Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“The dark side suits you. I like it.” A.J. flashed Adriana a smile as he sat across from her on the couch in Jessica’s suite. “I’m still sorry we got you tossed from your assignment.”
She also knew he was sorry he lost Aaron that morning, and like Knox, he wouldn’t let that go. “I’ll be fine.” She glanced at Knox standing behind where Luke worked at the desk.
Luke had given her a warm introduction when she met him, and he’d invited her to dinner with his family when this was over. The man appeared a bit hard around the edges but with a good heart. In fact, all of Knox’s friends seemed amazing.
Even though it hurt he’d kept them from her, at least he had friends like them when she wasn’t around.
“Where’s Jessica and Asher?” She pulled a pillow on her lap and played with the silver-and-black-colored tassel. “I was hoping to say hi.”
“Jessica’s morning sickness has kicked into gear,” A.J. said. “She’s been throwing up, and papa bear acts like this ain’t the norm.”
“He’s forcing her to rest in the suite across the hall,” Luke translated with a smile. “Asher won’t leave her side, so . . .”
“Should she even be here?” she asked.
“I’d like to send her home, but the woman’s stubborn,” Luke answered.
At his words, Knox peered her way, and she could pretty much read his thoughts. Like you, he’d probably been thinking.
But she wasn’t nearly as stubborn as Knox, and he had to know that.
“Harper’s been doing a lot of the leg work for us since she’s at our home office in New York,” Knox explained, returning his focus to Luke’s laptop. “She’s an intelligence genius like Jessica.”
Home office? Knox had mentioned he worked out of New York City a lot, but how many offices did they have? And why so many? What the hell do you really do?
“We should hear from Harper soon,” Luke added.
“You think she can ID the photo your people pulled from the traffic cams of the driver in that truck?” The FBI couldn’t, but Knox had said Jessica’s software was better, so maybe there was hope.
“I’m sure she will,” Luke said with enough confidence that she believed him.
Knox turned toward the window behind the desk and palmed the glass. He’d changed since the morning into khakis and a white tee.
“What are you thinking?” she blurted, forgetting they weren’t alone.
Knox faced the room, his eyes connecting with hers.
“About how Chelsea died.” He brought his hand around his throat, his bicep flexing in the process.
“Takes about thirty-three pounds per square inch to close the trachea. Four to five minutes for brain death if strangulation persists.” He lowered his hand. “Strangulation is usually personal.”
“Unless he was trying to keep her quiet,” A.J. suggested.
“But the knife to the back after she was already dead was either a statement or—”
“Another form of misdirection?” A.J. cut Knox off. “Shit. But Aaron was there. He had the bloody knife. He fought me when I wrestled him to the ground.”
“You said he looked surprised to see you, and he was fighting to get away, not to hurt you.” Knox’s eyes lifted to A.J.’s face. “Then he stole the bike and took off.”
“But it had to be him, right? What else could’ve happened?” A.J. placed a hand over his heart.
Knox closed his eyes as if placing himself back at the scene of the crime that morning. “The suitcase by her bathroom door. Clothes on her bed. She was packing.”
“She was on her way out of Charlotte.” Adriana set the pillow aside and stood.
“It’s also possible Aaron found her dead, realized it was his knife in her body, then grabbed it and took off when we breached the place,” Knox added.
“But why was Aaron there in the first place?” It was still the unanswered question of the freaking day.
Luke folded his arms. “Not sure, but it’d be nice to get a chance to talk to Aaron and find out.”
“I guess because Aaron looks guilty doesn’t mean he is,” she said.
A.J. slapped his palms together in prayer. “Are we thinking there’s still a chance he’s innocent?”
“We need to identify the son of a bitch who shot at us this morning,” Knox said. “And we need to figure out how Chelsea is connected to this.”
“Guys,” Luke hollered loud enough for Wyatt and Liam to hear. “We got a hit. Harper emailed me.”
The door to the bedroom opened, and Wyatt and Liam entered the room. “What’s up?” Wyatt glanced at A.J. “And why do you look so bloody happy?”
“Because Aaron might still be innocent.” A.J. smiled.
“Or maybe not,” Luke said, and everyone’s attention winged his way.
“Don’t go raining on my parade, brother.” A.J. circled the desk to look at Luke’s screen.
“Recognize him?” Luke asked.
“Son of a bitch.” A.J. dropped a few more expletives.
“What is it?” Adriana looked back and forth between the guys, her heart racing.
“Ike Jeramy, he’s the SOB who shot at us this morning?” Knox grimaced.
“Who’s Ike?” Now she was the one feeling out of the loop, and it was irritating as hell.
“He was in BUD/S with me. With Aaron.” A.J. scrubbed a hand over his closely trimmed beard. “He got kicked out, though. He had a problem with authority and running his mouth.”
“So, Aaron’s friend wasn’t lying. His truck was stolen.” She sat again, worried her legs would betray her nerves.
“And guess where he’s from,” A.J. said. “Robert Lee, Texas.”
“He still lives there, so it looks like he’s just visiting,” Luke said as his cell rang. “Putting you on speaker, Harper. We, uh, have a guest present. Adriana Foster.”
Was Luke letting Harper know to tread lightly with Adriana in the room? Probably.
And the apologetic look Knox shot her meant she was right.
“I found our connection to Chelsea,” Harper said quickly.
“Ike works at the trucking company in San Angelo where Chelsea worked before she quit and moved to Charlotte. He’s one of their rig drivers.
And guess where his rig is currently located?
A truck station off route seventy-seven in Charlotte.
I pulled up satellite footage of the area.
As of this morning, his truck was there. I’m texting you the address now.”
“Good work,” Luke replied.
Wow. They were good.
“I’ll do some more digging and see what I come up with,” Harper said. “You gonna let the Feds know or handle this without them?”
The guys looked at each other and then pivoted to Adriana, the question written on their faces.
“If Mendez finds out, he’ll arrest you,” she said, worry darting up her spine. “And shouldn’t we get this guy’s face all over the news?”
Would they be making the right decision in leaving the Feds out of this?
Of course, her people had unceremoniously kicked her to the curb.
“All that will do is scare Ike underground. As far as he’s concerned, his diversionary tactic worked when Aaron’s friend was arrested,” Luke said.
“Ike and Aaron are from the same town. They probably all know each other and Chelsea lied about that. And now we know Aaron and Ike were in BUD/S together. They’re all connected, which means—”
“We’re back to thinking Aaron may be involved,” Knox finished for Adriana.
“Or it could be why Aaron was chosen as a fall guy,” A.J. suggested.
“You really think Ike would set up a friend? A guy he knew in the SEALs? And for what? Why?” Her eyes met Knox’s as her mind raced with possible theories.
“Because someone else is still calling the shots,” Luke said. “And we need to figure out why . . . because the why usually leads us to the who.”
Usually? How often do you do this?
She looked at Luke, and then at Wyatt and Liam. A.J. next. And finally Knox. “Who the hell are you guys? And for real.” She could no longer hold back. After seven years, she needed answers.