Читать книгу Dangerous Memories - Barbara Colley - Страница 11

Hunter grabbed Leah. “Get down!” he shouted. He shoved her down onto the seat, then covered her with his own body. Leah’s scream was muffled by the car seat. Panic and fear for the safety of her unborn baby streaked through her as she struggled to breathe beneath Hunter’s weight.

“Damn Bureau leak,” she heard Harris mutter as she felt the car careen first to one side then to the other.

Suddenly shots exploded from the passenger side of the car as Martin returned fire.

More shots rang out from behind. Martin groaned then yelled, “Dammit to hell! I’m hit!”

“How bad?” his partner demanded.

“My arm! Can’t return fire!”

“Hunter—the gun!” Harris floored the accelerator and zigzagged between the vehicles in his path. “Get his gun!” Harris shouted as horns blared and tires squealed.

“Stay down,” Hunter told Leah. When he sprang up, reached over the seat and grabbed for Martin’s gun, Leah gulped in air and splayed her hands protectively over her abdomen. Just as Hunter latched on to the gun, another spray of bullets pelted the rear end of the car, and he ducked. Again Harris floored the accelerator. More horns blared.

“Coming up to Valence Street,” Harris shouted. “They’re at least three cars behind. When I make the turn, I’ll slow enough for you both to bail out. Just pray that they keep following me!”

“Take this.” Martin pitched Hunter his cell phone. “And keep the gun.”

Only seconds passed before Harris yelled, “Get ready! Here it comes.”

“Keep low,” Hunter ordered, his mouth inches from her ear.

Fear within Leah increased tenfold as tires skidded and she felt the car lurch to the right as Hunter grabbed her arm with the grip of a vise. What if she fell? What if she lost the baby? Don’t think about it. Just concentrate on staying alive.

As she tensed in readiness, out of the corner of her eye, she spied her purse on the floor. With her free hand she latched on to to it just as Hunter shoved open the door. He yanked on her arm, and the force of it propelled Leah sideways. Hunter jumped, pulling Leah with him. When they hit the pavement, Hunter’s firm grip was all that kept her from falling flat on her face. The second Hunter slammed the door shut, Harris gunned the engine.

“Run!” Hunter yelled.

Leah had barely regained her balance when Hunter jerked her sideways again. Half pulling, half dragging her, he jumped the curb, and Leah had no choice but to follow.

“Take cover behind the tree!” Hunter yanked her behind the trunk of a huge oak off to the side of the walkway, then pinned her to it with his body. The rough bark bit into her chest, and she could feel every gasping breath that Hunter took against her back. Within seconds, they both watched as the black SUV streaked past, following the agent’s car.

Before the agent’s vehicle had gone half a block, more shots were fired from the SUV. Leah cried out when the agent’s car careened out of control and crashed into a line of vehicles parked on the side of the street. The SUV skidded to a stop just beyond the tangle of wrecked cars.

“Dammit to hell,” Hunter growled as he eased just to the side of her. “Here!” He shoved a cell phone into Leah’s hand. “Keep out of sight and call 911.”

Leah was thankful to have the tree to lean against since she could barely stand. She looped her purse strap over her shoulder, then punched out 911 with trembling fingers.

Three men spilled out of the black vehicle, and Hunter yanked the gun out of the waistband of his jeans.