Copy That (6 page)

She sighed. “I meant the confusion.”

“It’s the house thing.” When he spoke again, his voice dipped even lower. He rubbed his temples as he talked. “It’s not possible.”

“It’s a fact.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” He grabbed his head as he spoke.

“You really do have a headache, don’t you?”

“There isn’t anything that doesn’t hurt, but I’d really like an explanation for the rental.”

Her gaze swept over him. His bloody T-shirt lay wadded up in a ball on the floor. That left him bare-chested and, despite the injury and pale face, as formidable and dangerous as when he’d stepped behind her attacker hours ago.

“I’d show you the lease, but it’s probably scorched, along with everything else I own.”

He waved her off. “Not a big deal. Insurance will cover most of it.”

“I hate when guys do that dismissive thing.”

His hands fell to the mattress. “How did I do that?”

“What about my memories? Nothing expensive or even important to anyone but me, but they’re still mine.” The photographs of her family and the diaries she’d kept since she turned twelve. She knew being alive was a miracle, but she mourned the moments she would now only carry in her head.

“But it’s only stuff.”

“Never mind.” A practical guy who carried light would never understand, so she didn’t even try. “Why do you doubt my renting status?”

“Because I own the house with Garrett. Because we never agreed to rent. Because he never mentioned you. Because I can’t believe Sara would agree.”

“I see you’ve given this some thought.”

“I’ve been stuck on an assignment in Arizona, but I’d think Garrett would have gotten word to me.”

“This assignment of yours.” Her gaze wandered to the nightstand and the two guns, one knife and strange-looking metal star thing sitting there. “I guess it explains the weapons?”

“Remember how I said I was a Border Patrol agent? Well, I’ve been undercover for fourteen months.”

“Sounds terrible.”

His mouth fell into a flat line when he tried to sit up higher on the bed. He flopped back against the pillow as the skin around the corners of his mouth turned white. “It was even worse than that, but it’s over.”

“No wonder you seem so comfortable chasing and shooting.”

“Not so good with being injured, though.”

She traced her fingers over the edge of the bandage and watched his stomach dip in response. “You got knifed on your last assignment. It hadn’t healed when the guy hit you.”

“And now I am on mandatory leave.”

The laugh bubbled up before she could stop it. “This is your idea of rest and relaxation? Dodging bullets and running from fires?”

“Believe it or not, no.”

His broad smile caught her off guard. Since she’d done enough admiring of his strong jaw and sexy mouth, she looked around the room, anywhere not to stare at him.

The room smelled like wet carpet, and the dark brown furniture and lack of sunlight made it resemble a tomb. Not the best place for a guy to recuperate.

They both jumped when Joel opened the door, talking as he walked. “Pax and Davis are on the way.”

She drew back her hand and inched away from Jeremy. “Who?”

“More of Garrett’s men.” This time Jeremy scooted back until his neck rested against the headboard. “Why are they even here? I thought they were working out east these days.”

“Had some business in town.”

Jeremy nodded. “Understood.”

“That makes one of us.” The shortcut conversation was making her crazy. She’d shoot them her best eye roll but was too tired to do anything but talk, and even that took more concentration than she possessed. “Now might be a good time to tell me what your brother does and why he has so many men helping him do it.”

“I like her.” Joel laughed as he took up a position by the window, glancing at them each in turn and then looking outside. “Don’t get me wrong. I liked Sara, too, but this one has spunk.”

That was the second or third time Meredith had heard the name. Each time Jeremy had frowned and shot her an unreadable look.

Meredith couldn’t shake the feeling of being judged by Jeremy. “And while you’re at it, explain who this Sara person is.”

Joel treated her to the typical she-lost-it look guys did so well. “She’s Garrett’s fiancée.”

Meredith jumped off the bed. Nearly swallowed her tongue and bounced Jeremy off the mattress as she moved. “His what?”

“I guess I should say ex. I mean, you guys are—”
Joel’s smirk died. “Right?”

“Wrong.”

Jeremy wrapped his fingers around her wrist and gave her a gentle tug until she looked down at him. “You still sure you’re not seeing Garrett?”

“Positive. Never dated or even thought about it.”

Jeremy pointed at his mouth. “You can resist a face like this?”

“On Garrett, yes. Keep in mind he was never around.”

Jeremy’s hold tightened before he let his hand drop. “Go back to your first comment. Only on my brother?”

She’d hoped he’d missed that verbal misstep. No such luck. “I’m wondering why I’ve never seen this Sara person at the house.”

The amusement faded from Jeremy’s eyes. “I’m worried about the same thing.”

Joel held up his phone. “She didn’t answer any of the four times I’ve tried.”

Meredith refused to panic. None of the information she’d heard made any sense. She rarely saw Garrett, but he’d never mentioned a fiancée and never bothered to bring her by to say hello. The pieces refused to fit together in any logical way. Still, Meredith had to believe a reasonable explanation lingered somewhere, maybe just out of reach, but there. “Couldn’t she be on vacation with Garrett? That would explain why we can’t reach either of them.”

Something cold and bleak moved behind Jeremy’s eyes. He controlled the starkness almost immediately. “I can’t contact him through any of our regular channels and he’s not answering the emergency call signal.”

Joel shook his head. “Damn.”

From the reaction, she knew the lack of communication wasn’t standard. She might not see him for weeks, but Garrett clearly checked in with Jeremy and the team. The failure to do so now had the other men reeling. Their tension touched off a new round of swirling panic inside her.

“Tell Pax and Davis to search for Sara. Credit cards, bank records. I want to know where she’s been.” Jeremy reached for his phone and frowned when it wasn’t in its place on the nightstand. “Once I fight off this painkiller buzz, I’ll check her house and some other places where she might be.”

Meredith put her hand over her back pocket. If Jeremy saw the bulge he’d know she’d grabbed his cell. He’d likely jump to conclusions about her wanting to call for help. In reality she knew, deep down knew, she was safest with Jeremy and there was no reason to run.

She also knew she had to hide his phone if she wanted him to rest. Having all those muscles meant nothing if he passed out at her feet.

“Already ahead of you on the calls,” Joel said. “Davis and I will take surveillance. Pax is coming to check you out.”

“Not necessary.” Jeremy shifted to the side of the bed.

She moved to lean against the mattress, blocking his path to the floor. “Does this Pax have medical training?”

Joel smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Then I like your plan. Pax stays. You remain in
bed for now.” She nudged Jeremy until he fell back onto the bed.

“Since when are you in charge?” Jeremy asked as he closed his eyes and leaned into the pillows.

No way was she conceding even an inch in this verbal battle. “Since you lost a pint or two of blood.”

Joel cleared his throat as he opened the door. “I’ll wait outside while you two hash this out.”

She didn’t wait to ask the question burning a hole in her brain. “Why would Garrett hide a fiancée?”

Jeremy didn’t open his eyes. “No idea.”

“Did you think they were still together?”

“They were having trouble but...” His eyes popped open. “I’ll feel better when I find her and Garrett.”

“Let’s get back to his job. Who exactly is your brother?” Then they could circle around to Jeremy’s job, as well, before the curiosity ate a hole in Meredith’s stomach.

She wasn’t ready to let the issue drop with a cursory explanation. Something these men did had gotten them in trouble, and as a result she was homeless with nothing more than the clothes she wore. She didn’t blame them. Not specifically. But she wasn’t going to be pushed aside either.

“Are you rapid firing questions to keep me from having a second to change your orders to Joel about fetching Pax?” he asked.

Smart man.
“That and to get an answer or two out of you while your defenses are down.”

“Effective.”

She crossed her arms over her stomach. “It will be once you answer me.”

He stared at her. When she didn’t move or even break eye contact, he exhaled long and loud. “Garrett’s job is top secret.”

Not exactly the comment she was expecting. “How very Hollywood of you to say that.”

“It’s true.”

She dropped her hands to her sides. “Jeremy, come on. After everything that’s happened today, the least you can do is level with me. I think I deserve better than the ‘if I tell you I’ll have to kill you’ nonsense.”

“It’s not my secret to tell.”

“What, you think this has all been an elaborate scheme to get you to give up information on your brother’s job?”

The silence stretched out long enough to be comical. Finally, he gave a clipped response. “No.”

“You have trust issues.”

“DIA.”

It took her a second to realize he’d given her the answer. Well, an answer. Not that she understood what he said. “I don’t even know what that is.”

“Defense Intelligence Agency.”

“Never heard of it. The name I know starts with a
C.
”

“He collects military-related foreign intel.”

The extra information didn’t bring any clarity. “Is he in the military?”

“Former army sergeant.”

“And now?”

“Black ops stuff.”

The curt responses raised more questions than they answered. Instead of calming the racing in her stomach, his comments kicked the churning to top speed. “That explains the travel.”

“It also means it’s not that easy to find him when he wants to stay missing.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

Chapter Six

Bruce Casden stared across the table at his five-hundred-dollar-per-hour lawyer, Stephen Simmons. The Third. Simmons never forgot to add that annoying reminder of his old-money family whenever he introduced himself.

Even now, framed by the dingy gray of cement prison block walls, Simmons acted as if he sat in the middle of a country club, all stiff with his perfect posture. The designer glasses and tailored suit—Bruce had paid for it all. The guy threw in the condescending smile free of charge.

Simmons never understood how the people Bruce knew could alter the look of a man’s face. Use a razor to change the curve of his chin or take off an ear. A knife to blind him.

Bruce knew people. The kind of people who never dreamed about someday going to college because the idea was so outside the mean streets they lived on. Bruce knew that neighborhood. Had escaped it but never forgotten how it lurked in another part of town, just waiting to drag him back in.

The idea of seeing certain body parts of Simmons rearranged and that smug mouth twisted in pain made Bruce smile. His current situation, sitting in a windowless room with the prospect of a soulless cell as his new living quarters, sucked the amusement right back out of him.

He stared at the thick steel door that locked them in together, glanced at the gold ring on Simmons’s pinkie as it caught the fluorescent lights. Armed guards lingered in the sterile hallway just outside the door. Their presence likely filled Simmons with a sense of security. Little did he know Bruce could snap his neck before the uniformed simpletons fumbled over each other and slipped the security card in the reader to open the door.

“Why am I still in here and not at my office desk?” Bruce asked.

“The government is taking a special interest in your case.”

“That’s not news. This is the third time one of my businesses has been raided.”

Simmons’s mouth turned up in a fake smile filled with loathing. “And the first time they found something, which is the problem.”

“I’m a businessman with commercial properties in Arizona and California.” Bruce repeated the spiel he’d been practicing for so long. “I’m not in each office and warehouse every day and certainly can’t be expected to know what the employees there are doing. As you know, it’s very hard to find motivated and honest employees these days.”

Simmons hesitated before flipping through the pages tacked to his file. When he stopped on one, his finger slid across the page as his eyes scanned the lines of black print. “The agents claim they found seventeen tons of marijuana in the storage room of your warehouse.”

“And I will question everyone who works for me until I uncover the identity of the person who—”

“They also found a drug-smuggling tunnel leading from the furnace room of your strip mall into Mexico.”

Bruce’s back teeth slammed together. “Don’t interrupt me.”

Simmons’s head shot up. “What?”

“I’m paying you enough to never interrupt me when I speak. Do not do it again.”

The chair creaked when Simmons leaned back. His stomach pulled at the buttons of his shirt and hung over his belt. “You don’t seem to understand how serious these charges are.”

Bruce knew. He also knew they would never stick without the necessary witness. The evidence bags could go missing. Forensics could be corrupted. Eliminating a witness took more subtlety.

While prison might provide the perfect alibi, Bruce missed his bed. “Get me out of here.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“I pay you to make things run smoothly. Right now, you’re not earning your fee.”

“The bail hearing is tomorrow.”

“I do not intend to spend even one night in an Arizona jail. In any jail, for that matter.”

Simmons continued as if Bruce hadn’t spoken. “If we are successful there will be some restrictions on your travel.”