When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he crossed to her, shining the bright beam across her face.
Shelby feigned sleep, her head drooping low, her hair sweeping over her cheeks, shadowing her eyes. Her muscles tensed as she prepared to strike.
Her guard bent to place the water bottle and sandwich on the floor by her feet.
With all the force she could muster, she kicked her feet up, caught the guard on the chin and sent him tumbling backward onto his backside.
The flashlight flew out of his hand toward the stairs.
Shelby leaped over the man’s flailing legs, snatched the light and raced up the stairs.
Bologna man shouted, “Get her!”
By the time the second guard reached the doorway at the top of the stairs, Shelby was there. She swung the heavy metal flashlight with all her might, clipping the man in the temple. He staggered backward.
Shelby ducked past him and ran for a door. She ripped it open and found a broom closet. Footsteps running up the stairs and muttered curses from the man behind her sent her scurrying to the next door. She pulled it open and ran down a long hallway into a kitchen.
As she reached what looked like a heavy wooden exterior door, she was hit from behind with a flying tackle. She crashed to the floor, her head making contact with the hardwood planks and stars danced before her eyes. She fought not to give in to the gray fog creeping in on her peripheral vision. She couldn’t stop now. She’d come too far.
The door opened in front of her and a man in a mask stared down at her. “Time to leave,” he said, his voice low and gruff.
The man lying across her legs scrambled to his feet, pressing a foot into the middle of her back. “What about her?”
“Leave her. And hurry. D’Angelis sang.”
Shelby’s head ached, her vision blurred, but she held on, trying to grasp what they were talking about.
“Torch the place,” said the man who’d given the order to leave.
Her heart pounded, sending blood rushing through her system, chasing back the fog. Shelby forced herself to lie still, pretending to be out cold.
“Good, the bitch deserves to die after what she did to me.”
“And me.” A hand grabbed the back of her hair, jerked her head back and slammed her forehead into the floor. “That’s for kicking me in the teeth.”
Pain knifed through her head, bringing with it a rush of darkness. As she fought to stay awake, her temples throbbing, she heard the man at the door say, “Come on, I hear sirens.”
The door opened, and a fresh draft of air washed over her.
The scent of gasoline filtered through the open door as the other two men exited. They closed the door. Seconds later, smoke sifted in through the cracks.
Shelby knew she had to get out before she was burned alive. She pushed to her hands and knees and crawled several steps before the pain drained her strength and she fell to the floor.
Lying against the cool hardwood flooring, she prayed death would come quickly. Smoke filled the room and burned her lungs. With her eyes closed tight, she accepted her fate and welcomed oblivion.
As she drifted in and out of consciousness, she felt a cool breeze stir across her, then strong arms curl around her, lifting her from the floor and floating her through the clouds to cool, clean night air.
Shelby’s eyes fluttered open and she stared up into the face of her guardian angel, a man with dark blond hair and green eyes. “Am I in heaven?” she whispered.
A deep chuckle rumbled against her side and a voice as smooth as melted chocolate filled her ears. “Not hardly. But at least you’re no longer in hell.”
Daniel had taken the back of the building and Thad had gone through the front. The entire house had lit up like a bonfire, thanks to the gasoline used as an accelerant. Worried they wouldn’t find her in the burning structure in time to save her, Daniel had practically fallen over Shelby when he’d raced through the back door into what appeared to be a kitchen. She’d been out cold, lying facedown, smoke filling the room over her head.
Without stopping to think, he’d gathered her into his arms and run out of the inferno into the fresh air. The woman was light, petite and curvy.
Ambulances, police cars and fire trucks, all with their sirens wailing, converged at the location.
Not wanting to put her down on the damp grass, Daniel held her until a paramedic rolled a stretcher out of the back of the ambulance and urged him to lay her on the clean white sheet.
Only then did he let go. Despite her tangled and dirty hair, and a bruise the size of a goose egg rising on her forehead, her pale face was beautiful. Her dark brows arched delicately, and high cheekbones and soft, pink lips tugged at something in Daniel’s heart. Something he thought long suppressed in his determined march down his chosen career path.
“We’ll take care of her.” The medic stepped between him and the girl to position an oxygen mask over her face.
Daniel didn’t want to leave her side. “I’m staying with her.” Based on the photograph Patrick O’Hara had shown Kate, this was Shelby O’Hara, granddaughter to the former vice president of the United States. He turned to a cop and told him to let Thad know he’d found Shelby.
“Anyone else in the house?” the cop asked.
“I don’t know.”
Firemen went inside, checking the rooms one by one until they all came out, declaring the house was clear. Whoever had kidnapped Ms. O’Hara had gone, leaving her to burn to death.
Daniel’s hands clenched into fists. If this kidnapping and attempted murder were in any way related to Kate Winston, one attempt on Shelby might not be the last, given the rash of attempts over the past few months.
Thad joined him at the back of the ambulance as the paramedics loaded the stretcher with the pale woman strapped down. “She gonna be all right?”
The paramedic paused with his foot on the back step. “You a relative?”
Thad shoved a hand through his smoky hair, a half grin on his face. “I think I’m her uncle.”
The paramedic frowned. “You think, or you know?”
Thad stared down at the woman. “She has dark hair like our mother’s. Yeah, I’m an uncle.”
The paramedic rolled his eyes and gave him the news. “She has some nasty bumps on her head and possible concussion and smoke inhalation, but she should be fine.”
“Where are you taking her?” Thad asked.
“WakeMed. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” The paramedic climbed in and started to close the door behind him.
Daniel grabbed the door. “I’m going with you.”
“Are you a relative?”
“No. I’m Secret Service, responsible for the safety of this woman.” Daniel flashed his credentials.
“Guess you get a free ride to the hospital.” The paramedic jerked his head toward the front. “You can ride shotgun.” Then he closed the door and twisted the handle, locking it in place.
Daniel rounded to the front and climbed into the passenger seat.
“I’ll notify the family and meet you there.” Thad closed the door, shutting Daniel in the ambulance.
Daniel twisted in his seat, peering through the window into the back