The Reckoning (6 page)

Elizabeth
raised her head and narrowed her eyes. The nerve of him telling her, of all people what to do pissed her off. She wasn’t a dog, and she didn’t take orders from anyone, especially from him. She’d went from zero to sixty and back again in ten seconds flat. Any and all sexual thoughts she’d been having about the damn brute vanished. “Your sisters may let you get away with ordering them around like that, but I’m not one of your sisters, Mike.”

Someone cleared their throat, and
Elizabeth
glanced up to see Abby standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
Elizabeth
’s sister, Gracie, stood next to her. “We quit listening to him a long time ago. The longer you’re around him, you will too.”

Abby walked up to Mike and slapped him upside the back of the head. “Haven’t we taught you anything?”

Mike reached up and rubbed his head. “What the hell, Abby?”

Abby pointed at
Elizabeth
and then poked her index finger into his chest. “Some protector you are, big brother. Did you even hear me come in the house while you were locking lips with
Elizabeth
? You didn’t even lock the door.” Abby threw her hands up in the air. “Anyone could have come in here and shot you in the back, and then where would we be? Hmm?” Abby crossed her arms over her chest again, her eyes narrowed, and a frown marred her face. “I’ll tell you where. Emma and Claire would be having conniption fits…that’s where we’d be. Do you really want me to have to deal with that?”

Abby turned and pointed to
Elizabeth
’s sister. “I even had enough time to introduce myself to Gracie.”

Abby walked back over to Gracie and threw her arm around her shoulder. “You need to step up your game, big brother, and I don’t mean where
Elizabeth
’s lips are concerned; it seems that’s one thing you’ve got covered besides being a big, demanding brute.”

Mike’s cheeks turned red, either from embarrassment or his rising blood pressure. The scowl on his face toward Abby gave her an idea of which one it was.

Mike turned between her legs but didn’t move to step away. “Did you see the note?”

“Yep, bagged and tagged, along with the knife. I’ll do my own investigation when I get back to the office.” Abby winked at Mike before she turned, walked out of the kitchen, and yelled. “Well, are you coming?”

Mike glanced at Gracie and back at
Elizabeth
. “Are you okay here?” He nodded toward Gracie. “Are you okay with her here?”

Elizabeth
turned her attention to Gracie. “No.” She shook her head. “I mean yes, I’m okay with her being here, but she
shouldn’t
be here.”

Mike cupped her cheek, drawing her face back toward him. “Lock up behind me and keep my gun within reach.” Mike programmed his number into her cell, and called his own before handing it back. “Call me if you need me.”

Elizabeth
put her hands on her hips. “What if I didn’t want to give you my cell number? Do you always just take what you want?”

Mike grinned and leaned over, kissing her on the lips. “Yep, and it seems that we have lots to talk about.”

Mike nodded at Gracie in passing as he walked out of the kitchen.

CHAPTER 5

“What are you doing here, Gracie Lou?”

Gracie shook her head. “First, you need to tell me who that hunk was, and if he has a brother. Hell, even a cousin will do.”

Elizabeth
hopped off the counter and tossed her empty beer bottle in the trash as she walked past her sister toward the front door. “His name is Mike, and he’s a cop. I should have had him lock you up for breaking and entering.”

Elizabeth
flipped the deadbolt lock and strolled back to her living room, plopping down in her oversized recliner. “Your turn.”

Gracie laid
down on the couch and propped her feet up, crossing her ankles. She put her hands behind her head and chewed her bottom lip. “He’s here.”

Elizabeth
narrowed her eyes. She knew who was here and why. The fact that Gracie knew who’d been around lately concerned her even more.

“Who’s here?”
Elizabeth
asked, hoping she was wrong about Gracie knowing.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on the professor. He’s been trying to dig up information on you, and somehow he must have found something. He took a sabbatical at the university and skipped town, and I’m betting he’s here.” Gracie threw her legs off the couch and walked to the kitchen, returning with her own beer.

How did he find me?
She knew that it was just a matter of time. She hadn’t changed her name, but the General had been extra careful this time. He’d helped her leave without a trace.
Elizabeth
’s heart threatened to beat out of her chest. She slid her hands under her legs. The urge to pack and leave town grew stronger the longer she stayed still, but she wasn’t leaving this time. She’d see this through, even if it were the last thing she did. She was tired of running.

“Have you seen him yet?” Gracie asked.

Elizabeth
shook her head. “Nope, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Need me to help you pack so we can blow this joint?”

Elizabeth
pushed herself up from the chair and walked over to the picture of her dad, lifting it up from the mantel.
What would he do?

He would stay and fight. That’s what he would do. He’d taught her how to fight, but he was going to be pissed. Something she’d worry about if she survived the fight. “I’m staying. This is my home, and I’m sick and tired of running.”

Gracie threw her head back and laughed. “It’s because of tonsil hockey, isn’t it?”

Elizabeth
whirled around on her heels. “Excuse me?”

“You know the hunk you were playing tonsil hockey with; you’re crushing on him, aren’t you?”

Her little sister might be only twenty-six, but she was far from ditzy despite being a five foot seven blond knockout. Her mind was always on men and could find the truth in any situation.

“Did you ever think I might like my job, Gracie?”

Gracie waved her hand. “Nope, you can help people anywhere. There is something in particular that is keeping you here.”

“Ever think I might have made friends?”

Gracie’s smile deepened into laughter. “Save your breath, Lizzy. Just answer one question.”

“Only one? There’s a first for everything.”

“Okay, be serious with me and tell me… Does he have any single friends, maybe a brother?”

Elizabeth
threw her arms in the air. “I tell you I’m staying to fight a psycho, and you ask me if Mike’s friends are hot. Unbelievable… I’m going to bed; make yourself at home.”
Elizabeth
started heading for the hallway and stopped, turning toward her sister. “Oh wait, that’s right. You already did.”

Elizabeth
walked into her room and slammed her door. A wave of apprehension swept through her gnawing away at her confidence to control the situation. She pulled the phone from her clip and speed dialed one of three numbers now programmed into her phone.

The call was picked up on the first ring. “Hey, baby, what’s the matter?”

“Hey, General, I just wanted to tell you that he’s here and so is Gracie.”

“What! How the hell did he find you, and what the hell is she doing there?” His voice was heavy and demanding, the same voice he used on his new recruits.

Elizabeth held the phone away from
her
ear as she pulled out her nightshirt and headed toward the bathroom. When she couldn’t hear him hollering anymore, she put it back to her ear. “Are you done yet?”

“Smart-aleck. Now, are you going to answer my questions?”

Elizabeth
reached down to turn on the water in her tub and sat on the commode lid. “How Gracie found out, I have no idea, but she said he was trying to dig up information on me and then disappeared. She came to warn me that he was probably already here.”

“Son of a bitch.” His voice boomed through the speaker.

“Daddy, stop.”

“Well, we were careful this time. How the hell did he find you?”

“I don’t know, General. I’ll be sure to ask him the first chance I get.”

“You won’t get a chance; you and Gracie are coming home until I can relocate you.”

Elizabeth
shook her head even knowing that her father couldn’t see it. “Nope, not this time, General. I’m tired of running, and besides, I like it here.”

Elizabeth
reached down and shut off the water.

“You’ll like it at the next place too. I expect you to have your bags packed and be on the road by o-eight hundred. Understand?”

“Sorry, General. That’s an order I’m not following. I’ll call you tomorrow so we can talk about it, but I’m exhausted, and I just want to relax in a bath and go to bed.”

“But, Lizzy—”

“I love you, and I’m hanging up now. I’ll call you in the morning.”
Elizabeth
flipped her phone shut and started undressing. Her big toe hadn’t even hit the water when she heard Gracie’s cell ringing.
Elizabeth
smiled. “Serves her right.” She stepped into the bath and lay, back sinking into the warm water.

****

Mike followed Abby back to the lab, the clutch he had on the steering wheel was so hard it turned his fingers white. His shoulders tensed.
Who in the hell would want to hurt
Elizabeth
?
He hit his Bluetooth on the dash and called the captain to explain what had happened. The captain didn’t balk when Mike requested extra patrol for
Elizabeth
’s neighborhood. Mike released a breath, easing some of the tension in his shoulders. She’d be safe for now at least until he could figure out what the hell was going on.

Mike pulled into the parking garage and parked next to Abby’s SUV, where she stood waiting on him. He opened his door.

“Any ideas on why someone would want to kill
Elizabeth
?”

Mike gave Abby a long sideways glance; the question was absurd. There was no way
Elizabeth
had pissed someone off, well, not to the point of wanting to kill her anyway. “Nope, that’s what I’m hoping you can tell me.”

Abby nodded as she walked to the elevator and hit the button. “When I pulled the knife, I got an impression.”

“Well?”

“It took me back somewhere I’ve never been. It was as though I was looking through his eyes, kind of like with your gift.”

“And?” Mike’s patience was starting to wear thin. He rubbed his hand through his hair and over his face. It felt like he was pulling teeth to get answers today.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I couldn’t see who did it. All I saw was that he was in a nondescript room, kind of like a hotel room.” Abby and Mike stepped on the elevator and hit the button for the lab.

“That’s it? That’s all you got?”

“Mike, my gift isn’t a science. It’s like playing Russian roulette. I never know what I’m going to get.” Abby put her arm through his as they walked to her lab. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

“I’m sorry, Abby; I didn’t mean to snap at you.” There was no sense in taking it out on his baby sister. He was tired and aggravated that he didn’t have any answers, but the one thing he did have was confidence in his sister.

“It’s okay. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? Maybe I’ll have some more answers in the morning.”

Mike put his arm around his sister and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, squirt.” He turned to leave but stopped and faced her again. “Abby, she’s special. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

Abby grinned. “I know. Now go get some sleep.”

Mike walked back to his car, racking his brain on who might be out to hurt
Elizabeth
. He didn’t have any answers, but she might.

CHAPTER 6

First
,
a half-sister he knew nothing about and now a threat against
Elizabeth
. There just wasn’t enough time in the day. He needed a vacation. Somewhere warm with lot of women in bikinis, well maybe not lots. There was just one woman he wanted to see in a bikini. He hit the Bluetooth on his phone and called as he drove to his house.

“Hello,” a tired groggy voice said.

“
Elizabeth
?”

“Yeah,” she answered.

“It’s Mike. I’m just calling to check in on you. Make sure I don’t need to come arrest you for killing your sister.” He paused. “You did lock your door, didn’t you?”