Page 76 of Deadly Attraction
Harris paused, then said, “You sound skeptical.”
Mitch ran a hand over his face, keeping his gaze on Danika’s motionless form. “She had a pocket knife stuck between her cuffed hands. A decent enough knife with six different types of blades. Something a survivalist might use, not some kid in juvie who made a shiv out of a plastic fork. Also, from the way she was secured to the van seat, there’s no way she could have reached the guard to slit her throat. I’m not even sure she could have turned the knife on herself, her cuffs were so tight. It doesn’t add up, and I didn’t have time to thoroughly analyze the scene. I had to administer first aid in order to try and save her. We’re attempting to stabilize her now but we’ve got little to no medical supplies.”
“Damn it,” Harris swore softly. “Do you think this is somehow tied to Goodsman?”
Emma had to sit down. Her pulse beat in her ear like a freight train.
Mitch’s gaze finally met hers. “Who else? I have to go with the assumption that Chris Goodsman, Linda Brown, or one of their cohorts hopped a ride on that van.”
“Pack the girl in your truck along with the doctor, and haul ass out of there, Holden.”
“I’m seriously onboard with that, Coop, but if I move this girl, she will die.”
“There’s a hired hand there, right?” Harris countered. “Leave the girl with him to wait for the ambulance. Your job is to get Dr. Collins to the safe house, asap.”
Emma forced her knees to lock so she could stand up. “I’m not leaving until I know Danika is safe.”
“Dr. Collins.” Agent Harris’s voice took on a restrained, patient tone. Similar to the one she often used with irrational clients. “There is nothing you can do for the girl at this time.”
“Agent Harris, Danika might be dying on my kitchen table because of me. Because I pissed off Chris and Linda and they’re looking for revenge.”
“I understand you feel responsible, but it’s not your fault any more than it is mine. Plus, it is possible this has nothing to do with Goodsman, right? The scene Holden discovered may be exactly how it looks—she slit her wrists.”
Mitch was staring at her, waiting, keeping his own opinion buried behind his unfathomable gray eyes.
Emma stared back, reaching out to lay a hand on Danika’s shoulder. “If you were in my situation, Agent Harris, and a young girl was bleeding out in front of you, regardless of the reason, would you leave her and run off to a safe house?”
Another pause, this one infinitely longer. The corner of Mitch’s lips quirked as if he were suppressing a somber smirk.
“Dr. Collins, your presence at the farmhouse may actually be putting your patient in more danger,” Harris reasoned. “Leaving may be the smartest thing you can do.”
Three knocks sounded on the door, making Emma jump. Mitch halted her from answering it by lifting a silent hand. “She won’t leave, Coop,” he said, looking out the window and then letting Will in. “You may as well save your breath.”
Will carried a rolled up section of narrow tubing to the sink and checked on the pot of water that was just beginning to steam.
Harris cleared his throat on the other end, sighed. “I’ll check the ETA of the ambulance and police backup, see if I can get an extra car to escort you out of the valley. Meantime, stay safe.”
“Will do,” Mitch answered. “As soon as the EMTs get here, we’ll take off.”
“By the time you land, Cruz and Heaton should be there. I sent them your way earlier. I figured one way or another, we’re getting you two out of there, even if it takes a few more taskforce members to help out.”
“Sophie’s going to kill me for taking Nels away from her on Christmas,” Mitch said. “Who’s Heaton?”
“Brooke Heaton. A gal Dupé sent down from L.A. She’s an expert investigator on religious terrorism and ritualistic crimes and symbols. He’s letting me try out a few potentials for the team and thought she might be helpful with this Tom Monahan shit.”
“Assigning her to me on Christmas Day.” There was the slightest drollness to Mitch’s statement. “Breaking her in properly, huh?”
“Well, if you’d start working for me fulltime, I wouldn’t need a bunch of unknowns to fill in.”
Mitch again met Emma’s gaze full on. “I’m giving it serious consideration.”
“Look at the bright side.” Harris’s tone held a hint of teasing. “You can visit your mother more.”
Mitch’s expression soured. “Right.”
The two disconnected. Without realizing it, Emma had switched her touch from Danika to Mitch. He stared down at her while Will boiled the tubing.
“You should call your mom,” Emma said softly, “and wish her a Merry Christmas.”
