Page 55 of Night Prey
Zamsky said something to Ian, then handed the box to him. Ian shook Zamsky’s hand. While the squad packed up, Ian marched in their direction.
“I wish I could tell from his expression what’s in that box.”
“Must not be dangerous or contain a hazardous substance if he’s bringing it with him,” Clay said.
“But his expression says it’s not good,” Aiden added.
Ian slid into the back seat. “Feel free to open this, but if it was delivered this way, I doubt you’re going to like what you see.”
He took the box from the bag and sliced the box open with his Leatherman.
She held her breath and lifted the lid. A large picture of Sierra, Reed, and baby Asher at the park lay in the bottom of the box. Written in sloppy red marker it said, “Testify and the baby dies.”
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Malone’s hand shook, and she could barely keep her phone to her ear. “C’mon. C’mon, Reed. Answer. Please answer.”
She paced her living room, moving past Ian, who stood watching her. She pivoted and reached for him. He grasped her free hand, and she came to a stop and looked at him as she waited for Reed to answer his phone. The warmth of Ian’s hand helped still some of her panic, but she still couldn’t settle down until she talked to her brother and knew he and his family were safe.
“Malone,” Reed finally answered. “Everything okay?”
She blurted out the information about the package and started walking again. “I need to know all three of you are safe.”
“Sierra and Asher are at Veritas. They’re fine. I’m in the office.”
“You should go home. Now! I know the Center is safe, but you should be with them. Protect them.”
“Yeah. I will.” He sounded too calm for having heard about a threat to his child, but that was Reed. Strong and unflappable on the surface, even if he was cringing inside. But he’d always put up a good front for her. And he didn’t like to accept help.
She had to make sure he did today. “Please let me send the other Byrd brothers to your office to escort you home.”
He didn’t reply.
“Please, Reed,” she begged. “I agreed to do it for you when there wasn’t a threat against me. Your family has a direct threat now. An escort is a good idea.”
“Fine,” he said, sounding irritated, and she could easily see him shoving a hand in his hair. “But whoever sent the picture threatened the family of a federal agent, and I’m going to report this to my supervisor. We’ll open our own investigation.”
“Do that, but be quick. I want all three of you together.”
“I’ll call Sierra and warn her, and the center’s guard too. And put her partners on alert. Maybe have Blake stand watch outside our condo door until I get home.” He let out a shuddering breath. “And what about you?”
“I wasn’t threatened.”
“But the person who sent the package knows where you live. You can’t stay there, even with the Nighthawk team on duty.”
“I’ll come stay with you.”
“Man,” Reed said. “I don’t like that.”
“I thought that was what you were going to suggest.”
“I was, but you offering it up and not arguing tells me how rattled you are.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t elaborate because Ian was watching her every move, and she didn’t want him to know that she was more frightened than she’d ever been in her life. “I’ll pack my things, and we’ll be on the way to the center.”
“Call when you leave. I should be there before you.” He paused, and the silence hung in the air like the bomb they’d believed the box could’ve contained. “Be careful, sis. Be very careful.”
“I will. I promise.” And she meant it. She believed Olivo was behind the threat. He didn’t want her to testify against Snipes, and he was playing dirty to stop her. Problem was, she couldn’t prove it.
