Page 11 of Deadly Target
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Olivia woke to the sound of her phone dinging. She scrambled over Taz to reach her nightstand, the caller ID reading Victor’s name and telling her it was four a.m.
When she answered, he said, “I’ll be there in ten.”
She and Taz hustled out of bed and she slid her robe on, yawning as she headed for the kitchen. Victor’s voice had been rough and ragged, the toll of the night and his emotions apparent, even with a layer of steel under it. The members of his taskforce were family, and nobody messed with his family and got away with it.
In the kitchen, she pulled out her bottle of Frangelico and two shot glasses, pouring an inch into each. Grabbing them with one hand, she headed into the foyer, turning on lights as she went.
She deactivated the security system and opened the door. Taz stood next to her, as if he knew they were waiting for Victor. The man in question pulled in moments later, parking behind her car. He was on the phone when he stepped out of his Cadillac SUV and stood for a moment by the open door.
“Yes, sir,” he said. “Agent Harris is stable. Agent Mann and I have a list of suspects we’ll be investigating today. I will keep you informed of any further updates.”
There was a pause as he listened to the man on the other end. His gaze raked over Olivia, his expression one of controlled patience. “Yes, he is. Agent Harris and I have worked together for many years now, and he’s always been one of my best agents. A good friend too.”
Another pause and he glanced at her bare feet, his gaze lingering on her ankles before rising to her calves. “I’m about to do that right now. A couple hours of sleep and I’ll be back on the case.”
He said goodbye, disconnected, and tossed the phone on the driver seat. Leaving the door open, he walked straight to her. “Sorry. Had to update the director.”
The director, as in the main guy in Washington. It was three hours later on the East Coast and Director Allen was probably already at his desk.
Victor opened his arms and Olivia went into them without hesitation, rubbing the back of his neck and letting him hold her. He nuzzled her ear, breathing deeply and hugging her tight. Next to them, the dog whined.
“Glad you made it,” she said. “You have suspects?”
He released her and rubbed his eyes. “Sort of.” He grabbed his phone, popped the trunk, and then went to withdraw an overnight bag. A beep of his key fob and the car was locked. He set down the bag and greeted Taz with a ruffle of his ears. “Have you been a good boy?” he asked.
“He’s extremely well mannered,” Olivia told him. She handed him one of the glasses. “You went all the way back to LA to get clothes?”
He downed the Frangelico in one gulp and picked up the overnight bag, following her into the house. “I keep spare clothes in my car at all times. I never know when I’m going to make it home for a shower and a fresh shirt.”
Smart man. Because of her job, she often carried extra clothes, protein bars, and extra ammunition in her trunk. Came with the life of an agent.
“Nice place,” he said, peering around once they were inside. “Do you like it here?”
She sipped at her drink and eyed him under her lashes. Leave it to Victor to make small talk at four in the morning when he was totally exhausted.Such a kind, polite, amazing man.
She took the empty glass from his hand and drew him down the hall with her. Her place was small, barely more than a surfing shack, but she’d made it hers through the years with small touches here and there. “I do. Carlsbad fits me, and it’s nice to know Celina is down the road. How is she? Did Dr. Collins talk to her?”
“She’s doing okay. Emma and Ronni stayed with her all night.”
In the kitchen, she finished her Frangelico and set the glasses in the sink. “Can I get you something to eat? You must be starving. Eggs and toast maybe?”
“Throw in bacon and you have a deal.”
She made a face. “I have sausage. Will that do?”
He pulled out a chair and sat at the breakfast bar. “I’ll take it.”
Good thing she’d gone to the market two days ago. Her ancient refrigerator was well-stocked with the basics. A rare occurrence. “So do you actually have any suspects, or were you inventing them for Director Allen?”
“The shooting happened in broad daylight at a kids’ function. Parents all over the park were filming their children. It’s already on YouTube, going viral, thanks to a couple enterprising souls who are more interested in likes on their channel than the horror of a DEA agent being gunned down in front of innocent children. The upside is that we confiscated multiple videos shot from different angles, and do actually have several potential suspects. We’re running them through facial rec and following up on any hits we get. Two of the taskforce members are starting interviews with witnesses today to see if we can glean better details. Our three suspects are nameless at this point, and I can’t guarantee any of them is our shooter, nor can I assume they are linked to criminal organizations, but they’re all we have.”
Factual, no emotion. Even in his current state, he was all business, his analytical mind going over the facts, or lack thereof, repeatedly.
Olivia heated a skillet and got out the toaster. “Coffee?”
Victor shook his head. “I’ve been running on caffeine. Got any orange juice? Whatever was in that glass was pretty good. Maybe I should just have another shot of that.”
