Page 77 of Defender
“Zane, it’s Jon Hatton,” Ashton heard the man say as he walked down the hall.“Got a minute?I’ve got some bad news.”
It sounded like Jon’s friends had been through enough.Ashton hoped this could stop more potential pain for them.
He turned back to the board.“Okay, that’s one.We know there has to be more.Let’s find a way of beating this bastard at his own game.”
* * *
MANYOFASHTON’Sdays as a SWAT member were physically exhausting.Today had been mentally exhausting.
And honestly, he hadn’t even been the one figuring out Freihof’s pattern.Just watching Jon and Brandon weave their brains through that psycho’s “planning wall” had been exhausting enough for Ashton.Besides Jon’s friends, Zane Wales and Caroline Gill, they’d found another possible clue connected to Brandon.His fiancée Andrea’s good friend Keira Spencer had been mentioned.
Unlike Zane Wales, Keira wasn’t law enforcement.She was an exotic dancer in New Mexico like Andrea once had been.Local law enforcement would be keeping an eye on her.
One thing was for sure.Like Jon had said, Freihof was a master composer and his symphony was just beginning.Exactly how long, how loud or what the next measure would be was anybody’s guess.
But Omega would battle Freihof the way they battled every terrorist who threatened the safety of the people and country they loved: together.
Right now, though, the only people Ashton was interested in being together with waited inside the door of Summer’s newly renovated condo where he was pulling up.Over the last few days, more and more of his stuff kept getting moved in there.She’d even given him a key.He’d been there with his girls every moment he wasn’t at Omega.
Because there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be.
Eventually they’d have to talk about the fact that they were basically starting to live together.Because that wasn’t going to work for Ashton.
Summer would have to marry him first.
She opened the door as he walked up, Chloe in her arms.“The munchkin saw you from the window.”
“Ah-ta!”
He grabbed Chloe with one arm and slipped the other around Summer’s waist.“I feel like I’m home.”
She reached up and touched him on the cheek.Chloe immediately imitated her mother on his other one.“You are home.”
“If that’s the case, we’re going to need a few rules.”
The slightest bit of worry fell over Summer’s features.“We are?”
“Well, one in particular.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re going to have to make an honest man out of me.”
All the worry vanished and a smile that stole his breath away covered her face.“Well, you know if we get married you’re stuck with both me and this rug rat for life.”
He pulled her closer.“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good, because I just hung a new honey-do list on the fridge.In case you haven’t heard, my condo lost its handyman.”
“Nope.”He stepped inside, bringing the girls in with him.“You didn’t lose one.You gained one permanently.”
* * * * *