Chapter 15

A MALE VOICE the other side of the door said, “Room service.”

Last night, Matt had ordered breakfast for about this time. “Nobody’s seen you yet. No reason to let a hotel employee be able to give your description. Wait in the bathroom while I get this.”

As soon as she’d disappeared, he grabbed his 9mm and went to the door. He stood to one side. “Who is it?”

“Room service, sir,” said the youthful male voice.

“What’s on the tray?”

After a beat, metal clattered. “Um, one On-the Go breakfast, egg and cheese on an English muffin. And a banana.” Another clatter as he lifted the other lid. “One Hearty Start. That’s eggs — these are scrambled — with bacon and hash browns. Toast. Coffee and juice for two. Looks like grapefruit. Pink.”

The waiter had nailed it. He sounded nervous but not scared. So no Feeb or worse asshole standing to the side, gun drawn.

Matt stashed the pistol behind his back and fished a ten out of his wallet. He opened the door. The freckle-faced kid looked barely old enough to shave. “Working your way through college?”

The guy nodded. His Adam’s apple jumped. “Learning the menu so I can get a raise.”

“You deserve one.” Matt handed over the bill and lifted the tray from the trolley. “I got this. Thanks for the delivery.”

The kid’s mouth was hanging open as the door swung shut. Matt leaned against it until it latched. “Coast is clear. Breakfast is served.”

Brow crimped and fingers mangled together, she emerged from the bathroom.

“Only a waiter with higher ambitions. We’re good.” So far. He set the tray on the desk and arranged their breakfasts on the small window-side table.

“You do that like you’ve waited on a few tables yourself.”

“Long time ago. In college.” He waved her toward the table’s one chair and then rolled over the desk chair for himself. He lowered himself gingerly, wincing as his knee protested. Not completely there. “Breakfast sandwich. Last night you were already anticipating a fast getaway?”

“It’s actually my regular breakfast, one I can take with me. I can’t count the times I’ve had to rush out to conduct an interview or roust the DP and grip.”

“Not much different from most of my mornings. Cereal’s not portable. I always have toast with my eggs, so I can stack it up if necessary. Bacon too.”

“Do-it-yourself sandwich.” She grinned, and this time her eyes lit with humor.

They ate and drank, speaking only of the meal. What the day would bring was a topic to avoid. Matt would bring it up soon if she didn’t. For now, it was enough to chew on the idea that they had something in common. They did a lot of traveling, and they often had to eat on the go. When they got out of this jam, if she didn’t hate him again — for good reason — maybe there was a chance…

Before he got too carried away with the improbable, he ditched those thoughts. After finishing his food, he took his coffee to the window. The mug was halfway to his mouth when he saw them. Across the street, five guys stood beneath the street light, their gazes concealed behind sunglasses. A dead giveaway, sunglasses in the rain. Their heads swiveled to assess the general area and the hotel entrance. Warm-up jackets, sweatshirts, bulges in the pockets. Predatory, military bearing.

Hunting Nadia and him.

A heavy-set man with a buzz cut seemed to be the leader. He pointed toward 34th Street, and two guys peeled off in that direction.

Matt breathed again.

“They’ve found us!” Nadia stood beside him, her hand on her mouth. She gripped his arm. “This is all my fault. I knew I shouldn’t, but I had to call my dad. They must’ve traced the call.” Fear and grief warred in her gaze.

He wrapped an arm around her quaking shoulders. “Honey, I’ve been too tough on you about your dad. You needed to know. Tell me about it later, okay? Take a deep breath. We’ll be okay. Tracking just pings on the cell tower, and there are more than three other hotels near this one. They’ve sent two guys to the inn on 34th, so they’re still searching.

She was close to tears now. He pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her, inhaled her fresh, sweet scent. But only for a minute. They didn’t have much time.

She blinked, firmed her chin and stepped back as if ready to do battle. He’d want her on his team anytime. “DARK? FBI?”

“Not DARK officers. I’d recognize them.” It was her phone that was tracked, not his. Not yet. “Not FBI either. Look at their clothing. Pressed jeans. Military shoes. Maybe some of Cardona’s rebels.”

“They can’t search hotel rooms or wander the restaurants,” she said. “So how?”

“Our pictures are probably all over the news by now. But mine has the eye patch and scars. Neither the desk clerk nor the waiter has seen you.”

“Could that guy be Cardona?” She pointed toward the stocky leader.

“I’ve seen his picture. It’s not him.” The two who’d left jogged up, shaking their heads. But now he counted only four men in total. While he’d been holding Nadia, number five had vanished. “One man is missing. Maybe he’s gone toward the Ritz-Carleton, but I’m not counting on it. Let’s get out of here now. Sun’s been up for a half hour, but in this gloom, we ought to be nearly invisible in our raingear.”

Nadia stuffed down her dread and stowed it and her meager belongings in the backpack with Matt’s stuff. Because of the weather, he wore jeans and the sweatshirt. She again had put on jeans, the seedstitch pullover and new cross trainers to take the place of her more recognizable red ones. She’d pulled her hair back into a loose bun at her nape to keep it out of the way. Their hooded rain jackets would protect them from the rain and searching eyes.

In five minutes they were out the door.

“The back stairs.” The pack slung on his shoulder, Matt headed left down the hall.

She followed close behind, stretching her legs to keep up. He wasn’t letting his gimpy knee slow him. He must be worried the fifth guy was inside the hotel.

As the stairwell door whooshed shut behind them, she shuddered at the mental image of Matt’s fall down the last flight of stairs. If she said anything about the possibility he’d slip and tumble again, he’d take it wrong. Well, no, he wouldn’t, but she’d rather not damage whatever was developing between them or insult his abilities. Matt was anything but incapable. He was always prepared and possessed a situational awareness and vigilance she’d only read about in thrillers. He considered ahead every eventuality. “Wait.”

He swung toward her, his gaze wary, scanning the small space with cool efficiency. His hand went to the pistol in his jacket pocket. “Did you hear something?”

“No, no, it’s not that.” She hooked the pack from his shoulder. “You need to be ready in case, well, who knows. The backpack might be in the way.” She sent him a level stare, crossing mental fingers he accepted her reasoning.

“Good call.” He headed down, holding the railing and watching his step.

Their footfalls echoed in the hard-walled stairwell. The pack was heavy, but she made it the seven flights down without dropping it or having to stop and rest.

One hand on the door handle, he said, “To the left is the exit to the terrace restaurant. Too rainy and too early for anybody to be out there. We’ll stay on the river side. When we make it to 36th Street, we ought to be in the clear. Pack’s not too heavy?”

She shook her head, too winded to speak.

“I’ll take it as soon as we see who or what’s outside.” He grinned and kissed her lightly. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

She sputtered a breathy laugh. Her ruse hadn’t fooled him a bit.

She noted only service personnel in this back hallway of the lobby, and none of them looked their way. Matt peered through the smoky glass door to the terrace. “Looks clear. We need to move fast but not look furtive.”

Her heart clattered, but she hauled in deep breaths, readying herself. “Got it.”

He pushed through the stairwell door, and they hurried to the terrace exit. Outside, a breeze blew the mist and cold drizzle into her face. She wiped her eyes. Matt halted their progress with a raised hand, and his head turned as he checked the flagstone terrace.

An easy place to be jumped, she observed, open to the river for the view, but privacy hedges blocked both sides.

“Okay,” Matt murmured. “Stay close.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. Did she ever want to glue herself to his side.

As they reached the terrace edge, a man stepped out from the hedge.

Adrenaline roared in Nadia’s ears. She halted and gripped Matt’s forearm. The fifth man, it had to be. Nearly Matt’s height, but not as broad shouldered. He wore a knit cap with a short bill. He pushed it farther back on his head, revealing his features.

She gasped. I know him.

He pulled a pistol from his left jacket pocket. His expression was blank. “Stop there.”

Matt pushed Nadia away to his right and moved left, separating them. He planted his feet apart and flexed his fingers. His eyes never left the man, who was barely five feet away. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“You will come with me.” The man raised the gun higher, but his gaze jumped from one to the other, as if he were now doubtful of his control, uncertain where to aim.

“Nadia, get down. Now!”

Matt’s command turned the man toward him.

Nadia swung the backpack. The heavy weight slammed against his arm full force. He staggered and dropped the gun.

Matt pounced, landing a powerful blow to the man’s jaw. Another punch took them both to the ground.

She scooped up the pistol and dashed out of the way.

The men grappled in the grass until Matt powered a chop to the guy’s throat. He fell back, making choking noises. Another blow to the temple and he lay still.

“Is he…?”

Matt shook his head. He went through the man’s pockets, took out his phone and removed the battery. Pocketing it, he left the phone and pushed to his feet. “He’s breathing. Just unconscious. Help me drag him out of sight.”

Nadia reached for his feet and lifted. “Are you all right?”

“Never better. Since yesterday, I’ve wanted to slug somebody. Finally got my chance.” He hoisted up the guy by his shoulders and grinned. “You nailed him damn hard yourself, honey. Saved us both.”

“I had to do something.”

“But next time I tell you to get down, do it. This could’ve ended much worse.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. I will. But the attacker… I, he—”

“Not here. Let’s beat it before he wakes up.”

They stashed the man beneath a shrub and hurried toward the Potomac. Matt chucked the pistol far out into the water before they booked it toward the lights of the Key Bridge.