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Sharlee began walking toward Finley, stopping at the nursery room door to take a final look in to make sure she didn’t forget anything. Not that a mere look would give her that answer. This nursery was fit for three young princes, full of everything a child could need or want.
“Yes, but I’m trying not to have a rescue bottle at night. I’m having limited success.”
“Well, his bag is stocked, so no worries.”
“Jac, we need to get going,” said Sharlee as the two women and toddler descended the stairs. She continued. “Cash is on protection detail this month, so he knows the routine. Dawn is gone for the weekend, so we must clean up any messes ourselves,” Sharlee reminded Finley, extending her conversation to Florent, Spring, and Cash as he entered the room.
“Got it, but you need to tell Jac. He’s like that kid’s book where everyone makes a huge mess, only he doesn’t clean it up,” said Cash.
“Lord, don’t I know it,” said Sharlee.
Cash gave Finley a knowing look. She wasn’t the neatest person outside of her own room and the nursery, either. She ignored him until he leaned into her and said for her ears only, “I’ll clean up for you, baby, but I’ll punish you if it’s too bad.” His lips swept past her ear, and he stood back up. “The cars are out front,” announced Cash. The man had made her panties wet, and now he was all business. His former CIA background showed up strongly when needed, without any transition.
“Ren, are you driving?” asked Sharlee.
“I am, in case Spring wants an earlier night.” He was always putting Spring’s needs ahead of his. Finley smiled.
“Come on, people. It’s time to go,” said Jac as he took the stairs in a controlled but quick descent. He grabbed his son andtalked to him as Sharlee put his son’s coat on and wrapped him in a blanket, plopping a bright knitted cap on his head.
Jac’s phone was ringing, and then Sharlee’s cell started. Finley’s and Cash’s phones began to go off. Jac shifted Storm in his arms and answered his phone, as did the others. They could hear gunfire in the distance on their property.
“Fuck.” Jac began corralling the small group. He handed Storm to Finley. “Everyone to the safe room. Lock us down, Cash.”
Cash was already doing that. Iron grates fell down in front of the bullet-proof windows and the steel doors. Finley was only used to seeing it when they tested the system every month. It still amazed her how this estate could be shut down like Fort Knox. Then there was the safe room.
Finley ran to grab the jug of water and the can of toddler formula still on the counter when Sharlee took Storm from Finley’s arms. She followed everyone inside the hidden room that was set up for just about any disaster. It was like an apartment, stocked for ten or twelve people. Jac was thinking of expanding it, taking the empty, unused part of the large pool area for the extra space. Finley knew that was a done deal now.
Once everything was locked down, Storm and Spring were playing over by the crib set up for him while his parents started firing up the computer system. The toys were housed inside the crib, giving the two lots to explore. Finley met Cash’s protective stance with her own battle-ready posture. She’d not seen him in full defender mode. He was impressive. Hard. Intense. A little tremor went through her.
Jac was in mission form. “Who called you, Cash?”
“Johnson at the gate. He said they discovered someone climbing the fence, and there were a couple more nearby. They have alerted the police, but it’s Friday night.”
“Who fired?”
Cash answered his boss. “Not the gate.”
Jac turned to his wife. “What about you, Charlotte?”
She spoke without taking her eyes off her computer screens set up in the safe room. “Becky said someone had shot at them as they were pulling out of their garage.”
“Sitrep on them?” asked Jac as he answered another call.
“All good. They are inside and in their safe room. I’m trying to connect with everyone. Mark is connected and safe but still situating Jessie, the nanny, and the baby. Cops called.”
Jac added more. “Kaden just checked in. It’s all good there, but it’s the same story. Shots as they were leaving. Police have been called.”
A voice recording came through the room. “Hey, this is Levi. Tell Jac I just got my tire shot out when I was pulling onto the road. It does not look like a random drive-by. I’m safe in the apartment building, and the cops called. Turning on my camera. Connect me when you can.”
Monroe spoke over the camera at his house. “Hey, I think someone is pissed off at us. I’ve gotten several messages to dial in, and I think we didn’t get shot at because we just moved into our new house. No safe room yet, so I might rethink this tomorrow. Mal doesn’t need the stress, and I don’t need to worry about her safety, and with the baby coming, fuck, I didn’t think this out well.”
“Yeah,” said Jac. “I think you need to come this way once things calm down until your safe room is finished and things set up properly. That might be a couple of weeks.”
“Right. We’ll figure it out.”
Garrett came over to his camera feed. He was not happy. “Callie tried to fucking follow the shooter here. A family of four had just gone inside the building when we exited. I had to chase after my girl as she tried to take the bad guy down.”
“Listen, no one shoots at me and expects nothing in return. Besides, a bullet hit the building, and a piece of brick flew through the air and hit G-Man here.”
