UNDERCOVER TWIN by Lena Diaz Page B

her an apology, at the least, and here she was trying to take care of him.
    He thanked her and forced his attention back to Tanner. “Did you find the men who were after us?”
    “Not yet, but we did find the police car. It was stolen right out of a parking lot earlier tonight. Pretty bold. And it proves this whole thing was planned. Nothing spur-of-the-moment about it, that’s for sure.”
    Heather finished tying Nick’s shoes and stepped back. “How will I know the real cops from the fake cops when I go back to my motel?”
    “You’re not going back to that motel,” Nick said. “Gonzalez’s men will be watching, hoping you’ll return.”
    “But my suitcase, my clothes—”
    “We’ve got that covered, ma’am,” Tanner spoke up. “We’ve already had someone pick up your things. And as soon as the police release the crime scene at the house you rented,” he said, addressing Nick, “we’ll get your stuff from the house. But that might be a while. In the meantime, give me a list of what you’ll need and I’ll send someone to a store to get it.”
    “Thanks. I appreciate that. I assume you’ll put Heather and me up at a hotel in town tonight?”
    At Chuck’s nod, he continued. “You said the police are processing the scene. Were they able to identify the men I shot in the woods behind the house? And the one Heather shot in the garage?”
    Heather shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. She might think she was tough, and maybe she was, but obviously the idea of shooting someone—no matter how much they deserved it—didn’t sit right with her. Nick hated that she’d had to experience that. No matter how many times he was forced into that kind of situation, it still ate at him every time he had to hurt someone or take a life. Heather wasn’t in law enforcement. She hadn’t signed up for that kind of burden. Waverly and Rickloff deserved a special place in hell for using her and abandoning her when she needed their protection.
    Tanner and Chuck stared at him in surprise. “Are you saying you shot someone? Both of you?”
    “Yes,” Nick answered slowly, studying them both. “I shot two men back in town who were trying to kill Mark. I shot three more in the woods and Heather shot one in the garage. It’s possible they weren’t all killed and some of them got away before the police got there.” He glanced back and forth between them. “Are you telling me no one found any bodies?”
    Tanner shook his head. “Not a one. They did find blood in the garage, but they figured it was Mark’s. How certain are you that you actually hit anyone?”
    Nick crossed his arms, insulted they’d even asked. “I never miss.”
    “Neither do I,” Heather said, crossing her arms as well and looking just as insulted as Nick felt.
    Tanner motioned to Chuck, who nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket as he stepped out of the room.
    “We’ll notify the police to make another sweep, see if they can find a blood trail in the woods. But that may not be possible until daylight.”
    “Put the hospital on alert for gunshot victims and make sure they notify the DEA if anyone comes in for treatment,” Nick said.
    Tanner nodded. “Will do. We’ve already set up hotel rooms for the night under some aliases. You two will be in a two-bedroom suite. Chuck and I will be in the room next door, just a phone call away or a knock on the wall if you need us. Tomorrow morning we’ll take you to our office. Our boss wants to debrief you on everything that happened.”
    “Have you spoken to Waverly or Rickloff?” Nick asked.
    “We spoke to Rickloff. He claims there was a miscommunication, a mix-up about the name of the bar. He claims his men wanted to provide backup but didn’t know where to go.”
    “A miscommunication?” Nick said. “That’s what they call it these days?”
    “Call what?” Heather asked.
    Incompetence. Actually, he was beginning to wonder if Heather’s original suspicions about Rickloff