keane not shut the door behind him. She was surprised to see a deadbolt installed and she went ahead and fastened it, not appreciating being put in a box. She understood the reasoning, but wouldn’t they have benefited with both of them out there to watch each other’s back? Now, Keane was on his own until he got in touch with Coen and Sawyer…and that might be too late if the bad guy was out there.

She leaned against the door, resting her ear on the painted wood. Was Keane still there? Or had he already walked down the hallway? Was he going to go outside? Ashlyn didn’t like being kept in the dark. How was she supposed to make the right decisions when she didn’t have all of the information? What if Coen came to the door and told her it was all right to come out? Should she open the door?

Questions and more questions, doubt after more doubt plagued her as she waited for any sign that Keane had been hurt. He’d said he was doing his job, but he wasn’t just her protector. He was more and that was something they both needed to address. Would they be given the opportunity? What if he was hurt tonight? What if he died like Jarod? What if—

“Ash, come on out,” Keane called from somewhere in the house. Ashlyn closed her eyes in relief and rested her head against the thick wood. She couldn’t continue to go on like this. She wasn’t acting like herself and she was allowing this…criminal…to have power over her. It was time to stop being afraid. “Ash?”

Ashlyn flipped the deadbolt and opened the door, figuring Keane was close from the sound of his voice. He stood there studying her with concern, but she was okay. She really was. She didn’t give him a chance to react, other than bring his arms around her when she walked right up to him and pressed her body against his.

Neither said a word as they held each other. Keane’s arms wrapped tighter around her waist. It felt so good…so right…to be in his arms. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed together, standing in the hallway embracing each other, but it was Coen’s voice that had them separating. She hadn’t realized she’d been standing on her tiptoes until she lowered herself to the ground and looked up at Keane.

“You’re safe, Ash,” Keane murmured, using a finger to tuck the loose strands of hair back behind her ear. His brown eyes searched hers for answers she didn’t have. She only wanted to remain in his arms a while longer. “It was just a raccoon. He was trying to tip the neighbor’s garbage can over.”

“It’s clear,” Coen called out from somewhere in the living room. Keane leaned forward and tenderly pressed his warm lips to her forehead before taking her by the hand and walking her down the hallway. Sure enough, Coen was standing by the door. He didn’t say a word or even acknowledge the fact that Keane held her hand. “I’m heading back. Sawyer doesn’t like it when I leave him for too long. He gets lonely.”

“That needy, is he?” Keane fired back, finally letting go of Ashlyn’s hand to reach for his shirt. “I’ll have to remember that.”

“Shit,” Coen expressed with wit as he adjusted his ball cap. “I’m learning quite a lot about my new teammates. You knew Brody back in the day. Were you aware that Brody’s sister is Camryn Novak, the actress from that sci-fi movie? Sawyer’s in love.”

Ashlyn glanced at Keane, who had just drawn a short-sleeved, navy blue shirt over his head. He was smiling as if the last fifteen minutes hadn’t happened. Her heart still hadn’t settled from the terror that the individual who killed Jarod Garner—in cold blood—had found her. This was no longer a harmless voyeur looking through a camera lens at her or a distant stalker looking for his prey, but a killer seeking to eliminate those who were protecting her so that he could claim his prize.

“You tell Sawyer that Brody might seem like a surfer boy who’s more concerned with the height of the waves rolling in than a protective older brother, but trust me when I say I’ve seen Brody in action when it counts. He might like his high-end tech gizmos, but he can use a knife better than anyone I know and come out the other end a winner.”

“Oh, man,” Coen said with a laugh, his fingers covering the door handle. “I can’t wait to get back to Florida to see how this goes over. You two guys try and get some rest. From what Brody just relayed to us…it appears an arrest might be made by tomorrow.”

“Victor?” Ashlyn asked, looking to Keane for any kind of confirmation. She didn’t want to believe it was true. “Did he confess?”

“No, not yet,” Keane replied, walking across the room so he could lock up behind Coen. He pulled back the curtain just enough for him to look outside. “Coulter somehow believes Victor is the person responsible though. Let’s face it, he certainly has the experience needed to do what was done to your security system and home computer network.”

“Then why wouldn’t Victor have used the new system he had Noah install instead of being somewhere outside the building with low frequency transmitter equipment to rattle the windows? Can Coulter even prove Victor was outside my apartment building at the time it happened?” Ashlyn wasn’t connecting the dots because none of this was making sense. “What if I talk to—”

“No,” Keane replied, instantly shutting down Ashlyn’s attempt at resolving some unanswered questions. He gestured toward her weapon. “You should really put your firearm on safe and put it back into your holster. You’re protected here.”

“Not from raccoons, apparently,” Ashlyn offered up with a half-smile, wishing her unease didn’t just stem from someone stalking her or killing her friends. Jarod and she hadn’t been what she considered close, but she had thought of him as a friend. She realized Keane was right. “We’re in a safe house in the middle of Annapolis, Maryland with two SSI agents across the street monitoring my safety. I brought zero technology with me and I mentally know you’re right…there is no possible way for this man to know where I am. Besides, who would think to look inside a bright green house with yellow shutters? But what about those still back home? What has come of Mia, Parker, Aiden, and Reed? Mia and Parker were in the office with me while Jarod was being murdered. Reed wasn’t even in the building. I know Aiden’s card key was used to enter the garage entrance, but trust me when I say he couldn’t have killed Jarod. Agent Coulter will figure out what happened with Aiden, but in the meantime…are any of them truly safe?”

Ashlyn wasn’t about to return to an empty bedroom with uncomfortable sheets where she would toss and turn until morning. She sighed and made her way into the kitchen instead. She remembered seeing a teakettle on the stove. Maybe that would help ease her anxiety.

“I’m sure Agent Coulter has spoken to everyone who’s…”

“Close to me?” Ashlyn asked, placing her weapon on the counter. She reached for the kettle and then filled it with water. She turned around to watch Keane’s reaction. Was he telling her everything? “Gina? My team? Anyone who might have had a hand in bringing the FBI in? That was me, Keane. Only me. This…man…has turned into a cold-blooded killer because—”