She wasn’t going to push him. “Be careful.”
“Always. You, too.”
Charlie had no clue what was going to transpire once Walsh arrived in the next few minutes, but she’d promised herself to tell Aiden, every single day, what he meant to her. “I love you.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, hard, quick. “See you soon.” With that, he was off.
Taken aback, Charlie snatched his wrist and pulled him into the dim blue light. “Hey, Mr. Romantic, aren’t you going to say it back?” Weren’t couples supposed to do that? Exchange mushy sentiments before separating and running into danger.
“After,” he said. The single, steely word was his promise to her that they’d get through this, that this wasn’t their last chance to share what was in their hearts.
Oddly enough, it filled her with hope. “After.” Another peck on the lips, and she let him leave.
She watched him take the entrance to the Rainforest Exhibit through the Mayan Reef and head past the sign that read Closed for Repairs.
Outside, she found a spot on a bench under a large shade tree, facing the river. The position gave her lines of sight to anyone approaching the entrance from the south or north and was partially concealed by a closed kiosk.
She put in her wireless earpiece. “One, two, can you hear me?” she said, doing a comms check.
“Loud and clear,” Aiden responded. “I’m all set up. It’s quiet in here. I think they moved the birds for whatever maintenance they’re doing. Fish are still in the tank. Hey, did you know that a school of piranha can strip the flesh from a one-hundred-pound capybara in under a minute using razor-sharp teeth?”
“No, and neither did you until you read that on a sign.”
Useless fact, but the viciousness made Charlie think she needed that same ferocious survival instinct.
She’d never had anything in her life as precious as Aiden’s love. They had a chance at a future together, and she was going to fight like hell to keep it.
They needed a four-man team for this. Something Devlin had and they lacked. Hopefully, Enzo was doing his part. If an army of thugs showed up at the aquarium, they’d have to retreat and regroup.
At three o’clock sharp, a text came in. Charlie opened the attachment, finding a picture of Edgar Plinski at the south side of the aquarium, as they’d instructed.
Edgar was pale, with horror-filled eyes and puffy cheeks, looking as if he was on the verge of a breakdown. They must have put him through the wringer.
Charlie sent the exact location for the meet.
Amazon Rainforest Exhibit. Second level.
A man she recognized from Devlin’s group photo approached from the east, alone, and went inside.
“Albatross is here, and a scout just entered, checking the place out. One of Devlin’s.”
“Roger,” Aiden said. “I’ll contact Garcia. Tell her to get over here ASAP.”
Devlin’s scout would do a thorough sweep, making sure it was clear of feds and cops, and that nothing suspicious stood out.
By the time Garcia arrived, the meet would be underway, and it’d be too late.
The scout must’ve been satisfied, because a few minutes later, another goon appeared with his hand locked on Edgar’s arm, dragging him toward the entrance.
Walsh followed at least ten paces behind them, carrying a briefcase and looking way too cocky, like this scenario was a foregone conclusion for him.
“Two SWAT operators and Albatross and Walsh are headed your way.”
“Got it,” Aiden said. “Don’t rush in. Play it cool. Make sure there are no surprises coming up on my six.”
“Okay.” Tension rippled through Charlie, but she forced herself to appear relaxed, like a tourist enjoying the day.
Then everything changed.
From the corner of her eye, she saw them. Not a squad of armed thugs. Something worse.
Devlin and one of his buddies, lean and mean with a goatee, rounded the corner from the north side in a furious stride. They were out for blood.
She swore under her breath.
Stopping at the employee entrance, Devlin rang the bell and pounded on the door with a fist. A staff member opened the door.
Devlin flashed his badge, shoved the kid aside and bulldozed his way in along with the other guy.
A rush of dread, cold as liquid nitrogen, shot through her. “They’re inside,” Charlie said. “Devlin and another.”
“Wait for Garcia. She’s mobilizing. She’ll be there in ten minutes. Stay outside.”
Panic flipped to fury. Like hell she’d sit outside while they killed Aiden.
She had one advantage. With the wig, they didn’t know what she looked like. She could get close and do damage before they even realized it was her.
“You could be dead in ten minutes. I’m going after Devlin.”
She’d do anything to protect Aiden, and everything in her power to keep them both alive.
* * *
AN EERIE SPARK of awareness had trickled down Aiden’s spine the minute he’d sent the text to Walsh about meeting at the aquarium. Someone was going to die today.
Now Charlie was rushing off to handle Devlin and one of his SWAT buddies alone.
And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. His chest squeezed with stark fear.
Impulsive, hotheaded, gorgeous woman! You better stay alive and not get hurt.
They’d waited too long, fought too hard, to lose each other.
She was smart. A fighter. A dirty fighter. Devlin had probably better watch out, he told himself, seeking a shred of solace.
One of the crooked cops wearing a ball cap entered the exhibit, scanning the area that was created to resemble the rainforest.
Aiden kicked the empty backpack at his feet out of his way.
Once the cop spotted Aiden standing on the Tree-Top Loop, a wooden bridge that connected two canopies with a small covered pavilion at one end, the cop moved to the bottom of the left staircase and stopped.
The position in the Tree-Top Loop gave Aiden enough camouflage from the pavilion to prevent him from being an easy target and a bird’s-eye view of the entire exhibit, along with both exits.
Walsh sauntered in carrying a briefcase, with a smug smile on his face. Behind him Albatross shuffled in, his head hung low.
The other dirty SWAT officer, who had outdated sideburns that Elvis wanted back, held a gun pressed to Edgar’s temple.
“Here he is as promised, and the money.” Walsh held up the briefcase and opened it, revealing bundles of cash. “Where’s the flash drive?”