Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            He tossed the first stick out the window, unable to quell his grin when it exploded right on schedule.

            People started screaming and cars came to screeching halts. Horns blared and the cruiser lights started flashing as they tried to get past the traffic jam.

            It was chaos.

            It was perfect.

            He raced around the back of the strip mall before braking. He jumped from the car, grabbing the backpack he’d stuffed with his laptop, magnetic signs, and the license plates he’d created, then the duffel with the weapons he’d stolen from Kowalski. Everything else was replaceable.

            Calm, calm, calm. Gun in hand, he ran the length of the strip mall, staying in the back.

            Luck was still with him. A woman emerged from one of the stores, struggling with the big box she carried. He could see the key fob in her hand as she jostled the box, pointing the fob at a waiting minivan. A second later the side door slid open.

            Not pausing, he ran up behind her and shoved her hard, knocking her down. She cried out, but he ignored her, grabbing her keys and shoving his duffel through the open side door. He glanced at her to see her scrambling away while pulling a cell phone from her purse.

            Shit. He shot the phone, then fired once more, feeling a pang when her body went still.

            Sorry, he thought as he climbed into the van, then wiped her from his mind as he drove away.

            He’d ditch the van ASAP, but for now he was safe.




GRANITE BAY, CALIFORNIA

            MONDAY, MAY 29, 12:30 P.M.

            “What’s happening?” Abigail asked in a small voice, clutching her puppy.

            Sitting at Irina’s kitchen table, Liza put her arm around the little girl and pulled her close. There was commotion in the foyer. “I don’t know,” she told Abigail. “But we won’t leave you.”

            “Never,” Mercy said.

            “Never,” Daisy echoed, her tone calm, but she petted poor Brutus with a frenetic energy. Brutus simply licked her hand, doing her job, helping Daisy keep her anxiety in check.

            The word was repeated by everyone gathered around the table. It was still a decent-sized group, although most of Mercy’s New Orleans friends had been taken to the airport. Farrah and her mother and fiancé remained, along with Irina, Karl, Zoya, Jeff Bunker, and his mom. Rafe and Gideon were at the front door, talking with the agents guarding them.

            Amos, who’d gone to the front door with Rafe and Gideon, returned to the kitchen, his eyes turbulent. His smile was forced. “The federal agents are going to bring in some dogs.”

            Abigail brightened. “Dogs?”

            “Not to play with,” Amos said, taking the empty chair next to Abigail. “They’re sniffing dogs. They’re . . .” He looked at Liza helplessly.

            “They’re bomb dogs,” Liza said quietly. “DJ is still out there and still wants to hurt people.”

            “He sent a bomb to Daisy’s work,” Abigail said, even more quietly.

            Amos looked startled, then resigned. “I should have known you’d figure that out,” he murmured. He opened his arms and Liza let Abigail go so that she could sit on her papa’s lap. “Ask your questions, Abi-girl.”

            “Will he send a bomb here?”

            “That’s what the dogs are going to find out,” Amos said. “They’re trained to sniff out the stuff that bombs are made from.”

            “They have a job,” Abigail said. “Like Brutus.”

            Amos kissed the top of her head. “Exactly. When they get here, we need to let them work.”

            “Okay, Papa.” She sighed, a grown-up sound. “Why does he want to hurt us?”

            Amos closed his eyes. “He’s bad, baby. Just . . . evil. But Mr. Tom and all the other officers are looking for him. We just need to be brave a little longer.”

            Abigail nodded. “We could bake. Miss Irina always bakes when she’s afraid. So do Liza and Mercy.”