His only withness

vibrated against

d one arm from ben

of the sunrise eas

curt

bre

l would call h

whoever was on the other end of t

n was not a

at the cabin." McCann s

ching for his sh

sit around and wa

ck

e are

ce

phone to the fl

head, then steppe

his ear, McCann Was in midrant

how those g

tered open. She p

her with afte

. He'd sat fora long while

hat had jus

l. He knew she

e love to him un

ated him for wha

let go. But maybe now things could

iate

ived the imm

r cheeks and Wad

t regret he saw p

y fea

ghtly around herself. She reached

. Wade waited un

t to c

ook quite a bea

this means busin

re who gets i

'd the

cross his face. "Proje

you kn

from shots you

rmined breath.

ter

sed, perhaps trying to be tactful

eed to get in here. N

and crossed to the window, pushing

nrise against the

se guys behind b

ll me un

nnect the call, b

short. What

phone back to his

to hide the satisfaction in his voice. I said we pu

Michael

ael

de's heartbeat q

r of Wade's olde

of crime boss

ether, played together, gone to s

to Wade after his

a second son. He'd

ter of fact, he'd encoura

act during the y

he family to the s

ll found it difficu

ng to do with Pr

large chunk of

ction, and it was

roject Liberation'

ny sense." Wade

a

t in h

orn statement. Yo

. Apparently, he's

watch your bac

McCann's implica

inst his

ed how often it

oise with his mou

give some thought

kid if we don't

ed from the bat

tudying Wade's f

disconnect

s that a

, taking in her sh

er gaze. Even brui

utiful. He'd neve

beaut

oing to like wha

ld her about his f

there was no time

e c

him, but Kerri dropped into a cha

last night, but this mor

feeling T'm not

this is?" Her

head. "Becaus

wed and she fr

hael Chase is inv

ned from her c

He'd always h

Just the son. Wo

and taken up with P

s twisted with

aced to the wind

staring at the o

ed th

I intend t

silence beat

e you talking ab

ith her d

ade spoke flatl

he beach. "Mi

lost

ng what he was a

hing for Kerri'

gether. He used t

m

es grew huge. "A

Is that why Pine

Ss the face, He'd expected her to

p to the worst pos

stly think I

anized

ink of

not, but the truth is, I don't know

r a lo

ed by her harsh words.

g, sitting inst

er chair and squa

hin in his fingers

ut of hi

ke softly, her voice barely audibl

anized crime, then I'd

her words sink in.

t like that, not that

hat she'd done af

best friend and

n one fe

o wh

blame Kerri

safe, but was he prepare

hat was going on

, he was operating

words w

k Kerri followin

hope like he

, but I am going

hy

off whoever it is that's after Tom.

d of the small liv

ed, he l1 be able

cking his path.

th mob

could save

n, her feature

duffel bag for a

oots. "I'm not sur

oor locked and d

going to leave

t orders and leav

pace between th

ling her close. "

er Tom, can't

her eyes bright

th to hers but

free of h

whispered thr

didn't have time

gs rig

e door, plucking

. "I'll be back

ll be here when

him in his track

cy parti

ering a look he h

f what he was

woman, Red. You

here would be th

u two won't ma

n the air. "Plus,

sit t

r and pulled it s

erri's car he shot

hought with her

mp

t out by themselv

what mig

e could protect

but his gut told b

. The man just mi

d to put a stop

f the parking lot,

e efficien

Kerri to stay pu

ly couldn't risk t

se Chase w

e t they'd be her

ARED at the clos

after Wade left. S

Chase, let alone

decided to open

ven her a reason

she fel

and shock tan

ized

hase

ected a connecti

ime she'd

ed someone to to

ey. Wasn't that w

eyes shut and b

into this mess a

fter all, she kne

putation

ck in the cha

she was. Wha

, drawing in a d

ped this bombshe

deeper into her hea

family had anything to do with t

'd... She

'd be no letting h

flirt with the type of dange

and across h

k throbbed from

efficiency for so

ief tablets. but

Tom emerged,sleepy eyed and mess

iger

ed out for him, pul

o overcome her senses. If anythin

She shoved the tho

sider the

ve any milk,

ipped his head,

a. "Didn't you sle

came t

heated Kerri's f

I...had a lot

e is

o take care

only accepting

do as it was for

upposed to e

ip. What was he

al, but no milk. P

. No

ed at how much changing his hair

hts had taken t

look really

er now-short hai

is nose. "I do

of the mouths of

onest. Me

for another mome

he box of cereal s

d made a sn

for breakfast."

ir she'd been cur

e left. "G

p. "Can we walk

ld

brain. Maybe she and Tom should

ciency while the

oned them

ont of the mirror

ough her at how di

air. No one would

udy her son. And

to recog

s hair and win

H seating areas

entrance, taking

move toward Micha

ld friend on his

uding to McCann's

t for breakfast w

in the popular di

rush, especially on a Saturday morning. One

men sat looking

thing more than

n their bulk, he

tween the bench se

ards, no doubt.

s away and reali

nd had brought b

esent a threa

hand in greeting

a nod, making h

o the opposite sid

dle of the

changed much si

ell dressed. Clos

glittering with mi

robably six four,

never hesitated to

imi

pon a time and protective but n

ider Michael a

what you were t

ael asked, his ex

nemot

ugh to ask if Wade wanted

ard, dropping hi

ite. You hea

't think I had anything

Security office says you're in

Michael tipped back his head a

e kidding me, ri

know

g t

k I'd rather put up a parking lot

tre

. "Word is you've turned against t

iberation has so

mused to threatening. "I would neve

e waitress reappeared with his co

e table. Neither ma

out of

is voice. Do I

lved with Proje

mouth dr

crook

ld worry about

family busines

ickened. "So yo

Crossing his arm

the hell wouldI

f tree-

g about that the

an come up with is

ion sites, but it

ecently has been

. "Until Pine Ridge." A slow smile

t know the old ma

rdly. Vincent Ch

ey for Sorenson

epaid the loan in f

onnection would c

his re

ome clean on th

at

no room for misunderstanding how

siness. This doe

good for you, yo

de's voice clim

to drop this whe

of the witness I convin

ack for jumping in wh

ese people committed murder. Don'

nced Tom? Tell me

rin. "So you can do what? Ride in o

tizen's

than infuriated by Michael's tone

the table with

cing in their direction, and they s

he b

udying his old fr

olice think turned a

crap." Michael clinked his mug

don't know wh

his lips and na

ifI did? You're

you get hurt." H

beration bastards

le this on

I'm on

. "I grew up wi

ow y

r en

ke the pr

ead. No. I just

sked if you w

es fell serious,

dic

old friend. "I th

g secrets as y

You need to tr

bills on the tabl

Thanks, but

money back towa

nailed Wade with a

"No one will know

hould talk to

hook h

ows lifted. "Do

alive or

I don't

a hand. You wo

bt to my dad a lon

ear, you don't

n

es you tick," Mi

there's more to this situation

e w

he interested par

ake down the

es floating thr

rky. "Why do the police

Let them think what they want. I'

ver, have a dec

for several moments. He'd vowe

ily. Once he'd repaid his loan, he

toss that aside,

tec

shove, yes. Kerr

rth any

d away from the

the door. "IIl

ckly;" Michael's

, the third tim

d against the ed

d failed Tom so fa

e two attempts had

should ha

nally brought Wa

fter all these year

nly way out fo

ice pounded

ime's t

ad anything t

s car out of the l

d Wil

ight be the char

ower to make sure to the