Free Colby Core by Debra Webb

to distance himself from his colleagues. She hadn’t selected this out-of-the-way derelict cemetery for no reason. The drive from the abandoned warehouse had used up valuable time. But this was her one and only chance to save the children. Her unknowing hero wouldn’t be pleased with her plan, but she couldn’t let him stand in the way.
    Not even if it meant sacrificing his life.
    A pang of regret tore through her. It was hard for her to determine if he was the bad guy she had assumed. She had gotten the impression his friends were law enforcement but she couldn’t be certain. He’d said something like that.
    If he was a cop, why didn’t he just tell her?
    If he was an informant, then most likely he haddone the same sort of bad things the Master and his soldiers had done. In that case, she had no sympathy for Smith or whoever he was.
    Ultimately, her concern had to be for the children and the patients.
    Her own life was on the line as well, and she didn’t care. All that mattered was saving the children. The idea that she was so far away from Sophie twisted her heart. But it was the only way to save her. Tessa had been planning this operation for a while now. She just hadn’t expected it to happen this way…or at this time.
    She gently patted the bun of her hair to ensure the key was where she’d tucked it. With that confirmation, she was ready. One phone call—a pretend phone call—and she would make her move. But that pretend call was necessary to keep Smith distracted.
    She climbed out of the SUV, the cold air made her shiver. Smith followed her into the center of the cemetery. The slushy snow dragged at her boots.
    â€œThis should be fine,” she said, acting as if the distance away from the SUV was necessary before making the call.
    While she entered the numbers, Smith scanned the woods surrounding the ancient cemetery. He was keenly alert. She would have to stay sharp or he would see through her deception.
    â€œThis is Tessa,” she said as if the call had connected. She paused long enough to have had a response then said, “I’m ready to work with Renwick. Where can we meet?”
    Smith watched her so closely. Fear had her heart pumping hard. Of course he was suspicious. She just needed to ensure he wasn’t overly suspicious.
    Next she gave her location, then waited again. “Yes, I’ll stand by.” She looked at Smith then. “No, no, I’m alone.” A moment’s pause. “Okay.” She pretended to end the call and closed the phone. “A contact is on his way here. I told him I was alone—”
    â€œI heard that part.”
    Definitely ill at ease and highly suspicious.
    â€œStay down in the SUV,” she suggested, “so he doesn’t see you right away. Once we determine how many have been sent and how heavily armed they are, we can take it from there. You can use the gun in my bag.”
    The last seemed to put him more at ease. She followed him to the SUV. As he dug through her bag for the gun he wouldn’t find, she snatched up one of the rocks that lined the narrow road that circled the cemetery.
    She banged it into the back of his head, tossed the rock and ran.
    Afraid to look back to confirm he’d been rendered unconscious, she pushed forward with all her physical strength. The gun in her waistband shook. She put one hand on it to make sure it didn’t bounce out.
    She hit the woods, underbrush slapped at her legs.Dodging the trees, she refused to slow down even as her lungs burned for more oxygen.
    Then she saw it. Her salvation.
    Sitting on an abandoned, overgrown old road was the green pickup truck. The vehicle was three decades old but it had run perfectly fine two weeks ago when she, Brooks and Howard had met a contact here.
    The meeting had gone sour and the contact had been taken back to the questioning room. As Brooks and Howard had forced him into the SUV, she’d noticed