Page 11 of The B-Team

“Kids,” Callum muttered.

Rachel, meanwhile, unclipped her seat belt, slung her handbag over the crook of her elbow, and proceeded to disembark.

“Ma’am,” the officer said. “I told you to stay in your seat.”

“And I’m telling you that isn’t going to happen. Instead, you will take me to a bathroom immediately. Unless you want to manhandle a pregnant woman.” She held up her phone. “On camera.”

Callum almost felt sorry for the young cop.

Rachel ignored the man and strode past him toward the secured door into the facility. “And please don’t insult me by taking me to a prisoner bathroom,” she called over her shoulder. “Those things are feral. You will take me to the staff bathroom. Are we clear?”

The cop trotted after her, looking panicked.

Callum shook his head. “Do you think she believesallcivil servants work for her?”

“I’m pretty sure she just sees them as servants. There’s nothing civil about it,” Elle said.

Callum turned back to his business partner. “What are the odds of us getting out of this intact?”

Lake’s eyes were flint. “I don’t know.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Callum folded his arms, stretched out his legs—to take some of the strain of the prosthetic off his thighs—and settled in to wait.

CHAPTER FOUR

“What do you mean everyone’s been arrested except you?” Sarah plopped down on the edge of the sofa as the room spun around her.

A few months into their marriage, it had become clear that the term “settling down” didn’t describe life with Ryan. Instead, Sarah felt like each day started by spinning a huge wheel marked with prizes to see what it would land on next. Yesterday’s gift had taken the form of him setting fire to the shower curtain while running her a candlelit bath. Today, all his friends were in jail. She wasn’t sure she could cope with what tomorrow might bring.

“Don’t worry, Stats.” Ryan sounded as laid-back as ever. “We’re dealing with it.”

Sarah glanced around at the calming pastels of her living room. It didn’t help. “Who is we, and how are you dealing with it?”

She’d been relieved when Ryan gave up his dangerous job in security. Even more relieved when it became obvious how much he loved writing. For one brief moment, she’d envisioned a future where they were safe and secure, cozy in their little family, far away from danger. What she hadn’t taken into considerationwas that even though Ryan was officially out of Benson Security, everyone he knew was still in it. And danger seemed to follow them around, like the cloud of dust that followed Pig-Pen inPeanuts.

“Well,” Ryan said, “so far, it’s me and Isobel. We’re heading to Julia’s house to see if she has any ideas about what to do next.”

Sarah eyebrows shot up her forehead. “Um, maybe calling a lawyer would be a good idea?”

“Rachel already did that.”

At least Rachel had some sense. She took a deep, calming breath. “I don’t understand what else you could do. Isn’t it up to the lawyers now?”

“Sure, but we can help. According to Rachel’s latest text, this whole thing is about a grudge some guy holds over Lake beating him into the SAS. If that’s the case, I figure he doesn’t have a whole lot of solid evidence to support his accusations. Which means all we need to do is find his weak spot and take him down before he takes us down.” Ryan’s tone was matter-of-fact.

Sarah swallowed hard. “You want to take down the police?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” He sounded almost cheery at the thought.

This was the difference between her and everyone at Benson Security. They rantowarda crisis, while she ranfromit. In her book, the police were the ones you called when trouble struck, not the ones you waged a war against.

“Anyway,” Ryan said. “Can you meet us at Julia’s? We need all hands on deck for this.”

“You want me to meet you?” Had he lost his mind? “Ryan, think about this; what use will I be? I don’t have any security experience. I’m an actuary. If you want to know the risk percentage of something, you call me. You don’t bring me in when the police are out to get you.”

“Stats,” he said in that low voice that melted her insides, “I need you. Will you come?”

How could she say no to that? “Fine, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”