Page 16 of Knight Watch

Chapter Eight

As she leftthe highway toward Surfside, Sydney found it a challenge to keep her emotions in check. The house had been their new home when her mother died; this small, tight-knit community had been a peaceful, safe haven for Sydney and her dad in their hour of need. Now, all those memories were stained with the red taint of her father’s blood.

“Breathe deep, Sydney.”

Kingsley’s voice made her realize she was on the verge of hyperventilating, a mix of anxiety and purpose. For the first time in a very long time, she realized she wasn’t alone. People weren’t only offering to help her; they believed her.

When she glanced at the passenger seat, she noticed Kingsley wasn’t looking at her, but was watching his surroundings and taking peeks in the rearview mirror.

“You think we’re being followed?”

When he turned to her, an adorable smile flashed on his bearded face. “I wouldn’t be an excellent secret agent if I didn’t keep an eye out. It’s like breathing. But to answer your question, I think we’re alone. As far as your uncle is concerned, you’re in the wind, and nothing links us directly to you. I seriously doubt he posted men at Alliance. At least, not for the moment. But he will because if he or his goons have at least the intelligence level of a baboon and get their hands on the CCTV outside the bank, they’ll connect the dots pretty quickly.”

Sydney slowed down as they arrived in town. “I’m surprised you’re not worried about that.”

“I don’t like to worry. I want to be prepared. That’s why some of the team are digging into your uncle’s life, and others are keeping a discrete eye on what he might be doing at the moment. Before we left Alliance, Malco told me nobody else was being held prisoner in the house where you were kept. And there was no evidence there ever was.”

“Is that important?”

“The devil’s in the details, as they say. I prefer not to leave even one stone unturned. You never know where a snake is hiding, ready to strike.”

The perfect analogy, in her opinion. And a flicker of light on Kingsley’s personality.

“Something you learned while in the military?”

“More accurately, while I was part of the EOD.”

Sydney blinked. “EOD?”

Again, he smiled, and her heart flipped. “Yeah, it means Explosive Ordnance Disposal. I was a Fleet Diver in the Royal Navy.”

“You mean you disposed of bombs?”

“Disposed of, defused, dismantled… When a bomb was found, I made sure it didn’t hurt anybody. A lot of my work was underwater, but we also diffused bombs on land. We worked pretty closely with the UK Special Forces and the Marine Commandos.”

It took a moment for Sydney to process the words and what it entailed. “Wait. That means that you had to go to the live bomb and deal with it yourself. That isn’t only dangerous, but completely insane!”

Kingsley shrugged. “It’s a technique, and I was good at it. Yes it was dangerous, but it meant that members of the SAS could carry out their missions and survive. Bombs are only one aspect of danger, and there are far more lethal ones in the battlefield, believe me.”

Sydney couldn’t believe her ears. This man had a death wish. However, she decided to let it go. As she turned into a residential area, Kingsley spoke. “When we get there, don’t park in front of your dad’s place. Stop a few houses away and on the other side.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to make it easy for anyone and give them a heads up that we’re inside if they do track us. A car parked outside is a dead giveaway, but a car parked a couple of houses down and on the other side of the street won’t raise any red flags.”

Sydney pulled into her dad’s street and stopped did a U-turn before stopping. Turning the engine off, her hands gripped the steering wheel. It was a reflex each time she came, and the reason she didn’t come anymore. The blood had been wiped clean, but death still lingered, preventing her from remembering softer, warmer memories of the home they had shared.

It was there she’d realized she was an orphan and knew her uncle had been behind it. It wasn’t proof, but a knowledge so deep, it was imprinted in her bones. The devil had her once; she could now recognize the smell and sight of it anywhere.

Sydney expected Kingsley to jump out of the truck and head to the house. Instead, eyes still scanning the area, he relaxed in his seat and waited. It took a moment for Sydney to realize he was waiting for her cue. No surprise there, she was so tense if she’d had more strength, she would have broken the steering wheel in two.

One by one, she unclenched her fingers before finally leaning back in the driver’s seat. “Sorry.”

Kingsley turned his head to look at her. “About what?”

“I should be stronger, not let things that are in the past affect me this way. Especially things I can’t change.”

“That’s bullshit, Sydney. You don’t see what I see. You’re one of the strongest human beings I know.” Sydney snorted, but that seemed to anger him. “Why are you insulting me?”