His lifeless eyes open. Blood pouring from his dead body on the floor.
She sucked in a deep breath and swallowed hard, her hands shaking. Her heart quivering.
Aiden stormed inside. His gaze fell to Devlin and lifted to her. The heated look in his eyes knocked her back a step. She saw the anger, the worry, the shadows of fear.
In a blink, he had her wrapped in his arms.
Relief rose like the sun inside her. They’d both survived. Together. She held him tight, pressed her cheek to his.
Then she remembered. Pulling away, she asked, “Where’s Albatross?”
“He ran with the money. Walsh went after him.”
She stared at him, her mouth hanging open. “Why aren’t you chasing them?”
He ran his hand over her hair and caressed her jaw. “I had to make sure you were all right.”
Shock left her speechless. The depth of his love was staggering. Blinding.
“You’ll always come first,” he said. “Before duty, before country. Before anything.”
With a lump forming in her throat, she slid her hands up his chest and he enveloped her in his arms. She soaked in his warmth, his comfort. His love.
The distinct sound of helicopter blades cutting through the air outside quieted them.
They ran out of the room.
From the window, they saw a police helicopter hovering in the front of the aquarium.
They exchanged a glance and ran down the stairs, racing to the main entrance.
Beyond the doors, Walsh stood with his arm around Edgar’s throat and a gun to his head. A hundred feet away, Special Agent Garcia had her weapon drawn alongside several other agents and had them surrounded.
Aiden took a step toward the doors with his gun raised.
“What are you doing?” Charlie grabbed his arm. “If you go out there, they might shoot you. They think we’re fugitives.”
Aiden considered what she’d said for a moment, pulled the cell from his pocket and called the burner he’d given Garcia.
What if she didn’t answer?
She might not even be able to hear it with the helicopter overhead.
But Garcia patted her pocket and pulled out the phone.
“We’re inside the aquarium,” Aiden said. “We have a clean shot. But I need you to let us take it.” He listened for a minute and hung up. “She’s ordering everyone to hold their fire. The shot is ours.”
Trepidation rippled through Charlie. It could be a trick, to get them to expose themselves, but Garcia wanted Walsh and to protect Albatross, a witness, as much as they did.
“I’ll hold the door,” Charlie said. “You take the shot.”
Aiden was a better marksman. Not by much, but enough to wound Walsh and save Edgar’s life. She couldn’t guarantee the same. Shooting to kill was more her style.
They crept up to the entrance, waving back frightened employees, urging them to stay low.
Charlie grabbed a door handle, took a breath to stop nerves from rolling her stomach and waited for Aiden’s signal.
With a two-handed grip for increased stability and accuracy, he raised the weapon, lining up his sights.
When he gave a sharp nod, she flung the door open.
Aiden squeezed the trigger once.
The bullet struck Walsh in the shoulder, causing the gun to jerk forward without discharging. Aiden fired again, hitting his hand. The weapon dropped to the ground.
FBI agents swept in and circled the two men.
Charlie and Aiden lowered their guns to the ground and put their hands up behind their heads, assuming the standard position.
Cuffs were slapped on Walsh. “I’m going to tell them!” Walsh said. “About how you murdered my sister. Say goodbye to your immunity. I might be going to prison, but you’ll be right there beside me!”
Edgar shuddered as agents took the briefcase and escorted him away.
“You can lower your hands,” Garcia said, approaching them. “You’ve been cleared of charges.”
“How?” Charlie and Aiden asked in unison.
“I’ve got Walsh and Devlin on tape. Devlin admitted to framing you. When I called your San Diego field office to let your boss, Will Draper, know, he informed me that Albatross’s wife came out of her coma this morning. She told the police what really happened. Apparently, Draper had marshals providing protection for her around the clock, in case you two decided to...well.” She stopped, not voicing the vile implication. “It was a good thing, too. A local cop tried to kill her.”
“What?” Charlie asked.
“The cop was Devlin’s buddy who’d provided his cover story for being out in San Diego.”
Devlin was trying to tie up loose ends, including her and Aiden. Edgar Plinski was saved for last.
“Thank you for contacting our superior,” Aiden said. “And for not shooting us.”
Garcia smiled. “Glad I could help.”
“What’s going to happen to Albatross?” Charlie asked.
“We’ll keep him safe in custody while we investigate Mr. Walsh’s allegations. If they’re true, Albatross will lose immunity and be sent to prison.”
It made sense that he’d kept quiet about Walsh in order to protect himself from a murder charge.
“When are you going to get Enzo Romero?” Aiden asked.
“We heard he made a big power play today,” Garcia said.
Charlie and Aiden exchanged a glance but said nothing.
“Thanks to the information you gave us,” Garcia continued, “we’re going to get a warrant and bring him in. After I get some rest.”
“Thank you again for your help,” Charlie said, shaking her hand.
Aiden did likewise. “There are four more inside. The dirty SWAT cops that ambushed us. Two are dead, including Devlin.”
Garcia nodded. “This is proof that interagency cooperation works.” She stepped past them inside.
“What now?” Charlie asked Aiden.
He circled his arm around her shoulders, and they started walking away from the hubbub of the scene. “Now we go back to our rented room in time for dinner. Henri’s serving blue crab gumbo. We shower, make love and talk about my job offer at Camp Beauregard.”
Being an instructor someday was always Aiden’s goal. She couldn’t give him children, but she could make sure he accepted his dream job. No way in the world would she take that away from him.