No Woman Left Behind: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book Six Read online

  “Not exactly.”

  “Not exactly?” The officer paused, considered. “But he was carrying a weapon?”

  “Yes. He usually does.”

  “Wait. I thought he was a computer geek,” my dad interjected.

  “He’s that, too.”

  Beau frowned. “Um, I thought he was a federal agent.”

  “He’s definitely a federal agent.”

  “So, which is he?” the policeman asked. “A geek, a police officer or a federal agent?”

  “A mixture of all three, I guess.”

  “I thought he looked manly,” Sasha offered.

  The policeman held up a hand. “Stop, everyone. Let me get this straight. An unknown assailant shot through the window from outside the premises, followed by an armed intruder actually entering the house and continuing to discharge a weapon. However, no one is clear if the intruder in the house is the same individual who shot at you through the window. So, technically we could have two perpetrators. Then your boyfriend, who was also armed, returned fire on the intruder in the house and chased after him. You’d all run in here to hide when Detective Carmichael arrived and discharged his weapon at you, his sister, after you attacked him, thinking he was the intruder.”

  “That’s it in a nutshell,” I said.

  “Right. At this point, no one knows where your boyfriend Slash—who is either a member of law enforcement, a federal agent, or a simply a poser—is located.”

  “He’s not a poser,” I said. “In fact, there should have been an FBI tail on him. You should check that out, too.”

  The policeman sighed, punched some numbers on his phone, strode to the doorway and began talking rapidly.

  I let out a big breath and leaned back against my dad’s desk.

  Beau walked over and joined me, scooting closer until we were touching shoulders. “So, sis, when did this love connection with Slash happen?”

  “There’d better not be any love connection,” my dad growled. “We’re going to have to have a serious talk about this man.”

  My left shoulder ached where I’d hit it during my duck-and-roll. “It’s complicated, Beau.”

  “I’ll bet. But for you to call him your boyfriend is pretty significant. It must be serious if you brought him home to meet Mom and Dad.”

  “Nothing is serious.” My dad’s voice was hard. “She just started dating him. How is it that you knew about this Slash guy and didn’t tell me?”

  “Hey, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t know he was Lexi’s boyfriend.”

  I closed my eyes. Was there a do-over button for this evening?

  The officer in the hallway stepped back into the study. “Take the cuffs off. They all check out. You, Lexi. I need you to tell me more about your boyfriend.”

  “She can’t,” my dad said. “Apparently she doesn’t know his name or what he does for a living.”

  One of the policemen tugged on my cuffs and my arms were released. I rubbed them.

  “What do you mean she doesn’t know his name?” The policeman walked over to me. “You’re dating some guy and you don’t know his name?”

  “Not exactly. He goes by Slash.”

  “Like the famous guitarist from Guns N Roses?”

  “No, as in short for Backslash. It’s hacker lingo.”

  “Okay.” He wrote something down. “You got an address for this Slash?”

  I thought about it. “Actually, I don’t. He usually comes to my place.”

  “A phone number?”

  I rubbed my hands over my forehead. “He has several. He usually calls me from different numbers. Security and all, you know.”

  “Hold on. You’re dating a guy and you don’t know his name, what he does for a living, or where he lives?”

  “It does sound pretty bad when you put it that way.”

  “And he’s supposedly followed by the FBI?”

  “It’s for his own protection.”

  The officer shook his head but didn’t ask any further questions.

  Jeez. Welcome to Meet the Parents Night From Hell.

  Beau helped my mom up from the chair so the policeman could get her cuffs off. “Look, this Slash guy is legit as far as I know,” he told the police officer, making me feel better. “He was tight with the feds and helped run that recent terrorist situation at the high school Lexi was trapped inside. I saw him in action. He’s definitely got some kind of law enforcement or military training. He seems like a good guy. My gut instinct says he’s the real deal. Lexi, why would someone be shooting at him?”

  “Slash was the target?” my dad asked.

  I hadn’t even had time to think about who might have been the target. “I have no idea. Maybe it was random. A house invasion or something.”

  If that were it, we were all damn lucky Slash had been with us. But thinking about Slash reminded me of the blood in my parents’ kitchen. My stomach churned. I knew he could take care of himself, but what if he’d been shot? And why hadn’t he come back? What if he were lying somewhere bleeding to death?

  I started to hyperventilate. Beau must have noticed, because he put an arm around me. “It’s okay, Lexi. The officers are already doing a sweep of the neighborhood, looking for Slash and the perps. It’s standard procedure. Plus, if someone’s bleeding, they should be able to track it. Don’t worry. Slash can take care of himself.”

  I swallowed, feeling dizzy and light-headed. The adrenaline rush had faded and I tried to calm my breathing and get my focus back. But I was scared. More scared than I ever thought I would be.

  “I know. He’s...he’s good like that.”

  Suddenly the lights came on and we all blinked. I shielded my eyes until my sight adjusted. And just like that, I saw him standing in the doorway, flanked by two officers.

  Slash.

  Chapter Six

  I ran across the room and threw myself in his arms, almost knocking him over. His arms went around me.

  “Are you alright? Are you bleeding?” I asked.

  He held me for a moment before stepping back and studying my face. “I’m fine. Are you okay? Is everyone okay?”

  I nodded. “We’re good. No one is injured. What happened?”

  “He got away. I hit him with return fire. How badly, I’m not sure. I tracked him, but he was good. Highly experienced, whoever he was. I didn’t want to spend more time on finding him in case he was circling back here or serving as a distraction to whatever was going on here.”

  The officer who had been questioning me stepped forward. “You’re Slash?”

  “I am.”

  “What happened here?”

  Before he could reply, another uniformed cop ran into the room. “I’m sorry, sir, but we’ve discovered the bodies of two federal agents in a car parked a little way down the street. Got the CSI unit on the way.”

  The officer looked at Slash, who closed his eyes. “My tail.”

  My stomach lurched.

  “We’ve been instructed to bring this man to headquarters immediately.” He pointed at Slash. “Apparently the chief is coming in to handle this one personally.”

  The officer looked between Slash and me for a long moment, then nodded. “That’s highly unusual, but what the chief says is gold. Do it.”

  * * *

  Apparently the Chief wanted only Slash at that time, so my parents, Beau and I were released from further questioning and permitted to check into a local hotel. The house was a crime scene and we would have people coming and going all night long. I wanted to go home, but Slash had warned me against going anywhere alone until they figured out the purpose of the attack. To make matters worse, reporters arrived just as we were heading out. The police cleared them out so we could get out of the driveway, then escorted us to the hotel,
but it wasn’t pretty.

  We were all exhausted by the time we got to our rooms. After borrowing a toothbrush from the front desk, I showered, put my T-shirt and undies back on, and immediately climbed in bed. I thought I’d never fall asleep, but I must have been out the second my head hit the pillow.

  I didn’t remember anything until I rolled over and realized Slash was passed out next to me, lying on top of the covers fully clothed. His gun lay on the nightstand and his sports coat and shoulder holster had been draped over a chair. Light was peeking in through the curtains. I squinted at the clock. Seven forty-two in the morning. I had no idea when he’d come in, how he’d found me or how he’d got into my room—that was just who Slash was. Master hacker, master of disguise and all-around talented guy.

  He made a little noise in his sleep and twitched. I wondered if he was still chasing the bad guy. His face was smashed in the pillow and his mouth was slightly open. He needed a shave.

  I reached out and gently pushed back a strand of black hair that had fallen across his forehead. A tenderness, an affection for him, swept through me.

  His eyes opened, and he looked at me and smiled. He rolled over on his back, one hand resting on his forehead.

  “Hey.” His voice still sounded sleepy.

  “Hey back.”

  His hand snaked out, catching my wrist and pulling me down on top of him. He rolled me over, kissing me with a warm, lazy heat as if he were still dreaming and wanted to wake slowly.

  After a bit, he lifted his head. “Now that’s what I call a good morning.”

  I smiled. “Where were you?”

  He started nibbling the sensitive skin along my chin, moving toward my ear. “Police station. There was a little party with the DHS, NSA and FBI. Might have had a CIA agent there, too. It was a busy night.”

  I struggled to sit up. “What happened?”

  He sighed and pushed himself up on his elbows. “The two federal agents who were following me are dead. Executed. As I was directly involved in the incident, I was questioned repeatedly by all the different agencies. They want to see both of us downtown at a CIA satellite office at nine o’clock for more questioning.”

  “But I don’t know anything.”

  “I know. Something unusual is up. They generally leave questioning like this for local law enforcement.”

  I took his hand, pressed it against my cheek. “I’m sorry. I guess dinner at my parents’ house wasn’t a good idea. Except if you hadn’t been there, who knows what might have happened?”

  He reached behind my head, pulling me in for another kiss. “You could have been hit,” he murmured. “My worst nightmare.”

  “I guess it was my lucky day.”

  He cupped my cheek so I was looking directly at him. “And mine. There can’t ever be enough time for me to get my fill of you.”

  Before I could say anything, his phone rang.

  He swore, but didn’t answer it.

  “Get it. It could be important.”

  Sighing, he rolled off the bed and snatched his phone from the bedside table. “Hello.”

  He listened for a minute, then his gaze raised to meet mine. “Yes, she’s with me.” Frowning, he listened for a bit more. “Twenty minutes.”

  Without even saying goodbye, he hung up and set the phone down.

  “What was that all about?”

  He sat on the bed and rubbed his cheek. “I’m not sure. They want to see me now. Alone. They asked for your whereabouts.”

  “They know about us?”

  “Of course. They know everything about me, remember?” His voice held a trace of bitterness.

  “Right. I’m sorry.”

  He leaned in for another kiss, but I could feel the tension in him. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I have to go.”

  “Do they still want to question me at nine o’clock?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll find out, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “You’re safe here for now. There’s an officer stationed outside in the hallway for you and your family’s protection. Stay put until I figure out what’s going on. But you’d better give your boss a call and let him know you won’t be in today.” He pointed at a black duffle in the corner. “I stopped by your place last night and picked up some of your clothes, a toilet kit and your laptop. Order room service and relax. I’ll be back soon.”

  He picked up his briefcase and kissed me on the nose. “Don’t worry. We’ll get this sorted out.”

  After he left, I took his advice and ordered room service. I hadn’t eaten last night, so I was famished. While I was waiting for the food, I booted up my laptop and called Finn. He wasn’t in yet, so I left a message, giving him the details on my situation. After about twenty minutes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, pastries, orange juice and coffee were delivered. I dug into the food while surfing the net and tried to return to my happy place, but I had a hard time concentrating.

  Someone knocked on my door. I crossed the room, peeked out of the peephole, then opened the door. Rock and Beau strolled in.

  “Hey, sis, do I smell coffee?” Beau asked.

  “And food,” Rock added, lifting the lid on one plate and checking out the tray. “You didn’t invite us.”

  “I didn’t even know you were here,” I said to Rock. “And I thought Beau was still asleep.”

  Beau picked up a sausage and ate it. “Nope. Most cops are early risers unless on the night shift.”

  Rock grinned. “Yeah, and didn’t you know the early reporter catches the story?” He picked up a mug from the top of the hotel refrigerator and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Speaking of story, what’s going on?”

  I returned to the desk, sat, then picked up my own cold coffee. “I don’t know, Rock. Someone shot at us at Mom and Dad’s house last night. I have no idea why. I have to get questioned some more this morning.”

  Beau’s eyes narrowed. “How come no one wants to question me or mom and dad? We were there, too. It seems odd.”

  It did seem odd, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. I shrugged. “You guys might be next on the list. Slash is with them now.”

  Rock perched on the edge of my bed. “So, what’s this I hear about you having a boyfriend? Has the world stopped spinning on its axis?”

  “Ha, ha. We just started dating, okay?”

  “And he’s already chasing masked intruders through our house?”

  “We’re really lucky he was there.”

  Rock sobered. “True. Look, something strange is happening. Both Beau and I checked our sources this morning. The incident at Mom and Dad’s isn’t being classified as a burglary or a home invasion. It’s serious, though. Two federal agents were executed. From what Beau tells me, they were following your boyfriend as part of some kind of protection detail.”

  “Slash holds a critical position in the US government and is apparently not expendable. Even I’m not sure exactly what he does.”

  Beau joined Rock on the edge of the bed. “Well, I thought you might want to know that as of one hour ago, the police reports have been closed out. The incident has been now been classified.”

  “Classified? Why?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s troubling. Speaking of trouble, how did Mom and Dad like Slash?”

  “I don’t have a clue. Dad was cleaning his gun when—”

  “Whoa.” Beau held up a hand. “Stop right there. Dad has a gun?”

  “Exactly. After brandishing it and informing us he knew how to use it, he interrogated Slash with his finest lawyerly skills before demanding to know about his intentions toward me.”

  Rock winced. “Ouch.”

  “No kidding. Then all hell broke loose. So, the whole meet-the-parents thing didn’t go as planned.”

 
Before my brothers could comment there was a knock on the door. Rock looked through the peephole, then opened it. Slash stood there.

  “Hey, Slash.” He’d returned sooner than I expected.

  “Come on in and join the party.” Rock held out a hand. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m Rock, Lexi’s oldest brother.”

  Slash shook hands, then walked in. Beau leaned forward and gave him an open-handed, sideways palm slap that apparently served the same purpose as a handshake.

  “Good to see you again, Slash. Can you update us on the situation?”

  Something was wrong with Slash. He wouldn’t even look at me, and he always looked at me as if I were the only person in a room.

  “Not much,” he said to my brother. “But I’m afraid Lexi and I have to leave now for further questioning.”

  Even his voice sounded funny. Tense, coiled and worried.

  “Can we go with you?” Beau asked.

  “I’m sorry. Not this time. They want to see only Lexi for now. But you are all free to go home or to work. I should advise you, however, you’ll have a police detail for the foreseeable future until we get this sorted out.”

  “What exactly is this?” Rock asked.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know yet.”

  After another minute more of chatter, my brothers filed out while I shut down my laptop and grabbed my coat.

  “What happened?” I asked Slash.

  “You’ll find out. We can’t talk about it until we get to our destination, okay?”

  “Slash? What’s wrong? You’re scaring me.”

  He stopped, gripped both my shoulders and kissed me hard. “Just let me say that I love you and it’s going to be fine. Trust me, okay?”

  I stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “Okay.”

  Chapter Seven

  We took the elevator in silence to the hotel garage, then climbed into his SUV and headed out. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a black sedan on our tail. A new FBI team had apparently been assigned.

  He drove to a non-descript building in Rosslyn, Virginia, not too far from my office at X-Corp. Slash flashed a badge and I had to produce my ID to the guy monitoring the parking garage. He checked his electronic tablet for our names, then waved us in. Once Slash parked, we took the elevator to the lobby. We both had to show our identification again, and this time Slash had to check in his gun. We both had to turn over our cell phones and endure a pat-down followed by a full-body scan. Only after that were we permitted to pass.