Page 67 of Security Breach

“How old is he?”

“Eighteen months.” The police chief made the final turn into the long, winding driveway leading to the safe house. “Wait in here until we’re sure it’s safe.”

He exited the SUV along with Cal. The two men scanned the area for signs of danger. Seeming satisfied that the area was clear, Ethan opened Emma’s door. “Let’s go.”

The police chief escorted her to the front door with Cal at their backs. Jackson opened the door as they climbed the porch steps.

The medic frowned as he stepped back to allow Emma and Ethan to enter the cabin. “Where are Eli and David?”

“Still at Bear Lake Cabins,” Ethan said. “They ran into trouble. Emma and Cal will explain.” He looked at Emma. “Need anything before I go?”

She shook her head. “Thank you for everything, Ethan.”

“I hope we see you and David in Otter Creek soon.” He nodded at Jackson, clapped Cal on the shoulder, and left.

“What happened?” Jackson demanded.

“Chill.” Cal nudged Emma toward the kitchen table, draped the blanket around her shoulders again, and set her soft drink and bag on the table within easy reach as Jon walked into the room. “Eli and David are fine. A family member of a man David arrested decided to get a little payback. David shot him in the shoulder. He and Eli will be tied up with the TBI for a while.”

The medic turned his attention to Emma. “You’re okay?”

“Thanks to David, I’m fine. He didn’t want me outside of the vehicle, a wise move on his part.” She tried to smile, but figured she failed when Jackson’s eyes narrowed.

The medic filled a coffee mug with water and dropped an herbal tea bag into the liquid. When the microwave heating cycle ended, Jackson set the mug in front of her along with a packet of sugar and a spoon. “I know you drink unsweetened tea. Make an exception today.”

She nodded, unable to speak. Emma did not want to cry in front of these big, tough SEALs.

Jon joined her at the table with a mug of coffee. “What’s in the bag?”

“Knitting supplies.” Grateful for the distraction, she unloaded the contents of the bag and spread them out.

“Is knitting difficult?”

Her gaze shifted from the yarn to the operative. “Not really. There are only two stitches, knit and purl. The patterns are made with combinations of the two stitches. Do you want to learn?”

His lips curved slightly. “My wife, Dana, loves to learn new skills, especially skills that help her cope with stress.”

“I’d love to teach her to knit, but you probably don’t want me near her right now.” With a pair of serial killers dogging Emma, being around her wasn’t safe.

“What about books, websites, or teaching videos?” Jon asked.

“I can write a list of resources I’ve found helpful along with a list of basic supplies.”

“That’s perfect.” He left the kitchen and returned with a notepad and pen. “Do you need anything else?”

Amusement filled her when she realized the quiet operative was probably trying to keep Emma’s mind occupied, but Dana might use the information. Emma recognized that she was dealing with adrenaline dump again, but she was also worried about David’s safety. “This is perfect. Thanks.”

After removing the tea bag and adding sugar to her drink, earning a nod of approval from Jackson, Emma picked up the pen and made a list of supplies and two instruction books appropriate for novice knitters.

She glanced at Jon. “I don’t have a computer or cell phone. I need to search for the best websites and instructional videos.”

He tapped a few keys on his keyboard and slid his laptop across the table to Emma. “You’re free to surf without risk of detection online. Don’t access your accounts, including the ones set up while you were in WITSEC. We have to assume those accounts have been compromised.”

Emma focused on making a complete list for Dana while Jon, Eli, and Jackson talked among themselves. She surfed the web, blocking out the conversation of the operatives. While locating information for Dana, Emma found a few websites she wanted to explore for herself.

A long while later, Jon set a glass of ice water by her hand. “Having fun?”

Emma blinked and looked up at the operative. A slight smile curved his mouth. Glancing at the time, she gasped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I’d been using your computer so long.”

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