Hiding From Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 2) (20 page)

West glanced at his watch and grimaced. “We need to get a move on. The plane is probably already boarding. We might actually pull this off.”

Without a hitch. Within fifteen minutes the three of them were sitting in their seats – first class, courtesy of West – and winging their way over the heartland of America. For the first time that morning Gigi’s heart rate and breathing were normal.

How long would they stay that way?

‡

W
ith a weary
sigh West tossed his small suitcase on the bed in the hotel room located on the outskirts of downtown Chicago. Large and bright, the room connected to a replica next door where Zach would sleep. Decorated in muted shades of green, the rooms boasted a king-sized bed, a small table with two chairs, a dresser, and a large bathroom with both a shower and a jetted tub. He’d have to thank Travis for the recommendation.

The connecting door was currently open so that Gigi and Zach could move back and forth freely between the rooms. The siblings has spent the flight sharing stories of their life since they’d been separated and West had tried to give them the space they needed to bond again. Already Zach was extremely protective of his little sister, an excellent trait as far as West was concerned.

“Do you mind?” West indicated the connecting door. “I need to make a call and I don’t want to bother you.”

Gigi wrinkled her nose and settled into a chair in Zach’s room. “You mean you don’t want us bothering you with our chatter. Go ahead and close it.”

West glanced at Zach and the man nodded in agreement. “It’s okay. I used the deadbolt. We’re good.”

Sliding the door closed, West pulled his phone from his pocket, using his thumb to press the buttons. Jared had left a message a few hours ago and West was anxious to find out the latest news.

Pressing the phone to his ear, he peered out the large picture window that gave him a spectacular view of the Chicago skyline. Jared picked up on the second ring.

“Are you there?”

West chuckled at Jared’s abrupt greeting. The former sheriff was certainly a man of few words.

“We’re here in Chicago,” West agreed. “We just checked into the hotel. I already have a message from Wyatt that he and Shiloh are fine. They lost the tail Morton put on them when they turned north. How are things there? How’s Shane?”

“Improving to the point he’s grouchier than hell. He should get out of the hospital in the morning and it’s not a moment too soon. The nurses were about to take up a petition to have him transferred to another hospital.”

“And the authorities? Where do we stand with them?”

“Cleared. The video at the gas station shows that we were ambushed although it looked like the local prosecutor might want to make a name for himself using the case. But your brother’s contacts squashed that pretty quickly.”

“Jason knows a few people,” West chuckled, his gaze swinging back to the connecting door. He could hear the soft murmur of voices but nothing out of the ordinary.

“It wasn’t Jason that fixed things, although I’m sure he could have. It was your older brother Travis. He must have friends in high places is all I can say.”

West shouldn’t have been surprised. Travis traveled in the rarified air of big business. Cutthroat and dog eat dog, West hadn’t thought those with a view from the top went out of their way to help someone out.

Unless they wanted something.

“I’m glad to hear it. Did he get on the plane okay?”

“He did. He should be there in the next few hours.” West heard the shuffling of papers in the background. “Listen, I have some news on Gigi’s sister Aubrey.”

West’s stomach tightened at Jared’s tone. “You said that like it’s a bad thing. Talk to me.”

“I found a few things. She’d been adopted into a family so her last name changed to Grayson. That’s why Gigi couldn’t find her. Aubrey is a personal assistant during the day and attends night school twice a week working on a business degree. Not married. No kids. No major debt. No arrest record. Not even a speeding ticket. According to her neighbors she works hard and doesn’t make too much noise.”

None of that sounded scary which made West worry even more.

“She sounds like a model citizen. What haven’t you told me?”

There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “Her employer is Alan Morton.”

West’s fingers gripped the phone and he swore under his breath. “That son of a bitch. I wonder how long he’s known her and Zach’s whereabouts. Did he know when Gigi was with him and he kept them a secret? Now we know how they found us in Vegas. They knew we’d go see Zach.”

It wasn’t professional but West have a deep hankering to punch Alan Morton right in the gut. Or the jaw.

“That’s a good question but I’m more worried about you, Zach, and Gigi. Aubrey is his ace in the hole, so to speak. He knows Gigi wants to reunite their family and I’m guessing he’ll use the sister as a pawn.”

An expendable one. If there was one thing Morton had proven it was that his obsession was with Gigi and only Gigi. Unlike many stalkers he hadn’t transferred his so-called affections to another woman in the last two years. Once Aubrey was of no use to Morton he’d probably get rid of her in a most ruthless fashion.

“Jesus, I hate this guy. Now I have to worry about the safety of not only Gigi and her brother but her sister too. I’m glad Travis will be here soon. Did Jason say when that agent was going to contact us?”

“Soon. Maybe even today. By the way, his name is Faulkner. Jason says he’s a good man.”

West’s brother wasn’t the biggest fan of many of the agents he’d worked with through the years so that was high praise.

“Can you send me Aubrey’s contact information? Once we put Morton behind bars Gigi is going to want to see her right away.”

“Will do. I’ll keep digging into Morton’s background. Maybe we can find a smoking gun to help the government’s case. From what Jason said they have a paper trail but nothing directly tied to him.”

West chuckled, remembering a few past cases. “Juries these days want more than circumstantial evidence. They want a confession or forensics. Documents don’t excite them the way fingerprints do.”

“I know that all too well,” Jared laughed. “I’d better let you go. I’ll call you with any news.”

West disconnected and shoved the phone back in his pocket. Staring at the closed connecting door, the unfamiliar feeling of indecision kept him from joining Zach and Gigi. He hated the feeling, not knowing what to do or say. If he told Gigi that they’d found her sister she’d want to see her right away. Today if she could.

But Aubrey worked for Morton… That brought up all sorts of scenarios that West didn’t even want to contemplate. One was that Morton would use Aubrey as bait. The second was that she would be brainwashed by Morton into hurting Gigi.

Was Aubrey Grayson part of Alan Morton’s criminal organization?

*     *     *

“He loves you.
Anyone can see it.”

Gigi and Zach were sitting in his room, him on the bed and her in a chair, while West caught up on his calls. It was still hard to believe that her brother was back in her life after all this time but here he was, full of brotherly concern and advice. He’d somehow managed to get her to admit she was in love with West but that she didn’t think he’d stay with her in the long run.

“I believe that he loves me.” West wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t true. “But that doesn’t mean that I have what it takes to make him happy. I don’t know a darn thing about marriage or kids or even what a happy family life is supposed to look like. Eventually he’s going to figure that out and he’ll get tired of it. He’ll want someone who doesn’t have my problems.”

Zach scowled and leaned forward his hands on his knees. “Once we get Morton behind bars you won’t have any more problems. No serious ones, anyway.”

Gigi ran her finger down the side of the plastic water bottle, the condensation dripping onto the table. “That will only reveal my shortcomings. Right now he’s focused on getting Alan but eventually it will be just me and him. He’ll see…all my flaws.”

She didn’t mind being imperfect. Everyone was. But the things that marred who she was were the exact things West would want in a life partner. She was clueless as to how to be in love.

“That’s bullshit,” Zach snorted. “You can learn how to be in a relationship and as for family, well, I love you and always have. You say the same. I bet Aubrey does too. Shit, after all these years and all we’ve been through if that isn’t love then I don’t know what is. You never gave up, Sis. I’m thinking you could give other people lessons on what being a family really means.”

She wanted to believe.

“Mom didn’t love us,” she said, her voice dropping almost to a whisper. It hurt to even say it out loud but it was the truth. “If your own mother can’t love you what hope do you have of inspiring it in someone else?”

Zach’s lips flattened into a grim line and his eyes narrowed. “Mom couldn’t love us because she spent most of her time at the bottom of a bottle. She had a sickness. A disease. She was so wrapped up in it she couldn’t see straight. But on those few occasions she was sober she did try. I think she loved us as much as she was capable. Was it enough? Clearly not, but I’ve moved past it and you need to also. Don’t let the past dictate your future. West loves you and you love him. Don’t make this more complicated than it is.”

Gigi pondered his words as she stared sightlessly at the ceiling. “Have you ever loved someone? Did they love you back?”

His hard expression immediately softened and he nodded with a smile. “Yes, I have known love. It wasn’t especially kind to me. It didn’t work out but I don’t regret it. She was a sweet girl.”

She reached across the space and laced her fingers with his. “What happened?”

“The war.” Zach shrugged as if it didn’t matter anymore. “We had both just graduated from high school and I didn’t have two nickels to rub together. My adopted family was wonderful but they weren’t loaded or anything. I enlisted and was sent overseas. She went to college. We tried to write but you know how that goes. Long distance relationships are hard, and even harder when you’re barely an adult. She’s probably married with three kids by now. I hope she’s happy. She deserved it.”

“That’s very generous of you.” Gigi was bowled over by the magnanimous sentiments. “I don’t think I’d be as wonderful if West moved on. I’d be very unhappy.”

Zach tilted his head and studied her face. “I was sad. But that’s okay. Life is sad sometimes. Just because she and I didn’t work out doesn’t mean that what we had was a failure. She and my adopted parents taught me something really important.”

“What?”

“That I was worthy of love. I think you might have skipped over that lesson somewhere. You’re good enough for West to love you. I think all this stuff about you not knowing how to have a family is a smokescreen for what really ails you. You don’t think you deserve him.”

Looking down at the carpet, Gigi plucked at the fabric of her shirt. “Did you study to be a psychologist when you were in the Middle East?”

Zach laughed and levered to his feet. “Nope. I’m not smart enough. But I can see when a person is in great pain and Gigi, you are hurting all over. Between Mom and this Morton asshole you’re confused about a few things, but I swear to you right now that West Anderson is one lucky son of a bitch to have you love him. If he doesn’t treat you right I’ll put a steel-toed boot so far up his ass he’ll be walking funny from here to Easter.”

The picture of Zach kicking West’s ass made her smile and giggle. “I’m glad you’re my brother.”

He took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “I’m glad you’re my sister. Why don’t we go see if West has any news? We’re in Chicago and that means we’re close to finding Aubrey.”

If Alan didn’t find them first.

If he knew they were in Chicago it wouldn’t be long before he came after Gigi. The clock was ticking.

‡