Silent Night Standoff. Susan Sleeman

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      “Get away?” He nodded. “Yeah. I got off one shot, but he’s in the wind.”

      “There you are.” Jake’s angry voice came from the end of the gurney and suddenly Logan was jerked away. “What part of ‘stay out of our way’ didn’t you understand, Suit? You could’ve gotten Skyler killed with that foolish stunt.”

      “Jake, wait,” Skyler shouted, the effort making her head throb harder. “He saved my life.”

      “He could also have gotten you killed,” Jake said. “And putting you in that situation wasn’t his decision to make.”

      “But it worked out for the best, and he did save my life. Clyde blames me for Bonnie’s death. If he’d kept me with him when he left, he would’ve killed me the minute he felt safe enough to do so.”

      “What?” Jake glanced at her over his shoulder but didn’t release Logan.

      “Clyde said if I hadn’t texted you, they could’ve safely gotten out of the bank. So he blames me for Bonnie.”

      “That’s what he meant,” Logan muttered.

      Jake glared at Logan. “Meant by what?”

      “Before Clyde took off he said this wasn’t over and Skyler would pay.” Logan freed his jacket from Jake’s grip and pressed out the wrinkle. “Besides the obvious threat here, it’s also important to mention he called his partner Nicole. This is the first time we’ve heard her name, and he was under such duress we have to believe he wasn’t making it up.”

      “His name is Marty,” Skyler added.

      “Marty?” Logan moved closer to her.

      “Most of the time, they called each other Bonnie and Clyde, but in a private conversation when they didn’t think I could hear, she called him Marty and he called her Nicole. He also screamed out her name when Brady took her out.”

      “And you’re sure she called him Marty?”

      “Positive.”

      Jake stepped to the gurney. “We’re losing sight of the real issue here. Marty or Clyde or whatever you want to call him could be coming after Skyler.”

      Logan nodded. “That’s a very real possibility.”

      Jake locked gazes with Skyler. “I don’t want you going out on your own until this creep is brought in. Be on alert. In fact, you might want to stay home.”

      “Please.” She rolled her eyes and even that slight movement brought pain. “If everyone on the squad took precautions like that each time someone threatened one of us, we’d all be hermits.”

      “Talk some sense into her, Darcie.”

      “She has a point. Tempers flare at these standoffs, but the suspect usually calms down.” Darcie squeezed Skyler’s hand. “Besides, I’m less worried about Clyde and more worried that she may need stitches and has a concussion.” Darcie peered at her. “Loss of consciousness is a warning sign, honey. We should get you to the hospital.”

      “No.” Skyler wished she could shake her head for emphasis without worsening her headache. “I’m fine.”

      Jake got in her face. “You lost consciousness. County procedure dictates a trip to the hospital to be checked out.”

      “Procedure, schmedure. I’m good to go.” She tried to push him out of her way and sit up, but the arm Marty had grabbed buckled and a wave of dizziness assaulted her.

      “You’re fine?” Logan asked. “Explain why you can’t sit up then.”

      She shot him a frustrated glare. “Okay. You all win. I’ll get checked out, but I won’t ride in the ambulance. My car’s in the lot. I’ll drive myself. It’s less than a mile away. I’ll be fine.”

      “Ha!” Jake said. “Like I’d let that happen with a head injury.”

      Darcie crossed her arms. “And if he did let you go, I’d stop you.”

      “I can give you a ride to the E.R.,” Logan offered.

      Skyler shot a look at him. He’d never voluntarily offer to leave his crime scene before inspecting it. Never put anything before work. Not even her. Next thing she knew pigs would fly overhead.

      “I need to take your statement anyway,” he went on. “We can do it on the way and save time.”

       Right, my statement. The job.

      Skyler glared up at him, and tried to hide her disappointment, but she felt certain she hadn’t managed it.

      Nothing had changed. She still took second place with him. Third, if you counted his father, who truly came first since his career focus was aimed at making his father proud. That wouldn’t change even if Logan was dating again. Making his father proud was Logan’s top priority. Had always been his top priority, but Skyler had let the blush of love distract her and hadn’t seen it. Until the day he’d walked out on her. That horrible, horrible day the week of Christmas, he’d proved he wouldn’t be distracted from his mission to excel at the FBI.

      Ever. Not even for a chance at love and a life with her.

      * * *

      Logan’s phone chimed. Good. A distraction before Skyler’s frustrated glare brought back memories he didn’t want to think about. He’d suspected if he ever ran into her again, she’d be testy. But after two years, he didn’t expect to see her eyes as cold as the day he’d told her he was taking the job at the FBI’s Chicago office. Not one day since then had he found the weather in the Windy City to be colder than her expression that afternoon.

      His fault. He shouldn’t have gotten involved with her in the first place. Not when he was committed to reaching every milestone his FBI father had achieved, but doing so at a younger age. A relationship simply distracted him, and he couldn’t afford to be distracted.

      Especially not now. If he was successful in bringing in Bonnie and Clyde by Christmas, he’d become one of the youngest agents in the bureau’s history ever promoted to assistant special agent in charge of a field office.

      What father wouldn’t be proud of that accomplishment?

      Logan couldn’t relax before then. Or even after. He’d still have to succeed at the job or risk losing the old man’s approval. That meant undivided focus on the work.

      He glanced at his phone. His team had arrived and it was time to move this along. He turned his attention back to Skyler.

      “If you won’t listen to my medical advice, Skyler,” Darcie said, “there are plenty of shell-shocked witnesses inside who will.” Though she sounded mad, Logan could see she really cared about Skyler before she marched off.

      Logan waited for Marsh to follow, but he stood his ground, as if he felt a need to protect Skyler. Logan got that. Seeing both Marsh’s and Darcie’s protectiveness, he could tell the team had formed a close bond. Something Logan had no time for, and yet, when he saw this kind СКАЧАТЬ