Deadly Escape: A Shelby Nichols Adventure (Shelby Nichols Adventures Book 11)

by Colleen Helme

  Touching the bottom, Ramos turned me in his arms. With my hair floating around me, I could barely see the glowing red timer with the seconds ticking by. All at once, the light went out. It stopped! Air rushed out of my lungs, and I had to quell the urge to inhale the water.

  Struggling to hold my breath, I kicked upward. Ramos pushed off the bottom, grabbing me around the waist, and kicked hard to the surface. My head broke through the water, and I gasped in big gulps of air.

  Ramos bobbed in the water beside me, breathing heavily. We both glanced at the timer to make sure it didn’t come back on. Nothing happened, and I turned toward Ramos, my heart bursting with relief. “We did it!”

  I let out an astonished laugh, and he caught me in his arms, grinning with relief. “That was close,” he said, shaking his head with wonder that we’d pulled it off.

  “You saved me.” My eyes filled with tears, even as I smiled, and I choked out a sob. “Thank you.” On impulse, I placed my hands on his face and kissed him full on the lips. He froze with surprise. Then he kissed me back, hugging me tight, and the world went still as we sank beneath the water.

  Out of air, we pulled apart to kick back to the surface. Breaking through, I laughed with joy, and my tears mingled with the river water. Ramos grabbed me in a hug, and we bobbed up and down a few times, then glanced at our surroundings.

  It surprised me to find we were in the middle of the river and downstream from where we’d started. Several people followed us along the bank. Ramos waved his arm to let them know we were all right.

  “Come on,” Ramos said, releasing me. “Let’s get back to shore and get that thing off of you.” He was thinking that he wanted to hold me close for a while, just to settle his nerves, but that was impossible to do while treading water.

  Breathing heavily, I nodded and began the swim to shore. Now that I wasn’t in danger of blowing up, my strength began to ebb, and the vest felt like a heavy weight pulling me down. I slipped under the surface a few times and struggled to stay afloat.

  “You can do this,” Ramos said. “It’s not far to shore.” He helped keep me up with his arm around my waist, careful not to jostle the vest.

  Totally exhausted, I gratefully accepted his help. Minutes later, our feet touched the sandy bottom. Ramos helped me get my balance, still holding my arm. Before I could step closer to the bank, two agents splashed into the water to join us. One of them checked my vest, looking it over with concern, and thought I should stay in the water a little longer.

  “You think it could start up again?” I blurted.

  “I doubt it, but getting it off of you might be tricky.” He took in my widened eyes and mustered a smile. “Don’t worry. Our best guy’s on the way. He’ll know what to do, but let’s keep you under water until he gets here.”

  “Okay.” I backed up until the water lapped against my chin. The current tugged at my legs, and I had to fight to keep my feet planted on the bottom. Ramos moved to stand behind me, bracing me against his chest. Thoroughly exhausted, I thanked him and rested the back of my head against his shoulder.

  A truck rumbled to a stop on the street above us, and several people wearing uniforms got out. Some of the CIA and swat team members involved in the takedown arrived as well, and I spotted Gabriel among them. He tried to come down to speak to us, but the men from the truck made everyone stay back, just in case.

  It sort of freaked me out that they were taking all of these precautions because they thought the bomb could still explode. Good grief. It didn’t help that the cold water was getting to me, and I began to shiver.

  A man dressed in military camouflage came to the edge of the water, rolling a medium container resembling a garbage can, complete with a lid, behind him. The two men beside me moved away to allow him to see the vest from shore. He let out a breath and stepped into the water, thinking that he hated getting wet, but the water had kept the bomb from going off, and whoever had thought of it was a genius.

  “Hello ma’am,” he said. “I’m Major Kirkham. I’m here to get that vest off of you. Thanks for staying in the water until I could get here.” He studied the vest while he spoke. “Did you say it was remotely activated by a cell phone signal?”

  “Yes,” I said, trying to keep my teeth from chattering. “The water disrupted the signal. It’s not going to come back on, is it?”

  “That’s why we’re keeping you in the water. But no, I don’t think it will. Can you turn around? I want to see the back.”

  “Sure.” I nodded and turned to face Ramos. He didn’t budge and moved his hands onto my shoulders to keep me steady. The warmth of his hands soaked through the layers of my clothing, and I was grateful to stand so close to him. Just knowing he stood beside me, gave me the strength to endure what came next.

  “Okay, Ma’am,” the Major said. “I’m going to cut through the back of the vest, and you can slip it off. But keep it under the water. Okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Ramos moved my sopping hair out of the way, and he began to cut the fabric with something sharp. I felt a tug at the bottom of the vest. The two officers held the fabric steady, and away from my skin, so the knife wouldn’t cut me. Slicing through the fabric and all the duct tape while under water wasn’t easy, but the Major kept at it until he reached the top.

  Finally, the last cut separated the back of the vest, and everyone let out a collective sigh. The officers held onto the vest, while I pulled my arms through the sleeves, and stepped back. Keeping the vest in the water, they carefully lowered it into the water-filled container.

  After securing the lid, the Major turned to everyone gathered on the shore. “It’s secure.”

  A small cheer went up on the bank, and several people clapped. Ramos helped me step out of the water and into a waiting blanket that Gabriel held out for me. “Chérie! I am so relieved.” He wrapped it around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. “Come. Let’s get you safe and dry.”

  I glanced back to find Sloan handing Ramos a blanket, which he didn’t seem to want or need. He took off his jacket and held it over his arm, revealing the gun in his shoulder holster. With a worried frown, Sloan spoke in hushed tones, and I picked up that he might be in some kind of trouble.

  He took the blanket and shrugged it over his shoulders, mostly to hide the gun from sight. She told him that Wells was going to do a thorough investigation, and he wasn’t going to be happy to know that it was Ramos who took the shot that killed Cypher. Wells had wanted Cypher taken alive, and now he had Ramos to blame.

  Ramos was thinking that he couldn’t care less what Wells thought. Cypher needed to die. End of story. Cypher was just using them all anyway. It was easy to see that this was an inside job, and that was on Wells, not him.

  Gabriel helped me into a black SUV, and I slid across the back seat. In a surprise move, he stepped aside to usher Ramos onto the seat beside me, then opened the passenger door and sat in the front seat. Sloan got behind the wheel and began the drive back to Langley.

  “Uh…I don’t think I want to go back to Langley,” I said. “You should take us somewhere else. It’s not safe there.”

  Sloan’s brows drew together, and she glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “What are you talking about?”

  “Cypher had help from someone inside the CIA. I don’t know who or what, but I don’t want to go back there.”

  She sucked in a breath. Was I right? Did Wells know or suspect such a thing? Is that why he wanted Cypher alive?

  “I think Shelby is right,” Gabriel added. He pulled out his phone. “Let me give Blake a call.” We all listened as he made the call and explained my reservations. A minute later he hung up. “Blake agrees that we should meet elsewhere. He’s sending a text to Sloan with the address of a secure location, and he will meet us there.”

  Just then Sloan’s phone buzzed with a text. She pulled off the freeway at the next exit and followed the coordinates Blake sent her. From what I could pick up, it was a safe house the CIA freq
uently used that was unoccupied at the moment.

  That sounded good to me, since it might also mean a shower. The river water had saved my life, but who knew what was lurking in those depths? Plus, I couldn’t stop shivering, and hot water would take care of that too. Since there were no thoughts of getting us some dry clothes, I spoke up. “Can we stop somewhere for a change of clothes?”

  “I would, but protocol for this situation states that we get you to the safe house first, then I can make a run to the store.” Sloan glanced at me again. “Sorry you have to wait, but there’s a store close by, so it won’t take long after I drop you off.”

  “All right,” I said. A tremor ran through me, and I wasn’t sure if it was because I was cold, or if it was just a response to all I’d been through. Still, once it started, the shaking got worse, and I couldn’t seem to stop.

  Ramos slipped his arm around me and tugged me against his side, surprising me that, even with wet clothes, he still gave off a lot of heat.

  “Wow, you’re hot,” I said.

  A slow smile curved his lips. “Thank you.” His underlying meaning wasn’t lost on me, and I caught my breath to tell him that was not what I meant. But since it was true, what could I say?

  He continued thinking that he normally wouldn’t take such liberties with me but, since I was shivering, he thought it was his manly duty. Then there was the kiss. How could he ever forget that? And I’d kissed him, not the other way around. That was a first, and one for the records.

  I closed my eyes and groaned. I was never going to live that down. What had I been thinking? It just happened. I didn’t plan on kissing him. It was just a natural reaction to thank him for saving my life, along with a burst of happiness for not getting blown up. A total “joie de vivre” moment. I let out a breath. If he ever gave me the chance to explain, I would tell him that.

  I glanced up at him and lifted my brow, hoping to silence him on the subject. He chuckled, earning an unfriendly glare from Sloan through the rearview mirror. I huffed and pulled the blanket tighter around me, even though I was no longer shivering like a wet cat.

  Sloan turned the car into a residential area and pulled into the driveway of a small, brick house. The driveway continued around to the back, and she kept going until we had pulled out of sight. “Sorry, but I don’t have a key,” she said. “So we’ll have to wait a few minutes more.”

  I let out a breath, but since she was also thinking that watching Ramos with his arm around me was pure hell, I didn’t let it bother me too much. Besides getting warmer, it was a treat to sit so close to Ramos, so how could I complain?

  That moment only lasted about two minutes. A car pulled up right behind ours, and both Blake and Wells stepped out. It surprised me that Wells had come but, given the circumstances, Blake had probably told him that the information I might have was worth it.

  As Wells unlocked the door to the house, Blake pulled both my purse and jacket from the car, which sent a wave of relief over me. I’d forgotten all about my purse, but I was sure happy to see it, along with everything inside.

  With a sigh of reluctance, Ramos pulled away from me and got out of the car. His shoes squished with water, and I knew they were totally ruined. So were mine, and I sighed with regret that my cute ankle boots were destroyed. But it could have been worse, and I could always buy a new pair of shoes.

  After greeting us, Wells ushered us inside to a small, clean kitchen with a square table and chairs, where he quickly took charge. “First thing we need are some dry clothes for the two of you. We keep a few things stocked here, so let’s see what we have. You can get changed, and Sloan can make a run to the store for more suitable clothing for both of you.”

  Sloan found a pad of paper and a pencil and wrote our sizes down, then she took the keys from Wells and left. In a back bedroom, Ramos and I found several pairs of sweatpants and t-shirts. I also found a sweatshirt and nabbed it on the way to the bathroom. They were all several sizes too large, but better than nothing.

  I quickly stripped off my wet clothes, figuring they might be salvageable with a good wash, but I couldn’t say the same for my watch. It had quit working, and sadness filled my heart. I was pretty sure the tracking device inside had saved my life, and I hoped my watchmaking friend, Geoff Parker, could fix it for me.

  Before slipping on the sweats, I took a quick shower and washed my hair. Feeling much better, I got dressed, then applied my face cream and lip gloss that I carried in my purse. Last, I finger-combed my hair and scrunched it into natural waves before opening the door.

  Ramos had also changed into sweats but hadn’t showered because I’d hogged the bathroom. At least the sweats fit him better, but I picked up that he couldn’t wait to put on some real clothes and go home. But when was that going to happen? He hoped that I’d use my powers of persuasion to make it happen soon…like tonight. I couldn’t agree more, and I sent him a quick nod.

  Wells motioned me to the table where they sat, eager to hear my side of the story. I began with the flash grenade and then told them everything that had happened since, including what I’d picked up about the group of people who’d planned his escape.

  “You mean this was all a setup?” Wells asked, astonished.

  “Yes.” I let that sink in for a moment before continuing. “Whoever this group is, they wanted him for his ties to the terrorist cells. His reputation is worth its weight in gold. So maybe it’s not so bad that he’s dead.”

  Blake glanced at Wells, thinking that this was a sore spot with him, especially since all the witnesses claimed it was Ramos who’d killed him.

  Wells glanced at Ramos, thinking the same thing, so I quickly spoke up. “Cypher was going to detonate the vest I was wearing. All he had to do was send the signal on his phone. He was holding the phone in his hand, but no one could see it because he held his hands behind his head. I picked up on it and told Ramos. That’s why he took the shot. You should be glad. If Ramos hadn’t shot him, all of us who were there would be dead, including Cypher.”

  Wells turned his gaze to me. If that were true, why hadn’t anyone told him?

  “I’m pretty sure Sloan can corroborate what happened, since she’s the one who found the phone.” I couldn’t remember if she’d found it on the ground beside him, or if it was still in his hand. But it didn’t matter.

  “But it didn’t work?” Wells asked.

  “No. It must have been thumbprint protected, so they couldn’t open it. That’s why they smashed it.”

  “I’m confused,” Wells said. “Didn’t smashing it stop the signal?”

  “It did for a moment,” Ramos said. “But there must have been a backup, because it started up again. Only this time, there were just two minutes left before it detonated. That’s why we ended up in the Potomac River.”

  Wells nodded, thinking that Ramos had a cool head on his shoulders. He’d make a great agent because he wasn’t afraid to take matters into his own hands, and he was good at killing people. Of course, Ramos would never agree to work for him…unless he was in trouble and needed a get-out-of-jail-free card. He’d have to keep that in mind, and Sloan was just the agent to keep tabs on him.

  His thoughts turned to me. I was another person he could use. If the things I’d discovered about Cypher were true, that meant there was someone in the agency who had an agenda and was powerful enough to pull some strings. But who the hell could it be? With my premonitions, maybe I could figure it out. But how could he get me to do that?

  The door opened, and Sloan came inside with a couple of shopping bags. I jumped up with more enthusiasm than necessary, mostly because I didn’t like where Wells’ thoughts had taken him. There was absolutely no way I was ever going to help that man again. Ever.

  I turned to Sloan, and she held out a large sack for me. “I’ll be back,” I said, eager to escape. I hurried into one of the bedrooms and pulled out the clothes, hoping she hadn’t taken her jealousy out on me by buying something hideous.

  My mou
th twisted into a smile to find a black, lacey panty and bra set, socks, running shoes, straight leg jeans, and a white t-shirt with pink cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument on it. She’d even included a gray, zip-up hoodie that was nice and soft. Wow. This was great. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.

  Everything fit well except the shoes. They were kind of cheap and stiff, but once I got them laced up, they weren’t too bad. Now I was curious to see what she’d picked up for Ramos. She’d probably enjoyed shopping for him lots more than me.

  I entered the kitchen to find everyone there. Ramos had taken a quick shower before getting dressed, so his hair was a little wet, but he looked good in the jeans, t-shirt, and dark running shoes Sloan had picked out for him.

  Wells and Blake talked quietly with Gabriel, while Sloan spoke to Ramos. As I entered, she stepped away from him and examined the fit of my clothes.

  “Thanks for the clothes,” I said.

  “You’re welcome. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just picked out what I would have bought for myself.” She was thinking that it helped that we were basically the same size, although I was a little smaller in the chest. “I picked up some diet soda and some sandwiches while I was there. Do you want some?”

  “Diet soda? Hell yeah!” I said.

  She smiled at my enthusiasm, thinking we could have been friends if it wasn’t for Ramos. Still, if there was nothing between me and Ramos, it wouldn’t hurt to get closer to me, if for no other reason than to find out how Ramos was doing. He’d insisted on shutting her out, and she hated that.

  She handed me a bottle of diet soda and a ham-and-cheese sandwich. Then she handed the rest out to Ramos and the others sitting at the table. She was thinking that the main reason she’d gotten the soda was because Ramos had texted her with the request. She’d thought it was for him, but now she knew better, and it stung just a little that he was so thoughtful of me.

  Yikes. She had it bad, and I didn’t envy her. Still, it was nice to know someone loved Ramos so much…wasn’t it? Wow. This was complicated, and I was sure glad it wasn’t me in her shoes.