Blind Faith (30 page)

Audrey bit back a laugh. Lying to federal agents? If the guy only had a clue. “Thank you for your

concern, but I’ve told you everything I know.”

Agent Clacker sighed. “There’s one more thing the men had in common.” He slid another picture across

the table. “George Fairbanks had the same brand on his back—a much older brand—as Darian Hannah.

What does the brand mean?”

Audrey’s mind spun as she glanced at the PROTECT brand down George’s back, the edges blurry and

gray with age. “I have no idea.”

Farland’s phone rang, and he lifted it to his ear. “Yes.” He listened for several moments and then

clicked it shut. “Miss Madison, we’d like you to view your apartment to see if anything is out of order or

missing. The body has been removed.”

Her hands shook, so she slid them off the table to her lap. “Um, okay.”

Nate pushed back from the table, his chair protesting. “I’ll drive Miss Madison, and we will meet you

there.”

Audrey stood, the world morphing. Oh no. She gulped. Her mind spun. Nausea slammed into her.

Covering her mouth, she pushed by Nate to bolt from the room, barely making it to the bathroom before

she threw up her entire breakfast.

Heaving, tears in her eyes, she flushed the toilet and limped to the sink to wash out her mouth. She spit

and held her stomach, taking several deep breaths. She could handle this. Time to buck up.

Patting down her hair, she turned to head out of the bathroom so she could view a crime scene in her

own apartment.

* * *

asked again, weaving her car in and out of traffic as they entered Virginia.

“Yes. Morning sickness is normal.” Well, she’d probably thrown up because of the picture of a dead

body, but why admit that? She tugged on the seat belt to give her belly a break. “How did you get rid of the

FBI agents?” When she’d finally exited the restroom, only Nate had been waiting.

Nate grinned beneath the thick beard. “I told them they’d upset you and that I’d bring you to the crime

scene when you were good and ready. Then the senator pretty much kicked them out of the office. I like

that guy.”

“Me too.” Audrey glanced at her watch. “He better have gone to the budget meeting.”

Nate turned a corner and glanced in the rearview mirror of her compact. With his disguise, he barely fit

behind the wheel. “The senator said you’d be worried about the meeting and to let you know he left for it.”

“Good.” Audrey glanced at the storefronts outside the window. “This isn’t the fastest way to my

apartment.”

“I know.” Nate released her leg to press a button on his cell phone. “Matt?”

Something crackled over the speakerphone. “I see him,” Matt said. “Gray SUV, no plates. Two cars

behind you. I’m behind them in a white Escalade.”

Audrey gasped and started to turn around.

“No,” Nate said, bite in his tone. “Look forward and act normal. Matt? Can you tell how many men are

in the SUV?”

“Negative. The windows are tinted.” Matt swore, and a horn honked in the distance. “Freakin’ cabbies

can’t drive. Take the next left onto Wilson, and I’ll cut these guys off.”

Nate reached down and unbuttoned his jacket. “I’m not armed, Mattie. Just left the Senate building.”

“I know,” Matt returned.

Audrey glanced at Nate and opened the glove box, taking out a Glock 23. “I’m armed.” She released the

clip, tapped it against the side of the car, and slammed it home.

Nate’s left eyebrow lifted. “That’s my girl.” He eyed the console between them. “Any chance you have a

knife in there?”

“Um, no.” She tugged open the middle console. “Two pens, leather gloves, and a notepad.”

“Great.” Nate held out one arm. “Pull, will you?”

She nodded and yanked on the arm of the cheap suit. Between the two of them, they managed to get the

roomy jacket tossed into the backseat. Audrey peered closer at the rubbery suit covering Nate’s chest.

“What in the world?”

“Pretend fat.” He cranked the wheel to the left. “I’m leading them away from the public—we can’t

afford witnesses,” he muttered.

“Affirmative,” Matt responded through the phone. “Take a right on Jones and a left on Mayberry. I’ll

ram them into the fifth empty lot I see, and you head out.”

“We don’t know how many men are there,” Nate snarled.

“Doesn’t matter. Get Audrey to safety. I can handle anybody in the SUV.”

Audrey’s eyes widened as she watched the unmoving phone. “He sounds different when he’s giving

orders.”

“I know.” Nate glanced in the rearview mirror, obviously torn between loyalties.

Audrey grasped the gun. “I say we help Matt. Don’t worry, I’ll shoot if necessary.”

Nate eyed her and turned back to the road. “No.”

She gulped, her gaze searching outside at crumbling buildings and empty, littered lots. “I’ve never been

to this part of town. Where’s Shane, anyway?”

“Acquiring materials.” Nate jerked the wheel to the right and hit the accelerator. “Matt, we just passed a

lot that slopes down. If you hit them right, they’ll go spinning down and maybe out of sight. Keep going,

and we’ll rendezvous at Audrey’s apartment.”

“I’d rather chat with them and see what they want,” Matt said tersely.

Nate exhaled, his nostrils flaring. “Me too. But not without backup—one of
your
rules, Mattie.”

Matt muttered what sounded like expletives in German. Or maybe Russian.

Nate reached over and tugged on Audrey’s seat belt. “Face forward, relax your body, and get ready for

speed. I’m going to take a hard right, and then we’re going fast.”

Adrenaline flooded her bloodstream. She nodded and dug her nails into the armrest. “I’m ready—”

A rush of movement burst from an alley to the left, silver glittered, and a car smashed into them. The

screech of metal cutting into metal filled the air, and Audrey screamed. Momentum threw her head

sideways into the window, shattering glass. Pain radiated down her face and through her head. The world

fuzzed. Her seat belt tightened, holding firm and bruising her chest.

Nate swore and tried to control the car. The vehicle spun around, twirling.

Twin airbags exploded, sending dust flying. Audrey’s hit hers mid-center, shoving her back into the

seat. The gun flew out of her hand. One of their tires exploded as the car tipped up and over a curb.

“We’ve been hit,” Nate yelled to the phone, which had spun onto the floor. “Three men in a silver

SUV.”

Panic cleared Audrey’s vision, and her hands went instinctively to her abdomen. The baby.

The car finally stopped spinning, dropping onto flat tires with a hiss. Nate glanced down at the floor

and picked up the gun and the phone. Less than a second later, he’d kicked open his mangled door with

above-human strength. His unnatural bulk caught on the dented steering wheel and he shoved himself out,

already firing.

Calm. Determined. Cold.

No emotion, no wasted movements, no humanity.

Audrey gulped and smashed the now deflated airbag off her legs. Dust whirled around. She coughed,

her hands shaking as she tried to unbuckle her belt.

Nate would certainly put his body between her and bullets. She had to get out of the car. Now.

Return fire impacted the hood of the car. Fear rushed her movements. Crying, trying to see, she finally

unbuckled her belt. Hard and unyielding, her door hampered her efforts to get out. She had to get out.

Finally, her slapping hands found the knob, and she pushed open the door, instantly hitting the rocky

ground. Glass cut into her knee, but she stayed down and shut the door, crawling to the rear of the vehicle.

A black SUV jumped the curb, propelled by an even bigger Escalade. Two men jumped out of the SUV,

while Matt Dean barreled out of the Escalade, gun out and blazing.

She back-crawled down the side of her car toward the front.

Gunfire echoed all around her.

In the span of three more heartbeats, the world silenced.

Chapter 24

Nathan dropped the empty gun and surveyed the scene. A kill shot between the eyes had taken out the

first guy, and a bullet to the heart had stopped the second. The third guy, the one yelling directions at the

other two as he had hidden behind an open car door, had taken a bullet to the knee. He finally moved away

from the SUV, his eyes a wild black and filled with desperation. Not exactly someone trained in combat.

Good.

No emotion, no frantic thoughts zipped through Nate’s brain. Immediate calculations clicked through

his thoughts. One target, holding a Smith & Wesson Black Ops Spring Assist Knife. Two dead from his

hands, no threat there. Over to the left, Matt fought hand to hand with one man, while another bled out on a

pile of old newspapers.

Audrey’s heart beat rapidly from the other side of the car, and the baby’s kept pace.

With measured steps, Nate kept advancing on the wounded man. “I have one alive here,” he said loud

enough for Matt to hear. “Finish yours.”

A neck snapped with the finality of a quick death, and Nate didn’t bother looking. His brother wasn’t

even breathing heavily.

Only one survivor. That’s all Nate needed.

His heart rate remained calm and steady, and no emotion clouded his movements. Just as he’d been

trained. Quick as a snake, he kicked the knife out of the guy’s hand.

Blood slid down the guy’s face from a head wound probably sustained in the crash. Fury lit his black

eyes, and more blood matted his stringy blond hair to his head. “You’re dead,” he growled.

Nate struck for the gut, doubling the guy over. A kick to the injured knee, and the man went down,

dropping the knife. The blade imbedded in a discarded A&W Root Beer cup. Almost casually, Nate lifted

the phone to his ear and speed-dialed Shane.

“What?” Shane asked, chewing on something.

“How soon can you get a tow truck to the middle of Jackson Street outside of Arlington to the west?” he

asked, pressing his boot against the downed man’s jugular. The guy started to flop like a snake worshipper

about to sing in tongues.

“Fifteen.” Shane stopped chewing and started moving. “I’ll have to steal it.”

“Hurry.” Nate clicked off.

“You have any tape?” Matt called.

Nate pressed harder with the heel of his boot. “No.” He slid his foot free, leaving an imprint of his boot

swelling on the guy’s neck. Dropping to his haunches, Nate claimed the knife still stuck in the soda cup. He

stood and stabbed himself in the chest.

The guy screamed.

Nate smiled and drew the knife down through the fat suit. He couldn’t stand the heat any longer, finally

shucking the stupid thing. Cool air brushed his bare chest, and he nearly sighed in relief. “That’s better.”

With now-smooth movements, he dropped to his haunches, hand on the knife. He struck with a clean

swipe to the chin. Red spurted instantly. “Hello,” he said casually.

The guy’s dark eyes darted around frantically. His hands curled into fists on the dirty rocks.

“There’s nobody left but you.” Nate wiped the knife off on the man’s dark shirt. “Know why?”

The guy swallowed, his eyes filling. “No. Why?”

“You’re the guy in charge, right?” Nate ignored the sound of Matt opening and shutting SUV doors as

he searched for tape. “I heard you calling the shots.”

“Yes.” The guy looked over at his dead buddies, his face contorting in pain and fear.

Nate tapped the knife against the guy’s chest, regaining his attention. “What’s your name?”

“Jon.” He swallowed several times. “I have money. Anything you want. Don’t kill me.”

“How much money, Jon?” Nate opened his senses to the empty lots and abandoned buildings all around

them. No heartbeats, no cameras. A report of shots may have been called in, but the police wouldn’t arrive

to this area any time soon.

“Anything you want.” Jon eyed the knife. “Just don’t kill me.”

“Found duct tape,” Matt called out. “Not ideal, but it’ll do.”

Relief loosened the rigid muscles in Jon’s face. “You’re taking me hostage?”

“No.” Nate maneuvered the blade under Jon’s chin. “The tape isn’t for you.”

Fear scented the air. “What do you want?” Jon asked.

“I want to know why.” Nate didn’t see a need to expand.

“The woman.” Jon glanced at Audrey’s demolished car. “I’m supposed to get the woman.”

For the first time, anger pricked between Nate’s stoicism. “Why?”

Tears filled Jon’s eyes. “I can’t tell you.”

“Then I don’t need you alive.” Nate lifted a shoulder in a shrug and started to dig in with the knife.

“Wait!” Snot slid from Jon’s nose. “They’ll kill me if I say anything.”

“You have a more immediate threat to your life.” Nate saw no reason to lie. “I have no problem ending

you right now.”

Jon sniffed. “Okay. We were told to get the woman. She was with Darian Hannah when he died, and

she has information we want.”

Nate leaned down. “Information about what?”

“Beyond my pay grade, buddy.” Jon sighed, his body relaxing. “The people I’m with, they don’t share

everything. She knows something.”

Nate scraped the blade over Jon’s Adam’s apple. “Does her knowledge come from Darian or