Page 28

28

P atch sat at the kitchen table as the other men gathered around. Whiskey rushed in and sat beside him, while Taco placed a platter of assorted meats and cheeses, homemade crackers, sliced fruits, and nuts in the middle before sitting.

Leo grabbed a plate and filled it with goodies as Matthew entered, making him the last man to appear.

“Shadow and Ragu are watching the warehouse. Some information came in and Matthew wanted to call a meeting. When we finish, Saint and I will relieve them. I want a full report on everything we have in play. Mayor Thorton seems to have connections beyond the grave. Saint will start with his info on the matter and we’ll go around the table,” Leo ordered.

“Since Rahimi’s death, there has been dissension among the ranks, even more so since his second in command, Marghai’s death. It seems like the port here remains a hot spot for the traffickers and they’re moving down the coast. I suspect they’re searching out a new location for shipment drops. The gang informant who gave us the last intel missed last week’s check-in and was found in a ditch early this morning. Shadow requested Ivan and Victoria’s men to keep eyes on the gang members who managed bail. It seems as if they disappeared upon release,” Saint informed the men.

“As in, we’ll find bodies or skipped town?” Leo asked as he crammed a cracker in his mouth.

“Two of them left town immediately. A third disappeared and no one has seen him,” Saint replied.

“Next,” Leo called, reaching for a handful of cheese across the table.

“Geez, Leo, don’t you have food at home?” Patch laughed as his leader shoveled in more food.

“Listen, asshole, my wife’s pregnant. The smell of anything cooking sends her running. Melody has decided to rule the world and everyone in it. Grace has calmed down some with the crying, unfortunately not last night. I took Melody to Chase and Kassie’s for breakfast since Catherine seems to think cereal represents the root of all evil. Don’t you remember grabbing a bowl and watching Saturday morning cartoons? We didn’t die. Dude, never argue with a pregnant lady. They turn into that huge green man from those movies. I swear, Catherine’s moodier with this one than the last. You mention anything about the new addition and bam!”

Doc and Saint chuckled as they glanced at one another. “What did you suggest to her this time?”

“I merely mentioned a seventy-inch screen TV might help on those nights I’m up with the girls. She shot it down, saying no televisions in the kids’ rooms. Then I suggested a minibar hidden inside the walls for the nights Grace drives us crazy. I was half kidding. When I ordered ear and eye protection for Grace, she hit a ten on the psycho-meter.”

Doc kept his head down, but Patch saw his whole body shake with laughter.

“What does a baby need with eye and ear protection?” Patch asked as he grabbed a plate.

Leo grumbled to himself and focused on his snack.

Doc glanced up. “Come on, tell them your theory.”

“Kids are like the new service dogs. We get them used to loud noises early and it doesn’t scare them. We did it with the vacuum cleaner and keep them around all the older hooligans. I figured since we read about diffusing bombs and what can go wrong, it might be good practice for Grace to see one go off. She’ll get used to the noise. It’s not like I planned to put her close to it.”

Patch’s mouth hung open. “Dude, you’re kidding, right? Who read up on bombs?”

“Grace and me. We found a new series of books for bedtime. We already read about radiation poisoning and how to build a nuclear bomb shelter,” Leo answered.

Saint’s shoulders shook as he hid his chuckle. Patch shook his head at a loss for words. Matthew rubbed his forehead as if Leo’s proclamation gave him a headache.

“Since we got the important stuff out of the way, can I share my news?” Matthew interjected.

Leo nodded as he crammed a piece of pepperoni and cheese in his mouth.

“We found Gabby’s assistant, Jackie, and her car in a lake outside the city. It’ll take a few days for a positive ID. They found her purse and briefcase inside the vehicle,” Matthew informed the team.

“Shit,” Taco swore under his breath. “Who’s breaking the news to Gabby?”

Saint leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “Bryanna’s already worried about her friend and I don’t want to place the burden on her. As Bryanna’s friend, she falls under our protection. As much as I hate to say it, Knight returns in the morning and he knows her best. She might take the news better if he’s with her.”

Patch grunted. “Speaking of the asshole, despite my dislike for the man, does anyone else feels like something’s off with him?”

Whiskey glanced up from his plate. “What do you mean?”

“Taco delivered tacos to Gabby. Bryanna stopped in around the same time and we excused ourselves to the deck, giving the women some time alone. Knight returned. He seemed…apologetic in one breath and confused in the next. Then he walked in to overhear Gabrielle confess she’s counting down the days to their divorce. The dude appeared crushed by her words, yet he’s the one who kicked her out. His behavior on the helo appeared irrational and then he apologized. I don’t know if I want to punch the hell out of him or offer him some friendly advice.”

This time, Leo grunted. “Yeah? And how did all the advice we tried giving you work?”

Patch scowled. “I know I acted like a stubborn ass. He seems oblivious. Honestly, Kassie’s words of wisdom echoed in my head. It’s more than that. Knight shows signs bordering on PTSD and possibly depression.”

Saint brooded over Patch’s statement. “He screwed up royally. If his mind stayed on the mission and he went straight home from base, it might explain his overblown reaction.”

“Or he could just be an asshole in general,” Patch suggested.

“I’ve only met him a few times. He’s protective of Bryanna. I can’t imagine he treated his wife any differently, yet something feels off,” Saint muttered.

“Why don’t you ask Claire to evaluate him?” Whiskey suggested as he filled his plate.

“How will you convince Knight to meet with her?” Patch asked.

Doc sipped his coffee. “Kassie mentioned he seemed devastated by his wife’s health issues. Do you think they’re acting like stubborn mules and neither wants to admit they’re wrong?”

Saint shook his head. “No. Knight insisted on the divorce. Maybe he regrets his hasty actions. Gabby’s health remains a factor. We don’t want to upset her. How will she react to the news about her friend?”

Doc placed his cup on the table. “Kassie and I cut our hours to prepare for the twins. Annabelle and Patch can stay on standby if we aren’t available. Maybe read Knight in so he knows who to call if Gabby suffers a setback. I’ll notify Dr. Beecham.”

“Good. Any other news?” Leo asked.

“I pulled the files from Gabby’s drive. Julio Hernandez with the FBI and Rebecca Rhodes with the CIA must be notified. Since Julio’s last visit, he’s sent the names of a few trusted agents, but some appear on Gabby’s file. We haven’t discovered Rebecca’s location, which means we need other contacts. Mayor Thorton’s named in the files, along with several senators and other politicians. Gabby hit on a goldmine to take quite a few people down. It’s more important than ever she doesn’t leave the mountain unless necessary,” Matthew informed them.

“I’ll pick up Knight in the morning. He can’t do anything from California. Bryanna says he called Gabby several times and she his calls. Despite her feeling hurt, and rightfully so, she seems wrecked by his actions. I might ask Bryanna if Gabby might talk to Claire too,” Saint added.

“Whiskey, you helped me. Why don’t you feel him out?” Patch asked.

“Under the circumstances, the two of you act like our resident assholes. I believe you might get through to him more than me. Let Saint speak with him and see if he makes any progress,” Whiskey directed.

Leo crammed the last of his food into his mouth. “I need to grab a few files. Patch, you’re Saint’s back up. Matthew, call your friend Tex. See if he has a line on why Knight didn’t get along with his team.”

“On it, boss.” Matthew rose and took his plate to the dishwasher, and Doc grabbed the empty platter from the middle of the table. The rest of them cleaned off the table before leaving to carry out their orders.

Patch walked to his truck to find Claire. She might have some ideas on how to approach Knight. Something about him reminded Patch of himself. Obviously, Knight seemed the bigger asshole, but if Claire managed to break through his defenses, maybe she’d succeed in cracking a stubborn ass like Knight.

Gabby sat on the couch and went through the bag Marcus left her. Since he mentioned the missing files, she put off searching for things he brought from her office.

She pulled the soft pink sweater around her. She wondered if Marcus even recognized it. They went out for dinner and the weather turned chilly. Marcus always ran hot and wore short sleeves. When he saw her shiver and cross her arms, he excused himself from the table and she assumed he went to the restroom. A few minutes later, he returned, holding a bag from the department store half a block down. He pulled the pink sweater from the bag, tore off the tags, and held it out for her to put her arms in. She missed him. The Marcus who cared about her day, who pretended interest when she explained how she cut five hundred bucks from their budget by comparing insurance quotes and paid off their house in little over a year. The man who listened and protected her from imaginary monsters hidden in her closet after a scary movie.

Feeling the baby kick, she placed her hand on her stomach. The cabin felt lonely after she insisted Bryanna return to her family. In truth, she needed the time alone. The following week marked her and Marcus’ wedding anniversary and the week after marked their divorce. The day they married, she returned his loving gaze as they repeated their vows to love one another forever. Not once did she ever believe a mere three years later, they’d lead entirely separate lives.

She sighed as she pulled out the picture from their wedding day and the ultrasound. How did she go from happily married to divorced and single motherhood? Worry filled her. Gabby didn’t want a custody fight. She dwelled about Marcus treating this child like her. Did he plan to buy a package of diapers, a couple of outfits and hand her money for baby food and call it a day?

Their relationship followed the same pattern: Marcus returned home, checked off the list on the fridge, went to his office to make calls, took her to dinner or ate a meal she prepared, and fell into bed. Some days, she returned home to a note on the fridge listing what he accomplished and telling her he planned to stay on base. Loneliness filled her as she kept herself busy between her internship and school. When she tried to address the issue, Marcus grew frustrated. Somehow, her asking for time to watch a movie or for him to try to take a day off meant she didn’t feel he worked hard enough. It ended in fighting, with doors slamming and sleeping in separate beds. After a while she stopped asking, hoping he’d notice the distance between them.

Rising, she went to the fridge, pulled out the last of the apple juice, and poured a glass. She shook two of the prenatal vitamins in her hand and downed them with the drink. She willed him from her mind. After over a year of misunderstandings, Gabby needed to face the truth. She no longer needed a knight in shining armor as she thought of him after learning about his moniker. She proved herself self-sufficient. The baby needed her full attention, not focusing on the past. Her mind reminded her, yet her heart seemed to beat to the tune of missing Marcus.