Riptide

her!"
    Sherlock grabbed her ankle and pulled. Becca went down on
    the edge of a lawn, hitting her hip on the curb. A shaft of sharp pain
    went through her, but she ignored it. She was ready to fight, ready
    to do whatever she had to, but Sherlock had somehow managed to
    straddle her, how she didn't know, but she'd been fast, too fast, and
    now she was holding her arms down. How could she be so strong
    when she was so small, hardly anything to her at all? How did she
    get her in this position so quickly? Sherlock was leaning over her,
    her curly red hair bouncing against Becca's face. "What's going on
    here, Becca?"
    "Get off me, Sherlock. Please, you've got to let me go. I don't
    want to hurt you."
    "You can't hurt me, so don't even try. Tell me what's happened."
    Becca started struggling, but then it just didn't matter, and she
    stilled because Adam was there, not even panting hard, standing
    over them, staring down at her, his hands on his hips. "Thanks for
    bringing her down, Sherlock. That wasn't very smart, Becca."
    Sherlock didn't like this one bit. She looked at all the men running
    to the scene, even the two dark-suited FBI guys who'd been
    parked discreetly down the street. "What's going on, Adam? Oh
    yeah, given that I could have hurt Becca dragging her down, I'd

really better like the answer." She pulled herself off Becca and
    slowly got to her feet. She held out her hand.
    Becca looked at that slender white hand that was surely too
    strong, but she didn't move. She just rolled over away from them,
    grabbed her purse, and was off again. A sharp pain went through
    her hip but she ignored it.
    She got at least ten feet before two arms went around her waist
    and she was picked up, twirled around, and thrown over a man's
    shoulder. She hit her chin against his back, damn him. "Hold still,"
    he said, and his voice was calm and quiet. Too calm, too quiet.
    Sherlock was one thing. Having a big guy haul her over his
    shoulder was another. It was humiliating. "Bullshit," she yelled, and
    jerked and pulled and kicked. "All right," he said, and pulled her
    down. He brought her back up against him, wrapped his arms
    around her, and held on tight. No matter what she did, she couldn't
    get free. He'd pinned her arms to her sides but good.
    Three hours, she thought. Time was running out. "Oh God,
    what time is it?"
    "I'll tell you after you promise not to run away again."
    She leaned down and bit his hand, hard. He didn't make a single
    sound, just jerked her around to face him and said, "I'm sorry,
    Becca," and lightly tapped his fist against her jaw. It was the
    strangest feeling. It didn't really hurt, but she saw a whole skyful of
    white lights, popping all over her brain, then it was as if someone
    switched off the lights. Just nothing. She slumped against him.
    "She's a fighter," he said to Sherlock, who was standing beside
    him as he picked Becca up in his arms. He looked at the back of his
    hand. At least he wasn't bleeding, but he could see the row of even
    teeth marks. That had been close, too close. But now he had her,
    thank God. She was too thin, he thought, as he carried her back.

She didn't weigh enough; well, he'd see to that. He'd force food
    down her gullet if he had to. He frowned as he realized she was a
    fast runner, very fast. He wasn't certain if he could have caught her
    if Sherlock hadn't been there. He didn't like that thought, not one
    bit. He saw Thomas striding toward him, looking frantic.
    "What's going on here, Adam?" Suddenly Sherlock was right in
    his face, and she wasn't going to move. He couldn't very well clip her
    on the chin. She'd probably flatten him. Since she was married to
    Savich, he wouldn't be surprised if she had a black belt, maybe two.
    He said,"Krimakov kidnapped Sam McBride. Come on back to
    the house and we'll let everyone know what's happening. Hell, she
    promised McBride that she wouldn't tell anyone. However, when
    Agent Cobb gave her some Valium to relax her so he could hypnotize
    her, she inadvertently spilled the beans. She did go under.
    Then it all came out."
    "This is insane," said Sherlock. "That maniac kidnapped Sam? Let
    me get ahold of Savich. I can't believe this. Is that guy everywhere?"
    She stepped away and pulled the cell phone out of her purse.
    The agents who'd been watching the house were now standing
    next to Thomas and agents Hawley and Cobb.
    They parted from his path and Adam carried Becca back into
    the house, not saying another word. He