Page 101 of Fatal Mistake
“Keep your focus, Cal,” Rick said. “Otherwise your head won’t be in the game, and we know what happens when we’re not in the game.”
Yeah. People die. People like the women Keeler’s been killing.
Something Cal would move heaven and earth to keep from happening to Tara.
Chapter 28
Fear and anger erupted in tandem, and Cal slammed a fist into the barricade. He welcomed the splitting of his knuckles, the pain that followed.
“Calm down,” Max said. “Tara needs you levelheaded not a raving lunatic.”
Cal tried to banish the raging red tinting his vision and keeping him from doing his job.
Job? Right.
He’d always been the one who knew what to do in every situation. How to remain calm under pressure. Think on his feet. Well, he wasn’t thinking now. At least not anything good or helpful.
“C’mon, Cal,” Rick said. “Tara needs you.”
Yes, Tara. Forget Keeler for now and think only of Tara.
He took deep breaths, blew them out, and lost count of the number of times he inhaled before finding the control he so desperately needed. Finding the agent who could think logically and reason out his options.
Figuring only one option existed right now, he dug out his car keys. “I’m going to June’s house.”
Rick grabbed his arm. “You’re in no state to drive. We could dispatch locals to check it out first.”
Cal shrugged free. “I might be a bit on edge, but we’re not sending a local team to June’s house and risk them botching this. June deserves our best effort, as does Tara.”
“And our best means not letting you go in on your own.” Max held Cal’s gaze, warning Cal not to argue. “We have no idea what’s happening at June’s place. I shouldn’t let you go at all.”
Cal planted his feet on the concrete. “It’s not like you’re going to stop me.”
“I’ll go with him,” Rick volunteered.
“Guess that’s the best I can hope for.”
“Grab your gear while I retrieve my car,” Cal said to Rick.
Cal didn’t waste time waiting for Rick’s response or Max’s blessing, but ran across the inner perimeter and got his car going. He parked near the outside perimeter, engine idling as he waited for Rick. His mind went to Tara. She would do anything she could to protect June, and Keeler had to know that was Tara’s Achilles’ heel. As much as Cal would rather not believe Keeler enticed Tara from the house, Cal had to wonder what Keeler had done or said to get Tara to run from safety.
Rick jerked open the passenger door.
Cal jumped and chastised himself for being so jittery.
Rick eyed him as he dropped onto the passenger seat and settled his bag on his lap, but he didn’t say anything.
Cal wrapped his hand around the gearshift, the trembling in his fingers a foreign feeling for him.
Rick’s focus went to the shifter. “I’ve never seen you rattled like this.”
“Me either.” Admitting it aloud unsettled Cal even more.
“You’ve got a thing for her,” Rick said, an understatement for sure. “And you need to find a way to put it aside by the time we get to June’s place or let me take lead.”
“Not happening, man. I’m calling the shots.” Cal eyed Rick until he held up his hands in defeat.
Struggling for calm, Cal inched the SUV through the workers, honking when they didn’t yield the right of way. He’d faced down invading terrorists. Had knives and guns pointed at him. Bombs explode near him. But nerves like this? Tara missing? That was beyond him.
