Whistleblower (PALADIN Book 1)

Someone’s head needs to come off.

It certainly won’t be Eden’s. Watching my security tapes, I don’t know who the agent was that picked up Eden from outside my gate in the dead of night, but I do have a sneaking suspicion as to who helped orchestrate all this bullshit.

Callen has some fucking explaining to do.

Barreling into the PALADIN compound like a shark who smells blood, I check his office first. Nothing.

I check the medical wing. Nothing.

I check Vesper’s office. Empty.

When I burst into the break room, Lance jumps about two feet away from Cricket. They are both panting and flushed.

“What the—”

“It’s nothing,” Cricket grumbles and brushes past me as she leaves the room in a hurry.

Pulling down on his face in anguish, Lance looks at me. “Hey, didn’t know you were coming in today. Where’s Eden?”

“Great question,” I growl. “Where’s Callen?”

“Meeting room, I think?”

I don’t bother to respond as I turn on my heel and head to the meeting room where Eden made us play that remote island game over a month ago now. It seems like such a short time frame for everything in my world to change so drastically.

Ripping open the door, I slam the note in my hand down in front of Callen, who is seated at the head of the table.

“Please tell me I’m wrong,” I snarl. “Tell me you had nothing to do with this.” I unfold Eden’s note that informed me she needed some space, she was out with Cricket, and to please trust her. She said she’d be back within twenty-four hours. She promised.

And time is up.

“I just saw Cricket, who is obviously not with Eden. Where is she? Explain. Now,” I roar.

“Linc,” Callen begins, looking nervously at Vesper, like he wants the master to chain up her dog. “Eden was the only one he’d talk to—’

I lose control.

My hand is around his throat, squeezing as hard as I can.

“Linc!” Vesper screams in my ear as Callen’s eyes begin to bulge. “So help me God,” she says, her tone dropping so low and cold that it snaps me out of my rage-induced blackout of a reaction. “Let. Him. Go.”

Releasing him, I step away as Callen paws at his throat, coughing and choking. “Jesus!” he sputters.

Slumping into the closest office chair, I hold my head in anguish. There’s a pressure between my ears, thumping at my temples—maybe panic and worry. Maybe paranoia. But all I know is it’s not going to go away until I see Eden’s okay.

“She said twenty-four hours. It’s been more than thirty-six.”

Glaring at me, Callen taps his phone. “She was at Hanesville. But she’s back. Her flight landed ten minutes ago. I bet she’s still on the tarmac now,” he seethes. “Your temper tantrum is highly unnecessary.”

“Why is her phone off, then?”

“She probably forgot to turn it back on,” Callen explains. “I talked to Harmon a few hours ago. They were just about to board their flight. I have the itinerary on my phone.” He taps his phone, pulls up an app, then slides it my way. “See? Landed.”

The green checkmark and “on time” symbol mean nothing to me. Why haven’t I heard from her? I called. I texted. I begged. I told her I wasn’t upset but to please just let me know she was okay.

“You shouldn’t have been this careless, Callen,” I say. “It was too risky.”

“Linc,” Vesper chimes in, shuffling around the table to sit right next to me. “Eden is not a doll that you can dress up and put on a shelf. She’s haunted and hurting. You can’t protect her from her own mind. She needs closure and you need to give her the space to find it, otherwise, you’re trapping her in her own trauma. Do you understand that?”

I hang my head, unable to answer because my more primitive side disagrees. When you find something so precious to you, you lock it in a box and protect it with your life. On the other hand, Eden has a strength that escapes me. An unfamiliar force to reckon with—so powerful. It’s her kindness and forgiveness, and it’s why I fell in love with her so fast in the first—

Oh.

The tightening in my chest. The pounding in my head. Sick with worry, desperate for the relief of knowing she’s okay. Rageful at anyone who stands in my way. This out of sorts feeling of trying to balance on a rolling ball… Is this love?

“I’m sorry,” I say to Callen, barely above a whisper, “for putting my hands on you.”

Callen’s jaw drops open and he turns to Vesper with a stupid smile on his face. “Did you hear that?” Vesper chuckles. “Seriously? Did I imagine that or did Linc just apologize to me?”

“I could choke you again if you need to hear the apology once more,” I threaten, unamused at his playfulness.

He laughs and shakes his head. “I’ll pass. But look, let me give you peace of mind. I’ll call Harmon right now on speakerphone.”

The phone rings three times before he answers. “Callen.”

“Hey, what’s your ETA? I saw your flight landed.”

“Ah, we missed it. Got caught up going through airport security. We’re on standby right now waiting for another flight.”

I roll my eyes, but Callen places his finger to his lips.

“Where’s Eden?”

“She went to the restroom.”

“Where are you?”

“In the food court. I’ve got eyes on her. Surely you didn’t expect me to follow her into a public ladies’ room did you?” He laughs awkwardly.

“Can you put her on? I’ll wait.”

“Ehhh,” Harmon grumbles, “it’s a long line. It’s wrapping outside the door. I’ll have her call you when she’s back.”

Callen’s face falls. He opens his mouth, then shuts it. “Okay, no worries. Don’t bother her. Just let me know when you get another flight, okay?”

“Yeah, I will. Hey, uh—did Linc ever figure out where she is?”

Callen squints his eyes shut and beats his fist against his head silently. He looks anguished, but his response comes out cool and casual. “Nope. He still thinks she’s at a spa day with Cricket, but he’s getting suspicious. So I’d be mighty grateful if you guys can get another flight, soon.” Callen chuckles humorlessly, his eyes remain narrowed.

Harmon laughs on the other line. “Roger that. I’ll be in touch.”

Once the call disconnects, Vesper and Callen are immediately on their feet, exchanging panicked glances.

“Linc,” Vesper says, steadying her eyes on me, “Eden’s in trouble. We have to go.”

“Because they missed their flight?”

Vesper and Callen are the detectives in the room. Clearly, they both understand something I don’t.

“What?” I ask, standing. “How do you know?”

“He wouldn’t let us talk to her. Red flag,” Callen says.

“He’s in an airport food court, yet there’s no background noise? He’s lying,” Vesper adds.

“He asked about you, Linc. He wanted to know how much time he has before you start hunting him down.”

My instincts told me. I felt it. I couldn’t make sense of it, but I sensed it.

“Do you have any idea where they are?”

“I have a hunch,” Callen says. “I need to call in a quick favor. We can’t use FBI resources to get to her.” Callen holds his head and shakes it side to side. “Fuck! I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”

“Callen,” I roar. “Have your pity party when Eden’s safe. Go make your call, now,” I demand.

With just Vesper and I left in the meeting room, I feel the need to give her a warning as the gnawing ache of anger and worry seeps through my skin and poisons my blood.

“I won’t ask your permission,” I mutter.

Vesper places her hands over mine to steady their shaking. “Breathe, Linc.”

“If anyone has hurt her, they will die. Cop, not a cop, I don’t care. I won’t ask your permission to end their life. Do with that what you must.”

Vesper puts her hand on my shoulder as I threaten to break PALADIN’s most prominent rule. The rule that put Frankie in the ground.

“You don’t need to ask for my permission,” Vesper responds, “you already have it.”