Green Light (Sam Archer 7) by Tom Barber Read Free Book Online Page A

voice
cracking.
    ‘ Are you serious?’
    She
squeezed her eyes shut. ‘It’s just you and me. We’re the only ones
left.’
    ‘ Where are you?’
    ‘ At home,’ she said, holding the phone against her ear with her
shoulder as she picked up her bag, grabbed her keys and moved to
the door. ‘I’m getting the hell out of here.’
    ‘ Come over to my place right now. We’ll get out of the city
and figure out what to do.’
    ‘ OK,’ she said, opening up. ‘I’ll be the-’
    As she
opened the door she was suddenly pushed back into the room by a
large figure in a black gas mask and white overalls, his hand
around her throat and her scream cut off a second into the sound.
As she stumbled back, Cece dropped the phone, the call still
connected, and kicked out at her attacker but she was totally
outmatched in size and strength. She fought in vain as two other
figures similarly dressed moved into the apartment behind the lead
figure and closed the door.
    As she
continued to struggle, the huge figure kept her restrained in an
effortless iron grip, then whipped her around, clamping a
chemical-soaked rag over her nose and mouth. Using up all her
oxygen, her screaming and shouting muffled under the man’s glove,
Cece was forced to inhale.
    Then she
passed out.

SIX
    Assisted by the relative lack of traffic on the Sunday city
streets, Josh and Marquez made it down to the East Village in quick
time, parking by the sidewalk outside Karen Casey’s apartment
building on East 19 th Street. Exiting the car, the pair quickly moved
towards the building’s entrance, Josh running forward and catching
the door as a couple walked out, Marquez following him
inside.
    Ten
seconds later, they arrived outside 2B. Josh knocked on the door;
there was a delay then the sound of movement before the door opened
a fraction, catching on the chain.
    A
middle-aged woman peered through the gap. They could only see an
inch of her but even so they saw she looked hostile.
    ‘ Help you?’ she asked.
    ‘ Are you Karen Casey?’
    ‘ Who’s asking?’
    ‘ Lisa Marquez and Josh Blake,’ Marquez said, showing her badge.
‘We’re detectives with the NYPD.’
    A beat
later the door was slammed in their faces.
    ‘ We need to talk to you, ma’am,’ Josh said, raising his voice
so he could be heard. ‘Please.’
    ‘ Go away. If this is about Leann, I’ve said it
all.’
    ‘ This is about one of our detectives,’ Marquez said. ‘He’s gone
missing.’
    ‘ So?’
    She
looked at Josh, trying to find the right things to say. ‘We think
he might have come to see you before he disappeared. His car was
towed from down the street less than an hour ago. We don’t know
where he is and we figured you may be able to help.’
    There
was a long pause, the pair looking at each other. The door remained
shut.
    Cursing
under his breath, Josh shook his head at Marquez and they turned to
leave.
    ‘ Is that the only reason you’re here?’ Karen’s voice asked.
    Marquez
looked at Josh. ‘No.’
    There
was the sound of rattling and then the door opened fully this time,
to reveal a slim woman somewhere in her forties. She looked tired
and worn, dark shadows under her eyes but nevertheless it was easy
to see she would once have been very attractive, just like her
daughter.
    She
folded her arms defensively, looking at the two detectives. ‘So
what’s the other reason? Leann?’
    ‘ We’re from the Counter-Terrorism Bureau. We’re taking a look
at the case.’
    ‘ Jesus Christ, I got a call telling me you found her killers.
Why the hell are you still looking at this? And why
Counter-Terrorism? You’re telling me Leann was mixed up with
terrorists?’
    ‘ No, of course not,’ Marquez said. ‘Two of our colleagues were
shot that night with Leann. That’s why we’re involved.’
    Karen
didn’t reply.
    ‘ One of them has gone missing and we’re trying to find him. His
name’s Sam Archer.’
    ‘ The blond guy?’
    ‘ That’s him. He came to see