I knew there were instances when serial killers didn’t strike for several years before picking up again.
The longer we went without knowing if it was Edwards or someone else, the longer it was left an unknown. Unknowns caused fear. It would be especially true for Maisie, but equally so for me.
My first instinct was to take her away from the park, out of the state, or even the country. But that wasn’t up to me. Maisie needed to be in control of her own life. The last thing I could make her feel was powerless.
After my call with Onyx ended, I placed another one to Diesel.
“Heard the boss talking to you just now,” he said.
“Yeah. I hear you’re getting ready to turn him over to the bureau.”
“I volunteered to be part of the transport team.”
Something about that worried me. “Godspeed, my friend.”
“Thanks, Range. What’s happening there?”
“Fasano is in with Maisie now. The doctor was in earlier and said he thought she could go home this morning.”
“You’ll need transport.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll ask Onyx to reassign the transport team. Do you want me to head there now?”
“Nah. The discharge process may take a while.” I wanted to argue and say it wasn’t necessary for him to be the one to pick us up, but my gut was telling me Diesel shouldn’t be part of Edward’s extradition.
“Copy that.”
I was about to end the call when Diesel spoke again. “On the subject you messaged me about earlier, increasing security at your place and setting it up at the Jones’ camp was already in process. My understanding is Doc facilitated making it happen.”
Since Doc’s father was a security and technology genius, whom governments hired if he agreed to take on the jobs, I had no doubt whatever security was in place at Al and Mary’s and at my camp, would be as good as what was at the White House.
After our call ended, I leaned up against the wall outside Maisie’s room long enough to get my composure in check. It had been obvious in the last few hours that my wife could read me more than I believed anyone could.
When I felt ready, I opened the door. Good thing since it appeared Fasano was anxious to leave.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” she said on her way out.
“Hey, beautiful.” I walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and took Maisie’s hand in mine. “Things are set for when we leave. Diesel will come get us. My guess is Swan will be with him.”
“I like her.”
I was glad to hear it. Not everyone did. The woman could be abrasively British at times.
“You’ll probably be seeing a lot of her.”
“Ranger?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re taking me home, right? I mean to your place.”
“Our place, but yes. If that’s where you want to go. I’ll understand if you’d rather be at your grandparents’ camp.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Is that what you want?”
“Not at all. We already talked about this. My only desire is that you’re comfortable, but yes, I want us to be home. Together. Forever.”
“That’s what I want too.” She bit her lip, and her eyes filled with tears.
“Tell me what you’re feeling.”
“Ms. Fasano warned me that I may not be experiencing the worst of my response to what happened to me yet.”
I took a deep breath, hoping Maisie didn’t pick up on my anger.
“You don’t like her.”
I smiled. So much for hiding anything from her. “I do not.”
“What if she’s right?”
“Here’s what I think. There is no way to predict whether things will be easier or harder on you. I would assume it’ll be both. Whatever you need, want to talk about, don’t want to talk about, want to do, or not do, I’m your guy.” I remembered Doc’s words to me. “I’m your safe place, Maisie. You’ll never have to worry about what I think or how I’ll react.”
She nodded.
“You’re safe with me, beautiful,” I repeated.
“That’s the way I feel.”
Nothing she said could have relieved me more. Especially when she was so good at picking up on my feelings. If she felt safe with me, that meant she truly believed she was. Right now, it was all that mattered.
28
RANGER
We were in the SUV on our way back to the camp when both my phone and Diesel’s went off with an emergency alert we knew meant our immediate attention was required. As soon as he could, he pulled to the side of the road.
“Ranger checking in,” I said when Onyx answered my call.
“Ranger, all hell has broken loose on Edward’s transport. The team was ambushed. Edwards was taken out. Two agents are down, but I haven’t been able to determine who or what their condition is.”
My stomach lurched when I thought about my premonition about Diesel being on that transport. The man was like a brother to me. Most of the K19 team was, but I was closest to him.
“Copy that. Diesel, Maisie, and I are almost back to the camp. What do you need from me?”
“High alert. Do not return to your camp until you get the all clear from me.”
I was sitting in the backseat with Maisie but had the phone on speaker so Diesel could hear the call. I put one arm around her and brought her closer to me when I felt her tremble.
“Any other parameters?”
“Negative. Let me know where you land.”
“Where did the ambush take place?”
“Albany field office.”
“Copy that.”
“West?” asked Diesel when I hung up.
It was either that or north, but until we got the all clear that this was an isolated incident intended solely to take out Edwards, I wouldn’t retrace any of our recent travels.
“My folks have a place on Oneida Lake,” Diesel reminded me.
“That works.” It was two hours from where we were now, and there was a possibility we’d have the okay to go home before we even got there. However, it gave us a place to stay if we needed it.
“How are you doing, beautiful?” I brought Maisie as close to me as I could get her with the constraints of our seat belts.
“Maxim is dead?”
“He is.”
“Who would’ve done this?”
My eyes met Diesel’s in the rearview, and he gave me a head nod.
“What we’ve learned in the last couple of days is that Edwards was mixed up with some dangerous criminals. My guess is they believed he might offer to talk in exchange for having some of his charges reduced.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Charges reduced? Oh my God.”
I squeezed her shoulders. “First, just because the people who killed him may have feared it might happen, it doesn’t mean it would’ve. Second, he’s dead, so it’s no longer an issue.”
“Right. Thank God.”
I wasn’t sure what exactly she was thankful for, but I had my own appreciation to offer up. Thank God Edwards was dead. Thank God Diesel didn’t get caught in the crossfire. And finally, I would never stop being thankful Maisie was safe.