Leslie smirked and averted his gaze.

  “Where’s the next bomb?”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Chapter Six

  Andi and Victor helped Leslie slide into the back of the SUV as reporters, ambulances, and the fire department all showed up.

  “Agent Easton, is it true you’ve arrested the suspect involved with the two bombings?” Julie, a GNG news reporter, asked.

  “No comment.”

  “Surely you can give the citizens some type of update.”

  “No comment.”

  “Interesting how you’re quiet on the subject but have close ties to the Hawthorn family.”

  Andi felt she was trying to have a gotcha moment. “No comment,” she repeated for the third time, climbing into the front seat.

  Victor shook his head, driving back to headquarters.

  Andi watched through the rearview mirror as the reporter stared at their vehicle as they drove off. “She’s going to be a problem.”

  “All of them are,” Victor replied.

  Thirty minutes later, Andi locked Leslie’s wrists to the table in the interrogation room and removed her jacket, taking a seat in front of him. She flipped open his file. “Leslie Witherberg, born and raised in DC.”

  Leslie ignored her.

  “Leslie, the only thing you should be worried about is whether you’ll get to say goodbye to your family,” Victor stated.

  “I had nothing to do with any bombings,” Leslie muttered.

  “Why do we have you on photo delivering a video with Senator Hawthorn to the Hawthorn home?” Andi asked.

  “I get paid to deliver.” Leslie shrugged.

  “DC Flower Galore has been closed for the past two years.”

  “I work freelance.”

  “Under their brand, and you expect me to believe that?”

  “Look, I bought a van like that from some guy.”

  “What guy?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  “Leslie, you realize we hold all the cards. I’m doing this interview to help you.”

  “You’re all the same.”

  “Agent Easton to you.”

  “I have nothing to hide, Agent Easton.”

  “So tell me about the video,” Victor questioned

  Andi quickly followed up with another one. “What is your relationship to Levi Baldwin?”

  “My job was to deliver the tape, I’d get money, and keep the van.”

  “So you didn’t buy the van.”

  “No.”

  “A lie. Leslie, this isn’t going in your favor.” Andi sat back in the chair.

  “He asked if I wanted to make some extra money to take the van and deliver the tape.”

  “Who?” Andi shouted.

  “Marlin Hawthorn!” Leslie screamed.

  Andi and Victor paused in astonishment. “What else?”

  Leslie drew a deep, audible breath. “That’s all I know.”

  Director Morgan poked his head in and waved for them to come out.

  “Sir, we’re not finished,” Andi informed him.

  “You are for now. We just got another call,” Morgan expressed.

  “Where?”

  “A school.” Morgan clenched his fists.

  Andi’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “A school,” Victor murmured.

  “We need to get over there.”

  “They gave us ten minutes before it’ll go off but didn’t tell us where it’s placed.”

  “What about Senator Hawthorn?”

  “He’s dead, Andi.”

  “But—”

  “I’m sorry. His body was dropped off in front of the school.”

  Andi covered her mouth in shock. “They didn’t give us enough time.”

  “I agree, but we need to save those kids.”

  “Keep someone on Leslie and get Marlin Hawthorn down here.” Andi grabbed her keys, phone, and gun and ran out of the office with some of her team.

  The team piled into trucks, geared up in vests and protection. The bomb squad led the way to the school. As soon as they approached, Andi noticed a news van behind them. She cursed under her breath and closed her eyes to control her anger.

  “We have a guest.” Andi pointed at the mirror for the team to check, and they all groaned in frustration and anger.

  “Have the police block them off,” Victor commanded through the radio.

  Sirens aired to get them through traffic lights, and Andi wondered if things would ever be the same in the city after the scares they’d dealt with lately.

  Her phone rang, and she lifted it to see the blocked number. It must be them. “A school?” Andi seethed.

  “I had to get your attention, Agent Easton.”

  “Tell me who I’m speaking to.”

  “My demands were clear, and you decided to ignore them.”

  “Releasing terrorists will never happen.”

  “Then more bloodshed will occur.”

  “What’s your relationship with Leslie?”

  “Oh, Leslie happens to be expendable.”

  “Marlin Hawthorn?”

  The phone went silent.

  “How much is Marlin paying you?”

  “Money isn’t my motive, Andi. This country is going to learn.”

  “By giving two terrorists freedom?”

  “Look at it as a favor to me.”

  “Marlin?”

  “Sorry, not Marlin, but I will say he didn’t know we’d kill his brother.”

  Andi held the phone on speaker. “If we release them, will you tell us where the bomb is?”

  “Time is running out. You’ll have to find it, Agent Easton.” He dropped the call.

  Andi slammed her hand on the dashboard. “I want Marlin arrested now!”

  Victor checked the time on his watch. “Already being done.”

  A few minutes later, the team climbed out of the trucks and started directing traffic, cutting people off the block. One agent came with a map of the school and placed it on top of the SUV, and they scanned over the documents as the principal walked out with a few teachers.

  Victor introduced himself, then Andi.

  “Principal Hudson.” Andi extended her hand.

  “Yes, I got a call about a bomb threat,” Principal Hudson responded.

  “We received a tip about a possible threat and don’t want to cause any alarm.”

  “Does this have anything to do with the other bombings?” Principal Hudson worried.

  Andi explained, “At this time, we are still gathering information. For now, we need to get to work.”

  “No one is to go in or out. We only have a small window,” Victor instructed.

  “Oh, my God.” Andi put a hand to her chest. “It’s already been a minute.”

  “Get the team in there and start to pull kids out.”

  Andi reached for her phone as it rang.

  “All of this can end if you release my men.”

  “We have a deal,” Andi hurriedly answered.

  The voice spat, “You’re lying.”

  “I’ve no reason to lie. Tell us where the bomb is, and I’ll arrange the release.” Andi snapped her finger and pointed to her phone.

  Victor muttered to the team to trace the call.

  He demanded, “I want them unescorted with a camera and phone attached.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  Andi looked around the onlookers piled up, including news reporters, and saw one tall figure with a phone to his ear turned away while everyone else was facing forward. Andi scratched the back of her neck and sent a signal with her chin toward the crowd. Victor caught on and faced the people behind the barrier. He scanned the crowd and saw the man with a phone to his ear and something in his hand.

  “Come with me, and you two take the left, right spread out, but don’t cause interruption.”

  Victor motioned with his hand for Andi to keep him talking.

  Andi moved in closer to the crowd while still on the phone.

  “You’ll have one hour to release my men.”

  “You never told me why.”

  “Obviously, you know nothing about loyalty.”

  “Loyalty?” she repeated.

  “Ted Hawthorn wasn’t loyal to Marlin and wanted to sell his company.”

  “Sell to who?”

  “I wanted my men to be free, and he wanted Ted removed.”

  Andi watched the anger appear on his face as he talked.

  Victor placed his hand on his gun, ready to attack.

  “Comes down to money for some and freedom for others.”

  “We are alike, Agent Easton.”

  “No, I’m nothing like you. Put your hands in the air, and don’t move.” Andi held her gun on the back of his head.

  Victor snatched the alarm out of his hand and ran to the bomb squad as other officers handcuffed and turned the man around to face Andi.

  He smiled. “Nice to meet you, Agent Andi Easton.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Gregor Vlahos, and we’re just getting started.”

  The officer walked him to the cruiser and pushed him into the back seat.

  Victor sprinted back to her. “We got it defused.”

  “The bomb is completely disabled?”

  “Yeah, and the kids have no clue.”

  “To distract them, let them watch a movie.”

  Andi gazed at Gregor in the back seat. He turned to face her and grinned.

  “Agent Easton, do you have a comment on what took place here today?” Julie’s fingers gripped the microphone, waving for her cameraman to aim at Andi.

  Andi blocked the camera from her face. “No.”

  “The public deserves to know.”

  “A statement will be made when the time is right.”

  Andi left her dumbstruck and marched back to the G-ride. She shut the door, covering her face to gather her thoughts and calm her anxiety.

  “Marlin, what have you done?” Andi whispered to herself.

  Andi slammed papers on the desk and sipped from her coffee after a long afternoon of cat-and-mouse games. Gregor was set up in one room, and Marlin—with his lawyer—came in on edge after he was arrested at his home and was in another room. Hilary had called and messaged back-to-back, but Andi avoided her.

  Victor shoved a file folder on top of his desk, removed the top, and started to pull out its contents.

  “Is that everything about Gregor?”

  “One Gregor Vlahos from Greece with ties to countries on the terrorist list.

  “Let me guess, those who want to destroy our country.”

  “Ding, ding.”

  “Somehow, I have to tell my best friend her father helped to kill her uncle.”

  Victor picked up his coffee and nodded in response. “You can’t take on their problems, Andi.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  “Marlin has business ties to a lot of companies offering him more money than he could imagine. All they wanted in return was their men to be released.”

  “So they can go off and figure out a way to kill us again.”

  “It seems Marlin wanted the bill to die in Congress. He has text messages back and forth with Ted.”

  “Ted wouldn’t take a bribe from him.” Andi read the messages.

  “Levi isn’t involved to the extent like Marlin.” Victor showed her the bank trail from Marlin to Gregor.

  “Hilary and Dee will still be devastated.”

  “Easton, Conway, they’re ready.” Director Morgan waved from outside the interrogation room.

  Andi placed her coffee on the desk, picked up her jacket, slid her arms inside, and pulled herself together. She saw the smug look on Marlin’s face, without remorse, and shook her head.

  “Mr. Hawthorn,” Andi muttered.

  Marlin responded, “Andi, I’m truly disappointed in you.”

  “In me,” Andi chuckled.

  Marlin sat with hands clasped together and legs crossed. “Yes, all of this is a misunderstanding.”

  Andi slammed her hands down and hovered over the table.

  “Andi,” Director Morgan called her name.

  “You are pathetic.”

  “Dear, you need to realize all I did was business. All of my paper is legit.”

  “Kids could have died,” Andi yelled and kicked her chair back.

  “Director Morgan, if you don’t control your agent, I will have to ask her to leave,” Marlin’s lawyer explained.

  “Hilary looked up to you.”

  Marlin dropped the smile and glared.

  “Innocent people have died because of your greed.”

  “Everything I’ve done is above board, documents signed off correctly.”

  “Doesn’t matter how you place it in a box. You still had your brother killed,” Andi said.

  “What proof do you have?”

  “Gregor confessed already,” Victor blurted.

  Marlin leaned toward his lawyer and whispered.

  His lawyer replied, “Mr. Vlahos is a well-known terrorist.”

  “It’s a matter of life in prison or death penalty—”

  “Now, hold on.” His lawyer raised his hand to interrupt.

  Chapter Seven

  They questioned Gregor Vlahos hours into the night and looked into his past. Andi finally left the office drained physically and mentally from the lies she’d uncovered. She waved good night to Victor and Director Morgan, then shut her door and closed her eyes before she decided to get on the road.

  The radio clock showed midnight, and Andi was ready to get home to her bed. She held her badge up to the guard, who opened the gate for her to exit and pull onto the streets heading toward her home. Andi pulled up to the traffic light and tapped her fingers against the steering wheel to keep herself awake. When the light changed green, she nudged forward.

  There was a sudden crunch of metal, and her Honda swerved. She was hit on the passenger side and gripped the wheel to avoid hitting another vehicle. In a haze, she saw two gunmen wearing ski masks jog over. She unbuckled her seat belt, pushed the door open, and fell to the ground as bullets littered the vehicle. Andi felt blood on her head as other cars continued to pass by. She reached for her gun, and through the blood seeping down her forehead, she shot one gunman in the leg.

  He yelled as the other gunman ran toward the driver’s side and saw it was empty. He looked in the rest of the car, then up to see Andi running down the block.

  Bullets ricocheted around her and Andi turned briefly to send shots back at him. She scanned the block before running toward an apartment building. Slipping behind a guest pulling through the gate, she sprinted inside and saw a security guard.

  Out of breath, she demanded, “I need to use your phone.”

  “What’s going on?” he questioned.

  “There’s—”

  A bullet went through his head. Andi ran around the desk and shot back at the suspect.

  “Awwwh!”

  Andi checked the guard’s pulse and felt nothing. He was gone, and she knew it was her fault.

  “Ugh!”

  Andi heard the cry of pain, then lifted the phone and dialed.

  “Conway.”

  Andi’s breaths were slow, and her head pounded. “Victor, I need you to meet me at… Thirty-six and Adams.”

  “Andi?”

  “Yeah, it’s a shoot-out. And send an ambulance to a car crash down the block.”

  Andi dropped the phone, walked over to the suspect slowly, and kicked his gun away. “Who sent you?”

  “Fuck you.” He reached down to his ankle, and she saw another gun.

  “Don’t do it!”

  “This is for Vlahos!” he yelled.

  Andi shot him over and over again.

  Sirens blared, and seconds later, Victor arrived with backup and saw Andi bent over at the guard station.

  “Andi.”

  “Victor.” Andi let him take the gun out of her hands.

  “It’s me. I got you.”

  “I need to get back to the bureau.”

  “No, a hospital is what you need.”

  Victor helped her into the back of the ambulance, and she lay down as they started to check her over.

  “Vlahos had this planned all along.”

  “Relax, I got the team on it now. They must have been following you after you left.”

  “They killed a guard.”

  “We need to put an oxygen mask on you,” an EMT said.

  “Victor, stay.”

  “You’re stuck with me,” Victor answered and patted her hand.

  The ambulance drove from the scene and headed to the hospital as more police came upon the crash site and apartment building.

  Two days later, Andi shook hands with the doctor after she was handed her discharge papers, and Victor waited to take her home. The door opened to her parents and brother with balloons.

  “Andi, they’re letting you go?” her dad asked.

  “It’s just bruises, and I can rest at home.”

  “Are you sure?” her brother challenged.

  “Andi’s breathing and blood pressure are under control. She’s more than ready to be out of here,” the doctor joked.

  “She wouldn’t have been here if she had a different job,” her mother quipped, and the laughter stopped.

  “Victor, you remember my parents, Jed and Paula Easton, and my brother, Aaron.” Andi motioned between the three.

  “Nice to meet you.” Victor extended his hand to her dad and brother. Her mom rolled her eyes and ignored him.

  Jed chastised, “Not today, Paula.”

  “Mom, if you’re going to be negative, it could have waited for me when I came for family dinner,” Andi challenged.

  Paula sat the balloons on the chair. “Andi, don’t start with me.”

  Andi avoided her glare. “Victor, can you drop me off at home?”

  “Um, sure.”

  “We can take you, sis,” Aaron said.

  “I’ll call you later, Aaron.”

  “You had us driving up here for nothing,” Paula spat.

  “Paula, let me talk to you outside,” Jed grumbled.

  All heads turned around as Whitney entered, and Andi knew things could escalate even further between her brother and Whitney.

 

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