Expired Getaway (Last Chance County #7) - Lisa Phillips Page 0,43
a team. Someone was out sick, a director of some department, and all of a sudden a different call was made by whoever took over.”
“That’s harsh.”
“It’s easy to pretend politics don’t control us, but the truth is that we’re at the mercy of the people in control. Whether we voted for them or not. We’re the ones who have to live with it.”
“So it’s like covert agents?”
He knew. She nodded anyway. “Burned spies. Special Forces guys who need to lay low because of an imminent threat. Even state department employees, ones who were formerly stationed in a particularly hot zone. We can provide protection. We can get someone a completely clean identity and a place they can live in peace with their families. Or off the radar altogether. There are a couple of clients like that. No trace. No ID. No trail to follow.”
In fact, there was a guy like that who lived in the woods a few miles outside of town. At least, she was pretty sure he might still be here. That whole thing had been Millie’s idea since he had family in Last Chance.
“You guys gonna stand there all day?”
Aiden spun. Bridget would’ve drawn her weapon, but she didn’t have it. Her stun gun was…wherever. Maybe Clarke had taken it with him, the way she’d taken his phone. Her weapon was…somewhere. Maybe back at the house?
The man at the door was lean and about five-nine. Younger than her and Aiden. Dark hair fell over his forehead.
“I told you we were coming.” Aiden made his way over. “You didn’t get dressed?”
The guy looked down at his sweatpants and the tie-dye T-shirt he wore. “I am dressed.”
Bridget followed. At the door, Aiden turned to her. “This is Ted Cartwright. His fiancé is a police officer.”
“Please don’t tell my long, tragic story.”
Bridget smiled. “If he does, I’ll tell you mine. Though, we’ll probably both want to jump off the cliff into that freezing river once we’re done swapping stories.”
Ted shuddered. “Don’t even.” He held up a hand. “That’s part of it.” He twisted to Aiden. “Phone?” When Aiden handed it over, he stepped back. “Come in. It shouldn’t take long, and there’s coffee in the pot. Oh, and Ellie made muffins.”
Aiden stepped in, going straight to the kitchen. Bridget watched him over the breakfast bar as he pulled down two mugs from a cupboard. “Creamer? Milk?”
“Whatever is fine.” She wandered to the living room. Domestic life wasn’t her thing. He might be comfortable making himself at home in someone’s kitchen, but she was not.
Bridget moved around the living room. Above the fireplace was an ocean print on canvas. Bali, if she wasn’t mistaken. On the mantle were a few framed photos: the medic who’d helped her just yesterday danced with a dark-haired woman. Ted, at the top of a mountain with a blonde, both of them celebrating. Another man, one with brown hair. He held a curvy woman with dark features.
All of them looked so happy, even the brown-haired man with dangerous eyes.
Beside those was another picture—a group of men. But that was all she could take in before Aiden handed her a full cup of creamy-looking coffee. She took a sip. “Thanks.” Then another, as she looked at the farthest picture on the mantel…and choked on her next drink. “Is that Zander and his team?”
“They live here.”
She spun to Aiden, careful not to spill coffee on these people’s carpet. “In Last Chance?”
“Yeah. In this house, actually.”
Bridget lowered the mug from her lips. “Seriously?”
When he nodded, she pulled out her phone and turned. “Selfie time.” Aiden looked confused but got in the picture. She shared the grinning image of the two of them in Zander’s living room via text. “Seriously. The team lives here?”
Aiden nodded. “Millie mentioned them when I was talking to her and Eric. I didn’t put the pieces together, but I’m guessing you both know them.”
Bridget set the message. “Small world.”
“Do I want to know how you know a team of international private security specialists?”
She grinned. “Probably not.”
“Yeah.” He eyed her.
Never mind that he left the conversational door open, and she didn’t go through. Their chat didn’t need to move to heavy topics right now. There was already enough of that between them.
“I’ll have to tell them about Clarke.” Bridget winced. “Zander is going to be seriously mad. I’ll never hear the end of it when he finds out Clarke is behind all this. Zander never liked him.”