Hell on Wheels (Black Knights Inc. #1)(49)

Instead, he focused the laser on the scene in the park. And, sure enough, when he centered that evil red dot smack-dab on the back of the guy’s extended hand, Mr. Saturday-in-the-Park’s exposed jaw turned white as bleached sugar before he bolted into the nearby woods.

The woman holding the dog’s leash jumped back, startled. Her fat pooch let loose a mournful bellow, floppy ears slipping down its swollen back as it lifted his head and cried its surprise.

The walls of the attic snapped into view as Nate lifted his head from the scope and cursed.

He ignored the urge to throw down his weapon and give chase; Mystery Man would be halfway to Texas by the time he even made the park.

So, yeah, the best thing for him to do would be to stay exactly where he was. Watching. Waiting. With five rounds of angry lead that could quickly affect an attitude adjustment in any unfriendly individuals.

Just like Grigg always said, The quickest way to change a person’s mind on a subject is a 138gr boat tail.

Fuckin’-A and Hoo-ah!

***

As Ali sat on a five-gallon paint bucket in the filthy garage with the cool, disturbing length of Nate’s reserve weapon resting against her thigh, she was having second thoughts about her decision to accompany him on this little errand.

It hadn’t been a pretty sight that morning when she’d demanded to come along. All the Knights, except for Becky, had sided with Nate, demanding she tell them where the zip drive was located so Nate could go retrieve it.

“No way. This is as much my problem as it is any of yours. More so, come to think of it. I’m the one being followed, mugged, bugged and, oh yeah, I’m also the one who had a gun pointed at her head,” she’d said, glaring at the group squeezed together in Frank Knight’s small office.

“Which is exactly why you should stay here,” Frank said, cool gray eyes watching her warily.

“Oh,” she lifted her chin, “so it’s perfectly fine for Nate to go out and risk his life, but there are different rules when it comes to me? I don’t think so.” Just the thought of sending Nate out alone made her want to scream, especially knowing he’d probably retrieve the drive, solve the mystery, and deign to keep her completely in the dark.

“He’s trained, Ali,” Ozzie spoke with soft authority, which was a little weird considering the guy was wearing nothing but sci-fi pajama bottoms to go along with his rioting hair. It looked like he’d hopped out of bed and in order to blow dry his hair. Backward. “And you, my dear, are not.”

“I have more training than any of you likely know. Grigg wasn’t a slouch when it came to—”

“Ali,” Nate interrupted her, his voice gravelly, black eyes hard as slate when she swung her attention toward him. “Please come with me.”

Oh…perfect.

She cast a furtive glance around the gathered group and was met with impassive expressions.

Okay, so no help from the peanut gallery.

Except for Becky. Becky made a face and then gave her a reassuring wink. Ali appreciated the gesture, but it did nothing to calm her roiling stomach.

This was going to be bad, very bad. But it wasn’t like she could refuse him. If she did, she had no doubt the Knights would just file out of the office, leaving her in the same predicament. Alone. With Nate.

She grimaced and blew out a breath before gathering the cat in her arms. She stood and followed Nate up the metal stairs and into his spartan bedroom.

The scene of last night’s crime, she thought sourly and wanted to cry at the piercing memory of his callous rejection.

Instead, she mustered all her self-confidence and, lifting her chin, strode purposefully past him to sit on the edge of his bed. At least there he wouldn’t notice her legs were wobbly as wet noodles, not to mention the fact that her arms were aching from Peanut’s considerable weight.

“You’re not going to change my mind,” she told him, watching warily as he casually lowered himself into his leather recliner, pushing back and propping his big-booted feet on the footstool. He regarded her with diamond-hard eyes.

“Why d’you wanna come?”

“Because Grigg was my brother, and I’m sick to death of secrets. If I let you get your hands on that zip drive, I’ll never know what this has all been about.”

He simply watched her.

“You don’t deny it?” she asked incredulously.

He didn’t move an inch, didn’t speak; it didn’t even look like he breathed.

So it began. The part where he simply sat and waited her out.

Well, it wasn’t going to work this time. Nuh-uh. No way. No how.

The silence stretched on and on and on. She could actually hear the second hand ticking away on his wristwatch. Peanut’s rotund belly gave a warning growl before he emitted a very un-feline fart.

“Cripes,” she said, waving hand in front of her face, trying to waft away the fairly rancid aroma of partially digested Fancy Feast.

Nate blinked, unmoved by Peanut’s gastrointestinal attempt to break the tension.

Dropping her hand to scratch Peanut’s chin—the cat actually seemed to be smiling—she glared at Nate’s frustratingly impassive face. This wasn’t going to work. She could wait him out until their hair turned gray. She could just sit here and bide her time and—

“Oh!” she threw her hands in the air. It was either that or she was going to use them to strangle the man. “Speak, for the love of God! Speak!”