Out of the Storm (21 page)

Nothing happened for a long time. Suddenly, half a dozen files and PDFs appeared. The files bore the initials FS, followed by four digit numeric codes. Ashley exhaled deeply, raising her eyes to heaven. She turned toward Eric and smiled.

“What’s so important about this?” Eric asked nodding toward the computer.

Ashley laughed coldly as her hands closed over her eyes. “It’s what’s keeping me alive.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“What’s going on? Are
you
going to call the police?” Louise asked in confusion as Ashley and Eric came into the kitchen. She wore a puzzled look.

“No, you were right. What would we tell them?” Eric agreed with her. He turned toward Ashley. Her face looked pale and drawn. Ashley trusted him. She’d confided in him…partially. But had left out the part about the automatic, cell phone, and commando knife in her backpack?

“Do you want me to stay?” Louise interrupted.

Eric looked at Ashley. She shrugged.

“Go home and get some rest,” he told her. “We’ve been working you too hard.” Eric managed a smile. But his mind was on overload. In the field he’d expected this kind of mind-numbing tension. He’d left that behind three years ago—or so he thought. Now he was desperately in love with a young woman who was caught in the middle of some deadly conspiracy. This bore all the earmarks of the Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton novels he used to devour. Except he couldn’t put this on the night table and go to sleep.

Lu opened her mouth in protest. “I know that someone was here, Ricky. I’m not crazy,” she told Eric once more at the door.

“I know you’re not.” He gave her a peck on the cheek as she looked around the kitchen once more shaking her head.

“Time for bed, honey,” Ashley told Kylie. She’d rallied, putting on a passable smile as she talked to her daughter about her day and her ice-cream treat.

Eric watched them and smiled.

Kylie ran up to her bedroom. She appeared with her giant pink teddy bear and a story.

“Goodnight.” Eric gave Kylie a kiss on the head and a hug as they headed back up the stairs. He didn’t follow but stood in the kitchen. That’s where the keypad for the alarm system was located. He armed the system. All the doors and windows were included. When he went upstairs he would arm the motion detectors. It was a high-quality professional-grade system. Living at the end of an out-of-the-way back road, Elaine had insisted. Problem was, if Lu’s instincts were right and this situation was going to get tense, even this alarm system was poor at best. If some high-level operatives were after Ashley, which seemed to fit what she’d told him, his alarm system would be child’s play.

Had his mother-in-law’s imagination run wild? After what Ashley had told him, he couldn’t be sure. Better safe and all that. Eric was taking no chances. While Ashley read Kylie her story, Eric ran downstairs and opened the gun cabinet, extracting his favorite, a Glock 9mm and a box of hollow point ammunition. A round in the hand would blow it off. A round to the chest would mean instant death. He loaded the weapon, snapped on the safety, and stuck it into the back of his belt, pulling his shirt out to conceal it. He hefted a Remington shotgun that held five rounds, loaded that, and took an extra box of ammunition for each weapon. Before closing and locking the cabinet he took his eight-inch commando knife and stuffed it in his belt.

When he came back into the kitchen Eric heard Ashley and Kylie upstairs. The sound of a lullaby drifted down the hallway. He walked around the house methodically flipping on all the outside lights. When he flipped off the kitchen lights he could see the halogen spotlights lighting up the entire yard. Perfect. The last thing he wanted was a fire fight with the girls in the house, but if it came to that he’d be ready.

But whatever his preparations, Eric was certain that if someone came they wouldn’t come alone. Most likely in twos, threes, or fours. And they’d be heavily armed.

He listened to the last line of the lullaby and heard Ashley say goodnight to Kylie as she shut the door. He saw her outline at the top of the stairs. She took a tentative step toward the kitchen. Suddenly, Eric’s throat tightened as he realized for the first time how terrifying their lives must have been. Hell, he felt the cold fingers of fear and he was a damn deadly weapon! No wonder Ashley blanched whenever she thought someone was watching her.

“Eric,” she called softly. “You…you down there?”

“I’m here, Ashley. Why don’t you go in my room and try to relax. I have a couple of calls to make.”

“If it’s okay, I’d rather be with you,” she whispered as she reached the bottom step. She stared at the shotgun as he placed it and the two boxes of ammunition on the table.

“Sounds good to me.” He nodded and opened his arms.

Ashley ran to him, encircling him with a tight embrace.

He put his arms around her. “Everything’s gonna be all right. I promise,” he assured her.

“When you hold me like this, I can believe it.” Her deep rhythmic breathing warmed him as she tightened her embrace. “I should have told you about all of it. The gun, the cell phone Ralph gave me but…”

“Shhh,” he whispered and put his arms around her as he found her lips, kissing them softly. She kissed him back. Her mouth was so sweet and inviting. He could never get enough. She leaned into him and found his tongue. He could stay like this forever. Her lips on his, her body pressed into his. Reason won out.

He gently pulled her away. She looked up at him, putting her hand to her mouth. “Is there something wrong?” she asked as tears formed in her eyes.

“There’s nothing wrong. But after what you told me tonight and on the chance that someone was here, I want to talk to some people.” He kissed her lips lightly and took her by the shoulders.

They walked into the living room. “Pull down all the shades. Try to stay out of sight and turn off the lights.” She understood his reasoning and left to do what he asked.

While she was gone he pulled out his cell and dialed Lip’s number. No answer. Just voice mail. Eric tried a second time. Same result. He was sure this was the day his friend was returning from the shore.

Frustrated, he speed dialed Bobby.

“Hey, boss,” his friend answered on the second ring.

“Hi, Bobby.” Eric played with telling him a fairy tale. Instead he opted for the truth. “I got a problem, Bob. Could be a big one.”

“You know I’m your man. Shoot.”

“Ashley’s in trouble. Big trouble. May have some bad guys after her. Real bad.”

“I’m still your man,” Bobby said evenly. “Hell, we took everything the bastards could dish out over there and gave it back in kind.”

“So you understand, I’m talking major-league bad guys.” Eric wanted his friend to know everything. “She stumbled onto something these guys are into and they want to…to do her harm. Maybe worse.”

Ashley walked back into the room and sat down next to him in the darkness. He took her hand tightly.

“Just so you know what you’re getting yourself into. And we can’t call the cops ’cause we’ve got no proof of any of this.”

“If you’re trying to scare me off, boss, you’re doing a piss-poor job of it.”

“Okay, here’s the deal.” He looked at Ashley as she snuggled close in the shadows. “Stay put for now. But keep your cell next to you. If I call, get your ass over here with your twelve-gauge and whatever other firepower you’ve got stashed away. And if I call and you don’t hear me call Buzz and our friends at the Dennis PD and tell them to get their asses over here pronto.”

“Sounds like a plan to me. On it right now. Be careful. Take care of those little ladies.” He paused. “I’ve grown pretty fond of them myself.”

****

Eric armed the motion detectors when they reached the second floor. Ashley went back to her room and changed into some gym shorts and a T-shirt, then joined him.

“How’s Kylie?”

“Sleeping like a baby.” Ashley managed a smile.

Eric sat in the overstuffed easy chair that sat near the window facing the sound. Only the upstairs hallway light was on. If anyone did get in, the well-lit, narrow stairway was as good a kill zone as you could want.

As she approached the chair, Eric watched her wiping streaks of tears from her cheeks. “I’m so sorry I got you into this.” Her head hung as she shook it slowly. She knelt next to him and found his hand.

“So…you’ve got a weapon.” Eric said focused on the doorway. “And a cell.”

“A Walther PPK.” She bit her lip. “And Ralph gave me the cell to check in. Only used it twice. Things seemed okay.” Ashley shook her head.

“Wow. That’s heavy firepower.” She never ceased to surprise. “And you can use it?”

Ashley nodded as she continued brushing away stray tears. “I can hit a bull’s-eye at fifty feet if that’s what you mean. I know I should have told you,” she repeated.

“It’s all right,” he reassured her, took her hand, and smiled. “Kinda sexy. You know, when your girl can do that. I’ll never worry about you again.”

She sighed and studied him, tilting her head the way he loved. “Your girl? Is that what I am?” she asked in her soft sensual drawl. Eric grew aroused as he listened. “Thanks for the promotion,” she added with a giggle.

“Hope it’s okay. That’s how I think of you.” He knew how much she cared for him but had he made a leap she wasn’t ready for?

“I…I hoped you’d feel that way about me. But never thought it would really happen.” She looked away. “You’re such a good man. So smart, so strong, so…”

“Ashley.” He held his fingers to her lips. She kissed them gently. “You must know that since you and Kylie came, I felt like I could live again, that my life had purpose beyond the nightmares and guilt.”

“Guilt?” she whispered, eyebrows raised.

He nodded.

“What do
you
have to feel guilty about?” She tilted her head again and watched him, adding, “I’ve never known a better man.”

He took a deep breath. She’d told him her secrets. It was true confession time for him.

“The night Elaine had her accident, I…” He hesitated and swallowed deeply. “I was supposed to be with her. If I had she might be alive today.”

Ashley looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

“She begged me to go to that baby shower. All that day. Said she wanted to show me off. But I’d gone to two others that spring, and I had work to do so I asked her to go alone. Elaine was never a good driver and that night the roads were slick. If I’d been there…” The words stuck in his throat.

Ashley stood and took his hands, gently pulling him to his feet

She took him in her arms and held him, putting her head on his chest.

“Things happen, Eric. Things we can never understand,” she whispered. “Your beautiful wife, the woman in the picture, is dead.” She nodded toward the photograph on his dresser. “Most people search for someone or something to blame when tragedy strikes. But it was an accident.”

He stroked her thick hair and kissed it. “Thanks for saying that, but…”

Ashley put her fingers to his lips. “A wise man once told me, ‘The hardest person to forgive is yourself.’” She backed away and found his eyes in the dark. “I know you loved her, Eric, but it’s time to stop blaming yourself.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Thank you, Commander, for telling me the whole story,” the Director said quietly. “I’m glad you understand how important this situation is.”

“Yes, sir. I had no idea what this was all about.”

“And you also understand you can’t tell your friend you’ve spoken to me about this. It could jeopardize an operation at the highest level.”

The man on the other end of the telephone line hesitated. “I do, sir, but…”

“Commander. There can be no equivocation,” the Director said evenly in an authoritative voice. “If word were to get back to his brother or the girl we’re looking for, it could destroy years of planning.”

“Yes, sir. I do have to get back to him…”

He interrupted again. “I’m telling you that is not possible. I know you have a history with this man but further communication is impossible.”

Silence.

“Is that clear, Commander?”

“Yes, sir. Clear as a bell.”

“Goodnight.”

The Director placed the secure handset in its cradle.

“He understands?” the man on speaker phone asked quietly.

“He understands,” the Director assured the General.

“When it’s over he must be dealt with.”

The Director agreed. “Him, the chief, the brother, and the girls. There may be more now. This has gotten too far out of control. Our people in the field will have to evaluate the threat now that we’ve located the girl and her daughter.”

“Fortunate that we have an extraordinary network. Now we know where she is.”

“Yes, but the man she’s living with is something special. I’ve read his 201 file. He’s a one-man wrecking crew. It would have been easier if she’d found a spinster aunt in Iowa,” the General commented wryly over the phone.

“We got a stroke of luck in finding her.” The Director shook his head.

“Yes. We know where she is and who she’s with. This Montgomery may be good, but he’s not fucking Superman,” the third man on the line spoke for the first time. “We’ll deliver a message tomorrow. Either she surrenders to us or people she loves will die.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ashley lay in Eric’s bed, quilt pulled up tightly around her neck, snoring softly. He’d insisted she take a pill to help her sleep. He told her it was a mild tranquilizer knowing she’d resist the idea of going to sleep and leaving him alone on watch. He promised to wake her in a couple of hours.

He sat stoically facing the open door, wondering and waiting with the Glock in his right hand and the twelve-gauge by his side. It wasn’t the first time he’d waited for an assault. But that had been war and the men with him were soldiers. They knew there job was kill or be killed. Had signed up to serve their country. Death was part of the contract. Ashley and Kylie lay nearby, just people trying to live their lives. They didn’t deserve to die.