Chapter 38
38
Sisco rushed through the front door of the elementary school and bolted into the office while Devil headed to Todd's vehicle. Everett had an assigned FBI agent to talk to the police and Devil while Sisco dealt with Evie.
Once inside the office, he opened his mouth to demand Evie when a woman walked out of the principal's office. Shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white blouse paired with a dark blue jacket and slacks. Her makeup was subtle, and her no-bullshit expression screamed FBI. As soon as her gaze landed on Sisco, she moved forward.
“Mr. Aguilar?”
“Yes, where's Evie?”
“I'm Agent Pamela Woodcock. Agent Everett Tomey sent me here to smooth the pathway for you to pick up Evie Keller. She's in the nurse's office.”
Barely offering a chin lift, he tapped his radio. “Check with Everett about Pamela Woodcock.” Then he turned on his booted heel and hurried back out of the office, immediately realizing he had no idea which direction the nurse's office was.
“This way, Mr. Aguilar,” Pamela said, stepping around him and motioning to a door just down the hall.
As soon as he'd made it to the door with the nurse's name next to it, he heard Evie's voice.
“Sisco!”
The air rushed from his lungs as he rushed in. For the first time since they'd gotten news that Todd had been shot, a smile crossed his face as he squatted and opened his arms wide. Evie darted forward, and he wrapped her in his embrace, then stood, easily lifting her in the air. Part of his soul clicked into place, but there was still a gaping hole where Lenore should have been.
“Why are you here? They said they called Mommy.”
“I was closer, Evie girl. So your mom wants me to pick you up. I'm gonna take you to the doctor, okay?”
Her nose wrinkled. “I don't think I need to go. I just got hot when we were outside running.”
“That might be, sweetheart, but we're going to have someone check you out.”
Turning to the woman beside him, he asked, “Agent Woodcock, is there anything else I need to do?”
Her gaze darted to Evie, and her lips curved before coming back to him. “Pamela, please. And I've already signed her out.”
“Thank you.” He carried Evie as he followed her out. Once on the sidewalk, he turned to the agent. He wanted to ask more about what happened to Todd or news on Lenore, but with Evie in his arms, it wasn't the time. He looked down the street and found Devil's gaze on him. Lifting his chin, Devil shook hands with one of the agents at Todd's car and ran toward Sisco's SUV, where he'd left it parked.
“Mr. Devlin!” Evie called out with a grin.
“Hey, girl. Aren't you special? You've got us today chauffeuring you around. You must be royalty—like a princess.”
She giggled, and Sisco felt the tightness in his chest ease, but only marginally. While he was glad to get his arms around Evie, not knowing what was happening with Lenore sent his thoughts into chaos.
“Let's go,” Sisco said to Devil. They headed out of the school, and his long legs ate up the distance to his SUV. He bent to buckle Evie into his SUV.
“I'm following.”
His gaze shot to the other side, where Pamela was talking to Devil.
“We don't need the Bureau hindering us,” Devil warned.
“That's not my job,” she replied. “I was told to ensure that you have whatever you need once Evie Keller was in your custody.”
Devil nodded, then climbed behind the wheel as Sisco jumped into the passenger seat. They pulled out of the parking lot, and Sisco gave the directions to the doctor's office in town. Tapping on his earpiece so that he and Devil could hear the updates without Evie knowing anything, he requested, “We have Evie. Heading to the doctor in town. Sitrep on other mission.”
“Lenore has been taken by aircraft again,” Sadie said.
He winced at the words, then grimaced. “Fu—godda—augh,” he growled as his chest sank with the air rushing out.
In a much softer voice, Sadie added, “I'm so sorry, Sisco. We've got her tracker working, although the signal is a little weak.”
Timothy added, “Logan got to the last location we pinged, and it was just the white panel van. Everett is leaning on Sam as we speak. He's at the hospital.”
“That's not where I'll be. I'm staying in Valier and taking her to her regular doctor.”
“If you need more, Everett has alerted the ER staff that anyone from LSI Montana can act as loco parentis for Evie Keller.”
His heart split in half. The two women in his life were in different locations, and both needed him. “I'm divided, man,” Sisco said, trying to keep the agony out of his voice in case Evie was listening.
“We get that,” Sadie said. “Once at the doctor's office, Bert and Mary are headed your way. Cole has circled back from the hospital in Great Falls. He’ll meet you in Valier and fly you and Frazier to follow Lenore.”
With the sun visor down on the passenger side, Sisco flipped the mirror flap up to see Evie's face. Her gaze lifted to his, and a smile flickered on her face. He wondered what she was thinking about but was afraid to ask. He never wanted to lie to her but couldn't possibly tell her that her mom had been kidnapped again. He forced his lips into a smile but wasn't sure if she could see it in the mirror. She smiled bigger, then turned her attention down to the purple backpack in her hands.
He let out a long and slow breath. “Christ…” He lifted a silent prayer, unwilling for Evie to hear his fears.
Devil pulled into the parking lot of the doctor's office. The FBI vehicle came to a stop right behind theirs, but he had already jumped out and unbuckled Evie. Picking her up, he hastened into the reception office. He thought she already felt cooler but wasn't about to take any chances.
As soon as they were inside, it appeared the doctor had been prepared for them.
“Right this way,” the nurse with bouncy blond curls said, smiling wide for Evie. He followed her into a small room and set Evie down on the examination table.
The nurse immediately went to work, taking Evie's vital signs. “You don't seem to have a temperature now.”
“I was running fast,” Evie stated matter-of-factly, then huffed. “I'm tired of sitting on the side when my class runs races. And my bestest friends wanted me to play, too.”
“Let's get some blood, sweetie, and then the doctor will be in. Can you do that for me?”
Evie's face set in a pout, but she nodded and dutifully held out her arm. Sisco noted that the nurse was not just smiling—she was talented. She had the procedure over with quickly, and Evie didn't cry. He was so proud of her, but his gaze darted out the open door where Devil leaned against the wall. The Keeper's body language emitted a casual stance, but Sisco knew his friend's mind was racing, much like his own.
Evie, oblivious to the adult nerves firing in all directions, lifted her gaze to him. Wide-eyed, she asked, “Are you going to stay with me?”
Agony sliced through him with the pain of a thousand knives. “Evie, sweetheart, I need to go find your mom.”
Her eyes widened slightly, and he rushed to add, “I'm not gonna leave you alone here. I'm gonna leave you with… um… one of our friends. And they won't leave your side. And I'll return to where you are as soon as I can. If it's here, I'll come here. If you finish here before I return with your mom, he'll take you to where the kittens play.”
Her eyes brightened at that change of plans. “You'll bring Mommy and come to the kittens?”
“I promise, baby.” He leaned forward and kissed her, then, with his hands fisted, felt his ripped heart divide once again.
The doctor entered the exam room, her gaze shifting from Evie to Sisco. “I've been apprised of the situation and know expediency is of the highest nature. She has no fever, so I think she may have been right and simply overheated on the playground. We're working on her blood work, but I'm not expecting a problem.” She then efficiently began her examination of Evie.
Sisco winked at the little girl who'd stolen his heart alongside her mom and stepped just outside the room. The door was left open, but he leaned toward Devil.
Devil needed no prompting. “Todd is going to be fine. Having surgery on his shoulder, but he'll be fine. From what Cole said, he's mostly just pissed. Vivian is there now and will stay with him.” He sucked in a breath, then kept going. “Pamela offered to take Evie back to the compound?—”
“No fuckin' way,” Sisco growled. “She might be an agent, or she might be working for the fucking cartel. Not gonna take a?—”
“Chill, man. There's no way I'm letting anyone but one of us take Evie. Bert and Mary are on their way. I've already got her booster out of your SUV. Landon will meet us just outside town. Coordinates are on your GPS.”
“What can you tell me?”
“It looks like they're heading to Canada.”
Sisco didn't care if he had to travel across country territories; he would get Lenore and take care of anyone who'd touched her.
Turning back toward the examination room, he found the doctor writing notes and Evie swinging her legs back and forth.
He walked inside and bent to kiss Evie's head. “How is everything?”
“I think she's fine and should go home to rest.”
“We're ready. Can we take her now?”
The doctor smiled down at Evie and patted her knee. “As soon as she picks out what flavor of lollipop she wants.”
“Cherry!” she cried, fist-pumping the air.
The nurse laughed. “It looks like that was an easy choice.” She handed her a bright red lollipop.
Evie lifted her arms, and Sisco picked her up. The doctor added, “I'd like her to rest today and tomorrow. No strenuous activity. Check her temperature every four hours just to see if there is a change. If so, bring her in.”
Sisco thanked the doctor and then followed the nurse out of the room. He obtained the paperwork and then walked into the sunshine. Devil was by the vehicle waiting on him.
Just then, another SUV rolled up, and he recognized it as belonging to LSIMT. Mary was sitting in the passenger seat, and Bert jumped quickly from behind the steering wheel and raced over.
“Hey, little Miss Evie. Mary and I have come to take you to the ranch?—”
“I can play with the kitties? Everyone wants to take me to see the kitties today!”
“Absolutely, you can see the kitties.”
Bert looked at Sisco. “Devil, you go with Sisco. We've got her.”
Sisco heard Devil's audible rush of air, knowing that as much as he would have kept Evie safe, his former teammate would have been invaluable next to him, rescuing Lenore. Devil jogged over, taking Evie’s booster seat to Bert's vehicle.
Bert leaned closer to Sisco and whispered, “We'll guard her with our lives.”
As much as Sisco felt torn again, he knew he could trust any of the Keepers. Kissing the side of Evie's cheek and loving the giggle she emitted when his beard tickled her face, he said, “Okay, sweet girl. It looks like you're going to go with Bert and Mary. Be good. Do exactly what they say.”
“I promise,” she said, hugging with her little arms around his neck. Then she let go easily, and he set her on the ground. Taking Bert's hand, she waved at Mary as she hurried to the back seat, where Bert buckled her in.
Once they were pulling away, Sisco spied Evie waving at him from her seat. He waved back, then sucked in a deep breath.
Pamela said, “I'll report back to Agent Tomey. Good luck.” She hesitated, then stepped closer to shake their hands. “I really mean that… good luck.” With that, she climbed back into her car and left the parking lot.
Sisco hadn't even realized that Bert had brought weapons and equipment for them, and Devil had also shifted those into his SUV. For a second, he stood with his fists on his hips, and his head dropped back as he closed his eyes. “Fuck, I can't even get my thoughts straight.”
“Everyone knows that, and everyone understands. That's why Logan sent them to take charge of Evie, and you've got me.”
He dropped his chin and held the gaze of his closest friend. Then, with a nod, they climbed back into their SUV and headed down the road to meet Logan.