Page 45 of Finding English

Chapter 18

She was missing something. The analysis she’d done should be right, but there was something about this drug that kept evading her. Cass ran the numbers again and again, but it came up the same. It was the synthetic in the drug that was causing the problem, or maybe it was because her mind was still so distracted from the weekend’s events.

Every time she thought of Mic missing, her heart began to race, the fear alive and kicking inside her gut. Henry hadn’t left their side all weekend, and with his, Jerry’s, and Josie’s help, they’d managed to get through to her willful child that what she’d done was very dangerous without terrifying her even more.

Jerry had taken her out on Majestic the following day as she and Henry watched close by. He hadn’t wanted her experience to scare her from riding. Cass had punished Mic though, wanting her to have a lasting memory of what happened when you disobeyed your parents. No TV for a week had seemed harsh, but her daughter had accepted it well.

Leaving her with Aubrey and Nate had been hard, but her child needed as much normalcy as she could give her, and it had become usual to leave her with Josie as Nate and Aubrey provided subtle protection. She was safe from Bunce on the farm and with everyone’s heightened awareness, even more protected than ever.

Henry had made her laugh this morning as he drilled instructions into his mother about parenting, causing his mother to raise her brow at him. He’d realized what he was doing, they all had, but it had filled her heart with love that he cared so much for her child. He was running down an alleged sighting of Bunce for Cruz. Since the news had become public, the police had received multiple calls about sightings, and Henry was helping follow up the more substantial ones.

Cass glanced at Jack who was typing on a laptop in the corner of the lab. His intense attention should’ve been intimidating, probably was for most people, but she’d seen the relief in his eyes when they’d found Mic. Knew there was a good man underneath the deadly one who did a job she had no clue about except that it was secretive and dangerous.

“I can feel you looking at me,” he said, and she jumped, his eyes hadn’t left the laptop.

“Thank you for yesterday and for coming to help us catch Bunce.”

Jack stood, strolling toward her dressed in his usual outfit of black combats and a dark tee. He came to a stop beside her and tilted his head. “He’s had our backs dozens of times, and now it’s time to repay the favor.”

“It’s more than that,” Cass challenged knowing in her heart that it was.

“You’re an intelligent woman, Cassie,” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest in a closed-off gesture.

“I am, and I know you wouldn’t drop everything to repay a favor.”

“On the contrary, I would if I could.” He paused and Cass waited him out, knowing he had much more experience with this than her. Could probably wait out a siege if he wanted to. This guy had Black Ops written all over him and had probably killed hundreds of people, yet he didn’t scare her in the slightest.

Eventually, he grinned, and if she hadn’t been in love with Henry, then this Englishman would have her heart racing. “Henry is a friend and friendship is precious.”

“Agreed.” She returned his smile. “Either way, thank you. I want you all to know how grateful I am.”

“I’ll pass that on to the team. Incidentally, you and Mic are good for him. I’m happy he found you.”

“All those words. I think that’s the most you’ve said in the last four weeks.”

Jack laughed then, a deep rumbling sound as his phone rang. His greeting was short and his eyes moved to hers and what she saw had her throat closing up in fear.

Moments later, after only a few words, he hung up.

“What?”

Jack stepped forward, and Cassie stepped back as if she could ward off the words he was about to say.

“Cassie, I need you to stay calm. Henry has been shot.” He took her arm to steady her as she gasped, fear pulsing in her brain. “He’s okay. It’s a flesh wound.”

Cassie pulled away, began gathering her things together.

“What are you doing?” Jack demanded.

“I’m going to Henry. I need to see for myself he’s okay.”

“Cass, that’s a bad idea. We have no idea who the shooter was or why he was shot. This could be a trap.”

Cassie shrugged off her lab coat as she glared at Jack. “I’m going to Henry. You can either come with me or don’t, but I am going.”

“That’s a stupid plan, and you know it.”

“I love him, Jack.”