Page 61 of Breached

After the drone was stored safely back in its case, it was put in the back of the SUV, and we headed back to Shadows. We all had follow-up calls to make, and the wives had returned from town and were doing some last-minute packing before shipping out the next day. We had all planned to meet up for one last dinner before they left in the morning.

I heard Doc Roberts speaking with someone as I kicked off my muddy boots. He seemed unusually stressed. His phone was to his ear, his voice low and urgent. He rushed by me toward his office, avoiding eye contact. I wondered if something had happened while we were at The Peak.

I spotted Nicole talking to Mia, and the way she held herself and blew out her cheeks, I knew something was bothering her as well. As she turned away, I walked quickly toward Mia, and she nodded for me to follow her into the other room.

“What’s going on?” I asked, struggling to get my clean shoes on. “Is it her wound?”

“No, she’s fine. I had her checked out. She’s just tender. Nothing to worry about,” she assured me.

“What is it, then?”

“I was working in the main office manning the phone today.” She paused and took a deep breath. I knew she felt the loss of Daniel and Sue—they had always been the ones who kept the place running smoothly in so many ways. They and Abby had been invaluable. “Someone named Rafe Hunter called and asked to speak with Cole, but you all were at The Peak, so he asked to speak with Nicole.” I nodded. I didn’t have a problem with Hunter speaking to Nicole. The man was as loyal as the rest of us, but where my discomfort lay was in why he wanted to speak with her.

“Okay.” I shifted my stance.

“I had him wait while I ran it by her first, and she agreed to take the call. I left them alone to talk but hovered nearby, and about five minutes later she came out with a flushed face and tried to act like everything was fine. But I knew it wasn’t.”

“Huh.” I wondered what in the world Hunter could have shared with her.

“Paul, I know Savi knows him, but who is that guy?” Mia tilted her head at me.

“He’s an old friend, ex-Navy and a good guy. Has some interesting connections to people Mike knows.” I didn’t have to say more—she knew not to press. “We met up with him in New Mexico when we were there. Whatever it was, there wouldn’t have been any malice behind it. Maybe he needed to talk to one of us who was just there.” I looked at her. “I’ll check it out, though. You did good, Mia. Thanks for that.”

She nodded then held up her hand. “I know that the unspeakable is going on right now, but I need to tell you what else happened this morning.”

“Should I sit down?” I tried to sound lighthearted but didn’t pull it off.

She rubbed her head like it hurt. “Something’s off, Paul, with this house, the people, besides the obvious, I mean.” She looked over my shoulder, and I knew by the expression on her face she had spotted her husband. I turned and saw Mark. “It’ll have to wait.” Then she hesitated. “You know what? No. You should ask Nicole.”

“Nicole?”

I watched Mia walk right into Mark’s arms without breaking stride, and she buried her face into his neck. He wrapped her up tight and took a moment to hold her. I caught his face and knew he was as worried as we all were.

Movement caught my eye and a slow ache burned low in my chest as I glanced over at Nicole, and she was watching them, too. I headed over and stopped directly in front of her.

“Hey,” I felt it best to go slow, “how’s it going?”

“It’s been an interesting morning,” she said as she fiddled with her bracelet, avoiding eye contact. “You?”

“Good. The drone performed well.” I fought not to demand answers.

“I was wondering, given the⁠—”

I cut her off. “What did Rafe Hunter want?” I couldn’t handle any small talk—I just didn’t have the mind space for it.

“He wanted to warn me that Bruno had found out I had also been working as a CI,” she replied immediately, and I sucked in a breath.

“How did he find out?”

She gave a slow shrug. “Rafe, he told me to call him that,” she added as my brow went up. “figured it might have to do with someone in the FBI. Someone I might have pissed off when I didn’t hand over a certain sweet little boy.”

“What? He thinks FBI Agent Cooper Colin ratted you out to Bruno about working with the DEA?” Even as I spelled it out, it kind of made sense. All of us military brothers, and the Devil’s Reach, Grim Gates, even Elio Capri had our suspicions that Colin played both sides of the fence, but to rat out Nicole to the Cartel… That would be a bold move, even for him.

“Not thinks…” Her brows went high.

“Son of a bitch.” I ran my tongue along my teeth as I absorbed that then leaned down so I was eye level with her. “You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you, right?”

She nodded. “I know. I’m just disappointed I missed Bruno’s face when he found out.” The corner of her mouth lifted, but I saw there was something more there. Something she wasn’t telling me. “I just don’t know why he’d do that. What’s the advantage?”