Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

And to stay hidden.

Rachel straightened and peered into the darkness of the alley.

Rachel thought she heard a faint sound. The light scuffle of a shoe? “Is someone there?” she called.

No answer but...the scuffle sounded again. A rasp? She tiptoed closer to the mouth of the alley. “Hello?”

Maybe it was an animal. The faint noise could just be a cat getting into some garbage. That explanation made sense.

“H-help...”

The cry was faint, so very faint, but Rachel heard it. She tensed. “Who’s there?” And where was the EOD guard? She swung around, glancing back at the street behind her.

She didn’t see anyone.

“H-help...” A gasp, but she’d definitely heard the words.

Rachel wished that she had her gun with her. Any kind of weapon. But she didn’t.

And she also didn’t have the luxury of hesitating.

Rachel rushed toward that faint cry.

* * *

DYLAN JUMPED OUT of the SUV. He’d grabbed the first vehicle that he found at the EOD, and he’d shot straight to Rachel’s place. He’d thought about calling her, but he’d been afraid the woman would just hang up on him.

She was furious, he got that. But he couldn’t let her shut him out like this.

He rushed up the steps to her apartment and nearly slammed into Hunter Paxton. Hunter was a new EOD agent, but he was fast catching attention because when it came to the missions, he was single-minded.

“Something I can do for you?” Hunter asked him.

The guy was actually blocking Dylan’s path to the door.

“Yeah, get out of the way,” Dylan snapped.

Hunter didn’t move. “Mercer just called me. Said that you weren’t Rachel’s commander any longer. It seems she’s left the agency.”

&

nbsp; No. That wasn’t happening. “Mercer is misinformed.”

Hunter smiled. “I’d hoped so. I like Rachel.”

Every-damn-body did. The woman pulled them all in.

She sure pulled me in.

Hunter slid to the side. “I got on shift about twenty minutes ago. I was told to watch the building. To make sure access to the place is limited.” But then Hunter shook his head. “Save yourself the trouble of racing up there. Rachel hasn’t come home yet.”

What? If she wasn’t home, then where the hell was she?

* * *

SHE SAW THE legs first, sprawled out near the garbage container. Legs and—

Rachel gasped as her penlight fell on the figure there. “Brent?”