Edge of Danger by Cherry Adair

you want, Gabriel.” Sebastian seemed to be enjoying himself. “Let the poor woman sit down and get her bearings. MacBain? How about a spot of t—Oh, there you go. Tea for the lady.”
     
      The old man deposited a tea tray almost bigger than he was on the table close to Eden. “I took the liberty of providing a few delicacies, madam. I’m sure you must be hungry after your…trip.”
     
      Her lips twitched. She was dying for a cup of tea amidst this madness. How could she refuse the offer from a crusty Scottish butler with a sense of humor? Come to think of it, what was a butler, Scottish or otherwise, doing in Montana?
     
      But she wasn’t here to be amused, and she wasn’t here to drink tea from a cup with little purple pansies on it. And without a doubt those scones would sit like lead in her jumpy stomach. Eden considered her limited options. “As delicious as that looks, I’m afraid I have to pass.” For all she knew the tea was drugged.
     
      Her host rose from his end of the table. Lord, he was big. And broad. And surly looking. “Any one of a dozen terrorist groups could have stolen your robot, Dr. Cahill. It’s a given that they’ll use it for something nefarious. Soon. Yes, I see by the look on your face that you’ve considered the ramifications of the theft.
     
      “So tell us, Doctor. Exactly what can this super robot of yours do? Exactly how far has research taken you?”
     
      So far, Eden thought, nausea rising again, that if you knew, you’d torture me to get the information you want. “Are you the terrorists that stole it?”
     
      “We’re counter terrorist operatives, Doctor,” Sebastian said, snagging her attention as he removed the tapestry tea cozy from the plump teapot. He poured two cups of steaming tea into the translucent cups, then used silver tongs to pick up a cube of sugar and cocked a brow.
     
      Eden nodded. What the hell. This wasn’t the time to look around for Sweet’N Low. And if this guy was drinking it, too, it was probably safe. He pushed a cup and saucer in her direction. She glanced from one man to the other, but it was Gabriel Edge she wanted to keep in her sights.
     
      “You work for the government?” Eden sat down and started stirring her tea. No they didn’t. She’d been interviewed, hell, interrogated, for hours, days, weeks by Homeland Security, FBI, and whatever. Not one of those men looked anything like this man.
     
      Oh, God. Why hadn’t she been brave enough, smart enough to tell all those government people the truth? She’d known, of course, she’d known the second she’d seen Theo lying there in the kitchen, that the bad guys had Rex.
     
      There’d been so much blood. How could there be so much blood? A human body only contained 5.6 liters. Six quarts. It had looked like gallons. It was only later that she’d been told he’d been shot five times. At the time she’d been frantic. The blood was everywhere and nothing she’d done had stanched the flow. Nothing she’d done had been enough to save Theo’s life.
     
      She’d cradled his head on her lap as she listened for the sirens. Comeoncomeoncomeon. Hurryhurryhurry. “I love you,” she told him, forcing her voice steady although she had a boulder clogging her throat. “Please—Oh, God. Please don’t leave me.”
     
      “E-den.”
     
      She’d cupped his papery cheek, her eyes hot and burning with unshed tears. The sirens wailed in the distance. Too late. Too damn late. She could barely swallow, as she said calmly, “I’m right here.”
     
      Theo’s rheumy eyes flickered up to her face. “Destroy— everything. Trust no one. P-promise me.”
     
      Sebastian touched the back of her hand. “Dr. Cahill?”
     
      Eden blinked the two men back into focus. She wanted to go home. She wanted to do what she should have done the first time she’d been interviewed. She had to tell the authorities what it was they’d be up against. These two men