Page 17 of Lethal Justice

Chapter Ten

The discussionwith the kids went on for quite some time. The more she spoke, the more they relaxed and started asking questions. They were an amazing bunch, and from the little they revealed, their lives and experiences were similar to her own in many ways, but the difference was this center and Ward, who shone like a beacon of hope to them all. And Malco, as they all talked about him with great affection and respect. He came several times a week to teach self-defense techniques or train them how to box.

Aston was one of his pupils and she could see his excitement that Malco was considering organizing a match between local boxing schools. Danie and Aston kept particularly close to her. They started talking about an increasing pressure in the neighborhood that extended to the city from what she could understand. Frida found it difficult not to push and pry more information from them, but she remembered that trust hadn’t come easily for her back then, and that applied to these kids.

Where was Malco? She looked around and couldn’t see him.

Once the kids were sidetracked by a game of pool, she went to find Ward. “Do you know where Malco went?”

Ward looked at his feet for a moment, and it was weird seeing this mountain of a man uncomfortable. “He left. One of the Alliance guys has just arrived to drive you back.”

As she opened her mouth, James appeared in her line of vision, with a blazing smile and flirty wink. “Your carriage awaits when you’re ready, my beautiful princess.”

Without answering James, and knowing she wouldn’t be able to get much from Ward by how hard he clenched his jaw, she went outside and followed the Alliance agent to a pick-up truck.

James chattered away during the drive, but Frida had trouble getting the expression on Malco’s face as he’d stormed off out of her mind. He’d told her that nothing she could say would change his opinion of her. It twisted her insides, and all she wanted was to find Malco and ask him why. She wasn’t the kind of woman to tap dance around an issue, but it was the first time someone’s opinion of her, especially a man’s, had messed with her that way. She cared what he thought of her.

It was James’ sudden silence that brought her back to reality as he parked at the Agency. He opened his mouth to speak, but Frida was already out of the car and marching to the front entrance.

Cleo buzzed her in, and when she looked, she couldn’t see any sign of Malco. The violet-haired office manager followed her gaze and frowned. “Are you looking for someone?”

“Malco.”

Cleo shook her head. “He didn’t come back here. Is something wrong?”

Frida didn’t know how to answer. Not yet. Not until she could have a private chat with the man. “Do you think I can borrow a car?”

James stepped beside her. “I don’t think it’s safe for you to drive around on your own. Not when someone could be following you. I’ll drive you wherever you want to go. Consider me your personal chauffeur for the rest of the day. Where are we heading?”

“I need to find Malco. He disappeared on me, and it’s urgent I talk to him.”

James shrugged and mumbled something about waiting in the car.

Cleo sighed and walked around her desk. “You’ll probably find him at his place. I don’t know what happened, but there are two things I know about Malco. The first is he’s steadfast, and if he left you, it’s because it was something important, or he was really shaken up and thought he had to step back and have somebody else protect you. From the tone of his voice when he called and asked for someone to fetch you, I suspect it was the latter.”

Instead of reassuring her, it felt like a punch in the gut. “And the second thing?”

Cleo’s face softened. “There is only one place Malco would go to regroup, that he deems safe enough, apart from the Agency, and that’s his place.” She scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “The first number is the security code for the front gate and outside perimeter, the second one is the code for the house. Please destroy it once you’re inside, and I’ll deny giving you the codes if he ever asks me.”

For the first time in several hours, Frida felt like smiling. “Thank you, Cleo.”

With a wink, the manager returned to her desk, and Frida finally felt she had a plan to corner Malco and get the answers that were haunting her.

* * *

It feltlike she was in a Mission Impossible movie from the moment Frida stepped out of James’ truck. As she entered the first code at the gate, the annoying hunk rolled down his window to advise her to remain on the path to the house, as it was likely Malco had planted explosives in the garden. She wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.

Instead of answering, she closed the gate in his face and headed to the front door and another keypad. After entering the second code, Frida heard the lock click. There was no turning back now. Shoving the piece of paper in her pocket to dispose of later, she stepped inside. The place was dark as it was late in the afternoon, and rare storm clouds dimmed the sunlight.

She remembered the way to the kitchen and the hallway to both bedrooms, but as they were empty, Frida decided to venture deeper into the house.

The house was all on one floor and was bigger than it appeared from outside. Once she passed the garage door, she heard a muffled noise. And then another followed by a groan and shout.

Moving faster now, Frida followed the sound that led to a half-closed door and peeked through the crack. Her breath caught when she saw Malco inside.

She couldn’t see the whole room from her position, but what was visible was Malco hitting a punching bag as if he wanted to tear it open. Shirtless and dripping with sweat, he’d taped his fists with a red bandage. The only light came from the side window, and it cast an erotic glow over him.

Each muscle bunching because of the effort, his handsome face looking intense and threatening in the dim light, Malco looked every inch of the warrior she knew he was. He had been a Green Beret, and that was no small thing to accomplish. They were special operatives involved in dangerous missions and only carefully selected men got to that level. Malco was one of them.