Defending Sophie Read online

  When Gaige left the Army to run GHOST with his father, Tate said he was staying in the military until there was room for him at GHOST, since they were just starting out. Trouble was, that never happened.

  Chapter 3

  Tired, sore, and hungry, Sophie finally neared the suburb of Canyon Creek. Estimating that she'd made it around eleven miles and happy for the dusk that had fallen to cloak her, she stopped at the edge of the woods and looked around for signs of movement. Mostly, signs that someone was looking for her. All she had for money was the change from the fifty that she'd used at the gas station to pay for her phone which was around $32. Not enough for a hotel room and not enough to survive on for long. Seeing a little bakery standing alone at the end of the street on the edge of town, Sophie slowly made her way through the darkness to the bakery and ducked around the back.

  Even though it was closed, the delectable aromas that filtered out of the older brick building made her stomach growl. Estimating the last food she'd eaten to be breakfast that morning, she decided to find some water and fill her stomach and hydrate her body before she collapsed. At the back of the bakery was a spigot but no hose. Checking all around, she silently walked to the spigot, and turned it on slowly, so the water came out at little more than a trickle. Cupping her hands under the water she filled them and drank her fill. Once her thirst had been quenched, she filled her hands again and splashed water on her face, wincing when she touched her swollen jaw and cheek from where her assailant had hit her.

  Turning the water off, she scooted to an alcove next to the backdoor where there was a dry patch of the warm blacktop and pressed her back to the brick still heated from the sun. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes for a moment.

  Waking later, Sophie startled herself by leaning over to the point of almost falling to the ground, caught herself, and righted before looking around. This section of town was quiet and now that darkness had fallen completely, she felt safe for a while. Looking across the alcove, she saw two wooden crates with "flour from the world's best" but couldn't read more.

  Standing, she winced as her shoulder jostled, walked to the flour crates and lifted them with her left hand. They were empty. Scooting, she placed them in front of the alcove, she tucked herself behind them, pulled them slowly toward her and decided to stay there for the night. Warm, protected and somewhat safe, it was the best she could do for herself for the night. Tomorrow, she'd go back to that hedge and retrieve her phone from under the trashcan. It was the only way she had to reach Gaige, and he, her.

  "What have we here?"

  She heard the woman's voice before her senses fully woke. The top crate moved and Sophie braced herself for a fight.

  A kindly looking woman, around her mid-fifties, peered over the top of the crate at Sophie. "Oh dear, hon, what on earth happened to you?"

  Trying to stand unsuccessfully and wincing when she exerted her shoulder, the woman touched her other shoulder lightly. "Don't reinjure yourself, hang tight."

  Moving the crates away and putting them where Sophie had dragged them from, she then turned, hands clasped before her.

  "I used to have a husband who thought I was his punching bag. He's now someone's bitch in prison, and I own my own business."

  She held a hand out for Sophie and waited while indecision played over in Sophie's mind. You could never be too sure who they'd hire to lure her into feeling safe.

  "My name is Gigi. I own this bakery and I won't hurt you. I've been the recipient of a man's fist far too many times." She smiled sweetly and Sophie thought she looked like an angel. Her blond hair glowed where the rising sun caressed it.

  "My name's Kate." She couldn't use her own name and it was the first name that sprung to mind. Thinking maybe that was too close to her real situation, she quickly corrected herself. "Katherine actually."

  Quickly assessing Gigi's size and deciding, if need be, she'd be able to defend herself easily should Gigi decide to pull anything, she took the woman's hand. She allowed Gigi to help her stand, then stepped to the side, closest to the parking area in case she needed to run. Seeing her movements, Gigi smiled, "I'll bet you could use a bite to eat and maybe a shower."

  Her traitorous stomach responded by growling and Gigi giggled. It sounded good to hear happiness, it had been far too long. As long as a month which was when Kate had been killed. Actually, it had been longer than that. A month before Kate had been murdered, she'd been raped and though Sophie managed to get a smile or two from her best friend in the month that followed, Kate's laughter had died that night.

  "Ah, yes, see, you're hungry." Gigi turned and pulled her keys from her jacket pocket, and unlocked the backdoor to the bakery. "Come on in when you're ready, I'll whip us up a breakfast while the ovens are heating up."

  She disappeared through the door but didn’t close it completely. Swallowing to moisten her throat, Sophie stepped to the backdoor, listened for anything out of place, pushed it slightly open, and listened to Gigi's movements. She wasn't calling anyone to come and get her, she was pulling things from a refrigerator and setting them on the counter.

  "Do you like scrambled eggs? I have plenty of eggs."

  Entering the kitchen, Sophie closed the door behind her and stepped into the brightly lit and welcoming room. The far back wall was old red brick. Pots and pans hung from a brass rack hanging over a large stainless table, which was now covered with a frying pan, a towel with four eggs laying on top, butter, a glass bowl with a whisk in it and a carton of milk.

  Gigi moved around the kitchen with ease. She nodded to a sink in the corner. "You can wash your hands there. Paper towels hanging above the sink. Soap on the right." But she never stopped moving.

  Sophie slowly walked to the sink, wary with each step, hoping this wasn't a trap. Her heartbeat was far faster than normal, but she didn't sense anything untoward about Gigi. Just the opposite, she seemed to be happy to care for someone. The water was warm coming from the tap and the instant she put her hands under the running water, goosebumps formed on her arms. The soap smelled of spring freshness and clean. She watched as yesterday's dirt and grime washed down the drain. Today was a new day.

  Gigi whisked the eggs and began humming a soft tune that Sophie didn't recognize, but instantly loved. Reaching for a paper towel, she dried her hands, tossed the used toweling in the wastebasket under the sink and turned, unsure of what to do.

  Gigi nodded toward a stool at the end of the table, closest to the sink, and said, "You can sit there. No one can sneak up on you right there and you can see the backdoor from that position."

  Raising her eyebrows, Sophie cocked her head. "I told you, I had an abusive husband. I've felt all the feelings of someone who doesn't feel safe. I still have bouts with it, really, but I'm determined to push through. That bastard won't ruin any more of my life than he already has."

  Deciding that using the battered woman guise and tamping down the guilt she felt for lying by omission, she nodded. "Thank you." It came out as a whisper.

  "I noticed your shoulder is sore, are you broken?"

  "No." It was so soft. Clearing her throat she began again. "No. I fell on it, I think it's just bruised."

  "Okay. A bruise will heal." Pouring the eggs into the frying pan, which was now on the stove, butter melting inside, Gigi continued to work as she talked. "I have a room upstairs. It's small. An open space with a single bed, a shower stall, and a chair. But you're welcome to stay as long as you like. I could use help here washing dishes if you need a job. I can't pay much more than a few dollars per hour, but if it suits you until you decide what you need to do, I'm happy to oblige."

  "Why would you help me; you don't know me at all?" Blinking furiously at the generosity of this stranger quickly turning to friend, Sophie took a deep breath.

  "I know you. All I need to for right now. You've suffered through something at the hands of an asshole. I've helped countless other women over the years. They come to me when they are in trouble. Somehow word trave
ls silently through a system only we battered women are privy to. I assume that's how you've come to find me."

  Deciding not to add to her lie, Sophie only nodded once and left it at that. "Thank you." And she meant it. For all of the women who had come before her, even though her situation was much different than what many had gone through, she did need a meal, and some shelter until Gaige could get here. Now she just needed to formulate a plan to get her phone.

  Chapter 4

  "This is so fucking cool." Hawk stretched his long legs out in front of him.

  He was a large beast of a man at 6'8" and brawny. Usually transportation was cramped for him. But, with the payment from the Santarino take-down, GHOST was able to purchase a plane and hire a full-time pilot. There may come a day when Gaige would complete his pilot's lessons and fly the plane himself, but he didn't have a ton of time to focus on that.

  "I have to agree with you, Hawk. I think this was the best decision I've ever made. Having our own plane solves so many problems with getting to missions on time."

  The large man chuckled, reclined his seat, and closed his eyes as Gaige pulled his laptop from its carry case, and set it up on the table in front of him. First order of business was checking out Kate Ryan's death. His contact in the State Department had given him security clearances years ago, which made things such as this a breeze.

  Typing Kate's name into the database, he waited as the little circle on his screen turned. Slowly, data populated his screen and he began reading the reports. Her death, which was a month ago, was ruled a suicide, asphyxiation according to the report. She'd been found in her neighbor’s garage, her car running and the windows open. The autopsy had been brief, and no report of alcohol was found in her system but there were opioids present.

  He scrolled down to see her military record. She had four Article 15s on file. Tardiness, failing to man her post at night, failing to report on time to a training class. It seemed that Kate was a mess and not the Kate he remembered from years ago. Though, life had a way of breaking a person. He remembered Tate telling him years ago that Kate wanted to make the Army her career and retire from it, making civilian life easier with a pension and the ability to then work in the field she loved rather than one she had to in order to support herself.

  Closing the lid on his laptop, Gaige leaned back in his seat and flipped the footrest up. A quick glance at Hawk told him the man was at rest, but one word from him and Hawk would be awake and alert. He could catnap at a moment's notice and be ready for action just as quickly. Actually, his whole GHOST team was trained that way. You slept when you had the chance 'cause you didn't know when you'd have it again.

  Before closing his own eyes, he pulled his phone off the table before him, and scrolled through his contacts. Finding Rocco Wise's name, he hit "call" and listened as the phone rang on the other end.

  "Gaige, what can I do for you?" He chuckled then and Gaige made a mental note to call his friends for social reasons a bit more.

  "Rocco, sorry to bother, but I guess you already know I need a bit of assistance."

  Chuckling as he replied, "You've always been business first, social later."

  "Hmm, so I'm predictable. Noted. A colleague and I are in town briefly on a mission and need a quiet, private place to stay. You have such a place at your disposal?"

  "I do. I think I do, anyway. I have a friend who has a little cabin just outside of Riverton in the woods. It was his parents' house but they've both passed now and he just can't let it go. Thinks when he retires he'll live there one day. Let me check with him and see if it's available."

  "Appreciate it, man. Let me know."

  "You got it. Call you later."

  The call ended and it was then Gaige allowed himself a few moments of shuteye before they hit the ground running.

  "I get we sleep when and where we can, but if I have to sleep in some little pink frilly bed, you'll pay for that." Hawk said without opening his eyes.

  He couldn't help laughing. The thought of the gentle giant laying in a pink frilly bed would be worth a lifetime of laughs if he could just see that.

  Allowing his eyes to drift closed the images of Sophie the last time he'd seen her came to him. Her hair had always been long, though she pulled it back into a braid or ponytail, it usually fell over one of her delectable shoulders. His fingers usually twitched because he wanted to feel her hair. See if it felt as soft as it looked. Smell it.

  Her skin was tanned from being outside. She was fit, strong and yet so small and delicate looking. She was an enigma for sure. When she laughed, the creases around her eyes deepened and her lips, gawd her lips were full and shiny and just begged him to kiss them. It had been at Tate's funeral the last time he saw her, close to ten years ago. She didn't laugh much that weekend. She was married at the time and her husband, a pretty boy named Scott or something, seemed detached and constantly on his phone. Self-important, that was the impression he made. Sophie tried remaining strong for her parents as they nearly broke from the news that their son had perished.

  Gaige remembered how Tate and Sophie's mom, Georgianna, shook in his arms when he'd hugged them. They all seemed so broken and so was he. Tate was a fixture in his life since they met in Basic Training. He'd imagined Tate as his best man for his wedding, if and when he married. And he assumed Tate would be the godfather to his children. All those plans changed the day he got the news that an IED had killed his best friend. Once GHOST had grown and had a place for Tate, he needed to finish out his contract with the Army, so he was killed before that could happen. The guilt that GHOST wasn’t ready for him sooner was heavy in his chest every time he managed to lay back and sleep. Even after all this time, the pain was there.

  Ringing woke him from his half-sleep, and he realized it was his phone. Snagging if from the table in front of him, he responded, "Yeah."

  Sitting upright, his eyes glanced at Hawk, who did the same, his eyes alert and ready for battle.

  "It's Rocco. I've got the keys to the cabin with me. Are you here now and when can I get them to you? I can't leave base until later tonight, we’re working a special assignment."

  Glancing at his watch, he noted they were within twenty minutes of landing. "I can come to base. I'm still in the air but should be landing shortly. How about I meet you at the commissary around 18:00 hours?"

  "Roger that. 18:00 hours at the commissary."

  The line went dead and Gaige laughed. He wasn't the only one who was business first.

  "Mr. Vickers and Mr. Delany, please fasten your seatbelts for landing." Gavin’s voice sounded over the intercom system.

  Doing as directed, Gaige packed his laptop away and relayed their first destination to Hawk, who in return only nodded.

  Pulling up Sophie's burner phone number, he pressed, "Call" and listened as the phone rang. After the seventh ring the phone went dead. Furrowing his brow, he looked at Hawk and shook his head. What the hell did that mean?

  Chapter 5

  "You're fast at the dishes, even with a sore shoulder. How is that by the way?"

  Looking up from the steaming water in the sink, Sophie met Gigi's gaze.

  "It's okay, but I think it needs a bit of a rest." She'd taken Gigi up on her offer to shower earlier. Luckily, Army life had taught her how to shower quickly. She was still waiting for someone to storm the bakery and attack her.

  "Katherine, there's nothing wrong with taking a break. Those dishes will still be there later. I'll be closing the bakery in an hour. On Monday through Friday, I only stay open until 3:00 p.m. I work back here preparing for the following day and then I go home. This weekend, I have a wedding to bake a cake for, so that's what I'll be doing this afternoon. I bake them on Thursdays, let them cool and begin the decorating on Friday, then finish up the decorating at the venue on Saturday so nothing happens to them in transit."

  "Thank you. I guess sleeping in the alcove outside didn't offer me enough rest to actually begin the healing process."

  "Go on up
stairs and take a nap, Katherine."

  Taking a deep breath and a huge leap of faith, she said, "Actually, I need to get to Riverton to find my phone. I lost it yesterday and I've called a friend to come and help me and that's the only way he has of making contact with me."

  "He?" Gigi looked at her shoes for a moment, her face showed disappointment or sadness. Then met Sophie's gaze. "You don't have to go back to him, Katherine."

  "No, it's not him." She hastily explained. "He's a true friend and one who lives over a thousand miles away. He's coming to help me."

  Nodding, Gigi hesitated only briefly, then said, "I can take you."

  "No." She raised her voice. At Gigi's flinch, she realized she'd overreacted. "I don't want you to go to any trouble, you've already done so much, I just need to go."

  Gigi slowly approached Sophie, her arms crossed over her chest, "It appears as though your options are to walk, which I assume is how you got here, take a cab or car service, or let me drive you. Since it's only a bit over ten miles, it's really no imposition."