Charity's Angel Read Online Free PDF

barrels of their shotguns by now," Sal said impatiently. "Just go make sure nobody else is hiding in the John."
    Gabe knew that when Billy rounded the end of the last case, he had only to glance sideways to discover that there might not be cops in the back, but there was one right under his nose.
    Holding his breath, he listened to the sound of Billy's footsteps, cursing the carpeting that muffled them. Praying that his timing was right, he swung into the gap between the cases just after Billy walked by it. Now he was visible only from the front.
    Charity's eyes flickered up to him, her hands busy putting a pad against the oozing wound high in the unconscious man's shoulder. The lacy edge identified the makeshift bandage as a half slip.
    Gabe heard Billy's boots strike the uncarpeted hallway. He could slip in behind him and eliminate at least one of the bad guys. But that would simply alert the other two to his presence and would do nothing for the remaining hostages. Just how many hostages were there?
    As if she'd read his mind, Charity spoke. "You don't really need to hold all of us, you know. Why don't you let the two couples go? And Mr. Kocek needs a doctor. That would still leave you with Sally and me."
    Someone—Sally, no doubt—uttered a squeaky protest. Gabe barely heard. Two couples, two employees and the wounded man. Seven hostages. More than enough to bargain with. Hearing Billy's return, he counted slowly to five before sliding back behind the case and out of sight.
    Leaning his head back, he tried to decide what to do. He was right in the middle of a very nasty hostage situation with no way to communicate with the cops outside.
    It was not a good situation, and he had a strong feeling that it was going to get worse.

Chapter 3

    " H ow'd the cops get here so fast, anyway?" That was Billy, his voice stretched tight with nerves.
    "Stay back from the windows, you idiot," Sal-told him.
    "Well, how'd they know?"
    Billy moved away from the front windows, his movements quick and nervous. Charity found it difficult to take her eyes off the gun he was waving around so carelessly.
    "That guy said something about a silent alarm," Joe said suddenly.
    She swallowed hard and dropped her eyes to Al Kocek's still form.
    "Who set off the alarm?" Billy demanded. "Couldn't'a been the old geezers, and the two of you don't work here, either." He dismissed the customers. His attention settled on Sally, who was cowering behind one of the cases, her heavily made up eyes bulging with terror. "You work here."
    Charity had never in her life heard so much menace in anyone's voice. She could almost forgive Sally for her quick denial.
    "It wasn't me. I wasn't anywhere near a button," she stammered out, her voice squeaky with fear. "It was her. Charity was right next to it. She must have set it off." One brightly lacquered nail pointed to where Charity knelt beside the wounded man.
    Billy was beside her before she had a chance to do more than draw a quick breath. Grabbing her arm, he jerked her to her feet.
    "Did you call the cops on us?"
    The stubble of beard made him look younger, she thought, focusing her mind on that irrelevant detail. And a haircut would have gone a long way to improving his appearance. Where was Vidal Sassoon when you needed him?
    "Did you push the damn button?" His fingers tightened on her arm. He gave her a rough shake. She'd have bruises tomorrow. Always supposing he didn't kill her today. "Answer me!"
    "You had guns," she said finally.
    "Bitch!" There was no time to avoid the blow, even if he hadn't been holding her. The back of his hand connected with her face, the force of it weighted by the gun he still held. Pain exploded through her face, radiating outward from her cheek until her whole head pounded. She would have fallen but for the hold he still had on her arm.
    "You've ruined everything," he said shrilly, drawing his hand back to strike again. Over his shoulder Charity glimpsed a movement in the opening