Free The Choice by Lorhainne Eckhart Page A

cut you some slack. But watch it.”
    Why couldn’t she say thank you? Sam stood between Marcie and Dev and leaned in closer to the screen. What was he looking for? The eyes can fool you; look deeper for your answer. Not all may be as it appears. Her heart beat faster; she looked at both men, trying to figure out what was going on.
    “Dev, what’s the story on Reggie?” Marcie couldn’t see Dev’s face; Sam pulled his chair in closer and sat and then swiveled the high back around and blocked her view of Dev. She felt hidden, protected.
    “Come on Dev, what gives? This guy smuggling contraband or is it something else?”
    “Look Sam, I can’t say. Just know we got our eye on him. But I’m curious about something. See here in the video, you right behind your girl before she goes down, watching her. And even when she falls, you pause, but don’t go after the kid that robbed her. Why’s that?”
    “What the hell are you talking about? I just got off the plane after busting my butt for months on an operation that was fucked up. I was tired, and there’s a whole bunch of people around, I’m not the only one walking behind her.” Sam waved his hands in the air, no attempt to lower his voice. Marcie could tell the way Sam bunched his shoulders, he was well on his way to being in a piss poor mood. She wondered if Dev was deliberately provoking him.
    Dev crossed his arms and rolled his solid shoulders back. His full mouth tightened so his lips resembled a thin line. “Take a look from my perspective. You walk away from some big undercover operation with the DEA after marijuana’s found stashed in your locker. And from what I understand not a small amount. And that’s after a tip was phoned into the Sheriff. You claim it was planted.” Dev shrugged his shoulders. His sparkling eyes steeled to something hard and accusing. “So Sam, how would it look to you that you just happen to be right behind some babe in my airport, who’s probably carrying something suspicious, add in the one guy who works here, who we suspect is involved in smuggling contraband, and he just happens to pass something to a guy who takes what she has—coincidence? I’m sure you’ll agree there’s no such thing. You have quite a history Sam. Not all of it good.”
    “Whoa, whoa, Jesus Murphy, where are you getting all this bullshit?” Sam stood right in Dev’s face, flexing his fists, his back ramrod straight, as if getting ready to take on a street thug.
    “Back off, Sam. I just happened to find out from Seattle PD when I sent a copy of this video segment to help your girl here find out who she is. Someone recognized you, and the detective I spoke with was quite free with his information. Apparently, you’re a hot topic this month.”
    Uneasy tension rippled. “Time to go, Marcie.”
    She had no time to respond. Sam snatched her hand and pulled her up behind him, hustling her out the door. His arm slid around her shoulder and propelled her forward, one step from a jog. Her sandals flopped on the tile floor down the narrow corridor as she struggled to keep up.
    “Sam, what’s going on? What was that about drugs in your locker? I knew you were a cop, but I didn’t know… Hey, wait a second. Why’d he imply you were following me? Sam, slow down.” This was all wrong. Sam wasn’t supposed to be in trouble. It was her—all her. And that awful man, Dev, trying to turn all this on Sam. “Sam what’s going on, why won’t you answer me?”
    Sam pushed open the security door taking them into the main terminal. “Marcie, we need to get out of here, now. Don’t say anything else until we’re in the car.”
    She caught a glimpse of his hard jaw. He looked around, maybe not conspicuous, but he watched for someone or something as he rushed her along. This wasn’t good.
    Almost at the exit, when two uniformed officers marched through the busy sliding glass door. Sam steered her into a crowded tour group and squeezed out the bank of doors