Gabe (In the Company of Snipers, #8)(12)

“Hope not. Here.” Zack tossed a bag of dried dog treats. “Stow these instead.”

Gabe lifted the plastic bag to view the contents. “Didn’t know extra-large dog snacks were standard issue.”

“They are now.”

“We keep them in the armory?”

Zack grunted. “Why not? I’ve got a bag in my bottom desk drawer, too. A guy’s got to be prepared for anything and everything.”

It made sense. Zack always was one to take extra precaution. Gabe stowed the bag for the dogs Alex had left behind. Whisper and Smoke—the best tracking dogs in the state.

“You got the cameras and laptop? Tattle Tales?” he asked.

Tattle Tales were Mother’s invention, a pesky minute version of a video and audio transmitter, small enough to escape most detection.

Zack pointed to another set of nylon gear bags. “Already packed. Let’s stop for grub on the way. Don’t want to eat her out of house and home. You ready?”

“Hell, yeah.”

It took little time getting to Kelsey’s. She and Alex lived less than a mile from his business. Used to live. At least, Kelsey still lived there. Oh, hell.

Gabe growled at the obvious hole in his head. His brain didn’t seem able to move on any more than he could. Takes time.

His inner sniper’s sixth sense pinged the moment the Stewarts’ home came into view. No cars in the carport. “Thought the nurse was supposed to be here?”

“She was. Something’s not right.” Zack parked in the empty driveway.

“I’ll check out back.”

Gabe scrambled out of the SUV and headed into the backyard through the carport. Whisper and Smoke sat in their kennel, watching with bright black eyes while Zack unlatched the gate and proceeded toward the back door.

Nothing in the carport or back yard looked out of place. No foul play. He didn’t like that Kelsey was gone, but okay. Maybe she felt good enough to go shopping or something. No problem.

Zack opened the patio door, a key fob in his right hand. “Come on in. Let’s get settled.”

“You had a key?”

“Sure. Alex gave me one years ago. Never needed it until now.”

They no more than hit the front porch again when a red economy car zipped up to the opposite curb and parallel parked. A blond woman in powder-blue scrubs stepped out of the car with a bag of groceries in her arms.


“Looks like the nurse is back,” Gabe said. “Without Kelsey. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“You two must be the bodyguards Libby told me to expect. Where’s Mrs. Stewart?” she asked on her way up the walk.

“Don’t you know?” Gabe countered. An icy finger of dread snaked across the back of his neck. “Isn’t she with you?”

“No. I ran to the store for a few groceries. She was here when I left. Here.” She pushed the bag of groceries into his arms. “Looks like you guys know your way around. Go put this in the kitchen. Don’t drop the eggs. They need to go in the refrigerator. Top shelf.”

Gabe bristled. If Zack hadn’t been right behind him and already on his cell phone, he would’ve handed the bag back to the obnoxious woman and told her to do it herself. Instead, he did what she’d ordered. Women and their shopping. She’d bought a lot more than eggs.

“Hey, Mark. We might have a problem,” Zack said. “Need you to track Kelsey’s GPS. No. She’s not here.” He returned the phone to his hip holster. “You must be Miss Shelby.”

“Nurse Sullivan to you,” she answered peevishly. “And you are?”

“Agent Zack Lennox, ma’am.” Zack extended a handshake.

“Gabe Cartwright at your service,” Gabe offered the same, but she’d crossed her arms over her chest instead of accepting their offers.

“I don’t see why she needs two of you. This neighborhood’s a little rundown, but it’s not like she lives in Anacostia.”

“We come in pairs, ma’am.” Zack unclipped the vibrating phone from his holster and raised it to his ear. “She’s where?” He listened another second, hung up and turned to Gabe. “We’ve got to go. Now.”

“Where?” Nurse Sullivan asked, but Zack didn’t answer on his way out of the house. “Wait. She’s my patient. I’m going with you.”

“Then get in.” Already in the SUV, he slammed the vehicle door and started the engine. “It might be nothing, but she’s parked off the Mount Vernon Highway by the Potomac. Mark’s sending coordinates.”

Gabe buckled his seatbelt while Nurse Sullivan got into the backseat and did the same.

“What’s she doing all the way out there?” she asked.

“You tell me.” Zack put his foot to the floor and screeched out of the driveway. “How’d she seem this morning?”

“How do you think she seemed? She’s grieving. This is hard on her.”

“How long were you gone?” Gabe asked. Sullivan wasn’t bad looking. Bossy as hell, but not too hard on the eyes. Blondes always did attract him, damned if he knew why. Had to be that California girl mystique the Beach Boys always sang about. Whatever it was, this woman had it.

“Not long. Maybe an hour and a half is all. I needed eggs for breakfast.”