Free Edge of Surrender by Laura Griffin Page A

hands around her coffee mug as the agent pulled out a file folder.
    â€œYou recognize any of these people?” She placed a picture in front of Emma containing two rows of mug shots, six in all.
    Emma’s stomach clenched as she recognized a heavyset man with flat, dark eyes.
    â€œWhich one?” Mays asked.
    She glanced up, and the agent was watching her intently, obviously aware that she recognized someone.
    Emma cleared her throat. “Him.” She tapped the photo. “He was the one who abducted me. And later he was guarding me, but I managed to get away.”
    Mays’s eyebrows tipped up. “Lucky you.”
    There was an edge in her tone that put Emma on the defensive.
    â€œYou don’t recognize this man?” Mays pointed to a mug shot on the top row.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œHe’s Ricardo Avedo. Known as Ricky. He’s in charge of Orion Shipping’s U.S. operations and he resides in Los Angeles. You’ve never seen him?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œLucky again. Avedo is not a nice guy. We’ve been investigating him for three years.”
    â€œFor what?” Emma examined the photo.
    â€œDrug smuggling, racketeering. We’re particularly interested in his ties to a human-trafficking ring operating out of Southeast Asia. A lot of people are paying big money for passage to this country and phony documents.”
    â€œI can imagine.” Emma pushed her coffee mug away. “What does any of this have to do with me?”
    â€œYou may also be aware that Richard Conner is under investigation.”
    Emma sat back against the booth and stared at her. “Since when?”
    â€œYou didn’t know, then?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œSince March.”
    â€œWell, what’s he being investigated for?”
    â€œI’m not at liberty to say.”
    Emma stared at her, a knot in her stomach. “Are you telling me . . . the ambassador was mixed up with this criminal enterprise? That Avedo had something to do with our plane going down?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    But she didn’t deny it. Emma’s heart was racing now. Maybe she’d had it all wrong. Maybe her hunch was off, and the ambassador was the target after all.
    â€œI take it, given your closeness to Ambassador and Mrs. Conner, that you were aware of the previous attempts made against her life?”
    â€œYes.” Emma felt numb. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she was starting to put it together. The ambassador was mixed up in something criminal. And whatever it was had gotten his wife killed.
    Mays was watching her closely. “You’re in possession of some very sensitive information, Emma. At this point, we think it’s best if we bring you in to discuss how we can ensure your safety.”
    Emma gulped. “Bring me in?”
    â€œWe’d like to put you under federal protection until this investigation is concluded.”
    â€œThat’s not happening.” Emma turned around to see Ryan standing behind her. He slid into the booth and leveled a hard look across the table at Mays. “Until the threat against Emma is eliminated, she stays with me.”
    â€œLieutenant Owen—”
    â€œYou can’t guarantee her safety, and you know it. You can’t even tell her who called her the other night pretending to be you. Or did I miss something?”
    Mays looked from Ryan to Emma, then back to Ryan. “You think you can guarantee her safety against the entire Avedo network? You overestimate yourself.”
    Ryan just watched her with a steely look. Then he turned to Emma. “It’s your call, Emma. What do you want to do?”

EIGHT
----
    R yan looked across the truck at Emma. She hadn’t spoken in ten minutes.
    â€œYou surprised me back there.”
    â€œWhy?” she asked.
    â€œThe FBI offered you protection. You picked me.”
    She didn’t say anything.
    â€œHow come?”
    She