Hidden Secrets (Garrett Investigation Book 1) (17 page)

“He’s on the mend now Abby, though I’d like you to keep an eye on him, please.”

“Yes certainly Malachy, but what about the cottage?”

“We’ll make sure it’s secure before we leave.”

“So what was the second?”

“Mr Truit is not to be trusted.  He is very dangerous, especially to Anastasia.”

“I’m able to look after myself you know Mal,” replied Ana.

“Better safe than sorry,” he said.

“Anastasia, he’s only thinking of your protection.”

“Humph.”

“The other problem is Truit has visitors.  Yuri reported in saying they were probably ex-marines; they all had guns.  There were a dozen all up.”

“God damn it.”

“Anastasia Rose,” Abby said sternly.

Mal grinned at her discomfort.

“So what are his plans now?”

“That’s the main problem Ana; it seems there’s a basement at the Johnson house that’s soundproofed and cloaked.  We have no way of knowing what or when something is going to happen, hence why I want Abby at the compound.”

Ana stood stomping around the lounge.  “So what’re we going to do Mal?”

“Be as prepared as possible.”

“Well,” said Abby standing, “I must get on and start your supper.”             

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Security transported Abby to the compound the following morning while Mal and Ana flew to the hospital.  Both were thoughtful about what would happen in the next few hours. 

“Mal I know you have two meeting today, why don’t you leave me at the hospital with Fletcher?”

“Yeah, I can do that! I’ll tell him about us being brothers, don’t mind you explaining the rest.”

“Charming, what you going to do, toss it over your shoulder as you leave?” she joked.

“Now that is not a bad idea.”

She glared at him, “you wouldn’t dare Mal, no way.”

“Why not, might give you a bit of action,” he grinned back at her.

“Much prefer your action,” she smirked.

Mal muttered under his breath as he turned to look out the helicopter window.

Settling back into his seat, he closed his eyes, deciding what to tell Detective Moran, sighing he glanced at the pilot.

“We’ll be there shortly sir.”

“Thanks Bissett.”

“You want me to hang around for you sir?”

“Yes, we’ll need you for a return flight later this afternoon.”

The throbbing of the blades was giving Ana a headache, not having much sleep last night didn’t help.  She groaned, rubbing her temples.

“We’re nearly there now Ana.”

“Thank god for that.”

The helicopter banked as it flew to the landing pad hovering Bissett did a perfect landing.

“Thanks Bissett, we’ll see you later at the airport.”

“Yes sir.”

Opening the door, bowing their heads, they jumped out running towards Tallon, who stood waiting for them by the stairs.  Bissett saluted taking off again.

“Morning Boss, Ana,” Tallon grinned.

“So how’s the patient this morning?”

“Fine, though a bit grumpy.  It seems he just wants out of here.”

“Well, with some luck that will happen this afternoon.”

They walked down the stairwell to the elevators.  Arriving on the surgical ward they walked to where Quin was guarding Fletcher’s door.

“Morning boss, any news?” he asked.

“The best news for you guys is that you’ll be returning to Trengrove this afternoon.”

“Bit of action then boss.”

“Looks that way Quin,” Mal replied. “Where’s Ivan?”

“Sleeping boss, he did the early morning shift.”

“How’s Fletch?  Did Moran come and see him yesterday?”

“Nope, we haven’t told him Fletch is awake yet boss, thought you should know first.”

“Good enough, I’ll tell him this afternoon.”

“So you ready for this Mal?”

“Not really,” turning to Tallon and Quin he said, “Don’t enter the room until I leave, no matter what you hear.”

“Yes sir,” they replied, looking puzzled.

“Okay, let’s go Ana. It’s now or never.”

Anastasia opened the door, quietly entering Fletchers room, Mal closing it behind him.  Fletcher stirred in the bed.  His eyes opening, groaning, he reached for his water knocking it over.

“I’ll get that for you Fletcher,” said Ana.

“What the fuck do you want? More blood, haven’t you had enough already.”

“Charming welcome Fletch,” she replied.

“Why are you here?”

“Actually, I accompanied Malachy here.”

“We have things to discuss Fletch.”

“Look, I didn’t take any vial, those fuckwits shot me.”

“We know exactly what happened to you, Fletcher.  It was all caught on security camera.  We’re not here about your assignment.”

“So what do you want,” he said, sipping his water.”

“You want the good news or the bad news Fletch?”

“Just get it the fuck over with.”

“We know you’re a double agent Fletch.”

Fletcher let out a quick, shallow laugh, “took you a while to work that out.”

We’ve known for a while Fletcher. However, we’re after bigger fish in the sea, or you would already be dead.”

“So what you going to do with me then?” he asked.

“That’s the bad news or should I say the tricky news, Fletcher.”

“What you mean.”

“Usually we dispose of double agents,” Mal opened his bag, pulling out a file looking down at it with a sigh. “This will tell you everything you need to know Fletcher, Ana can explain,” he passed the file to Ana.  Standing up, he turned to the door Ana glaring after him.

“You can’t do this Mal,” she snarled

“Never dare me Ana,” he walked to the door, his hand on the handle he turned looking Fletcher straight in the face.  “I thought you’d better know that we’re brothers.”  Not waiting for a reply, he walked out the door, closing it behind him walking away.

“What the fuck does he mean by that,” croaked Fletcher struggling to sit up.”

“Exactly what he said Fletch,” she sighed.

“How the fuck can we be brothers, we’re nothing alike.  I don’t have any fucking family.”

“Yeah, you have, more than just Malachy.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yep, you got it in one Fletch. We’re related by DNA.”

“What the fuck?” he managed to yell.

The door opened, Quin putting his head around the door.  “You ok Ana?”

“Yes, no worries Quin,” she winced as Fletcher glared at her.  Quin left the room again as Fletcher turned to Ana.

“Here read this Fletcher then it’ll start to make sense.  You can ask me anything, and I’ll do my best to tell you the truth.”

“Fuck, why does he have to be my brother never mind you a sort of sister, who’s that twisted?”

“One of our DNA fathers is that twisted Fletcher, now read the file while I get a fresh coffee.”

“Sounds like I’ll need a brandy,” he muttered as he took the file beginning to read.

Ana walked out of the room, “keep an eye on him, I doubt his mood will improve much over the next few hours.”

“What’s going on Ana?”

“Good and bad news for Fletch,” she smirked.  “I’m just going to get a coffee.”  Ana walked off down the corridor; turning toward the café she ran into a hard chest.

“Oops sorry,” she said as she stepped back onto someone’s shoes. Looking over her shoulder into the mean black eyes of another man, still smiling, she said, “Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?”

“You come with us,” the one in front of her stated.

“Err… Nope, I don’t think so.”

“You come with us or worse for you.”

Ana’s smile broadened in anticipation of a fight.  She flexed her muscles ready to move.  “I said no.  I’d advise you to walk away right now and forget about me or…” she lifted an eyebrow.

The man behind her grabbed her right arm; just as she kicked backwards with her left foot into his shin. Scrapping down his leg, and stamping on his foot with her boot.  Squawking in pain, he let go of her arm.  The man in front of her, making a grab for her other arm.  Her right knee rose, connecting with his groin doubling him over.  Stepping from between them, grabbing their heads banging them together, she let the men crumple to the floor in a daze.  Stepping back into the main corridor, she called Tallon who came trotting down towards her.

“I thought you were getting some coffee.”

“I thought so too, but I got interrupted.”

Tallon reached Ana peering around the corner, looking back at Ana raising an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“Most sensible people know not to get in my way when I haven’t had my coffee, these two goons were obviously not told,” she shook her head with a laugh.  “I had to hurt them, just a little bit.”  Tallon barked out a laugh; calling hospital security to remove the dazed men to a secure room where they she would interview the goons.

“Go get your coffee like a good girl or do I have to escort you, so you don’t hurt anyone else.”

“I’ll be good,” she smiled wickedly,” I promise.”

Fletcher flicked through the file, his pale face getting paler all the time, closing his eyes, muttering “fucking hell, I’ll kill the bastard.”   He kept reading not bothering to look up as Ana re-entered with her coffee.  Ana watched emotions flittering over his face as she quietly sipped her coffee, waiting for the next explosion.  Fletcher shut the file carefully placing it on his lap; turning looking down at his sort of sister a quiet smile on his face.  Feeling his gaze, she glanced up.

“So is there anything you need me to explain.”

“I don’t think so Ana. Malachy has it rather simply explained in the file.”

“So what do you want to do about all this,” she waved her hands at the dossier.

“I’m going to kill the bastard.”

“Which bastard would that be?”

“The bastard who has manipulated me all my life, who took me away from my family and siblings,” with stormy eyes he lay his head back. “Other than that I need to think on all of this.”

“The file explained about Blaze too?”

With a small wince as he laughed, “Yeah, he’s apparently our nephew of a sort, what a lark that is.  Fucking brilliant, I may just kill that bastard too for what he did to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“How the fuck do you think I got hurt like this, moronic Blaze and his stupid goons.”

“Not foreign by any chance?”

“Some of them are, why?”

“Think I ran into a couple about twenty minutes ago”, she smirked.

“Definitely kill him.”

“Think I may just beat you to it Fletch.”

“We’ll see,” he groaned closing his eyes in defeat.  “Time for sleep, you can stay, I don’t care right now.”

“Thanks, but I need to ring Mal.”

Taking her cup she walked out as a gentle snore left Fletcher.  An enormous smile on her face, she rang Mal.

“How did it go Ana.”

“Much better than it should have,” she said, leaning back against the wall just down from Fletchers room.  “Considering how you left me in the lurch…”

“Well, it worked.”

“No thanks to you,” she said crossly.  “So update me, have you had your meetings yet?”

“No first one is at eleven with Detective Moran.”

“So what the hell have you been doing all this time?”

“Boring old paperwork that stupid people…I mean government officials keep sending me.”

Ana chuckled softly, “you poor old man.”

“Sod off Ana.”

“Much prefer to get on,” she purred quietly.”

Total silence, it seemed; for once she’d quietened Malachy; until she heard him choke back a laugh.  “Behave woman enough time for that later, now go sit with Fletch, let him know we’ll be taking him down to Trengrove later today.”

“Will do, take care and let me know how your appointments go.”

“Sometimes I wonder who the boss is here,” he muttered.

“You are! Bye,” Ana said, closing her phone.

Tallon walked around the corner a grin on his face.

“You want to have a chat to your two goons?”

“Yeah, why not, need to teach them a lesson me thinks.”

“You work out where they are from, who thos goons are working for?”

“I’ve got a good idea, Tallon.  May just send a message back,” she smiled evilly.

“You’re such a mean woman.” He retorted as she strode off to the hospital security office.  This time she had no problems along the way.

Entering the office, she saw the men sitting at a table, bland faces staring at the wall; no emotions stirred as she walked in.  Grabbing a chair, she sat in front of them.

“So, you going to tell little ole me what the hell that was all about boys?”  They ignored her looking straight ahead.  “Oh, tough guys eh, well maybe not, after all I did drop you both to the floor didn’t I?” A flicker of emotion twitched on one of the men’s faces.  “There that’s better isn’t it,” she smiled sweetly, “not nice being beaten by a mere girl.”

“Fuck you,” muttered one.

“Rather not thanks. I don’t think you’d be able to please me enough,” she smirked. “So why did your boss send you after me yet again?”  Silence!  “I tell you what since you don’t seem to be too keen on a chat, perhaps you can take a message back to him?”  The silence grew thick.  “Tell Mr Carrington if he wants me, he’s to come and get me himself and do his own dirty work.”

The men’s jaws finally dropped.  “How you know?” asked one.

“Unlike you goons I have a brain I use constantly.  Now get the fuck out of here, don’t let me see you near this hospital again.”  Ana rose from her chair turning for the door just as a chair scraped.  A smile hovered on her lips as a big paw came down on her shoulder, shifting her weight she bent, turning to one side flinging him to the ground.  Shaking her head in amusement, she turned back to the other one who was now standing.  “You want a go too?”  He shook his head as hospital security rushed through the door guns drawn.  Looking back to the men at the door, she just smiled walking out telling their superior they could let the men go.