Between Love and Honor (Men of the Secret Service #3) - Tracy Solheim Page 0,91

to reveal his true self. What a stupid risk you took. Now she has something else to hold over Sabrina’s head. Don’t think she won’t sell you out in a heartbeat. If she hasn’t already.”

Ben refused to be cowed by a caricature of a spy wielding a poison umbrella. “And you thought my plan was idiotic,” he blurted out. “This guy is trying to flush out his own daughter with a damn poison umbrella tip!”

“He’s right, Daddy. You do look a tad ridiculous.”

Four heads turned toward the dock where a woman stood holding a Lugar equipped with a silencer. It was aimed directly for the secretary’s jugular.

Double shit!

Several beads of sweat began to form on the back of Ben’s neck. His brain was working overtime to figure a way out of this mess. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Caracas hunkered down behind a Chris-Craft cruising boat. His gun was trained on Sir Rodney. The addition of another weapon made the other agent’s job nearly impossible. The only thing Ben could hope for was that Caracas had called for backup and Adam was somewhere in the dark waiting for a clear shot.

“Eugenie! Don’t do anything rash,” her father ordered. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”

“I’ve caused trouble?” Eugenie’s laughed humorlessly. “The troublemaker is this woman. She ruined my life. Destroyed my career. All because her husband preferred a younger, more vibrant woman over a cold-hearted bitch.”

Quinn flinched. Secretary Lyle didn’t so much as bat an eyelash.

“And you.” It was Ben’s turn to flinch when Eugenie aimed her gun at Quinn. “You became the darling of MI6. You were nothing until I made you. Your mother refused to involve you until she was ordered by the Phoenix to do so.”

“Ethan would never have used an untrained operative,” Secretary Lyle insisted. “Especially not one as young as she was.”

“Of course, he wouldn’t. I needed the case solved so I could prove to him I was worthy to stay on the project. So I acted on the Phoenix’s behalf.” She swerved, pointing the barrel of the gun back toward the secretary. “But you had to intercede, didn’t you?”

“You bet I did.”

Eugenie growled low in her throat. A boat’s engine roared to life beside them.

“And for that you will pay. I’m happy to sell out your husband’s assets on your behalf. And now I get to add our little sweetheart’s beloved, the Mariner, to the list. I’ll be rich with the bidding war he’ll bring in. But perhaps it’s best just to put you out of your misery right now.”

“Eugenie, no!” Sir Rodney cried.

And then everything seemed to happen in a nanosecond. Caracas leaped from his hiding place just as gunshots rang out. Ben covered Quinn with this body. Sir Rodney screamed. When the dust cleared. Eugenie was climbing aboard a cigarette boat built for speed. Ben snatched up his Glock.

“You okay?” he breathed.

Quinn nodded. She gripped his face with both palms. He was grateful for the enthusiastic kiss she gave him, but the moaning beside him kept him from returning it.

“Madam Secretary!” Ben crawled away from Quinn.

“I’m unhurt,” she replied. “But Agent Caracas needs medical attention. He’ll bleed out without a tourniquet.”

“The secretary,” Caracas wheezed. “Don’t leave her unprotected.”

Adam and Griff suddenly jumped on board like the cavalry. Griff gingerly hurled the umbrella into the drink while Ben pulled a first-aid kit from beneath the captain’s chair.

“Nice shot,” Griff said gesturing to Sir Rodney who was slumped back with a bullet hole to the head.

“Yeah, but the girl was too slippery,” Adam replied.

“Don’t worry,” Griff said. “The coast guard will get her before she leaves the Potomac.”

Ben heaved a breath of relief as he administered to the other agent’s leg. “You hear that, Quinn. It’s finally over.”

When she didn’t respond, he glanced up at his buddies. Griff darted down below. He reemerged ten seconds later, a stricken look on his face.

“Not there.”

“It will never be over as long as Eugenie is alive,” the secretary said ominously. “For you. Or for Quinn.”

“No!”

Ben shot from the boat. He frantically searched the dock for her.

“There!” Adam pointed toward the beach area. Someone was running along the sand. They tripped over the leg from The Awakening sculpture before jumping on one of the Jet Skis and firing it up.

“We have to stop her!” Ben began to untie the lines. “Help me out here.”

Adam released the starboard side as Ben fired up the engine. Luckily, he was in the end slip. It was less than a minute