He just wanted her to be unnecessary to saving his life. The reminder that a trial and possible prison sentence hung over his head was never very far away, and having her here only served to keep the issue at the forefront at all times.
“She’s right,” Zach said before Monique could explain her objection. They all knew Logan needed to lie low. “You can’t go after this guy, Logan.”
“None of you can,” Monique said. “Any of you are caught going after this guy, no matter how dangerous he is, Westbrook is going to have a field day. He’ll glom onto that and run with it all the way to the polls and through the election. You can protect Sam if he comes at her, but you sure can’t go after him. Let the police do their jobs, guys.”
Logan thought his teeth would crack if he didn’t stop clenching his jaw, but dammed if he could figure out how to stop.
“So we sit here and wait?” He knew his anger was misdirected. It wasn’t Monique’s fault, but sitting and waiting for someone to come at Sam was the last thing he wanted to do.
“No, we find him and we get that info to the cops,” Sam said picking up her laptop and crossing to the couch. She perched on the cushion, legs tucked beneath her as she started working. “If he’s this close, I can find his trail. The FBI could never find him before because they were sifting through the whole world trying to find him. Now we know he’s nearby, I can track him. We’ll get the info to the cops and let them pick him up.”
Logan sat next to Sam and rubbed one hand up and down her back as she worked. The others moved quietly around the town house as Sam buried herself in some trail only she could see. Logan knew if anyone could find him, it would be Sam.
Sure enough, three hours later she had done it.
“Got him,” she said. “He’s not as smart as he thinks he is. I’ve scoured accounts and guest logins at coffee shops with free wifi. People don’t want to have to memorize new info so they just change one or two numbers or add a symbol at the end. Even when they create a hotspot on a phone, their computer sometimes automatically signs on to a free wifi spot. He’s used a computer at a coffee shop ten miles from here twice already. I’d be willing to bet he’s at a motel or hotel near there and he’ll return to the coffee shop.”
Chad lifted his phone and began typing, looking over Sam’s shoulder at her computer screen as he did. “Luckily, the FBI wants him in custody as badly as we do,” he said. “I’ll get this to one of my contacts and see if they can do the legwork to track him the last bit of the way. They can get agents out to the motels and hotels, and plant someone at the coffee shop.”
The group was quiet for a while before Chad spoke up. “Got some time to kill while we wait. I can call Jennie and have her grab Jack and Kelly and a movie. I’m sure they can grab food on the way over.”
Sam nodded, but Logan could feel the tension rolling off her. The waiting would be the hardest part.
“Chinese?” Zach asked and Sam nodded again. Chad nodded to Logan and went to make the call. They would hole up with Chinese food, friends, and a movie. With any luck, this would be over soon and they could breathe a little easier.
* * *
Logan squeezed Sam’s hand as they watched footage on TV of the FBI swarm the hotel where Alonzo had been in hiding. They’d gotten the call about an hour before that the FBI had tracked him to a local motel.
Their friends had gone home so he and Sam could be alone. They watched as the reporter stood outside showcasing the lights and sirens and uniforms still swarming the scene and a small corner shot showed the footage of the hotel. Alonzo was holed up in the motel where he’d taken the desk clerk hostage.
“He looks so different. A few years ago he was so much younger-looking. I mean, he’s still young and all, but I can see the wear on him. I guess running doesn’t agree with him,” Sam said.
“You did that, Sam,” Logan said. “You were the one to bring him to his knees years ago, and now you’ve finished the job. You brought a truly horrible man down. You stopped him from hurting so many women.”
He was in awe of this woman standing beside him. She was so strong and tough, so capable of incredible things.
For a moment, he almost wondered if she’d ever really need him, but then he knew that was stupid. They needed each other. Not to save one another or be the hero—but just to be. Just to share a life together. They were equals in that way.
Sam clenched his hand and gasped as the action on screen took a turn. Alonzo fired on FBI agents and several agents returned fire.
He heard Sam’s deep inhale and a moment later a slow, long exhale. Alonzo lay in a heap on the ground. Several agents covered another agent as he approached Alonzo’s body and appeared to be checking for signs of life. The shot cut back to the reporter who confirmed Alonzo was believed to be dead.
Sam’s voice came out in a whisper. “It’s over.”
He nodded. “Looks like it.”
They had gotten another call moments before. Apparently, Westbrook had faced increased pressure since it had been determined that the plot to harm Sam was traced back to a man wanted in numerous countries for horrific crimes.
And the public outcry Westbrook would face if he continued to come after Logan wasn’t worth it. His plan to use Logan as the anti-big-government poster boy for his reelection campaign backfired when he’d chosen a veteran as his target. He wouldn’t be pursuing charges any longer.
Logan lifted Sam, wrapping her legs around his waist, drawing a loud squeal from her. He walked with her to the couch and put her down, sinking to his knees before her.
“It’s over,” he said as he drew the waistband of her yoga pants down her hips. “Lift up.”
She laughed but lifted herself to allow him to tug the pants down her thighs and slip them off her ankles. For the first time in weeks, they were alone. Everyone had left to head back to their own families when the news about Alonzo’s death had come in. With the exception, of course, of Billy, who now poked his nose into Logan’s face.
There was humor in his voice when he told the dog to bug off. “You’re not invited to this party.”