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He gave a curt nod and cleared his throat.  So. Phillips. Do you think he knows more
than he told us?
She took a deep, shaky breath and pulled herself away from the past, accepting what she
hoped was a crack in the wall of his hostility toward her.  That depends on whether you
believe his story about being fired for always being late.
 So that s a no? Caleb asked, cocking an eyebrow.
She snorted.  That s a no. Then she felt a bit surprised that her lips were tempted to
curve into a smile. She didn t think they were ready to share smiles just yet. Laura bit her
lower lip to stop the gesture.
 You think it could be the adoption agency?
 But how would they pull it off, and how would they stay under the radar yet still manage
a very public business?
The car slowed, and Laura realized with a jolt of disappointment that they were now in
front of her apartment.
 I guess I ll give you a call tomorrow, and we can see if we can find out more about that
agency.
 Yeah, sure, she nodded, suddenly reluctant to leave. She forced herself to push the car
door open and get out before she started to forget how she hated that she d been assigned
to this case, hated that she had to see Caleb again after all these years.
She especially hated how being next to him made her feel, how it made her want to stay
with him in the car.
Chapter Five
Something was wrong. Caleb sat in the car, watching Laura make her way up the stairs to
the front door of her apartment building, and yet he didn t pull away. A fist of unease
twisted in his stomach while he watched her stick the key in the lock and give him a last
glance before she pushed the door open and disappeared.
He scanned the area, recognizing a few of the neighborhood s less savory inhabitants, but
could find no real reason for what was still holding him in his car. Then he noticed a
flicker of light coming from the cement window ledge. He put the car in reverse and got a
better look at the left window on the first floor, seeing the source of the flickering light.
Broken glass. The window was shattered. Had it always been? He wished he could know
for sure.
An explosion of gunfire brought his attention back to the front of the building, and Caleb
wasn t even aware of pushing open his car door. He was just running, gun in hand, across
the sidewalk and up the stairs.
He needed to get to Laura. That was his one thought, pumping through his brain like a
heartbeat, over and over. Shooting the lock, Caleb ran through the doorway when the
door swung open and took in two images at the same time; legs sliding out the window
and Laura in the corner against the wall next to the stairs, holding her arm.
****
Caleb s heart dropped into his stomach, and for a moment he stood paralyzed, watching
the crimson stain her fingers. He took a step toward her, but she shook her head and with
wide, angry green eyes shouted,  I m fine. Get the son of a bitch! He hesitated no more
than a split second before jumping out the window, and could just see white sneakers
make it over a tall fence.
He aimed and fired and felt a satisfying burst of adrenaline when he saw the blond guy
with close-cropped hair clutch his leg and go down on one knee. The shooter struggled to
his feet and tried to hobble away, but Caleb was able to grab him before he could get
much further.  Get up! he barked, grabbing the young man up by his black t-shirt and
pushing him against the chain-link fence. Fury made him want to ram the guy s face
through the metal.
 Hey man, it s not my fault! I was just doing what they told me! Watch my leg, ass
wipe! he howled when Caleb snapped one handcuff around his wrist and pushed him
back towards the street. Laura was already standing next to the car, talking into the police
radio with her free hand.
Her injured arm was bare now, part of the sleeve having been torn off and wrapped
around her wound.
 You okay? Caleb asked, his eyes roaming over her to make sure she wasn t hurt
anywhere else.
 Yeah. Just a flesh wound. Come here. She grabbed her assailant by the hair and pulled
him towards her, then released him just long enough to punch him in the face.
 Jesus Christ, you crazy bitch! Look! Hey. I m totally innocent here, man. It wasn t my
fault. They didn t tell me you was no cop. Jesus, I m bleeding all over the ground here.
 They who? Caleb demanded.
 You stupid or something? They don t give me no names! I m in goddamned pain here,
man!
 Then talk fast before we let you bleed to death all over the street, he warned.  Or do
you want a matching set? He pointed his gun at the other leg.
 No! No. All I got was the order to wait until the blonde got home and take her out. They
didn t mention nothin  bout her being no cop. Jesus Christ!
 Who gave you the order? Laura demanded.
 Came down from the head of my crew. Can I at least sit down, goddamnit? He groaned
and sat in the backseat, facing them with his legs outside the car. His pale face was
clammy with sweat, and he was in obvious pain. Through clenched teeth he managed to
continue.  Got the feeling he was being ordered to get it done by someone else. Don t
know who. Some guy in a suit come walking in the club one day. All I know. Swear to
God,  kay? I swear.
 Would you recognize him if you saw his picture? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]