Page 78 of Shadow Undercover

Trace frowned. “She didn’t say anything about hurting.”

“I didn’t want you to worry more than you already are,” Bridget walked to him. “I’m fine. I’d tell you if I wasn’t. I promised Sam I wouldn’t keep information from you.”

He tucked her against his side, concern knotting his gut. She must be able to move freely. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Trust me to know my limits.”

“I want to know if anything changes.” Trace glanced at Jake. “You’re on watch?”

“For a few minutes. Remy and Lily will take over soon. Any problems checking in?”

“Not a problem, but I generated a lot of interest. Hugo had a man stationed in the lobby who had instructed the desk clerk to offer me a comp meal on the house.”

“Think your cover is blown?”

“This feels like a power play on Hugo’s part. He doesn’t know anything about me except for the work history Z created. There’s nothing on the Net about my personal history. He’s suspicious and wants me to know he’s not taking anything at face value. If he planned to kill me, he had opportunities at the airport and on the way to the hotel.”

His cell phone signaled an incoming message. Trace glanced at his screen. “Shadow is here. They’ll join us as soon as they drop their gear in the rooms.”

Minutes later, a light tap sounded on the suite door. After checking the peephole, Trace admitted his teammates.

“We caught a break,” Nico said. “One of my sources came through with information.”

Trace sat beside Bridget on the sofa, his arm around her shoulders.

Jake remained on watch by the balcony door while Sam, Joe, and Ben seated themselves around the room.

“What do we have?” Joe asked.

“Hugo has four bolt holes around here besides the main residence Bridget located for us. Each of the four places were purchased under a different name, all variations of the name he used for his compound.”

Bridget smiled. “Give me the names. I’ll research the property records and see if I can find schematics for the houses as well as the satellite photos and information on the surrounding areas.”

Nico’s lips curving at the corners. “It’s good to have our own research analyst.”

“Anything else?” Trace asked.

“Z contacted me as we drove to the hotel. Rafe thinks he knows the name of the buyer.”

“Who is it?”

“Ned Wallace.”

Joe frowned. “Isn’t he the leader of the Tennessee Valley Militia?”

A nod. “He’s been amassing weapons and members for the past eighteen months. Wallace was on the FBI’s radar, but they didn’t have enough evidence to make a case.”

“He’s a threat to American security,” Bridget said.

“Not in his eyes. Gathering weapons and growing your membership roster is legal. Wallace isn’t spouting anti-government rhetoric or recruiting members on the Internet. The group is growing via word of mouth.”

Ben’s eyebrows rose. “They must be serious gossips.”

“Good news travels fast. Wallace has contacts inside the militia communities around the southeast United States,” Nico said. “His whole family has been involved in militias for the past twenty years. His parents and brothers were killed in skirmishes with federal agents and local law enforcement officials in the past five years. He took over leadership of Tennessee Valley when his father died.”

Sam groaned. “That’s all we need. A man with an ax to grind and a weapon of mass destruction in his arsenal.”

“Will the feds handle Tennessee Valley?” Trace asked.

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