Bare Witness by Katherine Garbera

seat and following the signal on her small computer. The women were ultra-efficient and seeing Justine like this underscored the fact that something had happened outside that was more than just the kiss.
    He couldn’t understand her reaction. The only explanation he could come up with was fear, but that emotion didn’t fit with the woman driving with skill and confidence. In fact, the only explanation he could come up with made him feel ridiculous even thinking it.
    She couldn’t have been afraid of him or of any man. She had the skills to flatly take a man down. He was still a bit sore and tender between his legs. But that didn’t stop him from wanting her.
    It was more than just lust. Lust would have died when she’d reacted the way she had earlier. But instead, he now felt an insane desire to cuddle her. She was as prickly as a porcupine, and all he could think about was wrapping his arms around and holding her until she told him what had spooked her.
    “Stop staring at me,” Justine said.
    “I’m watching the road,” he said. It was dark outside and her features were illuminated by the dashboard, so delicate and feminine. Another dichotomy. The pixie features and petite body that housed a firecracker, kick-ass woman.
    This was the worst possible time to be feeling anything like this, and yet he knew if he’d met Justine under normal circumstances, he would have brushed right by her and let his job consume him. But here in Peru, there was…only a situation he didn’t want to lose himself in.
    It was odd to think that his attraction to Justine might be the less dangerous of the two situations.
    “Stop.”
    For a second, he thought she meant his thoughts, but he quickly realized there was a car on the side of the road. The same one that he had made sure Piper was safely ensconced in earlier this evening.
    He had his door open and was out of the Hummer before it had completely stopped. “Nigel!”
    He didn’t heed Justine’s call, though he knew she wanted him to stop. He was pulled toward the car, running flat out, and ripped open the back door to find the backseat empty.
    “Bloody hell,” he said. The coppery smell of blood registered, and he glanced to the front seat, where he saw Jesse slumped back in the seat. He had bled from two wounds, one in the chest and one in the neck.
    There was no sign of blood in the backseat, and when Anna moved Jesse’s body, he realized the women were just as shocked as he was by what had happened.
    He paid little attention to the women and what they were doing, and climbed into the back of the car and searched for anything left behind. Piper’s notebook was on the floor.
    The little sketchbook that she’d drawn a picture of Justine in earlier. He flipped through the pages, searching for a note, or something from Piper. But she was nine and too young to think of that.
    “This seems like it was an ambush,” Justine said. “But I still don’t like having you out here.”
    “Where should I go?” This entire situation was out of hand. Sam Liberty was going to know just how displeased he was with the service he was getting.
    “Our vehicle. That way I can keep an eye on you and make sure that you are safe. What’d you find?”
    “Piper’s sketchbook.”
    “Try not to disturb anything. Anna is going to use our mobile crime scene processing kit to check for fingerprints and DNA.”
    “Sorry. I’m worried about my daughter. I’d think you guys would be, too.”
    “Of course we are. But we also need to know what happened here.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Well, we need to know why Jesse pulled off the road here.”
    “Are there other tracks?”
    “I’m going to check on them once you are secure.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    “It’s dark outside, Nigel, and I don’t know that there isn’t a sniper waiting out there for you.”
    “What do you know, Justine? Because so far, my daughter has been kidnapped, and that’s not exactly what I hired you guys