Lisa Phillips - Star Witness

“I know that. Aaron, I just—”

“Thought we should be friends? Is that what you want? Or do you want me to keep you safe from the guy who wants you dead? Because you can’t have it both ways. That’s not how this works.”

Mackenzie stepped back and her face blanked. “I’ll be in my office. Try not to start any more fights, okay? I’m only going to grab my purse.”

He followed her, unwilling to mess up the only thing that would keep Eric’s respect when he found out Aaron was responsible for the failed mission and his teammate’s medical discharge. He watched her switch off her computer and shut out the lights. The other woman who worked there—Eva—met them in the lobby.

“So I’ll meet you at the restaurant? Or are you going home to change first?”

Aaron glanced between them. “What’s this?”

Mackenzie sighed. “I forgot to mention it. I’m really sorry, Eva.”

She thought Aaron wasn’t going to let her go?

Eva glanced between them before her attention settled on Mackenzie. “But you have to come out. You promised. It’ll be fun, I’m telling you. All-you-can-eat appetizers and we’ll splurge on something chocolate for dessert even though we don’t need it. Come on, what do you say?”

Mackenzie clearly wanted to go. Did she not want him tagging along and putting a crimp in girl’s night out? Well, too bad.

Aaron smiled. “Sounds great. I’m in.”

Eva’s eyes flickered, but she recovered quickly. “Sure, why not.”

Aaron stuck his hand out. “Aaron Hanning, nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “Eva Partez.”

“Mackenzie and I’ll meet you there. All right?”

Mackenzie swallowed. “Sure.”

He grabbed her elbow and led her out before she could change her mind. Mackenzie locked the front doors as Eva sped off in a black Mustang with the top down. The sun had turned the sky pink and Aaron had to sidestep so he could see Mackenzie’s face without the glare.

“All-you-can-eat appetizers?”

Mackenzie sighed. “She’s been asking me to hang out with her for weeks and I finally broke down yesterday and agreed. I actually thought it would be fun, but now that Carosa might have sent someone to kill me...”

“Carosa? As in the Colombian drug cartel?”

She hesitated for a minute, and then nodded.

“So that’s who the guy in the picture was.” He whistled. “You don’t mess around, do you? But don’t worry. I’ll be there to keep you safe, whatever this is. That’s why Eric asked me to stay.”

“Why would you? I mean, it’s kind of clear that you don’t really like me. Why would you give up your time to protect someone who basically means nothing more to you than some stranger on the street?”

“What I’m protecting is Eric’s witness. It’s his career on the line because of your safety. And I never said I didn’t like you.”

“Seemed kind of obvious to me.”

“Well, I’m—” he swallowed “—sorry for that. In the future, I’ll try to be...nicer.”

Mackenzie laughed. “That was hard for you to say, wasn’t it? Big tough guy like you. It must be rough, having to be pleasant.”

Aaron didn’t like one bit that she was laughing at him. “Let’s just get going, okay?” He grabbed her elbow again and headed down the street toward where he’d parked his truck.

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Haul me around like a sack of potatoes.”

He loosened his grip but didn’t let go. “Guess I need to be nicer about that, too. I don’t usually work with people who are willing to cooperate. I normally have to push a lot harder to get the result I want.”

“Then maybe you should just try asking nicely.”

“Is it going to be as uncomfortable as apologizing?”

Mackenzie laughed. “Probably.”

Okay, when her face brightened like that he didn’t much mind that she was teasing him. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having to be around her for a couple of weeks. He could get used to sparring with Mackenzie Winters.

Aaron opened the passenger door for her, like a gentleman was supposed to. Unfortunately that meant they both got a look at the interior. Last night he hadn’t been in any shape to apologize for the state of his truck. He’d just shoved everything into the middle to make a space for her. But now he saw exactly how bad it was. The foot well had a bunch of fast-food wrappers tossed there, and the passenger seat was under his jacket, a duffel bag and two gel packs that weren’t frozen anymore.

Aaron tossed the duffel and jacket behind the bench seat and motioned to the seat. “Your chariot, my lady.”

“Why, thank you, kind sir.”

When he pulled out, he scanned the street while Mackenzie stared at him again.

“So what are we going to tell Eva about you? I mean, you did just show up out of the blue, so we can’t pretend you’re my new boyfriend. What about my cousin?”

He glanced at her and then back at the road. “Why do we need to have a story?”

“Isn’t that what people do in these situations? Develop a cover story. Perhaps you could be my cousin from out of town, recently laid off from your job of hunting down rogue skunks in the Alaskan wilderness.”

“Rogue skunks?”

“Or something.”

He smiled. “Judging by the contents of the bookshelves in your living room, it doesn’t surprise me you have a vivid imagination.”

Mackenzie folded her arms. “What’s wrong with what I read?”

Aaron waved away her question. “I’m not even going to get started on what’s wrong with your taste in books. You really don’t want to know.”

“Well, what have you read lately?”

She probably thought he didn’t know how. He smiled. “Dr. Seuss.”

“Like when you were six?”

He nearly laughed. “No, a couple of weeks ago. There was this kid in the hospital who had burned his hands, so he couldn’t hold the book. I hung out with him a while before I got discharged. Sweet kid.”

“Seriously?”

“What? It was a nice thing to do.”

“It was.”

He pulled across an intersection, about a mile from the restaurant. “And you’re the only one who can help kids?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s just contrary to what I’ve seen from you before. You were a little...gruff earlier.”

“I apologized then.”

“And I accepted. I’m just saying—” Mackenzie froze.

A black van came at the front left corner of the truck. Another van came from the right, boxing them in. The two vehicles moved closer together, tightening the noose. Aaron gripped the wheel, fighting to keep them from bouncing off the side of one van into the other.

* * *

The vans screeched to a halt, stopping Aaron’s truck with them. The door on one van slid back, and Mackenzie gasped as hooded men in black fatigues with big guns poured out. More appeared behind them, cocooning them in the truck. All the weapons were lifted and pointed at Aaron.

“Let the girl out!”

Aaron gripped the wheel with both hands but didn’t move or speak.

“Um...Aaron?”

One of the men in all black moved toward her door.

“Put it in Reverse.” Aaron spoke, but his lips barely moved.

“What?”

“They can see both my hands. Reach over and put it in Reverse.” He pushed out a breath. “Now.”

He moved his foot to the clutch. Mackenzie ground the gearshift, wincing at the sound. Before she was barely done, Aaron’s foot hit the gas and they flew backward. She screamed and gripped the dash. The truck spun in an arc, Aaron changed gears again and they sped forward. She looked back. “They’re right behind us. They’re chasing us.”

“I know.”

“They didn’t shoot, though.”