Free Bare Facts by Katherine Garbera Page B

able to deliver. But she made him long for a life and for a path that he’d never experienced. Never wanted before he’d stared into her gunmetal-gray eyes.
    “Slow down and let them catch us.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Charity gripped his arm. “Are you crazy? We don’t know who’s in the car.”
    “We will when they catch us.”
    “Daniel—”
    “I’m in charge, remember?”
    “You’re looking for a fight,” she said, under her breath. But he noticed she reached for her weapon. As had he.
    “Where is the car, Henry?”
    “Black Spider. He’s keeping his distance but he’s been back there since we left Ms. Keone’s residence.”
    Charity turned around. With the tinted, bulletproof windows, there was no way for the driver of the other car to notice her attention on him.
    “Can you make out a plate on the car?” Charity asked.
    “No.”
    “What’s your plan, Daniel?” she asked.
    “Henry, pull off the road up here. We’ll sit and wait.”
    “As your bodyguard—”
    “They’ll probably drive past. How good a shot are you?”
    “I’m a marksman.”
    “I think a flat tire would help us,” he said.
    She nodded. “What will you be doing?”
    “Hoping the driver presents a target.”
    “We need him alive to question.”
    Daniel didn’t say anything. Henry eased the car to the side of the road and Charity opened her window to set up her shot. She was on the right side so the car would be going by on the left. She knew that she’d have to time her shot just right.
    She didn’t pay any attention to Daniel or to Henry. She had her job to do and she would get it done. She saw the cars flying past at over 70 miles per hour and waited for the black Spider.
    As soon as she saw the taillights she took a breath, let half of it out, and squeezed the trigger. The silencer muffled the sound and she felt it kick in her hand. A second later the car lurched as the right rear tire started losing air. The driver didn’t slow down but kept moving.
    She memorized the license plate and then glanced over at Daniel. Henry was already pulling back out into traffic. “Are we trailing them, sir?”
    “Yes.”
    “Did you see the driver?”
    Daniel had memorized the face. He had little hope of actually recognizing anyone Sekijima sent after him. All of the people who’d been close to the Oyabun years ago were taken down when Sekijima was.
    He wanted to know how long Sekijima had been working on rebuilding. Then he’d have a better idea of how loyal and well-trained they were. Loyalty, though, he knew would not be easily shaken. The blood bond that brought the Yakuza together was one that few were ever able to betray.
    “I didn’t recognize him.”
    Henry pulled out, following after the car.
    “I’ll watch our back,” Charity said. She kept her weapon palmed and ready, though she didn’t relish the thought of any type of high-speed shoot-out on the busy interstate.
    Henry accelerated and she was thrown off balance as he quickly changed lanes. Daniel steadied her. “Put your seat belt on.”
    “I can’t see what’s going on behind us if I do that.”
    “Then I’ll watch. I don’t want you injured.”
    “I’m fine. You’re the priority here.”
    “You’re not fine while Henry is trying to catch the Spider. Put your seat belt on.”
    She braced herself on the seat with one foot on the floor. “Now, I’m fine.”
    And she was. As Henry weaved between two more cars, Daniel took her arm and physically turned her in the seat, reaching across her body and drawing on her belt. It snapped into place with a solid click. Then he adjusted the strap, his fingers lingering over her right breast.
    She brushed his hands away. “Why is this important to you?”
    “Car accidents kill.”
    “So will anyone who’s trailing us. I need to be free to do my job.”
    “You will be. Henry, give up the chase and take us to the airport. We’ll see if anyone else follows us there.”
    She shook her head at his stubbornness.