Page 41 of Second Chance Savior

Hodge and I went into the kitchen, where he took a gallon of milk from the fridge. “She’s not a fan of yours, is she?” he asked.

“It’s complicated.”

“I have no doubt. Most people in danger, when someone rescues them, cling to their protector with everything they’ve got. Ms. McKinley is doing nothing but push you away. So either you fucked up royally, or there’s a history there. Something more than just whatever went down tonight.”

“Stop being so observant.”

“Don’t like getting a taste of your own medicine, Rubicon?”

I shook my head. “No, I really don’t.”

He laughed. “You ready to start talking?”

“Depends on how much you wanna know.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what I’ve gathered, based on the news and now seeing you here.”

Hodge took a mug from the cupboard, poured milk into it, and added a squirt of honey from a bottle.

“They’re saying it was an attack on a charity event. Several people shot and killed. I know we’ve been kidding around a bit, but it sounds beyond serious. Breaking news on every network.”

“Did they mention Charlotte?”

“No, not specifically. No names released yet. But I already figured out she was there. You also wanted me to look out forher earlier, which tells me you had either forewarning or suspicions that she could be at risk. This attack was targeting her? You helped her escape?”

I nodded. I chose not to tell him specifics about Stillwater. The more Hodge knew, the worse for him. “I got word last night that there was a threat on her life, and the intel said it would happen sometime in the next few days.” I chewed my lip. “Clearly, they didn’t want to wait around.”

Made sense, given the contest between the Stillwater lieutenants for the bounty their bosses had offered up. It was sick.

“Then why didn’t you go straight to the authorities once you’d gotten the lieutenant governor to safety? Are they compromised?”

“The group that wants to harm Charlotte is extremely powerful. Ties to police. Politicians. We have no idea how far it goes.”

“Wonderful.” Hodge braced his hands on the counter. “And you decided to share that with me? How’d I get so lucky?”

“I’m pretty sure you still owe me a few favors.”

He scoffed. “As I remember it, I am always the one doing favors for your ass.”

“Do you need me to bring up what happened in Yemen?” I rubbed my lower back. “My spine still isn’t the same after lugging your ass for eleven miles.”

“Never gonna let that go, are you?”

“Never.”

We smiled as Hodge stuck the milk in the microwave.

“Look,” I said, “this situation heated up a little faster than I’d hoped, and I’m sorry about that.” I had planned out an escape from the botanic gardens ahead of time, just in case. But I hadn’t had time to lay out detailed groundwork for being on the run. “I don’t intend to put your family at risk. Ican promise you I wasn’t followed here. It’ll take the Feds, or anyone else who’s looking, several days to connect you to me. I can’t promise that no one will come knocking on your door. But I intend to be long gone by then.”

“You know I was just bullshitting about turning you away. I’d never do that. Not in a million fucking years. Yemen or no Yemen.”

“Yeah. I know.” That was why I hadn’t hesitated to come here. Once a Team Guy, always a Team Guy. You could take the man out of the SEALs…

“I’m here for my brothers,” Hodge said. “You would do the same for me. Maybe you will someday. So, what exactly do you need?”

“Just a place to keep Charlie out of sight for the night. We’ll be out of your hair in the morning.”

The shower switched off. Hodge glanced toward the bathroom. “If you’re up against the kinds of forces it sounds like, you won’t clear this up overnight. A woman like her lives in the public eye. Someone’s going to recognize her, especially if they start flashing her photo on TV, and you can’t keep her locked up in a trunk the whole time.”

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