Forgotten Sins

Chapter 27

Determination animated Josie as she hustled through the station and into the waiting room, where she stopped short.

Tom jumped out of an orange chair. Daniel slid to his feet slowly.

Josie shook her head. “Tom? Dan? What are you doing here?”

Tom glared at the detective. “We stopped by the hospital to see you, and the on-duty nurse told us you’d left with a detective.” The outside door opened and a curvaceous woman in tweed clicked Jimmy Choos toward them. “Ah. Here’s my lawyer,” he said with satisfaction.

The lawyer stood eye to eye with Malloy. “Jennifer Daly from Thymes, Witherspoon, and Craft.” She shuffled muscular calves, handing him a cream-colored business card. “Did you read my client her rights?”

“Nope.” Malloy slid the card into his jacket pocket. “She’s not under arrest and was free to go at any time.”

Josie stiffened. “I don’t need a lawyer. We were just finishing the paperwork.”

Malloy smiled at the lawyer. “Yep. Sorry to waste your time, ma’am.”

Tom slid his arm around Josie’s shoulders. “I’ll taking you home, Josie.” He tugged her gently toward the door.

“Call me if you need anything, Mrs. Dean,” Malloy said behind her.

Warmth filtered through Josie’s stomach as they hurried outside into pure late-fall sunshine. Crisp and chilly. Her mind spun. Why were Tom and Daniel at the hospital? Were they going to try and save her from herself, too? She was a grown woman who knew what she wanted. Besides, she could always save herself if necessary. “How in the world did you afford a lawyer?”

Tom grinned. “That’s my client—the one who wants to invest in fast-food restaurants. She’s a lawyer.”

“Ah. The woman with the hands. I take it you flirted?”

Tom shrugged. “I’m still waiting for you.”

Sadness at what could’ve been caught Josie up short. Tom was a good guy who worked hard—who would’ve given his all to any relationship. He’d be a fantastic husband and an even better father to kids—and he’d be safe. No danger courted him. But her heart had gone another way. She smiled. “Thank you for coming.”

Tom led her to his truck, opening the door for her. “Of course. I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner.”

Josie hesitated and then pulled herself up into the seat.

Daniel jumped in beside her, and she scooted to the center.

Tom hustled around to climb into the driver’s seat. “Have you eaten?”

“No. I just want to go back to the hospital. Will you take me?” She knew what she was asking.

He started the ignition and pulled out of the lot. “No.”

“Our game is in an hour.” Daniel stretched his neck. “If she wants to go to the hospital, we should take her.”

Josie turned to him in surprise.

He shrugged. “I’ve been in love before. Yeah, it ended badly. But for a while there, I had fun.” A grin lifted his upper lift. “For a brief time, I even loosened up.”

“Yeah, right,” Tom muttered.

Josie sighed. “Tom, you can’t save me from myself, no matter how badly you want to.” The words sounded as stupid as they felt. But the truth was the truth.

Tom frowned, squinting at the rearview mirror. “Sure I can.”

Josie swiveled her head. “What are you looking at?”

“A van. A black van pulled out right after we did.” Tom shrugged. “Now I’m imagining cloak-and-dagger stuff.”

Daniel frowned, glancing in the rearview mirror. “It is keeping pace with us.”

The van followed, and dread heated the air in Josie’s lungs.

Shane forced the pain down, striding toward Matt’s Jeep in the hospital parking lot. “Did you get my blood samples?”

Matt nodded, jumping inside. “Yes. All of your records, as well. There’s no trace left of you here.”

“Good.” Shane edged inside, folding his arm over his aching midsection. The bullet hadn’t done any real damage, though he was still sore. In fact, his entire body hurt like a raw wound. “I need a vacation.”

Matt snorted. “You just spent a day in a bed. That’s all you get.” He started the ignition and pulled out of the lot. “Your memory is back?”

“Yes. Everything except for the last two years. The recent stuff should be coming back next.” Shane eyed the traffic. “The nurse said Josie left with Detective Malloy?” He’d called her cell phone several times, but she hadn’t answered. Hopefully she’d just forgotten to turn it on. Unease and anger ripped through his skin.

“Yep. You can’t blame the guy. Nothing is adding up for him.”

“All of it adds up except my part.” Shane grinned. “Poor detective.”

Matt frowned. “You don’t think Josie will tell him about us, do you?”

“No.” Loyalty coursed through his little wife. But she shouldn’t be facing the cop alone. Hell, she shouldn’t face anything alone.

“Neither do I.” Matt signaled and changed lanes. “Though I don’t like Malloy dragging her down to the station for questioning.”

“No. Though he seems like a pretty decent guy. My guess is he wanted to give her a chance to get the heck away from me.” Shane tensed, wincing at the sudden pain. “I’m taking her out of here tonight. We’re heading to the ranch in Montana.”

“You could come to Seattle, if you want.”

His brother would break every rule he’d created. “No. There’s a reason we’re all in different cities right now, Matt. You know it.” Time was drawing near. They’d make their move and take out the commander as well as his scientists. “Frankly, I’m surprised you’ve managed to keep Nate on the ranch these past four years.”

Matt shrugged. “I didn’t give him a choice. Of course, I’ve no doubt he’s been looking for Audrey and her deranged mother on his own.”

Yes. His love and the scientist who’d created them. “How are you sure he hasn’t found them?”

Matt cut his eyes to Shane. “Because they’d be dead.”

“So you want him still on the ranch?”

“No. He’s chomping to get back in the field. If you take Josie to Montana, then you can take over the intel during the final three months.” Matt signaled and changed lanes.

Nate deserved a time in the field since he’d been cooped up so long. Shane cleared his throat as his brother focused back on the road. “There’s something I’ve never asked.”

“Then don’t.”

His brother certainly knew how to cut to the chase. Yet it was time for answers. “Do you really think Audrey set Nathan and the blue team up? She seemed so kind to have engineered so many deaths.”

“I think so.” Matt’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“Why? Why would they do that?”

Matt shrugged. “Because they could? To get Nate back in line? To get us all back in line? Maybe to show us that there would never be a normal life, we’d never be truly free.”

“They had to know it would backfire.”

Buildings flew by as Matt accelerated. “I assume they thought Nate would attack the commander or try to escape—anything that would give them the excuse to kill him.”

Which was why they all were located at the base camp at the same time. “To motivate the rest of us. To show us the consequences.” As twisted as it sounded, the interpretation made sense. “They miscalculated.”

“Damn straight.”

Shane shifted his bruised body on the seat. “Nate is living to find Audrey. What happens when we finally catch up to her and the commander?”

“I don’t want to think about that.” Matt pulled around the corner and parked next to a deli. “Something to worry about on another day. Go get your wife. I’ll wait here.”

Shane nodded and jumped out of the Jeep.

Josie clutched her hands together, her gaze on the side mirror of Tom’s truck. “They’re still behind us.”

Tom tightened his jaw. “Okay. Let’s slow down and get a look at them.”

Panic caught Josie’s breath in her throat. The two men in the truck weren’t trained. An accountant and a construction worker… they couldn’t deal with the people Shane dealt with. She was about to get her friends killed. “No. Just get off the highway—hurry.” Had the commander found her?

Daniel shook his head. “We need to see who it is.”

Tom nodded. “Trust me.” He pulled into the right lane and slowed down.

The van wavered, and then sped up, coming abreast of their vehicle.

Josie cringed back into the seat, her eyes wide. A teenager drove the van, his cell phone to his ear. He sped up, and the logo for a local bread company shone on the side.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Josie huffed out a laugh, settling back into the seat. “I feel foolish.”

“See what Dean is doing to you?” Tom shook his head.

“Yes.” Though there was nothing wrong with being a little bit paranoid. That way nobody could sneak up on her. She doubted either man in the truck would appreciate that logic. “Please take me to the hospital.”

“You have to rethink your dependence on Shane.” Tom sighed. “Is there any chance you’d let me buy you lunch before you spend the entire day at the hospital?”

“No.” She turned a rueful smile on him. He was such a great guy… she needed to find someone for him. “I know you don’t understand, but I really need to be with Shane right now.”

“I do understand, Josie.” Tom reached beneath his seat.

Silver flashed.

Pain lanced across her skin as he slapped a cuff around her wrist, hooking it to a bar set between their seats.

“What the hell?” Fire ripped through Josie as she tried to yank free. “Are you kidding me?” First he had Shane arrested, now the man cuffed her? “Listen, moron. I am staying with my husband.” She yanked back, slamming her feet against the floor. Pain ripped through her shoulder. “Let me go.”

“I can’t.” Tom’s jaw hardened.

“Whoa. What the hell, man?” Daniel reached over her lap and tugged on the cuff, his eyes wide. “Let her the fuck go.”

Josie started. Hearing the mild accountant swear was almost as surprising as the handcuffs. Almost. She took a deep breath. Okay. “I appreciate you’re trying to save me from myself here.” Searching for reason, she calmed her voice. “But I’m not in danger, and I know what I’m doing.”

Tom’s teeth flashed in a parody of a smile. “You stupid bitch.”

Josie’s heartbeat sped up. Adrenaline ripped through her veins. “Excuse me?”

“Hey, wait a minute now. Knock it off,” Daniel hissed. “Let her go.”

“No.” Tom reached down alongside his door, grabbed a gun, and pointed it at Daniel. “Shut the hell up, Danny Boy. I don’t need your crap right now.”

Daniel exhaled. “Come on. We agreed we wouldn’t hurt her. Now let her go.”

They’d agreed? She swung her gaze to Daniel. “What’s going on?”

He shrugged, turning to look out the window.

She shifted her attention to Tom. Maybe she’d misread him. Could Tom be crazy? “Get out of here and run before the police catch you. And let me go.”

He chuckled. “No.”

Okay. She could reason with him. “I thought we were friends.”

The look he gave her chilled the blood in her veins. “No. We’ve never been friends. Don’t get me wrong.” He switched lanes, glancing in the rearview mirror before focusing on the road ahead. “I wouldn’t have minded fucking you.” He shrugged. “Though I guess I still might.”

Daniel gave a low groan. “Not this again. Leave her the hell alone.”

Yeah. She’d have to take him out. Josie levered back and kicked her feet toward his face.

“Stop it.” Tom slapped her feet back down without missing a beat. “I’ll knock you out. Don’t think for a second I won’t.”

She bit her lip. Confusing swirled through her brain. “I don’t understand. What do you think is going to happen between us?”

He blew out a breath. “You know, when I first saw you, I figured you for a dumb blonde. Turns out I was right.” The truck accelerated up the ramp to the interstate. “Do you really think I’ve been lusting after you this entire time? That I’m a guy who’d take ‘no’ from you and keep coming back for more?”

Muscles bunched in his forearms as he clutched the wheel. Why hadn’t she noticed how strong he was? How big? “No. I figured we were friends. That you were a nice guy in my building who enjoyed my company.” What the hell was he getting at?

“Damn, Josie.” He glanced at the side mirror and switched into the fast lane. “I’m not a nice guy—nor am I your friend.”

Her entire body stilled. As if frozen into an alert state. “What are you?”

Tom turned toward her, his brown eyes narrowing, and a smirk twisting his lips. “I’m a soldier, sweetheart. One who’s been looking for your husband for a very long time.”

She gasped, leaning closer to Daniel.

Tom laughed, the sound grating in the cab. “So is he. Good old Danny boy is one of my brothers, sweetheart. You think the Gray brothers are the only ones who can go undercover?”

Slowly, she turned her gaze toward Dan.

He grimaced and gave a short nod. “Sorry.”

She shook her head. They’d trapped her between them in the truck. “You’ve both been watching me? I mean, waiting for Shane to show up?”

Daniel slowly nodded. “We found you about five months ago. Our people put Tom and me in place as soon as possible. At some point, we figured Shane would come for you. At least we hoped he would.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“So he can come back home,” Daniel said quietly. “We have work to do.”

“Or so he can die.” Tom snarled. His hand shot out, his fist connecting with her jaw.

Stars exploded behind her eyes. Then darkness.