Dangerous Secrets: Callaghan Brothers, Book 1 (25 page)

Ian was out of the room in a flash.  The 9mm lay on the sofa where she had flung it.  A cold breeze drifted in from the wide-open door.  Ian scrambled through it, looking left and right.  There was no sign of her. 

* * *

“S
he couldn’t have shot you better,” Michael said as he secured the bandage around Jake’s thigh.  “Clean shot, straight through.  Missed all bones and major muscles and tendons.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say she didn’t want to hurt you.”

“She didn’t,” Ian said easily.  “Except maybe Kane.  She was real pissed at him.”

Michael couldn’t hide the smirk.  “Yeah, explain that one to me.”

“He said she was a pain in the ass,” Ian said, grinning.  Michael burst into gales of laughter.  For Taryn had given Kane a flesh wound as well - right in the left buttock.

“I love that woman,” chuckled Jack Callaghan. “She was made to be a Callaghan.”  The others looked at him strangely.   The older man tapped his left shoulder with a wistful look on his face.  “You know that scar I have across the back of my shoulder?”  They nodded, bemused.  “Your mother gave me that,” he laughed.  He looked pointedly at Kane.  “If I’m not mistaken, it was the same night you were conceived.”

* * *

T
aryn stumbled through the brush, functioning on a combination of pure adrenaline and white hot rage.  She refused to feel the hurt.  The betrayal.  There would be time for that later, once she had put enough distance between her and those damned Callaghans and found someplace to hole up. 

She paused briefly beside a large evergreen to catch her breath.  How many miles had she come? Seven?  Eight?  It was so hard to tell on the mountain, especially at night, but she could barely feel her legs and her lungs were burning like she had inhaled acid fumes. 

Truthfully, she couldn’t believe she’d made it this far.  A brief pang of guilt shot through her.  What if she’d done some serious damage?  What if she’d really hurt one of them?  Not that they didn’t deserve it. 
Meddling, arrogant, self-serving bastards.
  Her heart clenched.

No, she told herself, she hadn’t missed.  She was an excellent shot.  They hadn’t counted on that at least.  They seemed to know everything else about her, though.

She checked the GPS again.  Not too far now. 
God bless you, Charlie
, she whispered.

T
aryn walked around the entrance at least four or five times before she saw it for what it was.  It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant - a lodging built right into the mountain, like something right out of Tolkien’s Shire.  Reverently, she lifted the Celtic cross from around her neck.  If fit perfectly into the keyhole.  Though it must have been a while since the place had last seen use, the door swung open noiselessly.

Total darkness engulfed her when the door swung shut behind her.   Taryn was ready with her Maglite, shining the beam to look for the lamps she knew would be there.  She quickly located one right inside the door, along with a clickable lighter.  Taryn smiled.  Charlie always thought of everything.

Taryn lit the oil lamp.  It provided a soft but surprisingly bright glow, illuminating other lamps placed strategically around the room.  One by one she lit them all, bathing the room in soft, warm light.

It was a small but decidedly cozy room, furnished with comfortable, practical pieces – a sofa, recliner, a coffee table and some end tables.  Two huge bookcases filled with everything from leather-bound classics to paperback novels flanked an unusual-looking fireplace.  To the far left, an archway led into a fully functional kitchenette with minimally-sized appliances, like those one might see in an RV.  A small table and two chairs sat tucked in the corner, reminding her of a romantic little café. 

There was a fair-sized bedroom to the back, complete with a bed, a dresser, night stand and closet.  Some well-worn, comfortable looking men’s clothes still hung there.  Taryn pressed her nose against one of the dark flannelled plaid shirts, instantly recognizing the scent of Old Spice – Charlie’s favorite cologne.

Wrapping the shirt around her helped her feel like Charlie was there with her as she completed her initial tour.  The bathroom was minimal but functional, with a commode, vanity sink, and shower.  Another small room off to the right revealed a storage area.  Floor-to-ceiling shelving held airtight plastic bins, all meticulously labeled – linens, dry goods, paper product, candles, etc.  It was so organized.  So very
Charlie
.

The last room she examined contained a small washer and dryer, tools, weapons, and – Taryn blinked – a satellite-based communications system and several security monitors.  It was here that Taryn spotted a well-used stack of notebooks.  She took one off the top and opened it up, recognizing Charlie’s neat, draft-style writing.  Her grin grew wider with each page she turned.  Charlie had left step-by-step instructions on
everything
.

She would go through everything eventually, but at that point she was exhausted, both mentally and physically.  She pulled out the notebook labeled “Quickstart”, knowing that Charlie had created it especially with her in mind. 

Within an hour, she had a small fire going in the fireplace.  A specially designed fan pulled the smoke through the chimney, dispersing it among several smaller tubes so that no smoke would be visible outside the structure and it would be impossible to determine exactly from where the aroma had originated. 

Tomorrow she would figure out how to get the geothermal pump running, a whisper-quiet creation modified by Charlie to suit his needs. She’d tackle the generator as well, which powered the water heater and major appliances.  According to Charlie’s notes, it was fueled by solar and wind energies and could run indefinitely.

He was a certified genius, Taryn thought as she snuggled into the thermal sleeping bag in front of the fire.  Thankfully, sleep took her quickly, before she had time to reflect upon the events of the day.

* * *

“N
obody just disappears,” Jake spat in frustration, pacing back and forth across Kane’s living room, despite the wound to his thigh.  All of his brothers and his father were there, taking shifts in the search for Taryn, which had so far been unsuccessful.  “Jesus Christ.  Eight specially-trained operatives against one tiny female on our own goddamned turf...”

“How cold is it out there now?” asked Ian for the tenth time.  He knew, as did everyone else, that Taryn had taken off with her little pack and nothing but the clothes on her back, which, they had not failed to notice, consisted of Jake’s blue shirt, sweats, and a pair of thick socks.  His eyes glanced toward her jacket, which still hung just inside the door.  It was below freezing in the woods by now. 

No one answered.

Jack Callaghan pulled out his cell and studied it.  The hint of a smile graced his expression.

“What’s that you got there, Dad?” asked Ian curiously.  The old man had been pulling it out and checking it every ten minutes or so.

“He’s checking for messages from Mrs. Kelly,” teased Kieran with a grin.  “He’s sweet on her.”

With a quickness that belied his age, Jack’s hand shot out and cuffed his youngest son at the base of his skull. 

“Mrs. Kelly?” said Ian, shaking his head in disbelief.  “Really?”

“Your mother was and will always be the only woman for me,” Jack said firmly.  “Not that any of you would have enough sense to know a good woman if she fell into your lap.”  His pointed stare found Jake. 

Jake had remained apart from the others, a permanent scowl etched across his features.  At his father’s words, he pulled on his coat and limped toward the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Michael asked, blocking the door with his own substantial frame.  

“Get the fuck out of my way, Mick,” warned Jake quietly.

“Sean and Shane are out there now.  When they come back Ian and Kieran are up.”

“She’s still out there.”

“She
shot
you, Jake.  Do you really think you should be the one to find her?  Because I’m thinking you are one of the last people she’s going to come to right now.  I’m no expert on women, but it seems more likely to me she’ll run off in the opposite direction and right over a cliff.”  Ian held Jake back when he lunged for Michael.

Visions of Taryn huddling behind the log pile in the storm flowed through Kane’s mind as he listened to them bickering, remaining silent himself.  She’d been angry with him then, too, but she’d come to him.  But that was different.  That was before her trust in him had been completely annihilated. 

“That little girl isn’t going to welcome the sight of any of you,” Jack said matter-of-factly.  “You’re wasting your time.  She’s clever and resourceful, and she’s been on the run for a long time.  You keep underestimating her, and she keeps spanking your arses.”

Jake looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.  “Are you actually suggesting we should just let her go?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.  If she doesn’t want to be found, you’re not going to find her.  You mark my words – that girl is holed up somewhere safe.  Give her some time.  If you force her hand, she might do something desperate.” 

“Like run off into the mountains alone without proper equipment, clothing, or protection?”  Jake spat out. 

Jack shrugged, as if that just further proved his point.  “She would’ve been safe and happy here if you hadn’t shown up and starting pissing all over each other.”  He shook his head.  “She’s smarter than the lot of you.”

“Well I just can’t do it,” said Jake.  “Sorry, Dad, but I guess I just don’t have the faith in her survival skills that you do.”

“For once,” Kane said, surprising everyone, “Jake and I are in total agreement.”

Jack shook his head as Michael blocked the door.  “Let them go, Michael.  Maybe the cold air will cool them off.”  Michael moved to the side with a look that clearly expressed how foolish he thought they were. 

“Ian, Kieran, go with them,” Jack commanded when his two eldest sons had stalked through the door.  “Those boys don’t have the sense the good Lord gave a tomcat.”

After everyone else had gone, the older man pulled out his cell phone again.  Michael narrowed his eyes, looking suspiciously at him.  Jack Callaghan was being unusually calm about this whole situation.   

“You know where she is, don’t you?” he guessed.

Jack grinned.  “At least one of my boys has something between his ears.”

“But how?”

Jack turned his cell phone around so Michael could see it.  “See this?  It’s a special GPS app.  This is us...” he placed his finger on the grid.  “... and this is Taryn.”  He indicated a small red dot to the southwest, not far away.

Michael looked at his father with renewed respect.  “You planted a tracker on her?  When?”

“Back at the Pub, when you gave her that sedative.  But mine was just a backup.  She already had one on her.”

“How did you know, Dad?”

“Charlie Malone and I served in the SEALs together.  Hadn’t heard from him in years, but he contacted me when he knew he didn’t have much time left.  Told me about a young girl he’d taken under his wing, was worried what would become of her.  Said he gave her the cross in case she ever ran off.  He sent me a tracker app right before he died, and asked me to keep an eye out for her, that he’d left something that would send her our way.  It’s got to be our girl.”  He chuckled again.  “The son of a bitch bought up the acreage next to ours, clever bastard.”

It was all beginning to make sense. 

“I didn’t know her true identity, though,” Jack admitted.  “That was a surprise.  I’m not certain if Charlie did either, but Fate has a way of ensuring everything works out the way it was meant to.  I wasn’t sure when or where, but I’ve no doubt Charlie got her where she needed to be.  He sent me this.” Jack pulled a few neatly folded papers from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them to Michael.

“Blueprints?”

“Charlie’s own personal bomb shelter,” Jack told him.  “Built to hole someone up indefinitely, if they knew what they were doing.  Charlie always believed in being prepared.” 

“And that’s where Taryn is?”

“Aye.  And she’ll find it well-stocked and ready for her.”

Michael smiled, shaking his head.  No matter how old he got, his father would never fail to amaze him.  “Are you going to tell the others?”

Jack shook his head, turning serious once again.  “No, not yet.  She fights like a little hellcat when she’s backed into a corner, and those fools will just scare her off right now.  They need to get their heads on straight first.  We’ll give her some time, let her cool down, but we’ll keep a close eye on her.  She’ll be safe enough in the shelter awhile, until we can figure this out.” 

E
ach day, Taryn was increasingly amazed at the perfect little hideaway Charlie had created.  She had known he had a gift for gadgets and inventions, but she had no idea just how brilliant he’d been. 

The structure was almost completely self-sufficient.  It had two separate fresh water supplies.  Everything was powered by a combination of geothermal, solar, and wind energies.  It had three entrances/exits, each of which was completely camouflaged.

Charlie’s notes were invaluable.  He really had thought of everything.

It remained a mystery to her, though, just how well-stocked and clean the place was, as if someone had been keeping up with it.  Maybe Charlie had at one time – he used to disappear for several days now and again – but he’d been gone a year now, and he’d been very ill for a while before that.  What if someone else had found this place and was using it?  Had Charlie told anyone else about it?  What would happen if someone came and found her there? 

She tried not to think too much about that, though.  She would just have to have faith.  Charlie had never let her down before.

After two weeks, Taryn convinced herself that enough time had passed, and that she should probably pick up a few more supplies while the mild weather held.  Charlie had thought of that, too.  He’d left a list of suggested supplies and suppliers, locations and phone numbers.  He’d even had the foresight to set up an account to which to charge it all, so she didn’t have to provide any personal information of her own.