He pushed himself up to amble over to the window and studied the summer green hills of the Hudson River Valley for a long time. Finally, he turned back to her. “You have any assassins on your payroll, Luce?”
“Wade, you are not an assassin. You are a man with an extraordinary sniper’s skill, a hunter’s eye, and a powerful sense of duty. You briefly combined those abilities to rid the world of a few evil beasts. It didn’t work out for you, and now it’s time to do something else.” She tapped the contract. “Be a Bullet Catcher.”
“I’ve been one,” he replied.
“You’ve done special projects for the last five months, and you’ve been brilliant. Now it’s time to belong.”
He returned to the view, undoubtedly thinking and deliberating, as he always did before making any decision.
“Bullet Catchers’ clients are some mighty high-profile people,” he finally said.
“They can be. Some are just enormously wealthy.”
“I imagine they want to know exactly who is protecting them.”
“They aren’t privy to the backgrounds of my specialists and bodyguards, Wade. And believe me, not every Bullet Catcher can wear a halo, including me.”
He turned to give her a slight smile. “Yet what could be more on the side of the angels than this operation?”
“Which is exactly why I want you.” Lucy waited a beat. “I run a tight group, and a sense of community and trust is critical to our success on every assignment. As the owner of this business, I prefer full-time staff to consultants.”
“Because you can’t control consultants.”
True . “I want you full-time, committed to the job and the company. You’ll make an outstanding Bullet Catcher, and you’ll get tremendous satisfaction from the work.” She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. “But I’m not going to push anymore. The decision is yours.”
He strolled back to the desk. “I need some more time.”
“To do what?” she challenged. “Beat yourself up for what happened in Budapest?”
“I shot a man in the face from two feet away, Lucy. I watched his skull crack. He looked me in the eye as he died.” He dropped into the chair, his wide shoulders slumping. “That’s a whole lot different from taking a shot from fifteen hundred yards, peering through a rifle sight. And I doubt you can promise that I’d never have to do that again, as somone’s paid protector.”
“I won’t lie to you, Wade. You might have to kill someone again in the line of duty. But most of the time, you’ll be saving lives and protecting people. You may be looking for missing persons, and hunting is another of your proficiencies—along with a keen mind and a steady hand. Honestly, what else are you going to do with your life?”
He lifted one impressive shoulder. “I haven’t figured that out yet, but I will. I like to take my time and plan things.”
“All right.” Disappointed, she was sliding the unsigned contract back into his file when her fingers grazed the paperwork for her next meeting…and lightning struck. She plucked the folder out and held it to her chest, regarding him. “I was going to send Donovan Rush on this case as his first official assignment, since it’s a gimme.”
“An assignment so cushy they should pay you to take it?”
“Precisely.” She handed him the file. “My gift to you. Go take a few days in paradise, and find a woman.”
Humor glinted like ice in his eyes. “So everything your men say is true.”
“That I have a kind, understanding heart, and I’m a goddess to work for?”
He laughed at her sarcasm. “That you have elevated manipulation to an art form and don’t take no for an answer.”
“Oh, that. But I’m not manipulating you. I’m giving you time and a lovely place to think and plan. You’ll never have to touch your Smith and Wesson. The only talent you’ll use is charm,” she added with a wink.
Wade opened the folder and glanced at the top page. “Who is Vanessa Porter, and what sins has she committed?”
“Nothing but being born and adopted on the black market. We need to find her.”
He glanced up. “I thought that case was closed after Adrien Fletcher located Miranda Lang out in California a few months ago. I did some backup for him on the takedown. The cult leader who was terrorizing Miranda Lang was turned over to the FBI.”
“Yes, and Miranda went with Fletch to South Carolina and met the birth mother, who, as you may recall, is in