THREE

      The force of the blast sent Declan flying backward against the pavement. The breath was knocked from his lungs and for a moment he couldn’t draw in any air. Smoke filled the area around them, and pain reverberated through his body. After a few seconds his military survival instincts, along with a healthy dose of adrenaline, kicked in and he rolled over and belly crawled toward Tess, who was sprawled on the ground just a few feet away.

      “Tess! Are you all right?”

      She let out a low moan and lifted a hand to her head. “Hurts,” she whispered.

      “Stay down,” he ordered, covering her body with his as much as possible. He had no way of knowing if the explosion was only a precursor to more violence or not, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

      Not when Tess’s life was at stake.

      “What happened?” she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

      “Another bomb,” he said grimly, watching the SWAT members that were still on the scene disperse and cover the area, rifles held ready. He craned his neck in order to see behind him. A small fire still burned near the maple tree where Tess had seen the guy in the green ball cap.

      Had that dude been the perp who’d set the bomb? Most likely, although Declan couldn’t afford to ignore the possibility of the guy being nothing more than a curious onlooker, either. He’d try to keep an open mind even though the stranger was currently the best lead they had.

      “I can’t breathe,” Tess gasped, pushing against his chest.

      “Sorry.” He shifted a bit so that he wasn’t quite crushing her, but he wasn’t willing to move away completely until he knew the area was clear.

      “Deck, are you and Tess all right?” Caleb asked, coming over to kneel beside them.

      “I think we’re okay. Are you sure the area is secure?” He was only slightly reassured that he hadn’t heard the sound of gunfire.

      “So far there’s no sign of anyone or any other devices,” Caleb told him. “We need to get you both out of here, though. How badly are you hurt? We have an ambulance on the way.”

      Declan pushed himself upright but hovered protectively over Tess. “I’m fine,” he assured Caleb. “Tess, where do you hurt?”

      “Everywhere,” she admitted with a grimace. She struggled to sit upright, and Declan eased his arm around her shoulders to offer support. The way she leaned heavily against him made him realize she might be hurt worse than he suspected.

      “Take it easy,” he murmured. “Did you hit your head?”

      Tess put her hand to the back of her head. “Yes, I might have blacked out for a moment or two. I can feel a lump, but there doesn’t seem to be any bleeding.”

      Declan battled back a wave of fury. That had been way too close. Tess could have been seriously injured by the blast. And this latest turn of events only convinced him more that she was the specific target.

      “Come on, let’s get her to safety,” Caleb urged.

      Declan was totally on board with that plan. He helped get Tess up and on her feet and with Caleb’s assistance, walked her over to the back of the van where Nate had opened the doors for them.

      “Sit down, Tess,” he instructed. “Do you have a first aid kit handy?” he asked Nate. “She could use an ice pack.”

      “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m sure you have a few bumps and bruises, too.”

      He did, but that was a by-product of his job. Tess was a fourth grade schoolteacher, and he was fairly certain she wasn’t accustomed to being thrown off her feet by a bomb.

      Nate handed him the ice pack and he quickly twisted the bag to activate the coolant inside and gently pressed it against the back of Tess’s head. Despite her earlier protest, she put her hand back there to help hold the ice pack in place.

      “Just relax, I’ll hold it for you,” he told her.

      “Did you notice that both your SUV and Tess’s car were damaged by the explosion?” Caleb asked in a low tone. “The maple tree was knocked over, too.”

      “Yeah, I did. And I don’t believe in coincidences. I need to get Tess someplace safe.”

      “I’m not going anywhere without my brother,” she said, joining the conversation.

      “I know, we’ll take him with us,” Declan promised.

      The wailing sound of a siren indicated the local authorities and the ambulance were getting closer. He appreciated the additional backup, but at the same time, he wanted nothing more than for Tess to get the medical care she needed and then to get her out of there.

      Before the bomber made yet another attempt on Tess’s life.

      * * *

      Ignoring the pounding inside her head wasn’t easy, but Tess knew that was the only way she could avoid going to the hospital. She stared down at her trembling fingers, and did her best to remain calm even though she was still reeling from being so close to the explosion.

      Dear Lord, thank You for keeping me and Declan safe from harm. And please watch over Bobby, too. Amen.

      “Tess? Is something wrong?”

      Declan’s concern was touching, but she knew that she couldn’t keep leaning on him for support like this. They were just temporary allies. As soon as he had her safely tucked away, she knew that he’d go back to his SWAT team, leaving her and Bobby alone.

      “I’m fine, but I’m anxious to see my brother.”

      “First we need the EMTs to check you out...you said yourself that you blacked out for a minute.”

      “I said I may have blacked out for a minute, or it could be that my brain simply shut down for a moment, from the shock of the explosion.” She didn’t appreciate his using her own words against her. “It’s not like I find myself in harm’s way like this very often.”

      “I know, but you could have a concussion. Give me a little more time here, okay?”

      As if she had a choice. The only reason she wasn’t pushing the issue right now was that Bobby was in school, surrounded by teachers and dozens of kids. He’d be fine there until she could get there to pick him up. At least she was fairly certain he’d be fine.

      She winced at the shrillness of the siren as the ambulance pulled up. Within moments two EMTs had taken up residence on either side of her.

      “Anyone else injured?” one of them asked.

      “No, just Tess. She has a lump on the back of her head,” Declan said, removing the ice pack so they could examine her.

      “We were both knocked off our feet,” Tess felt compelled to point out. “You should check him for injuries,