A Baby Before Dawn by Linda Castillo Read Free Book Online

something familiar about one of the men, but I’m certain I’ve never seen him before.”
    “How did it happen?”
    Chase described the ambush. Thinking of his limo, he frowned. “Wrecked Irma.”
    “Hopefully the looters won’t get her.”
    “Thanks for planting that thought.” His next statement made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. “Ben, they tried to kill Lily.”
    “Lily Garrett? The nurse you—”
    “That’s the one,” Chase interjected, not wanting him to finish the sentence.
    “Damn. Is she all right?”
    “She’s with me.”
    “Good. Keep her with you. I don’t have to tell you these bastards mean business.”
    Chase glanced down at the graze on his arm where the pain was coming to life. “No, you don’t.”
    “If they tried to get to Lily, that means they tailed you. They researched her.”
    “If they were able to tail me without me noticing, they’re probably professionals. They’ve probably got some connections.”
    The other man fell silent. Tension traveled through the line. Chase got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Any idea who might be behind this?”
    “Not yet, but we’ve got people on it,” Ben said after a moment. “I don’t know if this ties in, but the vice president has been kidnapped.”
    “I heard.” He got that prickly sensation again. “Vice President Davis was at the black-tie affair where I picked up the client who ambushed me. There’s got to be a connection.”
    “We’re trying to figure out what it is.”
    “You think the blackout is part of this?”
    “I hope not, but we’re not ruling out anything at this point. We’ve got BP&L crews working on both power stations.”
    “I didn’t realize there were two plants.”
    “One in Charlestown, across the river, and the other in South Boston.”
    “You think it was sabotage?”
    A pause ensued. “We’ve had unsubstantiated reports of simultaneous explosions, but nothing has been verified as of yet. Because of the power outage, communication has been hit or miss.” He paused. “We’re vulnerable, Chase. And prime for another attack.”
    The news struck him like a ton of bricks. Chase almost couldn’t believe it. His mind scrolled through possible explanations. Random terrorism from some fanatical group. The kidnapping of the vice president by some homegrown political nutcase. But when you threw in synchronized ambushes on him and his brother, he knew there was another possibility that hit much closer to home.
    The actions were connected, intentional—and aimed directly at a select group. A group from the past.
    “Do you want to come in?” Ben asked him. “I can set you and Lily up in a safe house.”
    The thought appealed, but only because of Lily. Chase much preferred the freedom to move independently. But if the ambush was part of a conspiracy that reached all the way to the vice president, chances were the thugs had inside help. The FBI couldn’t necessarily keep her safer than he could.
    “No,” he said. “We’re safe for now.”
    “Where are you?”
    Silence roared for an instant. Chase knew it was crazy not to trust Ben Parker, but his instincts told him not to answer. “Not over an open line, Ben.”
    “No problem. But, Chase, let me know if you want to bring her in.”
    “I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” he insisted.
    “If anything develops, I’ll let you know.”
    At that the two men disconnected, and Chase was left alone with his thoughts, a woman he had once loved more than life itself, and a terrible fear that he might not be able to keep his word.
     
    L ILY JERKED AWAKE , her heart pounding. For a moment she was disoriented and didn’t know where she was. Then the memory of everything that had happened rushed over her in a torrent. The blackout. The man with the gun. The ambush at the hospital. Chase’s hand over hers as he shepherded her away from the danger.
    Chase.
    Struggling to a sitting position, she looked around to find the