Page 38 of Knight's Journey

Jay moved closer to the screen, as if closing the distance would help him figure out this puzzle of a case. “I’m guessing that’s taking down the crime family may not be their only motivation.”

“So what is?” The words burst from Zane’s mouth with more force than he intended.

“I don’t know. I’m going to have Tryst to get in touch with his ATF contacts, and I know a guy who works in the FBI’s organized crime division. Maybe if we loop them in on what we’ve found out, they can provide some direction on where we need to go with this case,” Jay said.

“No. If you involve the FBI, they’ll take over the case. I need to see this through. These guys tried to kill me.”

Jay faced his teammate. “I know. But you’re in no position to do anything right now, and we’re no closer to knowing our next move than we were when you were stabbed. We need to do this right, and that means involving the right people. Tryst will make sure we’re not pushed out of the case. But until we have a plan of action, you are benched. I need you one-hundred percent for when we take down these guys.”

Silence settled around them as Zane struggled with his rising frustration and his respect for his team leader. Jay finally broke the silence.

“I have to brief Tryst. Good work, ladies. Keep me posted on what else you find. Kat, call in the rest of the team. I need to fill them in and start strategizing on how we’re going to get these guys. Maybe with some brainstorming, the link to all of this will come to us.”

“On it.”

While Jay left to head down the hall, Kat moved to her computer to send notifications to the Alpha Team’s phones — all the phones but Zane’s.

“Zane.” Sydney’s gentle voice drew his attention, and he hated the pity he saw in her eyes. “Jay’s right. This case is personal for all of us. We have to be smart in how we deal with it.”

He ran a hand through his hair and pierced Sydney with his stare. He had no idea what to say without taking his frustration out on her or making her feel even more sorry for him. And he couldn’t handle getting pity from anybody, especially her.

“I need some air. If they need me, call my cell. But I doubt they’ll need me.”

“Zane,” she called to stop his retreat. “Stay and help me track down leads. Don’t go away angry.”

He paused, his hand on the door, and spoke with his back to her. “I’m not, but I’m not needed here. At least not now. I’m just going to clear my head.”

He walked out and spoke to no one as he headed to his truck. There was one place he knew to go when he felt like this and one person who could help him gain perspective.

He was going home.

Chapter Fourteen

The front porch of the Wilder home carried memories of quiet summer afternoons, long talks on the porch swing and hours spent staring at the stars while the sounds of crickets and katydids filled the air. Today with an iced glass of tea in his hand, listening to the gentle creak of the swing as it moved, Zane started talking to Maggie Wilder.

Her son was a man of few words, saying what was necessary when the occasion called. Maggie accepted this part of him which was so much like his father. Sometimes she found Zane’s silence soothing in a noisy and chaotic world.

But past experience taught her that when her son decided to speak, it was best to sit back and listen until he ran out of words.

Zane never shared with his family the nature of his work, so he spoke of the De la Peña case in generalities. It was difficult for him to vent his frustration when he couldn’t explain why he wanted to see this case through to an arrest and conviction, but it felt good to blow off steam all the same. He got on a roll, moving from talking about De la Peña to sharing about Bridget without realizing he shifted topics until his mother spoke.

“I remembered her from the hospital. She seemed very sweet. Does she know what the grandparents are trying to do?”

He nodded. “She does, and she’s scared. I keep comparing her to you. She’s raising her niece and nephew on her own, and I feel she’s doing the best she can. The kids seem happy, and they’re good kids. They don’t deserve someone trying to mess that up. But when we refused to take the grandparents’ case, they went with another firm that’s not above doing whatever it takes to get paid. Brick has me working the case with him.”

“Will you be able to split your time between the two cases?” Maggie watched him intently with shrewd brown eyes that never missed a thing.

“For now, yeah, but I want to see the other case through. I’m not getting a choice though. Tristin has benched me because of my injury.”

“Which he should, for your own health. But why can you work on Bridget’s case with your injury but not the other?”

Zane hesitated. He hated causing her worry, but he also hated lying to her. “There’s not a threat of danger to me with Bridget’s case.”

Other than a sharp intake of breath which she slowly released, Maggie showed no reaction to his revelation. “You believe your place is with this other case, the one that’s more dangerous? They won’t be able to close the case without you?”

Maggie’s question hit close to the heart of the matter. He stood and paced the porch, his fists shoved in his jean pockets. He didn’t answer his mother, but since she was the person who knew him better than anybody else, he didn’t have to.

“You’re not needed. You provided information that got them closer to closing the case without you.”

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