Nowhere to Turn (31 page)
Authors: Lynette Eason
She blinked and tilted her head. “All right. Sorry.”
Adam groaned and leaned over to plant another kiss on her lips. “No, no. Don’t be sorry. Just . . . listen.”
“Sure.” She smiled up at him, curiosity burning in her gaze.
He took a deep breath. “Dani, I love you.”
She smiled.
He stopped. “What’s that smile mean?”
“It means, I know you love me. You’ve loved me for a long time.”
Adam gaped. Dani laughed and tapped his chin. He shut his mouth, then opened it. “Well, yeah. Practically from the moment you walked into my office.”
A cloud settled over her face. “I was another woman that day. Broken. Scared—”
“Strong, a fighter.”
“I didn’t feel strong,” she whispered.
Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You were. Still are.”
“Thank you for giving me time. Time to figure out my life and
get it back on track. Time to spend with Simon and just—be. Thank you for not pushing. We both needed the space and the time to heal and figure out what it means to live and not be afraid every moment.”
“And if you need more time, I’ll wait.”
Dani shook her head. “I don’t need any more time. I know my heart.” She placed her hand against his chest. “And I know yours.”
“I love you, Dani,” he said again. This time with more confidence.
Tears flooded her eyes and she blinked to hold them in. “I love you too, Adam.”
“And I love Simon like he’s my own.”
“I know, I’ve seen it.”
“And so,” Adam signed, “why don’t you come on over and join us, Simon?”
Simon stepped out onto the balcony, the sheepish expression on his face betraying his eavesdropping. Dani shot him a frown and her son shrugged.
Adam pulled Simon down next to him and grabbed him in a loose headlock. When he let go, Simon grinned and gave Adam a light punch on the arm.
Men. Dani sighed. But then smiled. How she loved these two.
Adam signed, “Ready?”
Simon nodded.
Dani lifted a brow. “What are you two up to?”
Adam shoved his hand in his front pocket and pulled out a small box. Dani gasped. Then noted the fine tremor in his fingers as he popped it open to reveal a gorgeous square-cut diamond. She gulped and looked into his eyes, absently noting Simon’s gleeful expression.
“Dani, I know I’m nothing fancy and I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my past, but this last year has been one of the best in my life because you and Simon were a part of it. I was ready to marry you eleven months ago, but knew you needed time. So, if you’re ready, I’m ready.”
Dani couldn’t speak through the lump in her throat. Could barely see through the tears in her eyes, but she managed a nod. Adam slipped to the floor in front of her and removed the ring from the box. He took her left hand. “Will you marry me?”
Dani blinked. Felt a tear slip down her cheek. Looked at the ring and the man behind it. Thought of all the reasons she should say yes. Then tried to think of why she should say no.
Adam’s hand tightened on hers. “You’re scaring me, Dani.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m trying to think of a reason to say no.”
His face fell and he lost all color. He started to pull away from her and she clasped his hand tighter. “But I can’t think of a single one,” she whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He slid the ring on her finger, then grabbed her to place a firm, hard kiss on her lips. He gave a low, shaky laugh. “Don’t torture me like that ever again.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“So, when are you getting married?” Simon asked.
Dani shuddered from all the emotion rolling inside her, but turned to Simon. “You knew about this?”
“Of course.”
“Of course,” she murmured.
Adam shrugged. “I couldn’t ask you without getting permission from the person you love most.”
She leaned over and kissed him again, then smiled. “
One
of the people I love most.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the finger that now held his ring. “To forever?”
“Forever.”
“Thank goodness,” Simon declared. “Now, I’m starving, where are we going to eat?”
Prologue
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH
ATLANTA, GA—CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL
“It’s time,” the voice said. “Remember what we told you.”
CDC employee Anwar Goff wanted to rip the small piece from his ear and stomp it into oblivion. But his tormentors had been very clear about what would happen if he did so. “If at any time we can’t hear you, they will die. Ask for help, they will die. Write a message, they will die. Use your phone, they will die. Am I clear?” So Anwar left the earpiece alone and slipped from the bathroom. His footsteps echoed on the tile flooring as he walked down the empty hall.
CDC Building 18 had shut down about an hour ago. Anwar moved with slow, hesitant strides that all too quickly ate up the distance between the bathroom and the Biosafety Level 4 lab. Sweat threatened to drip into his eyes and he drew his left arm across his forehead.
With shaking fingers, he swiped the key card, and the first set of doors opened, then closed behind him. For a moment, he just stood there, trembling. “God, help me,” he whispered, then moved once again.
“God can’t help you. Only I can,” the voice whispered, then gave a small laugh. Evil clung to the words and Anwar clamped his lips shut.
Once inside the changing area, he set his briefcase on the bench next to the lockers and drew in a deep breath. He couldn’t help the stifled sob that slipped from him as he opened the third locker from the left.
Don’t think, just do it.
Within seconds he was in protective clothing, complete with mask, gloves, and gown.
Next, he rolled the combination on the briefcase to unlock it. With short, sluggish steps, Anwar left the changing room and approached the next set of doors. He swiped his card again. The doors opened with a soft whoosh and he stepped into the BSL-4 lab.
His target lay in the locked freezer just ahead. Muttering another prayer, he crossed the room, opened the freezer door, and found what he’d come for. He paused and swallowed hard as he simply stared, feeling paralyzed. Helpless. For the past seven years, he’d worked his way up the ranks of the CDC, gaining the confidence of his superiors. And now all of his hard work had brought him to this.
“We’re waiting. Your family is waiting.”
He thought of his wife and two teenage children. With another deep breath, he reached into the freezer. Carefully, he transferred the tray that held the one-inch-long plastic vials topped with the plastic screw caps. The vials sat in seven little white cardboard boxes. One by one, he removed the boxes and placed them in the black case. There they would be kept frozen by the dry ice during transport.
Anwar snapped the briefcase closed and rolled the combination to lock it.
He’d done it. He’d really done it. Tremors raced through him
as he glanced at the clock on the wall. He had very few minutes to spare, but he wasn’t quite sure his legs would be able to carry him back through the two sets of doors. He didn’t move. Couldn’t. He simply couldn’t do this. “I can’t do this,” he whispered.
“But you will.”
Yes. He would.
So this is how he would go down, how he would be remembered.
Don’t do it!
But the faces of his children, his wife, rose up before him. He squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on the bag.
He left the lab, not looking back, not thinking about all of the people who would soon die. He was only thinking of the three people he was trying to save. With hurried, erratic movements, he entered the lobby and waved to the security guard who barely looked up from the computer.
“Night, Anwar. See you next week.”
Anwar didn’t answer, just strode through the glass doors and out into the night. He shivered as the wind cut through his heavy coat. Even Atlanta had its fair share of cold weather.
For a moment Anwar hesitated. If he went left—
“Why aren’t you moving, Mr. Goff?”
Anwar jerked. They were watching him. He moved to his car and climbed in. He placed the briefcase on the seat beside him. Just earlier that day, his wife had sat in that spot and they’d talked about their plans for Thanksgiving. His parents were coming, but hers couldn’t make it. With a tight throat and tears in his eyes, he cranked the car and pulled from the curb.
Thanks to Dru Wells for your invaluable input in the world of the FBI.
As always, thanks to my awesome family who let me spend hours on end at the keyboard to produce books. My agent, my editors, and I appreciate you!
Lynette Eason
is the award-winning, bestselling author of several romantic suspense series, including Women of Justice and Deadly Reunions. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Lynette graduated from the University of South Carolina and went on to earn her master’s degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.
W
OMEN
OF
J
USTICE
Too Close to Home
Don’t Look Back
A Killer Among Us
Gone in a Flash
(ebook short)
D
EADLY
R
EUNIONS
When the Smoke Clears
When a Heart Stops
When a Secret Kills
H
IDDEN
I
DENTITY
No One to Trust
Nowhere to Turn
