Defending Morgan (Mountain Mercenaries #3)(70)

“Sit, beautiful. And stop worrying,” he ordered.

“I can’t help it,” she said.

Arrow kissed her on the forehead and turned to his friends. “Tell me he’s on there.”

“He’s on there, all right,” Meat said, not looking up from the screen he was peering at with an intensity that was kind of scary. “We’ve got him from several different angles. Looks like he didn’t drive in, but was waiting for Dave.”

“Are we sure he was waiting for him, or did Dave just happen to arrive at the wrong time?” Arrow asked.

Both Gray and Black turned to him at the same time.

“Got something you want to tell us?” Gray asked.

Arrow sighed and told his friends about the prostitute from that morning.

“So you’re being targeted,” Gray concluded. “Whoever this was could’ve been waiting for you.”

“But I had no plans to come to The Pit today,” Arrow argued. “I haven’t been here in a few days.”

“Whoever beat up Dave didn’t know that,” Black noted. “He might’ve been casing the place, and when Dave showed up, just decided to go after him because he knows you. Dave was busy grabbing a grocery bag. You know how he likes to get fresh fruit for his cocktails,” Gray mused.

“Show me the tape,” Arrow ordered. “Maybe I’ll recognize him.”

“I want to see it too,” Morgan said, standing.

“No,” Arrow responded immediately. At the scowl on her face, he gentled his tone. “Let me watch it first, beautiful. The last thing I want is for you to have to come face to face with any more violence.”

“I want to help,” she said in a pleading voice.

“I know you do. And if we need your help, I won’t hesitate to ask you for it. Okay?” He stared at her, praying she understood that he was trying to protect her. That he didn’t want her to have to see the violence that had happened to someone she knew.

“Okay,” she agreed after a tense few seconds.

“Thank you,” Arrow said, then turned back to the screen. He nodded at Meat to play it and squinted, trying to get a better view of the perpetrator.

The person was wearing some sort of coveralls. Brown. With a hat pulled low over his brow. He wasn’t very tall or big—that much was obvious when he snuck up behind Dave, who was bent over picking up a bag from the back seat of his car. He used some sort of crowbar to stun Dave. Once the bigger man was on the ground, the punk hit him twice more. Once in the thigh and once in the ribs. Dave had done the smart thing and immediately covered his head with his arms, but that had left the rest of him vulnerable.

The punk turned and ran off as soon as Dave rolled to get up. At no time did the person turn to face the cameras, keeping his back to them at all times. He never looked up, as if he knew exactly where they were and how to keep his face from being caught on film.

Arrow looked at Meat in frustration. “That’s it? We don’t have anything else?”

“No. But we haven’t talked to Dave yet.”

“He was wearing gloves,” Black noted.

“And we have his height,” Gray added.

“Play it again,” Arrow asked Meat.

The other man nodded and cued it up once more. Arrow watched the video again from start to finish. He could just see the man hiding in the trees as Dave pulled into the parking lot. Then the second his back was turned, the punk sprang into action, walking calmly but quickly.

Something about the perp niggled at the back of Arrow’s brain, but he couldn’t bring it into focus.

“What is it?” Gray asked, seeing Arrow’s frustration.

“I don’t know. I feel like I’ve seen the perp before. There’s something about his movement that seems familiar.”

“Maybe on another op?” Black asked.

“Maybe,” Arrow agreed.

“It could be someone who has a beef with the Mountain Mercenaries,” Gray threw out there.

“Yeah,” Arrow said.

“But you don’t think so,” Meat concluded.

Arrow shook his head. “If it was, why wouldn’t he have stayed to make sure Dave was really down for the count? I mean, yeah, he was hurt, but he was on his way up. If someone really had a problem with us, I can’t help but think they would’ve shot him or brought a knife or something. A crowbar seems . . . opportunistic. And desperate.”

“Could it be someone connected to Chloe’s brother?” Gray asked. “I’d like to think we nipped that in the bud, but someone could still hold a grudge.”

“Doubtful,” Meat said. “There’s no one left who is all that loyal to Leon Harris.”

“We could’ve missed someone,” Gray said.

“No. I don’t think so. He would’ve made his move before now.” Arrow turned to Meat. “Check on the Buswells. Make sure they’re still in Atlanta. Lane is about the right height.”

“You think Lane is here? That he attacked Dave?” Morgan asked from across the room.

Arrow made his way to her and squatted down in front of her chair. “I don’t know anything right now,” he soothed. “But we can’t count anyone out. They’ve upped the game. Slashing tires and ordering a prostitute to visit my apartment is child’s play. But assault is a whole ’nother story. We should be able to count Lane in or out pretty easily. He’s either in Atlanta or he isn’t.”