Chapter 45
Nina
The bad guys were bigger than life and untouchable.
“How will you stop them?” So I don’t have to hide for the rest of my life?
“We’ll set a trap,” Austin said.
“I’m bait?” I screeched.
“No, I swear, we’re hiding you away and dealing with them ourselves,” Austin rushed to answer.
“With a little help from some friends,” Ryan added.
“Friends?” What kind of friends did they have?
“Let’s just say we know people who eat traitors like the scumbags we’re hunting for breakfast.”
“Gibson.”
Ryan chuckled; the tone John used to get his sons to behave had no effect on him.
“She deserves to know.”
I agreed. Being kept in the dark only made things worse.
Turning to John, I asked, “Can I see Nana Sue before I leave?”
“If Austin agrees, then yes.”
I made myself dizzy whipping my head around to beg, “Please?”
“Do we have the manpower to cover everyone?” Austin asked.
“We do, in fact, we have more. Kroupa just replied and said he’s on his way. Apparently, Blaszek told him to expect our call,” Jay said.
“Who’s Kroupa?” He didn’t work for SSI, or I would’ve heard of him.
“He’s Nathan’s SEAL buddy. He’ll help us protect your grandmother.”
“He’s bringing his dog, Havoc, with him. Is your grandmother allergic to dogs?”
“Why would he bring his dog? She’s not allergic, but won’t he be busy taking care of it?”
“Havoc is a SEAL K9; he’ll be working.”
Of course, he is. Just one more unbelievable thing happening in my life right now.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Nana’s voice yelled at me in my head.
I didn’t like being called out, but she was right. This guy was coming here to help me, and I was being a brat.
“Can you thank him for me?”
“Of course,” Jay said. “Maybe when this is all over, you can meet Havoc. He’s a beautiful Malinois.”
I recognized the breed name from that John Wick movie. They looked like German shepherds but didn’t act like any dog I’d ever met.
“Nana will love having a dog around.”
“I’ll schedule Matt and Kroupa to cover Mrs. Novac,” Jay said. “That’ll leave the rest of us to run the business and cover the safe house.”
“Jones said he’ll help any way he can,” Cate said.
Great, another name I didn’t recognize.
“Who’s that?”
“He’s my former FBI boss. I trust him with my life,” Cate answered.
“Did you ever trust the people who killed my parents?” I asked Austin.
“I never met them,” he admitted. “But according to their notes, your parents never did.”
“We all have co-workers like that, people who seem trustworthy on the surface but you feel a little twitchy around them,” Ryan said.
Everyone from SSI said, “I don’t,” or “Not me.”
“Maybe not here, but you’ve felt it,” Ryan argued.
Most agreed they had at some point.
“My point, Nina, is that we tend not to fully trust those people. Cate’s instincts are good, so if she trusts Agent Jones, then so do we.”
“I think that’s the nicest thing I’ve heard you say,” Jay grinned.
“Shut up,” Ryan grunted while flipping Jay the finger.
“Can I take this stuff with me so I can look at it while I’m hiding?”
“We’ll pack up the copies, but the originals have to stay here.”
That was fair. “What about the stuff in the box?” I pointed at the jewelry box.
“I’m sorry, Nina, everything we found is evidence. I have to turn it in, but I’ll do my best to get it back to you as quickly as possible.”
I had a feeling I’d never see any of it again.
“Can I at least have pictures of the stuff?” I asked. “So I know what they left me.”
Focus on the positive and find something to be grateful for, Nana’s voice sounded in my head. It would’ve been nice to keep the jewelry and trinkets, but pictures would be enough. They’d remind me of the things my parents wanted me to have, even if I couldn’t keep them.
“Do you want me to print them or email them?” Doug asked, not bothering to wait for Austin to answer.
“Email’s fine.” I could print them later. The digital ones would be easier to pack, and I could see them any time I wanted.
“Consider it done.”
“Thank you.”
How can I ever repay them all?