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62
Greenbrier Resort
MONDAY AFTERNOON
There were no guests outside today. The drizzle hadn’t cleared up as hoped, and it had turned cold, a plus for Griffin and Kirra. They were alone, but within view of the large hotel front windows, where Melissa Kay and Jared Talix could easily see them. Kirra was walking beside him, her long legs easily keeping up with him on the expanse of rough grass bordering the golf course. Both of them were alert, constantly scanning the golf course and the copses of thick trees alongside it, and trying to be discreet about it.
Griffin said, “You can bet they now know I’m an FBI agent. Will it stop them? No, but it’ll make them more careful.”
“I don’t think they’ll care one way or the other, Griffin. Actually, Melissa Kay might like to add an FBI notch to her belt. I doubt they’ll think you’d bring your Glock on your honeymoon, either, so they’ll believe you’re as helpless as I am, right?”
He said as he looked off into the copse of maple trees beside the green, “I don’t go anywhere without my Glock. Ingrained habit. I’d really hoped they’d go back to their suite and make plans, but that didn’t happen. And there wasn’t any way to get close enough to them to record what they’re planning. At least we know they want us to disappear, not shoot us in plain sight at the hotel. We can keep our newlywed stroll going for a while longer, but we shouldn’t get much farther away from the hotel.” He tapped his ear comm. “Besides my Glock, I have Jeter in my ear. He and his men are in place.”
“It’ll work, Griffin.” She was holding his gloved hand and now she leaned into him, stepped up on tiptoes, and kissed his neck, whispered, “Cold doesn’t matter to honeymooners.”
He laughed and felt lighter, but soon enough his worry broke through. “It’s a good plan, Kirra, but the fact is you can never plan for every possibility with any op; something unexpected always happens, something always goes sideways.” He didn’t say it was different this time, too, because she was with him and it scared him to his bones.
She said quietly, “I know you’re worried, Griffin, so am I, but this is the right thing to do. No way could they foresee this. I know, too, Melissa Kay might be crazy enough to step out of the trees and shoot us, not caring if it’s in clear sight of the hotel workers and guests, but I’m counting on Talix not allowing her to do that. Of course Melissa Kay has a gun or, if not, Ryman brought her one. At least it’s unlikely Jared Talix has a weapon since he flew commercial. You know they’ll probably try to get us at gunpoint and haul us away. Not smart to shoot us anywhere near hotel grounds. It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”
Griffin looked down at her serious face. Who knew her serious face would become so vital to him in less than a week? He kissed her, lightly stroked his fingers over her eyebrows. “Do you know, it makes perfect sense they’d want to kill you to keep Jared safe. You’re the one with the big mouth who’d rat Jared out to his wife. But me? I’m an innocent bystander. It’s not right what they’re planning for me.”
She burst out laughing but it dried up fast. She knew he was trying for humor to keep them both on track. She poked him in the arm. “They want you out of the way, too, because they’re obviously scared of you, the big tough FBI agent. Must be that dark hair, it roughs you up, makes you look even more dangerous.”
Griffin grinned, patted his black wig, adjusted his aviator glasses. Reality hit again, fast. He lowered his voice. “We can’t let our guard down for even a second, okay?”
Kirra nodded, felt immense gratitude, and something more she’d think about later. He knew as well as she did bringing down Melissa Kay and Ryman was the only way she could return to Porte Franklyn. She swallowed. Yes, she owed him everything. And Jeter, of course. She reached out and took Griffin’s hand, squeezed it. They had a plan, a good plan. But still—she prayed they wouldn’t die here today at this fancy resort. Please, don’t let Melissa Kay put together who we are. Let her think we’re a couple of lame civilians who don’t know a gun from chewing gum, who aren’t paying attention to anyone except each other.
She said, “You said things usually go sideways. Well, we know Melissa Kay believes she has the upper hand. She believes she’s going to surprise us. She won’t be ready for Jeter, much less for us—two people more dangerous than she is. And, Griffin, even if I don’t have a gun, I’m still dangerous. I’m a vicious fighter and in a pinch, I do have this.” She pulled a knife an inch out of her sleeve, quickly shoved it back. Griffin stared at her. “I will not ask you where you got the knife.”
“I didn’t buy it in the gift shop. It’s my favorite knife from Australia. Uncle Leo gave it to me.” Was that her voice? Sounding all together, calm, focused? Like Griffin?
The same woman who’d murdered her parents, the same woman who’d tried to murder her, she was close now and soon Kirra would have her. She wouldn’t run away this time like the child all those years before. She’d face down the monster. She felt cold hard anger. This woman had murdered the two people she’d loved most in the world. This time she’d make her pay.
Griffin pulled her to a stop in the shade of an enormous oak tree. He touched his ear com, said quietly, “Jeter, I saw movement on the north side of the second fairway, maybe four feet or so into the woods.”
He leaned down, kissed her, whispered into her ear, “Let’s turn around and keep walking, sort of meander. Kiss me again, maybe laugh or moan, whatever you think. Be ready. And do exactly what I say.”
She moved closer, brushed Griffin’s mouth. He whispered, “Get into it, Mandarian; that wouldn’t fool Sean, Sherlock and Savich’s five-year-old.”
Kirra got into it. When he released her, he whispered against her ear, “Hold my hand, laugh. I saw more movement, a little closer.” He raised his hand, said into his ear comm, “I’m sure, behind the verge at the second hole.”
He listened, smiled down at her. “Swing on my arm and try for a giggle at the lewd comment I just made. Keep your knife palmed and ready.”
They came at them out of a copse of thick gum and oak trees, silent and fast, Melissa Kay’s pistol pointed at Griffin, Talix beside her, a knife in his hand.
“Well, if we don’t have the newlyweds out strolling around in the crappy cold weather. How sweet. Jared figured you’d get out sooner or later. Getting some exercise to whet your appetite for more sex?”
Kirra gaped at her. “I know you’re Jared Talix, and she’s, well, she’s your companion. Why are you here? Why is she pointing a gun at us? What is this all about?” She ended with her voice shaking.
Melissa Kay smiled at her. “You stupid little bitch, we can’t have you telling Susan you saw Jared with another woman, can we?”
Kirra stuttered out, “B-but who cares?”
“All the wrong people would care, and you would tell her. As for you, handsome, I’m sorry about this, but you’re going to eternity with her. I’ll shoot you both if you try anything. Yes, of course, we know you’re FBI. I know you’re trained and dangerous. I promise I’ll shoot your little bride in an instant if you try anything.”
Kirra started to cry. Griffin took a step toward Melissa Kay, but she skipped back, pointed her gun at him. “I told you, pretty boy. Give it up. Ironic, isn’t it? Because of this little loudmouth you’ve got to die too. We’re going to take a lovely walk into the forest. Move, both of you. Now!”
Kirra said on a sob, “Jared, how can you let her do this? I swear to you I won’t tell Susan, I won’t tell anyone. And my husband, he’s done nothing, he’s innocent—”
