Page 24 of Lethal Threat

“I don’t recognize him. Single male. Dark clothing, sunglasses, wearing a hat.”

“That’s really creepy.” Sierra shudders and folds her arms across her middle.

The silence in the car is tense as I keep my focus on driving. Up ahead, I spot a turn. “Hang on, we’re making a hard right in three… two… one.”

The car rails through the turn, then sways and settles on the road. Not bad for a base-model sedan. I’d rather be in something equally matched to the Charger, but I didn’t know I’d be outrunning a tail when I took what they had at the airport.

Once I check the mirrors, I take a breath. “Babe, we’re clear so far, but I’m not letting up. Making a left.”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I catch sight of Sierra’s hands tightly clutching the seatbelt. Her breathing is fast.

She scans her side mirror again. “Still no sign of him.” There’s relief in her tone this time.

After another block, I turn right and slow down. I relax a little more. “Alright, we’ll make a few more turns, but I think we’re clear.”

Taking my time, I circle the block back to the main road.

“Need you to keep your eyes peeled, too. It helps to have a co-pilot.”

“Oh, they’re peeled. I don’t see him right now.”

Cars stream around us, but nothing stands out. Cars turn, traffic thins out, and after a few minutes we have an open stretch of road behind us.

Exhaling slowly, I turn to look at her. “Sweetheart, I think we’re clear.”

She leans her head back against the seat and closes her eyes as she grumbles. “The police wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“They don’t know much, but the investigation is ongoing.”

“What doyouknow about my accident?”

After falling into traffic, I fill her in. “My guessis that you know as much as I do. Cade told me you were found injured at water’s edge in the bay and that the military police brought you to the hospital. Nothing more than that.”

Sierra makes a frustrated sound in her throat. “Did you know they called me Jane Doe?”

“No. That’s tough.”

“There’s no feeling quite as disturbing as losing your identity. She sighs. “Maybe them telling me they would not release me until…”

“Until I arrived. Not like they could just let you walk out of there.”

With an exaggerated exhale she shifts in her seat. “I guess. I told them I could still remember how to brush my teeth.”

“Good to know. I’ll make sure you get your toothbrush so you can demonstrate.”

She laughs darkly. “Funny guy.”

“Just easing the mood. But I can’t begin to fathom what that feels like to be experiencing this. Glad they had your prints on file, glad they connected the dots to Cade. Cade knew how to reach me. So here I am.”

I can practically hear her thinking.

“Am I a criminal?”

Damn. I thought she was working on unraveling the reason why her fiancé was across the country. I’m more than happy to answer this question. “No, sweetheart, you’re not a criminal.”

She doesn’t seem relieved by this revelation and presses me. “Why would my prints be on file?”

“You were printed as part of your job.”