The man moved, avoiding Malachi’s tackle and kicking her instead. Malachi managed to get a hand on his bulletproof vest, but the asshole spun from his grip. The stock of the gun knocked Malachi in the kidney.
He felt nothing but rage, spinning and reaching for the bastard again, but the woman clawed at his leg and begged him to save her sister.
“I shoot her, huh?” The man said with a sneer as he waved the end of the weapon at Ladybug’s owner. He backed toward the SUVs gunning their engines, and winked at her. “I’ll come back for you.”
Malachi moved to block his view of her and the dog, raising his hands. “Leave her be.”
The guy snickered. “Maybe I’ll shoot you instead.”
Malachi was pretty sure it was his last breath, but then a passenger door opened and the gunman was ordered by another accented male voice. “Get in!”
“Next time,” the guy told Malachi and winked again, sliding the knitted material back over his chin.
Then the SUVs drove away, tires squealing as they went.
“No!” the woman screamed, reaching toward their departing taillights from her spot on the wet pavement. She sat on the road at Malachi’s feet, hugging the injured dog to her chest. “Amber!”
Bending down, he was relieved to see she appeared unhurt and the animal was still alive. Ladybug wiggled a bit in her arms and licked her face.
He dialed nine-one-one and huddled over her. “I’ll get her back,” he whispered into her hair. “I promise.”
She raised her tear-soaked eyes to his, gasping for breath. “Mia.” She held out a shaking hand to him. “My name is…Mia.”
Everything clicked into place. He knew exactly who she was and what had just happened.
The dispatch operator came on the line. “The mayor has been kidnapped,” he told her, reeling off the address and descriptions of the vehicles. “And her sister is in need of an ambulance.”
“No.” Mia shook her head, wiping at her tears. Ladybug whined and continued to try and alleviate her panic. “We have to…We have to go after them.” Her gaze trailed in the direction the vehicles went. “And we have to do it now.”
Five
Iwill not panic. Amber was depending on her.
But the police were in her face, and Ladybug was hurt and limping, and Malachi was several yards away, arguing with a detective.
Mia’s breath felt stuck in her ribcage. Her feet weighed a hundred pounds each. She wanted to melt into the night and disappear.
Her mother’s crying and her father’s raging during her call to tell them what had happened had nearly done her in. The two of them were in San Francisco, on a quick anniversary getaway. They’d never expected Mia to interrupt this special time and tell them such awful news.
They were getting on the first flight available, but it would be morning before they arrived. She couldn’t be a coward tonight. No, she had to push past the fear and desperation. Be logical, determined, confident.
In other words, be the woman sheusedto be.
Thewarriorshe used to be.
Damn, she hated being so fragile. So unable to control her stupid emotions!
“So, there were three of them,” the cop stated, looking back over his notes.
“Plus the drivers.” She rubbed a shaking hand over her face, kept her gaze on Ladybug.I will control my breathing.
“And they wore masks?”
“I’ve answered that question twice already.” She came to her feet, shoving out of the seat of the police car. “I need to speak to Malachi.”
The officer chewed a big wad of gum and smacked it. “Not while he’s being interviewed by Detective Eastman.”
She glared at him. “You’re wasting my time and his. My sister—themayor—has been kidnapped! While you’re stand there treating us like criminals, the real ones have gotten away!”
