Page 115 of Call it Reckless

There was a sudden commotion at the door. “Sir, I need to ask you to stand back.”

“Don’t tell me to stand back. That’s my sister in there. I want to see her.”

I hurried to the door. To my surprise, it wasn’t just Chase, but Cam, Paige, and Zach all stood there, as well. Even Mac, who worked for Cam, was there, glaring at the agent blocking their path.

“They’re my family,” I explained. I moved around the agent guarding my door when he wouldn’t move until his boss gave him a nod.

“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.

Chase grabbed me for a hug, then held me at arms’ length, spinning me around as he ran his eyes over me.

“Are you okay? What the hell’s going on here?”

Cam pushed him aside and pulled me in for her own hug, followed by Paige and then Zach.

“Em wanted to come, but she stayed home with the kids,” Zach said. “We didn’t want to alarm them.”

Mac stood awkwardly beside him but nodded his head at me. “Glad to see you’re in one piece. You doing okay? Can we do anything to help?”

Cam smacked his chest with the back of her hand. “Of course, she is. Didn’t I tell you so?”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, mouthing the word “no” to me.

“How did you know something was going on?”

Cam looked at me in disbelief. “Seriously? Cars are everywhere in front of your house, then a patrol car speeds through town, and you don’t think people are going to talk?”

“Someone better start explaining themselves,” Chase demanded.

Reid stood behind me and rested his hands on my shoulders, squeezing gently. “Maybe we should all go to the kitchen.”

“Yes, I could definitely use some coffee,” Paige said.

Cam was already headed in that direction, and in seconds, I heard my cabinet doors being opened.

I started to follow, but Chase grabbed my hand. “Are you really okay? There’s something strange going on around here.”

“I’m fine. I’ve been here the entire evening, surrounded by the FBI, safe as could be.”

“But why are they here?

Shep Wilson waved to me by my front door, and I walked over after telling Chase I’d meet him in the kitchen.

“We’re going to leave you in peace. Just remember to say as little as possible, as we discussed.”

I swallowed hard. “I remember.” I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize Griff’s life.

I walked into the kitchen where Paige was pulling out anything she could find to snack on. Instead of coffee, Cam was making more of the hot chocolate mixture. Reid and Chase were having a low conversation in the corner, and Buddy was running back and forth between everyone, not a bit timid or upset about any of them. He really was a human litmus test.

“I need more mugs,” Cam called.

“In the top of the cabinet,” I answered. I started over, but Mac beat me to it. With his height, he easily pulled down several of my extra mugs.

“What was so hard about that?” He grinned at my sister. I would have warned him she hated to be teased, especially about her height, but the gleam in his eye suggested he already knew it and was goading her anyway.

Good luck to him.

Over the next hour, Reid and I took turns telling everyone what we could. We kept it simple, saying the FBI had sent backup in case they were needed after being alerted by the state police of Reid’s phone call to them. They set up at my house to make sure I was safe and to prevent me from going after Reid.

---