Dangerous Ground 3: Blood Heat Read Online Free PDF Page B

and then I"d have shot you.”
    Was that option four? Judging by the way he trotted out the scenario, Nemov had clearly been considering wholesale slaughter as a possible game plan.

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    Of course, if Nemov believed Will and Taylor would be willing to sacrifice one terrorist skank to preserve their careers, he might plan on executing Hedwig once he had her on his own. That saved him a potential gun battle and the risk of the DSS coming after him following the inevitable full-scale manhunt that would result from the murder of two agents.
    “Now you,” Nemov told Taylor. “Slowly.”
    Taylor obeyed, unspeaking. The fact that he was unspeaking was a very bad sign, but there was nothing Will could do about that now. In some ways Taylor was as direct as an arrow to the heart. It was possible he was never going to understand—Will wasn"t sure he understood—the choice Will had just made. But Will couldn"t stand by and see Taylor die. Not if there was any chance in hell of avoiding it.
    “Get your cuffs out.”
    “They"re on the girl.”
    “Oh? Agent Brent. Take your cuffs out and walk over here. The right side of the car, please.”
    “My right or yours?”
    Nemov chuckled. “I like you, Agent Brent. You are of a pragmatic nature. As is Nemov.”
    Will walked around the front of the car, passing Hedwig, who was crying quietly. He joined Taylor in front of the sawed-off shotgun.
    Taylor didn"t look at him. Will clenched his jaw against the protest, the explanations. In the end there was nothing to say, no excuse, and—for him—no choice.
    “Cuff yourself to your partner.”
    Still not looking at Will, Taylor shoved his arm forward, offering the lower part of his forearm.
    Good thinking, MacAllister.

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    Josh Lanyon

    But it was a no-go. Nemov said, “Uh-uh. I know that trick. He has skinny arms, your partner. Make sure the cuff is tight around the wrist.”
    In stony silence, Will snapped the cuff around Taylor"s bony wrist. Will clicked the metal circlet around his own wrist, joining them.
    “Keys to the handcuffs?”
    Will handed them over.
    Nemov smiled at Taylor. With tight, quick movements, Taylor used his free hand to pull his ID out and awkwardly remove the key from behind his badge.
    “You are the wily one, yes? Not so wily as Nemov, though.” Nemov took the key with every appearance of good humor. “Throw the car keys as far as you can. And do not throw like a little girl.”
    Taylor gave Nemov a baleful look, felt around for the keys in his Levi"s, dangled them fleetingly in front of Nemov"s long nose, and then hurled them with ferocious energy across the yucca and Spanish bayonet. They glinted as they fell like a shooting star.
    “Nice. You play baseball, I bet. All right, milaya moyna. Time to go.”
    Footsteps dragging, Hedwig came slowly around the car.
    “Just do what he says,” Will told her. “You"ll be okay.” He felt he was speaking as much to Taylor as Hedwig.
    “Listen to Agent Brent. He is a smart man.”
    Will couldn"t seem to tear his gaze from Taylor"s averted face.
    “Start walking,” Nemov ordered. “I will be right behind you.”
    Hedwig stumbled past them and started up the increasingly muddy dirt trail.
    Nemov said quietly, “Now, my young friends, you find out what teamwork is really about. Take my advice. Forget about Kelila Hedwig. If anyone asks, tell them you followed a cold trail. She was gone by the time you found Ramirez"s. No need to wreck your careers over this, you will agree.”
    A pulse jumped in Taylor"s temple, but to Will"s relief, he restrained himself.

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    Nemov backed away, keeping the shotgun trained on them until his tall figure dissolved into the darkness. They could hear his quick stride down the road as he followed Hedwig.
    Taylor swung on Will. “What the hell were you thinking?” he half whispered.
    “For God"s sake, Will. You surrendered your weapon—”
    “I know what I