“How did they find me?” On full alert, Ronanwas already packing his bag, ready to get out. Quickly.
“Honestly… I’m not sure. Your file wassealed, and we’d ensured few knew your real identity. But, asyou’re now being paid out of the disability banks… your name wouldhave popped up on new payroll reports. Depending on how high upthis goes… someone could have connected you to Max Kennedy. I wantyou out of there. Now.”
Fuck. He hadn’t wanted to retire in the firstplace. But here he was, starting to enjoy feeling normal for thefirst time in well over a decade, since before he even joined theCIA. Now he was on the run again.
Sara’s voice went soft on the other end,“Keep your nose clean. You’re at the top of a very short list asthe likely mole. Hidden weapons, dead agent… they won’t be lenient.I’ll have a new ID, phone, and flight information waiting for youat JFK in 12 hours.”
“Aren’t you going to be in trouble forhelping me?” He was already tying his shoes and making for thefront door.
“When this is all sorted out, and the realmole is caught, I am sure you’ll receive a nice fat apology. I’mnot worried about me; I’ve been in this business long enough. Ihave my own retirement planned. Far from prying eyes and ears.” Shesounded almost to be smiling.
As always, Ronan was grateful for his mentorsaving his ass, again. “You be careful.”
“Talk to you soon.” She disconnected.
He had nothing more to offer the intelligenceworld. He was now a nobody. Didn’t make a lick of sense.
Someone was looking for a scapegoat - thereal mole. He had a hunch who that may be. Sara was right, heneeded to get out of here. Whoever bugged him clearly didn’t wantto kill him, or he’d be dead already.
If they were waiting on him to reveal thelocations of the weapons, who hid them in the first place? TheYoungs would have lost a boatload of money on the deal of theircareers.
Would the mole have hidden the weapons? Why?Was he trying to make a quick buck, or did he have other plans? Howhigh up did this go?
Finally feeling settled, a part of somethinggenuine, he hated to go. If he stayed, he put all of that injeopardy. If he left now, he could draw the danger away from hisfamily, away from Payson. He wasn’t coming home until he’d sortedit out, no matter how long it took.
Deep in his chest, a clutching, gripping acheradiated outwards. This is why he didn’t form attachments. Why he’dmaintained such distance from his family all these years. Leavingwas so much more difficult now. Leaving his heart behind, he hoppedin his truck and drove away.
23
At two minutes to eight on Monday morning, Paysonlocked up her front door and headed down the stairs. Huh. NoRonan.
Straining her ears for the sound of Ronan’struck rumbling down the road, she tried to reason it through. Ofcourse he wasn’t here when he usually was, the stain was stilldrying. Nothing for him to do.
They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, butthey were still good, weren’t they? They hadn’t spoken since he’dsprinted out of there. He would have called if he wasn’t comingin.
Hands full, she set down the coffee she hadbrewed for him on the back step and unlocked the shop. The shelveslooked truly amazing. Still tacky, she didn’t risk touching therecently finished wood yet. Starkly contrasting the rich stain ofher new table, a crisp white note with her name written across thefront laid on the darkly stained surface.
Payson,
I’m sorry to leave without saying goodbye. There wasan emergency with my old job, which has pulled me awayunexpectedly. I cannot say when, or even if, I will be able toreturn. You and my family are not safe if I stay. Please know thatI have every intention of returning to you, I want that more thananything. I was nothing before you brought me back to life.
—Ronan
What the hell was that? Why? Where? This notesays nothing.
She picked up the phone and called Maddy.Hopefully he’d told his sister more. Nothing, no answer. Paysonrecalled Maddy had been on patrol last night and was likely justgetting home.
Next, she called Laura, who answered,fortunately. “I’m assuming you heard. He left a note for us, too.”Laura’s gentle voice lulled like a mournful lullaby through thephone.
Breath coming fast, frantic, she jabberedaway, “I don’t understand. He was retired, what could possibly havepulled him away without warning? When I spoke to him last, hedidn’t mention anything.” Payson tried to hide the freak-out tremorin her voice, but she just couldn’t process, couldn’t grasp whatwas happening.
Voice breaking, Laura couldn’t hold back hersadness either. “I am truly surprised, but his work has alwaysbeen… critical. He wouldn’t have left without a really good reason.I’m sure he’ll get word to us when he can.” She sounded asheartbroken as Payson felt.
“You’ll let me know if you hear from him?”Desperately, Payson clung to any hope of contact. In the years hewas gone from Seaview, his family had been used to hismysteriousness. Of his lack of contact for months at a time. Of himstaying far away.
“Of course. You do the same.” The womenagreed to keep each other in the loop. Payson hung up feeling evenmore hopeless.
Numb, she managed to head to the front of thestore and open up shop for the day. The second he’d mentioned whathe did for a living, she knew he was going to leave. Knew his workwas too important to stick around this quiet town. A man like himwasn’t going to sit and work in a shop for a living. Or write,coach baseball, or become a damn carpenter.
