Dangerous to Know by Dawn Ryder Page B

announced.
    She needed to think but her brain felt frozen with shock. Hadn’t she just been having sex with Mercer? Hadn’t her life been normal and gun-free?
    But the van engine surged forward, confirming the reality of the situation. It still seemed surreal. She could see the tops of larger vehicles passing by the windows. Harley was holding on to the outside of his travel cage now and glaring at her.
    Why had she packed the back of the van so tightly?
    The rear doors were useless for escaping, which left the large sliding side door. She sat up, trying to gain an idea of where they were but, more important, hoping for a traffic light that might stop them long enough for her to make a break for it.
    â€œDown.”
    She snapped her face around to see Mercer leveling the pistol at her. Disbelief held her still while she searched his face for any hint of the man she’d so foolishly let become her lover.
    â€œI’ll put a slug through your leg the second you reach for that door.”
    There was no hint of hesitation in his tone; even Harley mumbled in response. She reached out and stroked the parrot.
    â€œYeah, Harley, he is an asshole.”
    But one with a gun.
    *   *   *
    â€œYou’re out of your mind.”
    Or she was stuck in a nightmare. Possibly both.
    Greer didn’t seem to be interested and only continued to strong-arm her up the driveway of a plush Malibu home. A security gate slid closed behind them, sending another bolt of fear through her. The house built into the hillside sported tinted windows like most of its neighbors.
    Only today, Zoe didn’t think that tinting was to shield against the powerful California sun.
    â€œWhere the hell is your badge?” she demanded. The shock was wearing off .
    She turned on Greer, calling on every bit of coaching her father had given her. He underestimated her and she sent a palm strike directly at his unguarded throat. Recognition of what she was doing registered on his face and he threw himself backward to lessen the impact, but she still broke free while he was cussing.
    But she ended up facing two more men. One raised an eyebrow, clearly warning her, but in his hand was a badge. She had to look at it for a long time because it wasn’t a familiar shield, like local police. The word FEDERAL showed quite clearly, though.
    She turned around to find Greer reaching for her. His throat was turning red. “Try that again and I’ll break your arm.”
    â€œYou failed to identify yourself; I have the right to defend myself against kidnappers.” She faced off with him, her entire body rebelling. “What is going on here?”
    â€œThat’s what you’ll be telling us,” Greer informed her. There was a glint in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. It promised her he was a man who got what he wanted, no matter the method needed to achieve his goal.
    Well … he’s in for a disappointment with me …
    â€œNot without a lawyer,” she muttered, but she did turn and start walking.
    She looked back at the house. The thing looked like it was looming over her now that she was closer to it. The security team behind her only completed the feeling of being trapped.
    From the outside, the house looked imposing enough, but across the threshold it became worse. There were gun racks running along the walls near the door. Resting in those organizational units were high-powered rifles. There were also handguns and spare clips, all loaded. Large flat-screen televisions were just about everywhere, displaying scenes of the exterior of the house and even one that had a shot of her desk. Her jaw dropped as she blinked but the picture didn’t change. It was her desk, all right, her morning coffee cup sitting right where she’d left it.
    Greer pulled her along and into what looked like a high-tech lab of some sort. Part of her expected a director to show up any moment to yell Cut , but