Aimee Thurlo - Undercover Warrior

“No, I’m okay,” she managed.

“You’re holding it together, but that’s not the same as okay,” he said, his voice gentle.

As Preston came up, he nodded to Erin, then glared at his brother. “Interesting meeting you here so soon after our coffee break. What’s the story?”

“A word?” Kyle said, taking Preston aside, but making sure he kept Erin in view.

* * *

THEY WERE STANDING less than fifteen feet away from her, but Kyle could see Erin’s full attention was on the paramedics getting ready to transport Hank Leland.

“This is part of an NCIS case,” Kyle told Preston in a barely audible voice. “I’m here undercover.”

“Now tell me something I don’t know.”

“Earlier this morning Hank Leland called and asked NCIS for help, claiming he was being blackmailed by terrorists. I’d been sent here to monitor Leland’s activities anyway, so I was told to go check it out and interview him. Everything looked normal up to the time I pulled into the company’s yard, but in a moment, it all went sour,” he said. “That’s all I have right now, but we’re going to need your department’s cooperation during my investigation.”

Preston nodded curtly. “Why did they come after him here?”

“Don’t know. Maybe that was their plan all along. Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Leland’s company specializes in building safe rooms but that technology isn’t classified. What’s that got to do with terrorists?”

“Not sure—yet.” Kyle glanced around. “Firearms aren’t hard to get, so let’s begin with explosives and detonators. Does Leland keep any here on site?”

“I’ll find out,” Preston answered.

“One more thing,” Kyle said before he could move off. “I need you to file this as an armed robbery gone bad or something routine like that—not a kidnapping attempt involving probable terrorists. If you need clearance, I can get it for you. I’ll also need to keep Erin Barrett in my custody.”

“Are you taking over this case? If you are, I’ll have to run it through channels.”

“Do whatever you have to, and I’ll stay with Erin.”

As Preston walked off, Kyle saw one of the paramedics block Erin from climbing into the back of the vehicle. “Ma’am, you can’t ride in the ambulance with him. We’ll transport him to Regional Medical’s emergency room and you can meet us there.”

As Kyle placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, Erin jumped back and spun around.

“It’s okay, Erin, relax. Let the EMTs do their job. Hank’s in good hands,” he said. “You and I need to talk.”

“Hank Leland hired me and gave me a chance—the only one I ever got—and I’m going to make sure he gets the best of care. I’m going to the hospital right now.”

“Hank’s already getting the care he needs. Your time’s better spent answering our questions so we can catch the people who did this to him, and you.”

“I’ll tell you everything I can—at the hospital,” Erin replied, refusing to give an inch.

Preston came up and gave Kyle a brief nod. “Your request has been approved,” he said. “I’ve sent officers to Leland’s home to secure the place. I’ve also sent a deputy to the company’s current work site to inform and protect the work crew there.” He looked at Erin. “Right now, ma’am, I have to ask you a few questions.”

She ran an exasperated hand through her hair. “Everyone wants to talk to me and I get that, but first, I have to make sure Hank’s okay. I’m going to the hospital. You can both talk to me there.” She looked over at the emergency vehicle heading out the gates. “I have to go.”

“All right. My brother can drive you there,” Preston said, and saw Kyle nod. “But before you go, could this have been a robbery, maybe for your payroll, or cash on hand?”

Erin shook her head. “No way. If you’d seen them, you’d understand. They were cold and calm, like professionals following a plan. Whatever they wanted, it wasn’t cash.”

Kyle nodded. He’d seen extremists with the same attitude she’d described. “Come on. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

* * *

KYLE FOLLOWED THE racing emergency vehicle, staying on its tail by taking advantage of the way its flashing lights, horn and siren cleared traffic. At this speed, he couldn’t risk more than a glance in Erin’s direction, but he was aware of her on almost every level.

She had spirit—the kind that refused to cower or run. Unless he missed his guess, and he seldom did, her courage wasn’t the sort that came from training and preparation. It was the deep-seated kind that you were either born with or not.

“So you and Hank are friends?” he asked, running the red light and staying right behind the ambulance, his skill and training in pursuit driving coming in handy now.

“No, not really, but we work together well, and he’s a good boss.” She hung on tightly to the door handle as he turned left. “He hired me though I had no business experience, and right from the start trusted me to handle the work.”

Kyle had no problem believing that. She clearly wasn’t the sort who lost it under pressure.

“Hank’ll make it through this. He’s as tough as they come,” she said.

He wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince herself or him. “So you’re his assistant, right?”

“Officially, I’m the office manager. Sometimes when he’s away fulfilling a contract, I run the day-to-day business. When he’s here, my job is to make sure things run smoothly.”

“Does Leland have any enemies?”

“Not that I know of. Hank always treats his employees and clients fairly.”

“You really like him, I gather,” he pressed, making another hard right in order to stay close to the ambulance.

She held her breath until they were moving in a straight line again. “I respect him.”

Kyle kept his eyes on the road. His gut was telling him that there was more to Erin’s story, things she was deliberately keeping back. If she was playing a game, he’d see through it fast enough. He was very good at his job, as he’d proven time and time again.

The fox fetish that hung from a leather cord around his neck pressed against his chest, reminding him to stay alert. Fox, a gift from Hosteen Silver, was his spiritual brother, and, according to Navajo tradition, shared its gifts with him. Observation, one of Fox’s innate abilities, had become second nature to Kyle. Whether that was because of the fetish or not, he couldn’t say, he just knew that it was so.

“Why did your brother suggest I ride with you to the hospital? Was it so you could question me, or is there more to it?”

“You wanted to get there fast, so it made sense for me to give you a lift. Hang on,” he added, hitting the brakes and swerving along with the ambulance ahead of him. Its loud air horn blasted. A startled pedestrian wearing white earbuds looked up suddenly, then jumped back onto the curb.

Unsure of which team she was playing on, he intended to be right there when Hank Leland regained consciousness and saw Erin for the first time since the kidnapping attempt. Hank’s reaction might be enough to tell him what he needed to know.

“You saved my life, Agent Goodluck, but I don’t think I ever thanked you.”

“Not necessary. And it’s Kyle.” He only met those honey-brown eyes for a second, but that’s all it took. Just beyond the sadness and fear mirrored there, he saw a gentle vulnerability.

He was a former marine, long ago labeled as a hard-ass, but that never failed to get to him.

He heard the ambulance’s air horn just ahead, and a heartbeat later a large black pickup flew into view, running the light, oblivious to the inevitable collision.

“Oh, damn.” Kyle hit the brakes and leaned on the horn.