Explosive Attraction - By Lena Diaz Page 0,47
of his pocket. The light on the phone’s screen shined in the dark cell. His mouth tightened with displeasure when he saw whoever was calling. “He never gives up.”
Darby slid another foot closer to the door.
Jake didn’t seem to notice. He pressed a button on the phone, answering the call. “I’m busy. What do you want?”
Two more steps, maybe three, and she’d be out the door. Her entire body trembled as she eased one more step to the side.
Jake wasn’t even looking at her anymore. He seemed absorbed in whatever the person on the phone was telling him. “How do you know it wasn’t mailed earlier and just now made its way to you?”
Another step.
Then another.
She took off, out the door.
“Darby, wait!” Jake’s voice called out behind her.
She ran through the next cell, around the corner.
“Darby, come back!”
Daylight ahead. She ran for the blue patch of light and burst into the courtyard. She was gasping for breath when she half turned to gauge how close Jake was.
Her stomach clenched and she clutched her throat in horror. “Jake, no. Oh, my God. Jake!”
Chapter Twelve
“You’ve got to give me a better reading than that.” Rafe clutched his cell phone against his ear. He stood on the sidewalk watching the crowds of tourists while he waited for a better GPS reading from dispatch. The Bridge of Lions was visible just down the street. Sailboats lazily navigated the water on the other side of the Spanish fort in the historic district. All these tourists, enjoying the summer day, none of them realizing a serial bomber was in their midst.
“That’s the best I can do,” the voice came through on the phone. “There’s some kind of interference. The signal just disappeared.”
“How could you lose the signal?” He waved at one of the uniformed officers who was helping with the search and held the phone away from his mouth. “Check the marina. Maybe someone over there saw something.” The officer took off running. Rafe held the phone back to his mouth. “What could cause that kind of interference?”
“Lots of things. Buildings are the worst, something with concrete or brick walls.”
Rafe eyed the coquina and stone walls of Castillo de San Marcos, a hundred yards in front of him. The walls were several feet thick. He started walking toward the fort. “What about stone?”
“Oh, yeah, that would do it.”
He started running. “If you get the signal back, call me.” He hung up and shoved the phone into his pocket.
A shrill scream filled the air. Rafe froze, trying to pinpoint where it had come from. Two officers who were close by stopped as well, turning, like him.
The front entrance to the fort suddenly filled with people. They poured out onto the lawn as if a mass evacuation had been ordered. The scream stopped, as though someone had been cut off in midscream. The hairs on Rafe’s arms stood on end. He motioned to the two uniformed officers and pointed toward the fort as he took off running again.
When he reached the drawbridge, he grabbed the arm of a man rushing past him. “Why is everyone running out?”
The man’s eyes were wide with fear. “Someone got stabbed in there.”
“Who?” When the man didn’t answer, Rafe shook him. “Who got stabbed? Is the perpetrator still inside?”
“I don’t know. Let me go.” He yanked his arm out of Rafe’s grasp and took off.
Rafe stood to the side, helpless to stop the flood of people exiting the fort. He waved one of the cops over. “Crowd control. Stop as many of these people as you can and collect them on the green over there. Someone’s been stabbed, and one of these people could be the perp.” He yanked his gun out of his holster and held it down at his side. “Get the other uniforms over here and secure the area. I’m going in.”
He shoved past the last of the people running out of the fort. His stomach sank and he slid to a halt. Darby was running toward him through the courtyard, her shirt soaked in blood.
No, no, no. Please. He didn’t know what he was praying for. All he knew was he wanted her to be okay.
He shoved his gun in his holster and ran toward her. She met him halfway, her eyes wide and searching.
“You’ve got to help him, Rafe. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and tugged, but he didn’t budge.
He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Where are you hurt?”
She twisted out of his arms. “It’s not my