backgrounds ever since I took in the child, trying to trace any relatives of the little girl.
A perplexed expression crossed Colins face as he quit pacing and slowly shook his head. I dont understand. Are you saying my brother married? Fathered a child? Impossible. I wouldve known.
How long has it been since youve seen him? Maggie asked, going on instinct. Why are you searching for information about your own brother?
Even in the dim lighting of the sordid room, Maggie could clearly see the pain streak through Colins eyes. She hurt for him. If it had been one of her brothers
Nevertheless, she was still wary. When Colin accepted the facts, would he be willing to leave Emma in her care? Or would he do the unthinkable and demand she hand over his niece? Maggies life would stop if that happened. She needed this child. Emma had become her hearther only chance. With cold fear trickling through her at the possibilities, Maggie reminded herself to take things slow and not jump ahead.
Iuh Colin looked around, staring absently at his surroundings as if hed only just arrived. Our family was divided when John and I were children, ages ten and twelve, respectively. As the eldest, I stayed in my fathers care, went to his old school and joined his regiment in due course. John went with our mother to her familys ancestral home in Ireland. The words, sounding as if they were spoken by rote, seemed to grow small in Colins throat. As long as my father was alive, we continued to receive word of my brothers welfare.
Maggies icy, worried feelings began to melt, as warm tears welled in her eyes. Your father died recently?
Its been several years since he passed away, Colin answered with a bleak expression. But I only returned to civilian life four months ago, after a long tour of duty, and then began looking for my brother.
Maggie waited. There was a lot more to tell, she was sure. But she wasnt sure how much of it Colin would be willing to give up to a complete stranger.
Funny, though, sometime in the last few minutes shed stopped thinking of him as a stranger who could take away her whole world. Something about him called to her. Disturbed her, yes, yet made him appear much more like a friend in strangers clothing.
Still, she hoped he wouldnt touch her again. The last two times had completely thrown her out of balance with shots of sexual energy the likes of which she hadnt known existed.
A few moments of silence had apparently given Colin a chance to regain some self-control. He stopped pacing and turned to her. Why are you asking questions? Werent you sent to talk to me by El Cuervo?
The Raven? Maggie let the English translation roll off her tongue, but a chill ran down her spine. No one sent me. I sought you out because
She sensed the danger an instant before catching sight of a flash of color outside the window.
Watch out! Maggie jumped up, knocking hard into Colins side at the exact moment the window exploded. Shattered glass and bits of broken wood frame sprayed everywhere as the two of them hit the floor.
Surprised but unhurt, and by no means out of commission, Colin rolled Maggie under him for protection and reached for the SIG Sauer at his back. A loud bang was quickly followed by a hail of bullets through the window. He ducked his head, and when he looked around, fire had ignited in a corner of the room. Bugger it.
From beneath his body, he heard Maggie mumbling what sounded like a chant, but the words werent in English. They werent in Gaelic, either, which couldve been expected from her name. They sounded for all the world like a unique kind of Spanish.
The idea of her speaking Spanish made him wonder if she might be part of the Mexican drug lords conspiracy. It could be that she was lying about everything just to set him up. Did she know more than shed said? Especially concerning the international drug sting that had sent John into hiding in the first place?
Ignoring his suspicions for the moment, Colin tensed further at the sudden, deadly quiet and got to his feet. He stayed hunched over as he palmed his weapon and flattened his body against the wall between the door and the window. He took aim out the window, trying to get a fix on the shadowy fire escape of the opposite buildingwithout making himself too great a target.
He gave Maggie a swift glance. If she was guilty, then her own cohorts had turned against her. But Maggie Ryan could not be left to die in a burning room. It was unthinkable, despite the fact she could have betrayed him. It would be up to him to fight their way out.
Colin, move farther away from the door. Hurry!
Maggie crawled closer and jerked at his hand, trying to
pull him down. He twisted from her grip and concentrated on targeting anything that moved outside the window. From the corner of his eye, he saw Maggie grab again at his pants leg, finally giving it one gigantic tug.
Off balance now, he heard another blast just as the wall at his side burst apart. By then it was far too late to move out of the way.