Blast from the Past (A Mac Faraday Mystery) Read Online Free Page B

said to get in the car. We’re relocating you. Now!”
    “No.”
    The federal marshal lowered her cell phone from her ear. “We don’t have time to talk about this. Cruze is out. He knows where you are. You’re in danger. We don’t even have time to pack—”
    “I’m not going.” Archie turned around and clung to Mac.
    “I’m not letting her go,” Mac said.
    When Randi stepped toward Archie as if to forcibly take her, Gnarly stepped in between them and barked. Archie clasped his collar to hold him back.
    David and Bogie took positions on either side of Archie.
    “We’ll take care of her,” Bogie said. “We’ve been taking care of her for this long, and we’re not stopping now.”
    David said, “As you can see, she does pretty good at taking care of herself.”
    “She got lucky this time,” Randi said.
    “I’m not letting you take her away from me,” Mac said.
    “If you want to be with her, fine. You can go into the program, too.” Randi waved her arm in a gesture for them both to get into the car.
    “I’m not going into the program,” Mac said. “I have friends and family. I’m not going to leave them all behind to hide from a killer.”
    “That’s your decision.” Randi said, “Archie, I understand how you feel. You’re in love. But don’t be a fool. Cruze and his people are ruthless. They’ll stop at nothing, including killing the people you care about.”
    “I did nothing wrong,” Archie said. “Why am I the one hiding? Cruze is the one who did something wrong. He killed innocent people, and now he’s tried to kill me.” She folded her arms across her chest. “If anyone should be running scared, it’s him.”

Chapter Three

    “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” Cursing, Randi Finnegan punched the button on her radio to turn off the station David had turned on without her permission. “I should be back at Spencer Manor with Archie, trying to talk some sense into that pretty little head of hers.”
    “Mac, Bogie, and my officers will protect her, and Gnarly won’t let her out of his sight.” David pressed the button to tune in to the sports station to catch the score for the ball game that he was missing. That was another thing he needed to get Tommy Cruze for.
    “You really don‘t know Cruze’s people.” She shook her head before punching the button off again. When David reached for it, she slapped his wrist. “My car. My radio. My station. I hate baseball.”
    “I sensed from the first time we met that there was something seriously wrong with you. Now I know.”
    She grumbled, “I am so fired for letting your people take Archie without me going with her.”
    “I need you with me to see your boss,” David said. “You admitted it. Without you, he won’t talk to me about who the possible leak is. For all we know, it’s him.”
    “Wilson is the most straight up guy there is,” she said with a shake of her head. “He knew J. Edgar Hoover.”
    “Just because he’s old doesn’t mean he’s not crooked.”
    “It’s not Wilson.”
    “Then maybe it’s you,” he said. “You know everything about Archie’s whereabouts, habits, and cover.”
    “How do I know it’s not you?” She shot back. “It was your cruiser that got stolen. Who gave them the key to the garage? How many people on your force know about Archie?”
    “Bogie and I are the only ones who knew about her. No one else.” From the passenger seat, he shot a glare in her direction. “They didn’t use any key to break into the garage. They took out the security camera before breaking the lock with bolt cutters.”
    When he turned back to look out through the windshield, David noticed that she had turned down a two-lane country road to cut over the mountains heading east. “Where are you going?”
    “To the field office I work out of in Cumberland.”
    “Why aren’t you taking the freeway?”
    “This way is faster,” Randi said. “It’s more direct.”
    “It’s not