Page 6 of Toxic Truth

Chapter 2

During his timewith the Brotherhood Protectors, Lucas had worked several unique assignments, though none as strange as what Kenzie just said. Nor had he ever seen a young woman as terrified and defeated, yet gutsy enough to keep fighting.

Despite him outweighing her by seventy pounds or better and being a head taller, she shook her fist at him. “Go away.”

Not in this life, and definitely not until she was safe. Having her dry, warm, and a smile lighting up her pretty features was his first goal…as soon as he learned every detail as to what they faced. Particularly who was stalking her and their proximity to his cabin.

First though, he needed her to settle and trust him. “You asked earlier what I meant by ‘so to speak.’ When I said security, I didn’t mean being a mall cop or babysitting a business to make sure only the right people get inside. I work for Brotherhood Protectors. Everyone involved is former military—Rangers and snipers, like me, Delta Forces, and SEALs. Hank Patterson, the guy who started the group, is a former SEAL. Our cases involve ordinary people, those at the very top of the food chain, and everyone in between. We’ve seen and done it all. We can help you. Beginning now.”

“No, you—”

“Shut up and listen to me.” He gripped her shoulders. “I need you to be straight in answering my questions. Why are you at this particular locale? Do you know someone on the adjacent properties?”

She pushed her cat-eye glasses up her nose, her hand shaking. “My parents used to come to Elk Resort when I was a kid. I remembered it. After reading about it closing, I thought I could hide out here.”

You will with me. He’d accept nothing less. “Where did you drive from?”

She named the city. “New Solutions Pharmaceuticals, also known as NSP, is headquartered there.”

The pieces began to fall into place. “You worked there and found out something you shouldn’t?”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Her mouth trembled. “I’m a pharmaceutical engineer.”

Not an occupation he would have guessed given her appearance. She seemed so young, mid-twenties or a little older, at most. He released her. “You told your superiors what you discovered?”

“I had to.” She flapped her hands. “The project I was working on was for the armed forces. Military personnel you probably know. NSP products are supposed to keep them in combat condition longer than ever. Instead, they’re hurting and killing them, no matter what the CEO says.”

Jesus. During his tours, he’d learned about pharmaceuticals meant to keep personnel alert or to treat various ailments, including PTSD. He rubbed his mouth. “Did you see anyone following you tonight?”

“I thought I did. That’s why I was driving without lights, which made me run off the road.”

“Come on.” He took her hand.

“Wait.” She tried to break free.

He wouldn’t allow it. “We need to go back to your car so I can check it for a tracking device. No matter how far you run, if they know where you are, they’ll catch up.”

She moaned then struggled to match his pace.

The vehicle’s undercarriage proved clear, as did the trunk and interior. He popped the hood. No device there either. Maybe she’d imagined someone following her or overreacted to the problem she faced. Over the years, Big Pharma and the feds couldn’t hide all their dirty laundry, but putting a hit out on a civilian, a scientist for Chrissake, seemed extreme.

“Did you find anything in there?” She peered at the engine.

Her flowery scent wafted toward him, making his cock stiffen and his balls ache. Her guileless look and the trust in her light-brown eyes made him want to hug her from here to tomorrow and promise nothing bad would ever happen. “No. Are you absolutely sure someone was—”

“Yes.” She bared her teeth. “I’m not crazy or on drugs. Every turn I took, this black van followed. Not too close and not too far. Just enough to keep me in sight.”

“How’d you lose it?”

She pushed back her auburn hair. “I had my signal on for a right. When the light turned green, I took a hard left, cutting in front of oncoming cars. One almost hit me. Until I was a few miles from here, no one followed. Then headlamps popped up in my rearview mirror. In this location. In this freaking weather.” She gripped the lip of the car. “That’s when I shut off my lights and took several detours. Eventually, those behind me disappeared. Before you showed up, I thought I saw something glinting in the distance.”

Without a tracking system, whoever had tailed her wouldn’t have caught up…if she was remembering events correctly. Panic screwed with people’s brains, making them believe things that hadn’t happened. “Who besides your supervisor at NSP knows what you’ve discovered?”

“The CEO and his board. I didn’t bother with my department head. I took my concerns directly to the top.”

“What happened?”

“The SOBs said I’d falsified records then fired me. I contacted the feds next, as a whistleblower. When they did nothing, I threatened to go to the press. That’s when the threats started.” She shuddered. “At first, it was late-night phone calls. Then anonymous text and email messages. The last one came in this afternoon, very short and sweet. It said, ‘Drop your lies or you’re dead before the day ends.’ Believing them, I ran.”

---