Free Nowhere To Run (To Protect And Serve) by Mary Eason

wouldn’t bury him in one now.
    Jordan folded the clothes and put them into a bag . Tonight would be the first time she’d seen Jeremy since his death.
    How did she find the strength to bury her brother?
    Jordan tried Riley’s cell one last time only to reach his voicemail again. With a final look around at the apartment that had been her home for so long, she closed the door and left the apartment. If she couldn’t find any connection between Jeremy’s death and Caesar here, there was only one place left to look.
    Caesar’s town home.
    Night came early in the city at this time of year. Even though it was barely six, the streetlights were on. Heavy traffic chugged along congested streets. New York crackled with an electrical vitality you could almost feel. Somehow, Jordan found this comforting.
    She stopped for a moment to listen to the bells of Manhattan Presbyterian chime out a familiar old hymn. She and Jeremy had attended that church as children. She barely remembered that girl anymore. She’d been so innocent back then. Before she realized how truly evil the human nature could be.
    Someone bumped her arm, jarring the bag from her hand. Jordan glanced around. The sidewalk was crowded. People passed by in a hurry giving her little more than a curious glance. The bag containing Jeremy’s clothing landed some distance from her. Jordan hurriedly moved toward it only to have someone brush up against her once more.
    “Excuse me, Senorita.”A dark, swarthy man dressed all in black invaded her personal space. Unexpectedly, he clasped her arm, pinning her there. Jordan froze. Tried to pull away. His fingers tightened on her arm a moment longer before he smiled then released her and bent to retrieve her bag. When he straightened, deep-set eyes pierced hers. In the fading light of day, they appeared almost as black as night. There was something strangely familiar about him. And infinitely sinister.
    “Thank you.” Jordan added as an afterthought, wanting only to put space between herself and this very disturbing man. In spite of the warmth of the day, Jordan shivered. The man’s sharp gaze caught it. He seemed pleased by her reaction. Hard eyes shifted from Jordan’s frightened expression to the dark limo parked close by. Two men dressed similarly in dark clothing stood, arms crossed as if waiting for the man’s command.
    He smiled once more , then turned his full attention to Jordan. “No problem.” He spoke with a thick accent. His tone appeared pleasant until he added, “But you should be careful, Senorita. Tell your fiancé this city is a cesspool. Very dangerous.” He paused for a lengthy moment. “People die here all the time. I’d suggest, if he knows what’s good for him, he’d better watch his back. We know what he’s been up to, you see. Tell Caesar anything could happen to a young woman such as yourself out alone…Doctor Scott.”
    H is calloused fingers touched her cheek. “And it would be a pity if anything were to happen to such a pretty face.” Jordan jerked away from his touch. His only reaction was a chilling laugh. He enjoyed her fear. She couldn’t move. She stood frozen in place, her heart pounding in her chest.
    With a curt nod, the man moved away and Jordan could breathe again. He said something to the two men that she barely caught. While she didn’t understand all the words, she recognized the language immediately. She’d heard Caesar use that same language on the few occasions he’d spoken to his Columbian family in recent years.
    The same family that he’d claimed disowned him when he turned his back on the powerful Santiago Cartel.
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Riley waited until he’d gotten out of Santiago’s hearing range before calling Jordan back.
    “I’m sorry that I couldn’t take your call earlier—“
    “Riley— thank God!” This sound of her panic came through loud and clear.
    “Jordan, what it is? Tell me what’s happened.”
    She took a few much needed