Hunted, A Romantic Suspence Novel (22 page)

That didn’t sound much like the man she knew.

“What happened to change him?”

“You mean what stopped his wild ways and gave him his stubborn insistence about following the rules?”

Katie nodded.

“When his friend Chris died, Matt changed overnight. He’s never talked about what happened that night to any of us. He just shut himself in this emotional box and stayed there.” Luke shot her a grin. “Until you popped into his life. You’ve sure changed him.”

Katie shook her head. She and her problems had endangered Matt twice now. They’d also made him go against his personal beliefs. “I’m sorry I caused him so much trouble.”

Luke held up his hands. “Hey, don’t be sorry. I’m glad to see him taking chances. You’re just what he needs. Keep pushing his buttons, and maybe he’ll be human like the rest of us again.”

Katie pulled the blanket tighter about her. Staring at the crystal vase on the coffee table, she mulled over everything Matt’s brother had told her. What happened all those years ago to make him change a hundred-and-eighty degrees? Had he caused his friend’s death in some way?

Castello, who’d been talking on his cell phone in the other room, entered with it pressed against the side of his face. “Yes, sir. I intend to match notes with the parties here. As soon as you’ve got each task force member in the building, I’ll be in to conduct the interviews myself.”

He closed the phone and sat on another chair, next to Luke’s. He closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“What task force were you just talking about?” Katie asked.

“When you went missing after the car bomb, I came to the same conclusion that you did.” Castello met her eyes with a steady, unwavering gaze. “That someone in my department had given your identity to Strict or one of his people.”

“Did you find out who it was?” she asked. A sound from the kitchen caught her attention.

Her heart flipped a little in her chest. Matt was back, safe and more in control of his emotions. His dark hair fell to one side from the wind’s force. His cheeks were flushed pink, whether from exertion or the cold she couldn’t tell.

It didn’t matter. He’d come back. The consequences of how that thrilled her were something she’d have to think about later.

“You’d better join us, Edgars. I’m sure you’ll want the details of what I’ve learned so far,” Castello said.

“Damn right I do.” Matt joined Katie on the sofa. She automatically shifted to give him room. He wrapped an arm around her, and she shared the blanket to warm him.

“Katie, ever since the death threat Strict issued for you on the day of his sentencing, my partner Pete Halloran and I have kept your file, including your new identity, under lock and key.” Castello began his story. “When I realized there had been a leak, I knew it could only have come from one of two people. Me or Pete. Pete retired a few years ago, so I went to see him.”

“Did he admit to selling out Katie?” Matt asked, pulling her closer. His body radiated tension.

“Not exactly.”

“What do you mean, not exactly?” Katie’s stomach twisted in a knot.

“Katie, the information came from Pete.” Castello paused for a moment and he seemed to age five years. “It was tortured out of him, before he died.”

Suddenly, the room closed in around Katie, and her lungs hurt to breathe again.

The marshal sitting across from her, and his partner who’d died trying to protect her new identity, had provided a concrete ground of support when she’d needed it most. If Strict and Gideon could kill one of them, what chance did she stand against them?

She forced herself to take a slow deep breath. For years she’d known she’d have to face Strict. She’d known it would be ugly, maybe even bloody when she did. Never in all that time had she thought someone else’s blood would be spilled instead of hers.

“You okay?” Matt’s deep voice rumbled against her ear.

She nodded. “The news just took me by surprise, is all. Mr. Halloran was always nice to me.”

“You sure you want to hear more? We could do this later.” Concern laced his words.

She shook her head. No matter how much she wanted to take refuge in his protectiveness, she had to depend on her own strength to get through this.

“I don’t know how much time we have. Ever since this started, I’ve felt like I’m racing against a ticking clock.” She eased herself away from him. Only a fraction of an inch, but enough that they both knew she was strong enough to handle whatever else she’d learn. “Marshal, when did Mr. Halloran die?”

“The M.E. puts it at a little more than a week ago.”

Matt withdrew his arm from her shoulder and leaned forward. “He couldn’t have given Gideon the time and place for our meeting this morning.”

Castello nodded. “You’re right. When we realized Katie’s disappearance and Pete’s death were connected, my boss and I formed a task force to investigate both.” He stood and paced to the fireplace. “When you called me yesterday, all four members were present for the call.”

Matt let out a string of expletives questioning the mental fitness of the Marshal’s co-workers. Luke voiced his agreement.

With growing irritation, Katie fought the urge to scream at all three testosterone-based beings in the room. “So, you’re calling them all in to interview them?” she asked instead.

“Not exactly,” Castello leaned against the mantel. “As we’re speaking, all four are being placed under guard until we can determine who leaked the information.”

“About damn time you started taking her safety seriously.”

“Matt.” Katie laid a restraining hand on his arm. “He’s not responsible for what someone else has done.”

He shook off her hand and strode over to stand nose-to-nose with Castello. “His department’s leakier than a storm drain. You’ve nearly been killed three times, not including the staged accident with the rifle shot.” He pushed Castello back a step. “I, for one, hold him very responsible for all of that.”

Castello pushed his chest into Matt’s. “Look, Edgars, if you want to try and take a piece of my hide, I’ll be happy to step outside and oblige you.”

“In a heartbeat, Castello. You deserve a beating for putting her in danger.” Matt shoved him.

Castello shoved back. “Maybe if you’d convinced her to come in, like you should’ve the first night, she would’ve been better protected.”

“And if I had, she’d be dead now.”

Glass shattered behind them. Both lawmen jumped apart.

Waterford crystal lay shattered on the hardwood floor where Katie had thrown the vase at their feet.

If she wasn’t so pissed off, the looks on their faces would’ve been laughable.

“
She
is right here in the room, gentlemen.” Katie ground out each word, her hands clenched in fists at her sides. “
She
doesn’t like being ignored or discussed in third person. S
he
doesn’t need protection.
She
doesn’t need stupid macho one-upmanship out of you two, either.” She sucked in a deep breath, looking from them to Luke, who sat grinning uselessly from his chair. “What
she
needs is a hot bath, a warm meal and a plan—in that order.”

Before any of the men could respond, which frankly was the only reason they still breathed, she turned on her heel and stepped over the crystal shards. With her back ramrod stiff and only slight control of her own temper, she headed up the stairs in search of the first item on her list.

* * * * *

Gideon tightened the strap of his duffel bag on his shoulder and sauntered away from the South-side dump. The van was a liability now. He needed an alternative means of transportation and quickly. That patrolman the girl hooked up with was smart. Somehow he’d recognized the van then prevented the shot from getting its target. He wouldn’t waste any time getting an all-points bulletin out on the vehicle.

After stashing the van, Gideon had changed from his dark blue coveralls and into a pair of camouflage pants and khaki shirt. With his appearance changed somewhat, he’d hitch a ride into downtown and find a car in a used lot.

Gideon smiled. No one would be looking for a hit man traveling on foot.

Of course if the girl had recognized him, she’d give the police a good description for the APB. Sarah knew him too well to forget any feature, including the thin scar across his jaw.

Absently, he caressed the scar as he made his way to the highway for a ride.

Strict had given it to him the day after he’d interfered with Sarah’s punishment. “Never fail me again.”

He’d never failed Strict before, not since they’d served in the Vietnam War together. The Prophet had dragged him out of a firefight swarming with Vietcong just before the last big battle of the war, Operation Linebacker. With shrapnel in his back and three bullets in his leg, if Strict hadn’t hefted him on his shoulder and carried him five miles through the jungle, Gideon knew he would’ve died an agonizing and torturous death at the enemy’s hands.

From that moment on, his life belonged to the Prophet. He’d follow Strict straight into the bowels of Hell if he asked. There was one last task he promised to complete. He needed the damn girl.

He muttered a curse as he flagged down a semi.

“Need a lift?” The grizzled old trucker asked after he’d slowed to the side of Route 23 just south of the city. A thermos of coffee and a bag of donuts sat in the passenger seat.

“Just into town, if you don’t mind.” Gideon flashed him a smile. Everyone was always a sucker for his smile. “My old truck died yesterday, and I’m looking for a new one.”

“Sure thing.” The trucker eyed Gideon’s duffle with the nylon gun case attached. “Going hunting?”

“Yep. Looking for big game.” Gideon moved the man’s food over on the seat and slid into it.

 The trucker pulled the rig onto the highway, heading toward the center of town. This was the older man’s lucky day. The semi was too cumbersome to be of use to Gideon. The man would keep his truck and his life today.

Gideon had his priorities.

First and foremost, he needed to find the girl. Leslie had served her purpose, and he’d disposed of her. Now his conduit to the whereabouts of his prey was gone.

Standing out in the open this morning guaranteed that Sarah would recognize him. That had always been the plan. Then she’d quickly figure out why Strict had ordered her death. In that case, Gideon knew where she’d head next. Which meant he had to get there before she did. His next attempt had to succeed. He needed to get the information from her and silence her before the execution on New Year’s Eve.

There were less than two days left.

* * * * *

Half an hour after Katie had regally departed the living room, Matt went in search of her. She’d locked herself in the bathroom and hadn’t emerged yet. If anyone deserved to stay locked behind a door, Katie did.

As much as he wanted to let her hide from reality, they needed her description of Gideon for an APB. The sooner it hit the streets, the more likely they’d be able to apprehend the hit man.

At the bathroom door, Matt inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly. Every time she faced another piece of her past his heart tore at her anguish. He really hated being another person who wanted something from her.

“Katie?” He knocked lightly on the door.

Silence came from the door’s other side.

His heart beat faster. Was she okay? Had she used taking a bath as a ruse and fled while no one was looking? Didn’t she know how dangerous it was for her to be on her own now?

Fighting his own rising panic, he knocked a little harder. “Katie, open the door.”

No immediate response occurred. He took a step back, ready to shove his shoulder into the door.

Then it opened. She stood there, wrapped in a fuzzy white robe, rubbing her wet dark hair with a white towel. She looked so tiny and vulnerable.
Innocent.
No one looking at her would know she’d lived such a hard life.

Relief flooded him.

“What’s wrong?” Lifting her arms, she wrapped the towel over her hair. The movement pulled the robe’s top apart, revealing her creamy skin and the soft swells of her breasts.

He swallowed hard. “I need you.”

“You need me?” Confusion etched her features, but a slow heat lit her eyes.

Oh yeah, he needed her.

Closing the gap between them, he stepped forward until only a millimeter separated them. He leaned in close, forcing her to tilt her head back to look at him.

She licked her lips.

What little resolve he had left flew right out the window.

Lowering his head, he held her still as his mouth devoured hers in a kiss. He ground his lips against hers, his tongue sliding in to taste the soft, warm, velvety feel of her mouth.

A groan escaped him.

God, she tasted so good
.

His mouth never broke contact with hers as he wrapped his hands around her shoulders and dragged her closer. The robe parted further as his hands massaged her soft skin beneath.

He forced his mouth to leave hers then slowly trailed a path down her neck to the juncture of her shoulder. Lightly he nibbled there. The fragrance of gardenias filled his senses.

“Oh God, Katie.” He dipped his head farther, tracing his lips back across her throat and down between the swells of her breasts. Trying to rein in his desire, he slowly lifted his head and eased her body a fraction of an inch away from his. “You tempt me in ways I never dreamed possible.”

“I can’t take another rejection,” she muttered between panted breaths, her eyes fixed on the third button of his shirt.

“Katie, I’m not rejecting you.” Once again, he took her face between his hands, gently forcing her gaze to meet his. He pressed his hips into hers, trapping her between the doorframe and his raging hard-on. “Does this feel like rejection to you? Believe me, sweetheart, I want nothing more than to slip you out of that robe and between the sheets of that bed over there.”

“Then why...why are you stopping?”

Her breath felt like jets of sultry heat across his skin. “Because I won’t be like every other man in your life. I won’t just use you for my needs.”