“Where the hell are we going?” Casey demanded.
“I don’t know. Erin left. Where would she go?” Riley swung his head back and forth.
Melody hadn’t seen a SUV come her way. That meant Erin had to have taken this road, but there were dozens of different ways she could have gone.
The highway was ahead of them in another mile or two. From there she could get out of the city and go anywhere. Or, what if Mark had her?
“Tell me about her,” Casey said.
“What?” Riley frowned at his brother.
“Tell me about her. What is she like? Would she run from danger?”
“No.” Riley shook his head. “She’s a run into it kind of person.”
“Then why’d she leave? If the danger was there, what would make her run?”
“Someone is in danger.” Fuck. Riley’s brother was a genius.
His phone began to vibrate. He dug in his pocket and shoved it at Casey while staring at the highway signs. Which way would she go?
“This is Casey.” He put the phone on speaker.
“The laptop just pinged. Southlake Hospital, south and east of your position,” Zain said. “Five minutes, maybe fifteen in traffic.”
“On our way,” Riley said.
“Any minute now I’m going to get a phone call from Grapevine cops. I’ll send them to your location. Have something to tell me, got it?” Zain didn’t say anymore.
Riley cut across the lanes and bullied his way into the turn lane. This hour, the morning rush was building. Fifteen minutes was probably generous.
“Is this seriously what you do?” Casey slid the phone into a cup holder.
Riley merged into traffic, grinding his molars. He didn’t care what Erin’s reasons for leaving were, only that they got her back safely. The others could sort out how Mark found her and the rest of it, so long as at the end of the day Riley could hug Erin.
“Erin, she’s your client, right? The person you’re protecting?” Casey asked.
Riley didn’t answer.
“Just seems like you’re awfully involved for her to be a paying customer.”
“Shut the fuck up.” The last thing he needed was his brother busting his balls.
“After what you’re dragging me into? I think I get to run my mouth all I want.”
Ten minutes later, Riley skirted traffic by way of the generous shoulder and exited SH114. The Southlake Hospital was just off the highway, with a well-marked set of signs. Riley pulled into the parking lot, scanning the vehicles for another dark SUV.
He let the vehicle roll forward, following the curve of the building.
“Zain said it was here,” Riley muttered.
“Could she be inside?” Casey suggested.
“Maybe?”
“There.” Casey sat forward and pointed.
A police SUV was parked at the curb. The front, driver door wasn’t fully shut, and one window was down.
That was odd.
Riley stopped next to the other vehicle. Casey got out before Riley came to a full stop, jogging to the car. He didn’t even get close to the cruiser before his body went tense as though a jolt of electricity went through him.
“Riley...they’re here,” Casey said.
“What?” Was Erin in the car? Riley got out of the SUV and circled to look into the police vehicle.
Two officers were slumped over in their seats. Casey leaned across, checking the officer’s pulse.
“Oh, fuck.”
“They’re alive,” he said. “Erin’s here. Go find her. I’ll take care of them.”
Riley whirled.
If Erin had been here, with these officers, then Mark must have incapacitated them somehow to get at Erin. She’d be close, and she could be in worse condition.
“Go,” Casey barked.
Riley nodded and turned away from the Emergency Department. Mark would want to get her away from people. She had to be nearby.
He followed the sidewalk around the corner of the building to a side lot sheltered by the ER department.
A dark SUV sat idling near the building and a man stood at the driver’s side, a gun pressed to the window.
Riley froze.
In the back of his mind he knew that even if Mark pulled the trigger, the glass would more than likely deflect the bullet. She could escape the first shot, but once the window wasn’t a barrier... Riley had from now until Mark shot or it could be Erin’s life.
The SUV door opened, a small foot ramming the door into Mark.
God damn it, Erin.
Mark staggered back, throwing out one arm.
This was the only chance Riley was going to get. He sprinted forward, staring down Mark. If all he did was stop the man from shooting at Erin that was fine. She could get away and that was what mattered.
Mark’s eyes landed on Riley. He swung his arm up and around, aiming at Riley. He didn’t veer or duck, he charged. Riley threw his full weight against Mark. The gun went off, almost next to Riley’s head as they tumbled to the ground.
A fist connected with Riley’s jaw. A knee with his thigh. Riley hauled back and punched at Mark, putting all his anger into it.
“Stop right there,” Erin yelled.
Mark’s gaze went past Riley to Erin standing over them, a gun aimed at Mark’s head.
The only thing that mattered to Riley was that Erin was safe.
ERIN SAT ON THE bumper of the ambulance while the first responders moved around her. Could it really over?
Mark was in custody.
According to Riley, the black ops Allied Security team was either dead or wounded, and accounted for. The videos made the employee list fairly easy.
All that was left was for the police to fit their stories together.
Erin had lied to them, and for that, she’d have to shoulder the guilt.
A pair of black boots stepped into her field of vision. They were scuffed and in one spot the leather pealed up. If he wasn’t careful that could get him hurt.
“You need new shoes,” she said.
“Erin?” Riley knelt in front of her. They hadn’t had the opportunity to speak since he’d taken Mark down. Between the injured and answering the questions from law enforcement, they hadn’t had a moment to speak. Riley’s brow creased and there were deep brackets around his mouth.
