Chapter Seventeen
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EVEN IN HER compromised state, Shelby was no one to mess with. Colton smiled as people moved out of her way.
Of course, she was leading a small gang down that hospital hallway that included two former SEALs, an FBI agent, an ex-spy, and a woman with purple streaks in her hair and enough attitude for all of them.
Shelby was as dirty and dusty as Colton, the rip in her leggings revealing the stitches in her leg as she walked. But her head was up, her eyes lit with determination. She’d been face to face with the killer and it was driving her nuts that she couldn’t figure out who he was.
Colton dittoed the feeling. He’d tried to rip the guy’s mask off. Hell, his bloody head too.
If only I could have seen the bastard’s face.
Or broken his neck.
A young medical intern walking with a group of his peers, gave Shelby a second glance. “Hey, you can’t have dogs in here.”
Jaya curled her lip at him. “Mind your own damn business.”
At the same time Colton and Shelby both said, “He’s a therapy dog.”
Jaya and Shelby high-fived each other and Zeb hit the button on the elevator as the intern and his group kept moving.
Wise people.
Jon Wolfe—the latest addition to Colton’s personal team—held the door as the rest of them shuffled on. It took some jockeying to get everyone inside with Shelby’s walker.
As soon as the doors closed and the elevator began to rise, Shelby turned to him. “So what do we know about the bomb?”
God, she was so…Shelby. Exhausted, injured, worried as all get-out, and had just had the side of her house blown in, yet here she was ready to get down to business.
He loved that about her, even though part of him wanted to kidnap her and take her far, far away from the danger. “The bomb was a simple C4 explosive placed inside the bed of my truck and set off with a remote detonator.”
“Am I allowed to hear this?” Jaya’s gaze bounced between Shelby and Agent Feldon.
Feldon nodded and Shelby leaned her back against the elevator wall, rubbing Salisbury’s ear. “Our serial killer is a sniper, not a bomb maker. It doesn’t make sense.”
“He wanted to take you all out at once,” Jon’s words were barely above a murmur. “And he wanted it messy.”
His gaze was locked on the elevator buttons, but from the reflection in the panel, Colton could tell he was seeing something else—from his time in the field as a SEAL. Colton recognized that haunted expression. Most vets had it.
“I saw this movie once,” Jaya volunteered, “where there were two serial killers working together. One liked to keep his targets at a distance, like hunting big game, so he’d shoot the victims but not kill them. His partner was a woman and she got to play with the victim for a while—she liked to use knives.”
“What kind of movies have you been watching?” Shelby shook her head, then sighed. “Serial killer teams are nothing new, so I guess it is a possibility that we’re dealing with more than one.”
None of them liked that idea. The elevator dinged and let them out on the surgical floor. They found Connor in the waiting area.
He was pacing the otherwise empty room as they entered, his teeth gritting so hard a muscle did jumping jacks in his cheek. A large lump had risen on his forehead and his gaze bounced over all of them. He nodded at Jon, accepting a handshake and backslap. “Nickelback, good to see you,” he said, using Jon’s codename.
Zeb pulled him into a manly embrace. “How is she?”
Connor had to swallow hard before he could answer, his gaze glued to the tile floor. “No news yet. She’s been in there for nearly three hours. It’s making me fucking crazy.”
Colton knew that helpless feeling. The absolute raw terror it invoked when it came to the woman you loved. He’d paced this exact same waiting room the night Shelby had been shot.
Grabbing his friend’s arm, he dragged him to a chair. Regardless of whether Connor needed to sit down or not, Colton did. If only it didn’t hurt. “She’s strong,” he told Connor. “A fighter. She’s going to make it.”
Zeb glanced out into the hall. “I’ll grab some caffeine for us.”
He disappeared and Shelby took the seat on the other side of Connor, interlacing her fingers with his. “Colton’s right. I’ve only known Sabrina for a few hours, but if she puts up with your shenanigans, she must be a ball buster like me. She’s in there fighting to come back to see you, trust me.”
Connor squeezed his eyes shut and gripped Shelby’s hand like it was a lifeline. “Tell me we have a lead on who did this.”
Shelby’s gaze met Colton’s. “Everyone’s working on it. The locals, the FBI. We’re going to find him, I promise.”
“B and the team are on it too.” As if he’d conjured her, Beatrice’s ringtone sounded from his pocket. “I have to take this,” he said, shoving himself out of the chair and pulling his cell out.
Son of a bitch. His right kidney must have taken a harder hit than he’d originally thought. Every move was like a hot knife slicing into him.
He wandered to the window overlooking the parking lot. “Hey, boss.”
“Status report on my lab tech?” He heard slurping in the background. Sloane must be having lunch already.
Colton wiped sweat off the back of his neck. His pulse was skipping. He felt lightheaded. “Still in surgery.”
“And Connor?”
“He’s a mess.”
“I expected as much. Is he controlling his PTSD?”
Colton looked back over his shoulder, swearing under his breath at the fresh pain the move invoked. Shelby was hugging the big guy now and the anguish on Connor’s face made Colton’s guts cramp. “I’ll take care of him.”
Because that’s what he did. Amidst pissing off everyone around him, he still kept his eyes on those he cared about. Made sure they were okay.
Just like he’d done at the home. He’d played big brother to all the younger kids. Made sure they did their homework and didn’t get tangled up with drugs.
A voice on Beatrice’s end signaled Rory had entered the room. Beatrice’s got softer as if she’d moved her mouth away from the speaker. “I’ve got him on the line now.” She came back to Colton. “I sent the After Action Reports with Zeb.”
Zeb had already told him. “We’re going through everything as soon as I get Shelby to a safe house. You didn’t include the anonymous report, though, did you?”
“Rory’s still tracing where it originated.” Sloane was going at her bottle with gusto from the sounds coming through the phone. No doubt about it, she was Beatrice’s kid.
Rory’s voice sounded again in the background. “Tell him who deleted the report.”
“Not yet,” Beatrice said to Rory, then to Colton, “I have reason to believe the lab where Sabrina worked on the prints from the wrapper may have been compromised and is no longer a viable safe house. But it appears the FBI has a black site between Good Hope and Broken Arrow. Shelby’s boss has already put in a request to use it for now.”
She knew this how? Better not to ask. “It’s not SFI vetted.”
“Exactly.”
In the parking lot, an older couple carrying a casserole dish made their way to the front entrance of the hospital. Two guesses where they’re headed. “So you’re okaying an FBI black site to use as a safe house?”
Shadow Force had them all over the US and a few in hot spots around the world. Rock Star clients often needed them and so did SFI operatives. Beatrice never allowed clients to be taken any place that hadn’t been approved by her, regardless of whether they were used by law enforcement. “You told me previously that you’re not sure if the killer is after you or Shelby.”
“Yeah, and?”
“We’re going to find out.”
“How?”
“Shelby’s going to the safe house. You’re not.”
“Whoa, wait. I’m not?”
“The FBI issued a warrant for your arrest two minutes ago. Let them arrest you.”
“What? Are you fucking kidding me?”
He felt the weight of all eyes in the room look at him.
“Trust me,” Beatrice said. “I’ll get you out surreptitiously so you can hunt the killer. Meanwhile, Zeb and Jon will keep an eye on Shelby at the black site.”
“There’s no fucking way I’m going along with—”
The line went dead and Shelby asked, “Colton?”
He turned around to see two cops coming through the doorway. “Colton Bells?” one of them asked.
Special Agent Theo Ingram appeared behind the second man. “That’s him.”
“You’re under arrest,” the first officer said. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
Jaya and Agent Feldon exchanged confused glances. Shelby and Connor came to their feet. Shelby shoved her walker out of the way and took a step toward Colton, shielding him. “Theo? What’s going on?”
Ingram grabbed her arm and pulled her aside and Salisbury went crazy, barking at him. Jaya had to restrain the mutt.
“We found the cell phone he used to detonate the bomb, Shelby. It was lying in the rubble.”
“What cell phone?”
“That could have been mine,” Connor said. “Or Sabrina’s. You can’t possibly think Colton set off that bomb.”
Ingram crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re testing for his prints, but it definitely was used to set off the explosive.”
“The killer planted it,” Jon said from where he leaned on the wall.
Hard eyes locked with Colton’s, and Ingram’s cheek twitched, even as he projected a frown.
He’s enjoying this.
“The killer,” Ingram said, trying to hide a smirk, “is right there.”
The rest was chaos as everyone started talking at once. Colton eyed the exit, calculating what he’d have to do to avoid capture. There was no way he was letting Beatrice, Ingram, or the cops separate him from Shelby.
But then Zeb was back, a cup of coffee in one hand and a doctor in scrubs in tow, blocking the exit. Zeb put his fingers to his lips and a shrill whistle echoed in the room, cutting through the uproar. “Yo. Shut up and listen.”
The doctor swallowed hard and nodded at Connor. “Ms. Merinos is out of surgery and in recovery. The damage was extensive as you know, and the next twenty-four hours will be critical, but her vital signs are strong. I understand her father is on his way?”
“Yeah.” Connor stepped forward. “I’m staying until he gets here.”
“It may be a while before she wakes.”
“I don’t care. I need to be with her.”
The cops moved in to handcuff Colton. Trust me…
Trust, such a fragile thing. Such a hard thing.
His side screamed as one of them jerked his arm behind his back. The other kneed him and sent him to the floor.
Pain exploded in his right side, sending white-hot lightning up his spine. Dots danced in front of his eyes. The room grew blurry.
The doctor spoke to Connor. “I’ll have a nurse come and take you to the recovery room in a few minutes.”
He vamoosed and Shelby reached for Connor’s hand once more even as she whirled on Theo. “Colton didn’t have anything to do with that bomb. I told you, the killer was there. I saw him.”
Ingram—the asshole—touched her shoulder as the cops wrestled Colton upright. “Shelby, you’re confused. The doctor told me you may have another concussion from the blast.”
“I’m not confused, you are! He was there, Theo. Colton fought with him!”
“Colton told you he fought with the man. You believe it, but it’s not true.”
Shelby grabbed Ingram’s shirt. “You listen to me. You’ve got the wrong guy.”
The first cop shoved Colton through the throng of people. “You have the right to remain silent. You have the right…”
Colton’s feet tangled in each other, two heavy weights he couldn’t seem to make obey. Shelby shoved the cop aside and threw her arms around his neck, nearly taking both of them over. “I’ll get this straightened out. I’ll… I’ll…”
He pressed his lips to her ear. His vision swam. “Don’t trust anyone but Connor, Zeb, and Nickelback. No one. You got it?”
“Ma’am,” the officer said, “I have to ask you to step away from the prisoner.”
She gave him another squeeze before Jaya pulled her back.
Colton gave Zeb a look as he passed by him, trying to convey his deepest fear to the old man. He didn’t know how long Beatrice planned to keep him and Shelby separated, but his gut was going absolutely bonkers, like a mouse in a maze with a hawk watching, waiting to make his move. The dragon roared in his chest and if Colton had had the strength, he would have taken out both cops.
Zeb eyed him back and winked.
This better work, he mentally told Beatrice. This better fucking work.
And then, before he could take another step, the floor came up to meet him and everything went dark.
“COLTON!” SHELBY SHOVED past Theo and Jaya and fell to her knees beside Colton. “Someone get that doctor back in here!”
Commotion ensued, Jaya going for the doctor, Zeb shoving the cops out of the way, and Theo trying to pull her off Colton’s body.
Shelby elbowed Theo and he let go of her, the man called Nickleback placing himself between them.
The next few minutes went by in a blur. Two nurses arrived first, then a different doctor. Colton’s vitals were checked; a call made to the admitting doctor downstairs who’d stitched up Colton’s cuts. Had the explosion done more damage than they’d realized?
He was wheeled to an exam room, everyone following. Shelby was told she couldn’t go in. She pushed her way in regardless. “I’m his wife.”
While the nurses hooked Colton up to various machines and started an IV, the doctor examined Colton from head to toe, revealing a large, dark purple bruise on his lower right side.
Internal bleeding, she heard the doctor say. More words tumbled from his lips: x-ray, CT scan, surgery.
Jesus. Not this. Not again.
Flashbacks of the night she’d sat in their home, unable to do a damn thing while Colton underwent surgery in a foreign country, six bullets imbedded in his chest and abdomen. The helplessness had been too much to bear, especially since he’d been on a mission and she didn’t even know where he was or what had happened. The Navy had simply told her that her ex-husband was fighting for his life and they were doing everything in their power to make sure he received the best care.
It had been the longest night of her life.
As the nurses wheeled Colton out of the room to prep him for surgery, one handed Shelby Colton’s clothes, cell phone, and the wedding band she’d removed from his finger. “We’re going to take good care of him,” she said, patting Shelby’s hands. “Don’t you worry.”
Shelby took the items, slipping the band onto her index finger. It was too big and she had to slip it onto her thumb instead. Her vision fuzzed around the edges as she watched Colton, pale as the sheets he was under, go out the door.
Please God, don’t take him from me. Not now. Not yet.
It was the same prayer she’d said that night.
Her leg didn’t want to move to follow the gurney. Anger at her disability, at the injustices going on around her, roared through her, propelling her forward.
She crashed into the chair next to the wall, righted herself and pushed away from it. Her balance went sideways and she hit the wall on the opposite side. Using that to steady her, she made it to the door, but Colton and the medical team were already disappearing round the corner at the end of the hall.
“What did the doctor say?” Jaya asked, Salisbury in her arms. Nickelback, as well as the others, stared at Shelby, wanting to know as well. “Where are they taking him?”
“Surgery.” Her balance wobbled and she put a hand out to the cold concrete block wall to steady herself. A tear slipped from her eye. “He has internal bleeding. A slow leak, the doctor said, from one of his organs. They have to find where it is and seal it off or he’ll die.”
“Oh my God.” Jaya closed her eyes and put one arm around Shelby’s waist. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
Zeb stepped forward and held out a hand. “I’ll take his phone.”
Shelby started to hand it to him when Theo snatched it away. “This is evidence.”
Zeb gave Theo a hard stare. “What exactly were the charges again?” Zeb asked. “I don’t believe anyone ever stated them.”
In the background, Shelby noticed Nickelback talking to someone on the phone.
Theo rubbed his eyes under his glasses. “Bells set off a bomb that nearly killed a federal officer. He’s a leading suspect in a previous shooting and the murders of three men. Don’t worry, I have plenty of charges to bring against him.”
“Oh, Theo.” He’d completely gone off the deep end with this. Maybe Colton was right about him having a crush on her. Maybe he was jealous of Colton. “Colton would never hurt me. If you don’t believe he’s innocent of anything else, you have to believe that.”
Her boss cupped her elbow. “I need to get you out of here and to the safe house.”
She jerked out of his grip. “I’m not leaving.”
Nickelback pocketed his phone and came forward to murmur, “It’s taken care of,” in Zeb’s ear. The older man nodded.
“Special Agent Shelby Claiborne is now officially a client of Rock Star Security, sir.” Zeb looked like a kid at Christmas, a huge grin on his face. “I’m afraid I have to ask you to move away from her.”
Theo, affronted, puffed up his chest. “I will not. She’s my agent. I’m taking her somewhere safe.”
Salisbury growled at Theo and Jaya tightened her hold on Shelby’s waist. “My girl doesn’t want to go to a safe house, and Colton may be a loser, but he’s her loser. She loves him and she’s right when she says he would never hurt her. Break her heart, yes, but physically hurt her? Never. So back the fuck off.”
Zeb, Connor, and Nickelback closed ranks around Jaya and Shelby. A deep red flush rose up Theo’s neck. “I can’t allow this.”
From behind her, Shelby heard her father’s booming voice. “No one is making my daughter leave this hospital if she doesn’t want to.”
Shelby looked over her shoulder and smiled.
Along with her dad, everyone else from the conference room stood behind him—her mom, Daniel, and all the parishioners.
They made a formidable lineup.
“Mister Claiborne,” Theo started to argue.
“Reverend to you, son,” her dad interrupted. He winked at Shelby.
Theo’s jaw worked. He was struggling to remain composed. “You don’t understand the seriousness of this situation.”
“What I understand is that my daughter is staying here for as long as she wants, and we will stay with her to ensure her safety. You can leave your law enforcement peers”—he pointed at the cops still hanging around—“to keep an eye on Colton if that makes you feel better, but I don’t believe that young man is going anywhere soon. So I suggest you get yourself back to Good Hope and figure out who in the world did this to Shelby and her friends.”
Good ol’ Daddy. He could be a bear at times, but just like Colton, he hated it when anyone else tried to push her around.
Shelby looked at Theo while twisting Colton’s ring around her thumb. “Please, Theo. Do as he says. You and I both know that Colton didn’t set off that bomb or kill those men. I can’t track the killer down, but you can.”
Appealing to his sense of justice caused him to pause. Denbe stepped forward and nodded at Theo. “Come on, boss. Let’s go do our job.”
Theo’s nostrils flared. A nerve above his left eye twitched.
Contempt. Anger. Frustration.
And something else she couldn’t put her finger on, there and gone in the blink of an eye.
Shelby tried to freeze the image, but he was already moving away. Denbe gave Shelby a nod and motioned for the cops to follow them. As they passed through the group of parishioners, who parted like the Red Sea, Jocelyn waved at Shelby and joined them.
Once they were all gone, her father came over and Shelby’s bodyguards allowed him into the circle. He hugged Shelby, patting her back. “You all right, sweetheart?”
Not really. She wouldn’t be until Colton and Sabrina were both out of surgery. “Yes, Daddy. Thank you.”
“Nobody makes my little girl cry and gets away with it. Why don’t you and your friends come back downstairs while we wait? I’m going to take folks to the chapel and lead the group in prayer.”
A nurse came around the corner and scanned the crowd. “Connor McKenzie?”
Connor left Shelby’s side. “That’s me.”
“The doctor said you can see your girlfriend now.”
Connor glanced back at Shelby. She waved at him to follow the nurse. “Go.”
He gave her a thankful smile and took off.
“I’m going to stay here, Daddy,” Shelby twisted the ring on her thumb again. “I couldn’t be there for Colton last time. I’m not leaving his side now.”
Her father nodded, but she could see disappointment on his face. Colton had broken her heart, like Jaya had said, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like Colton.
Maybe because her dad saw a bit of himself in her renegade ex.
Although no one would ever guess it, her father was one at heart. He loved the underdog. His favorite Bible story had always been David and Goliath.
A firm hand squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll be downstairs,” her dad said, “and I’ll check on you in a few minutes.”
“I can stay,” her mother offered, coming up beside her.
Shelby took her hand and squeezed it. “Thanks, Momma, but I’ve got plenty of support and the waiting room isn’t big enough for everyone. You go downstairs with Daddy. I’ll call if I need you.”
Her mother kissed her cheek. Her dad hugged her. She watched them leave, waving at several people who gave her smiles and thumbs-up of encouragement, including Daniel.
Apparently, he’d made it back already.
Zeb, Nickelback, and Jaya were left standing with her. As soon as the last of the parishioners were gone, Shelby turned to her much smaller group.
“Zeb, do you think Connor’s okay taking care of himself and guarding Sabrina? Or do they need an extra bodyguard?”
Jaya’s eyes widened. “You think the killer is here? That he’ll go after them?”
“I’m not taking chances.”
Zeb nodded. “You’re all vulnerable at the moment.”
Shelby wanted to lie down and have a good cry. She wasn’t sure how much more she could handle.
But she couldn’t dissolve into a puddle, focusing on the worst that could happen to Colton and the others. She was all they had right now and she had to stay strong.
“Zeb, you’re on Colton duty. He may be in surgery, but I want you to stick to him like glue. I don’t care if you have to put scrubs on and pretend you’re a nurse, you don’t let him out of your sight.”
Zeb grinned. “I can handle it.”
“The hell you can, old man.” A strident voice brought all of their heads around. A big guy the size of her dad came strolling up to them, reaching out to shake Shelby’s hand. “Call me Megadeth. I’m a friend of Colt’s. He helped save a very important person in my life and take down two terrorists. I owe him.”
His handshake nearly broke bones in her hand. “You’re with Rock Star Security, I take it?”
He gave her a nod. “I’m the staff doctor. Finishing up my residency. I happened to be in New Orleans for a conference and the boss sent me to evaluate your current physical state after your coma. Looks like Colton needs me worse than you do.”
Nickelback’s lips twitched. “You gonna just bust into the surgical suite and take over?”
The man shrugged as if it were no big deal. “B updated me right before I got here. Said this serial killer of yours is closing in. A lot of things can go wrong in surgery.”
Shelby’s stomach turned over. “Then you better get in there.”
He handed her a heavy cell phone. “Our boss will be calling you on this secure line. The phone is programed with your fingerprint as the passcode, thanks to our tech specialist. Don’t ask me how he did it, I’m just the messenger. Take the call. Don’t lose the phone.”
He was big, but he moved fast. Before she could respond, he took off for the double doors of the operating rooms.
Zeb started walking too. “Looks like I’m on Connor and Sabrina duty. Nickelback, you stay here with the girls.”
Jaya lit up at that. “Megadeth, Nickelback…what is it with you guys and the code names? It’s all so James Bondish.”
The dark, intense stare of the new bodyguard locked on her. “There are people out there who would like to see us dead or at least locked away in a place where we’d never see the sun again. For your protection and ours, we keep our identities a secret.”
If he thought the steely look would make Jaya back down, he was sadly mistaken. She raised her chin and Shelby saw the fascination in her bold return stare. “You don’t look like a Nickelback. More like Enrique Iglesias with, you know, an edgier edge.”
He tried hard not to laugh, but Shelby saw the twitch that told her it was taking everything in him not to engage in this little verbal sparring. He wanted to—boy, did he—but he was controlled, careful. “Let’s get you ladies to the waiting room.”
Salisbury wagged at him and Jaya winked at Shelby. She took Shelby’s arm and they started slowly back toward the tiny room.
“You always did love to play with sharks,” Shelby said under her breath.
Jaya laughed softly. “Makes two of us, sister.”