Chain Reaction, page 13
part #2 of Liar's Game Series
“Yeah, well, the founding fathers hadn’t counted on 9/11. It’s a new world.”
“And this was an old bug. Besides, not five minutes ago you were cursing Davies and his attempt to entrap you.” She waited a beat for her words to sink in, and then turned away from him to look out the window.
Telephone poles raced past, the only sound in the car the whine of the engine and the squeak of the windshield wipers as they pushed away the beginning fall of rain. The storm was almost upon them.
“I didn’t mean to attack your mother. I just can’t help coming back to the fact that you’re amazingly resilient and world-wise for someone who spent most of her life in a place like Cedar Branch.”
“Just because I live in a small town doesn’t make me some kind of backwoods yahoo. I traveled with my parents, I spent time in the rainforests of Colombia and I lived in California for four years when I was in college. Besides, the people I knew in Cedar Branch — the people who died there — they weren’t yahoos, either. I suspect if you’d had the chance to get to know them, you’d have been surprised at just how fabulous they really were.” Tears threatened but she wiped them away, not willing to let Nick see just how much he’d hurt her.
Yellow neon flashed ahead, cutting through the now driving rain, the sign signaling that they’d reached the motel. Nick pulled the car into the empty lot and coasted to a stop. She kept her face turned toward the window, hoping that he’d just get out and leave her alone.
But he didn’t.
Silence stretched between them and then he reached for her, pulling her around to face him. “I’m sorry, Mia. I was out of line. But it’s like I said before — everyone has something to hide. And more times than not it’s my job to expose whatever it is. For what it’s worth, I want to believe you. I know that’s not much. But it’s all I’ve got. I didn’t mean to belittle your friends. I’m sure they were wonderful people.”
She nodded, not trusting herself with words. So much had been lost.
He reached out to brush away the tears that were trembling on her eyelashes. She shivered, her pain morphing into something more primitive, the emotion surprising her with its intensity. He leaned forward, his breath mixing with hers, and without giving herself time for second thoughts, she closed the distance between them.
There was nothing tentative in the kiss. Their pent-up anger exploded into passion, raging through her like an out of control fire. She parted her lips, opening for him, her tongue circling his as she reveled in the feel of his mouth against hers.
She pulled him closer, knowing she was treading on dangerous ground. Nicholas Price wasn’t the kind of man to start something he wasn’t prepared to finish.
She knew she should stop him, but here in the warmth of the car, with the rain beating a rhythm against the roof, she didn’t want to pull away. The toll of the past few days was beyond measure, and just for a moment, she wanted to forget. To escape into the silent seduction of the kiss.
Thunder rolled in the distance, the vibration running through them like an electric current. She pressed closer, not sure what it was she needed, but absolutely certain that he was the only one who could give it to her.
She twined her fingers through his hair, delighting in the soft silky curls, a stark contrast to the hard-bitten strength of the man himself.
His lips moved to her cheeks, then to her eyes, his callused fingers framing her face. Shivers of pleasure raced through her, building with each touch, each caress. Then he moved again, taking possession of her lips, his kiss demanding now — possessive.
A hint of worry rippled through her, but was gone before she had time to think about it. Her hands were trapped between them, his heart beating wildly against her fingers, the syncopated rhythm matching her own. She traced the line of his lips with her tongue, smiling against his mouth when he groaned with pleasure.
There was power in knowing that she aroused him — that the seduction was mutual, her strength matching his. And on that thought, she let go of any doubt, intent instead upon riding the wave.
Thunder crashed overhead, followed by the discordant ringing of a cell phone. Reality broke through the pheromone-charged haze that had engulfed them. She struggled to an upright position, the heat of a flush burning her cheeks — passion fleeing in the wake of embarrassment.
Nick pulled out his phone, flipping it open, his eyes meeting hers across the distance of the front seat. “Price.”
There was a moment of silence as he listened to whatever the caller had to say, his scowl banishing any last vestiges of passion.
“It’s Matt,” he said, the words perfunctory, his mind already focused on his friend’s call. As if to underscore the point, he opened the car door and dashed through the rain to the comparative cover of the porch outside the motel’s office. The resulting distance seeming almost unbreachable.
For a moment, she sat frozen in the car, confused, disappointment mixing with a healthy dose of relief. She felt as though she’d managed to sidestep an emotional minefield. There was so much at stake, and she’d been about to surrender everything to a man who openly admitted that he still doubted her.
She was savvy enough to know that a door had been opened. One that wouldn’t easily be shut again. Sooner or later they would have to face the attraction that lay between them. But not now.
Without realizing it, Matt Young had done her a favor.
The only problem was, she didn’t feel the slightest bit grateful.
* * *
CHAPTER TWELVE
“SO I’M ASSUMING THIS is something important or you wouldn’t be risking contact,” Nick said, frowning as Mia emerged from the car, a newspaper tented over her head. She ran for the porch, bypassing him to go into the office without even a second glance.
“I’m on a secure line. I know there’s still a risk, but the shit’s hitting the fan and I figured you’d appreciate the heads-up.” The tenor of his friend’s voice snapped his thoughts away from Mia.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“I guess it depends on whether or not you’re helping Mia Kearney.” It was a statement, not a question. But then Matt knew him better than pretty much anyone.
“I’m with her, but I’m assuming you worked that out on your own. As to helping her — let’s just say that for the moment our interests coincide.”
“Just be sure you’re backing the right team. I know you like playing rogue operative, but this is getting serious.”
“It’s always serious, Matt. And at least for the moment, I’m inclined to believe that Mia had nothing to do with this. Which means that there’s something else going on. And I intend to find out what it is.”
“It may cost you your career.”
“Since when has that been an issue for me?” He tried to curb his frustration. Matt was only trying to help.
“Well, the game has changed. S&C isn’t just looking for a victim.”
“Come again?” Nick frowned, turning so that he could see Mia through the office window. She was talking to the clerk, her hands waving to emphasize whatever it was she was saying.
“According to the scuttle I’m hearing, Davies has proof that Mia was connected to the explosion. And more importantly, he’s claiming your involvement goes deeper than just an interest in the truth. He’s branding you a traitor.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I know that. And I think Gordon’s still behind you. But Ricks is buying into it. Apparently he and the director of the CIA had a little confab, and the bottom line is that Harry Norton says he has evidence.”
“How many people know?” Nick watched as the L in the Lazy Daze’s sign blinked on and off, the motion making the motel moniker seem tackier than it already was.
“So far it’s been pretty contained,” Matt said, pulling Nick’s attention back to the conversation. “Besides Norton and Davies, I think Gordon and Ricks are the only ones. I only know about it because I happened to overhear the conversation between Gordon and Ricks.”
“Happened to overhear?” Despite the gravity of the situation, Nick smiled.
“Well, let’s just say there was computer technology involved.” Matt laughed, and then sobered. “But this isn’t a joke, Nick. Whatever’s going on, there are some powerful players involved. And that means you’ve got big trouble. It isn’t too late to get the hell out of there. To bring Mia Kearney in. We can keep her safe until all this is sorted out.”
“From what you’re telling me, bringing her in would only play into S&C’s hands. Which means it’s too late to play this by the book.” Nick watched as Mia signed the register, the soft silk of her hair screening her face. “Hell, it was too late the minute she slammed me in the head with a chair leg.”
“You always were a sucker for lost causes.”
“If you’re talking about Katie, I didn’t have any choice. I had to do what I did. The only way to have any kind of closure was to find the truth about her death.”
“Maybe some things we’re better off not knowing.”
“You don’t believe that any more than I do. But I appreciate your concern.”
“Hey, what can I say, I’m used to having you around. Anyway, there’s more bad news.”
Nick tightened his hand on the phone. “Figures.”
“When I said it was some serious shit, I wasn’t kidding. Davies put a trace in your computer.”
“I know. We found it.”
“We?”
“Mia, actually. Seems she knows her way around a computer.”
“I thought she was an artist.”
“She is. But apparently she’s got a few more skills.” He closed his eyes, his blood pressure rising with the memory of her body pressed against his. Dangerous waters. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Anyway, we managed to attach it to an eastbound truck. Hopefully, that’ll buy us a little time. You got my e-mail?”
“Yeah,” Matt said, accepting the change of subject without protest. “And I did a little checking. Unfortunately, folks at Tucker’s office are closemouthed as hell. I pulled all the stops and nada. My guess is that I hit a nerve.”
“Great. So we’ve got nothing.”
“I didn’t say that.” Nick could hear the smile in his friend’s voice.
“When I struck out with Tucker’s folks, I went around him. Tried some of his cohorts on the appropriations committee. And I think I hit pay dirt with an aide in Walter Hatcher’s office. He was fairly open about the relationship between Hatcher and Tucker, but then he shut down completely. I figured someone walked in or he got an attack of conscience. Either way I thought we were dead in the water.”
“But something else happened,” Nick prompted.
“Yeah. He called me back. At three in the fucking morning.”
“Sounds promising.”
“Actually, it was cryptic as hell. He mentioned the house appropriations bill and then mumbled something about things being hidden in plain sight.”
“That’s it?” Nick fought against frustration.
“Yeah, he hung up before I could ask questions.”
“Have you tried to reach him again?”
“Apparently he’s on vacation. Probably the permanent kind,” Matt said.
“Which points to the fact that Hatcher’s involved in this somehow.”
“Makes sense, considering the nuke was routed through Idaho. But I’ll be damned if I know what the appropriations bill has to do with any of this.”
“I’ll just have to figure it out.”
“Let me know if I can help.”
“You already have,” Nick said, nodding even though Matt couldn’t see. “But I don’t want you to risk anything more for me.”
“Hell, it’s the most fun I’ve had in ages. You know I like the cloak-and-dagger stuff. Anyway, since your best bet seems to be the appropriations bill, I set you up with a link to the document. It’s all public information, but it can be a little tricky getting the complete bill. This is the real deal.”
“You get it through normal channels?” Nick already knew the answer, but Matt deserved credit where it was due.
“Guess that depends on what you call normal. Anyway, I transferred the whole thing to one of my aliases. So your access should be secure.”
“Thanks, Matt.”
“Not a problem.” His friend clicked off, the dead air a reminder that essentially Nick was in this alone.
Sort of.
Mia walked out the door, stopping at the far edge of the porch, the distance between them telling him a hell of a lot more than any words could have. Her back was turned, her attention seemingly on the rain. Then with a sigh, she pivoted to face him, leaning back against the railing.
“I got us rooms. Fortunately, the clerk was so happy to have customers, he didn’t ask questions. Just took the cash and gave me a couple of keys.” She held them up, lifting her eyes to meet his, her expression guarded. Not that he blamed her, really. “What did Matt have to say?”
“A lot. But it’ll wait until we’re somewhere a little more private.”
She nodded and started for the car, but he cut her off, stopping her with his hand.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have —”
“Forget it,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “It was just the heat of the moment. It won’t happen again.”
She pulled free and sprinted down the steps toward a room at the far end of the complex. He watched her running, his head and his heart having different reactions. He knew she was right. It shouldn’t happen again. There were any number of very sound reasons why getting involved with her was a bad idea.
He knew what he ought to do — but well, he’d never been one to follow the rules.
And, truth be told, he wasn’t inclined to do so now.
MIA LEANED AGAINST the closed door of the motel room, fighting for breath. It had taken every ounce of her strength not to throw herself into his arms and beg him to tell her that the moment in the car had meant something more than fear morphing into passion.
But she already knew the answer and wasn’t going to let herself in for the embarrassment of hearing him state the obvious. All she had to do was put the kiss behind her. Everyone had moments of weakness, and hers was understandable given the circumstances. Except that the stakes were so high, she couldn’t afford a misstep.
It was perfectly clear that Davies’s men wanted her dead. And it was equally clear that they’d used Nick to get to her. But what wasn’t clear was whether she could trust him. One minute he was admitting that he didn’t believe her, and the next he was kissing her. Definitely mixed signals.
None of which really mattered. The point was that it was over. And she wasn’t going to let it happen again. A part of her knew that it would be best to put as much distance between them as possible. But she was also aware that she needed him. Despite being able to think on her feet, she hadn’t had experience with people like Davies. Nick knew how a man like that operated.
Hell, if the situation had played out differently, he might have been the one hunting her.
But he wasn’t.
And for now, she just needed to keep sight of that fact — and keep her emotions in check. Which of course was easier said than done.
The wooden planks of the porch outside the room squeaked, and Mia moved away from the door just in time to avoid being hit as it opened.
“We need to talk.” Nick filled the doorway, his presence seeming almost larger than life.
“Yeah, I know.” She sank down on the end of the bed.
“Matt confirmed the fact that Davies planted the bug. I told him you’d already found it.”
She smiled, wondering why such a little thing seemed like a victory. “It was a logical conclusion.”
“Maybe. But I didn’t figure it out. Anyway, apparently Davies is claiming that he’s got evidence proving you had something to do with the explosion.”
“You guys just won’t let it go.”
Nick held up a hand in protest. “There’s more. Davies — or his bosses, anyway — are also asserting that I’m helping you. They’re calling me a traitor.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” His smile was fleeting. “The important thing here is that it changes the game. Harry Norton, Davies’s boss, has convinced the head of Homeland Security that it’s all true. Which means we can’t expect any help from that quarter.”
“But Matt called.”
“On his own dime. He wanted to make sure I knew which way the wind was blowing.”
“Okay, so we’re on our own. I’m not sure how that changes the status quo.”
“On the surface, it doesn’t. But the very idea that they’ve manufactured evidence is indicative of the fact that there is something to cover up. Otherwise it wouldn’t matter. S&C not questioning your involvement in the explosion raised a red flag for me —” She opened her mouth to argue, but he waved her quiet. “Doesn’t matter if it’s true. It still should have been the first thing they asked.”
“But they didn’t.”
“Right. Next up, after your escape, they did two things that don’t really make sense. They didn’t call in backup to try and find you. And they bugged me in the hopes that I’d lead them to you.”
“More red flags,” she said, watching his face, trying to gauge his sincerity. “So you’re saying the fact that they’re making up lies about you — and, for that matter, about me — is tantamount to admitting that there’s something else going on. A smoke screen to hide the fact that something happened in Cedar Branch that needs to be kept secret.”
“And your survival is tied into it all somehow.”
For a moment she thought he was doubting her again, but then she realized he was actually saying just the opposite. Relief mixed with sheer happiness. “You believe me.”
“As much as I can ever really believe in anyone — yes, I do.”
It didn’t really change anything. But it was nice to hear the words. To know that at least for the moment, they were truly on the same side. She pushed the thoughts away before they could extend to areas she wasn’t ready to consider. Better to focus on the situation at hand.
