Page 35 of The Pilot & the Athlete

Saying a prayer for strength and throwing her shoulders back, she headed for the bathroom door, Autumn right behind her. As she exited, Paul straightened away from the wall and gave her a warm smile that shot tingles through her. He was a gift from heaven to strengthen, protect, and support her. She’d face Big T and his lawyer; then she hoped she and Paul would figure things out between them and face her brother.

Would Darian hate her like he hated Paul? Could she choose Paul and rip apart her family? Her stomach clenched. It was alot. A lot of stress. A lot of unknowns. A lot of pain. She said a silent prayer for help and the confidence she’d felt a moment ago.

A man came out of the men’s bathroom and darted at her. “Shay!”

“Stay back,” Paul and Autumn commanded at the same time.

“No, it’s okay,” Shay insisted. “It’s Agent Turner.”

“Shay, you’re all right.” He was almost to her, his right hand a bulge in his suit coat, his left extended to hug her.

Paul did not stay back. Showing much more speed and agility on land than he had in the water, he tackled Turner. Shay cried out. The sound of a gun reverberated through the stark halls. A bullet whizzed by and slammed into the bathroom door, splintering the wood and lodging there.

Autumn yanked Shay behind her. Paul rose up and put all of his weight behind a punch that landed true on Turner’s face and then flipped him onto his stomach, wrenching his hand out of his suitcoat and pulling his arm so high it creaked. The dull black metal gun clenched in Turner’s palm made Shay’s stomach pitch a fit.

“No shot!” she cried out. “Turner! You … you betrayed me?”

“Please,” he begged, his face squished into the shiny marble floor. “They have my wife and daughter. Please. They’ll kill them if I don’t kill Shay.”

“Drop the gun,” Paul growled, “or your arm breaks.”

Turner whimpered and released the gun. It clattered on the stone floor.

“Please. I don’t care if you break my arm, kill me, throw me in prison. But you have to help my wife and baby. He’ll killthem. Please!” His voice and the eye Shay could see were desperate.

“You betrayed Shay and almost killed her twice,” Paul ground out. “Don’t ask any favors of me.”

Shay’s heart leapt. She and Paul had garbage between them, but he would do anything for her. She was safe with him around. He’d just heroically rescued her. Again.

“Please,” Turner begged. “My family is innocent. Big T’s men kidnapped them to get to Shay through me. I only turned to protect them.”

“We have to help him,” Shay begged, coming around Autumn’s side and staring at Paul. “We can’t let these monsters kill his wife and daughter.”

Aiden and a pair of police officers rushed into the small hallway. The one with the fancier patches on the uniform stayed by Aiden’s side while the other officer hurried to help Paul with Turner.

“What’s going on?” Aiden demanded.

“Aiden, meet Agent Turner,” Paul explained, straightening away from the man as the police officer cuffed him then yanked him to his feet. “He betrayed and almost murdered Shay twice now.”

“Please. I had to. They kidnapped my wife, Jana, and my daughter, Alaina, my baby girl. Now they have Meacham too. They’ll kill them all if they don’t think I killed Shay.” He stared at Shay. “Shay, I’m so terribly sorry, but it’s my family. Please.”

The anguish in his blue eyes ripped at her.

“Isn’t there anything we can do to help them?” Shay begged.

Paul and Aiden exchanged a glance.

“Maybe,” Paul admitted, looking at her. He was such a hero. He’d rescued her yet again and she could see he was furious atTurner for almost killing her, yet he was still willing to listen to her. He wouldn’t turn his back and let an innocent woman and child die. She thought she read in his eyes that he was trying to forgive both Turner and himself.

Turner sobbed, “Please. I’ll do anything, tell you anything. Kill me, but help them.”

Paul looked to Aiden. “If we rescue his wife and daughter, he and Agent Meacham could testify against Big T. We might have another inroad to finding Benjamin Oliver.”

“Sergeant Miller.” Aiden turned to the officer at his side. “Can you speak to the judge? Briefly explain the situation and ask if we can start the trial this afternoon. We need a few hours, but we don’t want to delay months more and give Big T time to attempt another murder.”

“What are you thinking?” the officer asked.

“If Turner can give us the right information, my people can save his wife, daughter, and Agent Meacham.”

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