Barb Han - Hard Target

He’d witnessed all kinds of crazy.

In fact, in six years with Border Patrol, he’d seen just about everything. And a whole lot of nothing, too, especially when he was a rookie.

“Eye color?”

“Green, I think.”

They were hazel, but lots of people confused hazel with green or blue. The description was close enough. “Thank you, sir. That clears everything up.”

“She’ll be back to work next Monday, right?”

Reed figured the boss wanted the answer to his question more for personal reasons than anything else. “I don’t see why not.”

“And she’s okay? You’re sure?”

Another sprig of jealousy sprouted. “She is. That’s all the information I need. Have a nice—”

“I don’t want to ask anything inappropriate, but our job requires a certain level of security clearance. She hasn’t gone and done anything that might jeopardize her position at work, has she?”

“Why would she do that?” Reed knew she wasn’t telling him something, but he doubted she was involved in criminal activity. Couldn’t rule it out yet. Even though his instincts never lied, he preferred logic and evidence. Did this whole episode have to do with her job? What would she have to gain?

A relieved sigh came across the line. “She wouldn’t. At least, I don’t think she would. I guess you can never really tell about people, but I don’t have to tell you that. Not in your line of work.”

The man finally said something smart. “Desperate people can do all kinds of interesting things.”

“I’m sure. I already asked, but she’s okay, right?”

“Yeah. She’ll be back to work next week, and I’m sure she’ll explain everything then.” Reed ended the call.

“I lost my job, didn’t I?” She sounded defeated. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You didn’t tell me everything,” he hedged.

She repositioned in her seat.

“You’re tired and hungry, so I’m afraid you’re going to make a bad choice. Whatever you’re running from, I can help you.”

She deadpanned him. “No. You can’t.”

“Not if you don’t tell me what it is.”

“I won’t run. Please don’t take me in.” Her wide hazel eyes pleaded.

“There’s protocol for situations like these. You came into the country in a shipment full of guns. Who do they belong to?”

“I’d tell you if I knew.” Tears welled in her eyes.

“I need a name. They’ll take it easy on you if you cooperate.”

“Are you arresting me?” She glanced toward the field to her right.

Was she getting ready to make her move?

He started the engine, determined to keep her from making another mistake she’d regret. “Buckle up. We can finish this conversation over a burger.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Are you going to arrest me?” she repeated slowly, as if he was dim.

“No. Why? Do you plan on giving me a reason to?”

The drive to the nearest fast-food burger place was quiet. His passenger closed her eyes and laid her head back.

She didn’t open them when he pulled into the drive-through lane and ordered two burgers, two fries and two milkshakes at the speaker box.

Reed gripped the steering wheel tighter, thinking about what she’d been through in the past few days. He also realized she was keeping secrets. Professional curiosity had him wanting to find out what they were. Or was it something else?

He dismissed the idea as standing in the sun too long back at the docks. His interest in Emily Baker was purely professional.

At this point, he’d classify her as a witness. However, she was walking a fine line of being moved into another category—suspect—and she didn’t want to be there. He should probably haul her up to Homeland Security and be done.

But he couldn’t.

Something in those hazel eyes told him there was a bigger story, one that frightened her to the point of almost becoming mute.

If she talked, he might be able to track down gun runners, or get the connection he needed to stop another coyote from dumping illegals across the border. Heck, most died of dehydration before they ever reached their desired location. She was weak. No way was she illegal, but they used the same paths for everything from human trafficking to gun running. Besides, maybe she had information that could help him make a bust. The innocence and desperation in her voice had drawn him in. He needed to make sure she’d be okay.

He couldn’t turn his back on her any more than he could walk away from one of his sisters. Something about Emily brought out a similar protective instinct, but that’s where the similarities ended. Nothing else about her reminded him of his siblings.

After paying at the window, he accepted the food. There was a shady spot in the parking lot across the street. He pulled into it and parked.

She blinked her eyes open when he cut off the engine.

He unwrapped a burger and handed it to her. “It’s not steak, but it should help with your hunger.”

Her eyes lit up as she took the offering. “That smells nothing short of amazing.”

A few bites into her meal, she set her burger down. “I don’t understand. I’m famished but I can’t finish it.”

Poor thing was starving. Another fact in this case that made Reed want to punch something.

It was one thing for traffickers and drug pushers to maim and kill each other, but to drag women and children into their web made his fists clench and his jaw muscle tick. Five minutes alone with any one of them, and he’d leave his badge and gun outside the door.

“That was the best food I’ve ever had,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Ouch. Sorry. I’m bleeding again.” She searched the empty food bag and seemed to fight back tears. “You’ve been really nice to me and I don’t want to get blood on your clean white shirt.”

“Nothing to worry about.” Reed handed her his napkin. “It’s an old shirt. A little blood won’t hurt anything.”

Her back was ramrod. He wasn’t any closer to getting her to trust him.

Maybe softening his approach would work. “Believe me when I say I’ve had to clean up worse than that. The shirt’s yours. Keep it.”

She apologized again. Her bottom lip quivered, indicating she was probably on the brink of losing it. Who could blame her? She’d been amazingly strong so far.

For now, the person of interest in his passenger seat was safe and calm. She’d had a few minutes to think about where she might end up if she didn’t give him something to work with. “Why’d they really hit you?”

She searched nearby shrubs and buildings as if expecting the men who’d hurt her to jump out from behind one.

Fear was a powerful tool.

Whoever hurt her did a good job of making her believe he’d come back for more if she gave him up. “I know this is tough. Believe me. But it’s the only way I can help you.”

She brought her hands up to rub her temples and trained her gaze on the patch of cement in front of the Jeep. She was teetering on the edge.

He was getting close to a breakthrough. “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this. I don’t care what they threatened. The US government is bigger than whoever did this to you.”

A few tears fell, streaking her cheeks.

“Whatever they said, don’t believe them.”

She dropped her hands to her lap, and then turned toward him. Her hazel eyes pierced right through him. “You give me your personal promise to protect me?”

Chapter Three

If Agent Campbell made one wrong blink, Emily had already decided she’d bolt. She’d put it out there and asked him to make a commitment. Now it was his turn to make a move.

“It’s my job to—”

“I want to know if you promise to protect me. And not just because of your badge.” Even though he was a stranger, everything about the agent next to her said he was a man of his word. If he made a personal pledge, she’d trust him a little.