Page 113 of Ford

“Hewasin Moscow. He followed us here,” Scarlett said.

For the first time Ford saw why she held her hand to her face. A terrible bruise swelled the skin around her eye.

“He hit you!” He winced and reached for Scarlett’s hand.

She jerked away from him. “It’s fine.”

He frowned, but let his hand drop. “What happened? I turned around and you were gone.”

“I told you I was going to check on the train. He grabbed me from behind and I just reacted.”

RJ climbed to her feet. “Let’s go.”

“Why did you take off? You shouldn’t leave, Red. You could have been killed.” Ford reached out for her again, but she slapped his hand away.What—?

“Let’s just get on the train, okay?” She glanced at RJ. “You okay?”

“I still think we should go after him,” RJ said.

Ford stared at her. “What? No! We’re getting out of here.” He looked over his shoulder, as if checking for an attack. “Now.”

“He could be the shooter!”

“And that’s not your responsibility!”

“Yes, actually, itis.” RJ’s eyes hardened in his. “That’s why I came to Russia—to stop an assassination.”

Behind them, the train coughed, as if gearing up to move.

“You are an analyst, not an agent!”

“Someone has to do something.”

“Not you. We need to— Get. On. That. Train.” He reached out for RJ, but she backed away.

“Please, RJ. Don’t be—”

“What? You? Stubborn? A lone wolf? Reckless?” Her eyes shimmered, something hot in them. “You forget, brother, Iamyou.”

“Please don’t make me put you over my shoulder.” He said it low, but he knew she heard it in the way her breath caught.

“Don’t be a jerk.”

“Don’t get us killed. Coco is already fighting for her life.”

Her mouth tightened, and she turned away from him and stalked onto the train.

He swallowed the bile in his mouth.

“Nice,” Scarlett said.

He looked at her. “What? I didn’t come all the way to Russia to have my sister take off on some crazy mission to apprehend an assassin. She’s in way over her head here.”

“And you’re not? We’re not sitting inSiberiaright now, running from the FSB and the Bratva and who knows who else? C’mon Ford, wake up. We’re totally in over our heads, and I’m shocked we’re not sitting in some FSB cell under the bright lights, getting our fingernails ripped off.”

Her words slapped him. The train lurched, but Scarlett didn’t move.

He barely suppressed the urge to grab her and drag her onboard.