“I took the battery out of my phone so the bad guys couldn’t track us.”
Luke raked his fingers through his sun-streaked brown hair. “That’s what Ian said. I just . . . man, a sniper. That is so not good.”
“No, it isn’t. Even worse news is we don’t know for sure if the guy’s target was me or if it was Val.”
Luke’s blue eyes widened. “The hell you say.”
“I’m here for my old case files. Lieutenant Hoover thinks the shooter might be someone from my past, someone I pissed off enough to want me dead.”
“What do you think?” Ian asked.
“Too soon to say. Once we get settled, I’ve got some phone calls to make. The most important goes to Jack Morrell. He’s DEA in Miami. I’m hoping he’ll be able to help me figure a few things out. But my gut says this has nothing to do with an old case and everything to do with what’s going on in South America.”
Luke whistled. “South America. So now you’re pissing off some drug cartel?”
“Could be.”
Sadie ambled up to Val, lifted the sleeve of her sweatshirt, and looked at the wide white bandage on her arm. “Never say Ethan doesn’t know how to show a lady a good time.”
“Very funny,” Ethan said.
“How are you feeling?” Sadie asked Val. “You okay?”
“I took a pain pill, so at the moment I’m fine.”
“She’s okay for now, but I need to get her settled in somewhere.”
“You got that covered?” Ian asked.
“Yeah.”
Ian tipped his head toward the back of the office. “Let’s go into the conference room and you can fill us in.”
Setting a hand at Val’s waist, Ethan guided her toward the door to the conference room.
Val sat quietly as Ethan talked to Luke, Ian, and Sadie, going over the events of the day. As the story unfolded, with Ethan dramatizing Val’s bravery in protecting his daughter and embarrassing her, Sadie kept tossing her glances.
Their gazes met, and the look in the older woman’s eyes softened. Apparently, Val’s rating had moved up on her women-suitable-for-her-favorite-men’s list.
“So you’re staying at Dirk’s,” Luke said with a nod of approval. “It’s private. Good access in and out in both directions. He’s got Wi-Fi, and he keeps plenty of hardware there.”
“Hardware?” Val asked, wondering why they might need maintenance tools.
The question seemed to amuse the men. Ethan gave her an indulgent smile. “He means weapons, honey. Dirk’s got a gun safe. He could outfit a small army with what he keeps inside.”
“Oh. Right.” Dirk and his toys. But then, guns and ammunition were hardly toys. A shiver ran through her.
Sadie leaned over and squeezed her hand. “You need anything, you call me. Women have different needs from men. You call, I’ll make sure you get whatever it is.”
Val smiled. “Thank you, Sadie.” She yawned. The pain pill was making her groggy and it was hard to concentrate.
“So that’s it,” Luke said. “You need to leave the house, you call and I’ll come stay with Val. You or your boys need backup, you call. Yeah?”
“All right.” Ethan smiled. “Thanks for the worry, little brother.”
“You’re welcome, pain-in-my-ass big brother.”
Ethan chuckled. “I’ve got to get those files.” He rose and the conversation came to an end. In minutes, Val was back in the Jeep and Ethan was heading for the safety of Dirk’s house.
