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“Why do you have to go? What’s wrong? Did Karlo escape?”
He hadn’t meant to scare her. “Sorry. It’s not that kind of emergency. My boss called and it appears Grigor Pavic has heard the news. My team will mobilize soon and I need to be there.”
There was a pause and Flynn wished he’d been able to make a video call. He wanted to see her face, see what she was thinking.
“Okay. Make sure you’re safe.”
He nodded even though she couldn’t see him. “I will.” His phone beeped and he looked to see it was Janis. “Sorry, Tessa. My boss is on the line. Gotta go. I’ll talk to you when I can.”
“Goodbye, Flynn.” Her sad tone had him wishing he could ignore his boss, but that was never a smart move. Flynn took the call and then spent his remaining time on the drive and then on the plane setting up the op. It was going to be a long night. But it would be a huge step toward closing up his last FBI case.
As long as nothing went sideways.
Chapter21
Top Secret
Tessa slipped on her backpack and picked up her walking cane. Pride was going to have to take a back seat to practicality. She would only use the cane when necessary, but she figured the trip was going to be difficult enough. She’d take all the support she could get.
On the main floor of the lodge, she found Sam and Tansy in the kitchen, preparing pasta and a sauce that smelled like onions, garlic, and all things comforting. Both looked up and Sam’s eyes immediately narrowed. “What’s going on? Why are you leaving? Where are you going?”
Tansy patted Sam’s arm but kept her gaze on Tessa. “What’s wrong?”
She smiled at these two amazing people. “You two are the best. I’m not leaving permanently. I’ll be back in a few days.”
Sam frowned. “You’re going to Houston.”
Tansy gasped. “No. It’s not safe for you there.”
Her own smile was a little wobbly. “It’ll be fine. Karlo and his buddies are in jail. By now, my grandfather knows I’m alive. If I’m going to live without looking over my shoulder every moment, I need to see him. To find out how to end this.”
Tansy pulled off her apron. “I’ll go with you.”
Sam moved to wash his hands at the sink. “We both will.”
Tessa’s eyes misted. “Thank you. Both of you. You really are the best people I know. But my flight is soon and I need to leave now. I’m hoping I can take the golf cart to the sawmill.”
Sam turned off the stove. “We’ll get you to your car.”
Throughout the drive to the car, her friends continued to try to talk her into letting them go along, but she stood firm. “There are so many law enforcement people watching my grandfather right now. It’s the perfect time to talk to him.”
Sam glanced at her. “Does Flynn know you’re going?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. He’s on his own flight right now. I’ll let him know when I get there.”
After hugs from Tansy and terse advice from Sam on how to stay alert and safe, Tessa got in her car and drove to Burlington to catch her flight. Part of her wanted to shout at them to jump in and come along, but it was time to stop putting other people in danger and be a grownup. With Karlo in jail, there was no immediate danger. She would deal with her grandfather and keep the target well away from her friends.
By the time she touched down in Houston, it was late, and she was a bouncy ball of nerves. She’d changed her mind about her plan a dozen times.
Still, she wanted a future and she figured the best way to create that was to speak with her grandfather in person. She’d never had much contact with him. Her memories were mostly of awkward holiday dinners where she’d been under strict instruction to not speak unless someone asked her a direct question. Escaping the table as early as possible had been her goal and she wasn’t sure she’d ever had a private moment with the man.
From her recent research, she’d found her grandfather had moved to the most expensive area of Houston and away from where he managed his deals. If she grabbed a cab and headed to his place in the River Oaks district now, she wouldn’t arrive until after midnight. Part of her wanted to go anyway. Get it over with. But she probably wouldn’t be let in the door arriving at that time of night.
She pulled out her phone and powered it up. It had been so long since she’d left Midnight Lake and she needed contact with Flynn. She’d sent him a text before she’d boarded, but had turned it off for the flight.
After she cleared security and was in the main terminal, she checked the phone and found multiple notifications. She ignored them and called his number. If he was sleeping or busy, she would leave a message, but hearing his voice was a priority.
“Tessa. You called.”
