Gabe (In the Company of Snipers, #8)(78)

Zack opened the front passenger door and ducked his head inside, still not looking at her. “Change of plans, Kels. You’re coming with me. Get your bag. Bring the dogs, too.”

Ouch. That hurt. Apparently, he’d decided Kelsey wasn’t safe in the same vehicle with her?

Gabe opened his driver side door and climbed in. “I’m not a chauffeur, Shelby. Come up front and ride shotgun.”

She unfastened her belt but waited for Zack to leave before she changed seats.

“You know a place we can hunker down?” he asked, his strong hand clutching the seat back.

Gabe retrieved a card from his wallet and handed it to Zack. “It’s nearly off the grid, and it’s still got that new home smell. Dogs are welcome.”

Zack’s brows lifted. “Sweet, but are you sure? This could get ugly.”

“No problem. Haven’t even put in a change of address with Mother yet.”

“How’d you do that? You still own your old place?”

“For now. Still got some boxes to move.”

“Good enough. You lead. I’ll follow.” Zack closed the front door, beckoning Kelsey to the other vehicle. She leaned into Shelby for a quick hug. “See you soon.”

Zack transferred the dogs and their gear while Shelby scrambled for the front seat and secured her seatbelt. And her nerves.

Gabe’s head swiveled back and forth at what had once been a quiet neighborhood. “You ready?”

“Yes,” she answered, acid pitching up the back of her throat.

“One rule. If I tell you to get down, I want your ass on the floor with no questions asked, you understand?”

She nodded, her throat dry. God, if she could just stop shaking.

He eased the vehicle out of the driveway and slipped away from what had once been a quiet neighborhood. It looked different now. Still shabby, but with too many places to hide. To stalk. To ambush.

Shelby closed her eyes, the suspense of getting away from danger more than she could bear. Why did I ever take this job?

Gabe drove for blocks before Shelby looked behind her. Flipping the sun visor down, she angled it to keep Zack’s vehicle in sight. Gabe squeezed her hand on the console between them.

“How are you doing?” he asked, his eyes drifting to her and then back to the road.

She blew out a deep breath. “This is all my fault. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” he agreed a little too quickly, but without malice. “You blew it, but things happen on every undercover op. When they do, we improvise. Stop beating yourself up. It’s done.”

“But Zack’s ready to kill me.”

“So what are you going to tell him when we stop?”

“That he’s right. I screwed up. I’ll do KP or whatever he wants to make things right with him.”

Gabe chuckled, a welcome sound on her stretched-too-tight nerves. “The old beg forgiveness routine, huh? Don’t do that. Just tell him he’s right. That’s enough. He’s mad now, but he’s fair. He won’t chew you out if you don’t argue with him.”

“I’ll bake him a cake. What kind does he like? Do you know?”

“Ha. That’s easy. Chocolate. Zack’s got a sweet tooth the size of his hollow leg.”

“What kind do you like?” She had to ask.

Gabe shrugged. “I’m not much for sweets.”

“Meat and potatoes?”

“Yeah. I guess. Real food. Chicken enchiladas with roasted habaneras are good, too.”

“You like spicy food. You should’ve told me. Is that what you missed while you were overseas?”

“Nope. I missed my mom’s homemade pizza,” he said without one second’s hesitation. “Greasy, cheesy combination with ten kinds of meat and extra sauce and peppers.”

She shuddered at the cholesterol levels this guy had to have, but the conversation calmed her last frazzled nerve. “Ten kinds of meat?”

“Hey, girl, I’m from Texas. What’d you think I want on my pizza? Spinach? Tofu?”

Now it was her turn to chuckle. He had an easy way about him, as if he held no grudges. “Okay, then. Greasy, cheesy pizza with a side of beef and chocolate cake it is. My treat.”

He squeezed her fingers. “I know you were only trying to help when you went to the pharmacy. Did you see anything, though? Were there any other vehicles on the street when you left the house? At the pharmacy? Were you followed?”

She gulped, thinking back to the pharmacy parking lot. She’d tried to be careful and quick. It was early. Only she and the clerk were there. “No. I was only gone about fifteen minutes. What do you think happened?”

“Simple. Either someone planted a bomb under your car while you were inside the pharmacy or they hit it with an RPG after you’d parked. Hell, a bomb might have been in your car the whole time. We’ll have to wait to hear back from Mark to know what really happened.”


She cringed. “He’s going to scream at me, too.”

“Yeah, probably.” Gabe’s cell phone vibrated at his belt. Pulling it off his holster, he tossed it to her. “Answer that for me, would you?”

She did. Ewww. Zack. “Hello?”

“Tell your boyfriend to pull over. Now.”