Outlaw Derek Read Online Free PDF Page B

rest had done little more than take the edge off his weariness, but he was accustomed to much less sleep during an assignment and tended to be grateful for what he could get. He felt almost human after showeringand shaving, more so after hot coffee, and by the second cup was able to think more clearly than he had during the small hours of the morning.
    The most important thing was Shannon’s safety, which meant that he had to discover who was after her and why. He could do a little basic research from his apartment by making a few calls, but sooner or later he’d have to do some reconnoitering at Civatech and find out just what was going on there. And Shannon would have to be with him, since he wasn’t about to leave her alone if he could help it. She’d be safe enough with William, but Derek felt uneasy for several reasons when he considered that alternative.
    Since they had moved so quickly to get Shannon, and since they had not even bothered to make the explosion look like an accident, Derek had to assume they were both nervous and unaware of her closeness to the governor. If they had not been nervous, the explosion would certainly have appeared accidental, and if they hadrealized just how close to William she actually was, they might have hesitated to go after her at all. It was public knowledge that William Franklin was a good friend and a very bad enemy, and he was hardly the type to keep quiet if someone he cared about was hurt or killed.
    However, now that they had indeed tried to kill Shannon, it was extremely doubtful they’d give up on that intention, even if they chanced to find out about her relationship with William. As Derek had told him on the phone, he was their ace in the hole, a considerable amount of clout in an emergency, so Derek was reluctant to hide Shannon away in the governor’s mansion unless it was absolutely necessary.
    He poured more coffee and stared down at the breakfast bar where the morning paper lay, still neatly folded; he’d remembered to get it from the hallway, but hadn’t read it. He lit a cigarette, frowning down at the paper without really seeing it. Shannon and he probably didn’t have much time, he was thinking. Since there was nopast or present connection between him and Shannon, it was reasonable to assume she would be safe with him. Except for one small thing.
    Who he was. There weren’t twenty people—counting Shannon and the Franklins—in Richmond, Virginia, who knew who and what Derek Ross was; the bad thing was that a good fifteen of the twenty wore black hats. If the people at Civatech had “street” connections and knew the right questions to ask, it would only be a matter of time before someone alerted them that a government agent known on both sides of the street as something of an outlaw lived in the city. They’d check him out automatically as a possible danger, and since he had long ago learned that anyone could be found if the search was careful enough and professional enough, he rarely bothered to hide his whereabouts behind unlisted phones or assumed names. So he would be easy to find.
    Shannon wouldn’t be safe here for much longer.
    That was something Derek acknowledged and accepted. So they’d have to leave soon. Which meant Shannon had to have clothes: she’d stand out far too much wearing his too-large clothing, and even if it was safe to return to her apartment, he doubted there was anything left there to salvage. The problem was, Derek didn’t want to leave her alone, nor was he ready to endanger her by taking her out in public, at least until he had a better idea of what was going on at Civatech.
    Absently, he unfolded the paper and began scanning the headlines, wondering if there was anyone who could—his glance caught and held on a photo, and his eyes sharpened as he read the caption and the accompanying short article. “Well, well,” he murmured thoughtfully. “Nice of Lady Luck to help me out.”
    The phone directory was equally