“She’s not going anywhere without me.”
“Fine.” Atwood turned to Claire. “You might want to get your purse, Miss Grant. You’ll want to lock up as well.”
Claire went back inside and got her purse and, noticing her friend’s, grabbed Darlene’s. As she exited this time, she locked the door behind her.
She didn’t miss the way Detective Atwood kept surveying the area as he escorted her and Darlene to the street. Claire had been certain he would guide them to the sedan, but he didn’t. She saw the front end of another vehicle parked around the north corner of the intersection just past her house. Maybe that was Atwood’s car. Just how many cops did they have watching her?
A black SUV rolled up in front of the sidewalk where they had come to a stop.
Claire and Darlene exchanged a look of uneasiness.
What was happening here?
Atwood opened the rear passenger’s door of the SUV and waited for the two of them to climb in.
“It’s all right, ladies,” he explained. “We’re taking you to a safe place.”
Claire met Darlene’s worried gaze again. What else could they do? She could ask questions but Atwood’s sense of urgency was palpable. If you didn’t trust the police, who did you trust?
A man claiming to be the most feared terrorist on the planet had just called Claire’s home and threatened her. Obviously she couldn’t stay here. How could a sedan with two officers on surveillance duty stop a terrorist at the very pinnacle of the top ten list?
Claire gazed back at her home one last time.
“Please, ma’am,” Atwood urged, “we have to go now.”
Claire climbed into the SUV, Darlene scooted in beside her. Atwood closed the door and the vehicle rolled forward, gaining speed as they left her neighborhood behind.
Claire dragged the seat belt across her lap and watched her friend do the same. The two men in the front seat scarcely acknowledged their presence. The driver had glanced back via the rearview mirroras Claire had gotten in but the dark sunglasses he wore prevented her from seeing his eyes.
Claire took Darlene’s hand and held it tightly. She had never appreciated her friend more than she did at this moment. It took guts to go blindly into the unknown for a friend.
Funny, Claire realized, her own sister, a woman who shared her DNA, hadn’t been willing to stand by her like that six years ago…not even after Claire had saved her life as well as her unborn child’s.
The driver took a number of unexpected turns and strange detours. Either he wasn’t familiar with downtown Seattle or he had purposely chosen a zigzagging, backtracking route to his destination.
Soon they were closing in on the Plaza, the most luxurious hotel in the city. Unbelievably, the swanky place seemed to be their destination.
The driver rolled up to the lavish entrance and shifted into Park. He and the front-seat passenger immediately emerged from the vehicle, took a long look around, then opened the rear doors for Claire and Darlene. The second man wore those same dark glasses, making reading his intent virtually impossible. Both men wore suits and ties just as Detective Atwood had, except these ensembles appeared considerably more expensive. Not the off-the-rack jobs from the mall or the less-exclusive department stores.
Another man in a similar suit, sans the sunglasses, showed up, took the keys and climbed into the SUV. Claire and Darlene were guided into the vast lobby by the same two gentlemen who’d brought them here. Very strange.
Gleaming marble and copious amounts of flowers greeted their arrival. The distinguished lobby left no doubt as to the grandeur of the accommodations. Claire might actually have felt like a celebrity with an entourage if she hadn’t caught a glimpse of one of the men’s shoulder holster beneath his elegant jacket.
“This way, ladies.”
Startled, Claire stared at the man who had driven the SUV. It was the first time either of the men had spoken. His voice was deep
“Fine.” Atwood turned to Claire. “You might want to get your purse, Miss Grant. You’ll want to lock up as well.”
Claire went back inside and got her purse and, noticing her friend’s, grabbed Darlene’s. As she exited this time, she locked the door behind her.
She didn’t miss the way Detective Atwood kept surveying the area as he escorted her and Darlene to the street. Claire had been certain he would guide them to the sedan, but he didn’t. She saw the front end of another vehicle parked around the north corner of the intersection just past her house. Maybe that was Atwood’s car. Just how many cops did they have watching her?
A black SUV rolled up in front of the sidewalk where they had come to a stop.
Claire and Darlene exchanged a look of uneasiness.
What was happening here?
Atwood opened the rear passenger’s door of the SUV and waited for the two of them to climb in.
“It’s all right, ladies,” he explained. “We’re taking you to a safe place.”
Claire met Darlene’s worried gaze again. What else could they do? She could ask questions but Atwood’s sense of urgency was palpable. If you didn’t trust the police, who did you trust?
A man claiming to be the most feared terrorist on the planet had just called Claire’s home and threatened her. Obviously she couldn’t stay here. How could a sedan with two officers on surveillance duty stop a terrorist at the very pinnacle of the top ten list?
Claire gazed back at her home one last time.
“Please, ma’am,” Atwood urged, “we have to go now.”
Claire climbed into the SUV, Darlene scooted in beside her. Atwood closed the door and the vehicle rolled forward, gaining speed as they left her neighborhood behind.
Claire dragged the seat belt across her lap and watched her friend do the same. The two men in the front seat scarcely acknowledged their presence. The driver had glanced back via the rearview mirroras Claire had gotten in but the dark sunglasses he wore prevented her from seeing his eyes.
Claire took Darlene’s hand and held it tightly. She had never appreciated her friend more than she did at this moment. It took guts to go blindly into the unknown for a friend.
Funny, Claire realized, her own sister, a woman who shared her DNA, hadn’t been willing to stand by her like that six years ago…not even after Claire had saved her life as well as her unborn child’s.
The driver took a number of unexpected turns and strange detours. Either he wasn’t familiar with downtown Seattle or he had purposely chosen a zigzagging, backtracking route to his destination.
Soon they were closing in on the Plaza, the most luxurious hotel in the city. Unbelievably, the swanky place seemed to be their destination.
The driver rolled up to the lavish entrance and shifted into Park. He and the front-seat passenger immediately emerged from the vehicle, took a long look around, then opened the rear doors for Claire and Darlene. The second man wore those same dark glasses, making reading his intent virtually impossible. Both men wore suits and ties just as Detective Atwood had, except these ensembles appeared considerably more expensive. Not the off-the-rack jobs from the mall or the less-exclusive department stores.
Another man in a similar suit, sans the sunglasses, showed up, took the keys and climbed into the SUV. Claire and Darlene were guided into the vast lobby by the same two gentlemen who’d brought them here. Very strange.
Gleaming marble and copious amounts of flowers greeted their arrival. The distinguished lobby left no doubt as to the grandeur of the accommodations. Claire might actually have felt like a celebrity with an entourage if she hadn’t caught a glimpse of one of the men’s shoulder holster beneath his elegant jacket.
“This way, ladies.”
Startled, Claire stared at the man who had driven the SUV. It was the first time either of the men had spoken. His voice was deep
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