Page 111 of Shadow Operative

She hesitated just long enough to make it clear shedidknow more than she wanted to share. “I think I might know what’s going on?—”

But before she could finish, gunfire erupted.

The windows beside them shattered. Screams filled the air.

“Everyone, get down!” Gage yelled.

Then he threw himself over Nia, covering her as glass rained around them.

chapter

fifty-five

Gage glanceddown at Nia as she lay beneath him on the bench seat of the booth. Her arms covered her head, and glass decorated her hair. Otherwise, she appeared unharmed.

“Are you okay?” he rushed.

Nia blinked several times before nodding. “Yes . . . I think so. I think I’m okay.”

Tires squealed outside.

Then a moment of silence passed.

He finally raised his head again.

The gunman was gone.

Sirens already sounded in the distance.

They should be out of danger.

Gage rose, shaking off some stray shards of glass.

Then he glanced across the table to where Brittany was seated. He needed to make sure she was okay also.

But one look at her slouched body, and he knew she wasn’t.

Blood bloomed on the pink, short-sleeved shirt she wore, and her eyes appeared still and lifeless.

Nia raised her head, and her gaze went to Brittany. “No . . .”

Gage rose and put a finger to Brittany’s neck just in case. But his fears were confirmed.

The woman was dead.

Had someone targeted her just because they were afraid she would talk too much?

There was a good chance that was true.

He glanced around the rest of the room. Everyone else seemed shaken but okay.

Those guys had either followed Brittany or Gage and Nia. But he’d put his bets on Brittany.

But now these guys might fear what Brittany had told them.

They might try to get to Nia and himself next.

He grabbed her hand. “We need to get out of here.”

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