“Remy and Erik were helping us search. They found him coming back from the parking lot. When he saw them, he took off running,” Ruiz says.
“Ubaldo tried to jump the wrought-iron fence. He misjudged it, and the top of the iron caught him in a sensitive area,” Coulson continues.
Ruiz snorts. “Understated. Anyway, Remy caught up to him first. As he approached, he got kicked in the face. He’s fine, but he has a broken nose. Erik took him to the hospital to get checked out.”
“Are we sure he’s okay? Why didn’t he call me? I should be there.”
“Ma’am,” the agent says, stopping me as I am reaching for my bag to dig out my phone.
“What?” I snap.
“That isn’t everything. Why don’t you sit down?”
It feels like someone has grabbed my heart and squeezed. I can’t breathe.
Ruiz guides me to the nearest chair as I whisper through pale lips, “Are they really okay?”
He shoots the agent a censorious look before the man quickly reassures me. “They’re fine. Except for the ice pack he’ll no doubt need.”
“Are you sure? I haven’t even received a text from either of them.” I swallow against the lump in my throat.
Ruiz holds out his phone. A text thread with Remy and Erik fills the screen.
I’m fine. I don’t need to be here. — Remy
He needs to be seen in case it has to be set. — Erik
Don’t worry, Tianna. — Remy
!! — Erik
The relief washing over me is so immediate I’m glad to be sitting. It leaves me light-headed.
“What else could there possibly be?” I ask, bewildered.
Agent Ford’s expression doesn’t shift. “He placed a pipe bomb on the underside of your SUV. We located it before it was armed. Two additional devices were found in his vehicle. We believe he intended to deploy them here.”
The words land, slow and unreal.
“Bombs? Why weren’t we notified or evacuated?”
“After Ruiz dropped you at the entrance, he re-parked the SUV in the side lot,” Ford says. “The device was discovered there. Bomb tech responded immediately.”
Ruiz nods once. “Once we identified it, we cleared the lot and established a perimeter around the vehicles. The building was secured and exterior access restricted.”
“The devices were rendered safe before anyone inside was at risk,” Ford adds. “Keeping everyone contained prevented panic and gave us control of the scene.”
Ruiz shoves a glass of water in my hand. I absently sip.
“Why? I don’t understand. How?” The questions roll through my head faster than I can form them.
“Ruiz, please hand me my bag,” I request. It’s sitting a few feet away where I dropped it. He complies, and I root around until I find my phone.
I pull up the video call, and within moments I am staring into Erik’s icy blue eyes.
I take a deep breath. “I need to see Remy.”
He turns the phone. “He’s fine. Mostly. Although had he listened to me and left this to Ruiz, he wouldn’t be in the hospital.”
