Monk (K19 Security Solutions 7)

Through their contacts at MI6, the K19 team learned that Raketa Ivashov, the Russian who had helped them find Ava, her sister, and their two friends, and who Razor still believed had shot him, was thought to have been kidnapped by Petrov that same night.

Gunner and a high-ranking agent from MI6 were on their way to Azerbaijan, where Petrov was reported to be. Their mission was relatively simple, but it would put both agents in a great deal of danger. Not only were they breaking into Petrov’s purported compound in the old city in order to rescue Ivashov, they also intended to assassinate Petrov at the same time.

DUTCH USUALLY PREFERRED TAKING the evening detail, and while Monk never stayed over, he had dinner with Saylor and the girls almost every night after Dutch showed up to relieve him.

School was back in session, and it seemed to Monk that both Savannah and Sierra had an inordinate amount of homework for being in the second and third grade.

“You don’t have to stay and help. I’ve got this,” Saylor said on more than one occasion when she’d found Monk at the table, helping the girls get through the assignments they brought home.

“I like doing it. It relaxes me,” he’d told her one night after the girls had gone to bed.

“Cooking, dishes, and homework all relax you. You’re every woman’s dream man.”

Monk captured her around the waist and pulled her close to him. “I don’t care about every woman. I care about you.”

While she tried to mask her reaction, Monk still caught it. She’d visibly bristled. He left shortly after that, and instead of going back to the house where he and Dutch stayed, he went over to Razor’s.

“Got a minute?” he asked, coming down to the basement where Dutch was studying the monitors that surveilled the house and property.

“What can I do for you?” Dutch asked, stretching his arms above his head.

“Want to switch for a while? I’ll take nights.”

“Sure…” It was obvious that Dutch wanted to ask why, but the man refrained, and Monk appreciated it.

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nbsp; THE SCHEDULE SWITCH ONLY LASTED three days. The evening of the fourth, Gunner called Monk’s cell right before he was supposed to relieve Dutch.

“Change in duty,” he told him. “I need you on the East Coast for a few days. You can arrange your own transport, but I need you here tomorrow.”

“Roger that, sir,” Monk responded.

“Do you even want to know what the assignment is?” Gunner asked.

“Does it matter?”

When Gunner laughed and ended the call, Monk went in search of Dutch and found him downstairs, working out in the basement gym.

“Can you stick around a while longer?”

“Sure. All night?”

Monk shook his head. “Maybe just an hour.”

Dutch picked up his towel and ran up the stairs. “Give me five for a shower, and then you can head out.”

11

Saylor was sitting out on the deck, enjoying the last few warm nights as summer came to an end, when she saw Monk walking on the trail, headed her way.

Relief coursed through her veins at the sight of him. Something had happened between them last week, and she still wasn’t certain what it was.

“Hey,” she said, standing to greet him.

“Got a minute?”

She invited him inside. “Can I get you a drink?”