Chapter 7 #2
As the doors started to open, she saw someone in the elevator and no one should have been inside. She slammed into the car before the doors had fully opened. The man inside was shoved back as much by her momentum as his surprise.
She jabbed her fingers into his neck and her left knee into his privates.
He dropped the gun in his hand as he bent forward.
While he was leaning over, she laced her fingers and crashed the resulting fist on the back of his neck.
The man landed half-in and half-out of the elevator.
Cole picked up the man’s weapon. “You are something else to watch in action. How did you know he was in there? I couldn’t see him.”
“I caught a glimpse just as the door opened. I figured it couldn’t be anyone with good intentions, because Sean would have called to warn you someone was on the way up or to ask if he should send them up.
We should probably check on him and call the police.
They need to pick this guy up.” She looked over her shoulder at Cole.
“I think dinner will be delayed tonight.”
He barked out a laugh. “Yeah, I think so. I’m going to call Sean and then the police. Are you good here?”
She nodded and looked back at the unconscious man on the floor. “He’s not going anywhere but I suppose we should pull him out of the elevator so the police can come up.”
“Right.” Cole seized the man’s left arm.
Regan grabbed the right and they pulled him out of the elevator.
Cole called Sean. “Are you okay?” He nodded.
“Glad to hear it. The police will be coming through. You might want to show them to the elevator, if you’re up to it?
” Cole turned toward Regan. “Yeah, we’ll be here.
” Then he looked at the man on the ground.
“Come on up with the police. I want to check out your head. You’re lucky they didn’t kill you.
I guess I’m the only one they wanted to kill.
” He ended the call and turned back. “Sean said they forced him out of the car at gunpoint and knocked him out. So another one is down there. He didn’t know where they went, but he’s sure there were two. ”
She knew Cole would insist on going to the garage with her and she mentally geared up for it. “Okay, we’re not going anywhere in that elevator until the police go down with us. I’m not taking a chance we run into his cohort.”
Cole looked down at the man. “I sort of want to kick him while he’s down for what he did to Sean.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not that kind of man. Do you have anything in the apartment we can tie this guy up with?”
“Yeah. I have some rope from my climbing days. I always keep my gear available wherever I’m at. You never know when an opportunity to do some rock climbing might happen.”
“So, you like rock climbing? I’m learning something new about you every day.”
“And I’m learning what a great bodyguard you are. Mason was right. I needed you or I’d be dead right now.”
“I don’t like thinking about that, but I’m glad I was here to help. You want to get the rope? I’d rather he be tied up and ready to present to the authorities when they arrive.”
He pocketed his phone and walked to the apartment where the door had closed and he had to enter the code again.
She kept her gaze first on the man and then on the elevator, not taking a chance on either of them.
Regan tied up the man with the rope Cole provided. Once he was secure, she turned toward Cole. “He shouldn’t bother us, even if he rouses before the police arrive.”
As he looked at the man, Cole nodded. “Good. I don’t want to have to deal with him again. Sean insists there was at least one more, but that person seems to be gone. He can’t see anyone else in the garage.”
“I guess when this one didn’t come out right away, the other person knew they’d been made. I wouldn’t have left a man behind, but that’s ingrained into a Ranger.” She pointed at the downed man. “I bet this was the contingency plan. They had to have one and wouldn’t have wanted both of them caught.”
The police showed up about five minutes after Cole made the call. Sean accompanied the four police officers, as Cole had instructed.
“What’s going on here?” asked one uniformed officer. Two others were busy with the detained man.
Cole glanced at the man’s badge and name tag. “Officer James. This man tried to kill me. If not for my bodyguard, I would be dead. She managed to take him out before he even left the elevator.”
The officer, an older man with graying hair that barely showed under his hat, gazed over at Regan, looking her up and down, obviously taking in her stature. “The little lady took out this man? I find that hard to believe.”
“Officer James…” Regan looked at him, disdain dripping in her words. “I’m an ex-Army Ranger. Do you really doubt I could disarm a single individual, regardless of the gender or size?”
The officer swallowed hard. “No, I guess not.” He backtracked as quickly as he could. “I’m not used to seeing a female Army Ranger. You’re a rare breed.”
“That I am. I had to work twice as hard as the men to prove myself. And I did it.”
He lifted a brow. “Congratulations.”
Regan mimicked his stance. “Thank you.” She turned to Sean. “You have a little blood on the side of your face.” Then she turned to Cole. “Would you let him into the apartment so he can clean up, please?”
“Sure. Sean come with me.” Cole walked to the apartment door and input the code.
Sean walked inside. “I won’t be long.”
Cole placed his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Take as much time as you need. We’re going to be here for a while.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“Thank you. I’m just very grateful they didn’t kill you.”
The fourth police officer, a man in a black suit, white shirt and black tie that had been loosened a bit, approached. “I’m Detective Josh Logan. What can you tell me about him?” He pointed at the trussed man, who had now awakened.
“Nothing.” Cole ran his hand around his neck. “He was in the elevator, and when Regan—I mean Ms. Phillips—saw him, she took him out.”
The detective was a tall man with blond hair and squarish thick-rimmed glasses. He turned to Regan. “What made you attack him before he was out of the elevator?”
She held up her fingers and ticked them off. “First the elevator is private. Second, no one should have been in it without the code to get past the security protocols.”
The detective turned toward the officer James. “I’d like to speak to them alone, please.”
Officer James looked at all three of them. “Knock yourself out.”
Detective Logan extended his right hand first to Cole. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Kincaid, though I wish it had been under better circumstances.”
Cole took his hand and shook it. “Yes, this is definitely not the way to meet someone.” He looked at Regan. “Forgive me, this is Ms. Phillips, my bodyguard.”
Logan held out his hand out to her.
She took it with hers. “Detective.”
Detective Logan moved out of the way as two officers grabbed the restrained man’s arms and hauled him to his feet.
One of them held the rope Regan had used to tie his ankles.
“We’ve identified the man. His name is Nathan Hamlin.
He’s a member of Save Our Shores. Does that name mean anything to you? ”
Cole shook his head. “No. I’ve never heard of them before.”
“They are into ecoterrorism. This is a first, though. They’ve never been into murder. Property crimes, mostly. They like to take over people’s homes and businesses to force them into compliance.”
“I guess there is a first for everything,” said Cole pragmatically.
The detective nodded. “It’s too bad though, they could do some good work if they weren’t so militant.”
Regan placed her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “Don’t expect me to feel sorry for him. I don’t. He had a gun and I defused the situation.”
Detective Logan smiled. “It sounds like you did a great job, too. No one was killed, and that’s a win in my book, Ms. Phillips.”
Not used to praise for doing her job, she felt heat rise in her cheeks. “You can call me Regan.”
“Regan, thank you. We have the gun and the perpetrator. I’d appreciate it if both you and Mr. Kincaid could come to the station tomorrow and give your statements.”
Regan looked at Cole for guidance. She wasn’t sure what his plan would be.
“I think that can be arranged. We’ll be by before noon.” Cole spoke up. “We’re flying to one of my oil platforms in the Gulf tomorrow. But good cell service exists there, so getting in touch with us shouldn’t be a problem. Can we go now?”
The detective pulled a couple of business cards from his pocket. “Here’s my card. The address is on it.” He turned toward Regan. “Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’m sure you will.” She accepted the card and put it in her front pants pocket without looking at it.
Sean walked up and joined them. He had a Band-aid on his left temple.
Cole placed his hand on her back. “Thank you, Detective. We have a dinner engagement to attend.”
Detective Logan nodded. “Of course. Until tomorrow.”
Cole didn’t respond. He stood back while the police pushed Nathan into the elevator and then the four cops entered the car, too.
She walked over to Sean. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. A minor cut where they hit me with the butt of the pistol.”
“Good. I’m really glad you weren’t hurt worse.” Growling, her stomach told her it was empty, and she was ready for a steak dinner with all the fixin’s. She covered the noise with her hands. “Excuse me. I’m just really hungry.”
Cole joined them. “I guess you are.” He laughed, obviously having heard her stomach growl.
Sean chuckled. “I guess so.”
When the elevator returned, Regan, Cole, and Sean entered.
She pushed the button for the garage level.
Once they were in the car, Cole turned toward her. “You did a great job. I want you to know that.”
Regan knew she blushed and her stomach felt like little moths were flying around.
She wasn’t sure why Cole’s praise affected her so.
“Thank you, but as I said, I was only doing my job. Though, even if I hadn’t been your bodyguard, I would have done the same thing.
” Then she smiled. “Don’t think I don’t want to be paid, though. I definitely do.”
Cole barked out a laugh. “I like you, Regan Phillips. You are funny and deadly. It’s an intriguing combination.”
She grinned. “Thanks, Cole Kincaid. I like you, too. You’re not like any billionaire I imagined. You remember your roots and that’s a good thing.”
“Let’s get dinner.”
Sean hurried forward and opened the door.
Regan looked around her and saw no one else in the garage, so she entered first.
Cole followed.
Sean closed the door and then got behind the wheel. “Are you still going to T.J.’s?”
“Sure.” Cole buckled up.
Regan did the same.
Sean drove out of the garage and headed to the steakhouse.
Regan wanted nothing more than to think about the steak, but her mind kept wandering back to Cole. How could she get so tied up with a client so quickly?