Down to the Wire Read online

  “Tess?” The way Declan called her name made her realize she’d been lost in her thoughts.

  “What? Oh, I’m not going home with you, Declan. I’ll give you an hour to clear my car, and then I plan on picking up my brother and we’ll go to a hotel if that makes you feel better.”

  She sensed he wanted to argue with her, but he gave a curt nod. “Fine, I’ll agree with one minor change. You need to let me drive you to pick up your brother and take you both to a hotel, because I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to clear your car that fast.”

  “Deal. Where are you parked?” she asked, glancing around the area.

  Her gaze fell on the man wearing the green baseball cap who was lingering near the maple tree where she’d parked her car. She narrowed her gaze, squinting against the sun. He had to be the same guy she saw earlier. And as before, she thought he seemed familiar. “Who is that guy?” she asked, talking more to herself than to Declan.

  “Who?” Declan asked sharply.

  “That man in the baseball cap standing near my car. I saw him earlier, too.”

  As if the guy in question could feel their gaze on him, he turned and disappeared behind the tree.

  “Caleb!” Declan shouted, sprinting off after the guy. “Come on! We need to follow him.”

  “Who?” Caleb demanded as he ran after Declan.

  Tess couldn’t tear her gaze off the two men as they raced toward the area where the stranger had disappeared. She was so intent on watching them that she didn’t notice Griff Vaughn, Declan’s boss, come up beside her.

  “What’s going on?” he demanded with a deep scowl.

  “I saw a guy over there, the same one who was here earlier,” she explained. “But I don’t get why Declan is so concerned about him. I’m sure he’s just some curious bystander who wants to know what’s going on.”

  “Maybe, but sometimes criminals return to the scene of the crime because they like to watch the chaos they’ve caused.”

  “I never thought of that,” Tess admitted with an involuntary shiver. She was about to tell Griff about how the guy seemed familiar, when she noticed Declan and Caleb were on their way back.

  Their boss jogged over to meet them and the three of them spoke for several minutes before they all turned to face her.

  Declan gestured for her to come over by him while Griff and Caleb headed over toward a large unmarked black van.

  “I guess you didn’t find him?” she asked as she approached Declan.

  “No, but we want you to view the videotape of the scene to see if you can spot him for us,” Declan explained.

  “Video?” she echoed. “What kind of video?”

  “Video surveillance of the crime scene, including anyone observing from the sidelines,” Declan explained. “We routinely take several hours of film, just in case. We use the film from the media, too.”

  “Yes, your boss mentioned how criminals often return to the scene to watch.” She could barely comprehend this shocking new development, but she followed Declan to the back of the van. When he opened the doors, she was surprised to see the massive amount of technology that was located back there.

  “Wow,” she murmured. “I had no idea you had all this stuff going on.”

  Declan helped her inside. “Nate is a whiz with electronics,” he said. “Do you have the video ready?” he asked.

  “Sure thing, Deck.” Nate Jarvis, a tall, lanky blond pulled up a stool and gestured for Tess to take a seat. “We’re going to start at the beginning, and I want you to let me know if you see the guy you spotted just a few minutes ago.”

  Tess nodded, blinking to help her eyes adjust to the darker interior of the van. She leaned close, staring at the video screen full of dozens of people standing around the perimeter of the school parking lot, and tried to catch a glimpse of either the green ball cap or the guy’s brown shirt. Of course he wore colors that blended in with the crowd and the trees.

  For several long minutes no one said anything, and as much as she tried to stay focused on the videotape playing in front of her, she was far too conscious of Declan crouched beside her.

  Ignore him, she told herself, keeping her eyes glued to the video screen. They were mere acquaintances, nothing more, a fact that suited her just fine.

  She was so preoccupied she almost missed the brief flash of green. “There!” she said excitedly. “That might be him.”

  Nate fiddled with the controls, going backward to capture the image and then moving forward in slow motion. He froze the image. “Is this the guy?” he asked.

  She gnawed on her lower lip, staring at the blurry figure. “Maybe, but the way he’s looking down at the ground, I can’t be positive.”

  “I can’t seem to get a good image of this guy’s face,” his tech-savvy teammate muttered, going through several frames. “It’s almost as if he knows we’re videotaping the crowd.”

  “I think it’s him, but maybe we should keep looking,” Tess said, biting her lip.

  “You’re doing great,” Declan murmured encouragingly. “Take your time.”

  She was glad he’d dropped the demanding tone. She continued watching the videotape but was disappointed when she didn’t see the strange guy.

  But then, just as the camera switched direction, she saw him. “There he is,” she said urgently. “That’s exactly when I saw him, too, as he was walking away from the area.”

  “Got him,” Nate declared, freezing the image. “Too bad it’s not his face, though. And it’s hard to tell what color his hair is beneath that baseball cap.”

  “I know,” Declan agreed.

  “I’ll see if I can keep working the images to make them sharper,” his colleague said.

  She glanced over her shoulder at Declan. “I remember thinking at the time that one of the cops must have told him to get lost,” she admitted. “Do you think it’s possible someone spoke to him?”

  Declan shrugged. “We can ask,” he murmured. “Although I don’t know if anyone would remember him.”

  “How about if I print off a copy of the image?” Nate offered. “It’s better than nothing at the moment.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Tess stared again at the indistinguishable figure, wishing she could pinpoint what seemed so familiar about the guy. Without seeing his face, it was impossible to guess his age. Was he one of Bobby’s friends? Or a neighbor? Maybe Allan Gray, the rather odd neighbor who was always overly anxious to help her?

  “Let’s give this printout to Griff,” Declan said. “He can ask all the cops here on the scene whether anyone else recognizes him.”

  Tess took Declan’s offered hand to step down from the van, letting go as soon as she was on solid ground. Despite the jolt of awareness that had just sparked between them, she refused to give in to the schoolgirl crush she’d once had on him. Because, just as they had been back in high school, they were still two completely different people.

  She couldn’t afford a relationship, even if she wanted one, which she didn’t. Maybe all men weren’t as controlling as Jeff and her father, but Declan certainly seemed to be. Besides, she needed to stay focused on keeping her brother out of trouble. And that was truly a full-time job.

  Declan walked up to his boss and handed over the photo. The two men spoke briefly, and Griff passed Declan a set of keys, before Declan turned back toward her. “Okay, we’re clear to leave.”

  She smiled in relief. “Good.”

  “It’s that SUV over there,” Declan said, gesturing at the police vehicle that was parked closest to her car.

  “You don’t have assigned cars?” she asked as they headed across the parking lot.

  “Yes, we do, and that’s the one I normally drive, although today Sam Irving drove it here. Caleb agreed to give Sam a lift back.”

 
“Are you sure all this is really necessary?” Tess asked.

  Before Declan could respond, a ball of fire exploded in front of them, sending her stumbling backward. She hit the ground hard, moments before everything went black.

  THREE

  The force of the blast sent Declan flying backward against the pavement. The breath was knocked from his lungs and for a moment he couldn’t draw in any air. Smoke filled the area around them, and pain reverberated through his body. After a few seconds his military survival instincts, along with a healthy dose of adrenaline, kicked in and he rolled over and belly crawled toward Tess, who was sprawled on the ground just a few feet away.

  “Tess! Are you all right?”

  She let out a low moan and lifted a hand to her head. “Hurts,” she whispered.

  “Stay down,” he ordered, covering her body with his as much as possible. He had no way of knowing if the explosion was only a precursor to more violence or not, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

  Not when Tess’s life was at stake.

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

  “Another bomb,” he said grimly, watching the SWAT members that were still on the scene disperse and cover the area, rifles held ready. He craned his neck in order to see behind him. A small fire still burned near the maple tree where Tess had seen the guy in the green ball cap.

  Had that dude been the perp who’d set the bomb? Most likely, although Declan couldn’t afford to ignore the possibility of the guy being nothing more than a curious onlooker, either. He’d try to keep an open mind even though the stranger was currently the best lead they had.

  “I can’t breathe,” Tess gasped, pushing against his chest.

  “Sorry.” He shifted a bit so that he wasn’t quite crushing her, but he wasn’t willing to move away completely until he knew the area was clear.

  “Deck, are you and Tess all right?” Caleb asked, coming over to kneel beside them.

  “I think we’re okay. Are you sure the area is secure?” He was only slightly reassured that he hadn’t heard the sound of gunfire.

  “So far there’s no sign of anyone or any other devices,” Caleb told him. “We need to get you both out of here, though. How badly are you hurt? We have an ambulance on the way.”

  Declan pushed himself upright but hovered protectively over Tess. “I’m fine,” he assured Caleb. “Tess, where do you hurt?”

  “Everywhere,” she admitted with a grimace. She struggled to sit upright, and Declan eased his arm around her shoulders to offer support. The way she leaned heavily against him made him realize she might be hurt worse than he suspected.

  “Take it easy,” he murmured. “Did you hit your head?”

  Tess put her hand to the back of her head. “Yes, I might have blacked out for a moment or two. I can feel a lump, but there doesn’t seem to be any bleeding.”

  Declan battled back a wave of fury. That had been way too close. Tess could have been seriously injured by the blast. And this latest turn of events only convinced him more that she was the specific target.

  “Come on, let’s get her to safety,” Caleb urged.

  Declan was totally on board with that plan. He helped get Tess up and on her feet and with Caleb’s assistance, walked her over to the back of the van where Nate had opened the doors for them.

  “Sit down, Tess,” he instructed. “Do you have a first aid kit handy?” he asked Nate. “She could use an ice pack.”

  “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m sure you have a few bumps and bruises, too.”

  He did, but that was a by-product of his job. Tess was a fourth grade schoolteacher, and he was fairly certain she wasn’t accustomed to being thrown off her feet by a bomb.

  Nate handed him the ice pack and he quickly twisted the bag to activate the coolant inside and gently pressed it against the back of Tess’s head. Despite her earlier protest, she put her hand back there to help hold the ice pack in place.

  “Just relax, I’ll hold it for you,” he told her.

  “Did you notice that both your SUV and Tess’s car were damaged by the explosion?” Caleb asked in a low tone. “The maple tree was knocked over, too.”

  “Yeah, I did. And I don’t believe in coincidences. I need to get Tess someplace safe.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without my brother,” she said, joining the conversation.

  “I know, we’ll take him with us,” Declan promised.

  The wailing sound of a siren indicated the local authorities and the ambulance were getting closer. He appreciated the additional backup, but at the same time, he wanted nothing more than for Tess to get the medical care she needed and then to get her out of there.

  Before the bomber made yet another attempt on Tess’s life.

  * * *

  Ignoring the pounding inside her head wasn’t easy, but Tess knew that was the only way she could avoid going to the hospital. She stared down at her trembling fingers, and did her best to remain calm even though she was still reeling from being so close to the explosion.

  Dear Lord, thank You for keeping me and Declan safe from harm. And please watch over Bobby, too. Amen.

  “Tess? Is something wrong?”

  Declan’s concern was touching, but she knew that she couldn’t keep leaning on him for support like this. They were just temporary allies. As soon as he had her safely tucked away, she knew that he’d go back to his SWAT team, leaving her and Bobby alone.

  “I’m fine, but I’m anxious to see my brother.”

  “First we need the EMTs to check you out...you said yourself that you blacked out for a minute.”

  “I said I may have blacked out for a minute, or it could be that my brain simply shut down for a moment, from the shock of the explosion.” She didn’t appreciate his using her own words against her. “It’s not like I find myself in harm’s way like this very often.”

  “I know, but you could have a concussion. Give me a little more time here, okay?”

  As if she had a choice. The only reason she wasn’t pushing the issue right now was that Bobby was in school, surrounded by teachers and dozens of kids. He’d be fine there until she could get there to pick him up. At least she was fairly certain he’d be fine.

  She winced at the shrillness of the siren as the ambulance pulled up. Within moments two EMTs had taken up residence on either side of her.

  “Anyone else injured?” one of them asked.

  “No, just Tess. She has a lump on the back of her head,” Declan said, removing the ice pack so they could examine her.

  “We were both knocked off our feet,” Tess felt compelled to point out. “You should check him for injuries, too.”

  “I’m not hurt,” Declan said firmly.

  Stubborn man, she thought, as the EMTs poked and prodded at her. They took a set of vital signs and asked her dozens of questions to make sure her brain hadn’t been knocked off-kilter. She scowled, knowing there was a very good chance that Declan had a bump on the back of his head, too.

  “We should take her to Trinity Medical Center to have a CT scan of her brain, just to make sure there’s no internal bleeding,” the EMT on her right said.

  “Okay,” Declan agreed.

  “No, I don’t want to go to the hospital.” She glared at Declan, trying to get him to drop the idea. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  “There’s no need to be nervous,” Declan told her. “CT scans don’t hurt and we’ll still have time afterward to pick up your brother.”

  There was that commanding tone again, and just hearing it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Why did so many men like to give orders? Why did everything have to be done their way? “Have you ever been to the E.R. at Trinity?” she asked in exasperation. “Getting cleared could take hours and b
e a complete waste of time. I’m not going, end of discussion.”

  Declan wasn’t happy with her decision, and neither were the two EMTs.

  “You’ll have to sign a release form,” the guy on her left informed her. He placed a metal clipboard in her lap and handed her a pen. “Sign here,” he instructed. “This means you can’t come after us if you suffer a massive head bleed later.”

  She sensed he was trying to scare her with that comment, so she ignored it, signed her name and handed the clipboard back to him.

  “Do you have another ice pack in there? This one is already getting warm,” Declan said. “I’d like to try to keep the swelling down.”

  “Sure.” The EMT took a prefilled ice pack out of his kit and gave it to him. Once again, Declan applied it to the lump on the back of her head.

  She was tempted to tell him to use the ice pack on himself, but held her tongue. No sense in antagonizing Declan now, not until they’d picked up Bobby from school.

  And by then, she’d be glad to see the last of Declan Shaw for a while.

  * * *

  “Hey, Deck, you need to come over here and see this.”

  Declan glanced over at Caleb and nodded. “Sure. Nate, will you keep an eye on Tess for a few minutes?”

  “I don’t need a babysitter,” Tess muttered.

  “No problem,” the other man said.

  Declan wished there was a way to force Tess to go to the hospital, but since she signed herself out of the EMTs’ care, he didn’t think there was much more he could do. Her stubbornness might have been cute if it wasn’t so annoying.

  He headed over to where Caleb waited. Together they canvassed the scene of the explosion. The fire had been doused by the members of his team, but the burned-out area looked awful, especially with the maple tree being uprooted by the force of the blast.

  “I think the center of the explosion was in this area here,” Caleb said, pointing to the blackened area. “The perp must have covered it with leaves and branches or we would have seen it.”

  Declan nodded thoughtfully, agreeing with Caleb’s assessment. “We went right past this area to chase the guy with the green baseball cap.”