Nameless Read Free Page A

had a snowball’s chance in hell of stopping this unsub even if they did finagle the clues out of him.
    Now if she could only get McBride to comprehend the urgency. Time was running out for Alyssa Byrne.
    When he’d downed the last of his coffee, he lit a cigarette, blew out a lungful of smoke, and finally broke his silence. “Since I was personally invited to this soiree, did anyone take a look at who might have a hard-on for putting a bullet in my brain?”
    The scent of seared tobacco invaded her senses, the knowledge that it had come from his lips irrationally disturbing. She resisted the urge to squirm.
    “We understand that’s a possibility. As you know, at the moment, our primary focus is rescuing the child.” The theory that the unsub was attempting to lure McBride out of exile was still under consideration, along with the idea that the legend himself was somehow behind the kidnapping. She was not authorized to share that part with him at this point. “Of course we’ll do all within our power to ensure you’re protected.”
    McBride tossed her a look that said exactly how much stock he had in that promise, then he started to pace. He forked the fingers of his free hand through his sleep-tousled hair; let the cigarette dangle from the other. “If …” He stopped abruptly, trapped her in the crosshairs of his full attention. “ If I agree to do this, I’ll be lead on the case. I won’t be taking any orders from your SAC or any-damned-body else, including you. Is that clear?”
    That authority wasn’t hers to give … but she couldn’t afford to let him see her hesitate. “I’m certain that can be arranged.”
    He walked toward her, those blue eyes cutting straight through her like the laser-driven scope of a high-powered rifle. “You don’t have the authority to make that guarantee, do you?” He didn’t stop until he stood toe-to-toe with her. “Do you?”
    “I’m certain,” she reiterated, not about to let him see her sweat, “that every effort will be made to accommodate you. Your cooperation isn’t optional; the unsub requires it.” Somehow she managed to hold that intimidating gaze. “I must stress again how little time we have. The sooner we get started, the better our chance of success.”
    “Make the call.” He tossed the butt of his cigarette into the sink without shifting his piercing glare one centimeter. “Confirm that condition and I’ll consider your request.”
    At least he hadn’t said no. She reached for the cell phone clipped to the waistband of her skirt. That he’d crowded into her personal space, pinned her against the counter, had jolted her pulse rate into a faster rhythm. As much as she needed his cooperation, she wasn’t standing for his physical intimidation tactics any longer. If she didn’t get some boundaries in place soon, this situation was only going to fly further out of control. That was a risk she couldn’t take. “You’re crowding me, McBride.”
    For a couple of seconds, then ten, she was certain he wouldn’t back off. To her immense relief he relented, if only one step, giving her room to breathe.
    She put through the call. Worth had been waiting to hear from her. He let her know that up front. She bit her tongue to hold back the argument that she wouldn’t even be here were it not for Alyssa Byrne’s father. When more than eighteen hours had passed without any measurable progress, Byrne had insisted on McBride’s inclusion on the case. Worth had balked, just as he had earlier when Vivian vian suggested the same, and Byrne had reached out to his political allies, overriding any possible excuse the special agent-in-charge could hope to toss out.
    “He needs an assurance that he’ll be in charge of the case,” she told the SAC without preamble. She barely managed not to flinch at his bellowed answer.
    “Tell him that condition is nonnegotiable,” McBride interjected as if he’d heard every single word of the response. The way Worth had