Free Out of the Dark by Geri Foster

traffic. “Frank wants to question them at headquarters.”
    “So the hell do I.”
    “Let’s head back to the ranch, partner.”
    Smiling, Mac climbed in the passenger side and Brody drove toward Dallas. They’d be at the office in less than thirty minutes depending on traffic. There was a small fridge in the back of the vehicle. Mac leaned over and retrieved a bottle of water. After unscrewing the cap, he handed it to Em. She tipped it to her mouth.
    For some reason Mac had more questions than answers and , by God somebody sure the hell better come up with the right shit.
    Looking down at his wrist, Mac knew one thing was certain. Someone had compromised his GPS. He had a tracer on his ass.
    When the vehicle stopped and the engine turned off, Mac helped Em out of the car in the underground parking garage. It ripped at his conscience that she looked so shaken. The wrinkled clothes, tangled hair and all the bruises. Any make-up she might have been wearing was long gone. “You okay?” he asked again.
    “No, I’m not okay.” The growl in her voice affirmed she definitely wasn’t in a good mood. Who could blame her? She’d been fighting for her life since Moscow. And he knew she had to be exhausted. Dead tired and ready for this entire trip to be over.
    They entered the building directly from the parking garage then shoved open the door to Falcon Securities. The receptionist, Zoe, jumped from her chair.
    “My goodness, what happened to you?”
    “Can you take Ms. Richards to the ladies room and let her freshen up a little?” Mac asked. Emily couldn’t be in more loving arms. God help them all, but Zoe Ross loved everyone and everything. There was no kinder person on earth.
    Zoe wrapped her arm around Em, and pulled her tightly against her side. “Come with me, sweetheart. We’ll have you back to normal in no time.” As they walked away, Zoe gave the two agents a concerned glance.
    After exchanging looks, Mac and Brody entered Frank’s office. Behind the large oak desk sat the leader and commander of Falcon Securities. An ex-CIA Director with a Marine attitude and a mouth like a Boatswain’s Mate.
    “What the hell is going on, Mac?” Frank pointed to the door. “Why in the hell did you drag her into this mess?” His face brightened and Mac guessed his blood pressure soared. “And just what in the holy hell have you gotten into?”
    Weary, Mac slumped in a large chair across from Frank and dragged his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. I wrapped up that mess in St. Petersburg. When I was finished, there wasn’t anything we’d have to go back and clean up. Jake made sure of that.”
    Frank said, “Tony is on his way back to the States now. If I can keep from it, I’m not sending him out for a while. It’s getting too hot.”
    “It’s getting too hot for all of us. You know the Russian mob is getting more powerful by the day. Used to be the military was all we had to worry about. I heard rumors they’re dealing in nuclear shit.”
    “I’ve heard that too, but unless we’re called in on an assignment, we’ll leave it be,” Frank said.
    “Em...Miss Richards and I were attacked at Heathrow. Ugly guy said something about Bruno and Ramón Marino. That’s never good.”
    “No, it’s not,” Frank agreed. “Don’t you have a handler on him?”
    “We lost him in Columbia,” Mac said. “Last I heard Marino and his drug cartel were setting up business in Bogotá. But I spoke to Tony and he said Marino wasn’t there. If Tony can’t sniff him out, he’s gone way underground.”
    “Tony’s due in soon. You hear any shit , Brody, you call in Jake. I mean the slightest noise.”
    Brody nodded.
    Concerned deepened the lines on Frank’s face. That didn’t fare well for the agents.
    “You got it, boss,” Brody said . His brows wrinkled as he looked at Mac. “I always figured as much as Marino hated you, when he wanted you dead, he’d do it himself.”
    Frank slapped his desk. “We