Chapter 12 #2
He shook his head. “I don’t know.” His mouth formed a tight line. “But I’m gonna find out.” He glanced over and held out his hand.
She grabbed it, a lifeline in this nightmare.
She shivered, and it felt as if her entire body was encased in ice. Ethan placed his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into his warmth, enjoying his nearness for a brief moment. Because eventually, she’d have to leave.
Over the years, she’d been so brave. Carried on. Moved to a new town and made new friends. Kept her secrets.
Now her past had caught up with her and was pursuing her with a relentlessness she hadn’t expected.
What if Finn Donovan or one of his buddies actually found her?
“Come on. Come on!” Ethan pounded the steering wheel with his fist as he tried to maneuver around a slow-moving sedan. The vehicle swerved in front of him, and he honked his horn. “Get out of the way.”
This had to be an inside job. But who would betray the location of a safe house? Anger surged through his veins as he threaded through heavy rush-hour traffic.
He used his hands-free device and called the office.
“Roberts here.”
“Someone broke into the safe house. I’m taking Aubrey to the secondary location. Is it usable?”
“Yeah. The building inspector said it was good to go.”
“Good.” He glanced over at Aubrey, but she was focused on the passing scenery. “I need you and Montgomery to meet me at Rousseau’s place. We’re gonna make a house call. See if mommy dearest knows where he is.”
“On our way.”
He glanced at Aubrey, her fingers white from gripping the door handle. “I’m gonna find out who did this. What could they be looking for?”
She turned toward him, her eyes wide with fear. “I don’t know. But if they want to scare me, they’re doing a really good job.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Hey now. You’re safe.”
“No one is really safe, are they?” Her voice was a strangled whisper, breaking through the last of his defenses.
Yanking the steering wheel to the left, he swung his truck around the older-model sedan, focused only on one thing—keeping Aubrey safe.
He wanted to push his truck, floor the accelerator, but didn’t dare draw attention to their flight. After fifteen tense minutes of backtracking through side streets, they halted in front of another small safe house. He threw the gear shift into Park and cut the engine.
Adrenaline pounded through his body.
Someone was grilling in the neighborhood, the savory aroma of barbecue drifting on the warm breeze. The scent was comforting and an unlikely accompaniment to the past frantic minutes.
Aubrey sat in the passenger seat, unmoving.
“Aubrey. Hey. We’re at the safe house.”
Her laughter was tinged with panic. “Another safe house.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do this. Maybe I’ll just leave…”
Ethan reached over and grabbed her arm. “It’s going to be okay.”
She shook her head, and he placed a finger under her chin. “Aubrey. Please. Look at me.”
Her tortured gaze met his, and the look in her eyes made him want to wrap her in his arms.
“Come on, let’s get you inside.” He opened his door, then skirted the front of his truck and opened hers. He held out a hand. “It’ll be okay.”
She hesitated a moment, then placed her chilled fingers in his. He led her into the house and then closed and locked the door.
This home was older than the previous one, but clean. “Aubrey, stay here where it’s safe while we clear the house.” He left her in the foyer, unholstered his weapon, and began clearing each room.
He needed to be quick. Leaving Aubrey by herself wasn’t optimal, but he had to make sure everything was safe.
“All clear.” He holstered his weapon and then looked through the blinds and checked the road. Went back to her.
Before he knew what was happening, Aubrey wrapped her arms around his neck. He awkwardly patted her back and gently tugged on her arms. “Shh now.” He lowered his voice. “You’re safe.”
Focus. He needed to stay focused on the task and not the woman with him.
Swiping her hair from her face, Aubrey nodded. He slipped his arm around her shoulders, then led her over to the small family room and guided her to the couch, where she dropped onto the cushions, an aura of defeat surrounding her.
He headed toward the door to call for backup, unable to look at Aubrey for fear that he’d convince himself to stay nearby.
She stood. “Where are you going?” Her panicked tone tore at his heart.
“I have to go back out and find Donovan and Rousseau. You’re staying here, where at least I know you’re safe.” Just as soon as backup came.
“Ethan.” Her tone had an underlying bite that hadn’t been there before. Her low whisper pierced the armor around his heart. “I don’t know if I can trust anyone in the Marshals office.”
He nodded. He already knew the cost of misplaced trust.
As he stood at the door, indecision warred within. He needed to protect her, but he also needed to protect the citizens of Renegade. He pulled out his phone and sent Stanton a text.
Ethan
Need you at the new safe house on Eagle Drive.
Three green dots appeared. C’mon. Answer.
Stanton
I should be there in twenty. Why?
Ethan
Need you to patrol the outside of the house and keep Aubrey safe.
Stanton
Got it.
Ethan stuffed his phone into his pocket. “I have to leave, but Stanton will be outside. Don’t go anywhere without him.”
“’Kay.” She plopped down on an older upholstered chair.
He stared at her for another second, then headed outside. If he stayed in there, he would never leave.
As soon as Stanton showed, Ethan took off.
His truck rumbled into the shadow of Renegade’s outskirts.
Donovan had help. That was no longer a theory.
It was a working direction for the manhunt.
But Ethan focused on the unseen operator, the one who didn’t need to be present to pull the strings.
Questions were giving way to patterns. Hesitation to action.
He was finally at the part of the case where things were starting to make sense.
The ransacked safe house proved someone was steering the aftermath of the plane wreckage on the mountain into something personal and precise.
His phone buzzed again.
Carlsson
No dice.
No warrant yet. Still, Ethan didn’t need one to knock on a door the law might soon be forced to kick in anyway.
But he wouldn’t be doing it alone.
He pulled into the driveway of what could only be described as a mansion. Four stories, with balconies on the upper floors. The massive stone structure overshadowed the driveway, the manicured shrubs and lawn like something out of a landscaping magazine cover.
He cut the engine as Liam’s truck rolled up behind him, gravel spitting beneath law-enforcement tires. Adam pulled up behind Liam.
Montgomery stepped out first, hand already near his belt, eyes scanning timber shadows. Roberts followed, pulling the SUV door closed with a thud that sounded a lot like containment.
Roberts nodded once. “You sure about this?”
Ethan met his gaze. “Safe house got hit. I’m not asking questions anymore, Deputy Marshal. I’m closing windows.”
Montgomery exhaled low. “Copy that.”
Ethan cracked his jaw once, trying to dispel the tension. His eyes lifted toward the tree line beyond town, where Aubrey had unknowingly seen a meeting she was never meant to witness.
A medieval-style wooden door with brass hinges graced the front. Ethan rang the doorbell, which sounded like ancient bells.
“Do you believe this place?” Adam glanced around and whistled.
The door opened, and a man in a black tuxedo answered. “How may I be of service, gentlemen?” His gaze roved over the trio.
“We’d like to speak with Roger Rousseau.” Ethan tried to peek around the butler, determined to find out if anyone who lived here knew where the guy was.
“I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment.”
Just great. And he didn’t have a warrant either. “Well, then…”
“Jasper, who’s at the door?” The woman had to be Destiny Rousseau, Roger’s mother. Petite build, overly botoxed forehead and cheeks. She held a martini glass in her left hand. Her tight black dress clung to her curves. Ethan felt heat crawl up his neck, and he looked at the tips of his shoes.
“Ma’am, these men are looking for Mr. Roger.”
Ethan opened his wallet and flashed his ID. “Mrs. Rousseau?” He cleared his throat. “I’m Ethan Butler, Deputy US Marshal.” He held out his hand.
She sipped from her glass. “Call me Destiny.” She stared at his hand as if it were covered in manure.
“Your son was recently spotted in the company of an escaped federal fugitive and another man wanted for questioning. We need to know where he is and if you’ve heard from him.”
“As our butler has stated, Roger isn’t here.”
“When do you expect him back?”
Destiny shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s a big boy and can take care of himself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have guests arriving in about twenty minutes.” The door closed with a bang.
He shook his head. “Well, that was interesting.”
Liam smirked. “What now?”
“We head back to the office. Discuss what was found at the plane site.” And pray. “Did the Denver team find anything in the cabin Aubrey mentioned?”
“Cabin was cleared at 0600,” Roberts said. “No occupants. No prints. They bagged a few items—energy-bar wrappers, an empty sports-drink bottle, and a pair of disposable gloves. Lab’s running touch DNA, but nothing came back in the field. If someone used it, they didn’t stay long.”
The evidence was substantial enough to log, but thin enough to frustrate his investigation. Submitted. Tested. Inconclusive. The kind of clues that whispered without saying much.
Adam popped a piece of gum in his mouth. “The FAA has shut down access to the mountain trails. They’ve expanded the grid search to look for debris.”
Ethan leaned against the truck’s hood. “Adam, head back to the office. Liam, head over to the safe house. And don’t tell anyone else where Aubrey is.”
The fewer people who knew where she was staying, the better.
Ethan pulled out his phone and made a quick call to Emma.
“Kennedy. Everything all right?”
Ethan waved as the other two drove off in their cars. “I want you to drive Aubrey’s car around Renegade. Gas station, grocery store, the usual routes—anything to make Finn Donovan think Aubrey is still moving freely.”
“Got it. But I’ll need her keys.”
“Her keys and the car are at the office,” Ethan said.
“Copy that.”
“Aubrey’s at a safe house. Stanton is there. Liam’s heading over to relieve him.” Ethan opened the truck door and sat staring at the Rousseaus’ house through the windshield. “And Kennedy? Be safe.”
“Always.”
He disconnected the call and sent Aubrey a text.
Ethan
Liam should be at the safe house within thirty minutes.
Aubrey
Thank you.
Ethan
He’ll be there for the first shift, and then I’ll come back later tonight, closer to midnight, for my shift. Don’t tell anyone where you’re at.
Aubrey
Not even Jenna?
Ethan
Sorry. Not even Jenna. If there is a mole at the Marshals office, you’re not safe. No matter where I send you.
Aubrey
You’re scaring me.
Ethan
I don’t mean to scare you, but…
Could he finish what he needed to say to her? He’d looped in most of his team because the truth was that he trusted them. So who was the leak?
Aubrey
But what?
Ethan
I care about you. I don’t want to lose you.
Aubrey
I care about you too. I’ll see you later tonight. Stay safe.
A fierce protectiveness rose within him, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in an awfully long time.
He promised himself and the Lord that he would protect Aubrey, no matter what.
Even if he had to sacrifice his own life.
Because no one should have to live in fear.