Vendetta (Otter Creek Book 10) Page 14

  “Do you have to be so stubborn?”

  She smiled. “Didn’t you know? Stubborn is my middle name.”

  He gave a huff of laughter. “Now you tell me.”

  “You could walk away.”

  He slid her a sidelong glance. “Not a chance. It’s too late for that.”

  What did that mean? “Care to elaborate?”

  Marcus shook his head as he negotiated the turn into PSI’s driveway. At the front entrance to the main building, two tall, muscular men waited. Dressed in black, Josh Cahill and Rio Kincaid met them as they exited the truck.

  “Any trouble?” Josh asked, his gaze scanning the area.

  “No.” Marcus reached for Paige’s hand.

  “Inside. No need to present a tempting target.” Rio motioned them toward the front doors, then he and Josh fell into step behind them.

  Paige hated this. She didn’t want her friends or Marcus in the line of fire. Inside the entrance, she tried to rush Marcus away from the windows. How could these security conscious men have this much glass where they worked? Weren’t they worried about a bullet shattering the glass and striking one of them?

  “Paige, you and Marcus are safe.” Josh inclined his head to the windows. “Bullet-resistant glass.”

  She skidded to a stop, shuddered. Bullet-resistant was good. She’d prefer bulletproof although nothing was impermeable with the right weapons.

  “Hey.” Marcus cupped her face between his palms. “We’ll be fine.”

  Paige pressed her cheek against his hand. How would she survive if something happened to him? The breath froze in her lungs as the depth of her feelings swelled. Not possible. She couldn’t be in love with him. They’d only been on one date.

  “Paige?”

  She glanced at Rio.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I will be.” She and Marcus must survive. She wanted to find out what was ahead for them.

  “Conference room’s this way.” Josh led them across the lobby and down a hallway. Light streamed from an open doorway at the end of the corridor. A rumble of male voices stopped when Josh walked inside the room.

  To her surprise, Marcus eased Paige behind him and entered the room first. To walk in front of her was out of character for him. Then she realized he’d placed his body in front of hers as a shield.

  She had no chance of protecting her heart from this man. She was in deep enough she couldn’t save herself from searing pain if Marcus didn’t feel the same way. Was she in this deep alone? Goodness, she hoped not. This was a scary place without a life partner to share the roller coaster ride.

  Josh’s and St. Claire’s teammates were seated around the table. The operatives stood when she crossed the threshold.

  Marcus interlaced their fingers and led her to two chairs.

  Once they were seated, the operatives greeted her and Marcus. All of them frequented the community center to play with the kids. From what she’d seen, the operatives and the kids enjoyed themselves. The afternoons and nights the soldiers were on site, she hadn’t been called upon to referee the teens or kids.

  Nate Armstrong established the videoconference with Maddox and Zane. Both men seemed to be at their homes.

  Regret filled Paige. She hated to interrupt time with their families.

  “Talk to me,” Maddox said. “I’m reading a bedtime story to Alexa soon. Marcus, start at the beginning so the operatives know what’s happening and why.”

  “Some of this is fact, some is supposition,” Marcus began. He summarized the events of the last few days. When he talked about her attack at the center, the operatives scowled.

  What had taken days to live took minutes to relate in a succinct manner.

  “You have personal enemies, Paige?” Alex Morgan, a teammate of Josh’s, asked.

  She shook her head.

  “Problems at the community center?”

  “Only the battle with Mayor Parks.”

  Nate snorted. “He has his own agenda with every decision the council makes. What he wants isn’t always in the best interests of the town.”

  “What’s his problem with the community center?” Quinn Gallagher wanted to know.

  “Money, what else?” Paige said to Josh’s teammate. “He’s holding the town’s purse strings tight on every project or budget but his own. He says there’s no money for what I need. Of course, he complains if the center isn’t open when he wants it to be.”

  “Paige needs money to hire a full-time employee,” Marcus said, his fingers tightening on hers. “She’s working 60 to 70 hours per week.”

  Trent St. Claire whistled. “Way too much.”

  “You’ve worked far more than that in a week,” she pointed out.

  “People’s lives depend on us doing our jobs. Although the community might gripe if you don’t open the center, they won’t die from the inconvenience. We aren’t always deployed. Fortress teams rotate, and between missions we spend time with our families and friends. When was the last time you went on vacation?”

  She remained silent. Wouldn’t help to complain. None of these men had the power to bring about a change.

  “That’s what I thought.” Trent turned to the large television screen where Zane and Maddox watched and listened to the discussion. “Are we sure Marcus’s past is connected to Paige’s trouble?”

  “Given the uptick in communications and activity in the O’Reilly organization plus the sudden hike in the bounty, I think it’s a good bet,” Maddox said, frowning. “I’m not positive O’Reilly will hand this to one of his usual corral of cleanup men.”

  “I’ll check into it,” Zane said.

  “Do you think part of this is about Paige?” Josh asked.

  “I’m not seeing how the teenager’s death fits into the whole. Cahill and St. Claire, come up with a plan. Whatever you need is yours.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Any progress on the orchard fire?”

  “Arson. Gasoline was the accelerant. No surveillance cameras or close neighbors means no witnesses.”

  “In other words, Santana doesn’t have much.”

  “Not much to go on.”

  A grunt from the buzz-cut blond. “Keep me up to date. Paige, Marcus, follow the plan the teams come up with to the letter. As soon as we know who’s behind the attacks, we’ll go after the source. I want to know if Marcus’s past is surfacing. If it is, we’ll take care of it. Permanently.”

  Did she really want to know what that meant? Probably not. Paige glanced at Marcus, noted his pallor. Yeah, that was a good indication the solution would be painful for O’Reilly and his henchmen.

  A high-pitched voice had Maddox turning aside for a moment. He murmured something soft, then faced the screen again. “I need to go. Anything else?”

  “We’ll hash things out and get back to you and Zane.” Josh ended the video feed. “Let’s talk.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Marcus walked inside the community center with Paige, his gaze searching the darkened corners and corridors. Everything looked normal which made it hard to believe someone had almost killed the woman gripping his hand. He would never forget the gut-wrenching fear and fury he’d experienced a few days earlier. “Glad to be back?”

  “Yes and no. I can’t help remembering the feel of Strong Man’s hands around my throat.”

  “He’s not waiting for you, and you’re not alone. I’ll be around as much as possible today, and Fortress operatives will be here throughout the day.” Marcus locked the door behind them.

  He turned on lights, and a florescent glare lit the cavernous room. The air was still, the atmosphere peaceful. Wouldn’t last long, he knew. As soon as the public arrived, chaos would ensue, hopefully the good kind.

  Paige looked toward the boy’s locker room. “I should check the room.” Her expression and body language showcased her reluctance.

  “The locker room is clean. Nick called crime scene cleaners that work with the police department. They also
clean up industrial accidents. They know what they’re doing.”

  “Thank goodness. I wasn’t looking forward to the task.”

  He hadn’t been, either. However, to keep Paige from facing the task, he’d planned to don a pair of rubber gloves and disinfect the locker room and the hallway. “Do you want to walk through the center?”

  She nodded. “I need to make sure everything is ready. I didn’t have a chance to do that the night I was attacked. I’d planned to come early the next morning to take care of the details for the next day’s activities, then hit the paperwork that multiplies like rabbits overnight.”

  Marcus squeezed her hand. “I’ll take the grand tour with you.”

  Together, they walked the facility. The locker rooms had a towel strewn here and there, a pair of flip flops, two shirts, and a hairbrush.

  Back in the gym, Marcus glanced at his watch. “People will arrive soon. You ready?”

  “Ready to return to normal.” Her lips curved. “Unfortunately, our situation can’t be classified as normal even if the center’s facility is shipshape.”

  “You still want to visit Dalton and Seth with me?”

  “Absolutely. I hope the boys will talk about Van. They know something.”

  “Agreed.” He didn’t think they would be any more forthcoming.

  Marcus frowned. Something about that whole Croft scenario bugged him. Aside from the fact it would have been difficult to study geometry on a poorly lit porch even with a flashlight, he had a hard time seeing Seth sneaking around to do homework or study for a test at midnight. Didn’t seem like the place Dalton would recommend meeting, either.

  “Did you charge your cell phone?” he asked.

  “Overnight. Before you ask, it’s in my pocket.”

  He kissed her, slow and easy as though they had hours instead of minutes. This might be his only chance to focus on her without constant interruptions. Once the circus started today, it wouldn’t stop until he slipped into bed.

  Marcus eased back, reluctant to break their kiss. The woman in his arms looked dazed. He released his hold when someone banged on the center’s front door. “Go to your office until I’m sure it’s safe.”

  He walked across the gym to the door. Alex Morgan stood on the other side of the glass, gym bag in hand. He nodded a greeting and surveyed the square coming to life as residents of Otter Creek began the day.

  Marcus disengaged the lock for Durango’s sniper. “Hope Ivy wasn’t upset with your late night at PSI.”

  At the mention of his wife’s name, Alex’s face lit up. “She understood. Fortunately, she doesn’t have a class until 11:00 today. She was able to sleep in this morning.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “She waited up for you?”

  “If I’m not deployed, Ivy won’t go to sleep until I’m home.”

  “She’s feeling okay?” The soldier and his wife were expecting their first child.

  A grin. “Never better. Doc Anderson says Ivy and the baby are doing great. We have three months to go.”

  Marcus squeezed the other man’s shoulder. “Glad to hear they’re doing well, Alex. Where do you want to set up?”

  His friend tilted his chin at the basketball goal. “Right here. I’ll be able to see everything going on and keep an eye on Paige.”

  He scanned the Special Forces soldier, frowned. “Are you armed?”

  A snort from Alex.

  Right. What was he thinking? None of the Fortress operatives went anywhere without multiple weapons on them. Marcus held up his hand. “Sorry. I know better. I appreciate you protecting Paige.”

  Alex stared at him a moment, then said softly, “Does she know you love her?”

  “That obvious?”

  “To me.”

  “I’m afraid it’s too soon to tell her, Alex.”

  The sniper’s lips curved. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  His heart skipped a beat. Did Paige love him? Is that what Alex had seen? Man, he hoped so. Nothing would make him happier except placing a wedding ring on her finger. He wanted to laugh at himself. Planning to marry a woman he’d dated once? If Paige knew that, she might run from him.

  “Marcus?” Paige called from her office.

  He turned. “Alex is here.”

  A moment later, Paige hugged Alex. “Thanks for babysitting me this morning. How’s Ivy?”

  “Terrific.”

  A steady stream of people began arriving. Some headed for the workout equipment, unaware or uncaring of the drama surrounding the community center and Paige. Others congregated around Marcus, expressions anxious. A group of women huddled around Paige. In the middle of the chaos, Mayor Parks arrived for his session in the weight room.

  The mayor’s expression hardened as he made his way across the gym floor to stand toe-to-toe with Marcus. “A word, Pastor Lang.”

  Marcus shook hands with the few men still hovering near him, encouraging them to go on with their workouts or to play basketball with Alex.

  When he broke away from the remnants, he found Parks standing near the stage, bag at his feet. The mayor leaned against the wooden platform, arms folded across his chest. “What did you want to talk about, Mr. Mayor?”

  “Fifteen thousand dollars for plumbing.”

  “Elliott Construction’s estimate is a fair one. I asked a plumber from another company for another estimate. His was higher than Elliott’s.”

  “This is an unnecessary expense.”

  A flash of irritation rolled over Marcus. “Are you getting up twice a night to empty an extra-large bucket filled with water?”

  “Of course not.”

  “I am. Every time I run the dishwasher or washing machine, the leak is worse. If I don’t empty the bucket, water will flood the bathroom floor and the church would have an even larger expense to replace flooring. You wouldn’t tolerate this in your home. I shouldn’t have to, either. Look, I’m not asking for a remodeling job. I’m asking to replace corroding pipes before we have a larger bill.”

  “You can’t do a simple plumbing job?” A sneer settled on the mayor’s face.

  “All the pipes in the house need to be replaced, and I’m not a plumber. If you force me to become one, I won’t have time to take care of my pastoral responsibilities.”

  “You don’t seem to be taking care of them as it is. What’s the difference?”

  Marcus stared, stunned. “What are you talking about? What responsibility have I neglected?”

  “You can’t be doing your job. Every time I’ve seen you around town lately, you’re in the company of Paige Jensen.”

  He stepped closer, dropped his voice. “I have a right to a private life, Mayor Parks. I’m capable of fulfilling my obligations and dating Paige.”

  “You’ve moved beyond dating, Lang,” the portly man snapped out.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m filing a complaint with Cornerstone’s deacon board concerning your behavior. No preacher should ever conduct himself as you have.”

  Marcus waited until his temper and voice were under control. “Are you accusing me of immoral behavior?”

  “You’re living with her.”

  “I’m staying with her and her grandmother. Nicole Copeland and Mason Kincaid are also staying at the inn. We’re worried about Paige and Jo’s safety. No one else from the church has questioned the arrangement, including the deacons. And before you ask, yes, I informed them of the arrangements. If you still want to go to the deacon board, that is your right. You better have proof before you level that kind of accusation. You want to throw barbs at me? Fine. But I won’t tolerate anyone dragging Paige’s reputation through the mud.”

  “Are you threatening me?” Parks hissed, fury filling his gaze.

  “Not a threat. A promise.”

  The mayor stalked off toward the weight room.

  Marcus blew out a breath, frustrated beyond belief. How did Parks live with himself? When a basketball sailed his direction, he snagged
the ball in mid-air.

  Alex jogged over. “Nice job with the mayor,” he murmured. “Don’t take it personally. Parks is out to get everyone.”

  “How can I not take it personally? His accusations could cause the church to vote me out as pastor.”

  “Give our congregation some credit, Marcus.” The soldier clapped him on the shoulder and trotted back to the basketball goal.

  Marcus trusted his people. But how many would look at him and wonder if he was telling the truth? His ministry at Cornerstone Church may be coming to an end.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  When Marcus left to meet Dave Wilder at the church, Paige knew something was wrong. His mood had grown more somber as the morning progressed. He still ministered to those who needed it, visited with those who didn’t. He’d stayed near her. More than once, she felt his hand on her back in silent support as she answered the same questions. Attentive despite the inner battle Marcus fought.

  Did his mood have anything to do with his heated discussion with the mayor? Parks had been in a foul mood when he stomped by on his way to work thirty minutes sooner than normal. He’d glared at Paige as he moved past her to the front door. And when she’d questioned Marcus, he kissed her even though they were in the center of the gym and refused to explain.

  The people in the gym had stared at them, most smiling or giving a thumbs up. Very few looked surprised. Not the way she planned to announce their relationship to the town. Marcus, however, hadn’t seemed to mind the attention or speculation.

  “You okay?”

  She turned to the operative watching her. “I’m concerned about Marcus.”

  Nate Armstrong tapped her nose gently. “Things will work themselves out.”

  “I hope you’re right. I don’t know what Mayor Parks said to Marcus, but it upset him.”

  “He’ll tell you if he can.”

  She mentally took a step back, considering the implication of Nate’s words. Marcus was bound by his calling to keep confidences. Paige loved him. She might as well accept he wouldn’t always be able to confide in her when he was troubled. All she could do was be there for him and have a sympathetic ear if he needed one. “Thanks, Nate. I needed that reminder.”