Gabe (In the Company of Snipers, #8)(17)

The whole neighborhood was quiet. Sterile. No kids played in any of the yards. No dogs or cats prowled, barked or meowed.

Every home within sight declared executive wealth and privilege, nothing like the neighborhoods Gabe had grown up in. Whoever lived here had a good view of the Potomac below. He knocked on the front door, then again harder, while Zack investigated around the north side of the place.

The smallest sound. Gabe cocked his head to be ascertain whether it came from inside or out.

“You should see what’s out back. These folks have a full-sized tennis court and a—”

“Shhh. Come here,” Gabe whispered, his ear pressed to the door. “Listen. Do you hear that?”

Zack stilled. The murmuring sounded again, so soft Gabe couldn’t tell if he’d heard anything or not.

The faintest murmuring again.

“It’s Kelsey’s voice. She’s inside. I know it’s her.”

“One way to find out.” Zack applied his fist to the door. “Kels? You in there? Let us in.”

The softest ‘yes’ this time, and Gabe needed to get inside the damned house.

“Are you okay? Can you let us in?” he asked.

The doorknob jiggled, but no more. “I’m... here,” she muttered from the other side of the steel door. “Zack? Gabe? Is that you?”

“It’s us,” Gabe called to her. God. Finally. He could breathe. “We’re here. Open up.”

The knob wiggled again, not enough. “I can’t. My hands... my fingers... I’m hurt.”

All the worst scenarios blasted his logical thought process. What kind of a creep had her stashed away like this? Was she hurt? Abused? Tortured?

Frustration roared to life. He slammed a palm to the door jamb, needing to get inside!

“Take it easy,” Zack muttered. “You’ve got your B&E kit on you, don’t you? Use it.”

“Yeah, but, the second I pick that lock, every police car in a ten-mile radius is going to be on this doorstep with us.”

“So?” Zack barked. “Kels is in there. Open the damned thing.”

Gabe pulled his lock-pick kit out of his back pocket and opened the door in five seconds flat. The moment he eased it open so as not to shove her out of the way, his heart sank.

There she stood on unsteady bare feet, her palms flat to the wall behind her for support. Both of her eyes were blackened, one swollen nearly shut, her nose split with a horizontal gash that looked as if it had been stitched but not taped.

Gabe had her in his arms before she sank to the tiled entry.

“Oh thank God,” she murmured.

Zack stepped around him and entered the home, searching quickly. Sure enough, a siren sounded in the not-too-distant neighborhood. The police were on their way.

Gabe smoothed his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, diagnosing as he went. Not only were her arms black and blue, but several of her fingers were splinted and bandaged, too. She struggled to breathe, every inhalation ragged and her chest heaving.

“My God, Kelsey. Who did this to you? Have you been here the whole time?”

“I... don’t know.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I just woke up and I was... here.”


He looked closer. Her hair was clean. Someone had been taking good care of her.

“No one else is here, but you ought to see what’s in the first bedroom down the hall,” Zack muttered. “An IV tree with a half-empty bag hanging on it. Plenty of other evidence, too. Blankets. Medical tape. Gauze. A couple prescription bottles. Maybe the police can get a clear print off some of this stuff.”

He crouched with Gabe, feeling Kelsey’s forehead with the back of his fingers. “You’re feverish. Whatcha been doing in here? Do you remember anything?”

She clutched Gabe’s shirt as if she needed something to hold on to, even though she couldn’t get a firm grip. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“You know me better than that. Come on, Kels,” Zack soothed, his voice as tender as Gabe had ever heard. “I’m on your side. Friends to the end, remember?”

“How many days?”

Gabe held up three fingers.

She looked up at him through tears, swallowing hard. “Three? Really? It had to be him.”

“Who?” Gabe asked quietly.

“Alex. I think... Alex brought me here.”

Gabe didn’t gasp, blink or betray one iota of surprise. It must not have been enough to convince her that he believed her though.

“But he did. You have to believe me.”

“I do,” Zack answered. “Hell, Kels, you’re here safe and sound. Who else would’ve taken care of you like this? We both believe you.”

Gabe nodded, going along with whatever came out of his senior agent’s mouth. But what kind of a jackass would play a cruel trick like this on someone as sweet as Kelsey? The poor thing trembled against him, inciting every male instinct to protect and guard her—and to kick the living shit out of whoever had hurt her.

“Trust us,” he said. “You’re safe now. If you believe he was here, then by hell, so do we.”

“You do?” She searched his face.

He peered directly into those deep, sad brown eyes. He didn’t mean to hesitate. He’d never lie to this woman. Tears brimmed anyway. He hadn’t answered quick enough.