Debra Webb - Colby vs Colby

“ Sleep if you need to .”

The deep, gravelly sound of his voice made Lisa restless. Looking at him would only make it worse, make her feel those things she wasn’t supposed to feel – that thread of electricity that somehow tethered them.

Lisa took off her sneakers and socks, put her ankle holster in the drawer of the bedside table and her .22 under her pillow. She lay back on the cool sheets. Sam had already turned out the dim sconce, leaving the room dark but for the light coming in through the window.

“It would be so easy to get you the kind of backup you need if you’d only tell me the whole story, Sam. You know they’re going to kill you, don’t you?”

Sam turned away from the window. The curtains fell back into place behind him. He took a step towards the bed. “They’re going to try.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debra Webb was born in Scottsboro, Alabama, to parents who taught her that anything is possible if you want it badly enough. She began writing at age nine. Eventually, she met and married the man of her dreams, and tried some other occupations, including selling vacuum cleaners, working in a factory, a day-care centre, a hospital and a department store. When her husband joined the military, they moved to Berlin, Germany, and Debra became a secretary in the commanding general’s office. By 1985 they were back in the States, and finally moved to a small town in Tennessee, where everyone knows everyone else. With the support of her husband and two beautiful daughters, Debra took up writing again, looking to mystery and movies for inspiration. In 1998, her dream of writing books came true. You can write to Debra at PO Box 64, Huntland, Tennessee 37345, USA or visit her website at www.debrawebb.com to find out exciting news about her next book.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Sam Johnson– Former forensics expert with the LAPD. Sam knows how to keep a secret, but this one might just get him killed.

Lisa Smith– Los Angeles priority homicide detective. Lisa will do whatever it takes to find the truth.

Jim Colby– The head of the Equalizers and the son of Victoria Colby-Camp. Jim needs his mother to trust him to live his own life.

Victoria Colby-Camp– The head of the Colby Agency. Victoria wants the best for her son but she is afraid he has bitten off too much with the Equalizers.

Tasha Colby– Jim’s wife and the mother of their daughter Jamie.

Spencer Anders– Former Special Forces major Anders is one of the associates at the Equalizers.

Connie Gardner– The receptionist and sometimes field operative for the Equalizers.

Renee Vaughn– A former prosecutor. The Equalizers have given her a chance to infuse some danger into her life.

Charles Sanford– Veteran LAPD priority homicide detective and Lisa’s partner.

James Watts– Deceased leader of the notorious gang known as the Crew. James made a deal with Sam Johnson – is that why he’s dead?

Lil Watts– Current leader of the Crew.

Buster Houston– Leader of the Nation, sworn enemy of the Crew. Buster rules by the old school.

DEBRA WEBB

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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This book is dedicated to the City of

Los Angeles, one of the coolest places on earth.

A place where nothing is as it seems and all

is as it should be.

Chapter One

Chicago’s South side Tuesday, June 4, 9:48 p.m .

“And there she goes,” Jim Colby murmured as he watched the young woman dart across the dark, deserted street. “Victim number three is in position.”

Sam Johnson moved his head from side to side. “How can these kids be so gullible?” He just didn’t get it. With the news reporting way too often on the dirty business of runaways being sold into slavery, he just didn’t see how anyone could be so oblivious to the dangers. And yet it was happening right in front of his eyes, as he sat watching from a beat-up Chevy Impala.

“Time to shut these scumbags down.”

Following Jim’s cue, Sam exited the passenger side. The vehicle’s interior light had been disabled to ensure they weren’t spotted by anyone watching the street.

Using the vehicles parked along the block as cover, Sam stole halfway up the block before pausing to survey the situation once more. Jim had taken the direct route to the office building abandoned by day and used for criminal rendezvous by night. Jim would put in a call to Chicago PD for backup as soon as he verified that all known players were in position. The Equalizers could tag and move in on this group, but the final arrests had to be made by official law enforcement personnel.

Sam hustled across the street and crouched at the rear of an SUV. If these scumbags had any spotters keeping watch, they were either asleep or blind. He steeled himself for possible confrontation and ran the last twenty yards to the northeast corner of the building inside which the despicable transaction would go down.

According to Jim, the location had once been an adoption agency. Sam found that ironic since the business taking place here most recently involved another sort of adoption: the selling of young women to the highest bidders.

Three females, ranging in age from seventeen to twenty-six, were inside. Two of those three didn’t realize just yet that this was going to be one of the luckiest days of their lives. The third victim was a plant. Connie Gardner, the receptionist from the Equalizers, had agreed to step into that role. At twenty-six, Connie didn’t look a day over twenty-one. Having a great body and the right look ensured she fit the profile.

Top priority was neutralizing the bad guys while maintaining the safety and well-being of the three women about to be auctioned via a private chat room on the Internet. If those scumbags inside knew what was good for them they would keep their hands off Connie. She knew how to make life miserable in a New York minute.

From his position at the main entrance, Colby tapped the mike to indicate all players were now present and visually accounted for.

Sam eased around the corner of the building, surveyed the back parking area and then hustled over to the ground-floor rear entrance. He tapped his collar mike, giving Colby the signal that he was in position. Colby would call his contact at Chicago PD and four minutes from now the world as these jerks knew it would change forever. Unfortunately, another group would take their place far too quickly.

As if to warn that the night was about to take a turn for the worst, another kind of change came earlier than Sam had anticipated. One of the hoodlums barreled out the rear entrance and ran square into him.

Sam and his startled attacker tumbled to the ground and rolled as each attempted to gain control of the other. Sam resisted the urge to use his weapon. His enemy had dropped his weapon when they hit the ground. No need to use excessive force. His assailant went for Sam’s throat. Weapon or no, the guy was determined to win this battle. At least until Sam applied just enough pressure to the carotid artery. The man slumped, unconscious. Sam shoved him off and clambered to his feet.