Cold Shot (24 page)

He stretched, his movements stiff and punctuated. “How long have I been out?”

“Just overnight.”

“Overnight?” He lurched forward, and she braced a restraining hand on his shoulder.

“Whoa there.”

“What happened with the man? What have I missed?”

Finley filled him in.

“Tanner Shaw?” Griffin released her and took a step back. “We were led to believe you were dead.”

She straightened the light blue scrubs she’d most likely pilfered. “That’s good. Hopefully the men hunting me believe that too.”

“Perera’s men?”

Relief eased the muscles pinched in her face. “So you know?”

“I have a feeling we only know the tip of the iceberg.”

“You’re working Marley’s case?”

“Yes.” He explained the circumstances.

“Then we need to talk.” She rubbed her arms, the long-sleeve white cotton shirt layered beneath her scrubs sliding up and down with the movement. “But not here.”

Finley sighed with relief when Griffin’s text finally came through. “Said he’s fine. Talking with the woman now. Be up soon.”

“Great.” Declan stretched out farther this time, his movements easing, the color returning to his face. “Sounds like we’ve got a bit of time. You’ve done a great job updating me on the case—now, tell me what else is going on?”

“Like what?”

“Something is bothering you outside of the case. I can read it on your face.”

She touched her cheek. Was she that obvious? Or was he simply that good?

He patted the bed and she sat down beside him. “I’m worried about Parker and Griffin.”

Declan exhaled. “I worry about them too, but they’ve been making some big strides lately.”

She bit the inside of her cheek. “I fear I may have undone all that and made it far worse.”

Declan frowned. “What happened?”

“They had a blowout about Jenna.”

“They actually
talked
about Jenna with each other?”

“Talk is probably not the most apt description.”

Declan pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. I’m sure it’s not. When it comes to Jenna, tensions run high.”

“That’s an understatement.” She stood up. “I realize Griffin’s devastated by the death of his sister, and if she hadn’t left her house that night, maybe it never would have happened, but what’s to say the killer wouldn’t have waited and grabbed her another time?”

“We’ll never know. Her murderer was never caught.”

Her lips gaped open. “What?”

“Jenna’s body was found washed up on shore at the edge of town a week after she disappeared. He’d done horrible things to her.”

Finley squeezed her eyes shut.

“But they never caught the guy?”

No wonder they all hated the term
cold case
.

“Parker wasn’t trying to harm Jenna. He clearly loved her,” Finley said a moment later. It was painfully apparent in the crushing sorrow etched across his face at the mention of her name. “Surely Griffin sees that?”

“They way it was handled didn’t help.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was a secret.”

“Parker and Jenna?”

“They’d been seeing each other for months and managed to keep it from Griffin—who was Parker’s best friend.”

“Griffin and Parker were best friends?”

“Yeah. We all four hung out and were close, but Parker and Griffin were tight.”

“Why didn’t Parker tell him?”

“Because Jenna begged him not to.”

“He told you that?”

He shook his head. “Jenna did.”

Her eyes widened. “You knew?”

“I caught them at the park one night. Was there with a date and . . .” He shrugged. “Jenna begged me not to tell Griffin just as she’d begged Parker not to.”

“Why?”

“You see how protective Griffin is of those he loves.”

“Yes.”

“With Jenna . . . Maybe because it was just the two of them. Maybe because Jenna was sick when she was little.”

“Sick with what?”

“Guillain-Barre syndrome. She had a horrible reaction to a vaccination. Spent weeks in Kennedy Krieger. After that, Griffin became ultra-protective of her. She pulled through and had no real lasting repercussions, but I think nearly losing her forged a special protective bond between them.”

“Who else knew about them? Parker and Jenna?”

“Griff’s mom, Kay. And that was a huge point of contention between her, Griff, and Griffin’s dad after Jenna’s disappearance. Everything imploded that night.”

“And now?”

“It’s better.”

“But?” She could sense there was more in his hesitant tone.

“Some wounds time doesn’t heal.”

33

B
ut you all went to the same college,” Finley said, still trying to put the pieces together.

“But we had Luke. He was always the peacekeeper. Somehow he was able to keep Parker and Griffin from coming to blows—until he disappeared.”

“Luke disappeared? Griffin mentioned he was gone, but I had no idea . . . what happened?”

“That remains a great source of debate and further fracture in Griffin and Parker’s relationship.”

“Why?”

“Because Parker’s convinced Luke left of his own accord. And I tend to agree, but I hope it was for a good reason we just don’t understand.”

“And Griffin?”

“Convinced that Luke would never abandon his friends.”

“Sounds like Griffin.” His loyalty ran deep.

“What about Kate? Griffin said she was Luke’s girlfriend?”

“Still very much in love with him.” He swallowed. “And dedicating most of her time between clients to figuring out what happened.”

“She thinks he’s still alive?”

“She’s convinced.”

“And you?”

“Try to help her out with resources when she thinks she’s found a lead.”

“Do you think he’s still alive?”

“I don’t know. If he is, I can’t fathom why he hasn’t been in touch.”

The door opened, and Griffin popped his head in the room.

“You’re awake.” He smiled at Declan. “Your doctor is on the way in to check on you. Finley, could I grab you for a minute?”

“Sure.”

Declan frowned. “What’s going on?”

The doctor stepped around Griffin, entering.

“I’ll fill you all in when we return.”

Finley’s brows furrowed at the sight of the woman Griffin had chased from the room. She stood just behind him, her gaze darting warily up and down the hall.

“Let’s find someplace we can talk while Declan’s busy with the doc.”

Finley followed Griffin and the mysterious woman down the hall to an empty room where the woman explained who she was and how she’d gotten there. Her story was so amazing and insightful, nearly an hour passed before Finley bothered glancing at the clock. “We should head back to Declan’s room. I’m sure he and everyone else heading over will want to hear this.”

Parker watched Griffin, Finley, and a tall brunette enter Declan’s room a few strides in front of them.

“You look good,” Griffin said to Declan as Parker pushed the door open.

“Feeling much better.”

It was so good to hear Declan’s voice sounding strong.

“And,” Declan continued, “incredibly curious who this lovely lady is.”

Parker shifted his gaze to the brunette, equally curious.

“This is Tanner Shaw.”

“Tanner Shaw?” He said, drawing all eyes to the doorway. “I thought you were missing and presumed dead.”

“I was,” Tanner said.

“You look quite alive to me.” He stepped inside, allowing Avery and her balloon bouquet passage in.

Tanner dipped her head. “And you two are?”

“Parker Mitchell. This is Avery Tate, and this . . .” He looked back at the door. “Where did she get to? She wasn’t far behind.”

“Who?” Finley asked.

“Kate,” he said with a smile as she entered.

“Kate.” Declan sat up, smoothing his hair. “What are you doing here?”

“Parker called.” She strode over and kissed his forehead. “You doing okay?”

“Much better.” He smiled.

Of course
. Parker sighed. Declan was always better when Kate was in the room.
Poor, lovesick fool
.

Griffin took point, explaining to Tanner who everyone was and how the team fit together—and managed to do so without ever making direct eye contact with him.
So they were back to this
.

“Tanner was just explaining everything from the start,” Declan said.

“Wonderful.” Parker moved in and found a comfortable place to hold up the wall. Griffin stood, offering Avery his chair.

“Thanks.” She tied the balloons to Declan’s bedrail and moved to sit.

“Kate, I’ll find you a chair,” Griffin offered.

“I’m good.” She plunked down on the end of Declan’s bed.

“Miss Shaw, I believe you have a captive audience,” Parker said.

She stared at him, trying to get a handle on him, no doubt. He’d seen the attempt at assessment before. Question was, what angle was she coming from? Hopefully by the time she was finished talking, he’d know everything he needed to about Tanner Shaw.

“As I was saying.” She looked back to the group. “I first became acquainted with Perera’s vile
enterprise
, as he calls it, while working in the aftercare program with one of his victims. A fifteen-year-old girl named Selma.”

“So it’s true?” Avery asked. “He really was running a sex tourism business?”

“
Is
running. At the time when I had to flee, I’d already worked with a handful of his victims we’d managed to rescue, but there are scores more.”

She continued in detail with how the operation ran, how they managed to rescue the girls they did, and where the investigation stood when she’d brought it to Marley.

“Cambodian police were beyond hesitant to pursue any kind of case against a former U.S. ambassador with critical ties in the region.”

“What kind of ties?” Declan asked.

“China and the U.S. are competing for influence in Cambodia. The U.S. initiated defense cooperation with Cambodia in 2006, and over the next seven years the U.S. became Cambodia’s major defense-cooperation partner. China, however, has stepped up its defense cooperation in a development that many analysts see as an attempt to supplant the United States.

“Perera was sent there to see that doesn’t happen. Even after officially retiring his ambassadorship, he chose to remain in the ‘land he loved.’” She said those words with disgust and punctuated with air quotes. “The fact is he remained to take advantage of the vulnerable girls for his twisted pleasure and that of his American friends. But at the same time he continues to consult as a liaison between the U.S. and Cambodia, so he’s still a valuable asset to the U.S. government.”

“When you say ‘his American friends,’ what sort of people are you talking about?” Kate asked.

“Perera’s client list is believed to contain at least one U.S. senator, a federal judge, and a three-star general. Not to mention the scores of his former military buddies. What they do to these girls is barbaric.”

Outrage burned through Parker.

“How does he get away with it?” Avery stiffened. “Why isn’t this all over the news?”

Parker loved Avery’s fire, loved her innocence. She hadn’t been tainted by the job yet, and he prayed she never would. It seemed neither had Finley, strangely enough.