Page 8 of Security Breach

“We’re on the same side. If you want to keep Emma safe, have her security detail carry on with their plan as though she’s in the vehicle with them. Later, Jordan.” David escorted Emma to the elevator as Craig Jordan uttered a continuous stream of furious curses behind them.

Behind the closed elevator doors, Emma sagged against David. “I didn’t think he would let me leave.”

When the car neared the garage level, David nudged Emma behind him and drew his weapon.

“Aren’t we safe here?”

“No safety measures are foolproof. If the Butcher is desperate, he won’t balk at targeting you in a garage.” When the silver doors slid open, David reached back for Emma’s hand. “Stay behind me.”

He scanned the cavernous concrete interior. Although a few more cars were parked in the garage, none of them were parked near his SUV.

With Emma tucked against his side, he headed for his vehicle at a fast clip, alert for trouble. After helping her inside, he murmured, “I’ll check the SUV for signs of tampering. While I do that, push your seat back far enough that you can sit on the floor.”

When she nodded, David closed the door and searched the exterior of his vehicle, then dropped to the ground to check the undercarriage for signs of a bomb and tracking devices. Nothing. Excellent. Time to get his girl back on familiar turf.

He climbed behind the steering wheel and cranked the engine. “Ready to go home, Emma?”

“I’ve been ready for months.”

David squeezed her hand. “I want you out of sight and on the floor. Even though I hope the Marshals will cooperate, I’m not holding my breath.”

Without protesting, Emma slid to the floor.

“Did you bring anything with you to the field office?”

“I brought a Go bag. Should I go back for it?”

“Is anything inside that you can’t do without?”

She shook her head. “I transferred money to the pocket of my jeans. The Go bag has two changes of clothes, two burner phones, and a gun.”

His head whipped her direction. “You never wanted to touch a gun.” He’d tried to persuade Emma to let him teach her to handle a weapon each time he was home on leave or when she’d visited him at the base.

A wry smile curved her lips. “Constant fear of the Butcher changed my opinion. Rafferty taught me to shoot. I’m not in your league, though.”

Huh. “I don’t want you to take anything provided by the FBI.” Just in case.

“All right. I’m ready to go home, David.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He backed out of the slot and headed for the exit. At the street, he eyed the two-vehicle caravan passing the garage entrance. As the vehicles neared an intersection a block away, the vehicles exploded.

CHAPTER FOUR

Emma jerked at the loud boom. “What was that?”

“Hang on.” David’s voice sounded grim. The next instant they were in motion again. “Stay on the floor, Em.”

“What’s going on?”

“The Marshals’ vehicles exploded.”

Blood drained from her face. “A bomb?”

“Oh, yeah.” He slid his phone from his pocket. A moment later, he said, “It’s Montgomery. That explosion was a bomb in the vehicles driven by the Marshals.” A pause. “Yeah, Emma’s safe. I’m going to keep her that way.” He ended the call.

A mixture of grief and fear hit her, grief for the families of the Marshals killed and fear for David. “How could the Butcher follow me here without one of the FBI agents seeing him?”

“That’s what I want to know.” David’s knuckles turned white. “One of them should have spotted him.”

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