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  “He had an unfortunate accident,” Romero replied.

  The driver snickered.

  Romero had killed him. Or had him killed. Nora’s stomach clenched. For allowing her to escape.

  “One day someone will stop you, Ivan,” she warned. “It’s only a matter of time.”

  He smiled at her. That repulsive, sinister expression that screamed of evil victory. “But not today.” He reached into his jacket and withdrew a small-caliber handgun. Elegant pearl handle. “I’ve been saving this for a special occasion.”

  Nora’s pulse skipped into a rapid staccato. “For blowing your brains out?” She couldn’t think of anything more special than that.

  That evil gaze narrowed.

  “Oh, wait.” She bopped the heel of her hand against her forehead. “What am I thinking? You have to have a brain before you can blow it out.”

  He jammed the shiny muzzle against her forehead. “You are not nearly so smart as you think, Nora. Your luck just ran out.”

  “What the hell?” echoed from the front seat.

  The gun still boring into Nora’s skull, Romero glanced at his driver. “What?”

  “There’s a car—”

  Something hit the back of the SUV. Hard. Nora bumped the back of the seat in front of her. Romero did the same. The SUV sped up, propelling them both back into their seats.

  Nora grabbed Romero’s wrist, shoved his arm upward.

  An explosion echoed inside the vehicle. Glass shattered behind her.

  She shoved harder, pushing him into the door on his side of the vehicle. There was nothing she could do but try to keep the business end of the weapon pointed away from her.

  Another jolt against the back of the vehicle, throwing Nora on top of Romero. His surprise gave her enough leverage to push his hand fully away from her.

  A second explosion rent the air.

  The SUV swerved…bumped across the ditch.

  The weapon flew out of Romero’s hand.

  Nora scrambled onto the floorboard after it.

  Romero climbed over the seat.

  Nora’s fingers wrapped around the pearl handle.

  The SUV lurched.

  A jolting stop.

  Suddenly the vehicle was falling…onto its side.

  Her stomach rocketed into her throat as she rolled with the momentum.

  The crash seemed to echo forever.

  For a moment she lay there, attempting to gather her wits. The engine still hummed.

  Her fingers remained clasped around the butt of the weapon.

  Where was Romero?

  She got herself into an upright position and peered over the seat.

  The driver’s head was bleeding.

  Romero lay crumpled between the steering wheel and the windshield.

  Nora blinked. He was still breathing. No blood that she could see. His right leg was in bad shape. Twisted at an odd angle. When he regained consciousness, that was going to hurt like hell.

  Only the driver was bleeding.

  She reached around to check his pulse.

  Shock radiated through her.

  He was dead.

  Then she saw the reason.

  The blood had oozed from a small hole in the back of his head. She leaned down to get a look at his face. No exit wound that she could see.

  Even though she didn’t care if he was dead or alive, she checked Romero’s pulse, as well. Just to be sure. She made a disparaging sound. You couldn’t kill an evil bastard like that.

  “Nora!”

  Her heart leaped. Tallant…Ted. “Yeah, I’m okay!”

  It took him a minute to get a door open, but he managed. Tears welled in her eyes. If he hadn’t given chase and rammed the SUV…

  He pulled her out, dragged her into his arms.

  “What the hell did you do that for? You should have stayed in the house.”

  She hugged him hard, the damned little gun still clutched in her hand. “I didn’t want him to kill you because of me.”

  Ted drew back and stared into her eyes. “I had things under control.”

  She shook her head. Swiped at the moisture on her cheeks. “I didn’t know. I was afraid…for you.”

  “Come on.” He pulled her against him. “I called for emergency medical support. They’ll be here soon. Trinity Barrett is on his way, as well.”

  She glanced back at the overturned SUV. “Maybe that bastard will die before they get here.”

  “He’s not going to get away this time,” Ted assured her. “The Colby Agency won’t stop until he’s finished.”

  That was one thing Nora understood now with complete certainty. The Colby Agency was a force to be reckoned with. Even if they did play so close to the rules.

  She stalled. “There’s another vehicle at the house where Dr. Vandiver and Camille Soto are hiding out.”

  Before the words were fully out of her mouth, Ted was running in that direction.

  A little wobbly at first, Nora raced after him.

  To Nora’s knowledge, Mrs. Vandiver had not been found. The idea that Dr. Vandiver was convinced his wife was trying to kill him sent a new fire into Nora’s muscles.

  If she had given Rocky the slip…had gotten here somehow…

  She might have killed Vandiver and his mistress already.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ted pressed his ear to the wall near the front entrance in an attempt to make out the shouted words from inside.

  Female. Two different voices.

  Confirmed his assumption that Heather Vandiver was here. The rental in the driveway bore a California license plate.

  He held up a hand as Nora neared the steps, then motioned for her to go around back. She hustled around the corner of the house.

  Male voice.

  Dr. Vandiver.

  Whatever was happening inside, it was growing increasingly tense as Ted listened.

  He reached toward the door, rapped hard.

  The shouting stopped.

  Ted banged on the door a second time.

  Scrambling sounds inside had him reaching for the knob.

  More shouts. A scream.

  Weapon drawn, Ted burst through the door.

  Heather Vandiver waved a handheld device at him.

  Taser.

  That certainly answered one question.

  Dr. Vandiver stood next to the bed, his boxers hanging on his hips.

  Camille Soto, the other woman in this awkward triangle, stood at the other end of the bed, a sheet draped around her.

  “Who’re you?” Heather demanded.

  “He’s from the Colby Agency,” Soto said, her expression reflecting the terror in her voice. “He’s here to protect Brent.”

  “Put down the Taser,” Ted said firmly. “Put it down and we’ll talk.”

  Heather shook her head, waved the Taser. “No.” She glanced at the gun but seemed unaffected by it.

  “Dr. Vandiver, step away from the bed.” Ted hitched his head toward the front of the house. “Move toward the door.”

  Vandiver sidled away from the bed.

  “Don’t you dare,” Heather howled at him. “You’re not going anywhere, you bastard.”

  Ted couldn’t exactly shoot the woman. Her weapon wasn’t exactly deadly—in most instances. In an effort to lessen the tension, he lowered his weapon. “Mrs. Vandiver, I understand you’re upset. But this isn’t the answer. Put down the Taser and let’s call Victoria.” He hoped the mention of her cousin’s name would snap her out of this irrational state.

  She turned her attention to Soto. “Do it.”

  Soto’s eyes widened. “I…don’t know what you mean.”

  Ted studied the woman wrapped in the sheet. She was lying. She looked scared as hell, but more than that, she looked as if she’d been cornered.

  “I paid you,” Heather shouted. “I paid you a lot of money.”

  Soto was shaking her head and inching away from the foot of the bed.

  “You paid her for wh
at?” Ted asked quietly. No need to amp up the anxiety level.

  Heather jerked her attention toward him. “To kill that bastard.” She nodded toward her husband. “He cheated on me one time too many. I wasn’t about to give him a divorce and end up with only half of what I’d earned putting up with his indifference and infidelity all these years.”

  “She’s crazy!” Soto shouted, stumbling back a couple more steps. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”

  “That’s impossible.” Vandiver moved toward his wife. “You’re lying.”

  Ted grabbed him by the arm and hauled him back. “Let’s not get excited here. Look.” Ted tucked his weapon into his waistband. “There’s no need for this to get out of control.”

  Heather laughed. “I might be crazy, but at least I’m not stupid.” She laughed again. “You thought she cared about you.” Heather shook her head. “She was going to kill you.” Her expression turned dark and angry. “But when she stopped returning my calls and the two of you disappeared, I knew I’d been double-crossed.”

  “Prove it,” Soto challenged. “No one’s going to believe you.”

  Heather nodded. “I thought you might say that.” Heather reached into her pocket.

  Ted’s hand went back to the butt of his weapon.

  Heather pulled a mini recorder from her pocket and waved it. “How’s this for proof?” She pressed Play.

  “I have a plan for taking care of him.”

  Camille Soto’s voice.

  “Make the deposit and this will be his last trip to Vegas.”

  A damning statement by Ms. Soto.

  “I can’t believe this,” Vandiver muttered.

  “You stupid, stupid man,” Heather taunted her husband. “The only thing any woman would want from you is your bank account.”

  Sirens wailed in the distance.

  “We’ll let the authorities sort this out,” Ted suggested, thankful help was close.

  “I’m not taking the fall for this,” Soto shouted. The sheet dropped to the floor, revealing her nude body and the handgun she’d been hiding under the wrinkled linens. “We’ll just all go to hell together.”

  “Lower the weapon, Ms. Soto,” Ted warned.

  “You bitch!” Heather screamed. “You promised!”

  “Since your antidepressants and sedatives didn’t work,” Soto said, leveling a bead on Heather, “maybe this will.”

  Ted dived at Heather, knocked her to the floor.

  A bullet zinged past his ear, lodged in the wall next to the door.

  “Get down!” Ted shouted at Vandiver.

  Another gunshot.

  Vandiver hit the floor.

  Ted moved to scramble toward Heather.

  A series of shots hit the ceiling.

  Nora was struggling with the woman, the still discharging weapon’s muzzle pointed upward.

  Where the hell had Nora come from?

  Ted grabbed the Taser and lunged into the fray.

  He pushed Nora aside and jammed the Taser against Soto’s naked torso.

  She stiffened. The weapon clattered to the floor.

  Soto crumpled into a heap.

  Ted turned to check on the others. Heather was crawling toward the weapon Soto had dropped.

  Ted kicked the weapon out of her reach.

  Nora jerked Heather to her feet and restrained her.

  Vandiver hadn’t moved.

  Ted knelt down next to him. The man had covered his head with his arms. Blood spilled from his shin. He was hit, but it didn’t look serious.

  “Help is here, Dr. Vandiver,” Ted assured him. “Let’s get you out of the path of the door.” He’d heard the slamming vehicle doors outside.

  Vandiver shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I loved them both.”

  Ted glanced up at Nora, who still had a grip on Heather Vandiver. Nora rolled her eyes.

  Ted stifled a laugh.

  This wasn’t funny.

  It was crazy sad.

  But, for this case, it was over.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Colby Agency, Chicago

  Thursday, 2:00 p.m.

  Victoria closed the file on her cousin’s case. She still felt some amount of astonishment at the news of her deadly deception.

  Jim heaved a heavy breath. “I’m certain the psychological analysis will reveal the motive for this incredible turn of events.”

  Victoria nodded sadly. Jim was correct. Heather would be evaluated to determine if she was fit to stand trial. “I can’t help feeling as if I should have kept in touch. Perhaps I would have noticed something was very wrong.”

  “Mother.” Jim eased forward in his chair, braced his clasped hands on her desk.

  It still made her smile when he called her “Mother.” She should be accustomed to it by now, but perhaps she never would be.

  “As much as you want to,” Jim went on, “you cannot save the world.”

  “We can attempt to save our clients,” she suggested, emphasizing the we.

  He nodded. “One case at a time.” He paused. “Simon’s contact passed along the news that Ivan Romero is now facing a number of federal, as well as local, charges for his crimes. Camille Soto turned state’s evidence against him to secure a lighter sentence for her part in the conspiracy against Dr. Vandiver.”

  “That’s certainly good news.” Victoria was immensely thankful that Nora had not become another of his victims. That monster deserved to spend the rest of his sadistic life behind bars.

  “I’ve given Tallant and Nora a few days’ R & R,” Jim added.

  “They made an excellent team.” Victoria was quite impressed at how well yet another Equalizer–Colby investigator team had worked together.

  Jim reclined in his chair, studied Victoria a moment. “We make an excellent team.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “We do.”

  “Tasha and I thought we’d host the annual agency barbecue at our house this year.”

  Tasha, Jim’s wife, was a true jewel. Victoria couldn’t be happier with her daughter-in-law. “That’s an excellent idea.”

  The Fourth of July was coming up next week. Jim’s suggestion was yet another step toward the complete cohesion of the merger.

  “Perhaps Ian and Nicole will be able to attend,” Victoria noted, “and show off the new baby.” Ian Michaels was one of Victoria’s seconds in command, along with Simon Ruhl. Ian and his wife, Nicole, had welcomed their third child only four days ago. Tasha, Jim’s wife, was due any day with their second child. Life at the Colby Agency was truly blessed.

  “Tasha would love that. She’s so ready for our son to be born.”

  A recent visit to the doctor’s office had confirmed that the baby was indeed a boy. Victoria was beside herself with joy. Her son couldn’t possibly love his daughter, Jamie, more, but she knew how very much he wanted a boy.

  “You and Tasha are still set on the name you’ve chosen?” Victoria felt giddy each time she thought of how thrilled her husband would be when he heard the news.

  “Lucas James Colby,” Jim confirmed. “Luke.”

  Victoria’s heart filled with pride. “Lucas will be ecstatic.”

  The intercom on Victoria’s desk buzzed. She pushed the button for the speaker option. “Yes, Mildred.” Mildred, her longtime personal assistant, wouldn’t have interrupted a meeting between Victoria and Jim had it not been urgent.

  “Victoria, Jim,” said Mildred, sounding a little giddy herself, “Tasha and Jamie have just left the Pier with one of Chicago PD’s finest.”

  Victoria’s breath hitched.

  Jim sat up straight. “What happened?”

  “Labor, dear boy,” Mildred enthused. “The two of you need to get to the hospital now.”

  The next few seconds were a blur of grabbing keys and phones and shouting orders to Mildred as she followed them to the elevator.

  Once they were in Jim’s SUV and headed for the hospital, Victoria managed a deep breath. She turned to her
son and smiled. “We are so very fortunate.”

  He braked for a traffic signal, sent a return smile in her direction. “Yes, we are.”

  She reached over and placed her hand atop the one he had resting on the console. “Finally.” A realization struck Victoria. “Oh, my.” She grabbed her purse. “I’d better call Lucas!”

  Jim laughed. “He’s former CIA, Mother. He probably already knows and is at the hospital, waiting for us to catch up.”

  Victoria entered his number all the same. “You could be right.”

  She relaxed in her seat and waited for her husband to answer her call.

  Together they would witness this miracle and welcome the newest member of the Colby family.

  3:00 p.m.

  NORA SHUT OFF THE VACUUM cleaner and listened.

  Rapping on her front door confirmed that she’d heard something.

  She hurried down the hall and to the door. A quick peek through the security peephole made her smile.

  Ted.

  He’d called her at midnight last night just to ensure she was okay.

  How could she have ever thought he was anything less than sweet and…well, handsome as hell?

  Truth was, she’d recognized the latter the first time she laid eyes on him. She just hadn’t wanted to admit it.

  She started to open the door but hesitated. With a quick glance in the mirror by the coatrack, she adjusted her wild ponytail. She looked a mess. Shorts. Cutoff tee. Barefoot.

  This morning had brought a burst of energy. She’d gotten up in the mood to clean her apartment.

  Not a normal inclination for her.

  She blew into her hand to check her breath. Decided she was good to go. And opened the door.

  “Hey.”

  He leaned against the door frame, the short-sleeved button-down shirt and faded jeans making him look even hotter than the suits he wore at the office.

  “Hey, yourself,” he said, the deep sound of his voice sending shivers along her skin.

  “Come in.” She backed up a step and opened the door wider.

  “If I’m interrupting,” he countered, hesitating to cross the threshold.

  “Yeah, right.” She gestured to the vacuum cleaner. “Like I wouldn’t take any excuse to get away from that.” Not exactly what she’d meant to say. “Come on.” She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside.