Page 10 of Justified Lies (TFH Team Bravo #3)

She hit the stretch of Kalaniana’ole Highway that could be desolate this time of night.

Typically, it didn’t bother her, but it was particularly empty tonight.

She usually took Pali Highway since it was easier from Dillon Security.

Still, they had finished up filming tonight in the Hawai’i Kai area, and this was just easier.

As she neared the entrance of the Makapu’u Lookout, Eden saw a flash in her rearview mirror, then a crack. Her back window shattered as someone took another shot, hitting one of her back tires.

Her car fishtailed across the road, her heart pounding out of her chest, and the world seemingly spinning as she tried to control her vehicle.

She overcorrected, and her car did a complete three-sixty, leaving her dizzy.

She managed to get her vehicle off the main road and onto the road that led to the lookout.

Still, she slammed into the low wall that bordered the drive into the parking lot.

The hit was so hard that her teeth chattered, and the airbag deployed.

Immediately, she ducked down in her car, pulling out her weapon. She was a sitting duck there, even though she knew the shooter was at least two hundred yards back.

Grabbing her phone, she called her brother, hoping he would pick up for once in his life.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Are you still on the set?”

“No. I’m at the Makapu’u Lookout.”

“Kind of dark to see anything, Ed.”

Jesus, her brother. “Do you think I stopped for sightseeing? Someone was taking shots at me.”

“Are you hit?” He demanded.

“No. But he hit my right rear tire. I’m stuck, and I can’t see anything.”

“On my way.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Stay safe.”

“Always.”

Kap pulled his SUV to a screeching stop when he reached the lookout entrance. His heart was still slamming against his ribs.

“Fuck, that was a hard stop, Hanson,” Rami said. Kap didn’t respond. He had been barely able to take a breath from the moment he’d heard that someone had taken a shot at Eden. He jumped out of the car and hurried over to the two vehicles parked there. He heard sirens in the distance.

He didn’t care if Rami kept up with him or not.

The need to see that Eden was safe overrode every instinct he had.

The moment he saw her brother draping a lightweight jacket over her shoulders, Kap could finally take a full breath.

For the last fifteen minutes, he had been in terror, trying to keep himself from completely losing it.

As he strode up to her, anger hit him hard.

She was shivering, so he did the most dumbass, manly thing he could do. He got angry.

“What the hell, Eden?”

Her eyes widened slightly. “What are you doing here?”

“I called him, Ed. He’s investigating CIA agents being killed, including two here.”

She slanted a look at her brother. “You told him about O’Malley?”

“And now someone is taking shots at you. We needed to report it, Ed.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my twin brother?”

The sirens were getting closer.

“What is that?”

“Ambulance,” Rami said.

“Oh, I don’t really need that. I did get shot at, but it was no big deal.”

She was trying to brazen it out. Why would she do that? It was easy to see that she was probably going into shock. Still, the stubborn woman refused to admit anything was wrong.

“How many shots?” Kap asked.

She gave him a look of disapproval, probably because he fairly growled the words.

“Two. One hit my back window, the second hit my tire.”

He started counting backward from ten. If he didn’t, he would definitely start yelling again. And that was not what she needed. It wasn’t what any of them needed.

“Ed, I think you need to see a doctor.”

She glanced at her brother. “Fine. But just the EMT.” She motioned to her face. “This looks worse than it is.”

As the ambulance came to a screeching halt, another car parked behind it. He knew that car, and he ground his back teeth. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised that they’d called Ian. He was her partner, and Dillon wasn’t going to like that one of their people had been attacked.

The former spy strode forward, a savage look on his face. Not for the first time, he wondered about their history. Both had been spies, so had it always been platonic?

Dammit. He needed to beat that stupid jealousy down. She wasn’t his, not anymore. Eden had never really been his, not with the lies between them.

“Are you okay?” Ian asked her, but he thought there was more to that question. Kap knew he was letting his imagination go wild at the moment, but his nerves were already a mess.

She nodded.

“Rami, can you help Eden get to the ambulance?”

His teammate gave him a look, but he nodded.

“I can walk a few feet to the ambulance,” she groused.

“Don’t make me call Mom,” El threatened.

She shot her brother a look, but she went off with Rami.

Kap crossed his arms over his chest and stared her brother and her partner down.

“Are you two going to tell me what’s going on?”

They shared a glance that had him grinding his teeth again. Spies. They were always such a pain in the ass.

“It’s Ed’s story to tell,” El said.

“Are you fucking kidding me? You’re going to go with that?”

Before either of them could respond to his comment, his phone went off.

It was Adam.

“Be right back. Go nowhere.”

Then he stomped off. Spies think they could lie to him or hide things. She was almost fucking killed, and they were still thinking they could control the issue.

“Is Eden okay?” Adam asked.

“Yeah. The EMTs are checking her out right now.”

“No sign of the shooter?”

“No. It’s out here by the Makapu’u Lookout. Dark as shit. I would guess he or she was up on the ridge. She said the shot came from behind.”

“Okay. I’m sending out my people to look around, but you have a new assignment.”

Fuck, they were going to take him off the assignment. “What?”

“You are now going to stick to her. If she’s a target…you need to make sure that she stays safe.”

“Got it. Her brother and partner are here.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less. More than likely, they will want to handle her protection, and while I’m okay with that, and they are employed by the best on the island, I want our eyes on her.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll call someone out for tonight, then we will also go over the scene once the sun comes up.”

Rami came walking over. “Rami’s here. If Eden wants to go home, he can stay here and oversee the scene.”

“That will work. Make sure you keep her alive.”

“You can count on that.”

He hung up and looked at Rami. “Alpha’s coming to handle the scene, but you’re in charge until then.

“Sounds good. Your woman doesn’t have a concussion.”

“She’s not mine.”

Rami rolled his eyes and walked away to start the investigation.

Kap turned and found Eden’s brother and partner staring at him. Although Adam didn’t say it, he had a feeling that El was probably a target too, being a former CIA asset just like his sister.

Something niggled at the back of his brain, but he had to deal with a bunch of frowning spies. He approached them.

“Rami said the EMT said no concussion. Alpha is coming to oversee the investigation, which will be a pain in the ass at night.”

El nodded. “She said the shots were from behind, so probably on that high ridge just around the bend.”

Kap nodded. “And if he was professional, then he probably policed his brass, but we might find something.”

All of a sudden, he heard a phone ringing and realized it was in Eden’s car. El grabbed it and made a face, but he answered.

“Marv, what do you need?”

Whoever it was, apparently answering.

“Because I did. She is indisposed right now. No, she’s fine. Listen, I’m kind of busy right now, but I’ll have Ed call you once she’s back.”

He hung up without waiting for an answer. Kap let one eyebrow rise up.

“Our old section chief. He’s also a family friend.”

“That you don’t like.”

He sighed and glanced over at his sister, who was still being looked at by the EMTs. “I never really had a problem with him, but he has an interest in my sister. It’s weird. We’ve known him since we were like five. Gross.”

Kap digested that and wanted to punch their old section chief, but again, that was irrational.

Another man finding her attractive was a regular occurrence.

And yes, it was gross that a man who had known her since she was a kid was apparently interested in her, but that had nothing to do with him or this investigation.

“Who was on my phone?” Eden asked.

None of them had heard her coming.

“Uncle Marv.”

She frowned.

“And no, you don’t need to call him. You were shot at, and you need to go home.”

Her spine straightened, and he knew she was about to blast her brother. “I think I can decide where I go and when. How about you step off, El?”

“You two need to calm the hell down and find out what Kap heard from his boss,” Ian said.

“Not my regular boss, but the head of Team Alpha.”

“So, Adam. Just tell us what he said,” Ian said.

“He wants me keeping an eye on both of you,” Kap said, giving them a smile that had nothing to do with being friendly. “So, I’ll be hanging around.”