Targeted (Firebrand Book 1) (6 page)

He glanced back and waved at Reese as he drove back toward the gate. Then he cleared his throat and turned to face her. “Hello, Lainey.”

A wobbly smile pulled at her mouth, and she stared at him. After a moment she blinked, stepped back, and held the door open. “I’m sorry. Come in, Ash.”

He walked past her into the house and stopped in the foyer to look around. The house had been given a facelift since he left. The walls were no longer the bright white his father had always wanted. Rich colors and deep crown moldings in the living and dining rooms on either side of the entry made them come alive, and Ash recognized Lainey’s touch in the décor.

“I like what you’ve done with the house.”

She closed the door and stepped up beside him. “I did it all after Richard died. He would never let me change anything when he was alive.”

Ash snorted. “Yeah, he never could do anything he thought might displease our father. He was Daddy’s boy through and through.” He turned and stared at her. “I never was.”

Her face turned pale, and she gritted her teeth. “You’ve just stepped in the door, and you’re already hinting at how hard your life was here. I’ve heard it all before, so there’s no need to replay past history.”

He let his gaze drift over her before he answered. “And you’re the same old Lainey. Forthright as ever. I suppose the next thing you’ll be telling me is how I don’t measure up to my good brother.” When she pulled her mouth into a grim line and didn’t answer, he stepped closer until she had to stare up at him towering over her. “This isn’t ten years ago. I don’t care what you think of me, but I will try to be on my best behavior while I’m here. And I’ll start by apologizing to you. I didn’t mean to cop an attitude. I haven’t slept all night, I’m concerned about you and Max. The important thing right now is what happened here last night.”

She glanced at the stairway and motioned him toward the den. “Let’s go in here to talk.”

He followed her into the den. It, too, had been completely redecorated. A sofa with a coffee table in front of it sat facing the fireplace, and two wingback chairs were positioned at either end of the table. For a moment he could imagine how cozy it would be to sit here on a cold winter’s night with a roaring fire and listen to the wind howl outside. Then he shook the thought from his mind.

She sat down on one end of the sofa, and he sat on the other. She took a deep breath. “I couldn’t sleep last night and was awake at two o’clock this morning when I thought I heard something in the house. I thought Max might have gotten out of bed.”

He listened as she continued her story. When she’d finished, his heart was racing at the thought of the knife leaving a trail of blood as it cut into her skin. He pointed toward her neck. “So the bandage is covering up the knife cut?”

“Yes. I put some antibiotic ointment on it. It wasn’t too deep. Just enough to make it bleed.”

He frowned and shook his head. “This makes no sense. They told you to get me home, and the note I received said you were in trouble.”

Her eyes grew wide. “What do these people want, Ash?”

“I have no idea. If they’re watching, then they know I’ve arrived. Maybe they’ll be in touch soon. In the meantime, you and Max need to stay inside. There’s a Firebrand team on the grounds. They’ll stop anybody who tries to get to you.”

She leaned forward. “What about you? Where will you be?”

“Firebrand is building a new training center on some land we bought out in the mountains. I’ll stay out there until we know what’s going on.”

She arched her eyebrows and studied him. “I read in the paper about the new facility. It said the organization is ‘reinventing itself.’ You’ll no longer be contracted by the government. Instead you’ll have a place where you can train military and law enforcement officers how to use the techniques that have made Firebrand so successful in your covert activities.”

Reese had been concerned when the local media broke the story about the new facility being built near St. Claire. If the sarcasm in Lainey’s voice was any indication, there might be others in the community who questioned having a training center operated by what appeared to be paid hit men housed nearby. “You make it sound like we were lawless mercenaries that operated with no ethics. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our missions have all been contracted through our contact at the CIA, so they’ve all been in the interest of national security. Regardless of what you’ve always thought, Lainey, we’ve done a lot of good things that have allowed you and your son to continue living in a free country in the lifestyle that you chose.”

Her nostrils flared, and she sucked in her breath. She jumped to her feet and glared at him. “The lifestyle I chose? The way I remember it is that I wanted something else out of life, but the man who was supposed to give it to me deserted me. I wasn’t the gold digger you accused me of being in the letter you sent to William Mason. I never wanted your father’s money.”

He stood up slowly and faced her. “Well, you ended up with it. If one brother couldn’t give it to you, the other one could.”

Her face crumpled, and tears flooded her eyes. “Is that what you really think of me?”

What was he doing? The minute she’d said she needed help he’d jumped on a plane and headed to her. Now that he was here, he couldn’t do anything but strike out at her. He’d never been so disgusted with himself in his life.

He raked his hand through his hair. “Lainey, I’m sorry. I’m here because you need help, and I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.”

She wiped at the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry, too, Ash. I don’t want to argue with you. We have to put on a good front for Max. He’s so excited his long lost uncle is coming home. I don’t want to ruin this for him. He’s wanted to meet you for so long.”

“And I want to meet him. Where is he?”

“He’s in his room. I’ll get him.”

She turned and strode from the room. He stared at her straight back as she left and silently berated himself again for being such a jerk. No matter what he thought about Lainey, it wasn’t the boy’s fault. He would keep his mouth shut as long as he was here.

He’d hardly had time to complete the thought before he heard the sound of footsteps running down the stairs. Ash turned to face the door just as a young boy ran into the room and stopped. His dark eyes widened, and a grin covered his mouth.

“You must be my Uncle Ash.”

“I am. And you’re Max. It’s good to meet you.”

Lainey entered the door and stopped behind Max. She nudged him forward. “Go on over and shake hands with your uncle.”

He eased across the floor until he stood in front of Ash. He looked up, and Ash’s heart constricted at the adoration he saw in the boy’s eyes. “Mom says you’re a soldier.”

Ash glanced at Lainey and laughed. “I guess you could call me that.”

“Have you ever killed anybody?”

Lainey gasped. “Max! You shouldn’t ask questions like that.”

Ash chuckled and waved his hand in dismissal. “It’s all right, Lainey.” He cleared his throat and extended his hand. “Only in battle. I’m glad to finally meet you, Max.”

Max placed his hand in Ash’s and smiled. As he closed his fingers around the boy’s, Ash felt a quick surge of something like an electric shock race through his body. He’d never felt it before, and he couldn’t explain it. It was as if his brain had fired a synapse that triggered an immediate bond between him and his brother’s child. Maybe that’s what Richard had felt for him when they were children and why he had always been there for him.

He studied Max and frowned. The brown eyes, the dark hair, the athletic stance that was already evident in Max, none of it resembled Richard nor Lainey. Max reminded him more of his father who Ash had always taken after.

“You look a lot like my father. Have you ever seen his picture?” Ash asked.

Max nodded. “Mom’s showed me pictures of all my family. I don’t remember my dad so I look at them to remind me of him.” A sheepish grin pulled at his mouth. “I look at your pictures a lot, too. I sure am glad you came home, Uncle Ash.”

Ash blinked at Max’s sincere tone. This boy had touched a nerve deep inside him, and for the first time he wished he’d come home years ago. “I’m glad I came, too.”

Lainey who’d been quiet ever since Max entered the room walked over and put her hand on her son’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go wash up?” She turned to Ash. “Millie is still the cook, but I gave her the day off. I have some food in the kitchen, and we can all sit down for brunch.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” Max turned and charged from the room.

Ash listened to his footsteps as they pounded up the stairway before he turned to Lainey. “He’s a great kid, Lainey. You’ve done a good job with him. Richard would be pleased.”

Her chin trembled, but she smiled. “Thank you, Ash. I’m glad you two hit it off. Max has been very excited about your coming home. In fact he has something he wants to ask you.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“It has to do with a school function. I’ll let him ask you when. . .” The ringing of the telephone interrupted her, and she walked to the desk, picked it up, and frowned. “Caller ID says it’s an unknown number.”

It rang several more times before she finally answered. “Hello.”

Her frown grew deeper as she listened to the caller. “Yes, he’s here. Just a minute.” She held out the phone to him. “Someone wants to talk to you.” 

Ash took the phone and held it to his ear. “DeHan, here. Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. I wanted to make sure you made it home all right.”

He didn’t recognize the voice, but he felt like he’d encountered the accent somewhere before. “What do you want?”

“I want many things, Mr. DeHan. Right now I want you to remember.”

Ash frowned. “Remember what?”

“Lugar de la Vergüenza, You remember that, don’t you?”

Ash gasped and gripped the phone tighter. “Yes, I remember.”

“So do I. You’re going to pay, Mr. DeHan. You and your brother’s pretty wife and that good looking kid. You’re all going to pay.”

“Why are you. . .” But Ash knew it made no difference what he’d intended to ask. The caller had already disconnected the call.

He slowly lowered the phone from his ear and stared down at it in his hand. The question of why someone wanted him home had just been answered, and he didn’t like what he’d found out. Movement behind him caught his attention, and he looked over his shoulder. Lainey, a worried expression on her face, had stepped up next to him.

“Who was that?”

“Someone who just gave me a lead on who who might be behind this plan to get me home.”

When he didn’t say more, she stepped closer. “And?”

“Somebody from one of my missions down in Mexico.” A slight tremor shook her body, and his heart lurched at the fear he saw in her eyes. “It’s nothing concrete yet, but I need to make some phone calls. I’ll join you in the kitchen when I’m through.”

She narrowed her eyes and frowned as if waiting for him to tell her more. He didn’t say anything as he returned her steady gaze. He wasn’t fooling her. She knew he didn’t want her upset until he knew something for sure. After a moment she nodded. “Okay. I’ll get the food ready. Join me when you’re through, and I’ll call Max downstairs.”

He nodded and watched as she walked from the room. Then he pulled his phone from his pocket and punched in Reese’s number. He answered right away.

“Ash?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Reese. I just had a phone call, and I know who’s behind everything that’s happened so far. It’s Edwardo Diaz.”

“The Mexican drug lord?”

“Yeah, that’s him. I gathered from my caller that it’s payback time for the Lugar de la Vergüenza mission.”

Reese was silent for a moment. “So you were right. What’s the plan?”

“I don’t have one yet, but I think we need to start with John Steadman. He’s the CIA operative who sent us down to Mexico. Can you get in touch with him and see if he knows anything about Diaz’s whereabouts or what might be going on down there? In the meantime I’ll stay here, but I think we need to keep the Firebrand patrol outside the house.”

“You got it, buddy. I’ll get on this right away.”

“Thanks, Reese.”

Ash disconnected the call, shoved the phone back in his pocket, and closed his eyes. Even after two years he could still see the horror and aftermath of Lugar de la Vergüenza as it was that night. He’d had a gut feeling that someday he would pay for what happened there, and he’d been right.

Eduardo Diaz had a vendetta against him, and he wasn’t going to be satisfied with just taking Ash’s life, he wanted to take his brother’s family, too. For now there was nothing he could do except wait for Diaz to make the next move, and with a vicious drug cartel involved it promised to be a deadly game.

Chapter 4

Max hadn’t quit talking to Ash from the minute they sat down to eat, and the two had practically ignored Lainey. That suited her fine because it gave her time to study them. Her concerns about how Ash would behave toward Max had proved unfounded. From the minute Ash reached out his hand to shake with Max, they’d bonded in a way that shocked and surprised her.