Chapter 4
Owen had wanted the conversation between him and Natalie done in private, but perhaps it was best that it be done now in front of the others.
That way, he wouldn’t be so wrapped up in his conflicted feelings and aching to hold her again.
He waited, eager to hear how she’d gotten pulled into this mess. Once he knew, he could figure out a way to get her out and safely back to her life—as far from him and the danger as he could get her.
“Back in late July, Orrin asked me to meet him for lunch,” Natalie began.
Wyatt put a clip in a pistol and turned to her. “Is that something he did often?”
“Never before. It was so odd, that I almost didn’t meet him.”
“But you did.” And Owen wanted to know why.
Callie clicked a pen several times. “It was after we got the request for Orrin and his team to take the mission in Russia. There was something about the orders and Ragnarok that didn’t sit right with him.”
“How do you know?” Cullen asked. “Did he say something?”
Callie shook her head. “It was the way he acted. I asked him what was wrong, but he told me probably nothing. I saw him doing some research on Russians in the area. Natalie’s name came up.”
“Because I spent three years in St. Petersburg working before returning to work for the Russian Embassy in Dallas,” Natalie explained.
Owen couldn’t believe she had lived in Russia. What else had she done? And why did he feel as if he’d been left out of something important.
Because he had. He’d willingly walked away from her.
To keep her safe. To keep her alive.
“Why Russia?” he asked.
“Orrin wanted to know the same thing,” she said with a small smile. “I explained that during college, I learned I was able to pick up languages easily, which led to me changing my degree to linguistics. I favored Italian and Russian. When I was offered a job in Russia, I decided to take it.”
Wyatt pulled back the slide on a pistol, letting it click back into place. “So you speak Russian fluently?”
“Yes,” she affirmed.
Owen frowned. “Did Dad tell you about his possible assignment?”
“Not a word.” Natalie sank onto one of the stools. “He asked me if I had seen or heard anything about Ragnarok.”
Wyatt gave a nod of his head as he braced his hands on the table. “Norse mythology.”
“It’s an end of world scenario,” she said. “I hadn’t seen or heard anything about Ragnarok. As soon as I told him that, the rest of the lunch went pleasantly with no more such talk. Then, a few weeks later, I saw a report where Ragnarok was mentioned.”
“That’s when she called me,” Callie said. “By that time, Orrin and the team were already in Russia collecting the bioweapon.”
“So the bioweapon is Ragnarok,” Owen stated.
Natalie glanced at Callie before she said, “Yes. After I saw the report and called Callie, I tried to do some digging into it. When I found nothing, I decided to ask my boss. He became agitated and closed off. The next day, I learned I wasn’t allowed in his office without him there.”
Cullen raised a brow. “He’s got something to hide.”
Owen’s gaze didn’t leave Natalie. He saw the way she fidgeted. There was more to her story.
But Callie beat him to the punch when she said, “That’s not all. Tell them, Natalie.”
“I learned they were tracking everything I did on my computer at the embassy,” Natalie explained. “My clearance was restricted, and I soon found that I was being followed.”
“Even outside of work?” Wyatt asked with a frown of worry.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Is that everything?” Cullen asked.
Natalie wrinkled her nose. “I wish. I almost didn’t go into work today after Callie told me what happened to Virgil and Charlotte, but I decided to head there and do one last search for anything pertaining to Ragnarok.
I knew it couldn’t be coincidence that Orrin asked about the very thing no one wanted to talk about.
I didn’t know about the mission. I only knew he was gone. ”
“But you put two and two together,” Owen said.
She nodded, her green eyes meeting his. “I have a feeling I won’t be employed much longer.
I snuck back into my boss’s office to find the report and read more.
I didn’t find it. But I did find a piece of paper with my name on it and the word Ragnarock below it.
Underneath that was something else—the Saints. ”
“Who the fuck are the Saints?” Wyatt asked.
Callie shrugged. “I’ve not had a chance to dig. But she can’t look anymore.”
Owen couldn’t believe Natalie had gone as far as she had. “Absolutely not. Did you find anything on Ragnarok?”
She swallowed loudly. “Before my clearance was lowered, I only found a mention of Ragnarok pertaining to something a scientist was working on in Russia.”
“Too bad we don’t know more,” Cullen said.
Natalie looked at each of them. “I had to come. Not because the embassy knows I’m looking into Ragnarok, but because I might be able to help with the Russians.”
“Shit,” Wyatt stated in a low voice.
Cullen crossed his arms over his chest. “Dad felt something wasn’t right, so he talked to Natalie.
The Russians know Natalie is looking into Ragnarok.
Our government is leaving Dad hanging in the wind as well as ordering us to give them all intel we come across.
This is a shit storm of epic proportions. ”
“We trust no one but who is in this room,” Owen said.
Everyone gave a nod of agreement.
Natalie pushed away from the wall. “If y’all are through with the house, Callie and I can start cleaning up. It won’t be long before visitors begin arriving to pay their respects.”
“And see another murder here,” Cullen murmured.
Owen frowned then. “Where are the bodies?”
“More importantly, where were you two when Virgil and Charlotte were shot?” Wyatt asked the girls.
Callie lifted her gaze to Owen, her face going slack. “I took Master Ben for a ride, checking some of the fences as I did.”
Owen couldn’t believe the stallion was still around. He’d have to bring the horse an apple.
“I heard the gunfire,” Callie continued as she sat straight, her eyes going unfocused.
“I raced back as fast as I could, but I was too late. I usually keep to a strict schedule, but I was worried since I hadn’t heard from Orrin after they reached Delaware.
Virgil suggested I take a ride to clear my head. ”
Cullen walked to Callie’s side. “It’s not your fault.”
“I might’ve been able to stop them had I been here.” She swallowed hard, her unfocused gaze directed at the wall.
“If you’d been here, they would’ve killed you, as well,” Wyatt pointed out.
Owen nodded slowly. “I’m glad you weren’t. Without you, we wouldn’t know half of what we do.” He then looked to Natalie. “And you?”
“At my house. I was the second call Callie made.”
“I’d like to know why she called you,” Wyatt said.
Owen would, as well.
“We were doing our own research on Ragnarok here,” Natalie said. “We were careful never to speak of it over the phone. Anyone listening would think we were just meeting for drinks to chat.”
Before he got a chance to ask, Callie said, “Orrin gave me a number to call if anything ever happened to him. The man who answered had me explain the scene, as well as tell him about the last time I heard from Orrin. He ordered me not to touch anything because he was sending a team. Within thirty minutes, a chopper arrived.”
“CIA?” Owen asked.
Callie shrugged. “They wouldn’t talk to me except to tell me to get out of the house.
I watched them take Virgil and Charlotte, as well as gather bullet casings and other evidence.
Then they were gone. An hour later, Mark and his men arrived.
Though they didn’t seem surprised to discover the bodies missing. I didn’t ask what he knew.”
Owen looked at his brothers. “We will.”
“We’re going to need that phone number,” Wyatt said.
Callie blinked and slid her gaze to him. “Orrin said it was for emergencies only.”
“I think this constitutes an emergency.” Wyatt’s gaze narrowed as he looked her up and down. “Don’t you?”
Just when it appeared Callie was about to launch into an argument, Owen said, “Let’s all take a few to digest everything.”
“And come up with a plan,” Cullen added.
Natalie stood from her place on the stool. “I’ll start cleaning up.”
“I’ll help since I’m finished gathering what little evidence was left,” Cullen said after looking longingly around at the base.
Owen slapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll be back, kid. Then you can play in here for as long as you want.”
“Stop calling me that,” Cullen growled.
After Owen and Wyatt had a look around the ops center and went through emails, they returned to the house to help the others.
For the next two hours, the five of them worked to remove any trace of blood from the residence while discussing different plans of attack. At one point, Owen looked up to see Wyatt helping Cullen take the recliner out behind one of the barns.
At the same time, a white Chevy Suburban drove up.
“Mrs. Turnbill,” Natalie said as she went to the door.