Locked and Loaded. HelenKay Dimon
of her handler with a little less anger in his voice and a whole lot more tact, but it didn’t work out that way.
Her head whipped around. Her unblinking stare out the window ended that fast. “What?”
He slipped the keys into the ignition but didn’t start the car. “He was giving away the identities of WitSec participants. He collected cash and got them killed.”
When she just stared at him, Adam rushed to fill the uncomfortable silence. “That’s why I’m here.”
“To kill me.”
“No.” He shook his head for emphasis since words alone didn’t appear to be working.
“Sure feels like it.”
“Maddie, listen to me. I’m trying to help you.”
“Right. Because the bad guys always admit they’re trying to kill you.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice.
“Good point.” He turned the key. “I know about Rod.”
“I don’t know who that is.”
Looked as if they were back to denial. Adam wasn’t surprised, but he was getting frustrated. “I can tell you anything from your file.”
She folded and refolded her hands on her lap. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He hit the door locks just in case she ended the innocent act and headed for the handle to escape. “I know you’re trained to pretend. I get that.”
“Call the police.”
She could have told him she was a toaster oven and he would have been less surprised. He admired the move. It shoved him right into a corner. “I don’t think so.”
“If what you’re saying is true, call the police.” She glanced around the truck. “I don’t have a phone but I’m betting you do and I know you’re smart enough to dial 911.”
He did have a phone, but the real power came from his watch. It was how he communicated with the other agents, and that was the least impressive of its functions. “Taking you in will send a message to someone in WitSec. A handler will come to pick you up and hush up everything with the police.”
“Exactly.”
“I can’t risk it.”
“Neither can I.” She launched her body in his direction as she unlatched her seat belt.
If he hadn’t been expecting the attack she would have slammed his head against the window. Even waiting for it, she got in a few good shots.
She grabbed for the keys with one hand and punched him in the jaw with the other. The hit sent his head back. The smack against the headrest hurt his neck more than the blow, but she didn’t let up. Her fists pummeled his legs and chest.
When she switched to scratching, dragging her fingers across his forearm until she drew blood, he went from defense to an offensive strike. He grabbed her hand and leaned hard against her, pinning her on her back against the seat.
Her knee caught him in the stomach as she squirmed and flailed. She grunted and panted, forcing him to use more strength than he intended. He’d hoped to talk her down. That was before she aimed for his groin.
“Maddie, stop.”
“You’re hurting me.”
That admission ripped through him. He hated the idea of giving her so much as a bruise. “Stop trying to run and I’ll get up.”
He doubled his intent, stretching her arms above her head and straddling her upper thighs. He braced one foot on the floor and leaned over her, his face just inches from hers. He tried to get her to look at him, but she rolled her head from side to side, her neck muscles straining as she tried to knock him to the floor.
“Get off me.” She lifted her hips in an attempt to buck him off then let out a shriek.
The high-pitched sound echoed in his ears. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” The word came out through staccato breaths.
He recognized pain when he saw it. He figured he had to be hurting her sore shoulder and tried to adjust his hold. “Better?”
“No.”
“Margaret Thomas.”
At the mention of the name she stopped pushing and mumbling. Her chest rose and fell in a rapid pace he feared would stop her heart.
But he had her attention. “That’s your real name. You grew up in Indiana, the only child of Frank and Louise. Your father died when you were fourteen. Your mother died last year, but you couldn’t go to the funeral because of the program’s rules.”
Maddie bit her lip but stayed quiet.
“You testified against Knevin Leonard, your boyfriend and partner in a drug ring. He vowed to kill you for turning him in. Even hired some nasty guys to try it.”
“No.”
The truth was written all over her face, from the sadness in her eyes to the tightening of the skin over her cheekbones. “Yes.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Maddie, please.” He had to break through her protective shield. He had about an hour’s drive to headquarters. He couldn’t spend every moment worrying she’d leap through the window if he slowed down to change lanes. “I can tell you where you met Rod the first time. Would that convince you?”
“I wasn’t his partner.”
Adam sat back, resting his weight on his knees and his hands on his thighs. “I don’t understand.”
She slowly lowered her arms. “I never dealt drugs and didn’t know Knevin was doing it.”
For whatever reason, it seemed that was the one piece of information she couldn’t tolerate being told. Didn’t matter that the evidence said otherwise, she was sticking with the innocence story on that one.
It wasn’t his business. She could tell whatever lie she needed to tell to wrestle the guilt away from her bed at night. But disappointment still pounded him. He’d invested so much time in watching over her that he wanted her to at least own up to her mistakes. They all had a few. Sure, hers were bigger than most, but that just made her human.
He shook off the anger before it could fester. “Fine.”
“You don’t believe me.”
“I don’t care.” But he did. The idea of her getting drugs into kids’ hands gnawed at him. Made him want to shake her until she promised never to fall back into those habits.
The emotion washed out of her face, leaving behind only a blank stare. “What happens now?”
“Same plan.” He sat back in his seat and held a hand out to help her up. “We go to the Recovery Project headquarters until we can figure out a way to keep you safe.”
She ignored his offer and sat up on her own. The process took longer than usual for such an easy activity. She twisted and winced.
“And I’m supposed to ignore protocol and not call my handler?”
“Ambrose is dead.”
“So you keep saying.” She tried to turn around and face front then stilled. Adam thought if she bit down any harder on her lower lip, she’d chew right through it.
“Is it your shoulder?”
She stretched, grimacing with every move. “No.”
“It’s something. “
She bent over with her elbows on her knees and inhaled several deep breaths. “I thought you were the smart guy who knew my file.”
He searched his memory but couldn’t