Page 107 of High Seduction
Erin.
Another clatter, metal on concrete, and everything that could have gone wrong flashed like a whip across his nerves.
“Tim, are you okay?” Erin called over the persistent cries.
Thank God.Tim finally took a breath.
And tasted pepper.
“Shit, Erin.” Tim squeezed his eyes shut as he inched toward where the exit was. There was nothing to see in the pitch black anyway. “I’m fine. You got Ken contained?”
“I got his gun. John’s locked up. Police are on the way.” She sneezed violently.
Tim wrapped his fingers around the doorknob. “Watch your eyes, I’m opening the door.”
“Roger.”
Fresh air pushed the pepper scent away from him and farther into HQ. A narrow beam of light snuck in the door off the distant climbing tower beacon, like the curtain going up at the theater to dramatically reveal the current setting. Ken on his knees, his fists pressed hard to his eyes as he rocked and wailed. In the distance John had found something metal and was smashing it into the door again and again.
Walking toward him, Erin held Ken’s gun in her left hand, a can of bear spray in her right. Her forehead was hidden under a set of night vision goggles, the viewing scopes currently tilted toward the ceiling. The cocky smile gracing her lips was one hundred percent Erin.
If he hadn’t already been there, he would have fallen head over heels in love. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
She laughed, a bright sound that smashed away the last of the fear in his soul. The gun was carefully put aside before she threw herself into his arms and kissed him, cold fresh air whirling around them as Ken continued to serenade them with his crying.
The life-and-death adrenaline that had filled Tim’s veins for the last thirty minutes transformed into heat of another kind. He wrapped his arms around her and took what she freely offered.
When she pulled back, he stroked a finger over her cheek. “Smart-ass.Spider?”
“I wanted you to stop what you were doing, but thought it might confuse Ken a little more than simply shoutingstop.”
He shuddered involuntarily again. “Darkness, a gun in my hand, and you bring up spiders. Damn it, woman...”
Blue-and-red lights flashed in his peripheral vision, interrupting her soothing, yet teasing apology. Their backup had arrived, running on silent mode.
“The police. I’ll go let them in,” Erin offered, holding out the goggles.
Tim glanced at Ken, but the man wasn’t even attempting to get off the floor. “I’ll turn the main power back on and meet you at the front door.”
By the time he’d set the panel back to rights, two full teams stood in the Lifeline gathering room, waiting for orders. Their main contact within the RCMP looked up as Tim stepped forward, Erin already explaining what had happened. Marcus stepped through the doors and joined them.
James nodded, motioning to his teams. “Get the man in the staff room first. Once he’s secured, move the man in the back, and take them to the station.”
“Yes, sir.”
With things under control, Tim headed in a new direction, his fingers linked with Erin’s. He wasn’t letting her go any time soon, but he was curious.
“Where are you going?” James asked.
“For a snack.” Tim squeezed her fingers lightly.
Erin raised a brow. “Come again?”
“The bag they wanted. We should make sure James gets it, right?”
“You knew where it was all along?”
“No.” Tim slipped into the staff kitchen, glancing around. “Not until Ken told me the bag held some water bottles and plastic bags filled with gel. Could have been first-aid supplies, but more likely if it was a grey-striped bag about the size of your clothes bag—”
