Page 33 of Shadow Redemption
“Be careful.”
Right. As if his job was ever safe. “Z, monitor us. Ruth has her cell phone with her if something happens to me.”
“Copy that. I’ll keep track of her.”
After parking the SUV, he released his seatbelt, and scrambled into the cargo area. Ben kicked out the compromised safety glass. He aimed his Sig at the Explorer that skidded to a stop behind his SUV. “Come on,” he murmured. “Let’s finish this so I can take my woman to safety.”
He blinked. His woman? Ben blew out a breath. She wasn’t his, he reminded himself for the thousandth time. He couldn’t keep her, and she deserved better than a half-crazy EOD man with a questionable life expectancy. Being an operative was more dangerous than working as a cop, even though he was better trained and equipped. Considering what she’d already been through, Ben didn’t know if she wanted to deal with the constant worry and long absences that accompanied involvement with a Fortress operative.
“Z, wait ten minutes, then call for a wrecker. My ride isn’t drivable.”
“Copy.”
The Explorer doors flew open and two men spilled from the vehicle, weapons aimed at Ben. “Get out of the vehicle. Now.”
“Not going to happen.”
The driver scowled. “You don’t have a choice unless you want to die. We just want the girl.”
“Over my dead body.”
“That can be arranged,” the passenger growled. “Throw down your gun and get on the ground.”
Eli parked at an angle behind the Explorer and exited his vehicle, smile on his face, southern charm in full force. “Looks like you’re having car trouble. You boys need help?”
The driver glared at the operative. “Scram before you get hurt.”
“Sorry, buddy.” Eli raised his Sig and aimed for center mass, good-old-boy charm morphing into his SEAL all-business mode. “Can’t do that.”
Driver started to shift his aim toward Eli when a dark, low-voiced warning sounded from the passenger side of the Explorer. “Pull that trigger and you’ll be dead before you draw another breath.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Despite Ben’s warning to stay out of sight, Ruth wanted to know what was happening. She raised up high enough to watch the drama unfolding outside the vehicle.
Two men dressed like Ben aimed weapons at the Explorer thugs in what looked like a wild west standoff.
The Explorer passenger sneered at one of the operatives. “You won’t pull that trigger.”
“Want to bet your life on that?” the soft-spoken operative behind him said. “I’ll be glad to rid the world of one more piece of slime.”
Those quiet words sent a shiver through Ruth. She suspected the speaker was Jon Smith. Ben was right. She wouldn’t want him tracking her. Something about him said he wouldn’t quit until he cornered his prey, or miss a target if he pulled the trigger.
The tone of the man’s voice and his total lack of fear registered with the passenger because his face lost all trace of color. He slowly lowered his gun to his side.
“Drop it and get on your knees.”
As he complied, the other operative tilted his chin at the driver. “You know what to do unless you prefer a bullet.” The words were light, almost playful. His tone was calm, eyes watchful.
With multiple vicious curses, the first thug tossed his gun aside and dropped to his knees.
The quiet operative with death in his voice covered the two creeps while his friend used zip ties to immobilize them. When he finished, the first man tossed his SUV keys to Ben who snagged them in mid-air.
He turned to Ruth. “Come around the front of our SUV and wait for me. Z, send the wrecker now.”
“Copy that.”
She clambered from the vehicle with her purse. Pausing by the driver’s side door, Ruth waited for Ben to turn off his SUV and transfer their bags to the other vehicle. When he escorted her to the new ride, Ben kept himself between her and the two thugs.