Free Killer Love by Alicia Dean Page B

this might be over soon. That I could testify and send him to prison. Now I find out that Bryce has disappeared. He could be anywhere. And I’m the one who’ll really be in prison.”
    “I know it seems that way. Unfortunately, right now we don’t have a lot of options.”
    “What about El Lobo? Did you find him? Miller and Connor don’t believe the man exists, but I saw him. He’s in on this with Bryce.”
    The room grew silent, the crackling of logs in the fireplace the only sound. Jackson cleared his throat and said softly. “We know he exists. We’ve been trying for years to discover his true identity...to capture him. He’s an extremely dangerous man and his existence is something the bureau has tried to hide. We were hoping you wouldn’t remember seeing him.”
    They didn’t have to tell her he was dangerous...she sensed it in the man’s demeanor...saw it in those eyes....
    “Why do you think he saved my life? Why would he do that?”
    Jackson flicked a glance at Butler. His partner didn’t seem inclined to respond, so he continued. “We wondered about that, too. All we could figure is that he might have planned to take you as a hostage. Or maybe he wanted to get rid of DiMarco. Apparently, their plan had fallen apart. He may have planned to kill DiMarco and pin it on you. There are a hundred theories but nothing to back any of them up. So, as usual, we’re left with a lot of questions and no answers when it comes to El Lobo.”
    “But you are looking for him?” she asked hopefully, relieved they finally acknowledged that she wasn’t crazy.
    “Absolutely. He’s top priority, along with DiMarco.”
    She nodded and Butler spoke again.
    “You’ll be relocated as soon as the paperwork comes through and that shouldn’t take long. I can assure you that your husband won’t find you while you’re here. Even if he did, he would have to go through at least four agents to get to you. We’re not going to let that happen.”
    He said it with so much confidence that Jade felt reassured. “Where will I be going? I mean, when they relocate me. Where will I live?”
    “I’m afraid we can’t tell you that. Not until you're on your way. The US Marshals will take care of the details. The FBI won’t even know your location.”
    “You can’t tell me where I’ll be living?” Jade threw her hands up in frustration. “What about the people I’m leaving behind? How will they know how to reach me?”
    “You can’t tell anyone where you are. You have to sever all ties with friends and family,” Agent Butler said flatly.
    Her voice thick with unshed tears, she said, “Will I at least be able to tell my friends goodbye?”
    He shook his head. “There can be no contact from this point on. For their safety and your own, you will have to simply disappear.”
    Jade felt her chest squeeze as if crushed by a huge fist. Even though she’d planned to leave Bryce, start over somewhere new, she’d thought she could do so with her own identity. She thought she could choose where she went, and still keep in touch with her friends and family. Her father had moved to New York with his new wife. He and Jade spoke only a few times a year, but he would wonder what had happened to her.
    And what would Melanie think? She couldn’t even tell her best friend what was going on. She’d be worried sick. Jade thought things would settle down soon and she would be able to call and explain everything to Melanie. Now this man was telling her she couldn’t contact anyone. Tears burned at the back of her lids, but she fought to keep them from falling.
    “I can’t believe that I’m supposed to uproot my whole life.”
    “Better to uproot your life than to lose it,” he stated bluntly. He picked up an envelope from the coffee table and pulled a stack of photos from it. “Maybe these will help you to understand the gravity of the situation.”
    He passed her the photographs. Her hands shook as she thumbed through the graphic