Page 71 of Fatal Intent

“No, but not for lack of trying. I fought him off, screaming like a banshee. My foster mother and brother didn’t believe him when he claimed I had invited him into my room that night. While they were arguing, I slipped out of the house and never went back.”

“You lived on the streets for three years?”

Riley shrugged. “I joined a group of other homeless people who banded together to watch out for each other. They monitored me. One woman made sure I went to school every day and did my homework. It was almost like having a foster mom without the drama of a foster father with wandering eyes and hands.”

Rayne reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had it so rough growing up.”

“Compared to you and the others, spending a few years in a homeless camp was nothing.”

“And with all that against you, you still attended college? Riley, my friend, you are an amazing woman. I hope Andre knows what a special person you are.”

Riley’s cheeks turned pink. “I don’t know about that.” She stepped back. “Come on. We need sleep.”

Minutes later, the lights were out, and Rayne drifted into sleep. Whatever came of the computer searches, Rayne prayed she and her teammates could protect Grant’s family from any more loss.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

GRANT WALKED OUTof the bathroom, toweling his hair dry, when Andre opened the door to the bedroom. “Anything to report?”

“Nope. Everything was boring as dirt for the past three hours.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“Same.” Andre yawned. “The watch is yours, my friend. If something happens, wake me.”

“What about Rayne and Riley?”

“Have heard nothing from them.”

“Good. Hopefully, they’ll sleep a solid five hours. Both of them need it. So do we.”

“The way things a looking, there’s not much chance of that.”

Grant hung his damp towel over the drying bar and slipped into his tactical boots. “Sleep. Take three hours. We’ll save breakfast for you and start on the information Riley’s bots found overnight.”

“You sure?”

He nodded.

“If Riley needs me, wake me no matter how little sleep I’ve gotten.”

“You’ve got it, my friend.” Grant clapped him on the shoulder and left the bedroom.

He went to the small kitchen and found that Andre had left him a full pot of coffee. Nice. Grant poured a mug of the steaming elixir and breathed deep.

He walked to the French doors and took his first sip. Perfect. Hot and strong enough to drop a bull elephant. The women wouldn’t be impressed.

After quartering the area outside the hotel and studying the terrain, Grant sent a text to Seth. Knowing Echo’s team leader, he was already up and moving.

Sure enough, in less than a minute, his phone signaled an incoming call. “Hope I didn’t wake you.”

A huff of laughter. “You know better than that. Sit rep.”

Grant updated Seth on the latest information he had, which wasn’t much. “When Riley is awake, we’ll look at the information her bots gathered overnight and decide on a course of action.”

“Understood. What about your family? Will they cooperate with Fortress?”

“Are you kidding? They’re balking, just as I thought they’d do. We’re having dinner with the family tonight. I’ll emphasize how dangerous this situation is. In the meantime, I have to hope that my siblings and parents use extra caution. What about your family?”