Silenced

CHAPTER FORTY

Sean’s phone vibrated. He ignored it, because he was at the most sensitive part of cracking this particular safe. If he screwed up, the digital password would reset and he would have to start all over again. He didn’t have the time.

The lights flashed green and the door swooshed open. He grinned and glanced at his watch. Twelve minutes, thirty-two seconds. His safecracking skills had gone out of use and he wasn’t as connected with the latest technologies. He’d have to rectify that, or how could he convince future clients that they should trust him to find the flaws in their security?

His phone vibrated again and he pulled it out of his pocket.

He’d missed three calls from Sergio. A message read urgent.

THREE FBI SUVs plus SWAT. Get out.

Sean looked in the safe and flipped through the documents, not taking the time to read anything. In the far back there was a small box.

The Pomeranians’ yapping echoed through the house. Sean grabbed the box, put it in his pocket, closed the safe. It locked automatically, and he put the picture back up. It hung crooked, but he didn’t have time to fix it.

He heard the SUVs on the driveway, but he also knew that the FBI would come around back to cover any exits.

He glanced out Jager’s window. The first SUV pulled to a stop. Out jumped Noah Armstrong.

By-the-book. That bought Sean a minute.

He grabbed his satchel and quietly left the office. The master bedroom had French doors that led to the backyard. He could see the horse stalls of the neighbors a hundred yards away, up against the Jagers’ back fence.

Between that and him was open space.

To the right was a line of trees, but that was also visible from the driveway. To the left was the patio and he’d have to cross in front of a wall full of windows. If the FBI entered they would see him run. But once he passed the house, a gentleman’s vineyard had been planted. The leaves were full and green, he could easily disappear down the rows.

He took the risk.

Sean sprinted across the patio. He heard voices in the front, but he didn’t stop to listen. He focused on getting to the grapevines.

He made it. He still didn’t stop, but slowed down so he wouldn’t trip over the rough ground.

At the edge of the vineyard, he turned left again into a grove of trees. By the time he got to the fence, his adrenaline was pumping so fast he could hear his blood rush in his ears.

He hopped the fence and slipped into the first horse stall. The old mare looked at him with disinterest.

Sean reached into his pocket and removed the box. He breathed deeply to slow his heart rate and opened the lid.

Inside was a locket. Simple. On the back the initials MEP.

There was also a note. He opened it and his stomach clenched.

It was Lucy’s handwriting.

This belongs to you.

That was it. Paxton had lied to him, embellished what Lucy had written to force him to help.

Sean looked carefully at the locket. There was nothing remarkable about it. Pretty, for a teenage girl.

He opened it. Inside was a picture of Monique and the senator.

All this cloak-and-dagger crap for this?

He spied a narrow crack on the inside of the locket. He pulled his lock-pick set from his satchel and used the narrowest metal pick to pop off the false back.

Behind the thin backing was a microchip.

* * *

Sergio expected to take the locket to the senator, but Sean told him he wanted to deliver it personally. At first, Sean expected Sergio to fight him for it, and Sean was primed to go a round. He was sick and tired of being jerked around by Paxton and his games. But then Sergio nodded, and got into his car.

“Watch your back,” Sergio told him.

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m not a threat.” He gave Sean a half-smile. “You’re good, I have to admire that.” Then he became serious. “I don’t think Senator Paxton is who you really need to be concerned about. You Rogans seem to have loyal friends, but vicious enemies.”

“What are you talking about?” Sean demanded. But Sergio rolled up his window and sped off.

Sean put the conversation aside and drove to Alexandria, where the senator was waiting.

Without preamble, Paxton said, “Can I see it?”

He handed Paxton the box. He pulled out the locket. Relief flooded his face. Then he noticed the note was gone. “The note?”

“I’m keeping it.”

“I guess I understand. Thank you, Rogan. Truly, thank you.”

“Your daughter was beautiful. I’m sorry about what happened to her.”

Paxton froze. “You opened my locket?”

“Had to make sure it was the right one.”

Paxton fumbled with the delicate clasp. The locket popped open. He pressed firmly on the clasp, and the false back popped off.

“It’s gone!”

Sean pulled out the small microchip from his pocket. “You’re looking for this?”

“Give it to me.”

“No. This is now my security chip. When the statute of limitations runs out, I might give it to you. But if anyone mentions Massachusetts to me before March? I’ll either destroy it, or turn it over to whichever law enforcement agency can nail your ass to the wall.”

“You don’t know what you have!”

“I’ll find out.”

“You’re making an enemy here, Rogan!”

“Funny, I thought I already had one.”

Sean quickly exited Paxton’s house. He wasn’t a hundred percent certain the senator wouldn’t shoot him. Driving toward DC, he called Lucy. He needed to see her. Just … to see her.

No answer.

Lucy was probably still working on finding Ivy Harris and the other girls. He was worried, but only because it was a dangerous job. He had complete confidence that she’d find them.

He called Kate, just to check in and make sure everything was okay. When Kate’s phone went to voice mail, that’s when he became concerned.

He called Noah.

“Armstrong.”

“It’s Sean. I can’t reach Lucy or Kate. What’s going on?”

“There’s a hostage situation. There’s been a shooting. I don’t have the status, but I’m on my way now.”

Sean sped up. “Where?”

“St. Anne’s.”

Sean hung up and added more speed.

* * *

Sean had to park down the street from St. Anne’s because of all the cop cars, ambulances, and FBI vehicles.

He strode purposefully to the police barrier, flashed his P.I. identification hoping the cop wouldn’t notice, but he did.

“Hold it.”

“I’m expected.”

The doors of the church were open and a gurney with a body bag was wheeled out. His stomach heaved. He looked around for Lucy, but didn’t see her.

He continued forward and the cop got in his face. “Stand back or I’ll have you arrested.”

He wanted to hit the cop. And maybe he would have, if Kate hadn’t see him.

She ran over. “Officer, he’s with me.”

Sean brushed past the cop. “Where is she?”

Kate followed his eyes to the body bag.

“Lucy is fine. That’s Kirk Edmonds.”

He glanced at her belt. Her gun was gone.

She said, “They always take the weapon pending official investigation into any discharge of a firearm in the line of duty.”

“You okay?”

She nodded. “Dillon’s coming home tonight. I’ll be better when I see him. Lucy’s in the courtyard of the church—it’s private, quiet, and she needed to talk to Ivy and Sara about what’s going to happen next. Ivy has a lot of talking to do, but if she cooperates fully, I think she’ll avoid prison time.”

Kate added, “Lucy was a hero today.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“No, truly, a hero. We faced two serious situations and she was calm and quick thinking. She’s really grown up.”

Sean said, “She’s been grown up for quite a while.”

Kate walked with him to the church and cleared him through the security. Sean found the courtyard. Ivy and Sara were sitting on a bench holding each other. Lucy was sitting on the bricks being treated by a paramedic. He didn’t see any blood.

She saw him and smiled so brightly all anxiety fell away.

He sat next to her. “Hey, Princess. I heard you had an adventure.”

“Did Kate tell you?”

“Some of it. I hear you’re a hero.”

“Sara’s the hero. She stood up to her father. She’s going to be okay. I’m more worried about Ivy, but with time…” She breathed deeply, then winced.

“What happened?”

The paramedic handed Sean a bulletproof vest, then finished cleaning up his supplies. “Those things are amazing,” the paramedic said. “Need anything else, Ms. Kincaid?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Sean held the vest in his hands. The bullet was still embedded in the vest.

“Don’t touch it, it’s evidence,” Lucy said.

“This is the back. He shot you in the back?” He lifted Lucy’s shirt up from the back. A large round bruise had already formed. He kissed it, though containing his anger was becoming difficult. Between Paxton and no sleep and what happened to Lucy—he needed to decompress.

Lucy sensed his tension and hugged him. “I really am fine.”

Sean held on to Lucy as tightly as he could. He feared he would lose her. To her job, to violence, to his own mistakes. He’d told her before that he needed her more than she needed him, and she’d never truly believed it. He didn’t care, because he knew the truth. Lucy gave him hope. Lucy made him realize he needed love in his life—love, trust, commitment. That there were things greater than him worth fighting for.

His past was a danger zone. He had to protect Lucy from it. While he knew that she could handle anything life threw at her, deep down he feared she’d turn her back on him when he needed her the most.

“I love you, Luce.”

“Sean—” She kissed him warmly, with a deep passion he craved from her. Needed from her. She pulled back and smiled. “I love you, too.”

They sat like that for a long minute, then Sean asked, “How did he find her? Did he have someone in the FBI on payroll?”

Lucy shook her head. “He told Sara he put a GPS chip under her skin. At the base of her neck. Like she was a pet. After Ivy ran away, he didn’t want to lose her. But proximity mattered—it didn’t work beyond five miles. So when he learned she was in DC, he came here and just drove around.”

Sean smiled, then burst into laughter.

“It’s not funny. It’s rather scary.”

He hugged her. “I’m sorry. But I just came up with the name for your new cat. Chip.” He grinned. “I know exactly what Wendy James did with her data.”