“You were twenty-one years old. You’d been in Chicago for what? A month? You didn’t have a lot of life experience to draw upon.” He ought to know. He’d been the one to develop her profile when he’d originally planned the sting. She’d been ideal.
Remembering, Jake sighed. Six years ago, fresh off the family farm in Iowa, she’d been attending college and working part-time at Rasmussen’s North Michigan Avenue restaurant. Within the first week, Rasmussen had begun wooing her. Buying her expensive gifts. Sending her flowers. Showing her extravagant nights on the town. Back then, Leigh had had no reason to be suspicious of the charismatic restaurateur. Two months later she was living in his lavish penthouse. Her idyllic world had come crashing down when she’d discovered her boyfriend was an international arms dealer. She’d called the police, who had then passed her on to the FBI. Eventually, the MIDNIGHT Agency had been called in. Jake had been assigned the case. He hadn’t anticipated falling for the woman he’d been assigned to protect….
Pulling his mind from thoughts that never ceased to torment him, he turned his attention back to his driving. At some point it had begun to snow. Just flurries, but Jake knew the Great Lakes to the north could bring on blizzardlike conditions with little or no warning.
He glanced over at Leigh and, as always, was taken aback by her beauty. He understood all too well why a man like Rasmussen could become obsessed with her. She was lovely and kind with a strong spirit. Six years ago, after only a few days, Jake had been in miles over his head. It was the one and only case he’d ever become personally involved in. The one and only witness with whom he’d crossed a line. The operation had nearly cost him his job. It had definitely cost him his peace of mind.
“We’ll stop at the next town for food and gas.”
The words were barely out of his mouth when he caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of a white SUV—no headlights, dark windshield bearing down on them at a dangerous speed.
“Hold on!” he shouted.
An instant later the SUV slammed into the truck’s bumper. The pickup skidded sideways. Jake fought the wheel, muscling the vehicle back onto the road.
“Where did he come from?” Leigh cried, glancing through the rear window.
“Visibility is low because of the snow.” Jake barely had time to brace before the SUV’s bumper crashed into the pickup a second time. He steered into the skid and regained control. A light veneer of snow coated the road, making the asphalt slick. He checked his speed, but before he could take his foot off the gas, the SUV slammed into them a third time. The momentum sent the truck into a wild spin.
Leigh screamed as the truck careened into the drainage ditch.
Jake looked over at Leigh. “Are you all right?”
Her face was nearly as white as the snow, but she nodded. “I’m fine.”
He glanced out his window to see the SUV turning around a hundred yards away. He’s coming back to finish us off, he thought, and swore he would not let Rasmussen get his hands on Leigh.
The engine had died. Jake slid down and hot-wired the ignition. The engine coughed and then turned over. Ramming the gearshift into Reverse, he floored the gas, tried to get the truck rocking, but his efforts were in vain.
Jake punched the dash. “We’re stuck.”
Leigh looked through the rear window. “They’re coming back.”
He unsheathed his pistol. “Take this.”
Leigh’s eyes widened as he slid the weapon into her hand. “Jake, my God…”
“I want you to empty the clip into the front window, driver’s side. You’ve got eleven shots. Don’t count them. Pull the trigger until you’re out.” Taking her right hand in his, he leveled the weapon at the SUV that was now speeding toward them. “It’s our only chance.”
She jerked her head once.
Ripping off his safety belt, Jake threw open his door and stumbled from the truck. “Open fire!” he shouted. “Now!”
Shots erupted as he tore his jacket from his body, set it beneath the rear tire of the truck and then scrambled behind the wheel.
“There’s a second SUV!” Terror laced her voice.
Jake glanced out the rearview mirror to see the first SUV nosedown into the drainage ditch. Fifty yards in the opposite direction, a second SUV sped toward them.
“Damn it!” Praying his jacket did the trick, he jammed the truck into Reverse and hit the gas. The wheels spun for an instant, then caught. The truck zoomed backward.
But the second SUV was already upon them. He heard gunshots. At first he thought Leigh had some ammunition left and was putting it to good use. Then a bullet blew a hole the size of his fist through the left-front fender.
“Get down!”
Not waiting for Leigh to comply, he used his right hand to push her to the floor. He reached for his pistol on the seat, brought it up. The first shot missed its mark. The second shot shattered the windshield. The third shot exploded the front right tire.
Dropping the weapon onto the seat, Jake twisted the steering wheel and floored the accelerator.
When he looked over at Leigh, he saw blood and his heart virtually stopped.
Chapter Nine