Sudden Recall (19 page)

“Parker.” His name was a whisper. Did he even hear it?

“Sienna.” He exhaled. “Thank You, Lord.”

Joy filled her heart, even as she slumped farther down in the seat. Darkness crept in. Blue and red flashing lights lit up the inside of the car, but she couldn't respond. All Sienna could do was fall into the well of unconsciousness.

* * *

For the hundredth time, Parker said, “Drive faster.”

Jonah had his attention on the GPS map on his phone. “Take the next left. We should be there in two seconds.”

Parker saw the police cars. The lights and sirens. A handful of officers were crowded around the car Loughton had taken. How he'd driven that far on a low tire was anyone's guess. If there was any breath in him now, Parker felt like squeezing the last of it out. At least until he knew Sienna was completely safe.

He flung his door open before Ames had even stopped their vehicle and got out as soon as he could. He hit the ground at a run and raced to Loughton's car. The closest cop put out one hand to stop him, and then saw Parker's badge and let him pass.

He jogged to the car, where an officer had the door open and was helping Sienna out. Loughton was lying on the ground being looked at by officers, and two EMTs were making their way over.

Parker waved over the closest officer. “That man is extremely dangerous.”

The cop nodded and immediately reached for his gun, covering his fellow officers and the EMTs who were to treat Loughton. Thomas shifted as he regained consciousness.

Sienna moved her legs out the car door and Parker supported her so she could stand.

An SUV turned the corner and pulled up. Four people got out and flashed ID badges. “Thank you, we'll take it from here.”

Sienna whispered. “They're CIA.”

NINETEEN

T
he back door of the car Parker had been in opened. Sienna sucked in a breath as Nina exited the vehicle. It was her. She knew it. She knew her friend, now that she remembered everything.

Sienna completely ignored the approaching CIA people and moved to go to her friend but stumbled. Parker reached for her. He held her gently, his strength evident in his touch. It was exactly what she needed, and she felt the tears prick her eyes.

Two EMTs intercepted Nina, and Ames stood with her. The police had to be baffled, given they'd been called there because of a kidnapping involving the CIA and US Marshals, and no one was saying anything.

Parker rested his hand against her cheek. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head. That was the honest answer. It had been a crazy few days and she needed a week to recover—most of that probably in a hospital bed. She'd done what she'd had to do. Now it was time to rest.

Parker leaned close and touched his lips to her forehead. “You will be.” He sounded so determined it made her hiccup a sob. He was going to try and fix everything. And she knew why now.

He wanted to be the one to save her once and for all. An idea that made her heart soar just thinking about it. There was a lot to clear up with the CIA, but she wanted to follow where God had led her...to Parker. To a future with him of God's design. A wonderful adventure that had nothing to do with the past and everything to do with love and forgiveness.

The two CIA agents in the lead reached them, and Parker moved to stand in front of her right shoulder, guarding her. Sienna took his hand with her good one and squeezed a thank-you. He returned it, so she leaned her head on the outside of his bicep. The CIA had to see that she looked awful. It wasn't a ruse to make them sympathetic to her. She needed doctors, medicine and probably surgery.

“Sienna Cartwright?”

She nodded. It was good to know she was right; she didn't know these men personally. She only recognized the badges...and the swagger. Probably she would always wonder if there was something she had forgotten.

“We need you to come with us.”

“For what?” Parker didn't sound impressed at all with what they were trying to do. It made Sienna want to smile.

The CIA agent flicked him an unimpressed glance. “Ms. Cartwright is required to debrief. She will be given the medical attention she needs. We take care of our own.”

“Let's do that first.” Parker waved over one of the EMTs and tugged her in that direction so she was several paces away from the CIA agent while the EMT lady whistled.

“Rough day, huh?”

Sienna smiled. “You could say that.”

She glanced aside to where Parker had gotten in the CIA agent's face and was talking in a low tone she couldn't make out. What was he saying to the man?

The EMT touched her shoulder, and she winced. “Gunshot?”

Sienna nodded. Parker glanced at her. She wanted to be talking to him, and maybe he could touch her cheek again. That had been nice.

“Looks like it's already been treated for the most part, but you should still go in and see a doctor. I can see how much it's hurting. Anything else I should know?”

“Just bumps and bruises.”

“Okay. I'll believe you, but you're coming in.” She put her arm across Sienna's shoulders but didn't add any weight to her back.

Sienna started to walk and saw Nina push away from the EMT treating her. Sienna's friend shot the CIA agents a look that said everything Sienna needed to know on how she felt about them.

They met in the middle. The EMT with Sienna stepped back a couple of paces so they could have some privacy.

Nina's blue eyes bored into her, a gleam there that anyone else would have missed. “You forgot me.” She clutched her bandaged hand to her chest.

“I forgot everyone and everything. I had amnesia.”

Nina's eyebrow lifted. “That's hardly an excuse for forgetting your best friend.”

Sienna lifted her chin. Nina had taught her to not back down for anything, to take the hits life dished out and keep on punching. “You'll have to forgive me, then. Since that's what best friends do.” Sienna motioned with her chin to Nina's bandaged hand. “Did Amand cut off your finger?”

“He tried.” Nina scrunched up her nose. “Turns out it's not that easy.”

“Ouch.”

Nina cracked a smile. “Kind of like getting shot in the shoulder.” She stepped forward. “You think we can hug one armed?”

“We can try.”

Sienna closed her eyes and soaked up the deep friendship of years of knowing someone, sharing everything and going through all of life's major changes together. The bond between Sienna and Nina would never be broken.

“Thank You, Lord.”

Nina shook with a chuckle. “Amen, sister.”

Sienna pulled back. “I'm done with the CIA.”

“Me, too.” Nina glanced in Ames's direction. “The real world is looking pretty good right about now.”

Sienna looked over and saw Ames staring right back at Nina. She glanced at Parker, who had his gaze on her. He looked ready to punch the CIA agent. She felt the grin curl up her mouth. “It really is.” She looked at Nina again. “Let's retire.”

“Deal.”

* * *

Parker watched Sienna embrace her friend. He wanted to go to her but was faced with getting this CIA agent—who'd introduced himself as Alan Barnes—to go easy. Both Sienna and Nina needed serious medical attention.

He crossed the stretch of asphalt between them to where the two friends seemed to have come to some kind of agreement. “Sienna...”

“Ms. Cartwright.” It wasn't the CIA agent, but one of the police officers who'd been at the scene first. “We'll need an initial statement from you before you head to the hospital.”

“She needs to sit down.” Nina's voice invited no argument.

“Agreed.” The EMT began to lead Sienna toward the waiting ambulance. Loughton had already left, a detail of two officers riding with him.

“I'm coming.” Nina walked with them.

The officer started to ask Sienna questions. She glanced back and gave Parker an apologetic smile. At least now he knew she wanted to talk with him as much as he wanted to talk with her. They would get their chance.

Soon, Lord. Please.

It was becoming more natural to speak with God the more Parker did it.

“We need her debriefed.”

Parker turned.

“This is a matter of national security, and no one is going to get in the way of our nailing down exactly what happened the past few days.” Barnes folded his arms. “Especially with regards to Karen Miller's involvement in this matter.”

“You don't want to just ask me where the flash drives are?”

“You know about those?”

Parker rolled his eyes. “I exchanged them for two fakes.”

“You did what?” Barnes went pale. “Who has them?” He lifted the clear plastic bag Sienna had put them in. “And what are these?”

“Those are the CIA's fakes they had made up to trick Thomas Loughton and Amand Timenez two years ago.” He flicked his finger toward them. “Karen...you said her last name was Miller? She has the real ones.”

Barnes turned to the man next to him. “Find her.”

The agent scurried off to one of their vehicles.

“What else?”

Parker walked the man through what he knew. Karen's plan for the past year, what she'd told Sienna. Everything that had happened since that night on the highway. All of it up until this moment.

CIA agent Barnes strode away, pulling out his phone as he walked.

Ames walked up beside Parker. “Nice guy.”

Parker felt one corner of his lips pull up. “Sure was.”

But Parker didn't want Barnes to commandeer Sienna for the time being. Even with her in the hospital, there would still be endless questioning by the CIA and local police until this was all ironed out. Eventually she would be free to take a break and—hopefully—they could talk some before she went back to work.

Jonah strode over. “Hailey, Wyatt and I have to get back to the station.” He clapped Parker on the shoulder. “We can't all be on vacation like you.”

Parker laughed. “Yep, the past few days sure felt like a holiday break.”

Ames grinned. “You realize that hauling-yourself-up-the-drainpipe maneuver is going to go down in history. Not to mention your little speech on the phone.” Ames switched his voice to a high pitch.
“I love you, Sienna. I always will.”

Parker swung his arm to cuff Ames around the neck but slow enough the man could duck. He did, even though he knew Parker wasn't trying to hit him.

He glanced at Sienna.

Jonah said, “Boy, I remember that feeling.”

“Huh?” Parker turned to him.

“Being in love. Those days when it's all fresh and new.”

Parker couldn't help smiling in Sienna's direction. “Yeah.”

“Understandable.” Ames looked at the two friends. “Perfectly understandable. It's actually good to know that Mr. Tough Guy has a heart and not just the cold hard rock we all thought was there. I mean, you have to admit you were pretty bitter. But none of us knew why or who did you wrong.” He grinned. “Guess now you're all fixed up.” Ames clapped his hands together. “Who's next?”

Jonah clapped Ames on the shoulder. “You're the only one left.”

Parker figured they were getting a little ahead of themselves, considering Sienna hadn't even told him she felt the same way or acknowledged the fact he'd forgiven her for leaving him in Atlanta. He understood it now, but he needed to come to an agreement with her that they had some kind of relationship they could either settle into or start working on.

But Ames and Jonah were right. He'd told the truth on the phone. He did love her.

* * *

“If you know anything of her location now, if she said anything about what she had planned or where she was going, we need to know.”

Sienna gave more of her weight to the EMT, and the woman braced but held her up. “If I knew, I would tell you.”

The CIA agent—Barnes—said, “You lived with the woman for a year.”

“She was in a
wheelchair
.” Out of the corner of her eye, Sienna caught Nina fighting a grin. “And I had amnesia. I wasn't exactly looking for inconsistencies in her story.”

“You had amnesia?” The EMT shifted to feel around Sienna's head. “Did you hit your head today?”

“No. My head is actually fine.”

“We'll keep an eye on it, anyway.”

Sienna said, “Great. Let's head out. Nina?”

Her friend laughed. “Only you could be funny when we're in this much pain.”

The pain was considerable, but Sienna had a lifetime of practice putting off what she wanted in order to get something done. A lifetime of meeting other people's goals, their expectations, their qualifications for success. Nina was the one exception, never demanding anything of Sienna other than what she demanded of herself. They'd pushed each other to succeed and picked each other up when they failed.

And now there was Parker. He'd wanted her future, and she hadn't been ready to give it up. But the reality was that in order to say yes to him, she only had to give up other people's expectations for her and exchange them for the life she wanted for herself. The secret dreams she'd always had.

“You can come with us,” the CIA agent said. “We'll get you to one of our hospitals where you'll be treated properly.”

The EMT jerked straight. “Say what?”

“We're already going to the hospital.” Was the man slow or just so determined he couldn't see straight? “I've told you everything I know. Give me your card in case I think of anything else, and I'll be able to call you. Isn't that how it works?”

“Not in the CIA.”

“Then I'll just call you when I'm recovered. Thanks and goodbye.”

“You aren't going anywhere without an official escort.” He waved at one of his friends. “In the ambulance, please.”

The man nodded and climbed in.

Parker strode over, his anger directed at the CIA agent. “I've told you that you can do this later.”

“There is a debrief procedure in place for a reason. No one simply walks away from the CIA. We've been watching you for two years. We have to know why this happened now. Who else do you think is going to clean up the mess you've all made?”

Sienna rolled her eyes.

The agent turned to Parker. “As for you, you can fully expect charges to be brought against you for turning sensitive information relating to national security over to an unknown.”

“Karen? Seriously?” Parker scoffed. “If you've been watching, where were you? Why didn't you step in and help?”

“The CIA doesn't operate on national soil. This should have been kept quiet and dealt with in-house, but we're required to amend protocol in real time.”

“Which is an official way of saying you sat around doing nothing, didn't help, let four people die and swept in afterward to do the cleanup on
your
mess. All so you could save face in front of whoever you report to.”

Parker shook his head and turned to the ambulance. “Make some room. I'm coming, too.”

The EMT shook her head. “No more. We're full.”

Sienna opened her mouth to object, and the EMT stuck her with a needle. She coughed. “Ouch.”

“I think you forgot you're scared of needles.”

Sienna said, “Now that you said that, I am!”

The EMT shook her head and tsked. “And to think I was impressed. Now I find out you're a baby about needles.”

Sienna gasped. “I am not...”

The woman patted her on the head. “Lie down and rest, dear.”

Nina looked in stitches trying not to laugh aloud. Sienna shot her a look. Parker stood at the open door and she reached out to him. “Save me. They're all crazy.”