Chills & Thrills: Three Novel Box Set (6 page)

It wasn’t much of an idea, but it would do.

We were waiting at the base of a winding road that led up to the safe house. I’d been to the safe house before. Hell, I had to use the safe house before. In less dangerous times, it had once been used for weddings, with its lush gardens and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Now those lush gardens were routinely patrolled by agents with guns, and the only ones who enjoyed the views were those in hiding or on the run. Or both.

We were waiting in some shrubs. Just an abandoned beater vehicle not hurting anyone.

Of course, even an abandoned vehicle near the PSI safe house might cause some concern, and so we had backed deep into the scrub brush, crushing a handful of pathetic saplings in the process. We had a good shot of the road ahead. So far, no action.

“Kind of cozy,” said Ayden.

Admittedly, it was kind of cozy, except Ayden didn’t need to know that. Sure, my heart might be all over the place, but I certainly didn’t give anything away, if ever. If a guy was interested in me, he damned well better earn it, or hit the bricks.

“Just keep your eyes peeled—and if you make a reference to peeling off my clothes, I’m going to pop you in the nose.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Ky. We’re here on official business.”

“
Un
official,” I corrected. “Here he comes.”

“How do you know it’s him?”

“Trust me. The man never, ever misses his date with Scotch.”

“You know him well,” he said.

“As well as you could know a seasoned spy. I know some of his habits, yes.”

“He raised you, though. He is more than just a father figure. In a way, he was your father.”

I didn’t respond to that. I kept my eyes on the headlights winding down from the hillside estate that was mostly hidden from view from our vantage point. An ideal safe house, to be sure. Simms had always been there for me, yes, but I never thought of him as my father. Who could replace my father, a man who had loved me with all his heart, even if he thought it was okay to train his daughter for a life as a spy at a young age. My father’s love was real. Simms? Simms was a field tested, battle hardened agent who had seen too much and done too much and who, I suspected, had acted out of loyalty to my father and the agency. That Simms cared for me, I had no doubt. That Simms might mislead me, or not be forthcoming...

Well, I had no doubt about that, either.

The headlights briefly flashed in our direction. Ayden and I both instinctively ducked, although we were fairly certain we were well hidden. As Simms’ town car made its way toward us, driven, I saw, by his guardian’s usual bodyguard and driver, Hayes, I held my breath as it eased past us. I was about to let it out when the vehicle slowed, then came to a stop.

“Oh, shit,” said Ayden, reaching instinctively for his piece inside his jacket.

I shot my hand out and stopped him. “Are you crazy?”

Ayden realized what he was doing and paused. “Jesus, you’re right.”

Now the Town Car reversed and stopped in front of us. The dark passenger window rolled down, revealing Simms’ stoic face. “When you two are done playing games,” he said, his gravelly voice easily reaching us in the quiet night. “Stephanie is waiting for you.”

He might have grinned as the window rolled back up. The Town Car moved forward again, and slipped away into the night.

Chapter Ten

“Oh, holy hell,” I said watching the backlights of the Town Car.

“No shit. We could’ve just pulled into the drive apparently—and in your Audi, no less. Not the uh...”

“Bessie.”

“Right. Not the Bessie.”

“Come on,” I said and started the hike up the drive. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“I got an idea. First, he’s got the place bugged because he had a feeling you’d be calling. Looks like he knows you a little better than you know him, sweetheart.”

“Screw you and yeah, it’ll be bugged. I’d say let’s get her outside, but she’s likely wired, too. Simms is hiding something from us, Ayden. He’s probably schooled this lady on exactly what to say to us, so...”

“Ah, hold it, hold your horses! Now I know why you needed me to come with you.”

“Whoa, wait a minute. I didn’t invite you to my place, the wine, and all that.
You
showed up.”

“You invited me, Cain. I
read
it.”

“Wishful thinking.”

“Nah uh, you little audial, you. Dost thou forget my specialty? No, I am sure you do not. I read the here and now, sister, and you requested my presence, which I mistook as an invite to play house for the night with you. In reality, you needed me just in case the very thing that just happened, happened, or even if it didn’t. You need me to read the mom psychically and in the present, noting whatever flashes through her mind, which could be past—not my specialty though. That would be Noah’s, as you know, and I do find it interesting that you would not ask Prince Charming along for this ride.”

I punched his shoulder and, yes, I punched it hard. “Okay smarty mcfarty, what’s the plan, if I’m so easy to read?”

“As I said. Read the mom. But, uh, don’t you think Simms has some kind of shield up regarding me, too? He knew that the two of us were out here.”

“Yeah, but the difference between us is the connection. He’s dialed into me because of our outside relationship. I don’t doubt he’s put something in place to keep you walled out, but I have faith that you will back door your way in.”

“Keep trying with you.”

“Connors.”

“Sorry. I’ll be good.”

We passed by security with our badges, plus it was more than obvious that Simms had told them we would be coming by.

We were greeted by Larry Hammonds. Larry was a big guy, bald, with dark eyes that made me think of a falcon for some reason. I didn’t like him. After meeting him in our offices five years ago, I’d
heard
a conversation between him and his wife, and the guy was verbally abusive to the point where I’d really love to kick his ass, but I couldn’t use my gift to invade the personal lives of my colleagues. Since then I’d worked hard to shield myself against hearing outside conversations between employees and their loved ones. Not that I hadn’t wanted to listen to Noah and his wife Jacqueline before, because I had my doubts that everything was as lovey dovey as Noah’s pretty wife made it seem, but ethically I couldn’t go there.

Larry escorted us into the family room with bay windows overlooking the Pacific below, but all one could see was immense darkness at that moment. Hope’s mother Stephanie was seated on the cream colored leather sofa. She turned to face us. A petite woman who looked drawn and scared. Her blue eyes wide and red rimmed from the tears I knew she had been crying. I sat down next to her. “Stephanie, hi, I’m Agent Kylie Cain and this is Agent Ayden Connors. We are here to get your daughter back.”

She nodded. “Yes. Agent Simms said that you would be by tonight.”

“Right.” I glanced at Ayden. He reached out and shook Stephanie’s hand, then sat down in one of the chairs that was opposite the sofa. A large glass coffee table separated the furniture. I wanted badly to hug this woman because the look in her eyes reminded me so much of the look my mother had when I was returned to her almost two decades ago. She had been without me for six months and in the end, we lost my dad. I was not going to allow six months to pass before I brought Stephanie’s little girl home. No way. I did wonder in that moment as well, where Hope’s father was. We would need to get to that.

“Can you tell us about Hope’s disappearance?”

“It’s all in the file. I’ve gone over this with Agent Simms, and also the other agent. Um...Kensington.”

“What?” I asked. “Noah Kensington?”

“Yes. I have. He’s um, he’s...”

“I’m right here.”

Ayden and I turned our heads to see Noah walking into the room. I heard myself mutter, “Holy hell.”

Noah smiled his charming and somewhat oh-so-devilish grin.

“Noah,” Ayden said. “Surprise, surprise.” He smiled.

“Goes both ways, I guess. You came to speak with Stephanie. Simms and I actually just finished going over her statement again with her. I think she’s probably pretty tired at this point and maybe a little hungry. I had Jaqueline fix you some dinner. It’s in the kitchen if you’d like.”

Stephanie stood and nodded. She mustered a weak smile toward me. “I’m sorry. I am very tired and as Agent Kensington said, I’ve gone over everything again. I believe there are more notes.”

“There are,” Noah replied. “And, I will be going over them with the two of you momentarily. I just want to get Stephanie settled in the kitchen.”

“Right. Good night. We will find her. I promise you. We will find your little girl.”

“Thank you.”

Noah led Stephanie from the room. When they were gone, Ayden looked at me looking as shocked as I felt. “Don’t know how I missed that.”

“Yeah. There’s the shield. Noah. I’m not sure if he knows it, or not, but he is Simms’ shield.”

“Yeah, well, he isn’t fool proof,” Ayden replied, lowering his voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I got something from the mom,” he whispered. “She’s scared shitless of Simms and doesn’t trust him.”

“Okay.”

“I got something else, too, Ky, but we can’t go over it here. I’m not sure what to make of it, but I have a strong sense it is the key to what this little girl is all about.”

Chapter Eleven

I chewed my lower lip.

Ayden and I were on the balcony, waiting for Noah to return, both of us sipping something strong. I considered pressing Ayden on what he’d picked up, but decided against it. I would know soon enough.

The thing was, I didn’t need to be psychic to piece some of this together. That Ayden had gotten the kind of hit that clearly rattled, should be clue enough that something was amiss.

And if not amiss, then being kept from me.

I hate being in the dark...and keeping two psychics like me and Ayden in the dark would have taken some forethought. Only Simms could manipulate us like that...and he would have needed help.

That help, I suspected, came in the form of the man who was even now approaching us on the balcony.

It was a cool night in Malibu. Below, the distant lights of Santa Monica twinkled. Noah’s amber drink caught some of the ambient light as he joined us near the stone railing.

“You’re mad,” he said, noticeably keeping his distance. He crossed his arms and sipped his drink.

“Wouldn’t you be?” I asked. I turned away from the spectacular view, my drink forgotten on the railing. “You’re keeping something from me—from us, and I don’t like it.”

Noah, who had ranking seniority over me, said, “I love you, kiddo, but the PSI doesn’t give a damn what you do or don’t like. You have a job to do. We all do.”

I opened my mouth to speak, stunned by Noah’s scathing tone. I was about to let him know just what I thought of his tone, when Ayden elbowed me. He shook his head once and I got it.

Lord, such a dolt sometimes. Noah was putting on a show for whoever was listening. Noah, after all, was ambitious. I knew this. Or, I suspected, his wife was ambitious and put pressure on Noah to move up in the agency. To be all he could be. More power, more money.

I always suspected this went against my friend’s rebel nature. He was a helluva agent, but he tended to do things his own way, which often rubbed the upper brass the wrong way—and infuriated Simms to no end.

Anyway, that Noah was making a show of cooperating and, hell, reprimanding me, should have been an indicator that not all was as it seemed.

Still, the bastard had some serious explaining to do.

“Hey, where are you going?” said Noah, confusing the crap out of me until I realized the show was still on. He winked at me and motioned his head for me to follow him. “Come back here, Ky,” he said loudly. “Don’t be like that.”

I shook my head and Ayden rolled his eyes as we followed Noah to the far corner of the wide, wrap around balcony. Here the wind thundered up from the canyon below, blasting the west side of the home, effectively drowning out our voices from any listening devices.

“Sorry, Ky. Had to lay it on back there.”

“Figured as much,” I said. Ayden cleared his throat. Okay, fine. I hadn’t figured as much. I had been too busy being pissed to know that Noah had been putting on an act for Simms and company. I said, “Fine. So what the hell’s going on?”

“This isn’t the first time this kid has been kidnapped,” Noah said.

“What?” I blurted, a little too loudly.

I could see in the dim light casting down from the moonlight, Ayden closing his eyes tightly. He nodded, getting it. “Ah. It’s why her mother is so afraid of Simms. In fact, Stephanie isn’t really Hope’s mother.”