Nowhere To Run (To Protect And Serve) by Mary Eason Page A

realize the danger she was in by knowing this. “Don’t trust him for a minute, Jordan. Let me help you. I can get you to a safe place.”
    She backed away, shaking her head in denial. “ No. I-I can’t leave.”
    His gaze narrowed as he carefully studied her expression. And then it hit him. She was planning on taking Santiago down alone.
    “Jordan, whatever you’re thinking about doing – don’t. Leave this to me. If he killed your brother, do you actually believe he’ll think twice about doing the same to you? You’re a liability to him now, Jordan. If he doesn’t take care of you, his family will.”
    She glanced at her watch then started for the door. He’d lost her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about—“
    Riley followed in her wake. He needed to find a way to make her understand the danger she was in.
    Reaching past her , he closed the door she’d just opened then turned her to face him. He gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You do. Vengeance never satisfies, Jordan. Don’t let him turn you into something you’re not.”
    She closed her eyes. For a moment, she seemed to lean into his touch. The same need he’d felt in her from the day before was there. He felt it as well. He moved closer, his forehead against hers, his lips brushing her. Before the kiss deepened, before he lost control again, she shook herself free, her breathing unsteady, matching his. “Please, you have to go. Please leave.”
    Riley had no choice but to do as she asked. “Alright. I can’t force you to come with me although it’d almost be worth the cost.” Her eyes flew open. Deep green pools stared up at him, mesmerizing him.
    “ You have my card. You can reach me anytime. Think about what I said. Call me when you’re ready to get the hell outta here.”
    He stepped out onto into the warmth of the evening.
    “Shit. That went well.” The pressure to solve Jeremy’s murder had just ratcheted up to another level. He needed to find a break in this case and soon. Before he ended up with another homicide on his hands. One he couldn’t bear to contemplate.
     
    It was after ten in the evening and he’d been dodging his commanding officer’s calls all day. There would be hell to pay with the Lieu when he showed up for his shift.
    He drove the ten blocks to the precinct with the windows rolled down. The crisp fall evening helped to clear his head.
    “You get your schedule screwed up again, Donovan.” Sergeant Pierce, the uniform in charge of the patrol’s night shift glanced up from reading his paper with a bor ed expression on his face.
    “Just catching up on some paperwork.” Riley didn’t stick around for more questions. He climbed the two flights of stairs to the homicide unit.
    The place looked deserted. Only a few detectives were on duty. Riley slipped into his chair and fired up the computer.
    Forty-five minutes later, he had a clearer picture of the Santiago family.
    From all accounts , Caesar Santiago had cut off all ties with his relatives save a few random phone calls to his mother and youngest brother. But Riley’s cop’s instinct told him there was more to the story.
    The only recent piece of information of note was a small paragraph in the Times about a botched assassination attempt on members of the Santiago Cartel.
    While the details were sketchy, the report stated that a homemade bomb had been placed beneath the family limo while the Santiagos were attending Mass. The attempt had been thwarted and a high- ranking member of the Cartel was brought in for questioning.
    Riley could only imagine what that interrogation process had involved.
    “Deb, it’s me again.” Riley glanced at his watch and cringed. By now it was pushing midnight. “Don’t hang up on me. I need to talk as soon as possible.”
    “Dammit… where?” She sounded as if she’d been asleep.
    “How about your place in half an hour?” Her silence was lengthy. “This is important. I wouldn’t ask if it