True Honor Read Online Free PDF Page B

reachable? Because she knew something?
    Sam’s hand rubbed the inside of her wrist. “What’s next?”
    She focused her attention back on him. “I need to leave.” She bent over to put on her tennis shoes and stopped as the pain radiated through her chest.
    Sam stopped her and reached for the shoes. “I’ll do them for you.” He knelt and lifted a bare foot, slipped on a sock and then her shoe. “Where do you go from here?”
    “Washington, D.C. I really appreciate your offer to help, but you don’t know me; you don’t know what you’re getting into.” Darcy was torn between welcoming the help and cautioning him on the reality. Trouble was coming her way in a huge wave.
    “You’ve got a nice smile and you read Mickey Mouse comic books. What’s not to like?”
    “It’s a gift for a friend who wanted to come to Disney World with me.”
    “Sounds like an interesting friend.” Sam neatly tied her shoes and then sat back on his heels. “I’m partial to trouble and you’ve got some. I’ll tag along for a while.” He tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. “I’m sorry about your dress.”
    “So am I. I went to New York to buy that dress. It was gorgeous.”
    “Indeed it was. I certainly appreciated it.”
    “Thanks, Sam.” He was trying to help her get her equilibrium back. A SEAL for a decade, he’d been around the world long enough to take care of himself. She’d have to trust that. She pointed to the table at the water-soaked book she’d carried back with her. “Can you reach that? Let me see what Sergey passed on.”
    He handed it to her.
    “Got a pocketknife?”
    Sam pulled one from his pocket. She used the knife to slice open the safety pocket. She removed the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. The ink on the note was running.
    It was necessary.
    It wasn’t an apology or an excuse but an explanation. Whatever Sergey’s mission, she’d been part of the groundwork. The implication that killing her had been worth the price . . . What was coming?
    She looked up at Sam.
    Sergey had failed. It was time to figure out why he had tried in the first place.

Three
    * * *
    SEPTEMBER 9
    Sunday, 10:05 p.m.
    Destin, Florida
    Sam rapidly packed his belongings in his hotel room. How could he have not realized there was something else going on tonight? He got tugged in by a spy and used for cover, had been sitting there during the arrival of her contact, and he hadn’t had a clue. That’s what you get for assuming nothing ever happens stateside. He could have at least ensured he got a glimpse of the man she was meeting. He stuffed extra socks in the corner of the bag. Never go anywhere without extra socks.
    He was getting mad now that he had the luxury of feeling the emotions. Someone had tried to kill Darcy, had reached out and killed two others tonight. He could have pulled a floating body from that pool rather than just a shaken and angry lady. It was hard to get rid of the image of Darcy dead, those blue eyes lifeless.
    He hoped he eventually got to meet the man Darcy called her partner. What had Gabriel been thinking letting her come to this meeting alone? She hadn’t been prepared for what happened tonight, and Sam wasn’t inclined to trust that same bureaucracy with her safety now.
    He packed while Bear worked the phone arranging secure transportation from the hotel and confirming details with Eglin Air Base for the flight to D.C. At least one thing had been arranged right; the Air Force guys could move her at a good clip. SEALs were in the hotel lobby keeping an eye out for Sergey, and a medic from his team stayed with Darcy. Sam had managed to pull together reasonable manpower in an hour. What he was going to tell the guys later he wasn’t sure, but like the buddies they were, they had acted and not asked questions he couldn’t answer.
    “How are you set for cash?” Bear asked.
    Sam checked his billfold. “I’m good.”
    “When I asked if you’d found company, this