Best Laid Plans (66 page)
Authors: Allison Brennan
Tags: #Fiction, #Thrillers, #Suspense, #Mystery & Detective, #Police Procedural, #Women Sleuths, #Romance
“Will?” he said through clenched teeth.
“Time?” she asked one of her men.
“Eight fifty-four and thirty seconds. Thirty-one, thirty-two—”
Nicole cut him off and turned back to Isaac. “You have five minutes, twenty-ish seconds to get those kids off the bus before the bomb goes off. And if you are wondering? There really is a bomb. And it really will go off at nine a.m.”
Nicole ran alongside her rescuers. The police would be closing in fast, but they had an escape route already in place. A car idled in the alleyway off the main street, and Nicole and the others jumped in. The other two men who’d stayed with the bus had their own escape route.
The driver glanced at Nicole. “You cut your hair.”
She touched Joseph’s face. “It’ll grow back.”
“I like it.”
She smiled as Joseph sped away. She pulled a gun, watch, and cell phone from the glove compartment box. They didn’t get too comfortable. They didn’t talk. They listened to the police band as Joseph traversed through downtown San Antonio. It didn’t take long for Isaac the smart guard to alert authorities to the bomb threat.
It was no idle threat.
She glanced at her watch, her stomach tingling with anticipation. She stripped off the jumpsuit and pulled on the simple black dress that Joseph tossed her.
They were almost to Amistad Park when she heard the explosion in the distance.
Distractions always worked.
The explosion was the cue for the helicopter to land. It had been painted to look like a news chopper. She and Joseph got out of the car and ran across the soccer field to where the chopper had landed. The men in the back jumped into the front seats and drove off to dump the vehicle and pick up something clean. Less than three minutes after the explosion, Nicole and Joseph were strapped in the helicopter, lifting off from the grass.
Joseph leaned over and kissed her hard on the lips, then held her face in his hands and looked at her. He didn’t have to say anything—couldn’t over the sound of the blades whirling above them—but his eyes said everything.
She was loved. And she was free.
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author
ALLISON BRENNAN
is the author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Lucy Kincaid and Max Revere series, and many short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children. Visit:
www.allisonbrennan.com
or sign up for email updates
here
.
Also by
Allison Brennan
If I Should Die
Kiss Me, Kill Me
Love Me to Death
Carnal Sin
Original Sin
Cutting Edge
Fatal Secrets
Sudden Death
Playing Dead
Tempting Evil
Killer Fear
Fear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
The Kill
The Hunt
The Prey
Praise for the Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan novels from
New York Times
bestselling author
Allison Brennan
Stolen
“The evolution of Lucy and Sean’s relationship has been a critical piece of what makes these novels so compelling. Brennan is a true master at providing byzantine plotlines that keep readers guessing as the danger amplifies.”
—
RT Book Reviews
(4½ stars, Top Pick)
“All the excitement and suspense I have come to expect from
Allison Brennan
.”
—Fresh Fiction
Stalked
“Once again Brennan weaves a complex tale of murder, vengeance, and treachery filled with knife-edged tension and clever twists. The Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan novels just keep getting better!”
—
RT Book Reviews
(4½ stars, Top Pick)
“The novels featuring Lucy Kincaid and her cohorts are marked with deep characterizations and details of the workings of investigations by private eyes, the police, and the FBI … Catch the latest in this series as Lucy continues to evolve in strength and wisdom.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
Silenced
“Brennan throws a lot of story lines into the air and juggles them like a master. The mystery proves to be both compelling and complex … [A] chilling and twisty romantic suspense gem.”
—Associated Press
“The evolution of Lucy Kincaid from former victim to instinctive and talented agent continues in Brennan’s new heart-stopping thriller … From first to last, this story grabs hold and never lets go.”
—
RT Book Reviews
(Top Pick)
“An excellent addition to the Lucy Kincaid series. Lucy and Sean continue to develop as complex, imperfect characters with a passion for justice … The suspense [is] can’t-put-it-down exciting.”
—Fresh Fiction
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Contents
Praise for the first three Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan novels
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
BEST LAID PLANS
Copyright © 2015 by Allison Brennan.
“Maximum Exposure” copyright © 2014 by Allison Brennan.