Page 31 of Cast in Shadow
Eventually, Aggie got off the bus at a regional rail station. She lurked around for a while but didn’t see any indication that she was being followed. Got something to eat. Played on her phone in the shadow of a large Ficus with an excellent view of the main entrance. Bided her time until rush hour, then blended into the wave moving toward the cars.
She boarded a train heading west and began to breathe easier when she saw the familiar landscape taking shape in the distance. The best place to hide was the place no one would ever look for her.
Home.
Chapter Fifteen
Zeke
She was good—he’d give her that. She knew how to blend in. How to be invisible.
Unfortunately for her, so did he. Plus, he had the added advantage of years of special forces experience. He could find and track anyone, anywhere.
The question he kept asking himself was, Is it worth it?
Several times throughout his pursuit, he thought about walking away—as much for her benefit as his. He understood her reticence about meeting with Charley. He certainly understood her distrust, though he didn’t know why she felt that way. Perhaps it had something to do with why she felt compelled to do what she did—namely, a general lack of faith in a broken system.
He knew what had planted the seed of distrust for him—the clusterfuck that had gotten him dishonorably discharged. The same one that might have gotten him executed for treason had he not accepted their offer—claim responsibility and they’d let him walk away quietly.
His gut knotted, just as it did every time he thought about the papers he’d signed. He wasn’t a traitor, not to his country, not to his team, not to anyone. And yet, he’d signed a confession that said he was.
The worst part was the look in his teammates’ eyes. The disappointment. The betrayal. He’d hoped they’d see the accusations for the shams they were. That they’d recognize the whole shitshow was another government fuckup. Another cover-up. God knew, they’d been on enough ops, burying shit together. They should have known better. Goddamn it, they should have known him better.
Zeke exhaled and shoved the pain back, stuffing it into the box he kept locked in the back of his mind. That part of his life was over. What was done was done. Harping on it wouldn’t change anything. He wasn’t a SEAL anymore. He was a tattooist who moonlighted as a mercenary, and at the moment, he was getting paid to find and deliver one clever, tiny female. A female who was growing more intriguing by the hour.
He returned his attention to the task at hand, looking up at the multimillion-dollar chalet and sighed, glad that she seemed to have decided to stay put for the time being. She’d really put him through his paces with the busses and the train and finally, the Uber that had brought her here.
Soft golden light flowed from walls made of glass, spilled over cantilevered decks, and disappeared into the dense forest.
It was a far cry from the hovel where she’d been living in Parryville, which he supposed was the point. Staying unpredictable was the most effective way to remain undetected and mobile. Perhaps she’d taken his words about patterns and habits to heart.
He made his rounds around the perimeter. The chalet was remote; there wasn’t another place for miles. One primary road in with two semi-concealed alternate routes along the back and sides. Strategically positioned as it was on the forested slope, it blended into the landscape and had a fantastic view of the surrounding area. The garage beneath the house held several cars, including a Range Rover and a Maybach.
A slight and unexpected pang of envy zipped through him. The isolated chalet was either the result of a wealthy recluse’s paranoia or a master strategist’s wet dream.
After watching and circling several times, Zeke was convinced she was the only person there. He made his way into the house on silent feet. He found her on a couch in a sunken living room, bare feet propped up on a glass coffee table. She was wearing a plush white robe, her hair wrapped up, turban-style, the ever-present laptop atop her thighs. She looked as if she’d just stepped out of a spa.
Given the size and amenities of the place, she just might have.
He stayed in the shadows, studying her reflection in the expanse of glass looking out over the mountainside. It took a full minute, maybe two, before her back stiffened and her eyes lifted, searching the glass.
Her body relaxed when she spotted his reflection, and then she exhaled heavily. Without turning around, she said, “I figured I had at least one night. You’re even better than I gave you credit for, and that’s saying something. Not many people exceed my expectations.”
Zeke stepped farther into the room, irrationally pleased by her praise. “If it helps, you made me work for it.”
“Well, I guess that’s something.”
She closed her laptop and shifted in her seat to face him. She looked weary. He was pretty wiped himself after chasing her all day and half the night. Tired and annoyed and oddly ... relieved to have caught up with her. She’d been a half-step ahead of him all day.
“I hope you know it’s not personal, Zeke.”
He nodded. His mind knew that, but based on the way his chest had loosened with her words, other parts of him didn’t.
Unnerved by the softness of her gaze, he glanced around. Took in the stone hearth, exposed beams, recessed lighting. “Nice place.”
“It is, isn’t it? Private too.”
“One of your targets’ assets?”
