Keegan looked up when Logan's wife entered the room. He, Logan, Will, and Kaiden were sitting at the kitchen table coming up with a plan for the evening.

"Hey, Angie, where's Nikki?"

"Outside on the patio calling her boss."

The very mention of Henry angered him. He had tried to tell Nikki the older man had a thing for her but she had denied it, making the events of the previous evening that much more uncomfortable for her.

"I should go check on her."

"I’m sure she is fine," Kaiden said. "Nikki is a big girl. She knows how to work a cell phone."

"She's going to be upset after talking to Henry."

"Why?" Will asked.

"He, um, sort of interrupted something last night."

"Were you two at it again?"

"Gee, Will, you make us sound like a couple of teenagers."

"You were acting like it yesterday."

Keegan considered that. "Yes, I suppose we were. Anyway, he also seems to have a thing for Nikki."

"The old dude?" Will made a face. "That's nasty."

"He is also her father's best friend."

"Gross," Angelina said. "No wonder she is all out of sorts. Between you and Henry—"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he snapped.

"Relax, Kee." Logan's voice held a slight warning.

"It's okay, Logan. What I meant was, you boys can come on a little strong. It seems to be genetic or something. Most women aren't used that sort of attention so quickly."

"What's wrong with going after what I want? It worked with you," Logan said, kissing his wife.

"Think of the situation we were in? Everything was intense in those few days."

"True."

"Anyway, Keegan, she cares for you. She is just a little overwhelmed by everything."

"Did Nikki say that?"

"She didn't have to. Then there's the case. She has invested a lot of time in it only to have another agency yank the rug out from under her."

"We are working together," Will said.

"Are you?"

"Of course. Look, I'll go talk to her if you want."

"Talk to me about what?" Nikki said from the doorway.

Keegan rose and went to her side. "We are trying to make a plan for tonight."

"Without me?"

"Angie said you were on the phone. I figured we would just bring you up to speed."

"Oh."

"Intel says they are getting on the road by the on ramp where interstate sixty-four joins the Blue Ridge Parkway. About ten miles south there is a picnic area where the buyers are meeting them after sunset. We need to get down there and into place before they show up. Obviously, they will be armed and dangerous. Ma? Can we hit up the closet up before we leave?" Kaiden called to Clara who was in the living room.

"Of course, dear. I added a few new toys too."

"Closet? Toys?" Nikki asked.

"Our mother is a collector of weapons."

"Really." She smiled. "I knew I liked your mother."

"I'm heading back into town to get in a nap and bring my agents up to speed," Will said, rising from the table. "We will come back for dinner if you are cooking, Auntie Clara."

"How about a roast with all the fixings to hold you tight while you stake out the park?"

"Sounds perfect, Auntie. You're the best."

"I know. But I still love to hear you say it." Clara's ruddy complexion turned a bit pink as Will kissed her cheek.

"Can I ride into town with you? I need to grab something from the store," Nikki asked.

"I can take you wherever you need to go," Keegan said. "Will has to work."

"There's no reason for you to take me when Will is already heading there anyway. I'll entertain myself while he does what he needs to do and then come back for dinner. I don't get away from Virginia Beach very often and it's so beautiful here."

"But—"

"I'm sure Will is going to take good care of her, Kee," Angelina said, giving him a look that said remember what I told you about being too intense.

He nodded. "Okay. I just thought I'd offer."

"I'm going to grab my purse. Be right back."

When she was gone, Angelina put an arm around him. "It's okay, Kee, she'll be back. She might just need a little space for a bit."

"I don't get it. Last night she—I mean, we—and today it's like we don't even know each other."

"Sometimes a woman's thoughts can be her own worst enemy. And her best friend. If I had to guess, Nikki just needs to think some things through."

"I don't mean to be intense."

"Of course, not, sweetie," Clara said. "Your daddy was the same way. So serious all the time. It's one of the things I loved most about him."

"I'm ready when you are." Nikki stood in the door again, her purse over her shoulder.

"See you all in a couple of hours."

"You sure you don't want me to take you?" Keegan asked Nikki, ignoring Angelina's hand on his arm.

"I'll be fine. Hang out with your family." She softened her words with a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Maybe Angie was right. As a family, they could be a little overwhelming.

"All right. See you in a bit." He wanted to go over and kiss her but Nikki was doing her best to keep a little distance so Keegan would respect that, as much as it killed him to do so.

As the front door closed, Keegan let out a long sigh.

"You look like you just lost your best friend, boy," Clara teased.

"I hear you signed me up on a dating website." Changing the subject was his best tactic at the moment. He really didn't want to discuss Nikki anymore. Not until he had a chance to get her alone and make sure that they were okay.

"I haven't posted it yet. It was just a little something to keep me busy—just in case you changed your mind about letting me help you find a wife."

"I don't need help."

"I know. Nikki is perfect for you. Don't mess it up."

"Ma—"

Clara shrugged. "I'm just saying. She couldn't get out of here fast enough."

"Thanks, Ma."

"Don't worry. It will work out. I'm never wrong about these things."

"I hope not."

"Come on, brother. Let's go check out the new toys." Kaiden pulled Keegan into a headlock and dragged him toward the gun room.

"Let me go!"

"In a minute."

"I hate you."

"I know. You keep telling me."

"Why couldn't I have been an only child?"

"And miss out on all this?

They stopped in front of the door that looked like a coat closet. Kaiden let him go and unlocked the door.

"Whoa, Ma. You did get some new ones."

"You like?" Clara appeared in the doorway, wearing a big grin.

Kaiden grabbed up a brand new, shiny black .308 rifle. "Let's go out to the range."

"That's the smartest thing you've said since I got here," Logan said, entering the room.

"Every now and then I have a moment." Kaiden laughed and darted out of the room. "Last one to the range has to clean all the guns!"

"Like hell." Keegan grabbed an identical rifle and took off after his brother.

Two hours later, they were headed back inside to clean up when Kaiden's phone rang. He handed it to Keegan. "It's for you. It's Will."

"Hey, bro, everything all set?"

"I've got some bad news," Will said.

"There was a change of plans?"

"Something like that."

"What do you mean?"

"It's Nikki."

"Is she okay?" A lump of panic settled deep in Keegan's stomach.

"She's gone."

Keegan stopped walking. "What the hell do you mean, she's gone?"

"We were supposed to meet at the motel. I dropped her at the supermarket. She was going to walk the couple of blocks to the motel and we were all going to drive back up the mountain. She didn't show and no one has seen her since she left the store."

"Son of a bitch! She left! I knew she was pissed about something."

"Um, I don't think so. She would have taken her purse if she left, don't you think?"

"What do you mean? She did have it."

"Yeah, until I just found it in a trash can on the sidewalk."

"Damn it! I knew I should have gone with her!"

"I'm sorry. I just can't figure it out. No one knew we were here."

"Stay where you are, I'm on my way."

Tossing the phone back to Kaiden, he ran for the house to grab his keys and wallet. He could hear his brother and Logan following him but he just grabbed his stuff and ran for his truck.

"What’s wrong?" he heard his mother call after him.

"Nikki's missing!" Kaiden called back.

"What do you mean, missing?"

"Will just called. Found her purse in a trash can and no sign of her anywhere," Logan said jumping in the backseat.

"Be careful!" Angelina yelled as they tore out of the driveway and barreled down the mountain.

The truck hit a huge pot hole and veered sharply to the left. Keegan corrected the wheel and kept on going.

"You won’t be any good to Nikki if we wreck on the mountain," Kaiden said.

"We won’t wreck." Keegan slapped the steering wheel. "How the hell did he lose her?"

"No one knows what happened, Kee. Let's get there first then start asking questions."

"We have to find her."

"We will, brother. We will."