“Why in the world wouldn’t we be all right and what the hell is going on?” He asked. Drew’s lips twisted as he glanced at Sally and she nodded.
“We’ve been worried about the two of you,” Drew began carefully and Grant waved wildly.
“Yes. You know Royce is a CIA agent. Why are you so worried about us? We’re worried about you,” he told them and Sally’s lips parted on a gasp.
“Us? But he’s...” She stopped and cringed apologetically. “He’s a very dangerous man, Grant!”
“Oh, good grief!” Walter said as he passed out glasses. “Agent Bradshaw wouldn’t hurt the Weatherlys. I’d bet my life on it,” he told her and she nodded.
“I’m sure you’re right but why is he here and why did he have to involve them?” She hissed at Walter and Grant reeled.
“Him? Why is Sam here and what are you two doing?” He asked loudly and Sally’s jaw fell.
“Us? We’re doing what we’ve always done. We occasionally have guests who need someplace safe to stay, in the event of an emergency. And we make sure people in China know that everything is quiet and normal here,” she said then gestured vaguely.
“I knew it!” Grant laughed but Walter looked concerned as he chewed on his thumbnail and looked toward Hopkins Creek.
“Oh, dear...” Walter said under his breath and Grant’s blood ran cold.
Chapter 39
“So much for avoiding a mess,” Royce sighed as he drove over the bridge and turned onto Grant’s street. He didn’t want to go back on his promise to avoid a spy fight in the house but he couldn’t stomach the idea of Li in Grant’s home, Royce’s new sanctuary. He prayed Grant would forgive him but Royce had a feeling he was about to seal his fate and ruin his chances of living happily ever after in Hopkins Creek.
Royce spotted the stolen car at the end of the street. Li made the rest of the short journey to Grant’s house on foot. Royce turned off his headlights as he passed Grant’s house and parked his car around the corner. He jumped over the fence on the darkest side of the yard and watched the windows until he caught a quick flash of light in the kitchen. Royce picked the lock on the patio doors then slipped into Grant’s room while Li was on the opposite side of the house. He quickly discarded his antlers and the vest and took off his boots then silently pulled the spare pistol from the holster under the bed. Royce listened at the door then dashed into the hallway and kept the pistol at his side as he hurried down the hall on his tiptoes. Li had shut Edgar in the basement and he was growling and scratching at the door but Royce left him so he wouldn’t get caught in a possible crossfire. He paused in the foyer until he heard something drop in Audrey’s room then quietly hurried up the stairs on the balls of his feet. Royce started toward her room then backed away and into the guest bathroom just before the door to Audrey’s room silently opened. Royce drifted behind the bathroom door and waited as Li passed and went to inspect the guest room.
He listened as drawers opened and closed softly and Li searched the closet, probably for signs of a long-term guest. Royce glanced at the door connecting the guest room to the bathroom and smiled and tiptoed across the room as a blue light glowed in the window’s reflection. “Sam” wouldn’t like what he found in Grant’s room. They were meticulous but Grant’s room would still look like a crime scene under a black light. Royce slipped behind the other door as Li moved closer then held his breath as he quickly surveyed the bathroom. If he could contain the mess to this one room…
The door creaked as it slowly pushed open and Royce swayed away as Li leaned in. He saw Li’s nostril’s flare as he smelled him and Royce shoved his shoulder into the door, pinning Li against the doorjamb. Royce brought the butt of the pistol down on Li’s skull but it was just a glancing blow as he was thrown back, into the wall. Royce grunted as his chest was crushed by the door and Li drove his fist into his cheek, stunning him. They pushed at the door, grunting and swearing as their fists pummeled and their heads butted blindly. Royce tried to angle his right hand so he could shoot through the door but the gun slipped from his grip and clattered on the tiles, between his feet. Royce growled as he turned and wedged his hips against the door and pushed off the wall and they fell onto the bathroom floor. He dove for his gun but Li grabbed his leg and gave it a hard pull, throwing Royce off balance. He fell into the tub but he pulled Li and the shower curtain with him and they landed in a thrashing tangle of limbs.
“Get…off…of…me!” Royce spat as Li clawed at his face. Royce found a large bottle of body wash and flipped it in his hand like a club then swung hard. It caught Li on the shoulder and Royce let out a pained gasp as a fist drove into his ribs. He kicked and scrambled out of the tub and crashed onto the floor and Li pulled himself up and stumbled out. He staggered toward the door and the gun but Royce tackled him around the middle and threw him at the other wall. Li fell and caught his chin on the toilet seat. He swore as he twisted and delivered a swift kick to Royce’s cheek and Li was able to get to his feet but he drunkenly crashed into the toilet. Royce blinked to clear the sparks of light and floating shapes then ducked as Li heaved the ceramic tank cover at him. It hit the wall behind the tub with a loud Chonk! and the tiles cracked. Royce hurled the glass sconce shade at Li then fell as the waste basket sailed past his head. He grabbed the towel rack to pull himself up but the bracket snapped off the wall.
“Seriously?” Royce screamed as he dodged rolls of toilet paper and pulled himself upright then reached for the towel rod. He turned it in his grip so he could hold it like a spear and pulled it back, over his shoulder, as he lunged across the narrow space and reached for Li. Royce’s hand wrapped around Li’s throat and he pinned him against the mirror as he drove the towel rod as hard as he could.
“...two explosive egos with matching propensities for chaos and the potential for a lot of collateral damage...”
Royce heard Waites’ voice and it sounded like a prophecy. His fist locked and Li jumped and grunted hard as the rod punched his chest. His eyes widened in shock as they locked on Royce’s and Li pulled in a gasping breath. His hands wrapped around Royce’s wrist and they panted and shuddered as the adrenaline wore off and they silently regrouped. Royce didn’t like it. That nagging itch that dogged him since he arrived in Hopkins Creek made his skin crawl and he sensed that he was being played.
“Why are you here?” He huffed then relaxed and dropped the rod as Li raised his hands in surrender.
“I’m here because you’re here. Why are you bothering the Lees? They’re not worth your trouble,” Li complained and it dripped with disdain and disgust.
“What? We want to know why the Lees’ mission changed and what they’re doing,” Royce said as he staggered back. Li shook his head then swore as blood trickled into his eye and he wiped at his brow.
“Their mission hasn’t changed. They’re nothing. They want to retire and stay,” he muttered and winced as he reached for a tuft of toilet paper on the counter.
“Are you sure? I was told we had reason...” Royce started and a bark of laughter burst from Li.
“We couldn’t figure out why you’d care about them! They don’t know anything and they aren’t hurting anyone. I was supposed to beat the Russians to a new smart bomb but I had to take a detour to the fucking shire,” he complained as he flailed his arms then hissed as he clutched his side. “You’re a beast, I’ll give you that,” he admitted and Royce bowed his head. He wasn’t moving any more than he had to because he suspected he had some fractured ribs and a concussion, at least.