Page 110 of Long Past Deadly

She understood, but it made her sad. Whit had been her lifeline in those days. When had she let that slip away? “I’m glad you’re alive. I was worried.”

“I admit I ran on the edge this time. Didn’t mean to. I didn’t want him to find me until I was ready for another round.”

He wasn’t ready still, but she’d never convince him.

“I wish you’d let me do this alone. You don’t need to put yourself at risk like this,” he mumbled. He rubbed his chest in an unconscious gesture.

“I could say the same thing to you.”

“Don’t. I want to do this. I wasn’t there before. I will be now come hell or high water.”

The advice from Mackey hit home. “This isn’t about before, Whit. It’s about now. He’s trying to kill me, to kill Quaid. We’re going to stop him.”

“He already tried for me. He missed again.”

“He missed in Iraq, too, didn’t he?”

Whit looked her over. The debate was obvious in his expression. “Yeah, a few times.”

Fury whipped through her. “And command didn’t do anything about it?”

“No. Didn’t believe me. My own fault. We had more than a few confrontations resulting in punishment.”

“You were lucky. He was actively killing people by then – I’m guessing since his youth.”

Whit frowned. “He didn’t have an off button that’s for sure.”

War zone equaled kill zone in Mercer’s mind. Not a hard connection to make.

“You should get some sleep. Someone will come for you when we’re ready.”

He grabbed her hand. “Don’t take any chances. Better he gets me again than you.”

“No. Stick to the plan. I trust Mackey. I trust Quaid. We’ll trap the man together. We’re giving him what he already wants and controlling ground zero when he comes for it.” That she repeated Mac’s exact phrasing told her the truth of what she was doing.

After several more minutes of back and forth, she wasn’t sure she convinced him, but she was hungry and needed Quaid. A man she hadn’t met a month ago was suddenly critical in her life. Was this how love worked?

She shied away from evaluating the idea and handed Whit the knife she’d promised.

“Thought you forgot.”

“No, I promised you. It’s out of QM’s armory. Mac said you could have it.” The woman inside would have hugged him, but the FBI agent opted for squeezing his arm and leaving. She had work to do on connecting with people. After, she promised herself. After.

&&&&&&&&&&

Instead of taking a room, Quaid and Alanna spent a couple hours in the armory deciding on weapons. They grabbed food in the day room, a catered meal of barbecued chicken and mac n’ cheese, then went to Quaid’s front office and the sofa there.

“You’re quiet.” Quaid shifted sideways on the soft surface and pulled her between his legs. She didn’t fight him. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and stared at the light patterns on the ceiling.

“Conversation with Whit.”

“About?”

“Iraq. Letting him be the only bait. He is focused on protecting me. He was too nonchalant about the new knife. I’m not sure including him was the right decision.”

Quaid squashed the criticism. It would play out as it did. “The objective of this is to be the point of the spear and take Mercer down. However that happens.”

“It’s what we will do. I think Whit’s forgotten all his military tactics. I even quoted Mackey.”