Free Hostile Home Front [Black Ops Brotherhood 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Bella Juarez Page B

distance from behind. When he finally arrived in Victoria, Jimmy was beside himself with worry.
    “Jesus! Boss, I was thinking about sending out a search party. You said you’d be here in thirty. It’s been three hours,” Jimmy said.
    “I got sidetracked,” Gavin said.
    “So what’s up?”
    “Stick with the plan. Is the team in place?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Okay. Go home and get some rest. You and Kaiser are up on deck, right?”
    “You still taking grave, boss?”
    “Yes, Jimmy, that’s the plan.”
    Gavin noticed that Jimmy was hesitating.
    “The conversation is over, Jimmy. Get back to work,” Gavin said.
    “I’m just curious how you knew what was going down today?” Jimmy asked.
    “You’re dismissed,” Gavin said.
    Jimmy turned and left. Gavin’s cell phone had been vibrating in his pocket during the conversation. He had ignored it until now. He watched Jimmy walk through the double doors before he answered his phone. It vibrated once more. He looked at the caller ID and shook his head. Damn Mac! Doesn’t he know about voice mail?
    “Don’t you know how to leave a message?” Gavin asked, slightly annoyed.
    “Hell no!” Mac said.
    “What do you have?”
    “The house is a rental, run by an agency. We won’t know who’s renting it until tomorrow morning.”
    “All right, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
    Gavin stretched. He was sore and tired. He had been sitting for the last sixteen hours. He wanted to go home, eat, shower, and sleep. He had given himself the midnight-to-six shift. He wanted things to appear as if nothing major were going down, just simple surveillance detail. He had to remove himself from all of the day’s events and think.
    Gavin got home and went through his simple routine. As he lay in bed, he thought about what he had seen and heard today. He smiled. It had been very productive. He let his mind release all thoughts of work and drift to Amy. He had been suppressing his thoughts of her since he had left the library. He thought about her long chocolate hair and soft voice. He recalled her cute giggle and wished he could curl up with her instead of alone. Gavin briefly wondered what it would be like to come home to her every day and snuggle up to her at night. I need to see her again. I need to find out if she’s real.

Chapter 7
     
    185 Larimore St
    Victoria, Texas
    November 22, 2007/1931 Zulu
     
    Unlike the Sunday before, the surveillance detail had been fairly uneventful. Rivera simply laid low, but Gavin knew he was waiting for something. It was a slow week and Thursday arrived without any movement or incident on Rivera’s part. Gavin was well aware of his upcoming holiday with the Ortizes, and for the first time in a very long time, he was looking forward to spending time with other people.
    Gavin arrived at the Ortizes’ around one thirty. He had worked most of the morning. The rental agency had still not been forthcoming about the renter in the house that Rivera had visited the Sunday before. They were demanding a warrant. He knew he couldn’t get a warrant with what he had, so he had to depend on Mac to get him the information he needed. He rang the bell at the front door.
    “You showed up after all.” David growled, blocking the door.
    “Beer, Chief?” Gavin asked as he held up a six-pack.
    “The time for kissing my ass has long passed. My niece doesn’t need a badass in her life.”
    Irene came to the door and pushed David aside.
    “Come in, Gavin. Welcome to our home,” Irene said.
    David scowled over Irene. Gavin walked into the house as he handed the drinks to Irene.
    “Gavin, would you like to help Amy in the kitchen?” Irene asked, staring at her husband.
    “He’s helping me in the backyard with the turkey,” David said firmly.
    “Are you sure?” Irene asked.
    “Come on, badass .” David walked toward the back door.
    Gavin followed David Ortiz out to the backyard. There was a huge fry pot and something cooking inside. He wasn’t