Free Under Fire by Rita Henuber

to a place where he could possibly attack.
    “Down,” she ordered, pressing the gun’s barrel to his forehead.
    “The bar. I was there to meet you. Scare you off of asking any more questions.”
    “That doesn’t help. You could also be the man I’m looking for.”
    “I’m not. Give me some time to prove it. Olivia, help me. I don’t know who to trust.”
    Her finger poised above the send key on her cell, she hesitated. For the first time, he sounded sincere.
    “When I was taken off the helicopter and saw you…I—I don’t believe in coincidence. I thought I could be safe with you.”
    Olivia said nothing. Her inner voice demanded she call the cops. Let them sort this out. If he was lying, her career was screwed. Helping him could put her behind bars as an accomplice for aiding and abetting.
    Rico slid down the wall. “I was wrong about you. Make the call. Get it over with.”
    The ringing of her land line shattered the tension between them. Olivia flinched. She kept her gaze on Rico, who was shaking his head, his eyes begging her not to answer. She let the machine pick up.
    “Olivia, for Christ’s sake, are you there?” Defoe. He sounded upset. He rarely called her Olivia. Almost always addressed her by her rank. She moved to the phone, keeping her gaze on Rico, wary he would pull something.
    “The feds think you’re involved with the guy we picked up,” Defoe went on. “They say he looked you up on a hospital computer. He has your address, Olivia. They’re on their way to your place.” She touched the phone to answer.
    “No,” Rico growled. “You’ll drag him into this.”
    She stood motionless, staring at Rico.
    “I’m in Anderson’s office. He told the feds you were on leave and wouldn’t be coming here for a week. We want to help.” Silence filled the room.
    “Damn it. Commander, pick up the fucking phone.”
    Rico struggled to his feet, shaking his head.
    “Olivia, pick up the phone,” Defoe yelled.
    Flushed with anger, she pointed the gun at Rico’s head and reached for the phone. He took a step toward her.
    “You ass! You led them straight to me. I could shoot you and end all this right now.” And she should. It would clear her if he was a part of the cartel. But if he wasn’t…
    “You could, but you won’t.”
    “Why do you think I wouldn’t?” The arrogant bastard.
    “I have a knack for knowing who’ll shoot and who won’t. It’s one thing that’s kept me alive this long.”
    “Commander,” Defoe yelled, followed by some blistering profanity. The recorder clicked off.
    “Erase it,” Rico ordered.
    When she didn’t, he moved to the phone, erasing all messages.
    “I’d say we have less than thirty minutes to get out of here.”
    “We? What makes you think I’m going anywhere with you?”
    “You have two choices. Stay here and spend the next two weeks explaining to the feds, or go with me. Stay and you could be arrested. The guys in suits get crazy about stuff.”
    “I’ll tell them you’re DEA.” She stiffened. “They’ll check it out and…”
    Rico shook his head. “They’ll take their time. They’ll hit you hard. Your rank means nothing if they think you’re bent. Two weeks maybe before they finish jumping through all the bullshit in place to protect people like me. They’ll say ‘sorry we made a mistake’ and let you go. The rest of your career people will be talking behind your back and wondering.”
    Her heart raced. She knew he was right.
    “The other option is you get me to Miami. When we get there I’ll call in, explain everything. Get things cleared with the feds.”
    Olivia narrowed her eyes. “You said you aren’t sure of who turned you in.”
    “I’m not, but in Miami I have a better chance of getting to the bottom of this and defending myself.”
    The phone rang again. He pulled the cord from the wall.
    “I have to get back and find out who gave me up to the cartel.”
    She didn’t answer.
    “Decide,” he demanded. “There