The days of Natalie going back to her house to have a
glass of wine and watch episodes of Criminal Minds or Doctor Who were long
gone. Ever since the day she saw Ragnarok in that report and called the number
Orrin had given her, her life had changed.
That’s when she and Callie had begun talking several
times a day.
The sound of another chopper flying low overhead caused
her to glance up. It looked like another military helicopter, which immediately
made her think of Owen. Again.
She sighed. After all the wasted years, she thought he’d
be gone from her thoughts. It seemed she was forever wrong when it came to him.
“There’s another one. I’m betting it’s them,” Callie
said.
“Think there’s any way I can look around without them knowing?”
“You mean without Owen knowing? Doubt it.”
She knew Callie was right, but that didn’t mean Natalie
had to like it.
“How’s work?” Callie asked.
Because she worked for the Russian Embassy, and she
wasn’t sure if they listened to her conversations, she and Callie never spoke
of her work. The fact that Callie brought it up meant there was a reason.
“Busy. I had a hard time getting away.”
“Time isn’t on our side.”
Of that, she was clearly aware. “How long do you think we
have?”
“I don’t know. Everything hinges on finding it.”
It being
Ragnarok—a bioweapon.
How different her life would be if Orrin hadn’t contacted
her in July. She wouldn’t be embroiled in kidnapping, espionage, and murder.
And yet . . . it felt as if this were the exact place she
needed to be.
Then again, that could be her heart trying to convince
her this all led back to Owen. As far as she was concerned, men were pigs.
She’d had enough of the lies, the cheating, and the bullshit that always went
with dating.
She was happy living the single life, not having to clean
up after anyone, share her closet, compromise on where to eat or if she got to
watch her favorite shows. There was no one taking her covers, snoring, or—
“Natalie?”
“Sorry,” she told Callie. “I was thinking.”
“About Owen?”
“About all of it. The shit is about to hit the fan as
soon as the boys learn what’s going on.”
Callie snorted loudly. “Then let it. Where have they been
these last ten years? Have they even bothered to send a fucking text? No. They
have no idea how badly that hurt Orrin.”
“I doubt they think about it.” She should know. In the
year she’d been with Owen, there were two things never discussed—his mother’s
murder, and his feelings about his dad.
“Which just pisses me off,” Callie said tightly. “If I
had a dad like Orrin, I’d never be far.”
“I know.” Callie was another who didn’t discuss her
family. And with a family as infamous around Hillsboro as the Reeds, it was no
wonder.
The Reeds were drunks and criminals of the worst sort. It
had been Orrin who helped Callie escape all of that. And why she thought of
Orrin as a father.
“We have to find him,” Callie said.
Natalie slowed the car and put on her blinker as she
prepared to pull onto the Loughman Ranch. “We will, Callie. We will.”
“Even if we have to do it on our own. If the jackasses
Orrin calls sons won’t help, then I’ll make sure they’re not around to
interfere.”
That made Natalie smile. If anyone could do that, it was
Callie. What she lacked in height, Callie made up for in intelligence and
talking rings around people. Few could keep up with her.
“I just turned into the ranch.” She felt a flutter in her
stomach.
Excitement or dread? She wasn’t sure she knew.