Secrets of Summer - THE SPECTER SERIES [book four]

Chapter THREE

Hunter Paxton

A viking king..
Ragnar..
That's what she had called me..

When I followed Kirby Carter last night, I was sure she was on her way to conduct some shady business.. But, she had gone to the last place I had been expecting..

A college bar... Where she hugged and gave money to her sister..
Hardly a sinister act..

For a woman with a criminal wrap sheet as long as the day, who has a reputation for creating some of the most ghastly explosive devices I've ever seen, Kirby Carter sure seemed.. Different..

Innocent even..

And yeah okay, I won't lie, the fact that she's a goddamn knockout threw me more than I had expected..

With that long limbed, slender modelesque body, olive skin and those bright golden hazel gaze that sparked mischievously as she teased me with a razor sharp wit that only comes with a high intellect..

If she wasn't a wanted terrorist, she'd be the exact kind of woman I'd happily spend time chasing.. Because if there's one thing I enjoy, it's the thrill of the hunt..

But the reality is that, she is a criminal, a dangerous one, and I'm not chasing her for fun..

"Boss..Boss?" I'm brought back from my ruminating by Ace Greyson, complete mad-dog, loyal friend and second in command of the tactical unit, Delta Force.

My team..

He's giving me an odd half-cocked grin, as if he knows exactly what I was thinking..

Believe me, he doesn't..

Colt Knox, Delta's third, stares blankly at me from across my office desk as if I've missed something.. I arch an eyebrow at him, waving a hand, indicating for him to continue.. He repeats himself, in that slow drawing, heavy southern accent of his.. "Her chemical footprint is all over the materials used.. If she didn't make the detonators we disarmed... She must've taught whoever did, boss.."

I nod slowly.. Understanding what he's saying, and hating it at the same time..

I have hunted Summer O'Cléirigh for the last six years.. Ever since Patrick O'connor brought her back to the states and helped her obtain her first fake identity.. She's had so many now I can't even remember what she called herself back then..

"So she has an accomplice.. I want to know who that is.."

"Well, the obvious bet would be the sister.."

I turn on Ace.. "It's not the sister.. I would know.."

He frowns, looking like he wants to argue.. I give him a hard stare. I might not believe Kirby is innocent, but I refuse to bring her young sister into the equation.. Not unless it's absolutely necessary.

At this stage I have no reason to believe Lucky O'Cléirigh has anything to do with the IRA other than her relation to one of its most dangerous former members..

"So figure it out.."

He nods stiffly, a begrudging grimace on his face..

Almost immediately after Kirby showed up in the country, several explosives linked to her IRA work back in Ireland started turning up at various incidents..

A bank robbery here.. A high security CIA facility there..

She disappears after each attack, changing her name and apparently, and her appearance, since she'd been blonde last I'd seen her, meanwhile the whole chase begins again and I have to start my search over..

Sure, I made a deal with O'connor when I started working for Specter, the elite off the books security firm that hired me several months back, to leave Summer O'Cléirigh alone..

I agreed to let her be, so long as she didn't cause any more trouble..

But while O'connor has a soft spot for Kirby, I do not.. He might believe his childhood sweetheart is innocent, but with devices covered in her fingerprint continuing to pop up again, this time around the city, all my doubts about her seem to have been confirmed..

"And you, boss? Were you able to make contact with the target?" Colt asks, curious and slow..

I grin, confidently.. Oh yes, I definitely made contact, but I don't think I need to be explaining things to them just yet.. I've given them a task to focus on..

I'll get on with mine..

"Don't you worry about that Knox, it won't be a problem. Dismissed.."

They shuffle out of my office as I check my watch to find that it's quitting time.. Pushing up to my feet and pulling out my cell I bring up the GPS location trace that I have on Kirby's phone.. She's still two blocks away from me, in the business district, at her law offices and I know for a fact she will be stopping into her favourite cafe on her way home.. She has almost every afternoon since I began surveillance on her..

So this evening, that's exactly where I'm going..