Page 69 of Defenseless
“With Sabina and Kara testing the equipment, what’s your plan?” Hunter asked him.
“Ava got a picture of Vitor from some camera feed. I’m going to see if I can chase down who he worked for,” Chad answered. He was better at tracking people physically than electronically, but he wasn’t a slouch, either.
“And you, Ethan?” Stella asked.
“We studied some of the big crime families in the police academy. I’m sure the information we had wasn’t as in-depth as what HICC has access to. I thought I’d start looking into a few of those,” he answered.
“That’s a big pond to wade into,” Hunter pointed out.
Ethan nodded. “But Sabina found her father by tracing his movements. I thought I’d trace Jacobs’s movements in the past few years and see if there are any crossovers with the key players of the families. It’s possible that everything was done over the phone or computer. A lot of those people are old-school, though, and I’d bet at some point, they met in person. Itisa big pond, but if I don’t drop a line in, I definitely won’t catch anything.” He paused and looked at his new bosses. “Unless there’s something else you think I should be doing? If so, I’m happy to do that,” he said, looking at Stella and Hunter before glancing at Chad.
“No,” Stella said. “That sounds like a good plan. As you say, it might net us nothing or it might net us something, and we won’t know unless we try. If we can tie Jacobs to a specific family, it will make it easier to track his illicit activities.”
Beside him, Ethan let out a quiet breath, and Chad fought back a smile. His cousin might appear the epitome of calm and confident, but it was nice to know he was human.
“That’s it then, folks. Sabina, Kara, let us know if you need anything,” Stella said, rising from her seat. “Lunch should be in the kitchen in a few minutes if you want to grab something before you head down to the equipment lab. Chad, you can show Ethan around.”
“I’m going back to my office to prepare a few more talking points,” Tess said. “I’ll expect you all there around half-past two,” she said, sweeping her gaze over the sisters as well as him and Ethan.
A few minutes later, the room was empty except for him and his cousin. It was hard to believe that this thing was almost over. In some ways, this hunt had only started a few days ago—a quick op as ops went. But to Chad’s way of thinking, it had been going on for years. Years that Kara and Sabina had to hide who they really were. Years that they lived with questions that had no answers. Years that they kept their distance from everyone they cared about, including each other.
All of that was almost over.
“Let’s get ready for the final curtain,” Ethan said.
Chad grinned. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
It wasfive o’clock by the time they walked out of Tess’s law firm. The press conference had run for forty-five minutes, but they’d spent some time going over the plan for the next day. Tess, Ethan, and Chad would accompany the women to Jacobs’s office, although knowing it would stifle Jacobs, none would participate in the meeting. Chad hated the idea of not being in the room with Sabina, but he wanted her to have this moment. He wanted her to have this chance to confront the man who had changed the course of her life.
He held Sabina’s hand tight in his as they made their way to the parking garage where the HICC vehicle they’d borrowed was parked. The K Street Corridor was starting to let out, and men and women in suits were beginning to fill the streets.
Ethan and Kara had opted to walk back to the hotel and planned to stop somewhere along the way for a drink. Chad suspected a drink would turn into dinner, and it was up in the air whether they’d invite him and Sabina to join.
“Will you miss this?” he asked, watching several people in suits bustle down the street. Sabina had lived in DC for longer than he had. She didn’t live near K Street, but it was still her city. Once they eliminated the threat from Jacobs, she’d be able to come back. He didn’t think she’d want to. Not anymore. But a small part of him still couldn’t quite believe that everything he’d wanted was within his grasp. Nor was he certain that what he wanted was what she wanted. She wanted him, he didn’t doubt that. But staying in Mystery Lake, maybe marriage, maybe kids? They hadn’t really talked about that and, despite their two-year buildup to getting to where they were, it felt too soon to be discussing such things.
Beside him, Sabina shook her head, her strawberry blond hair swinging with the movement. “I loved my time in DC because I loved my work, and being in a city let me hide. But growing up, well, Lexington isn’t as big as you’d think. I was part of the community there. I knew families and businesses and which Little League team won the championship. I miss that.”
His hand squeezed hers. “And you think Mystery Lake will be enough for you?”
She paused then drew him to the edge of the sidewalk close to a building. Surprising him, she then dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. He didn’t hesitate to respond, and his arms came around her and he hugged her tight.
After a beat, she pulled back enough to look him in the eye, but their bodies were still touching. “Mystery Lake is everything I ever wanted and never thought I’d have. Provided that you’re part of it. I get to have work I love, a man I love, a community I can be a part of, and a large extended family. Assuming the Warwicks take me in like I think they will. On top of all that, my sister is only five hours away and I will get to see her whenever, and as often as, I want.”
He stared down into her blue-green eyes and though it was too soon—or perhaps not soon enough—images of them together at his house danced through his head. Quiet nights with the two of them, family nights with the extended Warwick clan, barbecues, birthday parties, and, maybe someday, kids running in the yard. There might even be a dog or two.
“It’s everything I ever wanted and didn’t think I’d ever have, too,” he said. “Don’t think for a second that I ever plan to not be a part of that with you.”
“Good,” she said, then smiled and tipped her head up. Obligingly, he lowered his and kissed her.
He was starting to think it would be a good thing if Ethan and Kara didn’t call when a throat cleared to his left. With an annoyed huff, Chad drew back. Really, it wasn’t as if they were playing tonsil hockey on the street, and so what if they were? He made a face at Sabina, making her smile, then turned to the source of the disruption.
Instinct had him reacting and in a flash, he was standing between Sabina and the person who’d interrupted them. In front of him was not a man annoyed at two adults sharing a kiss on the street. No, this man had come looking for them. Forher.
Chad scraped his gaze over the intruder, taking in every detail and wishing he had enough time to reach for his weapon.
“Yes?” Chad snapped. Though dressed in a suit, the man was not someone he’d underestimate. He was skilled enough in hand-to-hand and, if needed, he could at least hold him off long enough for Sabina to get away. But judging by the cold steel in his eyes and the dark energy radiating from his lean six-foot-five body, Chad wasn’t sure it was a fight he’d ultimately win. The only good news Chad could see was that he didn’t seem to have a weapon either.
