Defending Sophie Read online

  Removing the keys from the vehicle, his phone rang just as his hand gripped the door handle to exit. He pulled his phone from the holder on the dash, turned off the GPS, and answered the call.

  "Hawk, is everything alright?"

  "Not sure. Sophie just had a fit when I told her that you were going to visit Thomas Taylor. I told her your connection and she freaked out. She said Thomas was dating Kate when she was raped. Sophie said he's the one who raped Kate. Date rape. Then she took off running saying something like she shouldn't have trusted you. I'm leaving to go look for her."

  "Shit." His stomach dropped to his feet. First of all, Tommy was a bit full of himself, but rape? Never. Now, Sophie didn't trust him? She was out there alone again, and Killian was looking for her. Today sucked balls.

  "Okay, I'll make this quick. Now I have to talk to Tommy and find out what the fuck is going on. Keep me posted and good luck. I'll be back soon."

  He ended the call at the same time he exited the truck and made quick tracks to the front door. Ringing the bell, he checked the time on his phone. 6:30 a.m. He knew they'd be up early, Uncle Jeff went to the base by 7:30 every morning.

  The locks twisted and the door jerked open. "Gaige." His uncle’s booming voice exclaimed, and he was pulled into a bear hug before his mind could catch up with today's events.

  "Uncle Jeff." He returned the hug, then stepped back. "I hope it's alright that I dropped in, but I'm on a mission and have no time."

  "Come in, come in. At least you must have time for a coffee."

  "Always." His uncle walked into the house and called up the stairs, "Tommy, Bev, Gaige is here."

  “Tommy’s here?”

  “Yes. He’s been staying for a short time.”

  Uncle Jeff's arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him toward the kitchen before any movement sounded upstairs.

  "I'm so happy to see you, Gaige. How are you doing? How's GHOST? And, lastly, I spoke to your mother yesterday, and she's still as stubborn as ever about GHOST, but she's doing well."

  "I'm happy to see you as well, Uncle Jeff, but I do hope I can speak to you before Aunt Bev and Tommy come down."

  "Of course." He watched his Uncle turn to the side and pull coffee cups from a cupboard and set them on the counter. Easily navigating the kitchen, he pulled the creamer and sugar out and set them in front of Gaige.

  "I drink my coffee as black as I can get it, but you may want to sweeten it up. Now tell me what's on your mind."

  "Reed Killian."

  His uncle scoffed and locked eyes with his. "Smarmy bastard is always trying to climb up my ass. But, he's useful when I need something done ‘cause he's always vying for a promotion. Why are you asking about him?"

  "How much access does he have to personnel records?"

  "He has quite a bit of access, but not complete access. Why?"

  "Uncle Jeff, I need a favor and it involves Army personnel."

  "Gaige, I'm so happy to see you." His Aunt Bev breezed into the kitchen, looking shower fresh and ready to tackle the day. Her long blond hair flowed around her shoulders, and her blue eyes landed on his before she pulled him and hugged him. Turning, she walked around the counter and poured her own cup of coffee.

  "I'm happy to see you, too. You look gorgeous as ever."

  Aunt Bev giggled and it sounded as if she was a teenager. She'd always been youthful looking and her pleasant personality added to that youth and vitality. Living in California, she'd mentioned before, demanded that a woman take care of herself. Being married to a full bird Colonel, further added to that pressure. So, her job was to keep up her appearance, exercise, stay fit and trim and volunteer at the base. But, she loved it.

  His eyes slid to his Uncle Jeff's and locked when he saw his uncle staring at him. He didn't seem angry, but he was trying to figure this out. And, suddenly, Gaige began to think this was not the right move to make.

  Angry at himself for blindly trusting that this was the right move given what Sophie told Hawk about Tommy, he turned his attention to his Aunt Bev as she chatted about her day and all she had to do. She didn't even seem to notice that no one was paying attention.

  His phone chirped that he had a text and he quickly pulled it from his shirt pocket, glanced at the text, and let the phone drop into his pocket.

  "I've gotta run, I'm sorry. But, I'm on a mission and things aren't turning out like they should."

  He leaned forward and shook his Uncle Jeff's hand, then began walking to the front door as his Aunt Bev walked around the counter and hugged him briefly. Hugging her back, he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay, I actually thought I'd have more time."

  Aunt Bev squeezed then replied, "Next time let us know you're coming and I'll have a meal planned and we'll visit properly."

  "That sounds great, Aunt Bev." He opened the front door, turned to wave to his uncle who stood a few feet behind them, but simply nodded at him.

  Quickly walking to his SUV, his gut told him to get the hell out of town. His text told him they'd have a bit of trouble finding Sophie. Hawk said he'd lost sight of her, but was still following a trail.

  He needed to make time.

  Chapter 13

  Fighting the urge to break down and cry or slam her fist into a tree, Sophie kept her head low. She knew Hawk and Gaige were good at their jobs. Over the years before Tate died, he bragged endlessly about GHOST and how good all of the guys were. He was so proud of Gaige. She needed to use every bit of her survival training and keep herself hidden. From GHOST and from Killian and from the Army. Today was turning into a bigger pile of shit than the days before Gaige got here.

  To find out he was related to that fucking piece of crap, Tommy Taylor, well that just figured. She was more pissed than ever that she'd trusted him and mad at herself for not telling him that Tommy was Kate's rapist. She would have known last night that they were related and could have snuck out of the house and been gone by now.

  Finding a primitive shelter in the woods that someone had built a while ago, she hesitated then knew it was a bad idea to hide inside. They'd come looking for her soon enough and she couldn't be idle right now. Thing was, she couldn't go back to Riverton. She needed to find a phone and call Gigi, but that was the tricky part, finding a phone. She would have taken Hawk's, if she thought she could’ve gotten away with it, but they would’ve just tracked it anyway. Luckily, she did grab a go bag from Gaige's duffle, which would offer her some minor comforts, but there'd be no phone in there.

  Ducking behind a small hill, she pulled the go bag from her left shoulder and unzipped it. Inside were some small bottles of the basics, soap, shampoo, coffee packs, which were kind of neat, little baggies with a k-cup, filter, and a creamer packet inside. Then there was clean underwear, which wouldn't help her much, a clean t-shirt, socks and gym type shorts. Another baggie held a disposable razor, and a mini bottle of shave cream. Finally there were about five meal bars, that would get her through a couple of days. But nothing else that could really help her.

  As she began putting the items back into the bag, she noticed a tab on the inside. Pulling it up, she saw material folded inside. A label lay tucked alongside and she looked closer at it. This damned bag turned into a small tent. Eureka, she'd have a bit of shelter at least and some food. She could survive overnight and figure this shit out.

  She leaned against the tree, careful not to be seen, and tried to get her head around all she knew so far. Gaige was a cousin of Tommy Taylor. Which meant that Colonel Taylor was his uncle. Which likely meant they knew Killian. She couldn't recall if Killian reported directly to Colonel Taylor, she'd need the Brigade website to see that chain of command. What a fucking mess this was all turning out to be. Her heart felt heavy, as if it was weighted down by a boulder. She'd felt almost like a teenager sitting with Gaige early this morning. They still had so much to figure out, but she was hopeful and he promised to keep her safe and she believed him. And, a part of her hoped that maybe things could
be different for them this time around. Whatever had kept him from noticing her before had maybe changed and he'd notice her now as a woman.

  Taking a deep breath, she solidified her plan in her mind. She needed to get back to Gigi, even if it meant another eleven-mile hike today. She stood and peeked over the hill, feeling a bit lighter that she at least had a plan now.

  Footsteps in the dead leaves on the forest floor made her drop to the ground on her belly. Her heart hammered in her chest and her mouth grew dry. She listened for movement, her ears tuning into anything of note. The light rustling she heard was definitely not an animal. The crackling slowed and she turned her head slightly to ascertain the direction the footsteps were coming from. Nothing. They seemed to stop. She paused for a long moment, in case whoever it was intended to wait her out. Slowly raising herself with only the strength of her left arm, she pushed herself back on her haunches, and waited to ensure she was undetected. Silence ensued, so she slowly raised herself into a crouch, then gently lifted herself up to peer over the hill. That's when she saw him.

  Twisting to run in the opposite direction, she leaped over a dead branch laying between two trees and maneuvered herself between the trees that came next. The spaces in between the trees narrowed and she turned to keep herself in the smaller passages between the smaller trees. It was unlikely he'd be able to follow her through trees this close together.

  Leaping once again, a massive arm encircled her waist and pulled her back against a solid wall of chest. The quick breathing of her captor huffed in her ear.

  "Not so fast, Sophie. We have to talk."

  She squirmed but her right shoulder thumped into his muscle-hardened chest and she cried out as the pain shot down her arm.

  "Easy." His voice was calm as he easily carried her deeper into the woods and through a small copse of trees which helped to shield them from anyone else lurking about.

  Setting her feet on the ground, he didn't release her but whispered close to her ear, "At least give me a few minutes to explain."

  What choice did she have? Reluctantly she replied, "Okay."

  Feeling defeated for about the tenth time in a couple of days, she slowly turned to face Hawk and wrinkled her nose when she noticed he wasn't allowing her to step away from him.

  "How did you find me so quickly?"

  "Soph, you took Gaige's go bag. We have tracking on everything, just in case." He pulled his phone up and showed her the map location with the red dot right where they were standing.

  Nodding her head once, she made a mental note not to steal GHOST stuff.

  He continued. "Why did you take off?"

  "Why do you think? He's working with Kate's rapist."

  "No, he isn't. He didn't know anything about Tommy and Kate until you told me and I called him when you bolted."

  "How can I believe that? Even you have to see how convoluted this is and how coincidental all of this seems to be."

  "It's just that, coincidence. He thought his Uncle Jeff might be able to help us out."

  "But don't you see? His son is a rapist. And, it's all coming together for me now. I'd bet Killian helped Colonel Taylor get rid of Kate because she wouldn't shut up about Tommy raping her."

  "If that's true, and I'm not saying it isn't, you don't know Gaige at all. Even if his cousin is a rapist..."

  She opened her mouth to tell him Tommy was a rapist, but he held his forefinger up to stay her. "Even if Tommy is Kate's rapist, one, Gaige did not know and two, he wouldn't help a rapist get away with it. That's not who Gaige Vickers is. The very principals that GHOST was founded on are just the opposite of what you're saying and I've known Gaige for more than ten years now, and never once...Not once, did he ever waiver on responsibility or integrity."

  "But, it's too coincidental that he'd come here and then go to see Colonel Taylor."

  "I'll give you that. But not because he wants any harm to come to you. He has feelings for you and he'd never put you in a position to be harmed."

  "You mean he has feelings for me because he loved my brother."

  "If that's what you believe, you're sadly mistaken." He looked around at the sound of a snapping branch. "We have to go, Sophie."

  He gripped her left arm, and began leading her through the woods, deftly navigating the terrain, which she had to admit was impressive for a man his size.

  Nearing the cabin, Hawk slowed them down, then watched with interest as a black car slowed as it drove past the cabin. After the car moved past, he steered them in the direction of the backdoor, then opened the door, letting her enter before him.

  As soon as the door closed, Gaige came around the corner from the bathroom. "We have to go. I think they're on to us." Running into the living room he nabbed his duffle, which she noticed had been packed up. "We'll get into the SUV while you grab your gear, Hawk, we need to roll."

  Quick as lightening, Hawk disappeared into his room and Gaige locked gazes with her. "We'll talk in a bit, Soph, but know this, I'd never hurt you and we've got to make tracks."

  Nodding because she didn't trust herself to talk right now, she moved toward him as he held his arm out to the garage door exit. He waited for her to proceed him, then held the backdoor on the driver's side open for her and settled her inside, stowing his bag in the back. Hawk appeared soon after, tossed his bag into the back and hustled around to the driver's side. Gaige tapped the garage door opener on the wall and jumped into the passenger seat as Hawk started the vehicle.

  Slowly exiting the garage, Gaige said, "I was followed by two black sedans once I neared the outskirts of town. I don't know if Uncle Jeff put them on to me or not, but he saw what kind of vehicle I was driving and it's too coincidental that they'd be on to us this fast. It makes me sick to think he and Tommy are involved in something like this. I've always admired him."

  Hawk turned briefly to Gaige and said, "We don't know for sure."

  "No, we don't but at this point we have to assume. I asked him if Killian had access to personnel records before I clearly realized I shouldn’t say anything based on what Soph told you. Head to the hangar, I'll call Gavin. It’s the only way to stay safe."

  Turning left onto the road that took them away from Riverton and toward the major highway that sent traffic around the town, Gaige pulled out his phone and tapped a couple of times before speaking.

  "Have the plane ready to take off in thirty minutes to the compound. Don't tell anyone who isn't necessary when we're taking off or where we're going."

  Gaige twisted and looked at her. "It'll be okay, Soph. We'll talk more on the plane."

  Before she could respond Hawk said, "We have a tail."

  Chapter 14

  What a mess this all was turning out to be. He was so good at his job but he'd let a few things blind him this time. His feelings for Sophie and the love of his family. He needed to set aside some of these feelings and start using his head.

  Turning to see the car trailing them, he recognized a sedan that had followed him earlier from Windsor Heights.

  "I only see one. Is there anywhere we can get off this highway and dodge them?"

  From the backseat Sophie responded, "Take the next exit, number 13A. That will take us through the south end of town and it's riddled with narrow winding streets and paths where we can hide if need be."

  Hawk switched lanes in front of a dump truck at the last minute, which not only pissed off the dump truck driver but threw the sedan off enough that it couldn't change lanes.

  "No doubt he's in contact with the other guy and they're headed our way now. We need to ditch this car." Pulling his phone from his shirt pocket he began looking for another rental car company. Last case scenario, he'd call Rocco and see if he'd help out once more. He was going to owe Rocco big time for all of this.

  "Gaige?" Her soft voice belied her strength. He admired her more each day for her grit and determination.

  Turning in his seat he locked eyes with this brown-eyed beauty. Looking forward to a time when he'd be
able to sit with her and actually take in all that was Sophie Turner.

  "Yeah, Soph."

  "I have an idea." Her hands were laying in her lap, her fingers were twisted together and he realized how scared she must be. They'd had no time to talk, she likely thought he was working against her, which he'd never do. He nodded. "The night before last, I stayed in Canyon Creek at a bakery. The owner, Gigi, mistook me for a battered wife and took pity on me. She'd help us. If we head through town, and maneuver down Fourth Avenue, which is where you found me, we can hike through the woods. I made it in a few hours last time, but we could call Gigi and ask her to meet us closer to the edge of Riverton. She'd help me, I know for certain."

  Watching her face, the blue-yellow bruise beginning to fade from her attack, but the firm set of her jaw, he nodded. He handed her his phone, "You have her number?"

  She nodded, then pulled a business card from her left back pocket and began dialing her number. Her fingers rotated the business card as she waited for Gigi, or whomever, to answer the phone. "Hi Gigi, it's me, Katherine.” Her eyes flicked up to his, then out the window, and he realized what she'd done to stay safe. "I'm in need of your assistance. Again."

  He faced forward to give her the sense of privacy and watched in the passenger side mirror for anyone who looked as if they were tailing them.

  Sophie cleared her throat from the backseat and he twisted to see her handing him his phone. "She said to meet her halfway out of town in the township of Glenco. She said to pull off the road at the Bakery Supply Store, which is usually never that busy, but far enough off the highway that it takes a few moments to get to. Across the street from the store is a used car lot. She said to park our vehicle in the back behind the office. We can call the rental place to have them pick it up."

  Hawk swung around in the road, using the opening of a driveway for the room he needed to do so. Gaige wished they had the Beast with them right now; she was fully equipped with all the bells and whistles and they'd have better communication to the compound, too. As soon as they got to wherever Gigi was taking them, he'd call and check in. He needed Wyatt to run some information for him and that just might mean bringing in Jared Timm, who was a computer hacker of epic skills, to do some computer magic and find out some details for him.