Page 23 of Raider Unleashed

Piper laughed. “Spoken like a SEAL. There are search and seizure laws we have to abide by. We need probable cause for a warrant. We can’t just go in and search the bank. Plus, we don’t know anything about the thumb drive and from what I’ve gathered, no one has seen it, so we’re not even positive it exists. No way can we just stroll in there and search the entire bank for something we don’t know who owns and we can’t even say for sure exists.” She grinned. “Must be nice being a SEAL and waltzing in anywhere you want.”

“Except for the whole I was behind enemy lines worried about getting my ass shot off thing, so yeah, not worrying about a warrant was great fun.”

The sarcasm hit her hard and she immediately felt like shit. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say.” Her breath rushed out. “Wait, you said was.”

“What?” Raider asked.

“You said ‘Iwasbehind enemy lines’.” She stared up at him.

Raider grimaced. “I retired about six months ago.”

“Holy shit. Seriously?” Piper had a hard time comprehending what Raider was telling her. “You retired?”

“Yeah, and I’ve got to say so far retired life isn’t living up to the hype. Too boring.”

Piper burst out laughing. Of all the things she thought would happen, Raider retiring wasn’t one of them. He just couldn’t stand not doing something. He needed to be moving constantly.

“Probably would be a lot less bored if we’d stayed married and had a couple kids by now.” Raider studied his boots.

Guilt rose like a ready-to-strike cobra. The pain in her chest made her feel like it had already sunk its fangs into her. She’d always figured when he got out, he’d go into something else right away. Any law enforcement agency would kill to have a guy with his kind of experience.

She forced a laugh. “I don’t know, I can’t imagine changing diapers would be your cup of tea.”

He looked up sharply and scowled. “I’m glad you think it’s funny. You know how much I wanted that life,” he said, his voice cold.

She stood up and touched his arm, looking for a graceful way out of this conversation. “I’m sorry, Raider. I just never pictured you retired. You hate doing nothing. Wait, no! Tell me you didn’t take up golf?”

He shrugged. “I’ve played a few rounds. Damn boring if you ask me but the guys seem to like it.”

“All the guys retired too?”

He nodded. “We all requested permission to go ashore at the same time. It’s what’s been keeping me sane. Hanging with them and traveling around the world.”

Piper sobered up. She’d put this man through hell and he was still standing there ready to help her. She didn’t deserve that kind of loyalty and support. “Thank you,” she said in a quiet voice. “You came when I needed you. I owe you.”

He grabbed her chin. “I’ll do this on one condition. When this is over, you’re going to tell me the real reason you kicked me to the curb. The whole truth.”

She held his gaze and bit her lip. That was the last thing she wanted to do. He’d hate her probably more than he already did, but he was right. She owed him the explanation. “Fine,” she breathed, grateful for his help, and the short respite she’d have before having to unbury her secret. She swallowed hard to keep from tearing up. “Deal.”

“Now we need to go in and get Wells and Baker on board. Then we need to get back to Denlo and somehow convince him that we didn’t run out on him.” Raider dropped his hand from her chin, and she shivered with the loss. He squared his shoulders. “I’ve got some ideas about that.” With that, he turned and headed for the door.

Piper watched him go. This whole thing was a clusterfuck of her own making. All of it. What had happened, and then the divorce, getting Marta killed... All of it was on her. And now the chickens were coming home to roost. Karma was a bitch that was coming for her like a freight train.

10

Raider hurried down the hallway until he found an empty office. He went in, closed the door, and pulled the burner cell phone from his boot. He dialed a number and waited.

“Yo,” the voice came down the line.

“Lane, it’s Raider.”

“Raider, I don’t have a lot of time, what’s up?”

“I’ll be quick. Piper is doing an undercover thing and I got dragged into it?—”

“Aw hell, you okay?”

The urge to say hell no welled up in him. He wasn’t okay but now wasn’t the time to get into all the touchy-feely shit romping through him. “It’s fine. Listen, there’s a group of weapons dealers operating in the US. Apparently, they’re huge and moving some serious equipment. Including stolen military stuff. You hear anything about this? Have any ideas about it?”

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