Page 71 of Special Agent Isabella

The other women stared at her serious expression and seemed to accept her sincerity. Probably because Bella was sincere… only not in the way the others expected.

They milled around for a little longer and then Rose made her way to where they stood waiting. While she hovered there, Bella counted over a dozen folks in the circle. Turning as if watching for Rose, she passed the information on to the van.

Then what she saw made her skin tingle. She could swear that Rose, the woman walking toward them, was talking also. Only no one was in sight.Hmm. Did it mean they had a lookout nearby and she was in touch with that person?

Bella bent down to fix her boot and shared her insight with Tanner. Then she straightened and listened.

Rose took center stage and began to give orders. “Each one of you grab a backpack. We’ve made up some special cocktails in there, so be careful. Go at least ten feet from one another. Once you’ve encircled the building, open them, and throw the bottles against the building so they break. Then be ready with these.” She passed out books of matches to everyone.

“We figure if we can’t stop the governor from making the biggest mistake of her life, we can burn down the place where they pass the laws. Everyone ready?”

Bella heard Tanner’s disgust in her ear. “Jesus H. Christ. They’re a bunch of freakin’ arsonists.”

Walking close behind Rose, wanting to stay within reach when the shit hit the fan, she heard Rose’s cocky voice muttering words that made the hair stand up all over her body.

“Okay, we’re in place and going to start the party now. We’ll keep the attention here. Go get that bitch.”

Bella quickly faded away from the gang leader, using the bushes to hide behind. Once out of range, she began to race in the direction of the road. With every step, she shared her beliefs with Tanner. “Let the guys round up these crazies. But we need to get back to the mansion right now. They’re gonna make a play to get Stacy. This was just a diversion.”

By the time she hit the pavement, Tanner had the vehicle racing in her direction. Through the open window, he yelled, “Get in.”

Bella dove into the SUV and seconds later they were careening around the corner, heading back in the direction from where they’d come.

Tanner’s voice held controlled fury. “Call Collin. Let him know there might be trouble.”

“Already on it. Shit… no answer. I’ll try Stacy… warn her to get Abbie and leave.” Bella’s eyes widened with every ring of the phone. “Nothing.”

“They must be there already. Hold on.”

Tanner cut through an empty parking lot and sped onto a one-way street going the wrong way, his siren warning others he was coming and to move or else.

Bella voiced her fear, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was driving with a madman. “I heard Rose, the leader with the megaphone, say to whoever was on the other end to ‘get that bitch’. By the way, she was also the same wacko driving the car last week that tried to run me and Abbie off the road.”

“You sure?”

“I’d pick her out of a lineup sure.”

“Christ, they’re intending to break into the house and we’re still a few minutes away. How many guards were left?”

“The bosses pulled most of them once the windows were in and they could set up the security again.”

“What if whoever put in the windows are working with these fuckers?”

“Sweet Jesus. Nan did say they were coming back later to install the transom over the front door, which means it won’t seem odd for them to reappear.” Furious thoughts rampaged through Bella’s mind, and one stood out from the others. “I bet they didn’t turn on the security system. They’d wait until that was done.”

“Which means there’s only one guard and Collin. Call in backup.”

“On it.” Bella called out another S.W.A.T. team, warning them of the possible break-in.

Seconds later, Tanner shut off the siren and pulled up to the end of the street. He parked the FBI unit a few houses from their goal. Running together, guns in hand and carefully lowered, they saw the front of the building was clear. On the side where the driveway began, there was a truck from a window company.

“Look. They’re here. Don’t see no window on the side of the truck. They must have carried it up to the door to get access inside.”

Bella whispered, “I’ll go around back.”

Tanner nodded. “Be careful.”

“Always. You too.” She quickly skirted to the bushes and stopped to see Tanner stepping to the front stairs and peeking into the window. He turned her way to pantomime what he saw.

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