CL Hart -From A Distance by CL Hart Read Free Book Online

would no longer have a view inside, or a target. Shifting her eyes away from searching the outside, Kenzie looked down at her captive.
    Cori's fear flooded face stared back at her. Kenzie was unsure of what to say as she watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest. It was easy to see her heartbeat pulse just below the surface of her neck. Kenzie looked away. Everything felt unreal, distant, almost as if she were watching some else's life.
    "You're an American, so what are you doing in Mexico?" Kenzie asked, as she turned back to look into the young woman's eyes. Cori gave her no answer, returning the stare with a staunch air of defiance. This not only surprised Kenzie, it also annoyed her. She pulled back on Cori's hair and pushed her gun within inches of her face.
    Cori stared into the black hole at the end of the gun's barrel. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if waiting for the gun to fire. Instead, Kenzie pressed the cold metal hard against her forehead.
    "I'll ask you again - once. What are you doing in Mexico?"
    "I'm...I'm a student at the Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara," Cori answered as calmly as she could.
    The information surprised Kenzie, and she didn't like surprises. "Taking what?"
    "Why? What does it matter?"
    Without a thought, Kenzie responded as she would have with any other person she was interrogating. She struck Cori hard in the face, splitting her lip. Cori lifted her hand to the corner of her mouth.
    "Don't make me ask again," Kenzie said, releasing her grasp on Cori's hair. Walking to the window, she pulled back the blind and searched for the other gunman. She scanned the area to no avail. Where did he go? Has he gone? "What are you studying at the University?"
    Cori gingerly touched the corner of her mouth and looked down at the bright blood on her fingers. "Computer programming."
    Computer programming, Kenzie pulled away from the window. Why would someone want a computer programming student dead? The whole situation was taking a bad turn and all Kenzie wanted was out - finish the job, then find out who the other shooter was and why they were there.
    Kenzie saw Cori watching, swallowing with difficulty, as Kenzie tensed and tightened her finger on the trigger. Her conscience tugging at her, Kenzie stopped. She lowered the gun and Cori dropped her head into her hands. Kenzie couldn't hear her crying but she was certain she was.
    Reluctantly, Kenzie realized she would have to take Cori with her. "We need to get out of here, now."
    "We...what? Why?" Cori appeared panicked. "I'm not leaving here," she added boldly.
    "We are leaving!" Kenzie reached down, grabbed a handful of Cori's hair and dragged her to her feet. "It wasn't a suggestion. Do you own a car?"
    "No." Kenzie pushed the barrel of the gun harder against the flesh of Cori's face. Then Cori reluctantly acknowledged, "Yes."
    A hardened glare formed on Kenzie's features as she struck Cori's cheek with the back of her hand. "Don't lie to me again." She holstered her gun and went to her bags on the floor.
    Cori raised her hand to her face and glanced quickly at the door.
    "Don't even think about it," Kenzie warned, seeing the consideration of flight on the young woman's face. "I could have killed you, but I didn't." Pausing for a moment as if to reflect on her own comment, Kenzie sighed loudly before walking over and crouching down in front of Cori. She was tired and needed time to think, but there was no time to think. There was someone else out there hunting Cori Evans and Kenzie had no idea where he was.
    "Look," Kenzie said as she licked her lips, "I don't want to hurt you, but I need answers."
    Cori looked incredulous. "You don't want to hurt me?" she echoed, as she touched the cut on her lip that Kenzie gave to her. Cori's eyes quickly flicked around she room, as if searching frantically for a way to save her life. "I don't have any answers for you. Hell, I don't even know what the questions are. I don't know who you are or why you're