Page 51 of Wired Target

Sophie scrambled up and hurried to where Lei, Bill and Clement had borne Connor, setting him down on the grass well away from the wreck beside Frank, who’d dragged himself there.

The two men that Sophie loved best in the world lay side by side, in the grass.She glanced down the road; a couple of cars had stopped.Sirens sounded in the distance.“Oh, thank the divine!Help is coming.”

Behind her, a suckingwhump!Boom!

The Range Rover and the Jeep exploded into a fireball.

Sophie threw herself over Connor and Frank, instinctively shielding them with her arms and body as bits of the ruined vehicles flew.She squeezed her eyes closed; nothing hit her.“Thank you, sweetie,” Frank rasped out.

“Love you, Dad.”

Sophie sat up carefully and stared down at unconscious Connor.

Her lover’s face was bleached pale.One of his legs appeared broken, his shin twisted unnaturally, blood oozing from numerous wounds on his legs.Cuts from the windshield glass obscured his features and peppered his arms and upper body; a swelling on his forehead distorted his face.

She couldn’t tell how injured he really was.

Ignoring the fire going on behind her, Sophie moved over to check on her father.

Frank was still conscious.Lei had found a beach towel somewhere and was pressing it to his bleeding side and leg.“Need to keep the pressure on this wound.”

Sophie took her father’s hand.“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been stabbed.”The ghost of a smile played around Frank’s mouth; his eyes on hers were dark with regret.“I didn’t want to kill your mom.”

“I know, Dad.”Sophie drew Frank’s head into her lap and stroked his thick, springy hair with its patches of silver at the temples.“I know.”

People were stopping their cars, offering help.Bill waved them off.

Moments later, a couple of police cruisers pulled up; Lei stood and went forward to meet the first responders.She flashed her badge, taking charge of the situation right away and heading off awkward questions and assumptions.

Sophie looked over at Connor; he’d turned his head to the side.His aqua blue eyes were open, clouded with pain, but aware.“I shouldn’t be here.No hospital.”

Sophie tightened her mouth.“You are absolutely going to the hospital.No telling how many internal or head injuries you have, not to mention a leg that’s clearly broken.”This man had the power to drive her from the cusp of despair at his possible death to a desire to murder him in mere moments.

Feirn knelt beside Connor on his other side.“The Master must not be seen here.Cannot be recognized,” he said.

“But she’s dead.”Sophie pointed to Pim Wat, lying face down in the road.“The threat is over.”

Connor shut his eyes.“I violated the agreement with the task force.They could take me, and they will.They want an excuse.”

“I don’t believe it.I’m here.My dad is here.We won’t let them,” Sophie said.

“Frank might not make it.She uses poisons on her blades.”Connor’s voice was a thread.His body went slack—he passed out.

Frank had begun to shiver; his teeth chattered.“So cold.”

“Where’s that ambulance?”Sophie yelled toward the officers.Then she addressed her father.“You’re in shock, Dad.Blood loss.You’ll be fine.”

But he didn’t seem fine, and a poisoned blade was indeed Pim Wat’s trademark.A moment later, he too fainted, his rich brown skin bluish and ashy.

She might lose them both.

“No.I can’t bear it,” she whispered, stroking Frank’s forehead as she held Connor’s hand.“Please, God, no.”

Feirn set the rod he’d used as a pry bar alongside Connor’s leg.He shucked off the aloha shirt he wore and tore it briskly into strips, then wrapped the strips around the bar and leg.

“What are you doing?”Sophie asked in Thai.

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