Love is Murder Read Online Free Page A

was in on this…but if she wasn’t? He couldn’t risk it. He slid the Glock down the aisle between the seats.
    “Now hand me the bag. And if you have another gun in that pocket, she will be dead before you can produce it.”
    She whimpered and the man’s Walther pressed a bloodless spot in her temple.
    Okay, what were his options? To give up the diamonds, and possibly his life. To make a surprise attack that would cost hers. Or…to trust this woman to work with him.
    “The diamonds are hidden in her shoes,” Donovan said. “I transferred them there.”
    The conductor’s eyes narrowed as he dropped his gaze to her feet. “Where?”
    “They’re hidden in the platforms.” Which would make a perfectly creative and logical place to smuggle diamonds.
    “Take them off her,” he ordered.
    Donovan crouched into the space between the two seats to unbuckle her shoe. As he did he looked up to silently communicate with her. Her gaze shifted to the gun with a slight question in her eyes.
    Working as one, they could get this guy. If she really was… innocent .
    Torn between warring instincts, his fingers caught the silver buckle and slid the leather strap through, the shoe sliding off in his hand.
    “Give it to me,” the man demanded.
    Once more, he shared a look with her, boring into her lioness’s eyes, searching for…trust. He saw something there, enough to take a chance.
    Donovan reached up to hand over the shoe, deliberately holding it far enough away so the other man had to bend to get it. As he did, Donovan pitched the shoe toward the glass door, the weight making the auto-suction whip the door open. In the split second the man followed the path of the shoe, Donovan dived for his gun.
    The man fired, but Donovan heard the bullet ricochet. Claudia dropped to the ground with a cry.
    When the man launched at the shoe, Donovan grabbed his leg, pulling him down with one hand so they both landed on Donovan’s Glock. He had the gun in his hand, but the other guy pounced, wrestling and rolling as Claudia cried out again, scurrying to her feet. As she leaped over the two men, she scooped up the shoe and threw herself toward the door, making it slide open again. She was gone in an instant.
    “She took the fucking diamonds!” the man said, scrambling to get up and run after her.
    So she wasn’t in on it. Now he had to protect her or this guy would kill her for sure. Donovan tried to pull him down by the leg, but the man fell on top of him, crushing him with his weight. He had complete advantage and a gun pointed directly at Donovan.
    “Bye-bye, bodyguard.” He took a breath, just about to pull the trigger when a deadly five-inch heel smacked the man’s face, shocking him enough to let Donovan shove him off.
    Instantly, Donovan flipped him over and got his own Glock in the bastard’s belly, looking up long enough to see Claudia in the doorway.
    “Thank you,” she mouthed.
    Without bothering to retrieve her shoe, she disappeared into the next car and let him finish the job of taking down the thief.
    * * *
    Even with the side trip to the French police station, it was 2:59 p.m. when Donovan arrived with the bag of diamonds at the Paris showroom of Boisvert Jewelers, a few doors away from the Plaza Athénée. Lucy had texted her congratulations and informed him the client was most pleased.
    Getting there on time would just be icing on the happy guy’s cake.
    “Bonjour,” he greeted the receptionist outside the management offices. “I’m Donovan Rush with the Bullet Catchers. I have an appointment with Monsieur Boisvert.”
    She smiled. “Oui?” There was amusement and admiration in her eyes. “We have heard of your heroics on the Thalys, monsieur. Une moment, s’il vous plaît. ”
    He glanced at his watch as the receptionist disappeared behind a set of double doors. If she hurried, he’d make it.
    Four minutes later, she emerged. “You may go in now, Monsieur Rush.” She held the door and he walked past