Page 52 of Red, White, and BearCat Blue

Captain Sorensen came over and sat across from us, wearing a smile. “How are you both doing this morning?” He checked his watch before smirking. “I should say afternoon.”

I nodded back at him, glancing quickly at Mom as I swallowed a big bite of sandwich, chasing it with a sip of water. “We’re both good.”

“Good.” He reached up and tugged on his long, red beard. The long scar which ran from the corner of one eye, down his cheek seemed starker, now that I could see him up close. Whatever had caused that, had been bad.

He looked thoughtful. “I must apologize that we didn’t arrive sooner. I trust Special Agents Michaels and Rayburn did their best under the circumstances.” He watched my mom who just turned to look at me. The vacant expression was back in her eyes.

I set down my sandwich and nodded. “They were really great and we’re both okay.” I reached for Mom’s hand, giving her a little squeeze.

“That’s good.” He cleared his throat, looking slightly hesitant to say more, but went on anyway. “I had hoped to have Mars and Mickey drive you both to Los Angeles, but now that we know who we’re dealing with—”

I stopped him as I stood. “Can we talk about this over there?” I pointed to an empty corner of the room. I didn’t want to discuss this with my mom around.

“Yes, of course.”

“Be right back, Mom.” I bent down and kissed her cheek before following the captain. “I didn’t want you to discuss anything in front of her. I don’t know if you know she has Alzheimer’s, and because of it, I don’t think she fully understands everything that went down this morning.”

He nodded. “Yes, I know about the Alzheimer’s. It’s probably good that she doesn’t completely realize the danger Sterling’s men were to her.”

“Agents Michaels and Rayburn were very brave out there,” I said, not fully trusting this big man. It was obvious that he was very much like Mars and Mickey, extremely capable but all business when it came down to protecting lives. I didn’t trust any of these guys to have a solution to my Josiah problem, but I did know that they’d probably all lay down their lives to protect us. “I’m sorry I cut you off over there. You were saying something about getting us to L.A.”

“Yes, and I hope I can be honest with you, Mr. Demarco.” At my nod, he went on. “The FBI now knows that Josiah Sterling is hip deep in shit and now that he’s sent men hell bent on kidnapping your mother to get you to do whatever he has planned for you, I’m going to put you both on a plane. It’s not safe to drive.”

I gaped at him. “First…what do you think he has planned for me? And second, I don’t know that planes are much safer. Before all this went down, I wasn’t sure about just how dangerous Josiah really was. Now, I don’t trust him at all. It’s not going to take him long to realize that FBI agents took my mom if he doesn’t already grasp that fact, and if he thinks I’m working with you, that makes me disposable. What use am I to the FBI as some sort of undercover informant against him now? That is what you planned on having me do for you, right?”

“Yes.” He smiled in an almost self-deprecating way which was so different from his calm, take charge demeanor, that it threw me off for a few seconds. I opened my mouth to ask another question but he lifted his hand to stop me. “Let me answer your questions, because they’re good ones and I think you deserve to hear the truth. First, we’re not at all sure what Sterling has planned for you, but our best guess is that now he just wants you dead. And to answer you about the safety of taking a plane, you won’t be traveling commercial. You’ll be flying to L.A. on an FBI jet.”

I deflated, all my bravado leaving me. “Oh, okay.” I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “Mickey said you’ll be putting us in a safehouse in Los Angeles, but my mom is used to a routine. She had that at Shady Grove.”

Another thoughtful look. “I understand that. Unfortunately, Shady Grove is no longer safe for her. We honestly believe that until we have Sterling in custody and have rolled up his entire operation and arrested all his accomplices, we’ll have to keep you in protective custody in Los Angeles where he can’t get to you. I’d arrange to have her housed in a facility similar to Shady Grove, but the FBI is afraid that Sterling will look for her there. That would just be asking for trouble. We can’t justify putting Mrs. Demarco or anyone else working or living in that kind of setting in danger.”

I was hesitant to disagree. “Don’t you think that having us in L.A. is more dangerous? That’s where Josiah is moving his business. He as much as told me so.”

“Yes, that’s true. We believe he is relocating everything to L.A., and since that’s where we are, we know we can keep you safer than if we left you in Vegas. We never know whether he might decide to send someone back to Shady Grove or to your apartment.” He looked past my shoulder, and I turned to see Mars walking over, holding a couple of water bottles. When he got to us, he smiled and held one out to me.

I nodded gratefully at him. “Thanks,” I said, taking it from him.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Mars said.

I loved his accent. The sexiness of it had a predictable effect on my body as shivers raced down my spine. I nodded and took a long drink of the water. “Your boss was just telling me that the FBI is taking me and my mom to L.A. on a jet rather than having us drive, but I can’t leave until I have the stuff I told you about, Mars.”

“What stuff?” Captain Sorensen asked.

“I told Mars that I have to go back to my apartment to get some things before I leave Vegas and before you ask, no, you can’t send agents to pick it up in case Josiah’s guys are watching it. It’s stuff I hid so it has to be me.”

The captain stared at me for a few seconds before looking at Mars. “I suppose you can accompany Mr. Demarco, but only if you take more agents with you.” He checked his watch before looking back at Mars. “The jet is taking off in less than an hour so if you’re going, it has to be now.” He turned to me, reaching out and putting a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about your mom, Mr. Demarco. We’ll see her safely to the plane, and you can join us when you’re done collecting your things.”

“Thank you so much.” I felt relief wash over me. “I’m going to let her know I’ll meet her at the plane.” As I was walking away, I heard him telling Mars to take two of their team and meet everyone at Henderson Executive Airport where they’d landed before getting the helicopter this morning. I sat down and explained everything to my mom before giving her a big hug. She hugged me back and smiled before I joined Mars, Mickey, and two guys they introduced as Napoleon and Patsy.

Napoleon was a tall, black man with a bright, white smile and a friendly personality. He was the one I’d seen rappelling onto the parking lot from the helicopter beside the captain. Patsy was about the same height as me, though, more heavily muscled. He was Irish, judging by the unmistakable accent in his greeting. Though I couldn’t be certain, I was pretty sure he’d been the agent flying the helicopter.

We went to the lobby of the hotel, and I waited out of sight of the driveway with the others just in case Josiah’s guys were watching for us while Mars grabbed the SUV from the valet. Once inside, we took off, hurrying to my apartment. As Mars pulled into the parking lot, I looked around for anyone suspicious, not really knowing what or who I was looking for. I was rarely at home during the day, so I couldn’t tell neighbors from Josiah’s guys, but I supposed they’d stand out to the FBI agents who flanked me as we headed upstairs to my apartment.

We were walking down the hallway to my door when Mars suddenly stopped, reaching an arm across me to halt my progress as he pulled his weapon. “The door’s ajar,” he said quietly, turning toward the others who’d all pulled their weapons as well.

“We’ll hang back with Cam, Mars,” Napoleon said. “You and Mickey clear the apartment.”

Mars gave him a sharp nod, and Mickey joined him at the front door. Mars lifted his gun, easing the door open several inches with the barrel. “FBI!” he called out. I listened but couldn’t hear a reply. “FBI! We’re coming in. If anyone is ‘ere, show yourself!” He listened a few seconds more, exchanged a glance with Mickey, and canted his head. Mickey nodded and the two agents eased into the apartment while I held my breath.