Mitch pivoted toward Kai. “What? How close? Why didn’t you tell us before?”
Before all his questions were out, Mitch was already calculating scenarios and travel times. If Abernathy had somehow gotten his leg wound patched up and driven all night . . . this was one relentless bastard.
“What do you mean you can feel him?” Halina asked Kai.
“I don’t know how to explain it other than a sixth sense,” Kai said. “Like when you hear something in your house at night that triggers an internal alarm. I feel that anxiety or dread or whatever you want to call it when someone is targeting our team.”
He turned to look at Mitch. “And I didn’t tell you because I’m just now picking it up loud and clear. You know I don’t know anything about—”
“Distances or time frames,” Mitch said, disgusted. In his arms, the warm bundle squirmed and squeaked unhappily. “All of you and your limitations.” He looked down at Brady, shook his head as he gently bounced the boy, which wasn’t working for the kid a second time around. “They’re killing me, Brady. Killing me.”
“You’re not going to be able to fix this problem, bro.” Alyssa came over and took Brady from Mitch. “He’s hungry.”
Mitch wasn’t ready to let Brady go and felt a little lost without his nephew in his arms. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched Alyssa cuddle beneath Teague’s arm on the sofa and toss a baby blanket over her shoulder to take the baby to her breast discreetly.
Teague murmured something in Alyssa’s ear and she glanced up, grinning with a ridiculous amount of love. A mix of joy for his sister and jealousy for the bond she and Teague shared twined in Mitch’s chest.
I want that.
The sentiment was more a feeling than a thought. One that echoed through him. And he found himself hoping Halina was pregnant even though he clearly saw the trouble that would cause down the road.
“Abernathy must have gotten discharged,” Keira said.
“Discharged from where?” Halina asked.
“I started calling the emergency rooms in the Olympia area, said the FBI was looking for a fugitive who’d come in with a gunshot wound to the leg. When nothing came up, I fanned out and finally found the jerk going by the name Steve Carpenter at the emergency room of a community hospital outside Portland.”
“Portland?” Halina said. “Are you sure it was him?”
“The slug he took out of the guy’s leg matched the caliber of Mitch’s gun. The patient matched Abernathy’s description. He had Abernathy’s tattoos.”
“Tattoos.” She turned to Mitch with an accusatory tone. “How did you know about his tattoos? You said you didn’t know who he was.”
Annoyance rippled across Mitch’s shoulders, but he smoothed it down. “Quaid knew about Abernathy’s tattoos—” A soft ding echoed through the house. Everyone’s attention shifted toward the foyer and the new voices coming from that direction—Jessica’s smooth and soft, Quaid’s much deeper.
“Speak of the dual devils,” Kai said, coming out from behind the counter and walking into the foyer.
Halina looked at Mitch again and a spark of panic burned in her eyes.
Kai returned through the hallway, followed by Jessica, her deep red hair up in a sleek ponytail. The new color in her face and life in her eyes reminded Mitch of the importance of this work. Of the significant changes their successes thus far had created in everyone’s life. That he wasn’t torturing Halina for the hell of it, but to set things right.
Kai, Jessica, and Quaid paused a few feet from Halina. She drew herself up and shot one angry look at Mitch before Jessica held out her hand in greeting. Mitch noticed the tension in Jessica’s face, the tightness of her shoulders, the rigid line of her arm extending the hand toward Halina. And the way she edged protectively in front of Quaid as if Halina would take him.
“I’m Jessica,” she said. “Quaid’s wife.”
Just as much tension radiated through Halina, only hers was defensive. She reluctantly shook their extended hands, Jessica’s first, then Quaid’s as they were introduced.
In that moment, when Quaid took Halina’s hand, the atmosphere in the room shifted. A sensation as intangible as mood, but far more serious. Quaid held on to Halina’s hand too long, his expression growing serious. Dark.
Halina’s jaw tightened, her eyes grew both scared and fierce, the combination oddly intimidating. With one small shift of her body, alarm kicked to life inside Mitch as visions of her striking out pushed him forward. He put a hand on Quaid’s arm and squeezed. “Ease up on that grip, man. You’re killing her blood supply.”
Halina shot Mitch an irritated, uneasy look as if she weren’t sure whether to plead for help or kick him in the balls. The room had gone quiet. Quaid’s gaze was deeply intent on Halina, who continued to look between Quaid and Mitch.
With the unspoken choreography of people who’d worked together in tenuous situations before, Mitch eased closer to Halina’s side while Jessica came in behind him, replacing Mitch’s hand on Quaid’s arm.
“Quaid,” Jessica murmured, looking up at her husband while sliding her hand down his arm. “I think Halina needs some space.”
Mitch slipped his arm around Halina’s waist and her unsure gaze flickered toward him for an instant. “You’re okay. He’s harmless.”
Her gaze returned to Quaid’s and locked. “Bullshit.”
Kai stepped up to them from the side, hands on hips, glaring at Quaid. “I thought Jessica had you house-trained.” He backhanded Quaid’s bicep. “Stop acting like a jackass and let go of her hand.”
“You said she was precognizant, but not . . . like this . . .” Quaid spoke to no one in particular, his gaze still on Halina. Then his head tilted as if he’d heard something in the distance. “Do you . . . travel?”
Halina’s muscles were so tense, she quivered against Mitch where he stood behind her.
“Let go”—she paused to take a breath—“of my hand.”
When Quaid still didn’t read the warning in Halina’s voice, Kai put both hands on Quaid’s and tried to pry it from Halina’s.
Quaid jerked his elbow and clipped Kai in the ribs.
Kai released Quaid’s hand and bent, holding his side, “You motherfucker—” He pointed a finger at Alyssa, “If you charge me, he’s paying for it. And if he’s paying for it, that’s two curses, mother and fucker.” He turned back to Quaid, straightening. “What the hell is wrong—?”
“What’s your power?” Quaid demanded of Halina, his focus so complete it was as if no one else existed. “What can you do with all this energy?”
“Mitch,” she rasped, pushing at him with her free hand, “get away from me. I can’t fight like this.”
“Quaid, honey, it’s Jessie,” Jessica continued to try and draw his attention. “Let go—”
“Do you move among time when you travel?” Quaid asked. “Can you materialize on alternate universes? How long does your power last before you have to recharge?”
“Stop!” Halina said through clenched teeth and set her feet in a scissor stance.
“You’re not going to fight him, Hali,” Mitch said.
“If he doesn’t let go of my hand,” Halina said, “I sure as hell am.”
“Jessica,” Luke called from where he was sitting at the dining room table, “call off your man.”
“Are you hard of hearing?” Jessica shot back. “He’s not exactly listening.”
“Hey, Quaid,” Luke called, “does Keira have to threaten to shoot your ear off again?”
Mitch glanced over his shoulder and found Cash leaning back in his own chair, squinting as he watched the situation escalate. “Hey, asshole.”