CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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Remy let the screen door shut gently behind her before she quietly made her way across the back deck in her bare feet. The hardwood had lost its warmth earlier during the evening. It had to be going on eleven o’clock at night, but she needed to use her laptop which was currently at her private workstation located in the back of the operations outbuilding. She had no doubt that Brody was still out there pounding away on his keyboard, and would be there until the wee hours of the morning burning up his eyes.
She contemplated brewing both of them a pot of coffee and then keeping him company, seeing as she would be picking up the slack while Ralph was recovering in the hospital. She needed a few hours to get caught up on what she’d missed this past week.
She paused midstride across the cold planks, thinking for a moment that maybe Brody wouldn’t want her companionship tonight. Nothing had been the same after that cosmic night they’d shared a kiss.
They also hadn’t spoken much after Brody had ignored her suggestion of driving to the office or returning to her apartment after leaving the hospital this afternoon. She still believed that her appearance would have absolutely caught David’s attention, but Brody had good reason to turn her down. She understood, but that didn’t mean she had to like hiding in the weeds like a scared little rabbit.
How simply could that scenario have gone? It could have been the exact bait they needed to bring this situation to an end. She had no doubt that David would have tried to hurt her, thus giving the agents of SSI the ability to take him out or put him into custody. It all came down to the fact that Brody had a very simple job to do…and that was to keep her safe and not place her in any compromising positions.
So here they were, back on Mr. Calvert’s high-security estate in Sorrento—where not ten minutes down the road David had been scouting out what he’d thought was the storefront headquarters of SSI. She couldn’t help but think about what Brody had said regarding the manner in which David could have gotten his hands on their general location and corporate information. Had someone intentionally given him information on SSI, or had he somehow managed to acquire it on his own?
Maybe Brody was right. It might be best for her to remain out of sight while her absence drove David over the edge, just crazy enough to prove to his caseworker and the review board that he needed to be locked away indefinitely. After all, Ralph had hired SSI to either prove or disprove that theory. All she had to do was be patient. David would hang himself if she just had the patience to feed him enough rope.
“The nights are getting cooler. You really should be wearing shoes or some sandals.”
It was a good thing Remy hadn’t been near the edge of the stairs leading down to the endless sea of grass surrounding the lake, because she would have certainly taken a tumble headfirst at the sound of the gruff voice breaking the night’s eerie silence. Even the bugs had sought out some cover this evening, remaining deep in the scrub brush away from the manicured grounds.
Remy spun around and was proud of her initial stay and fight response, instead of fleeing for the hills. She’d taken many self-defense classes over the last four years and was confident she could handle herself, but the size of the man appearing out of the shadows and into the bright light was alarming. The in-ground lighting only made his silhouette appear even that much more intimidating.
“I apologize for startling you,” the man said, though Remy was relatively sure he wasn’t sorry in the least. The tone of his voice signified he’d had damage done to his vocal cords at some point in his past, which certainly didn’t boost her assurance that his presence wasn’t a danger. “I didn’t mean to put you further on edge. I’m Townes Calvert. I hope you’re settled in and that Brody has been treating you well during your stay here on the compound.”
Remy wasn’t the type of woman to flush at the mere suggestion of inappropriateness, but she couldn’t stop her heart racing at the fact that Mr. Calvert might very well be aware of what had transpired several days ago. She forced herself to step forward, holding her arm out in gesture. His large hand enveloped hers without hesitation and made her wish she’d been dressed appropriately for such an introduction.
Brody was wearing off on her, and she wasn’t so sure that he was a good role model.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Calvert.” Their handshake was brief, though it did provide her with an opportunity to finally move forward enough so that his face was visible. His features weren’t what she’d expected, though she hoped she’d refrained from displaying her shock. “Brody has been wonderful, and I truly appreciate you allowing me to stay here while we figure out David’s next move.”
Remy internally winced upon realizing she shouldn’t have used David’s first name once again. Brody had been right, and she’d become far too attached to something akin to a fatal disease that could very well see her six feet under sooner rather than later.
“Call me Townes.” He gestured for her to proceed him down the stairs. “I’ll walk you over to Brody’s command center. I need to speak with him before I head out anyway.”
Remy was about to ask where Townes was going, but it wasn’t her business. She also wasn’t quite sure what else to say, so she remained quiet as she descended the wooden stairs. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it wasn’t long brown hair, a nose that had been broken enough times that it didn’t remotely resemble a straight line, nor a deep two-inch scar that had healed long ago but was still quite visible on the man’s jawline. Add in what appeared to be a large, black-inked tattoo on the man’s neck, and she might have said he’d make the perfect undercover narc. After catching a glimpse of his appearance, it wasn’t nearly so surprising to discover that his silhouette hadn’t exaggerated the width of his shoulders.
Townes Calvert was physically intimidating, though Remy had a sense that he preferred to be underestimated by his opponents. Would that even be possible?
“Mr. Forsythe is holding his own this evening.” Townes informed her when they’d reached the halfway mark between the house and the garage, which contained a number of workspaces in the back of the large outbuilding, one of which Brody was currently using as his office. She’d forgotten about Townes’ connection with Ralph with all the concern they’d undergone today. “They’ll keep him admitted for another few days, but it appears he’ll be released to go home by the end of the week.”
“I’m sorry about this whole situation,” Remy offered genuinely, casting a quick look his way.
Townes was wearing a pair of jeans with a pullover shirt that emphasized the size of his massive shoulders. Wherever he was going to in the next few moments, it was apparent he wanted to make an impression—a dangerous one.
The chain connecting his wallet to his belt buckle was a nice added touch. It provided a particular shifting sound similar to the swish of medieval chainmail she’d heard at a renaissance fair. She found herself picturing him in the same type of outfit as well, slaying dragons for damsels in distress.
Her thoughts went to Ralph’s son, who had died a war hero. Though she’d never met Philip Forsythe personally, she had heard enough stories about him to know that he and Townes couldn’t have been further apart on the personality scale.
“I understand that you and Philip served together in the Marines.”
“We did, though I haven’t spoken to either of Phillip’s parents since his funeral,” Townes shared, causing Remy to wonder how Ralph had even known that Mr. Calvert had such an agency that would be of help to her. She didn’t have to speculate for long. “I did send a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Forsythe upon my arrival here in Florida to let them know I was around should they need anything. I imagine losing a child is the worst grief an individual can experience. It was the least I could to let them know I was here for them, and I’m quite pleased Mr. Forsythe reached out.”
Townes came across as if what he’d done was an everyday occurrence, though Remy figured it was rare for someone to reach out to a fallen Marine’s family after so many years. Her respect for him began to grow by leaps and bounds.
Remy would have liked to have spoken a little longer with Townes, but they’d arrived at the door to the outbuilding. He’d already reached for the handle before she could, his gallant gesture telling her he’d been raised to have manners. She murmured her thanks before stepping inside, taken aback by the warmth inside the room.
She spotted Brody immediately on the stool he’d taken to using lately, though his attention was rapt on the numerous monitors in front of him. He was speaking with someone on the phone while also pecking away at the keys to his computer. The whiskers he’d shaved off were returning, and the growth gave him somewhat of a dangerous sex appeal.
Yes, it was easy to see how Brody fit in with Townes’ team.
“No, you’re to stay in Colorado then.” Brody immediately reached for a pen and started to scribble something on a notepad, which he then held out for Townes to take with scarred fingers. Was his entire body filled with such old injuries? “We’ll handle things here, and then I might be able to swing out that way to help once we get this Varan situation taken care of.”
Remy wasn’t expecting the piercing shot of fear to stab her in the stomach upon hearing Brody’s words. She gave herself something to do by walking over to the coffee pot and pouring the ground beans into the white filter. She ignored the fact that her fingers were trembling. He made it sound as if David would eventually be put away for life or worse. He’d asked her once what she would do when that happened, and the truth of the matter was…she didn’t have any idea.
“Varan has no idea this property even exists.” Townes had once again startled her, causing her to glance down to see what kind of shoes he was wearing. They appeared to be the same brown, rough side out, leather combat boots that had been seen on every television news channel during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. How could someone so large approach so quietly? “You’re safer here than anywhere else. The grounds are designed specifically for that purpose.”
Townes must have noticed her discomfort and misunderstood the reason why. Remy didn’t want Brody leaving, and that gave her pause. It wasn’t like she would have anything to worry about should David finally be locked away. Why, then, did the thought of being alone no longer appeal to her?
Remy shook off that question, because it wasn’t what she should be asking herself. She loved being alone. It provided her time to focus on her work. Besides, she still did things with Susan, as well as attending dinner at least twice a month with Ralph and Julia. She wasn’t lonely. Her life worked for her and not everyone needed to understand it.
“I appreciate that,” Remy said, hitting the brew button on the coffee maker. She looked over her shoulder to find Brody watching her intently, and she had a feeling he identified the real reason she was so tense. She offered him a smile to redirect his thoughts. “Going to Colorado?”
“Maybe,” Brody answered, erring on the side of caution. His dark gaze narrowed slightly before focusing on Townes. “Coen might have run into some additional problems, but I don’t think it’s anything he can’t handle.”
“You don’t believe these new barriers have anything to do with Moss?” Townes inquired, reading over the note Brody had handed over to him upon entering the office. He didn’t seem too concerned about it, but he still ripped the piece of paper off before walking back over to Brody and handing him the notepad. “I have access to another agency out that way should we need our specific type of reinforcements.”
“What occurred last night isn’t Moss’ style. Coen has it covered for now, so no outside reinforcements are needed at this time.” Brody stood and pushed back his stool before stretching his back muscles. Remy bit her lip to keep from asking about David’s whereabouts, figuring Brody would have told her if he’d returned to the Park Plaza Hotel. She’d learned long ago that the world didn’t stop turning because of the distractions in her life. “I take it the two of you made self-introductions?”
“Yes, though I did advise Ms. Kinkaid that she should wear shoes when walking through the yard. One never knows what’s hiding out there in those blades of grass under her feet once the sun goes down.” The warning was meant to encompass a lot more than snakes and insects. She instinctively shivered as the forewarning settled over her. “Does Keane still have Varan in his sights?”
“Yes,” Brody replied, gesturing toward one of his screens. “Varan has been with his mother for the last two hours. He hasn’t checked out of the Park Plaza Hotel, though his stay was rather unproductive.”
“Let me guess,” Townes said rather dryly. “An anonymous call was made to the manager indicating there was quite a lot of noise coming from a particular room.”
Remy thought maybe she’d heard wrong, but not according to the knowing smile that crossed Brody’s lips. She couldn’t remain silent any longer and took a step toward them.
“What did the manager find?”
“Nothing besides a brown duffle bag of clothes,” Brody disclosed, once again watching her closely. Remy couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed. She’d been hoping for something to use against Varan to take to his caseworker. “I might have read the report the manager submitted in answer to the complaint. Now I’m beginning to wonder if Varan didn’t stay at that particular hotel to try and get a rise out of you, Remy.”
“Then I’ll leave you and Keane to do your thing.” Townes nodded in Remy’s direction before turning on the heel of his brown leather boot. She wiggled her toes and reminded herself that maybe she should run back up to the house to get some shoes, but thought better of it. She didn’t feel like walking through the grass again. “You know how to reach me.”
“Where is he going this late at night?” Remy asked after Townes had left the building. “Didn’t he just come home?”
“Calvert is taking up Keane’s surveillance of a subject related to the Moss case.” Brody didn’t seem too surprised when a loud rumble signifying a motorcycle cut through the air. He waited until the reverberations faded before continuing, but she sure as hell hadn’t been prepared for what he said next. “I think it’s time we talked about what happened the other night, don’t you?”
*
He stared at his mother…so angelic, so pure. She smiled at him before she took another sip of her tea.
She had never been a target like those women he’d set free. She never dressed provocatively, slathered makeup on her face to appear like an available whore, or walked in a suggestive manner to attract the demon.
No.
His mother was truly innocent.
Sitting here with her only reminded him that his job wasn’t done. That particular voice was louder than usual, yelling at him for sitting here like nothing was wrong. Didn’t it understand that he had to make certain appearances in case someone was watching him? He would have taken a fist to his temple to quiet the speaker, but his mother was watching. He would never say or do anything to worry her little mind.
He used his fingers to press against the side of his head, but it was of no use. The voice was only becoming louder. He could no longer wait.
It was time to seek out the demon, wherever it might be hiding.
“Mother, I have to go now. I have very important things to do.”