Page 35 of Operation: Unify

Viceroy has been spotted within a mile of Wayside. Police are on alert. So are we. Pray he’s caught before he gets here.

Chapter Thirteen

Lacy shifted uncomfortably as the sun’s rays peeked over the house across the street. A golden glow filled the space between and for a moment, her soul was at peace. She looked around for Connor, but he wasn’t on the sofa where he’d been when she’d fallen asleep.

Her chest tightened. Had he left? “Connor?” She looked around the room and swallowed the bile that pooled in the back of her throat.

She stood stiffly from her spot. “Connor?” she repeated a little louder.

When he didn’t answer, she headed toward the hallway. He could be in the bathroom or the garage. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions just because he didn’t answer her. Randy slept in the first room down the hall. He’d left the door open about two inches and she could see him without opening the door further.

Down the hall, she poked her head into Aunt Joy’s former room. Connor sat in a dainty chair that he’d turned to face the wall away from her.

“I need to know. What’s the danger? What is the risk? Has he actually been seen or was it someone that might be him?”

An awful cold sensation skittered down her spine. Had Viceroy been seen? She waited, not making a noise, so she didn’t interrupt his important call. She pulled her flannel shirt tightly around her stomach like a robe and listened.

“That’s not what I want to hear, Brendon. You know that.” He sighed deeply. “What else?”

She could hear the low tones of Brendon’s voice, but not what he was saying. Brendon didn’t get worked up about anything. He was about as moderate in tone and action as she’d ever seen, but today he sounded rushed. That couldn’t be good.

“Would it be safer to send our people somewhere else?”

Lacy gasped and Connor spun around. He held up his finger to have her wait and then turned his phone on speaker so she could hear.

“. . . that’s not optimal though. I don’t know of anywhere secure enough. Not to mention this is short notice right before Christmas. Nixon is doing his best to keep things safe for everyone. Nadine is working overtime and getting help from Teddy to watch the cameras. She’s also using drone technology now to go to the areas where we don’t have cameras. We’re doing our best to keep everyone calm.”

“Are you trying to tell me not to worry?” Connor stared at his phone.

“That would be pretty fruitless,” Brendon deadpanned. “I know better than that. You’d worry if I told you we were having sunny weather, and everything was going great. Let’s not kid ourselves.”

Connor snorted. “Is there anything you need me to do? I wish I was there.”

The words pierced her worse than she thought they would. Of course he wanted to be there. His heart was Wayside. It always had been. He wanted to help those who needed him the most. She didn’t need him as much as they did.

Whatever Connor said to end the call, Lacy missed it. She turned around, heading out of the room.

“Hey, good morning.” Connor came around the chair.

In her emotional state, she shouldn’t talk to him. She shouldn’t say anything. If she did, she’d regret it. Being hunted by a man who wanted her dead had made her scared and that usually wasn’t a word she’d use to describe herself.

He turned her around and held her shoulders, but she couldn’t look him in the eyes. If she did, she might cry. He hated tears. Connor wasn’t one to be softened by them and since his mother had been a crier, he had a negative association with what he called waterworks.

“Sounds like things are going down at Wayside. You should go. You’re needed there.”

He didn’t say a word and she felt him staring at her, waiting on her.

“Lacy?” His voice held so many questions.

“Yes?” She still couldn’t look him in the eye. Not before she got her emotions under control.

“Why would I leave you?”

She finally met his gaze. “Why wouldn’t you? Wayside needs you.”

“Um, Wayside has multiple people there who are just as capable as I am whereas you only have Randy . . . who doesn’t even use weapons. Not sure how you hope to stay protected that way. Leaving you behind is not on my bingo card.”

“But—”

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