Undercover Texas

Chapter Ten



The narrow Texas county road leading to the woman who would make up Erin’s and Brandon’s new documents headed straight west. A few hills, lots of open spaces and no other vehicles as far as Hunter could see. He glanced at his watch. They were cutting it a bit too close to the scheduled meeting for his liking.

By the time he and Erin had delivered Ethan safely back to Blake and Amanda, the sun had risen high in the sky. They’d grabbed a quick bite for the road and changed Brandon, and now the SUV headed to a rendezvous point in the middle of nowhere.

The woman creating Erin and Brandon’s documents was supposed to be out here. Somewhere. And she didn’t wait for stragglers. Hers was a mobile operation and she didn’t like staying in any one place too long. No exceptions.

Erin looked around dubiously. “Are you certain this is the right way?”

“According to Logan. A little farther and we should be there.”

Hunter turned the SUV off-road, and the vehicle shot dirt into the air around them. The cloud of dust would be visible from quite a distance. He’d taken a few detours along the way, and hadn’t seen a tail, but somehow the people who wanted Erin knew their location. He’d torn everything apart looking for a bug but had found nothing.

They needed to get the paperwork done and move on. Fast.

Finally, just over a small hill, he spotted a pickup truck with a nondescript tow camper behind it.

“Just like Logan described it,” Hunter commented. “This woman must be paranoid as hell. There’s nothing out here but mesquite and lizards.”

He pulled up about twenty-five feet away from the camper, as instructed. Hunter removed his gun from the back of his pants and set it on the seat next to Erin.

“Move over to the driver’s side. If something goes wrong, get out of here. Go to Blake and have him contact Logan. Understand?”

She gripped the weapon and scooted over as he exited the vehicle. “Don’t let anything happen, Hunter. Please.”

“No worries.” He gave her a quick wink. “We’ll be fine.”

He trusted Logan, but Hunter couldn’t ignore the tingling that had settled on the back of his neck. It had started the moment the team had attacked them at the Florida safe house. How had they known how to find them? The Zodiac assault on the Precious Memories had sent the feeling into overdrive. Now the warning signals hummed under his skin again.

“Halt. That’s far enough,” an electronic voice boomed through a sound system. “Who’s with you?”

“Scorpion,” Hunter said, providing her with the preagreed-upon code word.

“Stay where you are. I’ll come out.”

A small, attractive woman, her dark hair tied up in a topknot, emerged from the camper, an Uzi in her hand. “You Clay Griffin?”

So Logan had decided to use the alias. Good. One less person aware of his real identity. Hunter nodded and raised his hands in the air. “I’m unarmed.”

She shook her head. “And I’m Little Orphan Annie. In fact, just call me Annie. Don’t bother taking the knife out of your boot. I’m assuming you have a gun stashed somewhere, too.”

Hunter didn’t say a word.

“That’s what I thought. Good thing Logan vouched for you. I don’t like being lied to. Makes my trigger finger itchy.” She stood fifteen feet away, legs apart, her stance aggressive and ready. She nodded toward Erin and Brandon. “Those the two I need to finalize the documentation for?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know one was a baby. I’ll need two signatures for the passport—mother and father. You prepared for that?”

“Come up with a name, and I’ll sign,” Hunter said.

“Bring them inside.”

She turned and rounded the camper to the door. He opened the SUV and faced Erin. “Let’s do this.”

Erin gave a slight shiver, but when she looked at Hunter, it was with confidence. He respected her for that. He grabbed Brandon’s carrier and they walked around the trailer and mounted the steps.

When she entered, Erin gasped. Hunter didn’t blame her. Half the place looked like a high-tech wizard’s dream.

Annie stood in front of the camera. “Pictures first.” She pointed to Erin, then at the stool. “Sit. And no smiling.”

“I don’t feel much like it anyway,” Erin said, facing the lens.

“I hear you, sister.” Annie snapped five photos.

Erin’s countenance seemed sad and so very tired. Hunter wanted to hide her and Brandon away at the top of a mountain somewhere and take all their troubles away, promise them everything would be fine. But he couldn’t. A new life away from him was the only way he knew to protect them.

Annie stepped back from the camera. “Now the baby. Prop him up, but try to keep your hands out of the photo.” Brandon jabbered and grinned at Annie, and she chuckled for the first time since they’d arrived. Her smile revealed a hidden beauty she’d taken pains to conceal.

She looked up at Hunter. “He’s definitely your kid.”

Erin grabbed Brandon and stood. “How can you tell?”

“The hair, the eyes and those dimples. Mr. Serious here doesn’t smile that much, but when he watches you and thinks no one’s looking he gets a goofy grin on his face. Those dimples show up then.”

Heat flooded into Hunter’s face. He couldn’t believe he was so transparent.

Annie laughed. “Oh, don’t sweat it, Clay. I make my living studying people and faces. Now sit down.”

“You said you need my signature. You’re not taking my picture.”

“Sorry, but I need a fake identity for the kid’s father. No choice.”

Hunter paused for a moment, fighting his instinctive aversion to having his photo taken. The first rule of clandestine ops. No images. Whatsoever. It made you easier to find.

One glance at Erin and Brandon, though, and Hunter sat on the stool. As Annie said, there was no choice.

He would do anything for them, even if it turned out to cost him his life. Anytime. Anyplace.

Annie clicked the shutter. “I’ve chosen a name for you, Ransom Grainger. Like it?”

“Fine.”

He couldn’t take his gaze away from Erin. He wanted to soak in every curve, every line of her face. Each minute that passed ticked closer to the terrible moment when they’d have to say goodbye forever. That time was speeding at them much too fast for his aching heart, and not fast enough for their safety.

Annie nodded to Erin. “You’re Marina Grainger, and your son is Brady. It’s best if the new names are similar to your original ones. They’re easier to remember. You’re lucky your son is so young. He won’t have any trouble adjusting.” Annie looked at Erin. “You, however, will have the worst time of it. You’re already fighting this happening. My advice? Don’t think about what you don’t have anymore. Think about what you do have. Not everyone is lucky enough to even get a choice.”

A shadow crossed her face, then vanished as quickly as it had come. Annie jumped off her stool and strode to the table. She shoved several documents in front of each of them and provided two pens.

“Welcome to your new lives.”

Hunter scanned the papers, signed and handed Erin the pen.

“Thanks, Hunter.” Erin took the pen and bent over the documents.

“Don’t forget to use your new names,” Annie said quickly with a knowing glance at them. “It’s the difference between life and death.”

Erin’s hand paused. “Oh, God, I called you Hunter—”

He covered Erin’s hand with his. “It’ll take time, but you can do this. All of it. I know you can.”

Her gaze held his, but tears glistened. She nodded finally, biting her lip while she signed the papers. Hunter followed and stared down at their signatures.

Erin and Brandon Jamison were gone.

Ransom, Marina and Brady Grainger were born.

A family.

A family that never truly had a chance to exist.

Annie slid two more papers between them. “These are the last.”

The divorce decree and custody agreement, granting Marina Grainger sole custodial rights.

The words ricocheted in Hunter’s head. He glanced at Annie. “Are these necessary?”

“Marina needs full custody of Brady. You have to relinquish your rights as a father so she can make all the decisions for your son. There can’t be any questions or any reason to search for Ransom Grainger. Ever.”

Hunter clamped down on his jaw. His neck and shoulder muscles gnarled under the tension. God, the papers were fake; the situation was an elaborate lie, but the loss Hunter felt was devastatingly real. Annie’s works had ripped his heart out.

After signing the first document, he gently chucked Brandon under his chin and stroked Erin’s cheek. Her gaze lifted to Hunter’s, pleading, and she gripped his arm.

When he’d kidnapped her a few days ago, no doubt she would’ve rejoiced if he’d signed over complete custody. He wouldn’t have wanted to, but he still would have signed without hesitation.

Now he’d fallen in love with Erin all over again. She was different than he had imagined. Far more than he’d ever dreamed. She was smarter, braver, more passionate than any woman he’d ever known.

He could never tell her how he felt, though. He’d hold the truth inside him the rest of his life.

As to Brandon, that little boy had wrapped himself around Hunter’s heart. He wanted to see what his son would grow into, what kind of man he would become. Brandon laughed like his mother. He grabbed on to life with both hands and with no fear.

Brandon was the best of both of them combined.

And Hunter would never see him grow up.

Hunter gripped the pen and signed his name to the custodial agreement. This was what he had to do. He had to give them up.

Ransom Grainger’s signature made it official.

He was no longer a father. No longer part of a family that might have been.

A loud beeping noise coming from one of the panels on the wall echoed through the camper. Annie paled, rushed over and flicked on a switch. The streets of Carder, Texas, appeared on the screen. A large black car pulled up in front of the sheriff’s office.

She let out a string of curses. “Let’s finish up. I have to hit the road.”

Hunter grabbed her arm.

She stilled and stared pointedly at his hand. “I don’t think I’d do that, if I were you.”

“Sorry,” he said, releasing her. “Can I help?”

She shook her head. “My story, my life. You just live yours. You’ve got enough going on.”

She finalized the documents, shoved them into an envelope and gave them the thick package. “Passports, birth certificates, driver’s licenses from Montana. Along with the divorce and custody agreements, Marina and Brady should be able to start their new life without any trouble.” Annie glanced at her watch. “Okay, that’s a wrap.”

She opened the trailer door. “We won’t meet again, Ransom and Marina, but I wish you luck in staying ahead of whoever is after you. It’s not always easy.”

Hunter climbed down the trailer steps, then took Brandon from Erin.

Annie followed them out. By the time Hunter had secured Brandon in the backseat and shoved the SUV in Reverse, Annie had packed up her trailer and was in the large pickup heading into the middle of a field, no road in sight.

Erin leaned back in her seat. She looked over at Hunter. “I don’t want to turn into Annie. She’s all alone.”

With a sigh, he gripped her hand. “You won’t be. I know we’ve cut the ties to your old life, but I’ll find you a new one that will be safe. You’ll build new relationships. You and Brandon will be happy.” He leaned over and kissed her lips.

“But it will be a life without you,” Erin said.

“Yes,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry, but it will be a life without me.”

* * *

THE TEXAS LANDSCAPE ROARED past the SUV’s window as Hunter sped back to the cabin. Once again he’d taken them on a tour of the back roads around Carder. At one point Erin wondered if they’d end up in San Angelo, or maybe even San Antonio. He’d gone in opposite directions for miles.

He was convinced they were being tracked somehow, and the knowledge had set him on edge. Erin couldn’t imagine where the bug could be hidden. They’d all but stripped naked searching for the blasted thing.

Erin clutched the envelope with the documents for her new future in her hands. Her nails made indents in her palms. She wanted her former life back someday, but for now, she’d just take a day where she wasn’t looking over her shoulder or didn’t have to look at a dead body.

If that meant temporarily being Marina Grainger, she’d do it.

A week ago she would never have imagined saying those words.

As for Hunter, she sent him a sidelong glance. A week ago she’d never considered seeing him again. Now she didn’t want to let him go.

And she had no choice.

Hunter pulled the SUV close up in front of the cabin. “Keep the gun handy. I’m going to confirm no one has been here before we take the baby out of the car.”

He left the engine running and exited the vehicle, studied the door, then ran his fingers along the doorjamb and window frame.

His edginess had her jumpy, too. The thick envelope had gotten heavy in her hands. It contained all the documentation, plus a huge amount of cash Blake had given Hunter without a word, just a look.

Erin had been working with classified information most of her doctoral career, but nothing could have prepared her for the cloak-and-dagger life Hunter lived and breathed as if it were normal.

He had mentioned General Kent Miller several times, and how much he respected the man. Erin didn’t know the depth of Kent’s role in Hunter’s life, but she did know that Hunter had changed and now he wanted out. There had to be some way around the no-family rules. General Miller might be the person who could make an exception happen.

Hunter motioned her with the all-clear signal he’d taught her. Erin clutched the paperwork and turned around Brandon. “Well, cutie, I guess this adventure is almost over. I’m trying to figure out a way to keep your daddy with us, but it’s not looking good.”

With a sad smile, she tickled Brandon’s tummy and he laughed at her. God, to be so innocent again.

She followed Hunter into the house. They made dinner and ate in silence, neither sure what to say to the other. Finally, she put Brandon down for the night, then moved to the kitchen table, where she’d plopped the broken surveillance equipment they’d collected on their ride.

“I don’t suppose you have any small precision tools in that magical duffel?” she asked.

Hunter dug around the bag and pulled out a hard-sided yellow case.

“Your bag is as good as Mary Poppins’s.”

Hunter shrugged. “I’d feel better if it contained something that would identify their tracking device.” He pulled out the tracker Leona had provided him and flipped it on. “No indication of any activity. I still don’t know how they keep finding us.”

“Then the least I can do is give us an early warning signal,” Erin said. “Annie’s system got me thinking. I need something that will warn us if someone is watching anywhere we are. It has to be portable and easy to use.”

Hunter pulled up a chair and straddled it. “What have you got in mind?”

With a few quick twists of the screws, Erin took apart the camera and explained her idea. Hunter fired off question after question. He had an instinct for vulnerabilities in security that she’d never considered.

Together, they battled over the design, adding wiring and elements from a few of the lesser needed appliances in the cabin, until finally Erin sat back in her chair, satisfied. She flipped a switch, and the power light flickered on. The camera showed the interior of the cabin in high resolution. “What do you think?” She grinned at Hunter.

“Damn, Erin. You rock.” He grabbed her to her feet and hugged her. “You’re brilliant.”

She closed her eyes, taking in that moment of his strong arms holding her close, the warmth of his body pressed against her.

Love me, she begged silently. One more time before I lose you forever.

He stilled, as if he’d heard her plea, or he’d made one of his own. She held her breath.

Hunter cleared her throat and stepped back. “We should probably test it out. We’ll be leaving in the morning, but tonight is still in the window of time that they’ve found us before.”

Erin stared at him for a moment, disappointed.

She understood what Hunter was doing, staying vigilant for her protection, but that didn’t make it hurt less. She should take Annie’s advice. For the moment, she had Hunter in her life.

They would set up the warning system, as needed, but then she intended to make memories with him that would keep her warm for the lonely nights to come.

Erin opened the laptop and activated a wireless connection to feed the camera’s data. She glanced up at him. She didn’t want this to end. She squeezed his hand. She just couldn’t give it a rest. No matter what Annie said. She gave it one last try. “We make a good team.”

His eyes grew solemn. “Yeah, we do.”

“Hunter, are you sure—”

“No, Erin. Don’t ask again, please. I’ll do anything for you and Brandon. Except put your lives in even more danger. If anything happened to you because of me, I’d never forgive myself.”

* * *

HUNTER SCOOPED UP THE CAMERA. “I’ll mount this outside now.”

He had to get away from her, away from the severe constriction in his chest when he thought of Daniel and Noah coming to get her and the baby tomorrow. Hunter would never see them again. How the hell was he supposed to survive that kind of loss?

With a tug of the door, he stepped into the night. He turned once and looked back at Erin, standing there, the light billowing around her like a halo.

He’d never seen anyone so beautiful—or so sad. An expression he’d caused. Hunter prayed once this was over she would find happiness again. He doubted he would.

Slipping the small flashlight from his pocket, he flicked the red beam on to help his night vision, then closed the door behind him.

With a quick sweep, he visually scanned the area for anything out of place.

No movement.

The world was still, but that unease inside him told him to be wary.

He paused to listen. From the right, a lone coyote howled; an owl hooted, and a bevy of crickets chirped in the night. No unusual sounds, but the hilly area to the left seemed awfully quiet.

He drew his gun and stood silently analyzing the surroundings. Still not reassured, he figured he’d better get Erin’s amazing camera up fast.

He glanced at the perimeter. The small mesquite a couple of dozen feet away from the house looked promising. The camera would be hidden. In the end, Hunter decided to go simple and secure it to the roof for the first test. He held the end of the flashlight in his mouth and reached for the low-hanging gutter. He attached the camera. If it worked as he expected, he’d scavenge Logan’s ranch and Erin could build more. Since they were so portable, she could take them with her.

He couldn’t be there for them, but at least the cameras and alarm system would give Erin and Brandon a fighting chance if they were ever found.

A small click sounded far behind him.

Hunter whirled around, and a red beam flashed across his chest before settling into a familiar red dot.

Cursing, he dove to the side, but he wasn’t fast enough. Something sharp jabbed into his thigh. Not a bullet, though. Hunter yanked the dart free, but it was already too late. His knees trembled, his arms went numb and he keeled over into the dirt.

Erin! His voice didn’t respond. He tried to crawl to the door, but his muscles seemed frozen. A paralytic agent had rendered him immobile, but still aware.

In the silence, three black-clad figures ran across the front lawn.

Hunter panicked, desperate to move. Erin wouldn’t know the men were coming. He hadn’t had time to turn on the camera.

The attackers slammed open the cabin door.

“Hunter!” Erin’s scream erupted into the night.

Please, Erin, grab the gun.

Hunter heard the sound of a fist hitting bone, and Erin went silent.

A gruff voice yelled, “Grab the kid. I’ll take the woman.”

No, Erin, no!

A large, dark SUV sped over the hill, spreading dirt and grit from its revving tires.

The men raced back outside with their prisoners, past where Hunter lay trapped in his chemical paralysis. He watched in horror as they tossed Erin’s limp body into the back and handed off the baby. Seconds later, they were gone.

Erin! Oh, God, they’d taken her and the baby.

I’ll find you, love. I promise. Stay alive, and I will find you.

* * *

THE DOOR TO LEONA’S OFFICE stood closed. Trace glanced at his watch. He’d had a meeting scheduled with her five minutes ago. He rapped his knuckles on the doorjamb again.

Still no answer.

This wasn’t like her. Leona lived on Lombardi time—fifteen minutes early to everything.

He looked around but didn’t see her rushing up to the door. Was she standing him up? She was angry with him, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

To hell with this, he didn’t have time. Too many strange things had been going down around here lately, and Trace didn’t like it. He’d give her an additional two minutes; then he’d hunt her down.

Maybe she was in with the general. She’d been a bit secretive lately, and she and General Miller had started spending even more time together, often in closed sessions. That didn’t bode well for the organization, or for the country. Those two had their fingers on the pulse of every terrorist organization in the world. They knew exactly when something big was brewing.

Maybe something broke and she’d been called away for an emergency meeting, forgetting about their appointment.

An uneasy feeling stirred in his gut.

For some reason, he didn’t buy it. She hadn’t forgotten. She never forgot. Anything.

He could live with the organization’s secrets and the proverbial need-to-know situations that didn’t always include him. That was part of the job, but something about the latest series of events involving Hunter Graham felt wrong.

The man had an exemplary career. Why go bad now? It didn’t make sense.

Leona’s door remained closed. Trace looked down the hall on either side, then tested the doorknob. It gave way and he walked in.

Empty.

That skitter of unease rippled through him again. A half-empty cup of coffee sat on her desk. A file remained open on her planner. That wasn’t typical, either.

A tentative knock sounded behind him. “Sir? Is Mrs. Yates back yet?”

Trace turned. “No, Corporal. When was the last time you saw her?”

“She was headed downstairs to interrogate the prisoner.”

Oh, hell. Mahew was insane. What if he’d broken loose?

Ignoring the corporal’s shout, Trace raced down the hallway to the prison infirmary room. No guard stood outside the door. Trace swiped his badge and bolted inside.

The prisoner lay on the bed, staring with unseeing eyes, his hands still bound with restraints.

Trace let out a sharp curse. Had Leona killed him? Or had she stumbled upon a murder in progress? Cursing, Trace scanned the rest of the room.

Mahew’s hospital tray lay on the floor. A chair had been tipped over.

Clearly a struggle had taken place, but between whom?

Several drops of red near the door caught Trace’s attention. He bent down. He’d have the liquid tested, but he had no doubt it was blood.

Obviously not Mahew’s.

Leona’s? Someone else’s?

Trace reached for the alarm, then hesitated. Too damn much was going on—all of it weird. A decorated hero like Hunter Graham suddenly tagged as a security risk. Leona Yates, Graham’s handler and mentor, missing. A renowned nanorobotics engineer and her son made to appear dead, but alive according to the nonmatching dental records of the deceased, though that information had been destroyed—not buried, but destroyed.

Now Mahew was dead while in custody at the company. This, after being identified as a perpetrator in another explosion that had claimed at least one life and possibly involved Graham.

The long string of events had insider written all over them. But who was playing puppet master?

Trace tugged out his secure phone and dialed the general. No answer.

No way. First Leona. Now Miller. Trace contacted security to process the murder scene and strode down the hallway. Every move in this place was monitored. The security tapes would have the answer. He had to find Leona and Miller—and figure out who had killed Mahew.

Trace’s gut told him Graham and Jamison were only a small piece of a very big puzzle. What the hell was going on?

If Hunter wasn’t trying to sell the prototype to the highest bidder, then he was actually trying to protect the doctor and her son. Trace hoped Hunter would get the doctor and her child out of the cross fire soon...before it was too late. For all of them.

* * *

BRANDON’S SCREAMS PIERCED the night, and someone gunned an engine. Erin blinked and came to in the back of an unfamiliar vehicle. Her head throbbed. She touched the aching place on her cheek where the man had punched her. Pain seared through her and she realized it might be fractured. It was certainly swollen. Brandon cried again and she looked around,

Oh, God. Where was Hunter?

She peered out the back of the car to the cabin. Light streamed from inside the house, but she couldn’t see Hunter anywhere.

Then Erin noticed a still body next to the cabin.

“Hunter!” He wasn’t moving.

“He can’t help you,” the man bit out. “Keep your brat quiet or you’re both dead.”

Her mind went numb. Hunter couldn’t be dead. Not after everything they’d been through, he couldn’t be.

A masked man shoved Brandon across the backseat and dropped him into her arms. Her son was panicked and she held him close. He snuffled and burrowed into her.

Glass rolled up between the back of the SUV and the front two seats.

She banged on the partition. “Where are you taking us?”

“Sit down and shut up, Dr. Jamison. We have a ways to go.”

Brandon lifted his head. “Mama...Da?” he said, his lashes wet with tears.

She closed her eyes and cuddled her son close.

“I don’t know, little guy. I don’t know if your daddy’s okay or not.”

Brandon patted tears coursing down her cheek.

She grabbed his hand and kissed it. “Mommy’s hurt, baby. No touch.”

Come on. You’re supposed to be a genius. What would Hunter want her to do?

Thinking of him almost crippled her, but Brandon’s life was hers to save now. Alone. She couldn’t wuss out because she was terrified and heartbroken.

She peered toward the front of the vehicle. They were headed down a dark highway. Only the dash lights shone in the car. In the back, where she was, it was nearly pitch-black.

Clutching Brandon tight, she used her other hand to feel for any kind of weapon, anything that would help her get out of this car. She’d heard the latch click on the lock, so she couldn’t just open it and escape. She’d have to defend herself.

But with what? The back area was empty.

She ran her fingers over the carpet. Maybe there were tools or equipment stored underneath. If Hunter had done nothing else, he’d reminded her she could make something out of nothing. She would find a way to save her baby.

Erin shifted position to reach a new area of the carpeting, and near the edge, she came across a bump. She tugged the carpeting, and it lifted slightly. She moved out of the way and drew the flap of rug aside. Just beneath the floorboard she felt a metal handle. Was it the compartment for the spare tire? Her anticipation ramped into overdrive. She twisted the knob and felt a release.

A loud click echoed as the metal panel sprang free.

She stilled. Had they heard? She craned her neck. The four figures in the front of the vehicle didn’t turn around, just kept arguing among themselves.

Carefully, she lifted the panel and explored the contents. After running her hand across the spare, she touched the tire iron. Yes. Gripping it tightly, she eased it out of the compartment and placed it beside her.

She had to be ready to defend herself and Brandon.

The moment the car stopped, these men would be in for a shock. She would not be passive and meek anymore. She’d make them pay for what they’d done.

To her son, to her and to Hunter.

She swallowed the emotions clogging her throat, and rocked Brandon back and forth. She didn’t even fight the tears flowing silently down her cheeks.

Oh, Hunter. What are we ever going to do without you?