SUNDAY. AEGIS GROUP Safe House, Seattle, Washington.

Jay pulled his SUV up behind another one of the flashy news vans.

Wasn’t this fun?

He grinned and tugged the baseball cap lower.

After a night of no sleep, switching cars, aimless driving, he’d hit on a hot tip.

Someone knew where his girls were, and they were talking.

Ten or so years ago Jay had traded fake business cards with some journalists. At the time it had amused him to talk tips with the people reporting on his trophies, knowing they were clueless about Jay’s involvement thanks to the City Council President. He really owed Elijah Hunt a debt of gratitude there. He’d taken the heat off Jay for twenty years.

Today those journalist connections were paying off.

Someone had shared the location of Elijah Hunt’s missing daughter. The whispers were that it was from the same source who’d said that a twenty-year-old cold case might be wrapped up yesterday. Could they be connected?

Jay had laughed when he read the chatter. This was too damn perfect.

He gathered the tools of his pretend trade and got out.

Most of those taking up sidewalk space were from TV stations, but there were a fair amount of other people milling between the camera setups.

Jay strolled toward the first cluster of crew and talent.

When he’d picked Megan, her father had factored into the picture.

Elijah Hunt had taken the spotlight off Jay, just like some pompous big wigs had taken it from Mom and made their lives hell. When Jay killed Megan, they wouldn’t be able to keep it quiet any longer, and then people would know about Jay.

Well, not his name. That wasn’t the plan.

He’d never forget waiting for his flight home and passing people reading about him in the newspapers. Those big, bold headlines.

It was the attention he wanted. That was his due.

Jay was going to become an even bigger star than his mother.

“What’s going on?” Jay pasted on a smile and edged his way into the group.

A dark skinned man with a pair of headphones around his neck turned toward Jay. “We’re considering placing a bet on how fast it takes Elijah Hunt to show up. Want in?”

“What’s the pot at?”

Jay listened to the banter. Most of these guys were crew, behind-the-scenes guys. They shot the bull for another few minutes before the conversation lulled.

“Has anyone come out of the house?” Jay asked.

“Nah,” the guy with headphones said.

“That asshole from the cable network went through the back yard earlier, then ran out. We caught a glimpse of some big, scary bodyguard type dude, but that’s it,” a guy holding a digital video camera said.

“Damn.” Jay sighed.

His girls were not going to enjoy this attention.

Megan did everything possible to stay away from her parents. Her dad was the ham, not her.

Bethany was extremely careful about how much information she put out into the universe. She lived in fear of her family and ex-boyfriend finding her.

Faith was still dodging her husband. In fact, Jay was fairly certain even the other women didn’t know she was still married.

All three were hiding reasons to stay out of the spotlight.

If they drew too much more attention, they’d run. Their survival instincts would kick in and it wouldn’t matter how many bodyguards or locked doors they had, they’d run. It was the same every time.

“Anyone walked the block? Tried to get a better angle or a neighbor to talk?” Jay asked.

“Not that I know of,” the guy with the head phones said.

“I think I’ll give it a try.” Jay turned and strode down the sidewalk.

They were in that house, but with all those eyes on it they were inaccessible to him. He was going to have to flush them out somehow.

There was only one thing they all three collectively feared. Right now Megan was the only one dealing with her identity made public. The other two women were unknown to the media.

He rolled his developing plan around in his mind as he made the circuit of the block and back to his group of behind-the-scenes guys.

“Hey, did you hear about the new theory?” he said, breaking into the conversation.

“No, what’s that?” the guy with the headphones turned toward him.

“I’ve got a guy in records who has been helping that detective out. He’s pulling all the old Triple Threat files.” Jay tucked his chin and lifted his brows. “I also heard Megan Hunt’s two roommates are being kept here as possible targets of the same guy.”

“Wow, wow, wow.” The camera guy held up his hand. “Yesterday they were saying a high profile cold case was close to being solved.”

“Doesn’t get more high profile than the Triple Threat,” Headphones agreed.

“How credible is your source?” Camera asked.

“As credible as an off-the-record source can be.” Jay shrugged.

The vibe changed instantly. This was a lead they’d all want to break first, the question was—who’d do it? Who would go live and say those kinds of things without evidence?

The camera man was the first to turn, but once he headed toward his talent, the others scattered.

This was it.

Jay tucked his hat down lower and turned toward his SUV. His work here was done, now to sit, wait and see where the girls bolted to.

THE PIZZA SAT COLD on the plate. Bethany couldn’t touch it. She couldn’t take her eyes off the TV. Every hour it seemed this nightmare only got worse.

Wasn’t this what Kyle was supposed to protect them from? All of this?

The bedroom door opened and Faith stepped in. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and changed into jeans and a tank top.

“Is my dad gone?” Megan asked. She sounded tired. Exhausted. The only good thing was that her fluids were good, and she was getting stronger. The rest would take time.

“Yeah, he finally left. I thought Kyle was going to let him in for a minute there, but he held his ground.” Faith took up her spot on the edge of the bed.

“Fucking asshole,” Megan muttered. “He doesn’t give two shits about me, you know? It’s all about how he can use this to further his career. Make himself look better. He wants to be Mayor next, you know?”

Bethany and Faith shared a look. Since they’d discovered who Megan’s family was, she’d opened the floodgates and informed them about all the interesting details. Her father’s mistresses. Her mother’s stints in rehab. The dirty doings that happened behind the scenes. Bethany couldn’t imagine what it’d been like growing up in that world.

“How’s it look out there?” Bethany asked to change the subject. She didn’t want to peak outside. If she looked, it would be real.

“Crowded.” Faith grimaced.

The commercial ended and the news anchor reappeared.

“This hour we’ve got more about the return of the Triple Threat Serial Killer and his intended targets, Megan, Bethany and Faith. Stay tuned.”

“What?” Megan screeched.

Bethany stared at the big, block letters.

“They know my name? They know my name. Oh, my God.” Faith pushed to her feet and began pacing.

“When did they make that connection?” Bethany swallowed.

Up until now the coverage was about the heroic rescue of Megan by Seattle’s finest. There wasn’t a shred of truth behind what was presented as fact, and none of them cared. The lies hid them.

“This is all my dad’s fault,” Megan said. “I fucking hate him.”

“This is your fault. You should have told us,” Faith snapped. “You should have told us who your family was. What they’d do. I can’t—he can’t find me. I can’t go through that again.”

“Really? Just me? Not you, too?” Megan’s laser glare focused on Faith.

“Megan—stop. Faith—take a breath, please?” Bethany didn’t know which roommate to go to first.

Faith paced, her hands fluttering at her side. Her usually pale complexion was ashen and gray. Terrified.

Bethany had to do something to make this work. They hadn’t asked to be targets. Megan never wanted to be a victim. They all wanted their privacy and secrets, but that option was of the table.

“Guys. Our agreement when we moved in together was to cut the past out and move forward.” Bethany prayed they could hold it together. This was the strain Kyle had warned her about. “We promised we wouldn’t ask questions about our pasts. That was what we came into this friendship agreeing to. We can’t blame each other for that.”

“That’s when I thought we were all normal people. A politician’s daughter isn’t normal.” Faith glared at Megan.

“Chill out, guys. Come on, this isn’t the time to fight with each other,” Bethany pleaded.

“This hour we want to learn a little bit more about the daughter of the City Council President,” the newscaster said, breaking through the tension. “Bethany and Faith are supposedly at risk with their friend. We’ve asked friends and family to tell us a little about them.”

Friends and family...

Bethany’s heart beat in double time.

The closet was looking rather appealing right about now. Would anyone look for her there?

“Oh...no...” Faith’s voice cracked.

An image of a man Bethany had never seen before filled the screen. Whoever he was, the news crew had caught him behind the wheel of what looked like a car. Someone thrust a microphone in his face. From the bleary eyed look, he hadn’t been awake that long. His shirt was stained, and he had a beer can in the only hand they could see.

“What is your relation to Faith?” a man off camera asked.

“Turn it off,” Faith pleaded.

“She’s my wife,” the man said.

My wife.

Bethany blinked at the bearded man.

Faith was married?

But, she always had a new boyfriend. Boy toys she called them sometimes.

“What the hell?” Megan turned to look across the room.

Faith buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook, and she sobbed.

Bethany stared at her roommate and friend, the mixed emotions running through her. The knee jerk reaction was to pull away. Distance herself from this person she didn’t really know.

But hadn’t that been the point all along?

They’d wanted a fresh start. All of them. For reasons they hadn’t shared.

Bethany didn’t know why Faith had left her marriage like she had, but she could guess from the fearful response the image of her husband earned it hadn’t been a happy affair.

They were the family they’d chosen. They were supposed to be there for each other in their own, dysfunctional way.

“Turn it off.” Bethany climbed off the bed and crossed the room to wrap her arms around Faith.

“I’m the one who should have come clean?” Megan threw her hand at the screen. “You’re married to that.”

“Megan, not now.” Bethany glared right back. “Turn. It. Off.”

“No, I want to know what they’ll say about you.” Megan crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into the fluffy pillows.

This wasn’t right. None of it was. They’d each left a horrible situation and vowed to leave it in the past. This, their chosen family, was about moving forward not tearing each other down. This was fear at work. They’d all been scared of something and now they were cornered. The only option left was to get angry.

“Bethany Rossi’s family and boyfriend just want her home safe,” another journalist said as the screen jumped to a different location.

The shot of her parent’s house with her family and Anthony standing out front hit her like a punch to the gut. She clung to Faith, her knees going wobbly. The shot cut to a close up of Anthony’s too perfect face. Except he didn’t hardly look like the same man anymore.

He’d gained weight, filling out his cheeks. He hadn’t cut his hair lately, which was strange. His clothes were neat and ironed, no doubt thanks to Mom.

Was he still living in the garage apartment? The apartment that used to be theirs?

The camera panned to her parents. In the few years since she’d last seen them they’d aged. There were more lines on Mom’s face. Dad had lost a good deal of hair.

Anthony leaned into the shot, a microphone in hand and said, “We just want Bethany to come home safe.”

Those pale green eyes of his seemed to stare straight through the TV right at her.

Bethany shuddered and gulped.

She still had nightmares about those eyes locking on her late at night. Anthony presented the perfect picture to the world. He’d pretend to be a kind, caring boyfriend, but when it was just them he’d become a manipulative bastard. She’d spent years with him, buying into the idea that without his guidance she was nothing. He was the only person who could love her. No one else liked or cared for her the way he did.

So many lies.

“Beth? Bethany?” Kyle pounded on the bedroom door.

Faith must not have latched the door because it swung open and bounced off the wall.

Kyle took a step in and stared at the screen, his face grim.

“We just saw. I’m sorry,” he said.

“You let this get out?” Megan threw her hand toward the TV.

“No. None of our team has said anything,” Kyle said.

“Isn’t it obvious? Your family is the one who told them who we are.” Faith pulled out of Bethany’s arms. “This is all your fault.”

“No. No, Faith. It isn’t,” Bethany said. “We can’t think like that.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.” Faith took a step away from Bethany. “I can’t be here anymore.”

“Faith!”

Bethany reached for Faith, but she pushed Bethany away and fled the room. She followed, only to have Kyle block her path.

“Give her some space,” he whispered.

“She needs us,” Bethany said.

“Look, one of my best friends has had an estranged relationship with his wife—”

“This is different.”

“Maybe it is, but let me finish? Whatever Faith’s reasons were for leaving, she needs some space to work this out.” Kyle glanced over her shoulder to Megan. “You know what? I think Isaac’s girlfriend, Tanya, should join us for a bit.”

“Why?” Megan asked.

“She’s a therapist that specializes in dealing with trauma.”

Trauma.

Faith was one of those people who had bark and bite, but one image of her husband had sent her running to the corner, shaking like a leaf.

Bethany swallowed.

Whatever had happened to Faith, it was worse than she’d ever imagined. Bethany had always assumed that Faith’s problems couldn’t be that bad. She held it together so well. She laughed. She was outgoing and fun. There was always some new guy pining for her attention. Bethany had never considered that under all that, Faith was hiding some serious shit.

“How do they know about the Triple Threat connection?” Bethany asked.

“My guess is Roger. We know he tipped off the media when they went to the theater. It makes sense he’d let this slip, too.” Kyle stroked Bethany’s arms. “I’m going to get our two PIs, Ian and Travis, on looking into your families. Our priority is keeping you ladies safe, and that includes the people you’ve been avoiding.”

“What will PIs do for us?” Bethany didn’t understand what he was getting at.

“He wants to give us the foundation for a case against them,” Megan said.

“A case?” Bethany blinked up at Kyle.

His face changed, going a bit cold. “You want to keep these people out of your lives? You need leverage. Something to use against them.”

“I don’t want to attack my family.” Bethany took a step away from Kyle. All she really wanted was for her parents and sister to see that Anthony wasn’t God’s gift to everyone. She didn’t want to hurt them.

“I’m talking about Anthony,” Kyle said.

Bethany swallowed.

She wanted Anthony out of her life and far away from her family, but was she willing to go that far?

“I’d like for you to gather up your things. We’re going to move locations in about an hour,” he said.

“How? There’s a billion people out front?” Megan asked.

“We’re going through the back yard and across the neighbor’s property. They’re going to let us pull a SUV into their garage where we will load you all up. We will have one of our SUVs here leave as a distraction while we take you out a back entrance and to another safe house. This time we will not be sharing our location with the police.”

“What if he’s already found us?” Megan’s voice seemed to shrink.

Bethany didn’t have to guess who he was.

“That’s why we’re going to get you ladies out here,” Kyle said.

“What if this was what Roger wanted?” Bethany stared up at Kyle. “To use us as bait?”

“I can’t guess at why he did this, but I promise you we’ll keep all three of you safe, okay?”

“Then why include Roger at all? You could have kept us safe that way.” Bethany wrapped her arms around herself.

“The system doesn’t work that way,” Kyle said.

“The system is what’s trying to get us killed.” Bethany pulled away from Kyle.

He kept promising safety, and yet it was his decision to bring Roger here that put them at risk in the first place. Could she trust his judgment if that was what he’d do?

KYLE MENTALLY GATHERED up all the tension vibrating between him and Bethany then boxed it up.

This was why he thought getting involved with an asset was a bad idea. When it came to the tough moments, the personal nature of the relationship got in the way of the job. Unlike the others, he’d brought this complication with him and he wasn’t all that regretful about it. He still had to handle it like a proper Team Leader no matter what.

“It’s working. They’re all focused on Zain and Tanya leaving. Several are packing up. A few have already jumped in their cars,” Isaac said from the front of the house.

“Felix?” Kyle stepped out onto the back patio.

“Looks good over here.”

“Ryan, Vito? How’s our getaway car?” Kyle grabbed the two bags he’d be able to travel with. The bulk of the gear they’d brought with them would stay here until a support team could pick it up.

“Ready and waiting,” Ryan answered.

Kyle glanced over his shoulder at the three women. Faith had stopped shaking, but now she wouldn’t look at anyone. Megan glared at everything. And he didn’t like the hard line of Bethany’s lips. It didn’t bode well for later.

Focus.

Right now he had to get them out of here.

“Let’s go,” Kyle said.

Shane strode out ahead of the women to the ladder leaned up against the privacy fence. Another ladder waited for them on the other side.

Kyle kept pace with the ladies across the lush back yard.

No one spoke. Not to each other or him.

This was the way an op usually went when there were hiccups. Anytime things weren’t a simple get in and get out, there was always a period of strain that tested the boundaries for everyone.

“We have vacated the safe house,” Isaac said through the headset.

Kyle could hear the sliding glass doors in stereo.

“Copy that,” Zain said. “We’ll be outside of transmitting distance in about ten miles. I’ve got a caravan behind us.”

Shane scaled the ladder, hauling three bags with him. As soon as he was over Kyle tossed the bags he’d carried over, then climbed the wobbly thing himself. He skipped the ladder and leapt to the ground, drawing the first easy breath he’d taken since the news broke the story about the girls and their intended killer.

He understood Bethany holding him responsible. It made sense. And yet, it was a burden he didn’t deserve. It was the responsibility of being Team Leader. Even the unrealistic expectations were his to deliver.

“Megan’s coming over,” Isaac said.

Shane and Kyle braced either side of the ladder.

Megan’s head popped over and she frowned at the ladder.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said.

Despite the ordeal she’d been through, she made it over the fence with only a little assistance. It was clear from the way she winced that her feet were the biggest issue right now. Keeping her off them was their new objective.

“Faith’s coming over,” Isaac announced.

The blonde woman peered over the top of the fence. The change in her was the most drastic. She’d gone from cracking jokes and demanding answers to shaking worse than a leaf. Somehow she’d grown smaller and more frail.

“You’ve got this,” Kyle said.

“Give me your hand and put your leg over.” Shane offered her his left hand.

Together they coached her in crossing from one yard to the next.

“Shane, why don’t you help them into the garage?” Kyle nodded at Faith.

Megan might be in the worst shape, but Faith was going through something in her head that had her wound up worse than Megan.

“Bethany? You coming over?” Kyle called out.

“Here she comes,” Isaac said.

Kyle kept his hands on the ladder.

Bethany scaled their fence bridge like a pro with no more than a frown. He couldn’t help but notice the way she completely avoided looking at him. The chill coming off her was enough to give him freezer burn.

“Need a hand?” he asked as she made her descent.

“No, thank you.” Her tone was equally as frosty.

Kyle bit back his words.

They’d get to the new safe house and then he’d pull her aside and explain things.

No, he hadn’t wanted to bring Roger Blew in. The simple facts were he had to. They were on American soil and bound by American laws. They couldn’t impede an investigation, especially one that would protect the girls. None of them had any power over who the cops were investigating the matter.

Isaac and Felix tossed their gear over then climbed the fence. By the time they gathered up the bags, Shane, and the women were already in the garage.

“Trouble in paradise?” Isaac asked.

“Let’s load up and get out of here.” Kyle didn’t acknowledge Isaac’s quip. He enjoyed being a pain in the ass at times, for whatever reason.

They crossed the lawn without spying the home’s owners who knew what was going on. Likely they wanted as little to do with this as possible

Kyle stepped into the garage. The ladies stood by while Shane loaded the vehicle. They’d only be taking one SUV which meant it was going to be a tight fit.

While the others got the gear stowed, Kyle climbed behind the wheel. Usually this was Adam’s job, but with him gone for the moment Kyle needed this modicum of control. If the only way he got that was behind the wheel, then so be it. He’d take this drive and milk it for all he could get.

“How’s the street look?” Kyle asked.

“All clear,” Ryan responded.

“Your exit is clear, too,” Vito chimed in.

Kyle peered into the rearview mirror.

Bethany sat in the middle of the back row, her head down, still not looking at him.

“Opening the garage,” Felix announced.

He focused on the garage wall in front of him while the guys climbed in.

She was cornered and scared. That was all this was.

“Everyone buckled?” He shifted into reverse.

A chorus of yes answered him, but he couldn’t help but notice Bethany’s lips didn’t move.

“Let’s roll.” He pressed the accelerator, and the SUV coasted out to the road.

Vito and Ryan’s surveillance vehicles were conspicuous parked on the street the way they were, but the HOA knew who they belonged to.

“Cameras show the front of the house is clear,” Ryan offered.

With the media off their tail Kyle was fairly certain he could lose anyone else.

He got the SUV pointed toward the exit.

An hour or so of mindless driving and he could put everything straight. He knew he could.