Chapter Six
A pier over from where The Ellen was docked, Nic swung his truck into a parking spot and killed the engine. “You’re not going to wait for backup, are you?”
Mel reached behind his seat for her gun case. “Would you, if it was your loved ones at risk?” Righting herself, she didn’t miss the clench of his jaw, teeth grinding loud enough to hear in the otherwise silent cab.
He opened the console between their seats and withdrew a Ka-Bar knife and Beretta. “Then I’m going in as your backup.”
The ex-Seal would be the best backup she could ask for, probably better than any she’d had in the Bureau. But she needed Nic’s cool, calm demeanor on the outside for an even more difficult task. Flipping open the gun case, she pulled out her Sig Sauer P220, then from under the foam, a box of ammunition and three magazines. “I’ve got Jamie on the inside,” she said. “I need you out here.”
Sirens echoed in the distance, their number and volume increasing. With that many people on board, multiple guests had no doubt called 9-1-1 as soon as the chaos had erupted.
“You need me coordinating with local authorities,” Nic surmised.
Yes, but that’d be a cakewalk compared to the other favor she needed. She took the knife and gun from him, adding it to her arsenal. And depriving him of their use against her. “I also need you to keep Aidan from coming on board.”
Nic slammed a hand against the steering wheel. “Dammit, Cruz! You just said there was no holding you back when your loved ones were at risk.” He jutted a finger toward the windshield, toward the twinkling lights of The Ellen glowing on the water. “That’s Aidan’s family in there. Jamie’s in there.”
“And Aidan’s the last adult Talley left out here.”
“I thought Danny was the designated survivor.”
“Danny’s on that ship.” Danny, who she hadn’t seen in over a week, who she hadn’t seen more than half the days of their relationship. All she’d wanted to do tonight was come home and kiss him, tell their family the good news, then figure out a way to see more of each other. Now, though, she faced the very real possibility of never seeing him again. Unless she resurrected her SAC face and got everyone in line. She pushed through the lump in her throat. “With the IRA involved, we can’t assume anyone on The Ellen is a survivor.”
Fear flashed in Nic’s icy blue eyes. He covered the reveal quickly, averting his gaze out to the water, but she’d seen it, and Mel wondered if she was asking more of Nic than to merely handle background searches, the authorities or Aidan. She was asking him to stand down, when she wouldn’t.
“I’ve got this, Dominic,” she said, squeezing his arm. “That’s my family in there. I’m not going to let anything happen to them, or anyone else on that ship.”
“Fine,” he said after a long pause, steely gaze swinging back to her. “I’ll try to keep Aidan on shore.”
That was the best any of them could hope for concerning Aidan. She reached into the inner pocket of the gun case and withdrew four comm devices, testing each as she spoke. “Aidan’s also the Bureau’s acting SAC here. You and he are two of the DOJ’s top-ranking officials in the area. I need you both to keep the local cops from doing anything stupid that jeopardizes more lives.”
“Good, that’ll give Aidan a target besides me.” Nic shoved his door open, gravel crunching beneath his feet as he stalked toward the back of the truck.
Mel tossed her case in the back behind the seats, collected her arsenal and followed. Standing, she stashed the extra mags in her pockets and hooked the knife sheath’s leather loop around her belt, the heavy counterweight comforting.
Nic stood at the side of the truck, rifling through the mounted toolbox. A few clanks and bangs later, he surfaced with a burner phone, another pistol and two loaded mags. “Commando up,” he said, holding them out to her.
She’d glimpsed twin bulges under his arms as they’d left the airport—a shoulder harness with two guns—plus the Beretta in the console, plus this one...
She narrowed her eyes. “How many firearms are you licensed to carry?”
“You’re no longer SAC. You don’t get to ask those questions anymore.”
After double-checking the safety, she tucked the extra gun in her back waistband along with the Beretta, cinched the extras mags tight with her belt, and paired one of the comm devices with the phone. She nestled the comm in her right ear, pocketed another and the phone, then handed two earpieces to Nic. “One for you, the other for Aidan. Radio as soon as you find anything or if the cops decide to storm the gates.”
“I’m not worried about the cops.”
And they were back to Aidan. She had one more lever to pull there. “The grandkids are at home tonight. Tell Aidan to stay onshore for them.” All the Talley grandchildren were at risk of losing their parents, of being made orphans tonight. Aidan had to stay alive if there was any hope of keeping them together and of surviving such a tragedy. “Katie will need him most of all, God forbid...” Mel couldn’t finish the sentence, and Nic looked similarly pained. Aidan’s niece and goddaughter was special to Aidan, and the perfect leverage for getting him in line.
Nic cleared his throat. “That might be the only thing that keeps him from going after Jamie.”
“Use it, if you have to.” She held out a hand to him. “Price, thank you.”
He clasped her wrist instead, the hold firm and sure. “Never a dull moment with this lot.”
“Welcome to the family.”