Montana Fire (35 page)

“W
ake up, sleepy head.”

Max’s deep voice entered her brain, but it took a few seconds to register. Jamie opened
her eyes to find a smiling Max next to the bed—fully clothed.

She sat up. “What time is it?”

“Ten in the morning.”

“Oh, shit.”

She never slept in, but after they made love and eaten, they’d spent hours talking
about their work. They didn’t get to bed until after midnight, where they made love
again. She couldn’t get enough of him.

He chuckled. “We need to eat then hit the road.” They had decided to head back today
since the Monster Truck Rally was tonight, and Max didn’t want to miss it. Neither
did she.

“What did Dan say when you called?” Max had called to find out more about the security
at the event.

“The FBI promised to have a ton of their men just in case someone had slipped through
the cracks.”

“I’m glad.” Now she could enjoy herself.

Jamie dressed and insisted on making breakfast while Max rested. After they ate, it
was time to finish packing and load up the SUV. Leaving was bittersweet. She loved
this cabin. She could have done without the tension and the shooting, but she had
learned a lot about Max, and herself as well. The healing process was never fun, but
having Max by her side had made the journey life affirming.

She snapped closed her suitcase and took it into the living room. They’d already picked
up their cases from Hank, and collected her laptop and their phones. It was time to
say goodbye to Marie, Montana.

She glanced around one final time, refusing to think about whether she’d ever see
this place again. Jamie wouldn’t assume Max wanted her permanently in his life. If
she thought he did, and then he didn’t ask her, she might never survive.

“You all set?” he asked.

“Yes.” She picked up her suitcase to take to the car.

Max huffed. “I can carry it, you know.”

“Humor me. I promise once we arrive in Rock Hard, I’ll let you go all macho on me
again.”

He laughed. After they packed up the perishables, they were soon on their way. Max
drove, despite her offer to be the chauffeur. When they passed Hank’s store, Jamie
waved even though he wouldn’t see her. She liked the storeowner. She could see why
Max was so fond of him.

Had they not said their goodbyes yesterday when they’d picked up her laptop and phones,
they would have stopped.

This time when Max pulled onto the main road that would take them to Rock Hard, she
tried to tell herself that she didn’t need to check the side mirror. She doubted she’d
succeed. They might be safe from these terrorists, but Jamie would never be so naïve
to believe there wasn’t evil lurking somewhere.

As they neared Rock Hard, Max glanced over at her. “What do you say we stop by the
hospital and check on Vic? Dan said the FBI would soon be transporting him back to
DC for therapy.”

“I’d like that.”

Mixed emotions filled her. Vic had been her friend, and for that she wanted to make
sure he was on the mend. However, he never should have entrusted her with something
as valuable as a flash drive. Depending on his condition, she might even give him
a stern talking to.

Less than two hours later, Max pulled into the LACE parking lot. To her surprise,
the anxiety didn’t assault her like it usually did. Jamie wanted to believe that she’d
truly moved on.

After she checked Vic was in the same room, they headed to the sixth floor. A man
in a suit was stationed outside the door. Max showed his badge and explained who they
were. Apparently Agent Forbes had already mentioned they might stop by.

Jamie knocked and entered. Vic was sitting up in bed, but had his eyes closed. He
still had the saline drip, and except for his bandages and the bruises around his
eyes, he almost looked good.

“Jonathan?” Jamie didn’t know which name to use, but she wasn’t ready to speak his
real name out loud yet. There was another man wearing a suit in the corner. It didn’t
matter that he might be another agent, she wanted to be careful.

Vic cracked open his eyes and studied her. “Jamie?” His voice actually sounded stronger,
like he was no longer trying to appear frail.

When Vic reached out his arm, she moved closer and clasped his hand in hers. Tears
burned the back of her lids. She should be pissed that he’d put her life in danger,
but she understood hundreds could have been injured if he hadn’t.

“That’s me.” She smiled, but the corners of her lips wobbled.

He glanced behind her and lifted his chin. “Is that Max?”

“How did you know?” The man on the bed looked so different from the homeless man that
she had a hard time believing it really was Jonathan, or rather Vic.

“Chuck described him.” He squeezed her hand, then let go. He elevated the bed. “You
know the worst part of this?” He waved a hand over his burns.

The list would be too long to enumerate. “What?”

“That I put you in danger.”

Her heart nearly cracked. Max stepped next to her and wrapped a possessive arm around
her waist. The agent in the corner straightened as if there might be a confrontation.

“Why did you do it?” Max’s voice sounded like ground glass.

Vic wet his lips and faced her. “Chuck told me you found the flash drive. I never
meant for them to come after you. I swear I was going to retrieve it as soon as I
could, but a few men had other ideas.”

“What happened exactly?” The events of the tragedy never made sense to her.

Vic blew out a breath. “I was sitting on the steps like always, when you showed up.
Your visit was the highlight of my day. Earlier that morning, I’d seen two men who
I believed were members of the cell exchange something—something I wanted to check
out. I got up from my stoop, slowly made my way over to them, swaying and staggering
as if I’d have too much to drink. As soon as the two men parted, I accidentally bumped
into the man with the interesting item. Given I’m a highly trained pickpocket, seconds
later I had said item in my hand. It felt like a toy, but I soon discovered it was
a flash drive.”

“Didn’t the man suspect something when you bumped into him?”

“Apparently not at first. He was too busy being horrified that a filthy human had
come that close to him. He walked away, and I went back to the steps. I had to figure
out a way to get the information back to my team. I didn’t have any idea what was
on the drive, but I figured it was important from the way they were looking around.
A few minutes later, you appeared—and so did the two men. I realized I might have
been made.”

That made sense. “That was why you stopped smiling after telling me that knock-knock
joke.”

“I guess. I don’t know what I looked like, but those men did distract me.”

“When you slipped something into my pocket, they must have figured you’d given me
what you’d stolen from them.”

“That’s what I would have thought if I were them.”

Max pulled her close. “If you’re good at sleight of hand, how did the men know you’d
put it in Jamie’s coat pocket?”

“I don’t think they knew for sure. That was why they came after me—to check. As soon
as I spotted them striding toward me, I hightailed it out of there. I had to stay
alive long enough to get the flash drive back from Jamie and warn her of the danger.
I thought I had succeeded, but they found me. After that was a blur until I woke up
here.”

Max leaned forward. “Do you remember the fire?”

Vic shook his head. “No.”

Jamie’s sympathy soared. Vic hadn’t meant her any harm. Things had just gotten out
of control. “I’m sorry.”

He lifted a shoulder. “We’re taught that being made is the risk we take. I’m the one
who’s sorry that you were caught in the middle.”

She glanced up at Max. “It had its positive side effects.”

Vic grinned, the sparkle back in his eye. He shifted his gaze to the man in the corner,
then back at her. “Knock, knock.”

Her throat clogged. This man might have put her in danger, but he was still the kind
hero on the stoop. “Who’s there?”

“Iva.”

“Iva who?”

“Iva sore hand from knocking!”

She grinned. “That was so bad. I think your brain got addled.”

“Could be.” His tone came out wistful.

She cleared her throat. “Max said you were going back to DC? When?”

“As soon as Chuck can set up a transport. I’ll be treated for my burns, not to mention
having many hours of debriefing.” He squeezed her hand. “I won’t forget you, Jamie.”

She’d never forget him either. “What about Charlotte? Does she exist? Or was that
part of your cover?” Her words were tinged with a bit too much unintentional anger.
She regretted her tone the moment the words spilled out.

“Oh, she’s very much alive.” His pain was evident.

“You really don’t speak?”

He shook his head. “It’s kind of mutual. She never approved of my life’s work. I get
that. When she was growing up, the FBI was my life. I pushed her away. Once she left
home, I stayed away from her because I feared retaliation by those I’d pissed off.”

Max’s fingers tightened on her waist. He’d suffered that kind of retribution. It was
a pain few could survive, and none could forget.

“I wish you luck,” she said. Closing a chapter was hard, but she did hope the best
for him.

“You, too, Miss Jamie.”

The nickname choked her up. If she didn’t think she’d bump into his shoulder burn,
she’d have given him a hug. “If you ever make your way to Montana again, please stop
by.”

“Will do.”

Fearing she’d break down, she turned on her heels. It was dumb to be so sentimental.
The two of them hadn’t spoken more than a few hundred words to each other in the short
time they’d known each other. The man had lied to her, put her life in danger, and
yet there had been a connection she couldn’t let go of.

Once in the hall, she leaned against the wall and drew in more air.

“You okay, honey?”

Max always seemed to want to make her life easier. “Yes. Thank you for coming with
me.”

“I wouldn’t have let you come alone.” He tapped her nose. “I have an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“Why don’t we pick up your car? That might make you feel better.” Max’s voice came
out soft, almost like he could tell the experience with Vic had been difficult.

“That would be great.” Or would it be? Her car meant her freedom, which also meant
there wouldn’t be a need to be with Max all day. At least the rally started in a few
hours, so they’d be together for the evening.

On the drive to the shop, Max kept quiet. He was probably trying to decide how to
handle the next phase of their relationship. After tonight, would he walk away, only
calling on occasion to see how she was doing? Would he stop over for a quickie because
he had to focus on his job? Or would he ask her to be part of his life?

Stop it
.

Their time together might have been short, but they’d shared an unbelievable experience.
She’d seen the real Max Gruden, and by God, she would do whatever she needed to do
to keep him.

When they arrived at Richardson’s Automotive, Grayson was on the lot. Once inside,
the mechanic dropped the keys in her palm along with the bill. Her heart nearly stopped
at the amount. She’d pay as her car was the last link to her dad. She wasn’t quite
ready to give up his memory.

“I’ll follow you back to your house,” Max said.

She’d told him she wanted to check on the condition of her place. “Thank you.”

As she entered her drive, her gaze shot to the living room window.
Yes
. It had been repaired. Max pulled in beside her. He opened her door, and helped her
out.

“Looks good so far,” she said. She walked over to his SUV to gather her luggage.

“How about we get your stuff later? Let’s check inside first.”

He probably figured if the place was in the same condition as when they’d left it,
she’d want to stay at his place another night. That worked for her.

Max slipped the car keys from her hands, led her up to the front, and opened the door.
She must have been spacing out or something.

The second she walked in, her pulse raced. “It’s perfect. How is that possible?” While
the items on the credenza weren’t in the same order as how she’d had it, everything
was picked up. What was missing was probably beyond repair.

“Dan can be a miracle worker.” Max placed a hand on her back. “Let’s check out the
rest of the house.”

She didn’t know why he seemed to be in such a hurry, but that worked for her. Jamie
was anxious to see what the rest of the place looked like, too. The office looked
fine. When she eased open the bedroom door, she couldn’t believe it.

“Someone even made the bed.”

All of her clothes were put away, too. Jamie needed to do something nice for Dan Hartwick,
or whoever had cleaned up.

“Does it feel like home?” Max stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She glanced up at him. “It never really felt like home.” She twisted in his arms.
“I like your house better.”

“You do? I thought it was too sterile.”

“It is, but a woman’s touch could do a lot to change that.”
Hint, hint.

He grinned. “I’d like that. What you do say, you come on over and give me some pointers?
My place is closer to the Fairgrounds anyway.”

Closer by only three miles, but she’d do anything to be with him. “Works for me.”

“You might want to bring a change of clothes, in case you want to spend the night.”

Oh, yeah.
Did Jaime have plans for him or what?

Chapter Twenty-Nine