Witness in the Dark (Love Under Fire #1)(10)

“What do you mean?”

Instead of using words, he spread his fingers wide to indicate an explosion. “Boom.”

“A bomb? Those guys put a bomb in my car?” Her voice rose.

“Not a bomb exactly, but they cut your fuel line and set an igniter. It would’ve looked like an accident.”

He lifted a finger at her to wait while he spoke into his phone. “I have her. We’re locked down at Location C. Send a team. I saw two, so probably four.” He paused and looked her over. “She’s unharmed. Shaken up a bit.”

That was an understatement.

When he hung up, she asked, “Why would they want to blow up my car?”

“To kill you.”

She swallowed at his bluntness. No shit. She’d understood that part. “But why me?”

“You saw something you shouldn’t have, I assume.”

The events of the previous night flooded back in startling detail. “Yeah.”

“What did you see?”

“You don’t know?” She frowned. “Who do you work for?” It was obvious from the phone call he was reporting to someone.

“The U.S. Marshals.”

She relaxed slightly at that, though she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she’d been conditioned to think people in the government were safe. Obviously, not all of them were.

“I saw Congressman Howe shoot a woman. Murder her in cold blood.”

Garrett leveled her a gaze. “And you told the police.”

“Of course I told the police. That’s what you do when you see someone shoot another person.”

“And what happened with the cops?”

“They didn’t believe me. They had another guy who fit.”

“Isn’t that convenient,” Garrett mused.

“I knew it wasn’t that guy. I saw Ashton Howe. I know it was him.” It would be easier to believe what the detective had told her, and she really wanted to, but she knew it wasn’t true.

“And that is the reason we’re here hiding right now, and people were shooting at you.”

“Oh, God,” she said as Nikki’s voice echoed in her head. What if he comes after you to shut you up? It all made sense now. “What am I going to do?”

“As I said, it would’ve been a whole lot easier if you’d left with me when I suggested it.”

“You kissed me,” she pointed out. He claimed to be there to help her. But kissing her? Had that been part of the job?

“It’s easier to protect you if I’m close.”

“How close were you intending to get if I’d gone with you?”

He waggled his eyebrows. “It’s not too late to find out.” He left her hanging for a second, then laughed. “Kidding. Relax.”

Her lips started to quiver and she felt the sting of tears. “Relax? People are trying to kill me.”

“Don’t cry.” He held up his hands. “Pull it together. Please,” he added the last word as if it were an afterthought.

Her anger focused her enough that she was able to calm down. She wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes, but no tears had fallen.

“Here’s what’s going to happen next,” he said authoritatively. “When I get the call that it’s clear, I’m going to move you somewhere safe for the night. Tomorrow, a team will come in to take over your protection detail. I’m going to need your jewelry.” He said it like she wouldn’t even question him.

“Why?” she demanded. “What team?”

“My job is extraction and cleanup, not babysitting or inquisitions. If you could hold all your questions until tomorrow, they’ll explain everything. Right now, I need you to be quiet and give me your jewelry.”

Without thinking, she pulled off her ring and handed it to him. He put it in his pocket and held his hand out for her necklace.

“Hmm. March,” he noted, taking in the aquamarine.

She nodded as he crammed it in his pocket and pointed at her watch.

“No.” She covered it with her hand. Like she could really stop him from prying it from her wrist. He looked extremely capable of taking anything he wanted from her. Anything. “Not the watch,” she begged. “It’s the only thing I have from my dad. He died before I was born. Please?”

Garrett tugged at his bottom lip but shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I’ll need to take it. It’s for your own good.” At least he sounded remorseful.

This man had saved her life. She didn’t want to make his job more difficult, but this watch was the most valuable thing she owned, even though it had probably only cost a hundred bucks.

“Why? What do you need it for?”

“Remember the part about holding your questions until tomorrow?”

“But this could all be a trick so you can steal my jewelry.”

He blinked, then laughed. “Seriously? You think I went through all that trouble, leading you around for blocks while getting shot at, for your wristwatch? Hell, it’s not even a Rolex.”

Okay. When put like that, it didn’t seem likely. “Will I get it back?”

“No,” he answered flatly. Something about his tone and the fact he hadn’t lied made it easier for her to give up her watch.