Page 27 of Silent Comrade
“Problem, sir.”
“Report.”
Red explained the situation in threesentences, and ended with, “Get Stumpy to wipe the store securitycameras, and send cleanup ASAP. We have until the morning to makeit look like nothing happened.”
“Roger that. Anything else?” The tight toneof Hunt’s voice led Red to believe his CO had more to manage thanRed’s deteriorating situation. Didn’t care. Britt was all thatmattered to Red.
He took a few steps away from Britt,lowering his voice. “Things are FUBAR, sir. Send help.”
“Roger that.” Hunt ended the call.
Red flipped off the phone, turning in timeto see Britt make a wobbly bolt for the parking lot.
Chapter Thirteen
As quietly as possible, Britt dragged a deepbreath into her chest and slipped over the dock edge. And ran.
The memory of Al’s rage-filled roar in frontof the attackers drove her forward. The world tilted and her earsrang, but she stumbled ahead.
She reached the parking lot and turnedright. Her beat-up car was parked right where she’d left it, centerof the parking lot, in front of the store doors. She glanced towardthe store, neck prickling, expecting to see those men…
She raced as fast as possible, fishing forthe key in her pocket. Fifty feet to go.
Then she was flying, locked in the vise ofAl’s arms. Kicking for all she was worth, Britt worked to gainleverage. She connected with his shin and nailed him in the sidewith her elbow. He immediately let go with a pained grunt.Stumbling to her feet, she would have kept going, if he hadn’tmanacled her wrist in his big hand.
“Damn it, Britt. Stop.” He shoved the phonein his back pocket. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“Because back there was safe?” She thumbedwith her free hand. “Becauseyou’resafe?”
“You have to tr—”
“Trust you? You became a rage machine thatbasically dismembered two scary dudes like no big deal, and youthinkthey’rethe problem? You want me to trust you? No way.This whole situation is not okay. I want out of here. Away fromyou.”
Another grimace of pain twisted his face asshe tugged against him. His shirt had a dark stain on that side.How badly was he hurt?
With a half-growl, half-curse, he pulled herchest against his chest and stood so that his back faced the storeentrance.
“Listen. Please. You’re in danger. I’m hereto protect you.”
“More answers. Now.” Her voice came outmuffled against his hoodie.
His head whipped around, a wild, almostferal, narrowing of his eyes. “We need to go someplace more secure.You’re totally exposed. I’m not at full strength. May not be ableto keep you safe.” Another grunt when she wiggled. “Shit. Stopmoving.”
“You’re wounded?” Not that she cared onebit. At all.
“I need to rest, and it’ll improve.” Heeased away from her by degrees, a hard expression that chilled herblood. “Look, I’ll explain it to you, but we must leave. Now.”Those peaceful, earnest eyes, the quiet and unassuming guy she hadmet several days ago—it was all a competesham, right down the to the glasses which he no longer wore. “Let’sgo to my car.”
“Where?”
“Over there?” He pointed to a black SUVparked on the back row of the lot. Oh, yeah. That wasn’t suspiciousat all. Like, every single abduction show on TV that involved shadypseudo-government agencies had a large, dark vehicle and that wasthe last anyone saw of the victim. She really shouldn’t havestreamed all thoseTrue Crimeshows.
She dug into the asphalt with the soles ofher Martens. “No.” As if she could stop him.
“Please?” The word rasped out of him.
“How do I know you’re not making this wholething up to kidnap me?”
“Because I could have kidnapped you at anypoint before now.”
