“You planned for this?” She crawled in, not worrying about soaking the seat; she just wanted to get away.
“I used to be a Boy Scout.”
Slamming the door, she grabbed the seat belt. Intuition told her this might be a rough ride.
Ian started the car, backed up, put the vehicle in Drive—and came nose-to-nose with headlights. “Duck down!”
Slamming the car into Reverse, he skidded backward, flinging the wheel to the right, then the left.
Then back into Drive.
Gina lifted her head as the wheels squealed on the concrete. “What about the gate?” she panted.
“My guess is it’s open—just in case they needed to get out quick. If not, I’ll have to figure something else out.”
A minute later his guess proved true. The gates stood wide, beckoning them into the darkness beyond. Ian sped through.
“They’re behind us, Ian.” Her heart pounded in her chest, fear clogging her throat. “How did they know where we were? How did they get past Nicholas’s security?”
Ian reached over and turned the heat on full blast. “All good questions that will have answers later. Right now I need to drive. We also need warm clothes and a place to hole up.”
A bullet shattered the rear window, and Gina swallowed a scream as she ducked lower. “Ian?”
“Just hold on. I know this part of Myrtle Beach like the back of my hand. I’ll lose them in a few minutes.”
Another shot rang out and a thump sounded in the rear of the car, and Gina prayed as Ian spun the wheel and took the turn for the interstate.
Beside him, Gina shivered uncontrollably; Ian knew he needed to do something fast about clothing. They couldn’t stay in their thin pajamas. Even with the heater blowing wide open, the cold felt as though it had already seeped through to his bones. She stuttered through chattering teeth, “A-a-are they still behind us?”
“No, I think I managed to lose them.” He’d gone on a wild ride of twists and turns, back roads, then on the highway, then off again, calling Mac and Jase in for reinforcements. “I grabbed my pack with a lot of essentials in it, but nothing much to change into. If we’re fast, we can get a change of clothing and find a hotel so we can plan our next move.”
“There’s always an open-all-night tourist store along this road. What about stopping at one of those?”
“Fine, but it’ll have to be a hit-and-run thing. Grab something, pay for it and get out.”
An hour and a half later, satisfied he’d lost whoever had been chasing them, he pulled into a small oceanfront town on the outskirts of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and found a store.
Pacing from one end of the wooden storefront porch to the other, he checked his watch. He’d handed her a handful of cash and Gina had disappeared into the open-all-night store five minutes ago. He’d done his best to hide the car in the darkness of the little alley that ran alongside the store, but it wasn’t very deep, holding trash cans and other debris blocking his way. He’d just have to pray it would be enough.
Headlights appeared in the distance, amping his adrenaline up a notch.
He slid deeper into the shadows of the wooden porch. If those were the guys after Gina, they’d probably recognize the car.
Of course, if the make and model didn’t clue them in, the missing window in the back and several bullet holes around the right taillight probably would—if they saw the car. He prayed they’d miss it.
But if they didn’t…
Already-tight shoulders hardened into granite.
“I’m ready,” Gina’s breathless voice came from behind his left ear. “I got you some sweats, socks and shoes, too.”
Keeping his eyes on the approaching vehicle, he said out of the corner of his mouth, “Step behind me and stay out of sight.”
“What is it?” He felt her move without hesitation even as she asked the question, the warmth of her hand resting on the small of his back. He ignored the zing up his spine as a result of her touch and focused on the car. How had they been found? He knew he’d lost those who were chasing them and lost them good. There was no way they should have caught up with them this fast. Unless…
They’d planted something on the car.
Ian mentally slapped his head. He should have thought of that. It’s what he would have done, but even if it had occurred to him, as fast as they’d had to leave Nicholas’s, he would have had no time to sweep the car anyway. Chilled inside and out, Ian realized these guys were good—maybe better than he. They’d seen the car on their way into Nicholas’s and planted the tracker just in case.
A precaution that had paid off for the bad guys.
More questions hit him. Then again, if they’d planned to kill them in the house, why had they planted a tracking device? Why not just dismantle it? Had they wanted them to get away?
Ian took the bag of clothes from her hand—and the lead—and pulled her along behind him at a fast clip through the parking lot. Christmas brought loads of people to the beach for the lights and just the pleasure of spending the holidays on the water. Fortunately, even at this late hour, there were a fair number of people and cars all around them. Probably due in part to the all-night bar open two doors down.
One store led to the next. Staying in the shadows proved to be nearly impossible in the well-lit areas they had to pass through in order to get to the next building. As a result, they hurried, heads ducked, Ian on the outside.
She suddenly realized why he’d done that. He was protecting her. A bullet would have to go through him to get to her.
Something to think about later.
Ian jerked her arm and she found herself in another alley, her back against the wall, with Ian’s hand pressed over her mouth. Startled, she stared up into those electrifying blue eyes. He removed his hand and placed a finger against his lips in the universal symbol for silence.
She nodded.
Satisfied she’d stay quiet, he moved away and for a moment she felt bereft. His large presence made her feel safe, protected.
But she couldn’t rely totally on him. She had to use her brain, stay calm, keep her terror under control. Because if she didn’t, she’d make some stupid mistake that could get her—and Ian—killed.
He returned, his jaw tight, eyes narrowed.
“What is it?” she asked.
“They’re gone. They must have decided they’d lost us.”
She blinked. “Do you think they’ll be back?”
“Maybe. I’m hoping they’ve given up for the night.”
“Do you think they found your car?”
“No doubt. I feel sure they put a tracking device on it. And they’re going to realize because of where I parked it, we deserted it and are now on foot. They’ll regroup and form a plan on how to find us.” He looked back over at the car. “I’m sure they searched that vehicle, though, which is why I’ve got to call the police and report this. If they left any kind of evidence behind, a strand of hair, anything, I want it documented. We need crime-scene people out here. Not only because the rental company would have it investigated anyway, but also because it’ll give us the protection of a distraction.”
Fear immediately swamped her as the only word that registered was police.
Her fingers reached up to toy with the heavy locket she’d placed back around her neck. “No, you can’t. It’s not the police I’m really worried about—it’s the fact that once they’ve finished their part, they’ll turn it over to the army to investigate. And I think that’ll cause more problems than we want.” She shook her head. “And I know for a fact that Mario didn’t want the army investigating this.”
“All right.” He blew out a breath. “Then I’ll call Mac back. He can handle this himself, but we’re not hanging around. We’re getting out of here before those guys come back.”
“And you’re positive you can trust Mac?”
“He’s the best option we’ve got right now. The man knew Mario, had a lot of respect for him.”
“I know.
He was a pallbearer at the funeral,” she whispered.
“Yeah, I saw him.”
She thought about that day, the look on his face when she’d turned and walked away without a word. “I didn’t expect to see you there.”
Pain darkened his blue eyes to stormy seas. “Of course I would be there. He was my friend.”
Gina swallowed and looked away. “I know he was. I’m sorry.” She was also sorry for the way she’d treated him that day. He’d been hurting, too, in spite of the fact that she’d believed him to be something akin to a traitor.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment. “Me, too.”
“All right, I trust you. Call him if you think that’s what we need to do.”
“I think it is.”
Within minutes, Ian had his former commanding officer on the phone and explained their current situation. He hung up and turned to her. “He’ll be out here shortly. He said to get out of sight while he contacts the local police and requests a crime-scene unit to be dispatched to go over the car. I’m reporting it as a civilian. I’ve kept your name out of it. Mac will, too.”
Worry filled her. She prayed it was the right thing to do.
“All right. But won’t the police wonder why this car was shot up and where we went?”
“Yep, but I’m not going to worry about that right now. I’ve put in a request to my supervisor allowing me to be assigned to finding the people responsible.”
“And they’re going to let you do that?”
“It’s either that or I continue my personal leave. I have about ten weeks’ worth I can use. Don’t worry about it, Gina. I’m going to take care of it, all right?”
She hated to admit he was right. Qualified and willing, he could do a much better job of catching the bad guys than she. And yet, she knew that for however long it took to figure out what Mario had been involved in and catch the people after her, she’d be right in Ian’s back pocket. No way was she going to just sit meekly in a hotel room, waiting for someone to come through the door shooting. And she sure couldn’t go home and put her family in danger.
“All right, but I’m sticking with you, okay?”
He raised a brow. “We’ll see. Now let’s find a place to change.”
Ian didn’t know how much of Gina’s “closeness” his heart would be able to handle. On the other hand, he couldn’t deny he wanted to be near her. And yet, if the gunmen returned—and he had almost no doubt that they would—he didn’t want her in the line of fire.
Looking at the stubborn set of her jaw, he figured he might have to get creative on that end.
Impatience clawed at him. They needed to get out of here, out of the open. He felt exposed, yet they couldn’t leave just yet. Mac wanted to see the crime scene, and Ian needed to see Mac. The man was bringing him more gear and information on Mario’s cases, and Ian wasn’t leaving without that stuff.
A car pulled up and a face from the past materialized before him. Mackenzie Gold climbed out of his black F-150 pickup truck. The years hadn’t been good to the man, who now sported a full head of gray hair and more wrinkles than a pug, but he hadn’t lost his rigid military bearing or piercing green eyes. Ian stepped out of the shadows and held out a hand. “Thank you for coming out, sir.”
“You’re still one of my men, Masterson, transfer or no.” He looked around, uneasiness reflected on his face. “Let’s move over toward the car. I want to see it.” His eyes flicked up the road and back. “But let’s make this quick. I don’t like being out in the open like this.” He ushered them back over to the mangled car, where the crime scene unit was already working. “Roadblocks are set up so no one uses this road until we’re done. Hello, Gina.” He gestured toward Gina as he handed over the bag to Ian.
“Mac.” She eyed him and gave him a tight smile.
The commanding officer turned his attention back to Ian. “Here’s the folder with everything I could dig up on Mario.” He handed him a flash drive. “More information I copied. Some of this is classified.” He shot Ian a ferocious look. “Destroy that when you’re done with it, and if you get caught with it, you didn’t get it from me.”
Ian nodded his thanks and pocketed the drive. He stuck the folder under his armpit and said, “I don’t know what Mario was doing, but we’re going to find out.”
Gina spoke up, “It seems like Mario had something the men who did this want and they think I’ve got it.”
“Do you?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know, but we’re figuring that out.”
“What do you have?”
Ian intervened. “Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a clue what they could be after. I’ve left out a few details in my report to the cops. I’d appreciate it if you’d go along with it if anyone asks. Now we’re getting out of here. I don’t know where those guys are, but I want to put some distance between us and them.”
“You got it.” He pierced Ian with those direct eyes. “Keep me updated. I can’t help you if you leave me in the dark. I’ll do the same for you.”
“Absolutely, sir.”
The sound of a revving engine captured his attention, and he swung his gaze around to the long stretch of road. Headlights appeared and he stepped in front of Gina, his adrenaline once again shooting skyward. There weren’t supposed to be any cars on this road. Could it be the guys handling the roadblock?
No, they would have radioed ahead.
Mac stopped his trek back toward his truck and turned to stare at the approaching vehicle. When it passed under a street lamp, Ian caught a glimpse of something hanging out the window.
“Gun!” he yelled.
Heart pounding, he pulled his weapon and grabbed Gina’s arm to propel her toward the cover of a van parked in the next-door parking lot.
She let out a scream and stumbled with him, slamming her body up against the vehicle just in time. A rat-a-tat sounded, bullets pinging left and right. Ian saw Mac dive for cover. A member of the CSU team hauled himself the rest of the way inside the car he’d been processing. Everyone else hit the ground.
Gun ready, Ian swung around the side of the van as the vehicle roared past. He pulled the trigger as fast as his finger would move.
More bullets sprayed the air around him in retaliation and he ducked, covering Gina with his body. His mind registered the thudding of the bullets hitting the van.
Grabbing her hand, he yanked her to her feet and shot his former CO a look. The man’s face had become granite, his G36 palmed and aimed, ready to do more damage. Mac looked over at Ian, and Ian signaled he’d be in touch.
Then he pulled Gina after him.
“How far can you run?” he shouted at her.
“As far as I have to.”
TEN
Gina ran like the wind. One shoe flew off, but there was no time to stop and get it. Ian kept up a good pace and she stayed right with him, ignoring the occasional rock that bit into her tender flesh. She didn’t want to think about what she might possibly step on. That didn’t scare her nearly as much as the guys with guns.
Dodging cars and trash bins and the occasional late-night pedestrian, she flew along the sidewalk. Ian had dropped his grip on her hand, but she could hear him pounding behind her.
“Where am I going?” she shouted over her shoulder after they’d already run quite a way.
“Head to the hotel about half a mile ahead.”
Half a mile. She could do that.
She saw the sign and energy surged within her. Hair whipping around her face, she aimed for the hotel. A sharp pain suddenly sliced her foot and she stumbled, would have gone down had Ian not reached out and grabbed her arm. He stopped, looked down, then swept her up into his arms.
She squawked, “What are you doing?”
“You’re bleeding.” His words sounded normal. He wasn’t even winded after their crazy run.
And he had no trouble holding her securely against him. “Bleeding?” Startled, she tried to see her foot, but he held her firm. �
�I am?”
“You must have stepped on a piece of glass back there. Come on, let’s get inside and get that taken care of. What happened to your shoe?”
“I guess they were a little big. I lost it back there somewhere.”
Shouldering his way into the hotel, he set her in the nearest chair and approached the desk. “I need a room, please.” He fished out a fistful of cash and handed it over to the clerk. The thin man, who looked barely out of middle school, took the money and gave Ian a key.
Ian looked at Gina. He must have noticed her flustered expression because he said, “We’re not staying the night, just long enough to get your foot cleaned up and some more necessary items delivered. Let me make a quick call and we’ll take care of your foot.”
“Okay.” Several areas on her fatigued body throbbed with pain: her knee, an elbow and the bottom of her foot.
He got on the phone and she grimaced as she shifted on the vinyl-covered chair. The adrenaline high that she’d been on ebbed and her lids drooped. In spite of the danger she knew lurked behind the corner, she thought she might fall asleep right in that chair.
So she distracted herself by watching Ian pace and talk. Again, another surge of unexpected attraction for this man thudded her heart and caused her to blink.
She remembered the feeling of being carried in Ian’s muscular arms. The man was huge compared with Mario, who’d been wiry and strong in his own right, but Ian’s build dwarfed both of them. And he made her feel safe.
Even though she knew the men who were after her were still out there, just having Ian close by dissipated some of her terror.
Some.
“All right, let’s go.” He stooped and scooped. Flinging her arms around his neck, she found herself face-to-face, practically lip-to-lip, with this extremely intriguing man. Uncertainty flooded through her as he stared down at her and she offered him a trembling smile.
He blinked, then turned on his heel to head down the hall to the room. He talked as he carried her. “I think we’ll be okay here for a short period of time. We’re not too far from where the shooting occurred, so there are cops everywhere, which will cause whoever’s after us to think twice about hanging around. Mac will cover for us and take care of the legal stuff at the scene while we figure out how to keep you safe.”
Silent Pursuit Page 7
