Search and Defend
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Heather Woodhaven
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17,1K
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16
HarlequinONE
FBI special agent Alex Driscoll hated undercover work. Pretending to be someone else tied his gut up in knots, especially when he no longer had a partner to watch his back. Tonight, he was playing the part of a chef. His informant had told him to watch for the handoff of a flash drive to a woman with jet-black hair and a red dress. The private political fundraiser was being held the night after Christmas, though, which meant he’d already spotted thirteen women who matched that description.
“My table wants ours made special order. No ginger, no celery, extra avocado with a light drizzle of wasabi.” The woman in front of him raised a heavily jeweled hand. “Too much, and I’ll send it back. The rice on the outside, not the inside.” She demanded perfection, as did most of the attendees, given they’d all paid two thousand dollars to attend the special event.
“Of course, ma’am.” The position with the catering company should’ve been the perfect cover since he enjoyed cooking, but he wasn’t sure he could deliver under the scrutiny of the rich and famous. Sushi was an especially difficult dish to make while keeping watch on the guests. “What led you to attend tonight, ma’am?” he asked as an excuse to look up and scan the room.
Cooking stations lined the back side of the lodge located at the base of the mountain. The building was set apart from the rest of the famous Idaho ski resort. The glass walls on the opposite side of where he stood offered dazzling views of the lit-up ski runs that were closed during the event.
“We support Governor Davenport wholeheartedly.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Why else would anyone be here?”
“It’s the event of the season.” He flashed what he hoped would be his most charming smile. All Alex knew was there was going to be an assassination attempt in the next couple of weeks. The target would be someone powerful, not necessarily the governor. The flash drive Alex hoped to intercept was rumored to contain the name of the target and their itinerary. One of the many women wearing a red dress would be the Firecracker’s courier.
He added a dash of black sesame seeds to the top of the roll and handed the sushi plate to the waiter standing by. “What table, ma’am?”
“Seven.” She strode off, chin held high, and the waiter hustled after her.
If the Firecracker intended on taking out the governor, he might also be here tonight, discreetly gathering intel on his prey. The same intel Alex needed in order to stop him once and for all.
The assassin’s modus operandi usually involved killing the target along with their security detail. Bombs were his choice of weapon. The Firecracker had never targeted a large amount of people at once, like the couple of hundred in attendance now, but Alex wasn’t lowering his guard. Every chance he got to slip away, he searched for nooks and crannies in the lodge where explosives might be hidden.
The FBI had no descriptions to go on, no photographs, only that the assassin was in his late fifties. Unfortunately, that meant Alex was surrounded by potential suspects mingling within the party. The lodge was one giant room with floor-to-ceiling windows facing one of the resort’s mountains. The other three walls were decorated to resemble a log cabin, a luxury, multimillion dollar one.
At his two o’clock, a man with eyes darting left and right hastily made his way across the room. Under five foot ten, the man was average in height and looks, early thirties. He would’ve blended in if his right hand hadn’t been clenched in a tight fist. Either the man planned to punch someone, or he was carrying the flash drive.
“I heard we talk to you if we want a special order.” An elderly woman stepped in front of his station, blocking his view.
Alex looked over her shoulder. “Yes. Shortly. I believe we’re out of...” He lost his train of thought as his gaze tracked the man’s path. A glittering party clutch sat upright at one of the tables, open and waiting. Six feet away from the table, a woman in red laughed loudly at something another woman said.
“We’re out of some ingredients. I’ll go and get them from another station. Please check back in a few minutes.” He stepped out from behind the station and barely registered the irritated huff. “Pardon me.” He jostled in and out of groups in his way, fighting to keep his eye on the one-fisted man.
“Do you need something?” A waiter blocked his path. “You left your station.”
“Yes, I need to grab something from another chef. I’ll be right back.”
Like running through a complicated football play, Alex spun right and darted left to avoid colliding with other guests. There. The man’s fist released right over the top of the clutch. The slightest reflection of silver confirmed his suspicions. Alex reached into his white chef’s jacket and grabbed the flash drive he’d prepared. Except the woman in red was starting to turn around, no doubt to retrieve the clutch now that the handoff had been made.
Alex had to stall her. He slipped his left foot out, and a man tripped over him, diving headfirst into a group of four. The exclamations drew attention, and just as he’d hoped, the woman in red watched, her brow furrowed. Alex darted behind her, made a one-handed switch and continued to the chef station closest to her table. “I need...salt at my station,” he said.
“Then get it from the kitchen. I need mine.” The chef scowled before beaming at an approaching guest.
Alex didn’t mind at all. Mission accomplished. The woman turned back to her purse, and seeing the flash drive Alex had placed there, closed the clutch and smiled. She hadn’t noticed him make the switch. Good. Tonight, they would finally bring the Firecracker to justice.
There were two men staring right at him from across the room. They had broad shoulders under their tuxedos and matching gaits as they started toward him. Alex didn’t think they were the Idaho state troopers that were typically assigned to the governor. The telltale wrinkle in their jackets gave him pause. Armed. Unfortunately, Alex had been searched “for security reasons” before being allowed to enter as a chef. His own gun was still in the car.
He darted toward the north wall, making his way around the attendees to get back to his station. A quick look over his shoulder confirmed the men were coming for him. He needed to get the flash drive somewhere safe in case they were associates of the Firecracker.
A woman with caramel hair down to her shoulders, dressed in a shimmering silver gown and strappy heels he’d never imagined she’d be caught dead in stepped into the light.
Violet Sharp, his partner’s widow.
Rick Sharp had been killed by the Firecracker two years ago. Violet’s face blanched at the sight of him, but she didn’t raise a hand or an arm in greeting. Thankfully, she knew better.
Violet had never been the type to attend ritzy political fundraisers, but grief changed people. He’d also never seen her without her K-9 Search and Rescue dog by her side. She blinked rapidly and broke the unspoken connection, turning away to offer a tight smile to a tall, athletic-looking man who embraced her and gave her a little-too-friendly kiss to the cheek.
Alex had hesitated too long. The two men had almost reached him. He continued his path toward Violet and bumped into her shoulder.
“Hey, watch where you’re going,” the man with her said.
Alex grabbed Violet’s elbow as if offering support, all the while dropping the drive into the main compartment of the silver purse hanging at her side. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”
Her eyes widened. “No harm done.”
He strode past her, jostling and bumping past other people lest the two men suspect and target Violet. The crowd was getting irritated with him. All the more reason to feign excuses and leave early.
He sidestepped left and reached his food station just as they did.
“Enjoying the party?” the one to the left asked.
“Isn’t that what people do?” He shrugged. “I’m not feeling well, though. So I think I’ll be leaving early.”
“How about we escort you outside then?”
He’d walked straight into that one. “It’s cold out there. Looks like snow falling again. How about I—?”
The man to his right flashed open his jacket to reveal a gun with a silencer attached. “Let’s go. You wouldn’t want anyone else to get hurt, would you?”
Were they referring to someone specific or bluffing? Alex narrowed his eyes. “What you’re suggesting would draw a lot of attention. I—”
He’d been focused on the man with the gun instead of the one on the left. His second mistake of the night. A needle pricked through his white jacket and into his arm. He reached out and grabbed the man’s hand and yanked the needle back out. The syringe hit the floor, and Alex stomped on it, crushing the vial.
The telltale sensation of heat in his veins and a racing heart rate meant he hadn’t pulled out the needle fast enough. He could call out, make a scene, but that might put Violet in danger. As a law enforcement ranger for the US Forest Service, she’d run to his aid. He’d never forgive himself if his decision resulted in her losing her life, too.
“What’d you give me?” he asked. The governor had yet to arrive. The two men were both too young to match the Firecracker’s description.
“You’re about to find out.”
Alex moved to grab the knife on the cart in front of him, but his hand missed the handle and pushed the bowl of chopped green onions instead.
“What did you...?” His voice slurred. His vision blurred. The two men hooked their elbows through his, and he lost his footing. A moment later, cold air stung his face. But his eyes wouldn’t stay open long enough to find out where he was going, and he didn’t think he’d live long enough to find out.
Violet Sharp could not believe Alex was here. She knew enough of her late husband’s work to never wave at another special agent. Ever. If an agent greeted her or waved first, then it was safe. Alex had seen her—bumped into her, even—but he hadn’t acknowledged her in a personal way. Her eyes had wanted to follow him when he’d moved past her, but she hadn’t wanted to draw any attention to him.
Dark wavy hair, green eyes and only a few inches taller than her, he appeared intimidating in size because of his athletic build. He looked different than the last time she’d seen him, like he was made of harder edges.
In the one second their eyes had connected, she’d recognized the pain he carried, certain she reflected the same hollow emptiness. Judging by the tension in his jaw, he had felt the same way about seeing her. They reminded each other of the greatest loss in their lives. Rick. The sensation had rocked her off balance. After two years, she shouldn’t be so caught off guard by sudden waves of sorrow, but grief refused to follow any rule book.
She also really needed a word with her best friend. Eryn Lane had pleaded with her to come to this party. The only reason Violet had agreed was so that Eryn could have a night out without kids. She’d foolishly assumed the evening would be free of any of the matchmaking attempts her friends had been intent on lately. Eryn had ambushed her by arranging for Violet’s high school boyfriend, Bruce Wilkinson, to meet them there.
Every social invitation had become a minefield the past couple of months. It was as if crossing the two-year marker of being a widow had put an Available sign on her forehead. Why couldn’t Eryn get it through her head that Violet had no intention of marrying again?
Bruce was regaling them with yet another story of one of his latest business ventures when a current of cold air rushed past her.
“Who keeps opening the door?” Eryn wrapped her arms around herself and turned to find the source of the cold. Two men, one on either side of Alex, disappeared out the back.
“Looks like someone had a little too much Christmas cheer,” Bruce muttered. “That guy was bumping into everyone, not just you. And he’s one of the employees, no less. If this were my business, I would—”
Violet didn’t hear the rest of Bruce’s analysis on best business practices. The back of her neck tingled. Something wasn’t right. There was nothing behind the lodge but woods. The same woods she’d planned to walk through to get home. “Excuse me, I need to check on Teddy.”
She grabbed a napkin from Alex’s food station on her way to the coatrack and threw on her wool coat and the boots she’d brought with her. A moment later, she was out the front door next to the parking lot.
Teddy, her Newfoundland dog, sat at attention beside the valet, Daniella Curtis. The sidewalk in front of the lodge had been converted to a red-carpet platform. Daniella managed a podium with little hooks to keep track of vehicle keys.
“Thanks for letting Teddy keep you company.” Where Violet went, Teddy went. The town understood that her K-9 never left her side. Leaving him with Daniella had been a compromise after Eryn had expressed her displeasure at bringing the dog along. Even when Violet wasn’t on duty with the USFS, she was always on duty for search and rescue. “Has Teddy been a good guest?”
“Of course.” Daniella patted the top of the massive dog’s head. “He’s keeping me from being bored out of my mind.”
When Teddy sat upright, he measured over two feet from shoulder to ground. From nose to tail, he was six feet long and weighed thirty pounds more than Violet, though she wasn’t about to reveal that specific amount to anyone. Her gentle giant was the best search-and-rescue dog in the area and a loyal companion.
She patted her side. “Teddy and I need to check on something. We should be right back.” She set the strappy heels and sparkly purse behind Daniella’s podium. She didn’t need anything flapping on her person, hindering her speed. “Mind if I leave these here?”
Violet didn’t wait for Daniella’s answer. She ran around the corner of the lodge. Teddy didn’t need prodding. He ran at her side. Plenty of breeds had the sniffing capabilities to work in search and rescue, but Teddy had the type of intelligence that was rare. The back of the building was deserted, but two sets of footprints in the snow led to the woods.
The breeze had faded, and the winter night seemed to be holding its breath. Her time working as Teddy’s handler had taught her to pay attention to things she’d never noticed before. She could hear her own heart beating. There was no sign of anyone else rushing after Alex. She had to know if he was okay, Rick would want her to make sure. If Alex didn’t want her there, she’d simply pretend she was out walking her dog.
She presented the napkin she’d snagged from Alex’s food station. Teddy lifted his nose and made staccato-like inhalations.
“Find.”
A whisper was all he needed. His head disappeared into the powdered snow for a split second before popping back up. His golden eyes and brown bushy fur made him appear like a bear, the inspiration for his name, especially in the snow. And right now, he was the happiest bear in the world. He had caught the scent, and he was eager to go to work.
She rushed after him and entered the woods, where all hint of light from the moon and the stars disappeared. Popping, cracking sounds toyed with her sense of direction. The noise could be footsteps, or it could be sap freezing inside the trees. At only ten degrees, the cold quickly seeped through her long wool coat. Teddy pressed ahead, directing her which way to go.
The powdery snow proved easy to walk across quietly.
“I can’t find the flash drive.” A male voice reached her ears. “But he’s stirring. He got the needle out before the full—”
“Then maybe we make sure he doesn’t wake up. Make the call and get our orders.”
Violet held out both hands, a signal for Teddy to stop following the trail. She strained to see past the trees. The two men stood with guns drawn over Alex, who lay crumpled in the snow.
A deep, rolling rumble sent shivers up her spine until she realized Teddy was the source. She stepped behind the cover of a thick trunk before the men could see her. She should’ve realized Teddy knew Alex and could tell he was in danger. A trainer had once told her that people gave off different types of pheromones depending on their intentions. Teddy understood those intentions. If he was worried about what these men wanted with Alex, she was worried.
“What is that?” One of the men looked their way.
The question gave her an idea. Violet made a click with her tongue, and Teddy’s gaze shifted to her. She flipped her palm over and raised it to the sky. He lifted up on his hind legs, standing up, a trick they’d been working on for over a year.
“It’s either bigfoot or a bear, and I don’t want to find out which.”
She didn’t blame them. Teddy was one of the larger Newfoundland dogs she’d met, and that was saying something. And his growl had the resonance of a wild animal.
“Are you crazy? Put the gun down. We don’t have the kind of firepower to take a bear down before he mauls us.”
“If he charges, I’m shooting. Bears are beyond my pay grade.”
“Leave him. We don’t need him anymore anyway. Let’s go!”
Violet hastily lowered her hand. Teddy dropped down to his paws but not before he released another guttural growl. The men made quick work of disappearing in the other direction. She counted to ten in case they decided to come back, then she ran for the figure on the ground.
Teddy proved faster and was nuzzling Alex’s face when she arrived at his side. Alex had been around often before Rick’s death, and he’d always come prepared with treats, ready to win Teddy’s affections. Clearly, Teddy remembered.
Alex groaned and reached up, blocking the dog. “No.” His voice sounded groggy but clear. She blew out a sigh of relief. Alive. Teddy moved to sniffing the rest of him, no doubt in search of treats.
“It’s Violet.” She gingerly reached for his wrist lest he attack on instinct. “I won’t hurt you. How do you feel?”
He flinched but blinked rapidly. “Violet,” he murmured. His heart rate was strong, a little faster than she’d like, but in the normal range. He sat up suddenly. Teddy’s tail wagged faster, and he pressed his body into Alex.
“Feel free to hug him to get warm. He holds a lot of heat.”
Alex acted as if he was about to take her advice, but instead, he used the quick hug to right himself to standing. He spun around, fully alert. “Where are they?”
“They ran away, leaving you for dead. They thought this bear might finish you off.”
He pointed at Teddy. “Him? You?” He ran a hand over his face and exhaled. “Thank you both.”
“Do you know what they gave you?”
“A short dose of something to knock me out. Felt like I was going to sleep for a surgery. I don’t think they gave me much. I managed to get the needle out of my arm before he got the plunger down.”
“Who were they, Alex?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. I never meant for you to get involved, though. I hope I didn’t put you in danger.”
“They said they couldn’t find a flash drive on you.”
“Violet?” A shrill voice called out from the direction of the party. “Are you in there?”
“Do you have your gun?” Alex reached for her arm, steadying himself.
“No need.” She didn’t want to explain that she didn’t carry one anymore. At least, not right now. “That’s my friend checking up on me. I left the party when I saw those men dragging you out. Rumor has it you’re an employee who drank too much.”
A light flickered through the trees. “Get some help.” Bruce’s voice rang out loud and clear. “There’s a man with his hands on her. I’m coming, Violet!”
“I’m fine,” Violet shouted. “Just taking Teddy for a walk. One second.”
Alex straightened. “I need to stay undercover.”
She pointed in the opposite direction of the men. “I think your cover might already be blown. And what do you want me to tell them?” She thumbed over her shoulder at Bruce and Eryn, still aiming lights in their direction.
“I need to be able to move around the town and resort without everyone knowing I’m an FBI agent.”
Her throat tightened. “Is this about Rick?” His hesitation irritated her. “The Firecracker?”
He flinched. “You know the name? I thought that information was still—”
“Your superiors interviewed me multiple times when Rick was killed.” She shrugged, not wanting to relive the days after, the constant questions and analysis of Rick’s last words. “I know the Firecracker was responsible, and that he’s still out there.”
“I think I’ve almost got him.”
“Then I’ll help you in whatever way I can.” Maybe she would sleep better knowing Rick’s killer had finally faced justice. “I grew up here. I know most of the locals. Just tell me what you need. Who should I tell Bruce and Eryn you are?”
“I need a second.” He pulled his white jacket off and flipped it inside out, revealing a black jacket. He removed a black tie from inside a pocket and slipped it over his head. The quick change wasn’t anything new to her, as she’d seen her husband practice similar moves for undercover missions, but she was still surprised to see the transformation from employee to party attendee. He brushed off the remaining snow from his legs in one motion.
“Lead the way to your friends,” he said. “Before we have more company. My mind is still waking up, but I think I have an idea that might work.”
As they neared the tree line, Alex reached for her hand. His fingers, icy from his time in the snow, wrapped around hers. She pulled back, surprised at the gesture, until she realized what Alex must be planning.
She was his new cover.
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