23. Remain Behind
Chapter 23
Remain Behind
M arcus didn’t worry about his prisoner. His team would take care of the man. Elina was his priority, and he wanted to ensure she was okay physically and emotionally. After what she’d experienced at the hands of the terrorists overseas, he worried that today’s events would affect her deeply. That she’d trap it inside her like she had before.
They didn’t have a couch in the station yet, so he led her to his office. He closed the curtains and motioned her to sit in one chair. He dragged the other one in front of her and sat while Finch moved to check on the kittens. A quick glimpse hadn’t shown any feline-related destruction. “Tell me how you’re feeling.”
She smiled softly. “Better now.”
He waited until more words tumbled from her. “If Owen hadn’t screamed, I don’t know if I could have moved. I kept flashing back to when I’d been taken in Afghanistan. I didn’t recognize this man, but I never saw the people who attacked the village. And when I was taken, I was forced to wear a hood the entire time.”
Marcus stroked her hands where they’d fisted in her lap. Tension radiated off of her. He hoped talking about it would help.
“Did you hear the things he said? I think he was one of the men who attacked the village or kidnapped me. Maybe he was part of both groups. Or they were the same group.”
“I wonder the same thing. I didn’t see many faces of the insurgents that day, so I can’t be sure. Once I have him in the cell, I’ll interrogate him, and see what I can find out.”
“How did he find us? Why would he be looking after all these years? It doesn’t make sense.”
He nodded. “I’ll find that out, too. And anything else you want to know. You don’t ever have to see him again.” Well, not unless the case went to trial but he didn’t mention that now. Hopefully, the asshole would plead guilty and spare her that.
“He talked about getting in Faadir’s good graces again. Do you know who Faadir is?”
“Not yet. I’ll do an online search before I talk to him. I’ve got lots of military contacts still. I’d like to go over the reports that were filed the day of the attack on the school. If he’s running an opium operation, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find out more about him. I’m sure the military has files on him already. Maybe this guy, too, once we find out his name.”
“Go ahead and do your job. I’m fine.”
Finch wandered back in and set his huge head in Elina’s lap. Marcus hoped that meant the kittens were fine, and there wasn’t any mess to clean up.
Marcus kept Elina’s hands in his and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. “He’s secure, and he’s not going anywhere. There’s no rush on the rest. We’ve got time to make sure we’re okay.”
Her eyes widened. “I didn’t even ask how you are. I’m sorry.”
He chuckled and brought his hands up to frame her face. “I’m not the one who had a knife at my throat.”
She tilted her head and studied him. “I’m guessing that was hard to watch. You were so steady. So calm and sure. I knew he didn’t stand a chance. You wouldn’t let him hurt me.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “I will always do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“I don’t have your skills or your training, but I’ll do the same for you.”
Those words hit him right in the heart. “No wonder I’m in love with you.”
She threw her arms around him, dislodging Finch, and hugged him hard. “I’m so in love with you, too, Marcus. We’re going to be so good together.”
“Damn right.”
Just as he was thinking the prisoner could wait long enough for him to make love to Elina, someone knocked on the front door.
Finch led the way to find Joe and Lia at the door. When he let them in, Lia’s eyes searched his and then Elina’s. The doctor was always thorough, and he should have expected her.
“How’s the patient?”
Lia shrugged. “Fine. The thigh shot was a graze, and the shoulder was a through-and-through. Very clean shots. He’s stitched up with pain meds and under guard until I check on you both.”
Marcus shook his head. “I’m fine. The asshole had Elina, not me.”
Lia studied him. “And that would hurt you more than if you’d been the hostage. Not all injuries are physical, as you well know.”
She was right, and he did know it. But Elina was the priority. “Why don’t you use my office to check Elina over?”
Lia raised her eyebrow but smiled. “Fine. I’ll start with Elina. Don’t run away.”
He raised his own eyebrow back, making her laugh.
When the women were in the office, Marcus turned to the squad room. “Give me a hand checking for kittens and any kitten damage. They were alone here for a while.”
Joe chuckled, and they moved through the room. No kittens in the box. He turned to Finch. “Where are your buddies? Find Boo, Jem, and Scout.”
Joe grinned. “Nina reading To Kill A Mockingbird in school?”
He smiled. “That’s what I said when I heard the names, but it was Elina who named them. Kimi said they’d all been abandoned, and Finch was curled around them.”
“Some people shouldn’t be allowed near animals. Or people. Bastards. So, how are you really doing?”
Marcus turned to Joe. “Did Lia ask you to pry?”
Joe grimaced. “Not a chance. But I know exactly how it feels to watch some asshole hold a knife to the throat of the woman you love.”
Joe and Lia had been through their own hell the year before. Marcus sighed. “It sucks. I’d take a bullet for her. I’d do anything to protect her. Being helpless sucks.”
Joe nodded. “I hear ya. But it sounds like you weren’t helpless at all. You gave her a signal when to move?”
Marcus nodded. “We were lucky. Owen had been playing with the dogs and teaching them commands earlier.”
“That’s not luck. That’s two smart people trusting each other and working together to take down the jerk.”
“She was amazing. Traded herself for Owen without a hesitation and then didn’t panic.”
“You’ve got a good one.”
He did.
Finch wandered into the kitchen, and they followed. The kittens were curled up in Finch’s dog bed. The Great Dane nudged them with his nose and then squeezed his upper half onto the bed. His lower half rested on the cool kitchen floor.
Joe grinned. “He’s a good kitten dad. Seems like you’re making a family, Marcus.”
That made him smile. He was. And he wanted more.
E lina stopped outside the Yoganna Love It studio with Marcus and Finch. Joe and Lia waited a few yards away.
Marcus rearranged the box of kittens to run his hand down her arm, and took her hand. “You sure you’re okay here?”
She nodded. Marcus was going to escort the prisoner from Doc’s to Phail Jail, and she didn’t need to see him yet. She wanted answers to her questions but she wanted to be more settled if she did confront him. And she wasn’t ready to be on her own yet.
Spending a few minutes alone with Marcus had helped. So had the conversation with Lia. The doctor had been through a similar experience. She’d offered to find Elina a therapist to talk things through with if she felt the need.
At this point, she wasn’t sure she would need that. Marcus was her rock, and she thought talking would help them both through it, but she’d keep the option open.
“I’m good. The doors will be locked and there are enough people here. I want to see Owen and make sure he’s okay. I think the kittens will help everyone.”
Scout reached her paws up the side of the box, wanting to escape.
Marcus smiled. “Not yet, Scout. You can get out in a minute.”
Then he kissed Elina softly. “If you need anything, even if it’s just to say hi, call me. You’re more important than anything. Don’t feel like you’d be interrupting.”
“Okay, but I think I’m good. As long as I can see you again in a few hours. Go ahead, and do your job.”
His serious eyes studied her, and he nodded. “Okay. And maybe you’ll get some ideas for your own job with Owen and the kittens.”
She just might. Elina knocked on the door, and Rachel opened it with a shaky smile. She pointed at Elina. “I’ll get to you in a minute. First, I have to do this.”
Rachel threw her arms around Marcus and hugged him tightly. “Thank you. For saving Owen and Elina, for keeping us all safe. If you ever need anything at all, just ask. Thank you.”
Her voice shook, and Marcus’s voice was gruff when he answered. “You’re welcome, but Elina was the one who kept Owen safe. You’ve raised a smart, resilient boy. If he wants to talk about it with me, you know where to find me.”
Rachel’s laugh was watery. “You may regret offering that. He’s definitely going to want to talk to you about it all.”
“Any time.”
Rachel let him go and took the box of kittens. She led the way inside the entrance. Elina and Lia followed her inside. Marcus and Joe waited until the door was locked and then they headed to Doc’s and the prisoner.
Lia took the box of kittens from Rachel. “I’ll give you two a moment. Where are Owen and Piper?”
“In the yoga studio. He’s showing Piper some moves.”
Lia told Finch to come along, and she moved into the home.
Rachel turned to Elina and threw her arms around her. “Thank you.”
She burst into tears, and Elina found herself doing the same. For a long minute, the two women held each other. “He’s okay?”
Rachel nodded and sucked in a deep breath. “Thanks to you. I don’t know how to thank you for what you did. That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen. You got Owen away from that man, and I am in your debt forever. No matter what, if you need anything, you ask. I can never repay you for keeping him safe.”
Elina squeezed her hard. “You’re welcome, and there’s no debt. I’m just so glad Owen is okay.”
Rachel’s laugh was watery. “You saved my son. You have my eternal adoration and love.”
That made Elina laugh. “Adoration might be over the top. How about friendship? I haven’t had a lot of friends in my life, and I’d love to count you as one of them.”
“Done. But the adoration still stands.”
A shriek of laughter from the yoga studio had them standing back and wiping their eyes. Rachel took her hand. “Best sound in the universe. Come on, and let’s see what’s making him laugh.”
Rachel had turned the front room of her house into a yoga studio. It would normally have been a living room, but it was a good size for a small group doing yoga.
In the middle of the floor, Owen sat with the three kittens in his lap. Finch sat alert next to him, watching the proceedings.
Rachel looked around the room. “Where’s Flups?”
Owen grinned. “Hiding. He’s scared of the kittens.”
Boo jumped out of Owen’s lap and zoomed around the boy. Sure enough, the small dog raced away from where he’d hidden behind the boy and ran toward Rachel.
She scooped him up, and Boo stopped at her feet, watching. “I think he wants to be friends, Flups. You want to try being brave with me?”
Owen jumped up as he spotted Elina. The kittens scrambled to the side as he ran the few steps to Elina and threw his arms around her. “You were so brave today. You walked right up to him so that he forgot about me. They said he didn’t hurt you. Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”
Elina hugged him back. “I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me at all. Marcus and the others made sure everyone stayed safe.” She didn’t mention the gunshot wounds. And his team had been careful with those. The man was injured but in no danger of dying.
“Thank you.” The boy’s voice shook, and she squeezed him hard.
“You’re very welcome, Owen. I’m just glad I was close enough to help.”
“Me too.”
Elina felt the kitten climbing her jeans and whispered to Owen. “Look down. Boo wants to say hi.”
“He’s climbing you?” With a laugh, he reached down and scooped up the kitten. “Do you want to make friends with Flups? You’re not allowed to scare him.”
Elina’s nerves settled as they played with the dogs and kittens. Flups didn’t become a fan, but he learned to tolerate them, even as he instinctively stayed out of range of their claws.
A while later, she moved to the side of the room to text Marcus. Her nerves had settled but they wouldn’t completely go away until she saw him and assured herself he was truly okay, too. Checking in. You doing okay?
His reply only took seconds. All good here. The prisoner isn’t talking, but I’ve got most of the paperwork filed away. How are you?
All good here, too. I’d like to come by the station. Is that okay?
That took a longer time for him to reply. As long as you have someone walk with you.
She smiled. It wasn’t even a full block away. But she knew he was stressed, so she agreed. It would probably make her feel safer as well. See you soon.