Chapter 22
His erection was gone by the time he got back to the range. Just thinking about bending Paisley over that desk, cupping her ass, and burying himself to the hilt inside her had kept him in a state of agitation for almost the entire drive. Thankfully he’d gotten a grip on himself.
Not a literal grip, though that was happening later since he needed to release some of this tension. But at least Paisley was feeling the tension, too. The way she’d moaned when he’d squeezed her ass told him all he needed to know.
It hit him deep inside to know she could still respond to him that way after all she’d been through. If he thought about Trey touching her, it made him want to howl. Worse was the thought of Trey hurting her, though.
Motherfucker was going down. Somehow.
“Hey,” Seth said when Ethan walked into the office. “I was just gonna call you.”
Ethan dropped his backpack on a chair. “You got something?”
“Fern Carter has a burner. Picked it up at Walmart about a month ago. The number matches.”
Ethan’s gut twisted with anger. “That absolute bitch.” He hadn’t felt in the least bit guilty about chewing her ass out in the library before he had the facts, but now that he did, she was due another talking to.
If she ever made Paisley scared again, he’d make sure everybody knew what a cunt she was.
Hell, he might do it anyway if Paisley agreed.
“Yeah, she’s a piece of work. She returned to Sutton’s Creek because there was some controversy at her old library.
She and her husband were living in Mississippi where she worked as a substitute teacher and part-time library volunteer.
She outed one of the librarians for being gay.
It was apparently an open secret, but somebody calling attention to it, well, people got up in arms and the man ended up resigning.
Fern didn’t get his job, though. She left because there was a lot of anger toward her after that. ”
“How spiteful do you have to be to do that to someone? To think that what you want is more important than someone else’s reputation and livelihood?”
And that right there earned her a special visit.
He hated a bully. Erik had turned to drugs because of the shittiness of their lives, but it was the bullying that kept him there even after they had a home.
He’d been too small and too shy to fight back, and Ethan wasn’t always there to do it for him.
“You got me. People like that could do the world a lot of good if they’d fuck right off the edge of it.”
“No kidding.”
“I also got a hit on the doorbell cams in Paisley’s neighborhood.
I can’t pinpoint a house, but the guy first appears at zero-forty-eight, walking down Cherry Street.
He keeps that ball cap pulled low, so no face shots, and the clothes are too baggy to get a real indication of size.
Sharper cams and daylight? Maybe, but not at night.
Could be a big guy or a regular guy in big clothes.
Anyway, he cuts across yards to get to the next street instead of sticking to the sidewalk.
He hops the fence at Paisley’s at around one.
After he left there, he kept going down the block, then cut across another couple of yards.
About an hour or so later, he reappears in the first place I clocked him. ”
“So he made a circle.”
“Yep, seems that way.”
Ethan scratched his chin. “Could be a teen sneaking off for some kid bullshit, I suppose.”
“Could be. Hard to say. If I coulda got a look at a car, or the house he came from, that would’ve helped a lot. I hacked Fern Carter’s doorbell cam too. He didn’t come from her house, so not her husband looking to get revenge for slights to Fern. She seems to be handling that job all by herself.”
“That’s good about the hubby. I didn’t really want to have to whip his ass. Figured Ghost wouldn’t approve.”
“No, I really wouldn’t,” the man himself said, walking in the opposite door. “No beating up the citizens of Sutton’s Creek, even if they deserve it.”
“Party pooper,” Ethan said.
“Sorry not sorry.” Ghost grinned, then got serious again. “So the trespasser might have been a teenager, or it could be Trey McCann reconnoitering the neighborhood and making plans.”
“Yeah,” Ethan said with a frown. “I’m staying over there tonight in case he comes back.”
Ghost sighed. “You’re gonna be the final nail in my coffin, aren’t you? Four down, one left to fall. Contravening direct orders not to get romantically involved with anyone for the duration of the mission.”
“Sorry not sorry?” Ethan offered.
“Asshole,” Ghost said, but there was no malice to it.
Blaze had been the first to fall. Then Chance got Rory pregnant and fell in love.
Seth had thought Callie was their target, the person responsible for trying to take the Athena Project down, but that didn’t stop him from falling at her feet.
Then there was Kane and Daphne. Kane had tiptoed around Daphne for months, claiming to think of her as a little sister.
And now they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
Along came Ethan and Paisley. “In all fairness, I fell for Paisley five years ago. Didn’t expect I’d ever see her again. We’re getting reacquainted at the moment.”
“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Ghost sighed and shook his head. “Not sure Washington gives a flying fuck though. Their interest in what we’re doing seems to have waned a bit.”
The three of them were silent. They’d arrived in Sutton’s Creek almost eight months ago, filled with noble purpose and in regular contact with the president and her team.
As the months passed and the mission dragged on, the president seemed to have turned her eye toward other matters.
Like keeping her poll numbers up and trying to broker peace deals between historic enemies.
Athena lurched toward completion and Washington checked in periodically, like a distracted parent making sure the kids were still on the playground but not really checking to see if they were actually okay.
Typical politicians. They were always more distracted by the issue of the moment, whatever it might be. Or manufacturing issues to keep you from focusing on the real problem.
“What about you, boss?” Seth winked at Ethan. “Surely there’s some lucky lady that’s caught your eye.”
“Nope,” Ghost said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Not in the least.”
“Agent Corbin’s pretty hot,” Ethan said.
Ghost’s head snapped up. “No. No fucking way. That woman makes my head hurt.”
Ethan and Seth exchanged a look. Ghost saw it and shook his head vigorously. “Don’t get any fucking ideas in your heads. I have to deal with her because she’s shoved her way into our business. I don’t have to like her.”
“Don’t have to like who?” Blaze wandered in with Chance close behind.
“Diana Corbin,” Seth said. “He doesn’t like her.”
“What’s new about that?” Chance asked, blinking like an owl.
“Nothing’s new,” Ghost said. “These two clowns were suggesting that since all of you are hung up on women despite orders, I might want to join the club.”
“With Diana Corbin?” Chance laughed. “No fucking way. She’s a nightmare.”
“She is,” Ghost said. “I’d rather date a wolverine.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Daphne stood in the doorway, a folder in her hand.
“Well, hell, why doesn’t everyone just come on in,” Ghost grumbled.
“Don’t blame me,” Daphne said. “I was coming for a signature on this paperwork. Ordering those folding tables and tablecloths you told me I could get for the future events business. I’m innocent here.
But why are you dating a wolverine? Aren’t there any eligible—and less angry—women in this town?
I hear Wendy Cochran is single. And let’s not forget the widowed Mrs. Wright. She’d be fun.”
The guys snorted. Ghost glared.
“You want those tables or what?” he growled.
“Yes, I most definitely do.”
“Then don’t suggest Colleen Wright as a potential date. That’d be like kissing my grandma.”
“There’s still Wendy.”
“No. Another word, Daph, and no events business. Which, considering I only told you to start small yesterday, you haven’t wasted any time, have you?”
“Meanie. And no, I never waste time.”
“You forgot one,” Blaze said dramatically, leaning in.
“I did?” Daphne tilted her head.
“FBI.”
“Ohhhhhh. Yeah, no. Not her. She’s a bit too intense. So’s Alex. Put all that intensity together, and it wouldn’t be pretty.”
“Precisely. Thank you, Daph. You’re back in my good graces.” He held out his hand and she gave him the folder. “And now if you’re all done harassing me, I’m going back to my office for some peace and quiet.”
Once Ghost was gone, Daphne eyed them. “I didn’t want to mention this in front of him since he’s so grumpy today, but what would y’all think about posing shirtless for an ad?”
They all looked at each other. Chance shrugged. “I mean I’d do it. Why not?”
“No,” Seth said. “Not happening.”
“Aw, come on, Sethie. Don’t make me get Callie involved.”
“Yeah, not feeling it either,” Ethan said. “This is a shooting range and training facility, not a Chippendales show.”
Daphne grinned. “You wouldn’t know it to read some of these testimonials. Big men, tight abs, hard muscles, chests to swoon over. It reads like a Chippendales show.”
“Still not doing it,” Ethan said.
“Count me out,” Blaze added. “That’s three against one. Alex won’t go for it, so that’s four. What’s Kane think?”
“Kane will do whatever I ask him to do. Just have to ask him the right way. But, fine, I see the point. What if we broaden this idea—there are six of you and we’d need twelve photos for a calendar.
We could get some kittens and puppies, and y’all could pose shirtless with them. Two photos each. How hard could it be?”
“Still no,” Seth said. “But I’ll happily contribute to an animal shelter you pick.”
Daphne sighed dramatically. “For a bunch of badasses, y’all are certainly the biggest prudes I’ve ever met. Fine, I’ll think of something else. Babies,” she added as she flounced back the way she’d come.
“You’d really pose for a shirtless photo so she could plaster it on the wall at the Dawg and blast it out to the whole town by advertising in the Bee?” Blaze said to Chance.
“Why not? Women pose in bikinis to sell shit, so why not use what we’ve got and do the same?”
“Good point. But still no,” Seth said as he tapped away on his computer. “This body is for my woman to ogle, not for every woman in Sutton’s Creek to gawk at in a picture. Or tuck it away in her spank bank.”
“News flash, friend. They already do that,” Chance said. “They just do it from memory.”
“Things I don’t want to think about for a thousand,” Seth grated.
Chance rolled his eyes. “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, friend. And on that note, I’ve got a class to teach.”
Blaze went over to his desk and sat down. “You going with me on that security consult tomorrow, Phantom?”
“Planning on it,” Seth said.
Seth had discovered that while Brent Gannon worked on the Arsenal three days a week, he also went to an office in Research Park for two days.
Bugging Eagle Defense System’s office was a lot easier than bugging the Missile Defense Agency.
If Gannon was meeting with Dashevsky’s people, maybe it was there.
Which was the real reason why Blaze and Seth were going tomorrow.
The plan was to surveil through electronic means as well as some in-person surveillance.
Later this week, Kane and Daphne were headed to the brewery in Huntsville where Gannon seemed to spend a lot of time, according to his credit card receipts.
They would watch him for a few nights and report back.
Seemed odd to have Daphne involved, but then again she’d been instrumental in helping them take down her brother before he could sell those Stingers, so why not? She was smart and capable, and she took no prisoners when she set her mind to something.
Ethan looked at his watch. “Better go relieve Kane as RSO.”
He’d spend the entire hour thinking about the way Paisley had looked at him when he’d told her what he wanted to do to her. And trying not to get hard. He couldn’t wait to get off work, pick up some groceries, and spend the rest of the evening hanging out with her and Violet.
“It’s not busy today,” Blaze said. “I had two people the whole time.”
“Wait a minute,” Seth called as Ethan headed for the door. “Just got this. Looks like McCann didn’t leave the country as scheduled. Ticket canceled.”
Ethan stared at his friend. “Do you know where he is now?”
Seth typed and stared at his screen. Then he looked up and Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“No. He didn’t board any planes in Charlotte. He isn’t at the hotel anymore. I’ll search for a rental car, but when I tell you I’ve hit more roadblocks looking for this asshole than I expected, I’m not kidding.”
Ethan’s temples were starting to throb. “He was in HOT, like us. He knows how to fly under the radar.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s on the way here,” Blaze said calmly. “If he’s working covert ops, he might have used another ID to obscure his trail before he headed out on a job. We would.”
“Yeah, and he could have used it to head straight for Sutton’s Creek.”
“He could,” Blaze said, standing. “And maybe he did. Not gonna say he didn’t. Go check on your woman and her kid. I’ll take your shift.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
Blaze shrugged. “You’d do it for me.”
“I’ll keep searching,” Seth said. “I’ve got nothing going on right now. I was gonna head out early and surprise Callie with dinner on the table, but I’ll just take her out instead.”
Ethan thanked them both again and sprinted for the parking lot. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Paisley since he didn’t want to scare her, but until he got eyes on her and Violet both, he wasn’t going to feel in the least bit calm.