Free Love Inspired Suspense January 2014 by Shirlee McCoy, Dana Mentink, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Jodie Bailey

growled.
    â€œYou lied to me!” she retorted, swinging around so they were face-to-face. He was taller, bigger and more intimidating, but she had righteous anger on her side.
    â€œNow isn’t the time to discuss it.”
    â€œNow is the only time I’m going to discuss anything with you ever again. I want my daughter. I want—”
    â€œTo be shot dead on the sidewalk in St. Louis?” His gaze was as cold as his words, his eyes icy and hard. “Because that could happen, Annie. What do you think that bomb was? Some coincidental misfortune?”
    He dragged her to the curb as a car pulled up.
    Black and new-looking. The same one Josh had gotten into.
    The door swung open, and Josh reached for her arm, yanking her into the car so quickly she didn’t have time to think about what was happening. The door slammed shut. The car took off.
    â€œMommy!” Sophia squealed from her car seat, her eyes bright with excitement, her curly hair bouncing with joy.
    She looked fine.
    She looked better than fine. She looked cared for and safe.
    Josh, on the other hand, looked fit to be tied.
    â€œThat,” he said, “was the rashest thing I have ever seen anyone do in the ten years I’ve been working for the marshals.”
    â€œRash but brave,” Serena said as she steered the car onto a side street and headed for the interstate. “You still shouldn’t have done it. Anyone could have been out there with a gun. One bullet. That’s all it would have taken.”
    That was all it had taken to steal Joe’s life.
    One bullet through the chest. He’d bled to death before the ambulance had arrived.
    Annie shuddered. Her knees and palms throbbed, her head ached, and all the rage that had fed her escape was gone.
    All she felt was tired.
    But she’d felt that way for a year.
    Sophia reached for her.
    â€œHey, sweetie,” she said, taking her daughter’s hand. She’d do anything for Sophia. Even risk her life, but Sophia was safe, had been safe. Just like Hunter had said.
    She owed him an apology.
    She owed everyone an apology, but her throat was too clogged with regret to offer it. She looked out the window instead, wishing she were anywhere else but sitting in a car heading to U.S. Marshals headquarters.
    * * *
    Hunter didn’t lose his temper often, but he’d been pushed past the point of being reasonable. Behind him the fire had been doused by the sprinkler system, the smoke slowly dissipating. Whoever had planted the bomb hadn’t meant to take out the building. He’d meant to take out Annie. A distraction was the perfect cover for swift and covert movement.
    Hunter had no doubt that the perp was still near the building. Probably around the back where more people were gathered. If he’d been at the front of the building when Annie had jumped from the car...
    He clenched his teeth. Counted to a hundred.
    Told himself that he wasn’t going to lay into Annie the minute he saw her.
    Burke finally managed to navigate back to the building, his dark sedan moving slowly through the thickening traffic. Sirens were blaring and news trucks were bottlenecking the side streets.
    In other circumstances, Hunter would have stuck around to help process the crime scene, but he needed to get back to headquarters. Somehow, the safe house had been found. Again.
    Burke pulled up to the curb, and Hunter climbed into the car.
    â€œWe’re meeting Josh and Serena at headquarters. I’ve already called Antonio,” he growled. “If he wants to see Annie, he can do it there.”
    â€œSounds like a plan,” Burke responded. “Provided Annie doesn’t decide to jump out of Serena’s car.”
    â€œI think she’s done for the day. Now that she’s with her daughter, she should stay put.”
    â€œOr take Sophia and run. It’s what I’d do if I were in her shoes.”
    â€œThen let’s both thank God