Page 42 of Lawson & Jill

A high-pitched scream came through the phone. A woman’s scream. Lesley’s scream.

“You better answer me, before I start cutting off body parts. Where’s Angela?”

“Don’t hurt her!” Jill yelled.

“Bitch, tell me where she is!”

If she told him, then Lesley would be dead for sure. She had to stall. She had to get help. She had to do something!

* * *

He hated being away from Jill for so long. It might’ve only been three days so far, but it was two days too many. He knew deep in his bones that Goshen would eventually make a play, and despite the fact she was hiding out at his house, he was worried.

“Thorne, are you going to actually pay attention to what your trainee is doing this time?” Clancy asked. “Or are you going to let his ass get blown up by the other team?”

Law carefully considered his teammate’s question. Truth be told, the idea of Roger getting taken out by Red Smoke had some serious advantages. He could send Roger back to the barracks and focus for the rest of the time they had left. It would make his life a hell of a lot easier, and they could wrap this game up tonight with a win.

“Law?” Clancy’s voice was closer. He’d sidled up next to him in the low grass. “You’re not actually considering letting him go, are you?”

Law looked over his shoulder at his friend.

“Shit, you are. What has gotten into you? I know you’re in love and all, but seriously, this is un-fucking-acceptable.”

“Clancy, shut your mouth. Jill’s at my house, and we still don’t have a bead on the guy who’s targeting her. I have a bad fucking feeling about this. He’s been quiet for too long. I know I have her locked down tighter than a drum, and she’s smart, really smart, she’s going to stay put. But I have a bad fucking feeling.”

“Bad feeling how? Yemen bad, or Syria bad?”

“Syria,” Law said succinctly. His ‘feeling’ had ended up saving their team from going into a booby-trapped building in Syria.

Clancy looked him dead in the eye. “That’s good enough for me.” He pulled out his radio.

“Lieutenant Hunt, this is Ayers. Thorne has a family emergency, I’m taking over for him. He needs to leave ASAP.”

Law looked at his friend aghast. That went outside all procedure. Of course, their lieutenant would support him, but you never, never ever, asked for something like this unless someone’s life was on the line. You sure as hell didn’t do this on some goddamn gut instinct.

Clancy looked up at him and waved his hand.

“The lieutenant said to get the hell out of here and to call if you need us.”