Serena leaped to her feet and raced around the love seat, keeping her weapon trained on the man writhing on the floor, clutching his leg. She kicked aside the gun hed dropped.
You okay? Josh asked as he skidded to a halt beside her.
She nodded, her gaze searching him for injury.
Good. He rushed toward the window. Watch him. Im going after the other two.
Chest knotting, Serena watched Josh disappear through the window.
Keep him safe, Lord, she whispered and hoped God would listen. She blamed Josh for her brothers death, but she didnt want to have to live through another loss. Shed known Josh a long time. He and Daniel had been friends since basic training at the academy in Glynco, Georgia, over eight years ago.
She dug her cell phone out of the pocket of her suit jacket and called the Houston district office and the police department for backup. While she waited, she cuffed the guys hands in front of him and then grabbed a towel from a box to press against the bullet wound.
The man moaned. You shot me.
She refrained from pointing out hed shot first. Who sent you?
I dont know, the guy ground out. I need a doctor!
What were you doing here? Serena asked.
Trying to find out where they went.
Serena didnt need to ask who; she knew he meant Dylan and his family. What were you supposed to do with the information?
I dont know. Bob set this up. Hed know.
Bob who? Whats Bobs last name?
The guy clamped his mouth shut.
Come on, give me the name. It will go better for you if you do, Serena coaxed.
I want a lawyer. A spasm of pain marched across his face. Im not saying anything more.
Serena blew out a frustrated breath.
The wail of a siren announced the arrival of the Houston police force. Josh reentered the house through the front door, leading paramedics and two police officers inside.
Serena relinquished her hold on the rag to the paramedics and joined Josh off to the side so the local LEOslaw enforcement officerscould take over.
Mr. Bad Shot said they were looking to find out where Dylan and the family went, she told Josh. Said one of his buddies named Bob set up the deal.
Good job getting that out of him.
The approval in Joshs brown eyes made her stand a little taller. She still only reached his shoulder. I take it the other two got away?
Yeah, they had a vehicle on the next block. I got a partial plate.
We have to put a stop to this, Serena said. We have to bring Munders down once and for all!
Josh swiped a hand through his hair. We will. First things first. Lets finish up here and get home to St. Louis.
Home. The word reverberated through Serenas head like a pinball, bouncing off her thoughts. Growing up, she and Daniel had been passed around between their divorced parents like a set of candlesticks that neither really wanted but didnt want the other to have. When Daniel had reached the age of majority hed moved out on his own, taking Serena with him.
Theyd shared an apartment ever since, but after Daniels death, she couldnt take being there without him. Shed given everything to a local charity and moved into a studio. Her apartment wasnt a home. It was a place to store her stuff and to sleep when she could.
She didnt know if shed ever have a real home again. Without her brother in her life, she was lost. Hed been her anchor. The one constant. Home had been where he was. Now he was gone. Thanks to Josh.
* * *
Will we make our flight? Serena asked, as the moving van, escorted by Houston police, pulled away from the curb.
Josh checked the time on his smartphone. With time to spare.
With the help of two local marshals, theyd made short work of packing the last of the McIntyre household into boxes and loading them onto the transport bound for Hawaii via Chicago and Seattle.
The Houston marshals had taken the wounded thug into custody and had obtained Joshs and Serenas statements. Josh wished theyd had another chance to further interrogate the guy whod broken into the McIntyre house, but he didnt want to get into an arm-wrestling match for control of the situation.
Hed let his superiors deal with the politics. Local marshals would interrogate the man later. And hopefully he would give up information on his cohorts.
After locking up the house, Serena placed the key in the mail slot for the landlord. The small circle of light from the porch fixture didnt extend to the driveway, where they had parked the green four-door sedan theyd rented when they arrived in Houston this morning. Darkness shrouded the driveway and the bushes on either side.
The need for caution tripped down Joshs spine.
He placed a hand to the small of Serenas back. The fabric of her pantsuit felt luxurious against his palm.
She stiffened at his touch and stepped away.
Ignoring the sliver of irritation that sliced through him, he opened the passenger door and she slid into the seat. He reached inside to help untangle the seat belt strap. She shifted away from him and wouldnt meet his gaze.
He blew out a frustrated breath and finished righting the belt before backing away and slamming the door shut.
They were both tired and cranky.
At least that was how he explained away her reaction every time he got close to her. But then again, these days she was always prickly with him.
Besides the one glimpse of vulnerability on her face when shed been packing young Brandons room, Serena was her stoic self. Saying little and showing even less in her expression. The professional to the nth degree.
Her lack of emotions set his nerves on edge.
He wished shed get mad or sad or something. She was grieving for Daniel, yet she held on to her emotions with an iron fist. He tried to emulate her. But it took a lot of energy to repress the myriad emotions raging through him at any given moment. There were times he wanted to give up, but knowing he had to stay focused and in the game for Serenas sake kept him going.
He missed the easy friendship he and Serena had had before Daniels death. But since the moment shed heard of her brothers murder, shed retreated behind this ascetic silence, talking to him only when necessary.
Not easy when they had to work together.
Sometimes impossible as partners assigned to a tough case.
He blew out a puff of air.
He knew she hadnt been happy to be paired with him. But they made a good team regardless of their personal issues. Each easily anticipated the others need, the others movements. Numerous colleagues had commented on their compatibility. In fact, many people thought they were so in sync with each other that they could be a romantic couple.
So not the case.
For so many reasons.
First and foremost, Serena was Daniels sister and therefore off-limits. There were few people in this world Josh trusted. Daniel had been at the top of the list. Dishonoring his memory by becoming romantically involved with his sister wasnt something he intended to do.
Besides, Josh would never do anything to jeopardize his working relationship with Serena by pursuing her romantically.
Josh had tried on numerous occasions over the past year and a half to talk to Serena about the day Daniel died, but shed refused to engage in a conversation. Not that he wanted to explain why hed taken a personal day or why he hadnt answered the phone when Daniel had called him hours before his death.
Besides, Josh would never do anything to jeopardize his working relationship with Serena by pursuing her romantically.
Josh had tried on numerous occasions over the past year and a half to talk to Serena about the day Daniel died, but shed refused to engage in a conversation. Not that he wanted to explain why hed taken a personal day or why he hadnt answered the phone when Daniel had called him hours before his death.
What he wanted to tell Serena was how gut-wrenching it had been to learn of Daniels murder and then hearing Daniels voice message asking for backup.
Josh would live with the knowledge hed let his fellow marshal and best friend down because of a woman. Lexi, Joshs girlfriend of three years, had dumped him that morning, accusing him of having feelings for Serena.
Not putting any stock in the accusation, hed dismissed Lexis allegations as irrational jealousy. Lexi had always been territorial, but shed gone too far this time.
Josh wouldnt deny he found Serena attractive, with her long dark hair captured back into a low ponytail and her wide-set eyes that saw through him. The tailored pantsuits she wore covered her from head to toe but showed off her athletic and feminine curves underneath. When Josh had first met Serena, shed been reserved and wary, but she had warmed up over the years that Daniel had been Joshs friend.
Josh wouldnt have felt right about pursuing Serena, especially after she started working alongside him and Daniel. Josh had forced his attraction into a box and made himself treat Serena like a little sister when they werent working and like a professional colleague when they were.
None of that mattered now. Daniel was gone. Serena was now virtually a stranger, and Josh had no intention of becoming romantically involved with her. His guilt wouldnt let him. He didnt deserve happiness or even contentment.
He was to blame for Daniels death.
He would never forgive himself.
With a heavy heart, he drove out of the neighborhood and merged onto the highway heading toward Houstons Intercontinental Airport. The evening traffic had thinned.
He glanced in the rearview mirror, noting the headlights of a black SUV. The same vehicle had been behind them since they left the suburban neighborhood. The big black beast stayed two cars back. Josh moved into the right lane to see what the SUV would do. It changed lanes, as well. At the last second Josh took the off-ramp.
Hey! Serena cried, reaching up for the grab-handle.
The SUV shot down the ramp behind them.
Were being followed, Josh stated.
Serena swiveled in her seat to look out the back window. I cant make out the license plate.
Josh stepped on the gas, heading the sedan down a side street. The back window exploded as gunfire pebbled the car.
Up ahead an empty parking lot came into view. Josh made a sharp turn into the parking lot. Then, keeping his foot on the gas, he twisted the steering wheel, sending the sedan into a ninety-degree spin. When the front end faced the oncoming SUV, he stomped on the brake and threw the gear shift into Park.
Popping open the drivers-side door with one hand, he yanked his Sig Sauer out of its holster beneath his jacket. Beside him Serena did the same with her Walther. Using the door as a shield, he aimed at the oncoming vehicle.
Blinding light from the high beams made him wince. He fired off a shot, taking out one headlight.
Undeterred, the SUV barreled toward them.
Panic cramped Joshs chest.
The crazy driver wasnt going to stop.
TWO
Look out! Serena cried, as the SUV headed for a collision course with the sedan.
Her heart crawled into her throat and constricted her breathing. Galvanized by self-preservation, she scrambled away from the open passenger door. Anticipation of the SUV crashing into Joshs sedan stiffened every muscle in her body. She braced herself for the impact and glanced back. Josh hadnt moved!
Josh! Why wasnt he getting out of the way? Move it. Now!
He squeezed off several rounds, hitting the front of the SUV.
At the last second the SUV veered to the left, roaring past the drivers side of the sedan. The barrel of an assault rifle stuck out the open back passenger window.
A barrage of gunfire split the air. Bullets riddled the fender and door of the rental sedan. The deafening noise echoed inside Serenas head.
Josh dove inside the car.
Serena rolled to her knees, aimed and fired, hitting the back window. The SUV screamed out of the parking lot and disappeared down the street.
Heavy silence descended.
Fear for Josh overwhelmed Serena. Please, dear Lord, dont let him be dead.
She jumped to her feet and rushed to the car. Josh! Are you hurt?
Josh jolted to a seated position to pound his palm against the steering wheel, his frustration obvious. He yanked out his cell and called 911.
She sagged forward with relief that he was okay and braced a hand on the car roof. Losing her brother had sent her into an emotional tailspin that shed barely begun to come out of. Losing a partner wasnt something she wanted to go through, no matter what her personal feelings for said partner were.
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the edges of her professionalism and pulled it tightly around her before stepping back to allow Josh to climb out of the car.
Did you happen to see the shooters? he asked.
No, the windows were tinted. Do you think they were the same perps from the house?
Pretty likely that it was. We saw their faces. His usually warm brown eyes hardened. Im sure they figured if they got rid of us then thered be no one to ID them.
Except the guy I shot could identify them, Serena said. We need to let the local marshals know they might have a potential target on their hands.
Good idea. He loosened his tie then swiped a hand down his face.
A smear of blood on the back of his hand caught her attention. Youre hurt.
He glanced down at the cut where flying glass had scraped across his skin. Hazard of the job.
Right. She knew all too well the dangers that came with being a U.S. marshal. Her brother died in the line of duty. Would she and Josh suffer the same fate?
* * *
The next morning Josh rolled into work five minutes before eight. A sleek skyscraper in downtown St. Louis housed the U.S. Marshals Service district office. Josh took the elevator to the fourth floor and made his way to his desk. Serena was already seated at her station a few feet away. She glanced up, gave him a tight smile and returned her focus to the file in front of her.
In contrast to her neat and tidy desk, Joshs desk had a mound of files stacked precariously close to the edge. A desktop weekly planner, sporting coffee stains, still showed the previous month. He took a seat and ripped the top sheet off the calendar so that June would show. He powered up his laptop.
Hey, McCall. Marshal Burke Trier stopped beside Joshs desk. Tall and lean with dark eyes, dark hair and a dimpled chin, Burke was the resident ladies man. Glad to see you made it back in one piece. We heard about the ambush last night.
News travels fast, Josh remarked. Whats happening with the Munders case?
Burke shrugged. Were stalled out. Without the evidence McIntyre promised were going nowhere real fast.