So much for a clean getaway.
He jammed the key into the ignition, bracing himself for gunshots that didnt come. Leaving the gas station in a hurry, he turned in front of an oncoming car, barely escaping a collision in a flurry of squealing brakes and a few choice gestures from the other driver.
In the rearview mirror, he spotted the truck fifty yards back, barreling toward them. He slammed the accelerator to the floor.
Are they behind us? Evie turned in the passenger seat, squinting.
No way can that truck catch us. The extra weight of the truck would give Jesse the advantage, but if he didnt keep other vehicles between him and the truck, a high-powered rifle could quickly even the playing field.
He also had the advantage of knowing the back roads of Chickasaw County better than their pursuers, whipping the Ford Taurus down a pothole-pocked blacktop road. The road cut past Mill Pond, where hed caught one of the biggest bluegills hed ever seen, and twisted up the southern face of Gossamer Mountain. Over the hill lay Gossamer Lake and home.
He checked the rearview mirror frequently. No sign of the truck.
Do you have any water? Evie tried to stifle a cough.
Jesse reached into the backseat to retrieve the bag of supplies hed packed for his stakeout. He handed Evie a bottle of water from the bag, and she flushed her face and eyes. Someone grabbed me at the church. Sprayed me right in the face with pepper spray. I couldnt even catch my breath long enough to yell for help.
How about now? You breathing okay?
Mostly. She coughed again. Im better.
He pulled out his phone and dialed his brother Ricks cell number.
Rick answered on the first ring. Where are you?
Jesse caught his brother up on what had happened. Ive got Evie, but Im not sure I should take her back to the church. Can you call Evies cell number? Someone will answer and you can tell them Evies safe.
Im not ruining Ritas wedding! Evie protested.
Jesse slanted a quick look at her. That cant be a consideration, Evie. You know that.
Am I your prisoner? she shot back, her glare lethal even through swollen eyelids.
You think putting yourself and the rest of your family at greater risk is going to make her happier? Jesse argued.
Take me back to the church, Jesse.
Take her to the church, Rick said. Well meet you there.
Jesse pressed his lips into a thin line, every instinct telling him to stash Evie in the nearest safe house. But was he letting his affection for Ritas kid sister get in the way of his good sense? He needed Baxter Marshs cooperation now more than ever. Spiriting his daughter away without even consulting him was hardly going to win him over.
Okay, he said aloud, ignoring the twisting sensation in his gut. Well go back to the church.
* * *
Y OU CAN T POSTPONE the wedding. Evie looked at her sister in dismay. All that money going to waste? Its ridiculous.
Ritas lips curved in a faint smile. Trust you to look at it from an accounting perspective.
Rita, please. If you postpone it now, we let those creeps win.
You cant walk down the aisle when you can barely see, Evie. Rita winced as she looked at Evies face. And I know you were looking forward to being my maid of honor.
I was looking forward to your getting married to a man who makes you happy, Evie answered, even though her sister was right. She had been looking forward to being her sisters maid of honor.
Their relationship over the years hadnt always been close, especially during the teenage years when Rita had resented her younger sisters constant tagging along, and Evie had been jealous of Ritas being first to do everything. But theyd forged a strong bond over the past few years, and being her sisters chosen attendant had been a big deal to Evie.
Oh, Evie, Rita murmured, her eyes filling with tears.
I want you to marry Andrew and be disgustingly happy for the rest of your life. Thats all that matters.
Ritas gaze slanted to her left, where Jesse Cooper stood near the wall of the brides room, a silent sentinel. Evie wondered what her sister was thinking about her exs presence. She had tried to warn Jesse that coming into the brides room with her might not be the best idea, but hed refused to let her out of his sight. Apparently hed assigned himself to be her personal bodyguard, and he took the job very seriously.
I should thank him, Rita said, reluctance thick in her voice.
Its not necessary. He lives for this kind of thing.
Ritas lips curled upward again. I know.
Evie supposed she did. Jesse Cooper hadnt changed much in the past ten years, despite his change of careers. The same strong sense of honor, duty and ethics hed learned in the Marine Corps had traveled with him to his new job as head of Cooper Security.
Im glad he came. Rita kept her voice low so that it wouldnt carry to where Jesse stood watch. Evie suspected it was a futile effort; knowing Jesse, he could probably read lips.
Whys that? she asked Rita.
Because it helped me be absolutely sure Im over him.
You didnt know that before you said yes to Andrew? Evie tried to arch an eyebrow, but the stinging pain of her swollen eyes wouldnt allow it.
I thought I knew. I was pretty sure I knew. Rita smiled. But now I know for certain.
Evie darted a quick look at Jesse, wondering if he was over Rita, as well. Their courtship had been intense and passionate, their breakup equally explosive. Even now, Jesse couldnt hide his reaction whenever Ritas name came up in conversation.
Are you sure, Evie? About our going ahead with the wedding?
Positive, she answered. And who knows? I have an hour to recover. If Im feeling better, I can put a little extra makeup on to cover the redness and swelling. Besides, everyone will be looking at you anyway.
Rita took a deep breath before she spoke. Okay, then. Well go ahead with the wedding. Try putting cold compresses on your eyes. I want you up there with me. She gave Evie a quick, fierce hug.
As Rita followed their mother back to the private chamber to finish her preparations for the wedding, Evie dropped wearily on the nearby bench, pressing her hands to her throbbing forehead. The stinging burn of the pepper spray had mostly subsided, and her vision had cleared up considerably, but those irritations had been replaced by the beginning of a brain-pounding headache. She hoped it would ease off soon because she was going to do everything she could to stand at the altar as her sisters maid of honor, headache or not.
You okay?
She looked up at Jesses gravel-voiced query. Yeah. Just working on a headache. All the stress, I guess.
Evies father crossed to her side, subtly positioning himself between her and Jesse. Do you need ibuprofen?
That would be great.
Her father pulled a small pillbox from his pocket and fished out a couple of pain relievers. He slanted a pointed look at Jesse. Theres a water fountain in the hall with a paper-cup dispenser.
Jesse frowned, clearly not happy about leaving Evie alone, even with her father, but hed been a Marine long enough to balk at disobeying an order from a general. He disappeared through the door.
Jesse frowned, clearly not happy about leaving Evie alone, even with her father, but hed been a Marine long enough to balk at disobeying an order from a general. He disappeared through the door.
We need to call the police, her father said. They should be looking for the truck.
Jesse thinks the local police arent equipped to handle the men who kidnapped me.
Jesse thinks. Her father grimaced. Jesse thinks a lot of things.
Hes right about this. You know he is.
He thinks the men who took you were SSU agents. There was little skepticism in her fathers voice, despite his obvious dislike for Jesse. He knew as well as anyone just how ruthless the mercenaries whod once worked for MacLear Security could be. One of his most trusted colleagues had already died at their hands, and another had spent nearly a month as a captive of the deadly soldiers of fortune, along with his wife and daughter.
Im pretty sure Jesses right about that, too.
Her father touched her face, his fingers gentle. Youre not keeping anything from me, are you? They didnt hurt you more than youve said
No, they didnt. But given time, they would have.
Her father met her gaze for a long, electric moment, then looked away.
You need to talk to Jesse about General Rosss journal.
Her fathers mouth tightened but he didnt answer.
Evie gave a little growl of frustration. I dont know why youre being so stubborn about this, Dad. Look what happened todayyou think they wont go after us again? Maybe Rita this time, or Mom. And Jesse Cooper wont be there to save them.
His gaze snapped up to meet hers, pain vibrating in his blue eyes. Im doing what I can to protect us all.
By staying silent? Thats not enough for these people. You have to know its not. I dont understand why you dont just tell people what you do know, even if you dont have proof.
Ill increase our security team, her father said, ignoring her last comment.
Are you going to make them aware of the level of the threat against us? She shook her head. If you put the average security guard up against the SSU, hell lose every time.
She knew her father couldnt argue. Hed been around for the downfall of MacLear Security, a once well-respected private security firm that had done business with the Pentagon for years. MacLear Securitys training corps had been made up of top-notch former military and law-enforcement personnel. Even the companys legitimate agents had possessed the knowledge and skills of elite soldiers. And the Special Services Unit, MacLears secret unit of guns for hire, had layered those skills in with an utter lack of a moral compass.
Ruthless and violent, the SSU had been a wickedly efficient private army for a corrupt State Department official named Barton Reid. Their work for Reid had eventually led to the companys downfall, thanks to Jesses cousins, whod thwarted the secret soldiers plans to abduct a child as leverage. The Coopers had exposed MacLears seamy underbelly and brought the company down, but not before several of the SSU operatives had made their escape and formed a new alliance.
Funded by a mysterious company called AfterAssets, LLC, the dirty operatives had recently been involved in at least one assassination and another assassination attempt. Theyd kidnapped an Air Force general and his family and now had tried to kidnap Evie, as well.
They want General Rosss journal, she said.
Do you know where it is? her father asked.
She shook her head. But they think you do.
I dont know where it went after Cooper took it from Lydia Ross, the general murmured, glancing toward the door. I bet he knows.
Probably so. But its important nobody else knows where it is, because you seem determined not to tell us what you know.
He bent toward her, as if he was going to tell her something, but a soft knock on the door interrupted. Evie crossed to the door. Yes?
Its me, Jesse said from the other side of the door.
She let him in. He slipped inside, handing her a cup of water.
Thanks. She downed the two ibuprofen tablets her father had given her. That took longer than I thoughtdid you get a call? Any news?
He glanced at her father briefly, then looked back at her. Rick and Megan found the truck abandoned on the side of the road two miles up from the gas station where I found you. Were processing it for prints, but its not likely well find anything.
You should bring the real police into this, Evies father said with a grimace. Youre screwing up any chance of a court case against these guys.
A court isnt going to stop these guys. Half of them were already indicted along with Barton Reid, and you see how well that stopped them, Evie told her father. The bigger picture is what matters. We need to stop whoevers funneling money to them to pull these jobs.
I know you think the Espera Group may have something to do with it. Jesse looked at her father. I know you want to expose their real agenda. But to do that, you have to let me help you.
Evie winced as her fathers expression grew stony. I dont have to do anything, he snapped. Except make sure my daughter gets married today to a fine man who treats her like a queen.
Jesse didnt flinch outwardly, but Evie didnt miss the slight flicker of anger that darkened his eyes. Very well. He turned to Evie. Ill wait outside until youre dressed, then Ill escort you to the chapel.
That wont be necessary, her father said. Ive already assigned one of my security guards to stick with Evie wherever she goes today.
Jesses eyes narrowed. Because they did such a good job before?
Evie put her hand on her fathers arm. His muscles were hard with tension, but he remained silent as she looked at Jesse.
Ill be okay, she said, although she wasnt sure she was right. But having Jesse around today of all days was too stressful for everyone. Despite her earlier reassurances, Rita couldnt be happy about Jesse crashing her wedding, however good his reasons.
Ill just go back to what I was doing earlier today, then, he said.
She hid a smile. Back to the convenience-store parking lot, then. Watching over the wedding from afar.
A part of her wished she could believe his concern was specifically for her and not her family in general. Like Rita, shed never been immune to Jesse Coopers sexy strength and leatherneck sense of honor. But unlike Rita, Evie didnt find his hard-driving, adrenaline-soaked lifestyle a deal breaker. In fact, she craved the sort of meaning and purpose he seemed to find in risking his neck to help people. It was one reason why shed taken him up on the offer of a job at Cooper Security.
But not the only reason.
Unfortunately, Jesse clearly saw her as Ritas little sister and nothing more. So that was that. Time to get over her schoolgirl crush on Jesse and move on.
Still, her gaze remained on the brides room door long after hed closed it behind him.
Chapter Three
The bride and groom emerged from the back of the church to a cheering crowd of well-wishers tossing birdseed. Jesse couldnt resist the urge to raise his binoculars for a closer look, focusing on the pink cheeks and bright eyes of the bride.