First Wave, page 21
Talia said, “I’m looking into her financials, but I can’t do everything at once.”
“So tell Victoria. Punt some to the FBI.”
“I’ll have to explain what I’m doing. Then I’ll have to make sure they’re doing it right. Then, after they’re done, I’ll have to check what they came up with.”
Dakota frowned. “That sounds exhausting.”
“Now you feel my pain.”
“Just not with the heels you wear,” Dakota said. “That, I’ll never know.”
“Don’t remind me. I’ve just about gotten over it.”
The phone beeped, call ended. Dakota stowed it. “So we wait?”
Sal huffed. “Guess you’d better figure out how to do that. At least quietly enough Josh and I don’t murder you for being annoying.”
Murder you…In Dakota’s mind she saw her father’s body jerk. The surprise that registered on his face the second before he fell back.
Dead.
. . .
Josh shifted in his seat. If she’d been determined to keep the beginning of their relationship from Sal, she was about to be disappointed. He unsnapped his seatbelt and leaned between their seats, turned to face her.
Josh put his hand on her face. “Eyes.”
Her gaze shifted up to meet his, her gaze full of tears.
“He doesn’t know. But that isn’t an excuse for him to be insensitive.”
“Hey—”
Josh turned to Sal. “I don’t need your help.” He turned back to focus fully on her. “Just take a breath. This has been a long, stressful weekend. It’s not over yet, but you are allowed to take a second for yourself.”
It would take her longer than that to get through all that had happened. But he knew for sure she was capable. This weekend wasn’t what would break her. Not a woman like Dakota, who had been forged in the hottest of fires. Forced to survive so many things, some she would never ever tell him.
He said, “You will find peace with this.”
“How do you know that?” Her voice broke in the middle, but she got the words out.
He wanted to remind her that they both knew the Prince of Peace. But how could he do that without it sounding totally corny? “I’m going to pray.”
“And so am I.”
Hopefully they could do it together. After this he’d need some serious refocusing. Time to assess where he was at. Where he was headed. What he wanted moving forward. Some people might find that stuff hokey but it was what he’d been taught to do. Talk to God while you figure out what you want, and then watch for His direction as you figured out how to get it.
Otherwise he’d have floundered for years in life. He’d have wandered through every day with no direction and no purpose.
“Thank you.”
He let go, reluctantly. At least he could admit to himself that it was reluctant. Now wasn’t the time to go over all that in his head.
“You’re welcome.” He sat back and pulled out his phone because it was vibrating. Re-buckled his seatbelt.
“The vet is calling me.” He answered the call. “Weber.”
“Hey. Neema is resting now. She was pretty agitated after we left you, but by the time I got her cleaned up, stitched and bandaged, she was drowsy. I’m hoping you can be here when she wakes up tomorrow. I don’t want her moving before then.”
“I can try.” But the reality was that he had no idea what would be happening tomorrow. “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Good enough. She’s not going anywhere, and I’ll have someone here to keep an eye on her tonight.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you taking care of her.”
“Wait till you see my bill,” the doc said, partly laughing. “Then we’ll see how appreciative you are.”
Josh hung up, grinning.
“Say that again.” Dakota hit a button on her phone. Josh shifted but couldn’t see what was on the screen. He hadn’t even realized she answered her own phone.
The call connected through the car’s speakers.
“State police spotted the Nissan with Clare driving.” It was Victoria.
Dakota said, “License plate?”
“They called it in, and it was confirmed. They were ordered to pull her over.” Victoria sighed. “After that no one heard from them. So another pair of officers headed to the location. They found the state police car, one officer dead from a gunshot and the other wounded.”
“She killed a cop?” Sal’s voice was low. Deadly.
Even Josh was concerned about the tone. Not scared, though. The guy was a cop, which meant he operated within a set of rules even though marshals were a law unto themselves. That didn’t mean Josh wasn’t concerned as to the man’s drive to catch up to Clare Norton and bring her to justice. And what that might entail.
The marshals had been policing America for more than two hundred years, making them the oldest federal agency. Still, even Sal had to obey the law. Procedure.
“She killed a cop.” Victoria’s voice resounded through the interior of the SUV. “The wounded officer said she took off, heading east.”
Josh said, “To Spokane.”
Dakota said, “What’s happening there?”
“On a Sunday night, not much.”
Josh said, “If she’s intending to make some kind of statement, then she’ll need a target where there are a lot of people. Maximum damage gets maximum news coverage.” And wasn’t that a horrible thought?
“Leave it with me. I’ll get you a list of what I come up with.”
“Copy that.” Dakota pressed the button on the dash screen and ended the call.
Josh sighed. He stared out the window at the trees to try and get his brain to process everything. To push past the pain and focus. He’d wiped off his skin where the dog had latched onto his forearm. Not as bad as he’d thought. An older dog with not many teeth left. It was the bruise that hurt. Enough he was surprised he hadn’t suffered a broken bone from that powerful bite.
“I guess we’re going to Spokane, then.” Dakota shifted in her seat.
He was only partly aware of her now. Fatigue and the pain in his shoulder and arm washed over him like a wave. He wanted to moan. Couldn’t even remember where he’d put his pain meds. Or when he was due for another dose. Was Dakota feeling her injuries?
He shut his eyes.
Spokane. He tapped his phone against his thigh and thought about that city instead of his injuries. His office was there. The office he was supposed to be at tomorrow morning. Instead he’d be bringing down Clare. And then he would be driving back to the middle of northern Washington state to pick up his injured dog.
After that he was going to have to talk to Eden. Explain about Maggie. How her death had exposed and helped extinguish a serious threat. That was good. He should go with that in his attempt to give her some kind of peace in her grief. It might not help but maybe eventually.
And then what? He would have to go back to his desk at the DEA office in Spokane. Pretend none of this had happened. That it hadn’t changed him or made him realize he could find what he needed on a different team.
He hadn’t made the wrong choice, going for the DEA. He just wondered if God hadn’t used that move to direct him to the next step.
Joining Victoria’s team.
He wanted to ask the boss lady about a transfer. Dakota had said they were low one team member. Would she let him join? Should he tell her that he and Dakota had feelings for each other?
He had felt like they were testing him this weekend. Everything had erupted but that didn’t mean the option was off the table.
What if he had to choose between the Northwest Counter Terrorism Taskforce and having a relationship with Dakota? Could he work alongside her, all the while denying his growing feelings for her?
“I got the email.” Her voice was low. Like she thought he was sleeping, and she didn’t want to disturb him.
Josh cracked his gritty eyelids open. “What does it say?” His voice was gravelly.
“There’s a Senator hosting a town hall tomorrow. Big chain hotel, downtown Spokane. It’s top of the list.” She read off the senator’s name.
“Big proponent of more government oversight, not less,” Sal said. “A figurehead for ‘the man,’ trying to get everyone on federal programs. Beholden to government help just to get by.”
Josh remembered that as well. Just not fast enough to have mentioned it before the marshal. “She thinks that’s where Clare will release the last of the VX she bought?”
“Yes,” Dakota said. “We think it’s the most likely target. Make a big splash.”
“And it lines up with her worldview. Anti-government.” He figured they would know what he was talking about through the fog of his pain and fatigue.
“Yes, it does.”
He heard the edge in her tone and figured she would know best. Her father had been exactly that type. She’d grown up as one of them. In any other time, Dakota could have been Austin—groomed to take over. Brainwashed for the cause.
Raised to fight as one of them.
A terrorist, threatening America.
Chapter 25
Dakota desperately wanted to sink into a chair. It wasn’t even seven in the morning and she’d gotten about four hours of sleep. No police agency had caught sight of Clare, either late last night or this morning.
Josh stood beside her, the two of them providing legitimacy to the claim a possible terrorist was planning an attack on today’s town hall meeting.
Across the suite at a tiny circle table, Senator Eric Walden ate a bite of his eggs. He’d tucked a napkin in the collar of his shirt, so he didn’t get hollandaise on his tie. His dark hair had been styled with strategic use of hair dye, and his wedding ring wasn’t on his finger.
Did he offer them a cup of coffee? No, he didn’t. And at this point Dakota would have gnawed off her hand for some caffeine. Silly them, they’d considered a threat to the senator’s life and the lives of innocent people to be a bigger priority than breakfast.
“And you think she’ll bring this…gas or whatever it is with her?” He waved his fork in the air.
“Yes, sir,” Dakota said. “This event is at the top of our list.”
“Hmm. Aren’t I lucky?” He shot a look at his aide.
The slender woman sitting across from him was on her iPad. She probably should have been eating. She looked like she needed some cheesy eggs in her life. She didn’t smile. Just went back to her screen and whatever she was reading. Maybe the morning news report.
Josh took a step toward him. “With all due respect—”
“You know, Special Agent…what was it?”
“Weber.”
The senator continued, “When people use the phrase, ‘with all due respect’ it usually doesn’t mean anything good. Mostly it would indicate the fact you think I’m an idiot and you’re about to say as much, but you wouldn’t want me to get offended.”
“I don’t think you’re an idiot.”
Dakota wasn’t sure if she agreed with the senator, or not. Josh was a nice guy and all. How a person treated animals said a lot about them. At least it was all she needed to know.
He had a good job. He hadn’t whined when his truck was blown up. He hadn’t minded when she took a handful of his fries last night. And his kiss?
Dakota felt her face flush.
Honestly, what else was she expecting? No man was perfect. Waiting for the perfect man was pointless because “he” didn’t exist. But the man right in front of her? This man might just be perfect for her.
“I do think you aren’t appreciating the potential danger here. Especially the lives of people who are looking to you as their duly elected official. For leadership and protection.”
The senator’s eyes narrowed as he considered Josh’s words.
Josh continued, “Then there are those who didn’t vote for you. I’m sure they’re planning on attending this morning just to get in your face. Which group do you think will be more impressed that you’ve taken heroic steps to protect them? Those who already think it’s your duty to do so, or the ones waiting for you to mess up so they can jump all over you?”
“Hmm.”
“Yes.” The aide didn’t lift her attention from her screen. “Hmm.”
What that was supposed to mean, Dakota wasn’t sure. “So you’re willing to cancel?”
The senator glanced at her as though he was surprised she was still there. Apparently he didn’t consider her noteworthy enough to remember she was in the room.
His eyes also flared, along with his nostrils. As though he was just now remembering when she’d initially come in and he’d practically gasped. He’d asked her what on earth happened to her face.
“No,” he said. “I won’t be doing that.”
“You’d rather a deadly contagion was released in a room full of people?”
“You yourself said there’s a ‘list.’ Who’s to say I’m even the actual target of this back-woods woman?”
Dakota was beginning to think about putting this guy on her list of targets. And she would start with punching him in his smug face. Josh might not approve, and Victoria certainly would not—bad for task force PR—but it would certainly make her feel better.
Her father had forced her hand, and she’d had to kill him.
Sadly, it hadn’t improved her life any.
Thankfully Josh stepped in again. “Is it really worth the risk to you?”
“Perhaps it is,” the senator offered back. “Perhaps the work I do is worth the risk, even the loss of life. What if my work is important enough that it justifies the potential loss of life?”
Dakota folded her arms. “If you think—”
“We understand, senator.” Josh nodded. “It is important to see the bigger picture.”
She had a new person she wanted to punch. His face wasn’t smug. But if he wanted to kiss her again, he was going to have to disinfect those lips. She didn’t want to kiss him when he’d just been kissing someone else…on the backside.
She shot him a death glare no one missed. But Dakota didn’t care. Diplomacy wasn’t her forte. “I’m calling my director. You want to have your little meeting? That’s fine. You go ahead and try. Because when Victoria Bramlyn says no, it means no.”
The senator’s face flushed red. “Victoria…” He blustered out her last name in a jumble. “That’s what this is about? She’s trying to sabotage my town hall meeting!”
Josh came back with his diplomatic tactics. “You have something with Director Bramlyn?”
“The woman hates me.” He shot out of his chair, sloshing milky coffee on the white tablecloth. The aide frowned. The senator pulled the napkin from his collar and threw it on the table.
The aide shifted his coffee cup and got a drip on her finger, which she sipped between her pursed lips.
“Victoria Bramlyn? I should have known.” A vein appeared on the senator’s temple. “I should have known she would try to sabotage this. Get out. Both of you.”
Josh shot Dakota a look. Probably because she’d used the same words on him.
“I didn’t mean to kidnap your dog.” Why that came out right then, she wasn’t sure.
But it made Josh laugh.
Beyond the handsome display of humor the aide began to gasp.
“Uh…ma’am?” Dakota wandered between the two men.
The aide glanced up, the whites of her eyes completely red. She jerked a few times, and Dakota realized she was trying to breathe.
She coughed the last of the air in her lungs and white foam appeared on her lips.
Josh yelled, “Medic!” All reflex. The ingrained muscle memory of years serving his country in a place where they needed medical personnel on hand at all times. At least, that was what she figured.
The aide slumped to the side of her chair and kept going. Dakota reached out to catch her, then thought about the VX and recoiled. She didn’t want to risk getting some on her.
The woman fell to the carpet. Dakota knelt by her side. Whatever her name was, she took her last choking breath and then the life was gone from her eyes.
Dakota looked over at the senator. “She’s dead.”
Two uniformed paramedics came in.
“There’s been a murder!” The senator’s voice was practically a wail. “My aide has been killed.”
“It was in his coffee.” Dakota held out a hand before the first one could touch the aide’s face. Even with a gloved hand they needed to know. “Her clothes could be contaminated. So far it hasn’t been transmitted, only directly administered. No one should touch that coffee cup.”
She explained what she knew about the VX.
“The doctors at the hospital need to know everything about it that you do.”
She nodded. “I can have it sent over…”
“And in the meantime?” the senator wailed again. “What do you expect me to do?”
Dakota stood and faced him. She ignored the wary look on Josh’s face. He didn’t have to worry about what she was going to say. Because there was no way for him to stop it.
“You’re going to have to call a speech writer,” she said. “Because it’s time to make a statement.”
. . .
The door to the senator’s suite opened and Sal strode in. “She’s still here.”
Dakota spun to greet him. “Here?”
Sal nodded. “In the hotel.”
The senator took a step back. One more, and he’d be sitting on the table where he’d been eating casually just a moment ago. Now his aide was dead, the room was crowded with first responders, and he was…
What? Certainly not affected by anything that was happening. At least as far as Josh could tell. It almost seemed like he was trying to figure something out. Maybe how he could spin this?
He reached for the aide’s iPad.
“That’s evidence. And it could be contaminated.”
“Well it’s not like I have my own.”
He wasn’t worried about dying? Josh said, “Yeah, they’re pretty pricey.” Which was dumb, but it was what came out of his mouth.
_preview.jpg)
