Chapter 43
The back doorhad been jimmied open and pulled shut again. Blaze was really going to have to talk Emma’s dad into updating the building’s locks too.
He exchanged a look with his guys as the three of them drew weapons. A second later, they were ghosting into the building, clearing the darkened corners of the downstairs before they crept up to the second floor.
The light in the hall was on like he’d left it. Both apartment doors were secure. They stood for a moment, thinking, and then the floor creaked above their heads. Another silent look and they split, heading for the front and back stairs.
Blaze and Seth took the rear while Kane took the front. The light was on in the hallway on the third floor. There were two apartments, same as downstairs, but they were still being worked on before they could be rented out.
Both doors were closed. Blaze gave Kane a signal. On the count of three, they burst into the two apartments simultaneously while Seth took the hall watch just in case. Blaze didn’t get all the way through the rear apartment before he heard a scream coming from the other.
He quickly wrapped up his search and sprinted for the front apartment. Seth was already there. Kane stood, feet spread, gun held low in front of a small woman with red hair who was sitting against the wall, knees huddled to her chest, a blanket lying haphazardly on the floor nearby and a small battery-powered lantern giving off a dim glow.
“Who are you?” Kane demanded.
“Please don’t shoot. Please.” The woman’s hands were palms out beside her head, her eyes wide as she stared up at Kane.
“He’s not going to shoot,” Blaze said.
The woman’s gaze slewed to him as if realizing for the first time there were other men in the room. “I-I’ll go. Please. Just let me go.”
“Kane.”
His voice was firm. Kane glanced at him and holstered his weapon. They all did.
“We’re not going to hurt you,” Blaze said. “But you are trespassing. Care to explain?”
The woman’s eyes were still big. They darted between the three of them as if she didn’t trust that one of them wouldn’t shoot her anyway.
“I’m sorry. I, um, I needed a place to stay. I knew these apartments were empty. I thought I could shelter here. I wasn’t going to steal anything. I’m looking for work. I-I had nowhere to go.”
“What’s your name?” Kane asked, softer this time.
“D-Daphne Bryant.”
“Can’t let you crash here, Daphne,” Blaze said. “The heat’s not on, and it’s still a construction zone.”
Her lip quivered before she sucked in a breath and made it stop. “Okay. I understand.”
Her shoulders sagged as she reached for a backpack sitting nearby. She dragged it toward her, stuffing a book that had been lying beside her into it. Then she reeled in the blanket and started to fold it. Tears slid down her cheeks as she worked, and Blaze felt like he was watching himself as a kid. Back when his mother would tell him they had to get out of wherever they were staying and he needed to hurry.
He never had much stuff, and he’d worked hard to cram everything he could into his backpack and the worn athletic bag that had been held together with duct tape. Clothes, books, school supplies, any treasures he’d collected like a pretty rock or something shiny he’d found in an alley. Once, he’d found a GI Joe doll and kept it because GI Joe looked tough in his military uniform with his dark hair and beard.
He’d lost that when one of his mom’s boyfriends called him a sissy and said only girls played with dolls. Explaining that he didn’t play with it, he only kept it because he was going to be a soldier one day, had earned him a slap across the face.
“What’s your story, Daphne?” he asked.
She swiped beneath her eyes and stashed the blanket into the backpack before reaching for the over-turned lantern. “I was cleaning rooms over at the Wheeler Inn, but they let me go three days ago when one of the older maids wanted her job back. I knew these apartments were empty. I didn’t think anyone would notice if I was really quiet. It’s just for a few days. Just until I find another job.”
“Your landlord didn’t give you a grace period?” Kane asked, his voice gravelly with anger.
Her chin dipped to her chest. “I’ve been staying in my car.”
“Why didn’t you stay there tonight?”
“Because somebody broke a window, and it’s too cold when the sun goes down. I tried.”
“Have you eaten?”
Her chin came up, but it quivered. “I had some potato chips and beef jerky. I’m fine.”
“Jesus,” Kane said, shoving a hand over his head.
Daphne flinched, shrinking into herself.
Kane lifted his hand, palm out. “I’m not mad at you, Daphne. I’m mad for you, okay? Get your stuff and we’ll take you to the Dawg. You can have dinner, and we’ll find somewhere for you to stay until you can get work, okay?”
She blinked as she straightened again. Her gaze darted between them. “You would do that?”
“Yes.” Kane gave them a look, and Blaze felt that look down to his soul. “We rescue people. It’s what we’re good at.”
“Thank you. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”
“It’s okay,” Kane replied. “It’s just dinner and a pillow. Nothing fancy.”
Apparently nobody had ever told Kane that prime rib was fancy to some folks. It sure was to him since he’d never had any beef but hamburger before he’d joined the military and had a little bit of money of his own.
“You see anyone else around here? A man, about six-feet, blond?” Blaze asked.
“Um, I watched the place today. I saw a lot of people. There’s a doctor’s office on the first floor.”
“But nobody fitting that description tonight?”
“No. Just you and the woman who left together earlier. Nobody else.”
That was a relief at least. “Okay, thanks.”
Daphne shouldered her backpack and clutched the lantern to her chest. She looked wary of them, as if she was afraid they were lying about the hot meal and the place to stay. It made him wonder what kind of life she’d had, how badly she’d been treated. He didn’t blame her for being suspicious. A woman couldn’t be too careful, and they were three big guys who’d burst in with guns.
“We’re not going to hurt you.” Kane had sensed her unease too. “I’m Kane, by the way. This here is Blaze and that’s Seth. We work together at the range. One Shot Tactical. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
“I s-saw it on my way into town.”
“That’s us. Sorry if we came on strong, but our friend is being threatened by a guy who broke in here before. We thought you were him.”
She seemed to relax a fraction. “That’s why you asked if I’d seen anyone.”
“Right,” Blaze said. “He’s another good reason we can’t let you stay.”
She clutched the lantern tighter but didn’t say anything.
“You ready?” Kane asked gently.
Daphne nodded. Kane offered his arm. She hesitated but then looped her arm into his. Kane escorted her from the apartment like she was a queen instead of a vagrant.
“Think she’s in some kind of trouble?” Blaze said as he and Seth followed behind.
“Yep. And Ghost is going to flip his lid when we insist on helping this one, too.”
“He won’t stop us. It’s not in his DNA to turn away anyone in trouble. Even if he might wish it were.”
Seth looked thoughtful. “Except maybe Special Agent Corbin. She seems to get under his skin pretty bad. They were frowning at each other when we got the alert. I don’t even think he noticed us leaving.”
“If we’re lucky, she’s been reassigned and only showed up tonight to get one last dig in before she leaves town.”
“Hope you’re right.”
Blaze hoped so too. Because Diana Corbin struck him as the type of person who wouldn’t quit until she’d nailed them to the wall.