Free Past Sins by Debra Webb

shrubs as two guards emerged from the shadows at the far corner of the house. Rounds. She checked her watch. Probably made on the half hour. There would likely be two more in the house and perhaps an additional one or two making rounds in the woods that bordered the clearing. Since she hadn’t encountered security inside the treeline she had to assume that the rounds were alternated, or maybe she’d gotten lucky and they’d been on the west side of the property as she approached from the east.
    Okay. There was no going in at this point without being made and that could prove hazardous to her health.
    That left only one other option. She needed a “pass go” authorization. Only one way to get her hands on that kind of access.
    She eased back into the woods and waited. Fifteen minutes, she estimated. The outer-boundary scout or scouts should move through her area within fifteen minutes. Thirty tops. She hated to waste the time but better to be safe than sorry.
    Fourteen minutes and thirty seconds later and the soft crunch of footsteps crackled through the darkness.
    Perfect timing.
    Anticipation fired through her veins, the adrenaline burning her insides. Her heart rate accelerated into a fight-or-flight rhythm.
    If there were two, the job would be a little trickier.
    With her night-vision goggles in place, she watched the approach. One man. Her pulse reacted to the upturn in her luck. There could still be another one out there, but taking them out one at a time would greatly increase her odds of success.
    He passed not three feet from her and she was ready. She lunged into his back, her right arm going around his throat, her left hand over his mouth. He struggled. He was strong. But she was desperate. Adrenaline won out.
    The guy dropped to his knees. Not taking any chances, Olivia blocked his airflow a few seconds longer to ensure he’d truly lost consciousness. He crumpled against her and she lowered him to the ground. Her intent had not been to kill him, only to disable him. He’d regain consciousness pretty quickly, so she had to work fast.
    She stripped off his clothes, dragged them on over her own, including the black skull cap. She left him naked and unarmed on the ground, his hands cuffed behind his back. Her belt fastened behind his head with the wide leather strap tucked between his teeth gag style.
    After surveying the clearing, she stepped from the cover of the woods. She walked straight up to the generous front porch and climbed the steps. She’d found a key card in the guard’s pocket. One look at the front door and she knew what it was used for. She swiped the card and entered the house. Just like a hotel room. Shame on the director. He, of all people, should have retinal- or fingerprint-scan requirements. He had to be getting soft.
    The entry hall was dimly lit. She was surprised to find herself seemingly alone inside. Maybe her luck was going to hold out.
    Her steps silent, she’d made it halfway to the staircase when the unmistakable feel of a muzzle nudged the back of her skull.
    “Don’t move.”
    Her hands went up in classic surrender fashion. Damn. She hadn’t even heard him coming. “I’m here to see Director Hamilton.”
    The guard’s radio crackled and he responded. “I have the intruder.”
    He patted her down, removed the Beretta and the knife, then the guard’s .45 she’d taken.
    “On the floor.”
    “I said I’m here to see the director.”
    “The director isn’t home.”
    Olivia held her ground. “You tell him Sheara needs to see him.”
    “I told you—”
    “That’ll be all, Smith.”
    Olivia’s head went up. Deputy Director David Hamilton stood at the top of the staircase, a dim light from somewhere beyond him highlighting his silhouette.
    “Sir, she came in heavily armed, used Bedwell’s key card.”
    “I said, that’ll be all, Smith.”
    Retreating footsteps told Olivia the guard had moved away from her. She slowly lowered her hands.
    Hamilton didn’t really