Page 10 of Ace of Spades
CHAPTER FOUR
After Nate arrived with his brother, he walked over to Taylor. She was standing ramrod straight, and when she glanced at him, he didn’t like the apprehensive look in her eyes. Her gaze skittered away from him, focusing on the building across the street.
Stopping next to her, he put a hand on her shoulder. “That building?” He didn’t miss that as she leaned into his touch, the tense muscles under his palm relaxed a little.
“Yeah. Peaches was the working name for Linda Harding, and that was what she called home.” She shuddered. “I hate rats. I can remember hearing them scurrying around on the floor at night and being afraid they’d climb in my bed.”
So her trepidation was because of childhood memories. Had she lived in places like that?
“Hope the thing doesn’t fall down on our heads,” Alex muttered as he and Josh joined them.
The place did look like it might fall in on itself at any moment. Why hadn’t the city condemned it and torn it down? At some point inthe past, there had been a fire on the top floor, resulting in a corner of the roof missing.
“Well, at least it’s only three stories we have to search,” Nate said. “Alex, you and Josh start at the top. Taylor and I will work our way up.” He exchanged a look with his brother, Alex immediately understanding that something was going on with Taylor.
“Anyone else shaking in their boots at the thought of going in there, or am I the only wuss?” Alex said.
Nate gave him a slight dip of his chin in approval. Alex had a way of making fun of himself that eased tensions.
“Can’t say I’m excited about it.” Josh flipped the switch on his headset. “Let’s get this over with.”
“You guys are wimps,” Taylor said, resolutely marching toward the building.
“Is she going to be okay?” Alex quietly asked after both Josh and Taylor were out of earshot.
“I’ll make sure of it.” Nate slapped his brother on the back, then jogged to Taylor. Alex didn’t know of Taylor’s childhood, but his baby brother was observant enough to pick up on her tension and would probably have questions later. It was her story to tell, when and if she wanted anyone else to know.
They both activated their headsets and turned on their flashlights. As they stepped inside the building, Nate stayed next to Taylor, letting his arm brush hers, a reminder that he was with her. It took a good twenty minutes to clear the bottom floor. As they headed up the stairs, something small and furry raced ahead of them.
“Damn rats,” Taylor said, again shuddering.
Nate put his hand on her lower back, following her up. Normally, he wouldn’t touch her during a search, but he sensed she needed reassurance that he was there. Taylor Collins was one of the best agents he’d ever worked with. She was highly trained, kept herself in excellent shape, and had a brain she knew how to use.
Her anxiety had nothing to do with being incapable of doing her job. It was the memories assaulting her mind that had her so on edge. He wished he could take them away, erase all the bad in her past. Since he couldn’t do that, he’d do the one thing he could. Be here for her, while not making her feel incompetent.
“There’s someone sleeping in that corner.” She aimed her flashlight on a filthy mattress.
Nate followed her, and when they were close enough, he saw two girls huddled together as they slept. He guessed one to be in her early teens and the other to be a year or two younger, sisters from the looks of them. Too young to be alone and unprotected. Next to the bed were a half-full jar of peanut butter and an almost-empty package of saltine crackers.
Although his mother had left them, and his father was a son of a bitch who’d beaten them for the least offense, he and his brothers had grown up with a roof over their heads, and sometimes the old man had actually brought food home.
Taylor knelt beside the mattress, and when she gently brushed the hair away from the face of one of the girls, Nate swallowed past the lump in his throat. Had this been Taylor’s life until Rosie had taken her away?
“Sweetheart, wake up,” she said to the older of the two, lightly shaking her arm.
The girl shot up, rapidly blinking as she focused on them. Her eyes widened, she scooted in front of her sister—shielding her from view—and pulled a knife from under the one pillow they both shared. She jabbed her weapon at them.
“Easy, sweetie,” Taylor said in a soft voice. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
The girl darted her gaze to Nate. “You try to touch us, I’ll stab you.”
Following Taylor’s example, he knelt, staying at the end of the mattress. “I’m not going to touch you or your sister. We’re here to help you.”
The girl glared at him. “Yeah, like I haven’t heard that one before.”
Taylor opened her jacket, letting the girl see her gun. “If he tries to touch you, I’ll shoot him. What’s your name?”
“You the cops?”
