Trex. I need your help.” I could hardly believe the words coming through the phone from Tyler Maddox.
“What happened?” I asked, still sitting in my truck in the hotel parking lot. I’d been excited the entire ride home to see Darby, but my phone rang just as I put the truck into Park.
“It’s Ellie. She fell off the wagon and hitched a ride out to the base of the mountain. She got lost—”
“What wagon?” I asked.
“Damn it, Trex! She’s an alcoholic. She drank after the Alpines left…after I left her there…and wandered around on a burning mountain for hours.”
“Why?” I asked, incredulous. Ellison sounded like a crazy, complicated mess.
“She’s usually our photographer. She follows us around up on the mountain. She couldn’t go this time, she was pissed, she went up anyway. We finally found her, they arrested her, she’s sitting in a jail cell in county jail.”
“That sucks, man. I’m sorry. What do you expect me to do about it?”
“You were FBI, right? Waltz in there and get her out.”
“I’m not 007, Tyler. I’m also not a criminal. That’s illegal.”
“No, I mean, talk them into letting her go.”
“Tyler. I can’t.”
“You fucking can. And you will.”
“I don’t have time for this—”
“I talked to Darby earlier. She has no idea who you really are, does she? Why? What are you hiding?”
“Tyler—”
“Why haven’t you told her you’re former FBI? What are you doing now?”
I sighed. “It’s classified.”
“So, you are lying to her.”
“It’s complicated.”
Tyler waited a beat. “It could get even more complicated if Darby knew you weren’t part of the Forestry Department.”
“You’re pissing me off.”
“Just…” He sighed. I could almost see him rubbing his temples, trying to keep his shit together so he could help the woman he loved. “Help her. This is my fault.”
“Fine. I’ll make a few calls, but I can’t promise anything. But in return, you and Ellie have to promise to keep your fucking mouths shut. You have no idea what you’d be getting yourselves into. It’s national security, asshole, and if they think you or Ellie know anything about my employment, it’s not good for either of you. You’re not allowed to know. Do you understand?”
“I understand. Thank you.”
I hung up, and let my head fall back to the headrest. I was about to do a lot of illegal shit to keep Darby from hating me, and I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I rushed into the hotel, sneaking past Darby to run upstairs to fetch a suit, and then snuck past her again. It wasn’t easy. I had to wait until she was busy with hotel guests, and the lobby was nearly empty except for the few hotshots gathered to shoot the shit. I stopped in the parking lot, staring at my Land Cruiser. No way was that hunk of beautiful junk going to pass for official transportation.
“Hey, Stavros,” I said, standing behind the biggest hotshot I could find near the bar. “That’s your Audi out front, right?”
“Yeah, isn’t she gorgeous? Fancy is black on black on black on black, and tinted windows.”
“So…my truck won’t start, and I have a meeting in fifteen. Can I borrow Fancy for an hour?”
Stavros frowned at me.
“Please?”
He reached behind the bar and put down his keys. “You break her, and I’m billing it to your room.”
“Deal,” I said, scooping up his key ring and walking quickly out to the lot.
I drove to the gas station and changed, then slid back behind the driver’s seat, breathing hard and straightening my tie. The summer sun was beating down on Fancy’s black paint, creating an oven effect that the AC was having a hard time keeping up with.
Baking, with hot air blowing through the vents at me in a hot suit, I scrolled through my contacts and then tapped Val’s name.
“Well, well, well…” she answered on the sixth ring. “This is the second favor you’ve needed in as many months. What is it this time?”
“I’m actually the one doing the favor this time,” I said with a sigh. I pulled out into the street, hoping some movement would help the AC.
“Do tell,” she responded. She didn’t sound like the light, giggly Val I remembered. The emotional attachment was gone.
“This fire north of the Springs…a photographer was caught trying to make her way up the mountain to shoot it.”
“Is she missing?”
“No. She was caught and arrested. She’d been drinking. She’s sitting in county.”
“Sounds like she broke the law.”
“She did, but she’s Tyler Maddox’s girlfriend. So it’s my favor. In return for one.”
“That’s a bizarre plot twist. And you’ve got some fucking balls, you know that?”
“I need you to look up some names for me.”
She sighed. “The ASAC—”
“Maddox will clear it. You know he will.”
“I don’t know it. He’d do it if it were one of his brothers, but a girlfriend…Probably not.”
I rubbed my temples with my thumb and middle finger. The Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego office happened to be Taylor and Tyler’s older brother, Thomas. “Tyler is desperate. I’m right here. I can help.”
“It’s not going to happen, Scottie.”
“If he says no, tell him I’ll have Tyler call him to ask his big brother for his own fucking favor.”
“Don’t push him, Trex. You should’ve done what he asked.”
“Goddamn it! I went to Estes Park, questioned Taylor and Tyler. They didn’t know anything about that campus fire. I can’t help that the ASAC’s baby brother broke the law. And I did what Thomas asked, Val. He fucked me over for it.”
“You were on your way out, anyway. You hated the job.”
I couldn’t argue. But Thomas made it easy to leave.
“Trex,” Val began again, “listen…If it’s Tyler’s girlfriend, you’re right, he’ll probably go for it. You know he’ll do anything for family. Even if it’s for you. He might even appreciate that you’re trying to help.”
“I called him an overbearing pussy when I left, Val.”
“He doesn’t hold grudges. I’ll patch you through.”
“Wait. Val!” An obnoxiously calming instrumental came over the receiver. “Fuck,” I hissed.
“Well, hello to you, too, Trexler,” Thomas Maddox said.
I gripped my steering wheel. “Maddox, I don’t have much time.”
“Val filled me in. Ellison?”
“Yeah, and Tyler is freaking out.”
“What’s in it for you?”
“None of your fucking business,” I said, my voice low.
“I thought you said you didn’t have much time?”
I sighed, my knuckles turning white under the pressure as I squeezed the steering wheel tighter. “The girl I’m dating. She’s running from a real sick fuck. Fort Hood.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate.”
“Meanwhile, Ellie is sitting in a cell in county and your brother is pissing himself.”
He took a moment to think, and then he spoke. “I’ll make the call. The story is that Ellie’s an asset. You’re an agent as far as they know, and you’re welcome. You said you needed names?”
“Darby Cooke,” I said. “The ex’s name is Shawn. He’s military at Fort Hood. Didn’t sound too high up. Can you see what you have on them?”
“Dixon,” Maddox said.
“What? What does that mean?” I asked.
“Val looked her up a while ago. A woman scorned is even better than the best FBI agent. Val liked you, you know.”
“Get to the point, Maddox.”
“Your girl’s real name is Darby Dixon, she’s clean, but keep an eye out for her ex, Shawn Littlefield. He’s got some interesting shit on his record. I’m surprised he’s still on base. He must know someone who’s keeping him protected.”
My jaws ticked under the skin. “You don’t think you could have told me this sooner?”
“It’s unauthorized, Trex. You think I’m going to stick my neck out for you?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. If Thomas had been standing in front of me, I would have thrown a punch. “She’s terrified of him. She still has nightmares. I need to keep him away from her.”
“I don’t owe you shit, Trex.”
“Just be a decent fucking human being, Maddox,” I growled.
He sighed. “I’ll have Sawyer keep an eye on him.”
“Sawyer?” I groaned. “What the fuck, Maddox?” Sawyer was Val’s husband, and he was not going to be happy about doing any favors for me.
“He’s the best, Trex. Do you want him, or not?”
I looked at the ceiling, swearing under my breath. “Fine.”
“Good luck, Trexler. Sounds like you need it.”
I tapped the End button, slammed the gear into reverse, and tore out of the parking lot toward the county jail.
* * *
A sheriff’s deputy with Duffy inscribed on his metal name tag was waiting on me when I arrived, eager to show me past the regular, protected check-in desk, through a code-protected door, to a long, white hall where Tyler was sitting in a chair. He was alone, holding his face in his hands. He was so worried that he barely noticed when I approached.
“Mr. Maddox,” I said in a firm tone.
Tyler stood up, his face red and blotchy. “Did you, uh…?”
“I’ll be transporting you and Miss Edson to a safe location. For now, I’ll need you to wait here.”
Tyler nodded and sat, catching on quickly that I needed him to stay silent.
“So,” Duffy said, going through the paperwork, “you’re a fed, huh? What are they? Witness protection? Because you don’t see this every day.”
“I’m not at liberty to say. As quickly as possible, Deputy. We can’t have her in one location too long.”
He nodded, hurrying through the papers. “Chuck!” he called. Another deputy, this one was large, square-jawed, and unimpressed with my suit. “Edson is being released into federal custody.”
Chuck eyed me for a moment.
“We’ll need her immediately, Deputy,” I said.
Chuck nodded and then held an ID card against a black box. The lock clicked, the door buzzed, and Chuck disappeared into the back.
“She’ll be right out, Agent Trexler. I just need you to sign these forms,” Duffy said, sliding a dozen papers toward me.
Within five minutes, the door opened, and Chuck was holding Ellison by the arm. Her hair was a mess, her face smudged with soot and a cut just beneath her eye. She wasn’t as smooth as Tyler, looking confused to see me. She opened her mouth, but I stood, took her from Chuck’s grasp, and whispered in her ear as he turned from us.
“Don’t speak,” I warned her.
“We’re releasing Miss Edson into your custody, Agent Trexler,” Duffy said. “We assume you’ll make sure she’s not in a restricted area again?”
“She’ll be north. Nowhere near the fire,” I said.
Ellison stayed quiet while I escorted her down the long hallway to Tyler. He hadn’t moved, in the same position as before. When the door closed behind us, he looked up.
“Oh, thank Christ,” he said, standing up and wrapping his arms around Ellison.
It was hard to imagine the feeling of knowing Darby was in a situation from which I was powerless to save her. Fighting a battle we couldn’t win didn’t happen often for guys like Tyler and me, but no amount of muscle or skill was going to get Ellison out of that jail cell. And no amount of coaxing from me was going to pull Darby out of her shell any faster. She wouldn’t trust me until she was ready, and I had no idea when that would be—if ever. Patience, love, and a little luck were the only things that helped in these moments, and my mind and heart were warring over waiting as long as it took and wanting more.
Tyler kissed her temple, then held her away from him. She winced.
“What the fuck were you thinking, Ellison? I mean…what in the actual fuck?” he asked.
“Not here,” I said, holding open the door to the lobby. We walked through and exited out the front. I opened the back passenger side door of the Audi, and Ellison slid in, followed by Tyler. Once the door shut, Tyler’s yelling was muffled, but it blasted me when I opened the driver’s side door. I closed it quickly and backed out before Tyler drew attention.
“I’m really, really sorry. That was so stupid. I wasn’t thinking,” Ellison said.
“That tends to happen when you’re drunk,” Tyler snapped.
“I’d only had two drinks,” Ellison said.
“You’re really going to lie to me? After I just pulled a hundred strings to get you out of jail?”
“I’m not…lying,” Ellison said, sinking back into her seat.
“Wow. Okay, then,” he said, facing forward. His jaw muscles were twitching as he clenched his teeth.
“Technically,” I said, “I’m the one who pulled all the strings.”
Ellison wasn’t happy. “How did you get him to do it?”
“Don’t ask how, Ellie. Just say thank you.”
“To who? The FBI? I want to know. What’s in it for you, Agent Trexler?”
“It’s not Agent anymore,” I said.
“What?” she asked.
Tyler nodded. “He’s serious. He no longer works for the Bureau. Apparently, his boss is a real dick.”
I laughed, wishing I could tell him my former boss was his oldest brother.
“How did he pull strings, then?” Ellison asked. She was a smart cookie, I’d give her that.
Tyler sighed. “He just did, Ellie.”
“Why?” she demanded. “What did you do in return, Tyler?” She also didn’t back down. She’d make a good agent.
“It’s what you’re not going to do,” I said.
Ellison crossed her arms and glared at me via the rearview mirror. “What are you talking about? What do you mean?”
“Darby,” I said simply.
“Darby?” Ellison wrinkled her nose. “She thinks you’re a hotshot, you know.”
My muscles tensed. I hadn’t thought that Ellison might have run her mouth to Darby when she was drunk. I might already be too late. “I’m aware. Did you tell her otherwise?”
“No.”
My shoulders fell.
“Good,” Tyler said. “We need to keep it that way. That was the deal.”
“That we let Trex lie to Darby?” she asked. “Who is she?”
“Just a girl,” I said, even though the words tasted bitter in my mouth. “But you blow my cover with her, and you’re back in that cell.”
Ellison sat back, pouting. “You’re not going to hurt her, are you?”
I frowned, the thought making my stomach turn. “That’s the point, Ellison. Do you agree or not?”
She looked at Tyler. “Do you trust him?”
A part of me liked that she was looking out for Darby, the other part just wanted her to agree.
“He got you out of jail, didn’t he?” Tyler said. He was as impatient as I was.
“You’re not investigating her?” Ellison asked.
“No.”
“Fine,” Ellison snapped. “You’re a hotshot.”
I couldn’t help but smile, the feeling of victory tempting me to roll Fancy’s windows down and test out her speakers. “Thank you.”