Her eyes glistened. She swallowed hard. And aww, hell. Alex did what he should’ve done the first morning she’d come back to work. He rounded his desk and pulled her into one arm. “You’re not alone, damn it. Stay with me, Sasha. Let me take care of this problem, then we’ll talk. Over coffee. For as long as you need.”
“I’ll stay until you get back,” she whispered.
That would have to do. He squeezed her tight, then let her go.
“I tracked the GPS locator in Lucy Shade’s limo,” she admitted quietly. “I’ll send you the coordinates.”
“I knew you could do it,” he told her sincerely.
Mark held the door as Alex ran for The TEAM’s underground parking. He had a helo to catch, and a lying reporter to hunt down. But he wasn’t giving up on Mother. Hell, no.
Chapter Fourteen
Jameson couldn’t get over how much Maddie accomplished during the short time between when she’d left him in the basement and when she’d returned. She wasn’t the shrinking violet she thought she was. It was high time she realized that, and kicked her old man’s negativity to the curb. She’d proven him wrong tonight. Yet somehow, she still allowed his shadow to hover over her and slap her down.
Even now after they’d driven through more weeds and bushes than a limo should be able to traverse. He’d gone back into the house and retrieved that high-capacity, double-barreled, bullpup pump action, twelve-gauge shotgun, as well as the two extra pistols he’d confiscated from his first attackers. No sense leaving good weaponry behind. They went in the limo’s trunk. His Magnum went back under his arm.
But damn. Maddie was a beast behind the wheel, cussing every bump they lurched over and every sapling she mashed under the limo’s grill. “Damn you, trees, get out of my way. Shit, I didn’t see that rut! Sorry! This is all my fault. I thought I knew the way back to the road, but I got us lost and—hang on!”
“Relax,” he murmured even as he held onto the suicide handle over the window while she performed a sharp left turn.
“Whew. That was a big tree stump. H-how’s Mr. Vlad?”
Jameson had no way to know. He couldn’t see Mr. Vlad to begin with, nor could he reach all the way to the rear seat where the man whose first name was probably Vladimir lay. The guy hadn’t said a word since Jameson and Maddie had climbed into the limo and taken off into the dark. A paved road would sure be a nice change.
“Good grief! Did you see that deer? It nearly hit us!”
“Sure didn’t.” Jameson couldn’t help the smile that cracked his face. His blindness seemed to be as much of an adjustment for Maddie as it had been for him. Well, almost…
Right on cue, “I’m so, so sorry! You can’t see and I can but—”
“It’s okay. Pull over, and I’ll be glad to check on him.”
“Pull over, oh, that’s real funny. Like there are shoulders and curbs out here in the sticks. How about I just stop?” She stepped on the brakes and they came to a full stop.
“That’ll work. Don’t go anywhere,” he teased as he climbed to his feet and kicked his way through the thick grasses to the rear door. Jameson enjoyed the easy banter with Maddie.
“How are you doing?” he asked the quiet man after he opened the door and leaned inside. “I know you probably aren’t strong enough to speak, Vlad, but reach for my hand if you’re feeling good enough to keep going.”
He squeezed good and hard, as if telling Jameson he was hanging in there.
“Sorry about the rough ride. As soon as we hit asphalt, we’ll get you to a hospital.”
An older style flip cell phone slid into his palm.
“Wow, thanks. Maddie, I’ve got a phone!” Jameson called out while he thumbed his new boss’s number.
A woman answered, “TEAM headquarters, how may I help you?”
Thank God! “Alex Stewart. I know it’s late, but I need to talk to—”
“Jameson? Is Maddie with you?”
“Yeah,” he replied as he sank to the seat opposite Vlad. “Is this Mom? Great! Maddie! I’ve got Mom—”
“Mother,” the woman snapped.
“I’ve got Mom on the phone,” he insisted.
“Not Mom. Mother!” Ewww, the snark. Mother, who would from this day forward be known as Mom, was testy tonight.
“What phone?” Maddie asked.
“Vlad had a cell. I’m online with the office, and someone is actually there. Can you believe that?”
“I wish I’d known he had a phone!” Maddie yelled over her shoulder.
“Alex is already in transit, Jameson,” Mother interrupted primly. “We know right where you are. Stay put.”
“Yes, Mom!” he replied with exuberant relish.
“I said don’t call me that.”
He pretended he didn’t hear her. “We’ve got a man who needs rapid evac. He’s been shot, but he’s stable at the moment. What’s Alex’s ETA?”
“He’s coming to you by chopper,” she replied tersely. “Is there somewhere close he can land?”
“I have no idea. We’re in some pretty dense brush, I think. But I can’t see, remember? Mom? Are you still there?”
“Damn you,” she hissed. “Never mind. I’m switching to satellite topography. Okay, no. The closest LZ is a couple miles due west of your location, and you’re right. Your vehicle is in dense trees and undergrowth. Why aren’t you guys on a road?”
“Because we’re taking the scenic route.” He wasn’t about to cast any blame on Maddie. Wing men didn’t do that.
“Never mind. One way or the other, Alex is still coming. He’ll touchdown in five, then make his way to you. I’ll contact first responders. Anyone else hurt?”
“No, we’re good,” Jameson breathed as he sank his weary, worn-out ass into the plush leather seat of Lucy Shade’s stolen limo. “Damned good now that I’m talking with you. It’s sure nice to hear your friendly voice, Mom. Us kids really needed that. It’s been a helluva long day and night.”
The connection went dead. Jameson stuffed
