Page 9 of The Witness

“And which marina did they use for the tender that delivered you to the yacht?”

“Ah, the one by the Brickell Key Bridge.”

“Tell me about the other men. Who were they?”

“I don’t know, just men.” Sabrina’s voice had elevated. Smith was pushing, and I didn’t like it.

“Think harder.” Smith urged her, using an angry tone I didn’t like. I glanced at Kira. She’d better step in or I would.

“One guy was called Raul. Another had a beard.” Sabrina threw up her hands.

“How many?”

“Six. Plus, Sandoval.”

“Could you ID them if I had photos?”

“Maybe.”

“How many crew members on Sandoval’s yacht?”

“I don’t know. I’d guess half a dozen.”

“Were they armed?”

“I’m not sure.”

Smith grunted; Kira had poked him in the ribs with an elbow, but it didn’t slow him down. “Did anyone say anything about Sandoval coming ashore in Miami?”

“I was serving, not spying. And my Spanish—”

“Enough.” I stepped between John and her.

Sabrina was nearing the end of her patience, and I’d reached mine.

My hands on my hips, I stood tall looking down at my boss, daring him to keep badgering her with questions. “She just swam across the Miami river to get some help, not to be interrogated.”

“Why did you do that?” Smith asked, not caring I was standing between him and Sabrina.

“Seriously, you have to ask? There are two cop cars in our parking lot.” It was my turn to throw up my hands in annoyance.

“John, Steel is right. Let’s give Sabrina some time to recover. We can all talk in the morning with clear heads.” Kira patted her husband’s leg with little effect.

Smith stood and glared at me. I was well aware that even though I was younger and bigger than him, my boss could take me out. Not in a fair fight, but more in thehe’d have a knife slipped between my ribs before I even knew there was a threatkind of deal.

“You want it, you got it. She is your only priority.” Smith pointed at Sabrina over my shoulder. “Every step she takes, you will protect her until I say otherwise. It’s pretty perfect if you think about it. A woman like her is both your calling and your kryptonite.”

After dropping his ultimatum, Smith smoothed his slightly rumpled guayabera shirt and walked out of the living room without looking back. Knowing Smith, his thoughts were a million miles ahead of the rest of us, plots and plans already taking shape. He was the man playing chess while mere mortals played checkers.

“I’ll get Sabrina settled in a guest suite and scare up some food for her from the party leftovers,” I told Kira so she wouldn’t worry.

“That would be great. Thank you, Michael.” Kira gave me a weary, grateful smile, but her eyes followed John as he headed down the hallway.

Chapter 5

Sabrina

Michael led me from the Smiths’ second-floor apartment back to the ground-floor office area. From the outside, the Smith Agency building looked like a big concrete box, with few windows and fewer doors. It had to have been an old warehouse or something that had been converted into office space and the Smiths’ apartment.

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