Page 52 of Last Chance

Sawyer’s SUV slid to a stop seconds later, and he parked near the elevator. He exited the vehicle and circled the hood to open her door.

Janie attempted to unlatch her seatbelt and failed royally because she was shaking too hard.

“I’ll get it.” Sawyer freed Janie from the seatbelt, helped her to the concrete, and tugged her into his arms. “It’s all right now. You’re safe.” He continued to hold her as she trembled, rubbing her back with one hand and securing her to him with the other arm.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Don’t be. It’s normal to be frightened in a situation like that.”

“You aren’t.”

“I’m trained to handle things like this.”

“I still feel like a wuss,” she muttered.

“You didn’t scream bloody murder while Jesse and I played in heavy traffic, going over 100 miles per hour. You have courage, Janie.”

She swallowed hard. “We went that fast?”

“You couldn’t tell?”

“I was afraid to look at the speedometer.”

“Don’t blame you.” He kissed her temple and continued to hold her in silence until the shakes subsided. “Better now?”

Janie nodded. “Thanks, Sawyer. Sorry if I held things up too much.”

“No one will say a word. If they do, they’ll answer to me.” He loosened his hold on her. “Feeling steady enough to walk?”

She hesitated, assessing how she felt. Maybe in another ten minutes. Right now, no. She shook her head.

Sawyer scooped Janie into his arms and strode toward the elevator. “You’ll feel better soon,” he murmured.

“I think I can walk.” Probably.

“I’m more than capable of carrying you, sweetheart. Let me play the hero for a few minutes.”

“Where’s Jesse?”

“Gone to see his girlfriend. Simone works here, too. She’s a whiz with computers. We’re lucky to have her on staff here.” He pressed the call button with his elbow.

“Will the security people catch up to the van?”

“I hope so. Brent will let us know the result of the chase. If the team catches up with them, you won’t have to worry about seeing the men in the van. You won’t be anywhere near them.”

“Won’t do much good, though, will it?” How could it? Sawyer’s coworkers couldn’t force the men to talk. If these men really were from Vatos Locos, they weren’t likely to talk for fear of retaliation from other gang members. “You can’t torture them into giving up information.”

Sawyer remained silent.

Janie studied his face. “Sawyer?”

“Don’t ask if you can’t handle the answer.”

Her breath caught. “Brent condones torture?”

“Do you want to know?”

She considered that for a moment and shook her head. “No. I’m assuming the interrogators will get answers by whatever means are necessary.”

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