He knocked and waited. Marlene opened the door, her eyes fiery. Oh, he’d seen that look plenty of times. She was such an easygoing, loving woman, but God help the fool who messed with one of her chicks.
“How is she?” he asked quietly.
Marlene sighed. “Upset but trying not to let me know how much. She’s playing it off, of course, but it scared her to death. Tell me you beat the shit out of that little asshole.”
Sean’s shoulders shook with laughter. “I might have threatened to.”
Marlene made a disgruntled sound.
“Can I see her?” he asked.
Marlene opened the door wider. “Of course. Come on in. She’s in the kitchen. I made her put an ice pack on those bruises.”
Sean scowled at the mention of those bruises. It made him want to go back over and bruise Matt Winfree’s face.
He followed Marlene into the kitchen and braced himself for Rusty’s belligerence. But when she looked up, he saw no sign of anger or hostility. She looked ... young and extremely vulnerable.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
She leaned against the kitchen sink and let the hand holding the ice pack fall away. “I’m okay. Thanks to you.”
She sounded subdued. He almost preferred her mouthy and obnoxious. He didn’t know how to take the quiet and beaten-down Rusty.
“I just came by to tell you that you don’t have to worry about Matt Winfree causing you any more trouble. And school won’t be a problem. He won’t be running his mouth.”
Her eyes widened in surprise and to his extreme discomfort tears shimmered on the surface.
“What did you do?” she asked hoarsely.
He shook his head. “What I did isn’t important. What is, is that he won’t be a problem for you. And Rusty? If you ever need me, you call, okay? You seem to think that no one is on your side and that you can’t depend on anyone. By now you should know that isn’t true. The Kellys stand by you, and so do I.”
Her eyes held the faint glaze of shock as she stared wordlessly at him. Marlene’s phone rang, breaking the growing silence that followed his announcement. She picked it up and he listened as she said hello and then broke into a wide smile.
“Sophie’s had her baby!” she said over the mouth of the phone.
Sean smiled. “That’s great. Tell Sam I said congratulations.”
Marlene spoke on the phone a few more seconds and then hung up, beaming from ear to ear.
“Why don’t I drive you two up to the hospital to see Sophie and the new baby?” he offered. He glanced at Rusty as he spoke. “Seems to me this is a good time to be surrounded by your family.”
A smile hovered over her mouth, the corners lifting as her eyes lightened.
Marlene looked over at Rusty and then reached out her hand to squeeze Rusty’s. “What do you say? Want to go up and see the newest addition to the Kelly clan?”
“I’d like that,” Rusty said in a soft voice.
“Well come on then. I’ll give you code-three treatment,” he said with a grin.
CHAPTER 17
“MEXICO? What the hell is she doing in Mexico?” Garrett demanded.
Donovan rubbed his hand over his hair and yawned as he stared with bleary eyes at his computer. “Yeah. A cargo pilot gave her a ride. She paid him a bundle.”
Garrett’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently not enough to buy his silence. How’d you dig this up so quickly?”
Donovan lifted one eyebrow. “Like I’m going to tell you. You and Sam just think you run this operation. Neither of you could manage without me.”
“Feeling unappreciated, Van?”
“Fuck you.”
Garrett chuckled. “I think Sam and I are both well aware of who’s the brain in this camp. It definitely ain’t me. So give me everything. Jesus, but I had no desire to go back to Mexico anytime soon.”
“Want me to go?” Donovan offered. “I’ve had time to rest up. You can stay here and watch over KGI while Sam makes goo-goo eyes at his new daughter.”
“Hell, no.”
Donovan raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Besides, how’s it going to look for the beach bum who saved her ass on Isle de Bijoux to show up in Mexico? There ain’t no amount of explaining that’ll make her believe in that big of a coincidence.”
“I’m going to have to lie.”
“Yeah, that’s going to go over real well.”
Donovan wasn’t telling Garrett anything he didn’t already know. He’d wrestled with his conscience ever since Sarah bolted. He knew he’d gained her trust, or at least some degree of it while they were on the island. He was going to have a damn good explanation for showing up again. One that didn’t get the door slammed in his face and didn’t have her bolting again at the first opportunity.
Garrett pushed out his breath in an angry huff. “I’m going to tell her Lattimer sent me. That he wanted me there all along. It’ll shock her enough that she’ll buy it because no one’s supposed to know. I was with her a lot on the island. I don’t think she’s in constant contact with Lattimer so I think it’ll buy me some time. And if she talks to Lattimer, and her asking about me draws him out, all the better.”
“It’s a good plan,” Donovan said. He stared thoughtfully at Garrett. “So why does it have you so pissed off?”
“Because I hate lying to her, goddamn it,” Garrett exploded. He dragged a hand over his head to the back of his neck and shook his head. “She’s already been fucked over once. I hate the idea of lying to her, of using her, even if the end justifies the means.”
Donovan nodded slowly. “Yeah, I get it, man. My offer still stands. I can go. She doesn’t know me. I can stash her someplace and we can lay a trap for Lattimer sans Resnick. You get the girl. Uncle Sam gets Lattimer. Everyone’s happy.”
“No. I go. You find me a place I can safely stash Sarah. I’d feel better if we pulled in a few team members and send them ahead to the safe house. I may have to lie to Sarah, but that doesn’t mean I won’t protect her with everything I have.”
“I’m going to say this and it’s probably going to piss you off, but I think you should stay the hell away from this one, Garrett. It’s personal with Lattimer and now it sounds personal with Sarah. I can do this with a clear head. You can’t.”
“You aren’t going near Sarah.”
Surprise flashed in Donovan’s eyes. Garrett cleared his throat in disgust and refused to say anything else on the matter. Donovan wasn’t stupid. He knew Garrett was ass-deep in some uncomfortable shit. But that didn’t mean his brother was going to get all chatty about it.
“It’ll take me an hour or so to make the arrangements and get the jet ready,” Donovan said.
“I never unpacked so I’m ready to hit the road as soon as you give me the green light. While you do all that, I’m going to run by the hospital to say good-bye to Sophie and see our niece. I’m also going to drop by Ethan and Rachel’s on my way back over so Rachel won’t worry.”
Donovan offered a snappy two-finger salute to which Garrett responded with his middle finger. He was almost to the door when Donovan’s voice stopped him.
“Be careful, Garrett. This obviously goes deeper than we know. Get down there and do whatever you have to do to get her to trust you. Then you need to grab her and get the hell out of there.”
Garrett turned, his hand gripping the doorframe. “Yeah, I hear you. And thanks, Van. I appreciate this.”
MARCUS Lattimer stared coldly at the man standing in front of him. Two of Marcus’s men flanked the dirty, bloodied traitor, their guns pointed at his sides. Marcus’s lip curled in distaste. He had no use for disloyalty. This man had infiltrated Marcus’s organization, gained his trust, and the entire time he’d been working for the CIA.