Behind the Lies (A Montgomery Justice Novel) (17 page)

Her son’s brow furrowed, but Zach smiled and handed him the mitt.

“I can still have it?” Sam’s eyes widened with surprise and joy.

“Every kid needs a baseball glove.”

“Did you have one?”

Jenna studied the change on Zach’s face, the flash of pain he couldn’t hide. He sighed. “I wasn’t the baseball type.”

“’Cause of your daddy being gone?” Sam asked.

Zach stared at the boy, stunned. “What do you mean?”

“The Dark Avenger didn’t have anyone to teach him to play baseball. Not a daddy anyway.”

“Right.” Zach cleared his throat. “Something like that.”

Muscles throbbed in Zach’s jaw. Jenna distracted Sam with his mitt, but kept her gaze on Zach. For only the second time, she saw him lose that glint in his eyes. Whatever his relationship with his father, Zach hurt, and missed him.

Once they were in the checkout line, though, he acted as if nothing had happened. He teased Sam and winked at her when he threw her unmentionables on the conveyer belt. Finally, the last item crossed the scanner. Zach pulled out a wad of cash.

Jenna grabbed the receipt from him and stared at the number. “Oh my goodness.” She stared up at him. “I don’t know when I can pay you back.”

“Do I look worried?”

She stuffed the receipt in her pocket. “Well, I am,” she said as they left the store.

Jenna walked beside him. He pushed the overflowing cart toward the Range Rover. Sam skipped behind them.

A fast clicking noise sounded off to the side. “Hey, Zach. Why are you hiding out in the middle of nowhere? Is that your kid?”

T
HE PARKING LOT
was an obstacle course of cars, shoppers, and carts. A paparazzo moved in closer. The clicking spree started again. Zach rounded on the photographer. With a surprisingly quick sidestep, the guy weaved between a plethora of parked cars toward Sam, camera pointed at the boy’s face.

The guy cleared the hurdles between him and Jenna’s son. He had a clear shot. Zach lunged toward Sam just as the little guy darted his way. Zach couldn’t stop fast enough. He ran over his Junior Avenger and knocked him into the pavement.

The kid held his hand against the back of his head, tears stinging his eyes, shock on his face. One more way Zach had hurt the boy.

The photographer dove behind a vehicle, snapping pictures as if he’d won the lottery.

“Get your son in the car,” Zach growled, careful not to use their names in front of the paparazzo. He shoved Sam into Jenna’s arms, forcing himself not to think about the boy’s tearstained face.

The clicking rolled on like a machine gun.

Jenna snagged her son, flung open the car’s door, and pushed him inside. Zach could hardly stand the fearful expression on the boy’s face.

Zach pivoted toward the man now hiding behind a Jeep, snapping pictures of all of them. With one smooth move, he slid across the trunk and swiped his leg along the photographer’s lower body. The man hurled into the hot asphalt. His camera skidded out of his hands. Zach scooped up the equipment and popped the SD card from its slot.

“You can’t do that!” the paparazzo screamed.

“I just did,” Zach said. “Now get out of here before I knock you out for invading my privacy.”

“You’re public property. Don’t complain about getting what you wanted.”

Jenna and Sam hadn’t signed up to be on display, though.

“I object now.” Zach tossed the camera across the parking lot, and it shattered into pieces. He let some bills fly at the man. “Clear out of here before I really get pissed.”

The man ran to his broken equipment. “You’ll pay for this,” he shouted.

“Not if you don’t find me.” Zach glanced past Jenna into the Range Rover. Sam’s eyes remained wide and terrified. Zach let out a slow rush of air. “Is he all right?”

Jenna flung open the door and Sam threw himself at his mother. She hugged him close. He whimpered when she explored the back of his head. “A bump,” Jenna said, her voice soothing, “but you’re tough, aren’t you, baby.”

Sam nodded and gave her a tremulous smile. She kissed his cheek, then turned.

Zach winced at the accusation in her eyes.

She closed the door on her son. “I promised him a movie while we pack. He’s a little freaked out. So am I. That guy took our picture. What if Brad—”

Zach raised the SD card. “I got the pictures.”

She kneaded the muscles at the base of her neck and met his gaze. “We can’t stay here, Zach. Not with you.”

The words were too true, and stung more than they should have. Zach rubbed his chest to alleviate the invisible pain. “I know.” If he’d imagined that Jenna and Sam wouldn’t have to leave today, the unrealistic hope had vanished in one click of the camera.

Zach scanned the parking lot. For such a small town, too many shoppers stood gaping. “We’re attracting attention,” he said, and pushed their cart toward the back of the vehicle. “Show’s over, folks,” he shouted.

At his confrontation, the looky-loos stared anywhere but at them and quickly packed up their groceries or disappeared into the store.

Zach thrust the first bag into the back of the Range Rover, taking his frustration out on the sacks of clothes and supplies Jenna would use when she left him for good.

Jenna passed him a sack from the cart. “How did the photographer find us?”

Zach took the merchandise and stowed it. “There was a couple in the clinic who recognized me. I’d bet on them.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Let’s get out of here. This paparazzo, singular, may just be the first wave of paparazzi, plural.”

Zach stuffed the last of the supplies into his car, the cold fury at being caught reverberating through him when he slammed the tailgate. He paused; his neck tensed, the hairs standing at attention. He perused the surroundings. Suddenly, the parking lot was empty of people.

“What’s wrong?” Jenna asked, her voice low and tense.

“Maybe nothing. Keep an eye out. I want to check something.” He knelt next to the truck.

“Should I get Sam out?”

“Not yet, but be ready.”

The instincts that had saved Zach’s life more than he cared to admit sounded in his head. He scooted under the vehicle and plucked a small but powerful flashlight from his pocket. After a visual search, he ran his fingers along the rear axle feeling for tracking devices or worse. He let out a quick exhale. Nothing. He slid out and checked under the hood for the same.

“Let’s go,” he said quietly. “I want you away from here.”

Zach tossed the new prepaid cell phone into the front seat and opened the door for Jenna. She grabbed the handle to heave herself into the tall vehicle when two men came out of nowhere. Before Zach could react, the leader grabbed her, pulling her close.

“You weren’t hard to find, Zach,” the man said. “You don’t seem to truly understand what lying low means.”

Zach froze. The same words he’d said to Theresa. His calls
were
being monitored.

“Come with us.” The man opened his jacket and revealed an Uzi under his coat.

“Did you just walk off my movie set, Brutus?” Zach said with a smile, sticking his unknown adversary with a traitor’s name.

“Nice try, Montgomery, but you won’t learn my identity so easily. I thought you were supposed to be one of the best at the game.”

Zach shifted his body, searching for a good angle. “Jenna, get in the car.”

She tugged her arm.

“Don’t try anything, lady, or you and your kid won’t leave this parking lot alive.”

Zach’s body tensed, struggling not to react to the deadly weapon just inches from her. “Jenna, get inside and lock the doors,” Zach ordered, raising his hands. “I’m giving her the keys. She has nothing to do with our…supervisors’
request
for my presence.”

Brutus loosened his grip a bit.

Jenna’s hand folded just like he’d taught her.

She wouldn’t dare.

Zach stepped forward.

She pivoted on one foot and shoved her knuckles into the guy’s throat.

She didn’t follow through.
Shit.
Brutus growled and shoved her face to the pavement. He whipped out his Uzi, pointing the barrel at a terrified Sam. “This is on your head, Montgomery,” he yelled.

“Duck, kid!” Zach yelled. Sam’s head went down. Zach spun around and shoved his foot into Brutus’s neck, shattering his larynx. He crumpled to the ground trying to no avail to suck in air. The gun clattered to the ground.

Brutus was dead.

Too late to save his comrade, the other man jumped into the fray.

His mistake was ignoring a still-downed Jenna. She cocked her leg as he stepped past her. She shoved her heel into the guy’s groin. He doubled over with a grunt.

“Like I said, a natural.” Zach pounced onto the moaning man, holding his 1911 against the man’s temple. “Who sent you?”

The operative’s red face twisted in pain, but he pursed his lips. Zach bent closer. “Listen to me, buddy. I could end you right now. You know it. So do I.”

“You do, and you’re rogue,” the man said. “The Company wants to talk to you.”

“Two of our pilots tried to kill me,” Zach said, his voice flat. “Your friend here threatened to take out a five-year-old child. I’m not coming in until I know who ordered the hit. You tell our
supervisors
that.”

The man’s eyes widened.

“So, they didn’t give you that little piece of information.” Zach rose but didn’t let the sight of his 1911 waver from the guy’s temple. “Clean up this mess and don’t bother coming back to Hidden Springs. I won’t be here. Which ticks me off by the way, ’cause I really like this town.”

“What am I supposed to tell them?”

“That they trained me well. I won’t die easy.”

The man lugged Brutus’s body over his shoulder and stalked off while Zach covered him. He committed the license plate to memory as the guy drove off. It wouldn’t matter. The plate would be untraceable.

Zach held out his hand to Jenna. “You lost your follow-through with Brutus, but the other guy, you nailed him. Good job.”

Her hand shook as he lifted her to her feet. “Who are you really?” she whispered. “Because I know you didn’t learn that on a movie set.”

“I could have.”

“You killed him,” she whispered.

“It was him or Sam,” Zach said.

“I’m a basket case; you didn’t flinch.” Jenna tugged her hand from his and stepped away. “Please. Who are you?”

He hated the fear on her face, but perhaps it was for the best. “Do you want me to lie?”

She shook her head.

“Then don’t ask me again.”

He clasped her arm and opened the car door so she could slide in. “Everyone buckle up. I’m taking you to the cabin and getting you and Sam on the road as fast as I can. It’s no longer safe here.”

“Are…are you coming with us?” Sam asked, his voice small. “Please come with us, Dark Avenger. I’ll be good. I promise.”

Zach looked at his Junior Avenger, so vulnerable in the backseat.

The boy’s entire body shook. “We need you.”

He was a good kid. With a touch of innocence that would be lost before too long.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Sam flinched, avoided Zach’s gaze, and scooted as far away from the driver’s seat as possible.

With a sigh, Zach closed the car door, rounded the Range Rover, and slid in. Jenna’s hands trembled each time she tried to pull the seat belt across her body to buckle it. Delayed reaction, most likely. She’d tried to kill a man, then she’d watched him die. Zach didn’t know which sent the adrenaline pumping through her. It didn’t really matter.

Gently, he moved her hands aside and snapped the belt closed. He leaned close to her ear. “You’re going to be fine.”

“I’m sorry, I—” She held out her fingers in front of her. “I can’t seem to stop shaking. I thought I could do this. I thought I could protect Sam,” she hissed under her breath.

“You did,” Zach said.

“Brutus…he could have killed Sam. I screwed up,” she whispered. “How do you live like this all the time?”

“You learn,” Zach said, his hand gripping hers until the trembling eased. “You made a mistake. If you’d followed through, he would have gone down, Jenna. You had him right at the Adam’s apple. You’ll do it next time.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

Zach tugged at a small curl of hair that had escaped from behind her ear. “You will when you have to. You’ve got the guts to protect
both
of you.” He tucked the strand away. “If things were different—”

She pulled away from him. “Like you said, it’s for the best.”

He shifted into gear and headed toward his mountain.

“You’ll be fine, Jenna,” he said with a sidelong glance.

She didn’t respond, but looked out the window, creating a disconnect between them. The separation scraped at something deep within Zach. A little piece of his heart flaked away as he stared at the distance growing larger and wider between them.

For the first time in a very long time, his heart and head were at war.

She was right. Separating was for the best.

He had to believe Jenna and Sam were better off without him.

Jenna’s heart stuttered when the crumpled guardrail came into view. She clutched the armrests, digging her fingers into the expensive leather in the Range Rover. She wouldn’t miss these hairpin curves.