Marsh smiled to himself. He’d already emptied his bladder and had drunk nothing today so he wouldn’t have to worry about that. He didn’t worry about the rifle case, either. It was hidden, but if it was found, it would reveal exactly nothing to investigators. The same went for the rifle and the raincoat. The serial number hadn’t been removed from the weapon, but that didn’t matter. The serial number could never be traced back to him. And he’d purchased the raincoat four years ago at a Goodwill store. Untraceable.
He buttoned his raincoat over the rifle carefully, then glanced down, assuring himself there were no visible bulges that might alarm anyone who saw him.
He was ready.
* * *
The minute Carly stormed into the bedroom and locked the door in a fit of pique, she turned around and pressed her body against the door, face and palm, too, and she cried inside, Oh, Shane, Shane!, although she didn’t shed a tear. She wanted so desperately to tell him how much she loved him, to beg him to please be careful—if anything happened to him the sniper might as well put a bullet through her, as well, because her life would essentially be over. But she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t do anything that might distract him when he walked into Adams Hall.
And she couldn’t bear to sit home and wait passively while he risked his life for her. To keep her safe. Not just because he loved her—and he does, he does! her heart insisted—but because he was a protector down to his marrow. He would make himself a target for her even if he didn’t love her, and that made her love him all the more.
The longer she stood there, the more determined she grew that Shane wasn’t going to do this on his own. The hell with his brother—Niall couldn’t have eyes everywhere. She was going, and that was that.
Through the bedroom door Carly heard a faint rap that sounded like a knock at the front door. Then she heard low-pitched male voices from the other room—she couldn’t quite make out the words, but she knew it had to be the two brothers. She waited until the sound faded away, until she heard the tiny metallic click indicating the front door being secured behind the two men, ensuring her safety.
Then she unlocked the bedroom door.
Chapter 20
“You’re strapped, right?” Niall asked Shane for the third time.
He couldn’t keep the exasperation out of his voice. “How many times are you going to ask me that? Yes, I’m strapped. And before you ask, yes, I’m wearing a bullet-proof vest, too. Although that won’t do me much good if he goes for a head shot.” He glanced at his brother. “Is everything in place?”
“Yeah. Didn’t even have to call in any favors.” Niall turned the corner, then stated, “I didn’t see Carly at my condo. She still with you?”
Possessiveness flashed to life. “Yes, and I’ll thank you to keep your thoughts off her.”
Niall chuckled softly, stopped his truck for a red light and looked over at Shane. Then the smile faded from his face and he said, “You’re serious.”
“As serious as a heart attack.”
“I never thought... I mean, you’ve known her what? A week?”
“Ten days.” Ten glorious, incredible, indelible days. Ten days etched in gold against the stark black and white his life had been for years.
“It doesn’t sound like you. I mean, you and Wendy knew each other for years before you got married. Besides, it’s fifteen years since Wendy...well...since she died. I figured you were never going to get over losing her, and...well...hell, you know what I mean.”
Shane didn’t say anything at first. “It knocked me off kilter,” he finally admitted. “Especially how fast it all came down. Part of it’s the situation—not that how I feel about Carly is due to someone trying to take me out—but the swift intensity...yeah.”
The light changed to green and Niall shifted into gear. “You going to ask her to marry you when this is all over?”
The tightness in Shane’s chest had nothing to do with what he wanted. Only with what he knew he could have. Carly cared—he knew that. That whole emotional distance thing had been a load of crap from the get-go. But whether she’d ever let herself care enough to fall in love with him the way she’d been in love with Jack? That was a whole nother thing.