Explosive Alliance (15 page)

TWENTY

K
rista opened the coffee bean canister. The familiar aroma that had often comforted her in the past brought tears to her eyes tonight. Opa always ground the coffee before bed and set the timer so when they got up it had brewed and was piping hot. Tonight it was up to her.

She scooped heaping spoons of beans into the grinder and set it whirring, her emotions spinning as fast as the blade. She didn't care if Cash was in the family room and could hear her. She gave in and had the good, hard cry she'd been fighting since Opa's disappearance. Her body convulsed with the pain. She released the grinder to wrap her arms around her stomach.

“Don't cry, honey.” Cash came up behind her and gently turned her to face him. “It'll be okay.”

At his kindness, her crying increased. He drew her into his arms and held her. She snuggled against him and felt a semblance of peace. She still wished he'd tell her about the parts of his past that he was withholding, but she was starting to believe that he really was exactly what he portrayed himself to be. A good, honest and decent man who'd be there for her whenever she needed him. Just as he'd been there for others when he was in the military. And now, as a deputy, putting others before himself, risking his life all the time.

The doorbell rang.

She pulled back in fear.

“Relax,” he said with a sweet smile. “Criminals don't ring doorbells.”

Despite her tension, she laughed through choked sobs.

“You stay here. I'll get the door.” He kissed her forehead and stepped out of the room.

She grabbed tissues from a box on the counter. As she made herself presentable, she heard male voices in a heated conversation. She waited for Cash to call out for her, but when he didn't, she went down the hall to see who was at the door. He stood by the sofa with one of the detectives who'd investigated Toby's murder.

Just the sight of Detective Eason sent blood draining from her head.

Eason pinned Cash with a glare. “If you didn't want this to happen, then you shouldn't have told me Mrs. Alger was back in town.”

Krista felt as if she'd been slapped across the face. She hurried back to the kitchen. Cash, the man who'd stood by her side, who'd just kissed her forehead and made it seem as if he cared, had failed to tell her he'd talked to Eason. And even worse, he ratted her out. How could she have considered trusting him? How had she been so wrong again?

He stepped into the kitchen and didn't seem the least bit apologetic for bringing Eason back into her life. “A detective working Toby's investigation is here. He has some questions for you.”

She was too exhausted to ask why he'd betrayed her this way. She woodenly walked to the family room and perched on the edge of a chair. “What do you want to know?”

“Glad to see you wised up and came back to town.” Eason stood towering over her. “Where have you been the last few years?”

She filled him in on her life in Kennesaw, sticking to the facts but telling him everything lest he accuse her of not being truthful. Eason took notes on his little pad, scribbling away as if he was afraid to miss a single word.

When she finished her story, he looked up and smirked. “Pretty smart using the false ID that Daddy got for you. What else did you use Daddy's connections for? Maybe to hide the money in some offshore account?”

Krista crossed her arms. “I've told you, like, a thousand times, I did not touch that money.”

“Then when we request your banking information for Georgia we won't find you lived the high life.”

“Right.” Krista scoffed. “The high life all child-care givers live on minimum wage.”

“So where's the money?” he snapped at her.

Cash stepped closer. “No need to be so harsh, Detective.”

She ignored Cash's attempt to help. “Believe me. If I knew where it was, I'd tell you.”

“We'll see what your recent finances turn up and talk again. You can count on that.” Eason nodded at Cash, then stormed out of the house.

Cash locked the door and turned to Krista. “I'm sorry he was so rude. He shouldn't treat you like that. He's frustrated with it taking so long to close this case.”

“You would stick up for him, wouldn't you?”

“What?”

“You told him about me.” She got to her feet. “I'm such a fool. I honestly thought you cared about me, but you called Eason. How could you?”

He tried to respond, but she held up a hand, stopping him. “Don't bother,” she said, already on her way to the hallway. “There's nothing you could say that would help.”

“Krista, wait,” he called after her. “It wasn't like that at all. Let me explain.”

She fired a look over her shoulder. “How do you explain betrayal, Cash? How?”

She marched into her room and slammed her door. She paced like a penned dog. She couldn't wait for tomorrow when she would deliver the flash drive, they'd catch the bomber and Opa would be freed. Then she could get Cash out of her life before she actually fell hard for another man who broke her trust.

* * *

Cash, the team and Krista sat at the conference room table the next morning. Techs had connected the phone left at Erwin's house to a recording device with speakers and placed it in the middle of the table. The room was tense and, at times, Cash felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the space.

He wasn't surprised. If the wait for the bomber's call wasn't enough to make him uneasy, the tension between him and Krista would do so. He looked at her. Her lips were pinched, her eyes narrowed. He'd heard her walking the floor last night and knew she hadn't gotten much sleep. Neither had he. He'd tried to talk to her over breakfast, but she wouldn't listen. Worst part was he understood why she felt this way. Her father had lied to her. Her husband had lied, too, and left her in a terrible position. So she'd immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion about him. He'd likely do the same thing in her situation.

The phone rang, and she jerked up in her seat.

“Showtime.” A nervous energy buzzed around Skyler as she looked at Krista. “You know what to say. Do your best to keep him talking.” Skyler hovered her finger over the talk button. “Ready?”

Krista nodded and when Skyler pressed the button, Krista leaned over the phone. “I have what you asked for.”

“Good.” A voice scrambler disguised the male voice coming over the speaker. “We'll meet at Pioneer Square in one hour. Bring this phone. There's a bench with one slat painted yellow on the end. Leave the item in the envelope underneath. Then wait by Umbrella Man for further directions. Come alone and we'll make the trade. Bring others...”

Cash looked at Jake, waiting for him to shoot down the idea of a lunchtime meeting at Pioneer Square, home to the famous bronze statue of a man offering his umbrella to visitors. The large bowl-shaped area sank into the ground downtown, affectionately called Portland's living room, would be teeming with people. It would be hard to control an exchange and the sunken amphitheater could trap Krista.

Jake remained quiet.

“I need proof that you have my grandfather,” Krista said as Skyler had instructed her. “I need to hear his voice.”

“Okay, old man—” the bomber's voice grew fainter “—say hello to your granddaughter.”

“Do not do this,” Opa's voice came over the speaker.

Cash saw Krista nearly collapse in her chair. “Are you okay, Opa? Did he hurt you?”

“I am fine, but do not give this man what he wants.”

“Sit down, old man,” the bomber said. “I presume you'll choose to ignore him. One hour. After I confirm you've delivered the right information, you'll see him alive. Bring that cop who's been hanging out with you and it's over.”

The line went dead.

Skyler looked up from the recording equipment. “Not long enough for a trace, but if he used a cell, I'll try to get the GPS. Maybe we can wrap this up before Krista has to meet him.”

“You go do that,” Jake said. “We'll strategize the exchange.”

“I don't like this.” Cash shoved a hand into his hair and paced. “Putting Krista in a space we can't control is risky. The bomber could easily blend in with the lunchtime crowd and kill her to keep her from testifying against him.”

“He's had plenty of chances to kill her,” Archer pointed out. “I doubt that's his endgame.”

“We'll also fit her with a vest,” Jake added.

Not good enough. “I know I can't go in her place, but let's send a female deputy instead.”

“No.” Krista crossed her arms. “I won't let a deputy risk her life instead of me. And if the kidnapper realizes she's taken my place, Opa's life would be in danger, too. This is my responsibility.”

Cash didn't want her to go, but he respected her willingness to give up her life for her family. He wanted someone with such amazing love in his life again. Sure, he had the FRS guys, but he wanted someone to come home to at the end of every day. Someone waiting for him and him alone.

“Are you sure you're good to do this?” he asked, giving her an out.

She nodded. “He has Opa. I'd do anything to get him back, even if it means I'm killed in the process.”

“If you die, honey...” Cash paused to make eye contact so she understood his commitment to keeping her safe. “It means they've gone through me first and I'm not alive to protect you.”

* * *

Cash had hoped that Skyler would be able to trace the bomber's phone, but it was a disposable and didn't produce another lead. They'd had no good explanation for the algorithm, either. So, despite Cash's misgivings, he helped the FRS set up at Pioneer Square.

The air was crisp and cold, and a fine mist fell, darkening the red bricks. First, they'd cleared the area of pedestrians and cordoned it off using county trucks to make it look as if his teammates were utility workers repairing a water main. The bomber might get suspicious, but better that than risk having him show up wearing a suicide vest and take out innocent people.

The bomber claimed on the phone that he'd recognize Cash, so he couldn't show his face. He'd found a hidden location near the MAX train tracks. The rest of the team had taken strategic positions surrounding the square.

As Cash watched through his binoculars, Krista worked her way down the stairs leading into the amphitheater and approached the drop spot. Step by step she walked toward the yellow slat shining like a beacon.

Cash held his breath, waiting for disaster to strike. His heart thundered in his ears. Never had fear like this threatened to destroy him.

He couldn't lose Krista. He just couldn't.

Oh, man.
He'd fallen for her hook, line and sinker and now he could lose her.

She sat down and reached under the bench. He saw her slide the card into an envelope attached to the bottom. She got up and calmly strolled to the Umbrella Man. Cash was so proud of her strength, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. He had to make sure they caught the bomber and brought Otto home safely.

“Package delivered,” he said into his mic and kept watch on the bench.

Time passed slowly, each second sounding in his head.

Finally, a male fitting the bomber's description approached the bench and sat down. Cash ran his gaze over the guy's chest, looking for the bulky vest pictured on the flash drive. Found nothing. Good. No suicide vest.

“Suspect in place,” Cash told the team. “He's not wearing a vest. Repeat, not wearing a vest. Be ready.”

The man snatched the envelope. Opened it. Smiled and got up. He stepped to a bike rack, grabbed a ten-speed and started pedaling toward the opposite side of the square from Krista.

“He's making a run for it,” Cash shouted. “Go, go, go.”

His teammates kicked into action, moving closer, tightening their circle until the bomber was in the middle.

“Now,” Cash said.

They drew their weapons.

“Police,” Jake shouted. “On the ground, now!”

“Me?” the man asked, appearing genuinely surprised.

Brady seized the moment, grabbed the guy's arm, took him down and cuffed him.

“I'll get Krista so she can ID him,” Cash announced over his mic, then barreled over to Krista.

“You should have waited before apprehending him,” she cried out. “What about Opa?”

“We couldn't wait. The suspect was taking off.” Cash took her hand. Her body trembled as they hurried across the bricks.

The closer they came to the suspect, the more her hand shook.

“Turn him around, Brady,” Cash directed.

The guy pivoted.

Krista clutched her chest. “It's not him. Oh, no. No, no, no. We have the wrong guy and the bomber's going to kill Opa.”

A slash of anguish cut into Cash. “Who sent you?” he shouted at the suspect.

He shrugged. “Don't know his name and didn't see the guy.”

“You expect me to believe you don't know him?”

“I was hired from Craigslist to pick up the package. We handled everything via email. Honest. You can look at my phone if you don't believe me.”

“Why would we believe you?” Cash started for the creep and planned to make him talk.

Skyler stepped forward and cast a warning look at Cash, telling him to back off. “I'll haul him down to County to get to the bottom of this. We'll track these supposed phone and email contacts. Hopefully it will lead to our bomber.”

“Dude,” the guy said, “is this really about a bomber?”

Skyler nodded.

“How cool is that?”

“Not cool at all.” She grabbed the man's handcuffs. “Let's go.”

Skyler and Brady departed with the suspect, who dragged his feet. The rest of the team stood by, but none of them offered an idea of how to find Otto—the sweet, kind man who didn't deserve to be held hostage. Cash felt powerless to help Krista and he knew he was letting her down. As he'd let down his Delta team. The helpless feeling made his gut hurt.