No Safe Place

by Sherri Shackelford

  A familiar silhouette appeared from behind a partition wall. Corbin held his hands in the air. His gun dangled from his outstretched hand.

  The man holding her yanked her back. “Set down the gun. Real easy.”

  “Let her go,” Corbin said, his voice deadly calm. “This building is crawling with FBI. They’re closing in on you.”

  “Then where are they?”

  The warm breath panting against her ear made her shudder with revulsion.

  “Where’s your friend?” Corbin called.

  “Out of commission, thanks to you.” The man squeezed her painfully. “That’s why this one is personal. I’m going to dump her into the river. I’m gonna make her suffer first.”

  Muffled thumps sounded from near the coffee nook. “Matt has a—”

  Van cuffed her with the back of his hand, cutting off her warning.

  “You’ll never get out of the building, Van.” Corbin rested his gun on the floor and straightened. “It’s over.”

  “Like I said, this is personal.”

  “No!” Matt staggered into the space between them, his hand pressed to his forehead, blood streaming through his fingers. “No more. No more killing.”

  “Stay out of this, Shazier.” Corbin motioned toward the injured man. “Get down.”

  Van leveled his gun. “You’re the last loose end, Shazier. I have a message from the boss. Your services are no longer necessary.”

  Matt dove forward.

  Beth clamped her hand around Van’s arm, and he knocked her once more with his free hand. She staggered, the metallic taste of blood on her tongue, her lip throbbing.

  A shot sounded, and Matt jerked. Beth dove away. The distraction gave Corbin the opening he needed. As though watching from a distance, she noted the moment he turned. His hand outstretched. The flare from the barrel of the gun.

  Another shot sounded, and Van collapsed.

  Her knees gave out, and she dropped to the floor. Time seemed to decelerate, and she felt as though she was moving in slow motion. She noted the color of every thread in the carpet, the way the rough material felt against her palms, the odor of smoke still drifting down the corridor.

  In the moments that followed, the once empty building suddenly swarmed with people. Paramedics and stretchers crowded the aisles. Men in various uniforms took up every inch of space. There were local policemen, the FBI and the US Marshals. She managed to find an empty office and collapsed on to a leather chair.

  Voices. Noise. Confusion. Her cheek throbbed. Her heart hammered painfully against her ribs.

  She wasn’t certain if a minute or an hour passed before Corbin appeared in the doorway. Seeing him, knowing the worst was over, knowing they were both safe, unleashed a torrent of suppressed emotion.

  As though sensing her distress, Corbin dragged her against his chest, and she cowered in the crook of his arm.

  “You’re all right,” he soothed, stroking her hair. “You’re all right.”

  She sniffled against his sleeve. She couldn’t find her voice, couldn’t seem to control her shaking.

  He squeezed her shoulder, catching her hair beneath his hand.

  “I have to answer some questions,” he said. “I’ll be right back, but I’m leaving someone to look out for you.”

  Not trusting her voice, she only nodded.

  All too soon he was gone, and a paramedic was kneeling beside her. She was breathing rapidly, her body trembling. Though Beth was uninjured, the concerned young man wrapped a silver blanket around her shoulders and checked her pulse before administering oxygen.

  The next twenty minutes passed in a blur.

  Voices chattered around her, but she couldn’t make out the words. She felt as though everyone was speaking in a foreign language.

  A gurney rumbled past, the body covered, and her stomach lurched.

  “Can you walk, ma’am?”

  She glanced into the sympathetic gray eyes of a man wearing a coat that marked him as a US Marshal. “Yes.”

  “I’m Marshal Kirk. I’ll be handling your case from here on out.”

  Her teeth chattered, and she clenched her jaw. “All right.”

  “He’s a good man,” a familiar voice spoke.

  Corbin appeared, and tears burned behind her eyes. She grasped the key ring in her pocket. “I copied everything you need on this drive.”

  The marshal accepted the evidence with a wide smile. “You saved the day, Ms. Greenwood. Good work. Someone set a fire in the IT room. Crushed the servers with a baseball bat.”

  Corbin shrugged. “Looked like Van wasn’t taking any chances. He was destroying the evidence as fast as you could download it.”

  “Then you got my note?” Beth asked.

  “That was quick thinking on your feet, Ms. Greenwood,” Corbin said. “Good work.”

  Marshal Kirk glanced between them. “Anything else you need, Ross?”

  His expression sobered. “No.” He hesitated, as though he might say something different, before taking a deep breath. “Like I said, I’ve worked with Marshal Kirk here before. He’s good. The best. He’ll take good care of you until we need your services. You and I will be working together to make sure we have all our ducks in a row. Shouldn’t be more than a couple months, and you’ll be back to your old life.”

  She understood. They’d be working together. But everything had changed. Everything was different. Otherwise, everything they’d accomplished was compromised.

  The marshal nodded. “I’ve done this dozens of times before. You have nothing to worry about, ma’am. You won’t be in witness protection for long. A couple of months, maybe. Just long enough to make sure we have everyone in custody.”

  Corbin glanced away.

  “Great,” she replied weakly.

  The marshal shifted from foot to foot, and she took stock of the chaotic surroundings. Law enforcement was securing the scene. Everyone had a job. Everyone but her. Marshal Kirk was ready to be on his way. The time had come.

  She didn’t want this moment to end, because the next time they met, they’d be little more than strangers working together, and that was going to test all her fortitude.

  She rose shakily to her feet. “I’m ready.”

  The marshal hesitated. “Why don’t I meet you downstairs?”

  Corbin nodded without looking at the man. “Sure.”

  Following the marshal’s exit, they stood in awkward silence.

  Corbin spoke first. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. Karli wouldn’t stop talking, and then I spotted Van. I followed him when I should have been watching out for you.”

  “That wasn’t your fault. I walked right in to Matt’s office. Since I thought he hired me, I never even suspected him.”

  “Doesn’t look like Van’s bullet hit anything vital. He’s going to live. You saved his life.” Corbin gently touched her lip. “Van wasn’t as fortunate.”

  She covered his fingers with her hand. “Thank you. For everything.”

  “You’re gonna be all right, Beth.”

  She wanted something more. She wanted to press her cheek against his chest and let him hold her. She wanted to tell him how much he’d meant to her. But there were too many people. Too many eyes. She wouldn’t risk his job.

  Retracting her hand, she said, “So are you, Agent Ross.”

  Sorrow flickered in his eyes before he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

  She turned. Keeping her head held high, she strode down the corridor. Saying goodbye to Beth Greenwood wasn’t going to be as easy this time around.

  Because this time around she had someone she was going to miss.

  THIRTEEN

  Three months later, Homeland Security Headquarters

  Corbin stared at the letter in his hand, took a deep breath, and knocked on Baker’s open
door.

  His superior waved him to one of the two seats set before his desk. “What’s up?”

  Corbin slid the paper across the shiny surface. “My resignation.”

  Baker pinched the corner between two fingers as though protecting evidence. “You sure this is what you want?”

  “I’m positive.”

  “This about Beth Greenwood?”

  Corbin ducked his head. “Yeah.”

  “She’s out of witness protection as of last week. Case closed.”

  “I know.”

  Marshal Kirk had been correct in his assessment. The FBI had used the information to infiltrate the terrorist group, and the case against Quetech was settled quietly out of court. Everything was classified. The FBI was looking to catch bigger fish. Sam’s killers had been brought to justice. One of the mercenaries was jailed, the other dead.

  While Beth’s analysis of the material had been invaluable, in order to protect the undercover operation, her testimony hadn’t been needed.

  “Your choice.” Baker dropped the letter into his file drawer. “Just so happens I already have your replacement.”

  Corbin’s eyes widened. “You knew?”

  “Had a feeling. You’ve been moping around for months.” Baker picked up his phone and barked, “Send in the new recruit,” before setting down the receiver. “Found a real gem. Genius at numbers. Good instincts, too.”

  Corbin had expected an argument, or at least a little remorse. “I, uh, sure.”

  “Good.”

  This was better. No guilt. No baggage. The past three months had been transformative. He’d joined the men’s group at his church and started volunteering again. After that, everything just seemed to fall into place. He’d spent two weeks visiting his parents. He’d spent time with his nephew. He’d taken the kid to the zoo. He hadn’t been to the zoo in years. He’d made plans to visit in the future. Solid plans. Not vague promises.

  He’d recognized that he wasn’t nomadic by nature. He was, at heart, a family man. He’d find another job. He had some money saved. Maybe things wouldn’t work out with Beth. Maybe they would. But he’d been patient for three long months, and he was ready to try.

  If she didn’t have feelings for him, he’d be devastated, but he’d move on. He’d survived before. He’d survive again. He wouldn’t forgive himself unless he at least tried.

  Baker glanced up. “Ah, here she is now.”

  Corbin recognized the floral scent of Beth’s perfume before he turned around, and his heart slammed against his ribs.

  Baker grinned at him. “Never thought I’d see the day when you were speechless.”

  Panic tripped along his nerve endings. This wasn’t how he’d planned things. Well, actually, he hadn’t planned anything. But he’d had plans to plan something.

  She dropped on to the seat beside him, and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t think.

  “Here’s the thing,” Baker said, lumbering to his feet. “You can’t fraternize with a witness, but there are no rules against office romance. Just keep the PDAs at home. I have a weak stomach.” He reached into his desk drawer for Corbin’s letter of resignation. “I have to recycle some papers. Can I add this?”

  “Uh. Yeah. Sure.”

  “If you’re staying, I’ll have Fitzsimmons train her. I don’t want her in your chain of command. Make HR happy.”

  Baker closed the door behind him.

  A hand touched his sleeve. “What’s wrong? You haven’t even looked at me.”

  Hands shaking, he turned. “How? Why? I don’t understand.”

  His breath caught. There was something different about her today. She was more beautiful than he remembered. She was vibrant. Her brilliant green eyes sparkled. Her lustrous hair was caught in the professional knot at the nape of her neck, and her crisp, dark suit rode up slightly on her bent knees. His gaze skittered away, and his mouth went dry.

  She smiled. “After all the work we’ve done together over the past three months, Baker recruited me. I have a knack for this sort of thing.”

  Her eyes were soft and shimmering with something he couldn’t quite identify. Affection?

  He dropped to his knees before her chair and took her hands. “I was quitting. I—”

  She cupped his cheeks, her expression tender. “Would you consider changing your mind? I think we’d work well together.”

  “A thousand times yes.” He pressed his lips against her knuckles. “I’m crazy about you, Beth Greenwood. You’re smart, funny and tough as nails. I adore the way you tap your heel against the floor when you’re nervous. I want to eat mini donuts together whenever possible. I want to spend today, tomorrow and the tomorrow after that with you. I want to spend all my tomorrows with you.”

  “I hoped you’d say something like that.” The hand against his cheek trembled. “I wasn’t certain. But I had to try. I didn’t know what you were feeling.”

  “I couldn’t jeopardize the case. I hoped you’d understand.”

  “I did. I do. These past few months have been miserable. But we did it. We got ’em.”

  “You got ’em. None of this would have happened without you.”

  “I said that I didn’t want to take second place to your job.” She ducked her head. “But that was just an excuse. I sensed you were pulling away from me, and I was trying to protect myself. But I don’t want to play it safe anymore. I want you. I know your work requires a lot of travel. A lot of time away. That’s okay. I have my own work. You’re worth waiting for.”

  He urged her to face him. “I don’t want to run anymore. I’ve been running since Evan died. I thought I could outrun the grief, but I was wrong. It’s like running from the dawn. The pain is there. It’ll always be there. But I finally realized that time doesn’t actually heal, it’s what we do with that time that brings healing. I have to believe that we all have the ability to make something good out of something awful. I have to believe God has a plan. I wish I could have known your dad, but I know he’s a part of you. I’ll know him through you.”

  Her eyes brimmed. “And I’ll know Evan through you.”

  A sense of peace overtook him. “It took a while, but I finally understand. Everything changes, and that’s okay. We’re not the same people we were before we lost them, and I’m not the same person I was before I knew you. I’m different. I’m stronger. I’m better knowing you.”

  Blinking rapidly, she pressed a kiss against the bridge of his glasses. “I’m falling in love with you, Corbin, and I always finish what I start.”

  “Then let’s start something beautiful. Together. I love you, Beth Greenwood, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Lost in the wonder of his love, he kissed her, pouring his soul into the act, his hands running over the satiny smoothness of her hair. He’d been waiting his whole life for this, and he wasn’t letting go.

  He felt something against his cheek, and realized she was crying.

  His stomach sank. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m happy. Blissfully, wonderfully happy. But I just realized we’ve never even been on a date. An actual date. Maybe we should go for karaoke. Or coffee.”

  His heart resumed beating once more. “Definitely karaoke. We’ll fly to Chicago and watch Janice sing ‘Total Eclipse of the Sun.’”

  “Deal. Then maybe we can get some coffee at that new shop on Fifth Street.”

  He stood and took her hand, leading her toward the door. “Deal.”

  She glanced around. “Where are we going?”

  “To the airport. If I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to start dating right now. This moment.”

  She laughed. “You’re crazy. This is my first day.”

  “I’ll put in a good word with your boss.”

  “Okay,
Clark.” She faced him, and her expression softened. “Shouldn’t you be able to fly us there yourself, superhero?”

  He touched his glasses, his cheeks heating. “I’ll get some new frames.”

  “Never.” She placed her hand over his. “I love you just the way you are, Corbin Ross.”

  * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Amish Hideout by Maggie K. Black

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  Dear Reader,

  Welcome to my debut book in a different genre! Writing for Love Inspired Suspense has been a new and exciting adventure for me. For the past five years, I’ve been immersed in the historical old West. Switching from bonnets and wagons to cell phones and cyber security has been both challenging and fun.

  No matter the genre, all writers have their own unique and personal method for creating plots and characters. For me, it’s important that I see the opening scene clearly in my head. In No Safe Place, Beth Greenwood is facing a moral dilemma. The decision she makes at the beginning of the book transforms her life. I’m fascinated by stories involving ordinary people forced into extraordinary circumstances. I hope this book will be the first of many suspense adventures!

  I love hearing from readers and would enjoy hearing your thoughts on this story. If you’re interested in learning more about this book or other series I have written, I have more information on my website: sherrishackelford.com. I can also be reached by email at sherri@sherrishackelford.com, or at P.O. Box 116, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

  Happy Reading!

  Sherri Shackelford

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