“Any idea who the shooter was?” Britt asked.
Again, the tired-looking agent shook her head. Her blond ponytail got stuck over her shoulder. A few strands tangled with the top buttons on her white shirt.
“Not so far. But we’re combing all the security footage and CCTV camera footage to try to get a good picture of him.” She turned to Fisher then. “Yousureyou didn’t see any identifying marks? Like a tattoo or a mole?”
Fisher made a face of regret. “Like I said, there wasn’t a lot of time to be jottin’ down notes. He was on the shorter side. Probably no taller than 5’8”. He had improbable red hair and a long, hawkish nose that didn’t match the shape of his eyes.”
“You think he was in disguise.”
Fisher nodded.
“Yeah.” O’Toole absently brushed her ponytail over her shoulder. “That’s what the techies back at headquarters are saying too. We finally got our hands on the hospital’s ICU security footage. And in the minutes before Professor Chastain’s vitals tanked, someone dressed as a doctor with reddish-orange hair can be seen entering his room. But the guy was good. He was careful to keep his face oriented away from the cameras. Plus, he was wearing a surgical mask. So there’s no clear footage.”
“And what about the hack on Senator Chastain’s pacemaker?” Britt asked. “Any luck finding out where it originated?”
O’Toole shook her head. “It was well done, apparently. The closest the bureau has gotten to a point of origin is somewhere in East Asia.”
“Where’s Liza?” Fisher demanded, glancing around the shop.
“Here.” She lifted her hand and waved it over Hewitt’s shoulder.
Graham and Hewitt parted like the Red Sea—together they were about that big. And she sucked in a ragged breath when Fisher’s eyes found her and remained fixed.
“Hey, darlin’,” he breathed, his voice rough with relief at the sight of her. “Y’okay?”
“Thanks to you and your quick actions this morning.”
Tension left his shoulders. “C’mere, then. Let me get my arms around ya so I can reassure myself you’re all in one piece.”
She didn’t hesitate. And she didn’t care who was watching or what they might think. With a cry of relief, she pushed past Hewitt and jumped directly into Fisher’s embrace. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, she hugged him tighter than she’d ever hugged anyone.
He grunted in surprise at her exuberance. But a second later, his arms came around her like a vice and they were as close as two people could get while still clothed.
“You fool,” she breathed into his ear, loving the smell of him. Open road. Good, clean sweat. And that ineffable smoky aftershave that drove her wild. “Why did you go after him?”
“I want this thing over.” His words came out slowly. Perfectly enunciated. As if he held onto his emotions by a thread. “If one more person aims a weapon your way, by god I’ll?—”
He didn’t finish.
She didn’t let him.
Instead, she framed his face with her hands—careful to avoid the cut and the butterfly bandages—and pressed her lips to his, kissing him unsparingly. Kissing him like nobody was watching.
He grunted in surprise again. But it quickly turned into a groan that had time standing still. When he canted her head so he could slide his thick, hot tongue into her mouth, the world faded away. There was nothing left but the taste of his luscious lips and feel of him against her, so tall and strong.
Reality returned in the form of Sam’s voice. “Get a room, why doncha?”
Eliza reluctantly released Fisher’s lips and pressed her forehead to his. “I’m glad you’re home,” she told him before loosening her hold.
Once she was on her feet, she expected him to step back, reclaim his space. He didn’t. He kept an arm around her waist, his fingers firmly gripping her hip.
The fed’s eyes were flinty as she glanced around the shop with a furrowed brow. When she turned back, she pinned each Knight with a hard gaze. “Now, you all have the dubious duty of making sure Miss Meadows stays safe. Although, something tells me you’re all up to the task. But let me remind you that, despite your military backgrounds, youarenow civilians. I can only vouch for any armed actions so many times beforemyass will be on the line. So do me a favor, huh? Stow your weapons. And if you run into trouble or see anything suspicious,call mebefore you go sniping anyone from a rooftop or chasing them to the airport.”
Fisher had the good graces to look chagrined. Sam only shrugged and said, “You can take the man outta the military, but you can’t take the military outta the man.”
O’Toole didn’t look amused. But neither did she rise to the bait and respond. Instead, she said, “As for me? I have an assassin to track andhopefullyidentify, a mass murder to solve, and I’m down one partner for who knows how long.” She touched a finger to her brow. “So I’ll bid you all a good day.”
O’Toole reached for the door handle, but Britt stopped her with, “Before you go, we have some footage that might be helpful.” He waved her toward the stairs leading to the second floor. “Follow me.”
