and glass.
A grunt from Caleb and small sob from Tommy had her checking her rearview mirror once again. At Caleb’s grim nod, she refocused on the road. They weren’t out of the woods yet.
“Hold on,” she shouted once more.
After she let up on the gas, she spun the wheel, then executed a perfect J-turn, one even her driving instructor at the Service would have given her full marks for.
While the occupants of the two SUVs scrambled out of their ruined vehicles and managed to get a couple of shots off, she came out of the one-eighty and had the car pointed in the direction she wanted to go.
She gunned it. With a squeal of tires and the spit of gravel, it shot forward.
“Jake was right,” Caleb said. “You’re the real deal.”
Shelley didn’t waste time responding. They’d managed to escape their attackers this time. But what about the next?
The fight wasn’t over. It had just begun.
“That was some driving, lady.” Caleb’s voice cut through the night.
“Thanks. I think.” Energy continued to pump through Shelley, even though the crisis was over, at least for the moment.
From habit, and need, she mentally repeated a scripture from Psalms: Be still and know that I am God. Calm flowed through her at the familiar words. Her breathing leveled, and her heart rate gradually returned to normal.
“Maybe we can go back another time and pick up my heart,” Caleb added. “I think it popped out of my chest around the time you almost lost that game of chicken back there.”
Shelley flicked a glance over her shoulder. “Liked that, did you?”
“I don’t believe that’s what I said,” he corrected dryly.
The muted light of the dashboard revealed a hint of a smile in a jaw that was darkening with beard shadow. Once again she was struck by the masculine appeal of the man that managed to combine bold, rugged good looks with incredible blue eyes that could warm with tenderness when he gazed at his nephew or turn glacier cold when that same nephew was threatened.
She wondered what it would be like to meet him under normal circumstances. Nothing about the past twelve hours could be called normal.
While she appreciated his humor, Shelley was keenly aware of the chance she’d taken. Risking her own life was one thing; risking that of Caleb and Tommy was something else. But what choice had she had?
The protection/security business had only two rules. Rule number one: protect the client. Rule number two: refer to rule number one.
“I was praying the whole time,” she admitted in a low voice.
“Me, too. A soldier quickly learns that prayer is the only real protection.”
She stored that away, to be taken out and examined later. “How’s Tommy?”
“He just keeps staring out the window,” Caleb said.
She was no expert in child psychology, but she knew enough to recognize that Tommy was not responding in a normal manner.
“What’s going to happen to him?” she asked softly. “After this?” It was as if Tommy were in some kind of trance.
“I don’t know,” Caleb admitted.
“There’re people who can help.”
“I know. But first we have to protect him.”
“And you,” she added.
His nod was brusque. She knew his own safety mattered far less to him than that of his nephew. He glanced out the window at the passing scenery.
“How long until we reach this cabin of yours?”
“Another hour if we were going straight there. Which we’re not.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
“We’re heading back to Atlanta to pick up another car. Those guys had to see what we’re driving, maybe even the license number if they had infrared capabilities. Which I’m pretty sure they did. They’ve probably already reported back to whoever they’re working for.” She’d spent the past few minutes working things out in her head. Once it had stopped spinning, that is.
“How’re we going to get another vehicle?” Caleb asked.
“I’m going to tag Sal, one of our operatives, to meet us with a car.”
“Salvatore Santonni?”
“Yeah. He works with Jake and me. Did you two serve together?”
“I never had the honor, but I heard plenty. He’s got a rep for doing whatever it takes to get the job done.”
Shelley allowed herself a small smile. “He’s the best.”
Caleb was silent for several long moments. “How did they find us?” he asked abruptly. “You’re the only one who knew where we were heading.” Was there a whiff of accusation in his voice?
When she didn’t reply, Caleb had the decency to apologize. “Sorry. I know you didn’t lead them to us. But how did they know where we were?”
“I don’t know. But I intend to find out.” Shelley prayed she could make good on that promise. The truth was, she had no idea how the men had found them at the motel.
She always checked her car for any tracking devices. Caleb had tossed his cell, and she had a burner, so there was no way anyone could ping their location from their phones.
Using her Bluetooth, she called Sal, explained the situation. “Thanks, Sal,” she said when he agreed to meet her with a different car.
“We’re set,” she said to Caleb.
Twenty minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store where Sal was waiting with a blue minivan.
“Really?” she asked with a raised brow. “A minivan?”
Sal lifted a massive shoulder. “Who’s going to look for you in a soccer-mom mobile?”
He had a point. She made the introductions and then watched as the two warriors acknowledged each other.
“It’s a pleasure,” Caleb said at last. “You’re a legend.”
Sal shook his head. “Nah. I’m just a good ol’ boy. Jake tells me that you saved his bacon back in the day.”
“Let’s just say we took turns saving each other’s bacon.”
Sal slapped Caleb on the
