if she was still mad, or had forgiven him that insolent smirk. He was strangely surprised that her opinion of him really did matter. Her funny little smile—well, that was just an added bonus.
Kenzie Thorn was a spunky woman. A very attractive spunky woman.
But for the moment, she was just a job. And completing his assignment for the bureau was more important than seeing her smile or smelling her citrus scent.
Besides, as soon as she got into the car tonight, any affinity they shared would be demolished. When she crawled behind the wheel after her final class, he was going to have to threaten her life. At least make her believe that she was in danger.
Wrapping his hand firmly around the tiny blade that Whitestall had given him, he tried not to focus on the fear he knew he was going to cause.
No matter what, it was better him than someone who might like scaring Kenzie, who might really hurt her.
Suddenly the truth of that slammed into him, almost stealing his breath. God, thank You for putting me here and not someone who would be willing to hurt her. Please keep her calm as we make our way toward the safe house tonight, and give her understanding when I can finally tell her about this assignment. I ask for wisdom as I investigate the people behind this plot against Kenzie. Lord, I pray, too, for her family, who will be frightened beyond belief. Please guide me, Lord, on my mission to protect her.
He mouthed an “amen,” not daring to say it aloud, just in case Whitestall or someone else had bugged the car. He couldn’t take any chances that they would catch on to him before he had Kenzie tucked away in the safe house.
They’d make it out of the prison. And he’d find the people behind this plot. He’d make sure that she never had to worry about them again.
Kenzie sighed as she collected the last of her papers to be graded the next day, particularly tired after an extra late night of grading. Myles had never showed up for class. Immediately, her mind jumped to the sight of the yellowish bruise around his eye when he’d first entered her class the previous day. Could he have been beaten up? Was he seriously injured?
Suddenly breathing heavily, she shoved the papers haphazardly into her desk drawer and headed toward the infirmary. The evening nurse, Jayne, was always kind and would tell her if Myles was in there. But how could she ask about him without seeming too interested?
“Please don’t let him be hurt,” she whispered toward the ceiling. “If You see fit, please keep him safe and healthy.”
Kenzie slid to a stop at the window where the middle-aged nurse should have been. But no one was there. There was no point in waiting around for Jayne or someone else to show up. It could be hours.
Turning around dejectedly, she trotted toward the security checkpoint. Having learned to navigate security efficiently, she quickly flashed her ID tag and bustled out the door, toward her car. Shivering as a sturdy breeze cooled off the evening air, she picked up her speed.
The night fell on her, closing around her. The ominous spotlights illuminating the prison yard did little to make her feel safe. Shadows in the bus barn spooked her as she flung open her car door, threw in her purse and jumped behind the wheel. The ignition turned over and the engine purred to life as she shoved the lock down.
Putting a hand over her heart, she felt the solid thuds as it raced. She took a deep breath trying to calm her jitters. She was almost never frightened inside the prison complex. What would cause her to be so scared tonight?
Deep breath in. Hold it. Let it out.
She pulled in front of the gate and waited for the guard reading the magazine to wave her through. He barely looked up long enough to punch the button that made the gate squeak loudly, then grind slowly open.
She waved back at him, but even in the glow of the light from the guard station, she felt shrouded in darkness. Out on the road on her way back into Evergreen, the darkness didn’t abate. In fact, it started to close in even tighter around her. Her hands shook as they clung to the wheel and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, as though someone was breathing right behind her. But she pushed on to make it the few miles into town, back to her condo.
Finally she could stand her shaking hands and ragged breathing no longer. Kenzie swerved to the shoulder and slammed the car into Park.
“God, I just…” Her voice trailed off, and she could not form words to pray. “I’m just being silly,” she chided herself aloud. “God, I know that You’re in control. I don’t know why I’m acting like a jitterbug tonight—”
Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off her words and her breath.
THREE
Kenzie tried to scream, but the calloused hand covering her mouth effectively cut off all sound and stole almost all of her breath. She struggled to rip the fingers from her face, but another arm snaked around her middle, pinning her to the driver’s seat, her arms at her sides.
She could not think, could not focus. She could only react, fighting with all her might against the corded arms wrapped around her.
Futilely, she tried to bite the fingers at her mouth, but only managed to nibble on a knuckle. Tossing her head from side to side, she tried to free herself, but the arms were immovable.
After what seemed an hour but was likely closer to five minutes, she was too tired to fight anymore. Sliding back against the seat, she tried another tactic. She would reason with the man sitting behind her. Craning her neck to look at him through the rearview mirror, she could barely make out the outline of rumpled hair and broad shoulders. But it was too dark for her to see any of his features.
He sat quietly, just holding her to the seat, seemingly unsure of what he wanted to do next. Finally, he whispered in her ear, “Are you done struggling?”
Her eyes flew open at his voice. She knew that voice. It was the same voice that made her stomach drop to her toes and sent shivers up and down her back.
Gasping, she garbled something unintelligible into his hand. She had trusted him, and now he was going to—well, she wasn’t sure what he was going to do. But it wasn’t going to be good, that was for sure.
“Shh. Calm down,” he whispered into her ear. His voice was deep and soothing, and his restraints were just tight enough to hold her in place. He didn’t hurt her as long as she sat still.
She made another wild attempt to free herself, trying to grab for the door handle or honk the horn. His arm around her waist suddenly squeezed, stealing all of her breath and robbing her of all her strength. He must have felt the whoosh of air expel from her lungs through her nose, because he relaxed his grip over her mouth.
Almost limp in his arms, Kenzie felt defeated. “What do you want?” she wheezed between his fingers.
“I want you to turn the car around and start driving. I want you to take me farther from the prison and to freedom. I’ll tell you where to go.”
Kenzie’s mind worked as fast as it could under the strained circumstances. She had to get back to the prison or to a lighted, busy area. Here he was free to do with her as he pleased. It probably meant death. Or worse.
“You know who my grandfather is, don’t you? If you kidnap me, there’ll be no pardon. He’ll hunt you down and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Please think about this.” She was very proud that she kept her voice from shaking with emotion and fear as she spoke.
Suddenly the arm around her middle moved and was quickly replaced by the point of a knife in her side.
“Just do what I say, Kenzie.” He had never called her by her first name before, and it sparked a fire back into her.
“No. You don’t want to do this. This can only end poorly for you. Think about what you’re doing!”
“No arguments. Just do it. Now.” His voice a growl, she knew he meant what he said.