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“Not happening, Dude.” Tai widened his stance, looking more like a boulder than a bodyguard. He tapped his own temple. “You’re using stinking thinking.”
“Probably.” Bridger shoved his hands on his hips, staring across the lines of cars in the parking garage. He winced.
His wound, Jane realized. Of course, it would still be bothering him. Not that he’d let on.
“I’m not planning a frontal assault on my own,” he assured them all and whipped out his phone, punching in a number. “Pegs? We’ve got a situation. I’ve got Jane, Tai and Paige here. Putting you on speaker.”
He held Jane’s gaze as Pegs’ voice came over the tiny speaker. “Shoot.”
He explained about the meeting, and the bomb. “It looks legit. Can you confirm he’d have the skills to build a wearable IED with remote detonation capability with a couple hours’ notice?”
“Affirmative.” The woman answered instantly. “He’s done it in the past.”
“Great,” Tai muttered. “We have to assume it’s a functional device.”
Bridger stared at Jane’s midriff as he spoke. “Romero says he’ll disarm it remotely once he’s escaped. You buy that?”
There was a long pause. When Pegs responded, her tone was calm. Measured. “I’ve known the man for decades. Thought I knew him, anyway. I never saw any indication of mental instability. My guess is he does plan to release Jane unharmed once he’s gone. He wants the money, not a murder charge. And he’ll be quite aware of what you and your team will do to him if he harms Jane.”
Bridger sagged with relief. “Exactly what I was hoping.”
Tai scratched his chin through his thick beard. “We can’t just sit on our hands and wait for the guy to honor his word.”
“Nope.”
Paige waived a hand in the air. “Uh, guys? What happens if Marks and Tanaka find him first?”
Jane went to wrap her arms around her waist, but the instant her forearms touched the device, she jerked them away. A small whimper escaped her lips.
Bridger pulled her close. “Hey, now. We got this. Never doubt it. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.”
Tai inched closer, too, sucking in a long breath. “I wouldn’t want to be Garrett Romero right now. He has no idea the hurt that’s about to rain down on him.”
“Ouch. Seriously. So don’t wanna be that guy.” Paige leaned in, instigating a group hug that left Jane breathless, and deeply grateful.
Bridger stepped out of the tight circle and lifted the phone to his mouth. “Pegs? What’s your take?”
“I agree with Tai. At the worst, we need to ensure no one else gets to Romero.”
“Copy that. I’ll be back in touch.” He ended the call and faced the three of them.
“For now, we stick with our current plan.” He pointed at Tai and Paige. “Get her to the airstrip, secure the area, and make sure the helo’s ready to go, in case we need it.”
Paige linked arms with Jane, pulling her close, her other hand was wrapped around the strap of her laptop bag. “On it, boss. Hang onto your comlink,” she told him. “I’ll have Jane’s locked out in a second. I know I can track Romero’s Porsche through town, at least. I’ll update you ASAP.”
Jane leaned into Paige’s arm, grateful for the human connection. Adrenaline surged through her, making her tremble so hard she wasn’t sure she could stay on her feet.
“We got you,” Paige promised.
Jane turned to Bridger. “Where are you going?” She tried to bite back the question, but she couldn’t help herself. She trusted Paige and Tai with her life, but Bridger was her touchstone.
His dark eyes glinted in the harsh light, hard as stones. “Hunting.”
37
The scentof burnt rubber and gasoline filled the garishly lit parking garage as Bridger’s skilled hands danced over the ignition of the classic Dodge Charger he’d spotted in the last stall in the row. One last twist of a wire and the car’s engine roared to life.
“Sorry, dude,” he muttered to the owner, though guilt was a luxury he couldn’t afford right now. He tapped his comlink. “Alright Paige, I’m mobile. Which way am I headed?”
