“War makes a man different, Mary.”
Mary glared at Kat. “Not that different. Reuben Tyler may not talk, but he would never hurt his own people or country. Ever.”
Kat raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll take your word for it. And from what the article said, he wasn’t convicted.”
Mary’s glare receded only slightly. Her back stiffened and her hands clenched into fists. Her pale blue eyes fired up when she was mad. He’d be honored if Mary showed that much loyalty to him. Anyone would.
Nick fought a smile. “If Reuben was one of the men in Santa’s, aka Charles Mercer, unit back in Bosnia, then his house exploding wasn’t an accident.” Nick forced himself to look at Kat. “And Royce confirmed our stiff in Brooklyn, Frank Richards, was a member of the same unit.”
“Okay then, we have something to go on.” Kat reached across the table and snagged a cup from the holder. She pulled the top off and a cloud of steam rose, the air filling with the rich aroma of fresh coffee.
Nick turned to Mary. “Which makes it even more imperative that we find your father before whoever has it in for the unit does. We haven’t checked out your father’s other poker players, Bob Feegan and James Janovich. Do you think they might be harboring him?”
Mary’s face paled. “Do you think they might be in danger because of Dad? If he’s hiding out with them, they well could be.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and selected a number. She waited, her gaze connecting with Nick’s. After a long minute, she shook her head and ended the attempted call. “No answer at Mr. Feegan’s.”
“Try Janovich.” Kat nodded toward the phone resting in Mary’s hand.
Mary dialed and waited. After a while, she shook her head. “Sill no answer. Same as yesterday.” She slipped the phone in her pocket and rubbed her hands over her arms a worried frown pushing her brows together. “I have to go.”
Nick grabbed her before she made it outside. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”
“Mr. Feegan lives in a cabin north of town. Chris Moss lives with him. Mr. Janovich lives in a house east of here on Highway 2. What if my dad is staying with them? A killer could find them by asking around. They could be hurt or...”
“Or nothing. Don’t borrow trouble, Mary.” Nick smoothed a hand down her arm.
Mary’s blue eyes glazed with tears. “If you’re right, and Ms. Betty knows anything about where my father is, she’ll be in trouble too.” She pried at Nick’s hand. “Let me go. I have to go check on them. They’re as much a part of my family as my father.”
“We will,” Nick said. “Ms. Betty is on her way to Fairbanks. Does she have a cell phone?”
Her brow furrowing, Mary answered, “Yes.”
Nick handed her a pen and paper. “Give me the number. I’ll call her and let her know to be careful. We’ll also need addresses for Janovich and Feegan.”
Mary scribbled down the number and addresses.
Kat set her coffee on the table. “I’ll take Janovich.”
“And we’ll drop in on Feegan.” Nick gathered his jacket and gloves from the bed. “After you’ve checked on Janovich, catch up with Betty Reedy in Fairbanks and tail her. She might know something about Santa’s whereabouts.”
“Roger.” Kat’s hand dove under her jacket and she pulled out her nine-millimeter SIG Sauer. She released the clip, tapped it once in her palm, shoved it into the handle and stuck the weapon back in the holster in under three seconds. “I’m ready.”
Mary’s eyes rounded, her face paled.
Nick hid a smile.
Kat must have realized Mary was staring at her. “What? Haven’t you ever fired a pistol?”
“No, I mean yes. My father taught me when I was a teen.” Mary laughed, the sound shaky at best. “I just didn’t expect everyone around me to be carrying one.” Her gaze shot to Nick’s pistol lying on the dresser where he’d left it last night. A shiver shook her body.
Everything that was happening was a lot for Mary to handle. If he could have, Nick would have left her in town, but he didn’t trust her not to do something stupid like try to find her father on her own. “Come on.”
Mary grabbed her coat, gloves and hat from her bedroom and slipped into her snowpants and boots.
“You doing her?” Kat tipped her head toward Mary’s door.
“For a married woman, you’re very crude,” he replied without taking his gaze off Mary’s door.
“It’s a tough life being an SOS agent, whether as part of the government or not. It’s hard to manage a relationship even when you’re both on the inside.”
