"But we're working together, and we should keep it professional. I'm going downstairs to wait for the truck." She practically ran out of the room, belying her statement that their kiss was no big deal.

  He waited a minute, needing a moment to regroup. Then he walked out of the room and moved slowly down the stairs. Andi was standing in the kitchen. She'd pulled her phone out of her bag, which was on the counter next to her.

  "Any more news?" he asked, as he hit the last step.

  "No," she said, putting her phone in her pocket. "I'm going to wait outside." She headed toward the door.

  "You don't have to leave your own home just to get away from me," he said.

  She paused, looking back at him. "That's not what I'm—"

  Her voice was cut off as a massive explosion lit up the air, rocking the house, forcibly throwing them off their feet as the front door blew off the building in a rain of fire and debris.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Cooper's ears throbbed from the roar of the explosion. It took a minute to realize he was in the hallway and the front of the house was on fire and smoke was choking his lungs. He struggled to sit up, and then his heart stopped as he saw Andi laying in the kitchen, blood on her face. She was so still. Terror ran through him. He jumped up, the heat of the fire burning his skin, as he ran toward her. Dropping to his knees, he put his hand on her chest, almost weeping when he felt the soft fall and rise. Leaning over her breath lightly touched his face. She was breathing. She was alive.

  He put his hand on her shoulder, afraid to move her, but also afraid to stay where they were. A bomb had gone off outside the front door, and he didn't know if there was another one coming. The fire was also spreading quickly. He thought he heard sirens, but they were very far away.

  "Andi," he said. "Wake up." He put his mouth right next to her ear. "I need you to wake up."

  He needed her to be okay, too. He felt almost desperate and overwhelmed with that need. He moved his gaze to her lips and put his mouth against hers. He needed to bring her back to life before the fire consumed them.

  She started, and then her eyes slowly fluttered open. She looked at him with a dazed, confused expression. "Did you push me down?" she mumbled. "Did you just kiss me?"

  He was incredibly relieved that she was awake and immediately annoyed. "A bomb went off. We need to get out of the house."

  At his words, her gaze moved past him, and she sat up.

  "Are you okay?" he asked. "I don't know if you should move. But we also can't stay here."

  "I'm all right."

  He doubted she had any idea if she was all right as blood dripped down her face from cuts that marred her beautiful skin. There was glass and plaster in her hair. Her black slacks and jacket were covered with white and gray soot. And he probably looked just as bad. He could see blood on his arm, but he didn't care about any of that.

  Andi scrambled to her feet. "I'm okay," she said. "There's a back door." She grabbed her gun from the floor where it had gone flying and her bag from the counter and then they ran through the kitchen and laundry room to a door leading into the small yard behind the house. They got as far away as they could before collapsing onto the grass.

  Andi put a hand to her face, coming away with blood. Her gaze widened as she saw it on her fingers. "Where am I bleeding?"

  "Your scalp is cut," he said. "You have some scratches on your face." His gaze dropped. "And your neck. There's blood on your shirt." He suddenly worried that she was far more injured than he thought. "Do you feel pain anywhere?"

  "I don't think so," she said slowly. "You're hurt, too."

  "I'm fine. I was farther away than you." The sirens were getting louder now. "I think the fire department is almost here."

  She pulled a phone out of her pocket and pressed a number. Then she said, "Flynn. Someone just set off a bomb at my house." Pausing, she added. "Cooper and I are okay. We're in the yard. Police and fire are coming. You should, too." She waited a moment and then said, "Okay," and ended the call. "He's on his way." Her gaze moved to the fire that was leaping through the roof at the front of the house. "I can't believe someone put a bomb outside the front door."

  "Thank God we weren't any closer. You were headed straight for the door." He shook his head as chills ran through him at the thought of how close she'd come to dying. "When I saw you laying on the ground so still…" He drew in a shaky breath. "I wasn't sure you were going to wake up."

  "But I did," she said.

  "Yes, you did," he said tightly.

  "There's plaster in your hair, Cooper. And you have a cut on your forehead."

  "Superficial, I'm sure. But you don't look any prettier than me, which is a first."

  "No, not a first. You grew into your looks way before me. I was an awkward fourteen-year-old. You were already becoming the hot guy in our class."

  "But you didn't notice."

  "I was trying hard not to." She paused. "Did you kiss me when I was unconscious?"

  "Yes. To wake you up—like Sleeping Beauty."

  "I thought I was dreaming," she said in bemusement.

  "I wasn't trying to take advantage. I was really…scared."

  Their gazes clung together, and then she said, "Thanks for waking me up. I shouldn't have brought you home with me. You could have been killed."

  "You couldn't have seen this coming. It was a bomb, Andi. Who would do this? Why would they do this?"

  "To get rid of me."

  "Or both of us."

  "I think you were just going to be collateral damage."

  "Well, it wouldn't be the first time," he muttered, drawing a frown to her face. He immediately regretted his statement. He hadn't meant to give her a dig, not now, not after almost dying. Before he could say anything, firemen were coming through the side yard, and they got to their feet.

  For the next half hour, they were attended to by medics and answered questions from the police and from Flynn and several other agents. After getting first aid and bandages for their thankfully superficial cuts, they both refused further treatment. He wasn't sure that was the best idea, but he was sticking close to Andi, and she was adamant that she wasn't going to waste time in an ER.

  As the FBI took control of the scene, Flynn and an agent Andi called Savannah urged them into an SUV and drove them to another house that was apparently considered a safe house.

  The two-story home was in a wooded area called Rustic Canyon in the hilly Palisades area just north of Santa Monica. It was a standalone home with shrubbery and tall fences on either side providing privacy from nearby homes. There were cameras all over the property and advanced locks on the doors, as well as a security system that was better than anything he'd ever seen. Unlike Andi's townhouse, it was also fully furnished.

  They sat down together in the living room, and for the first time in an hour, he took a full breath. They were alive and safe and while there were a million more questions now, that was really all that mattered.

  Savannah handed them each a bottle of cold water. He opened his and took a long, thirsty drink, while Andi did the same. Savannah and Flynn sat down on the chairs facing them.

  "My furniture," Andi said suddenly. "It never came, did it?"

  "There was a furniture truck that arrived," Savannah said. "I sent them away."

  "Well, at least my furniture wasn't blown up," Andi said, making a weak joke that he didn't find at all funny.

  "Do you think you were followed home?" Flynn asked.

  "I never saw a tail, but maybe I wasn't looking closely enough. Because I don't know how else anyone would know where I live. Although, the furniture company had my address, and it is weird that they weren't supposed to deliver until tomorrow, but suddenly they were coming today, which is why I went home. I have no idea, though, how anyone could have contacted them or known that I had a delivery coming. It's not like I've been talking about it with anyone."

  "They could have hacked your phone, your email," Flynn said.

  Andi frowned. "That's true."

  "It appears that the device was activated remotely once you were in the house," Savannah said. "But the good news is they weren't able to plant it inside your home where it would have done more damage."

  "That's the good news?" Cooper cut in. "Andi was almost killed. She was knocked out. I thought she was dead."

  At his words, all three of them looked at him with varying emotions in their eyes. Flynn appeared sympathetic, Savannah was curious, and Andi flushed like she was guilty of allowing herself to almost be blown up.

  "I realize you're all more used to this than I am, but someone tried to kill her. We're all agreed on that, right?"

  "Not just her—you, too," Flynn said. "That's why you're both here."

  "I'm not going to stay here and hide," Andi said. "I have work to do. I won't drop this case. Then they would win. They'd get me out of the way, which is exactly what they want."

  "You're not dropping the case, but you're going to need to stay here tonight while we regroup," Flynn replied.

  "I'll be safe at the office. At least there I'll have more resources."

  "There's an office here that's set up with everything we have downtown," Savannah said. "It's just down the hall."

  "And here you won't be making the rest of the team a target," Flynn added.

  Andi had been about to protest before Flynn's latest argument. Now she gave a resigned sigh. "All right. I'll stay put for tonight. But I'm not making any promises about tomorrow." She paused, looking at her watch. "It's after six. I was going to go to the Fourth Street gym. Tyler, the employee who drove Flores's car last night, is supposed to be working tonight."

  "I'll check that out," Flynn said. "I'm bringing everyone in to work on this case, Andi. Whatever you need."

  "Thank you."

  The doorbell rang, and Flynn got up. "That's Caitlyn," he said. "She's bringing supplies."

  A moment later, a dark-haired woman entered the room with two large bags of groceries, while Flynn carried a duffel bag.

  "Groceries," the woman said. She gave Cooper a smile. "I'm Caitlyn."

  "Cooper."

  "I know."

  "And there are some basic clothes in here," Flynn added, pointing to the duffel bag that he set on the floor by the coffee table. "That should hold you both until tomorrow. Hopefully, this won't have to last longer than that."

  "It won't last longer than that," Andi said emphatically. "Elisa is still missing and someone going after me should not slow the investigation down. I can take care of myself."

  "Well, you're not by yourself. You have a team behind you," Flynn said.

  "I'll put these bags in the kitchen," Caitlyn said.

  "I'll help." He grabbed one of the bags out of her arms and followed her down the hall to the kitchen. As they unpacked the bags, he realized Caitlyn had brought the basics, eggs, milk, bread, butter, coffee as well as fruit, steaks, frozen pizza, salad fixings, dessert, and two bottles of wine, one white and one red. "You did good," he said approvingly.

  She smiled. "I've had to put some time in at a safe house. I know what's important."

  "How long was your stay?"

  "A couple of days."

  "Do you think we'll be here that long?"

  "I hope not. But all you can do is take it one step at a time. There's a first aid kit in the master bathroom. You look like you might have some scrapes that haven't been looked at.

  "I'm okay."

  "Make sure you put some antibiotic ointment on those cuts."

  "Will do."

  When they returned to the living room, Savannah, Andi, and Flynn were standing by the front door. As soon as the agents left the house, Andi turned two deadbolts and pushed a button to set the alarm.

  "Looks like we're all tucked in," he said. Andi stared back at him with brown eyes that were still a little too dazed and a face that was far too pale. "Are you really okay?"

  "I'm fine," she said, but he couldn't help noticing that she looked a little unsteady as she walked back to the couch.

  He sat down next to her. "Caitlyn brought us a lot of food."

  "I'm not hungry. I'm frustrated and pissed off. And I'm stumped as to who would have done this and why."

  "What's your gut telling you?"

  "Nothing," she said with annoyance. "Which is unusual. I always have some idea, but my brain is empty."

  "Maybe because your ears are still ringing. I know mine are. That was close, Andi, too close."

  She met his gaze. "I know."

  "I feel like it's partly my fault that you were so close to the door."

  Her eyebrows shot up. "Why would it be your fault?"

  "I kissed you, and you couldn't get away from me fast enough. You didn't want to stay in the house. You wanted to go out front and wait for the truck."

  "I wasn't running away from you. I was just impatient to get the delivery and mad that they were going to be late after we raced back to meet them. That bomb wasn't your fault, Cooper. If anything, it was mine. I missed something."

  "Like what?"

  "Whatever I said or did that got someone thinking I know more than I do," she replied.

  "You've talked to a lot of people, but it's not like you accused anyone of anything. You just asked questions."

  "And got very few answers." She paused. "I don't think someone followed me home last night or today. I always look in my rearview mirror. It's automatic for me. It's like fastening my seatbelt. I never forget to check for a tail."

  Her words reminded him what different lives they led.

  "So, someone knew where you lived and wanted to send you a message."

  "The car last night was a message. This was more. This was attempted murder."

  A shiver ran down his spine. He'd spent most of his adult life talking to criminals, reviewing details of some of the most heinous crimes, but he'd never been a victim. He'd always been a spectator, an analyst, a critical observer. But today, he could have died. And Andi could have died, too. He shook his head in bemusement. "Remember when we were kids, and my mom said that sticking our noses into other people's business could get us into trouble. She was right."

  "She was. But to save lives, it's a necessary risk."

  "Have you been in danger a lot?" he asked curiously.

  "Depends on your definition of a lot."

  "That sounds like a yes."

  "It's part of the job."

  "You always had a hell of a lot of courage, Andi. Even as a kid. When you were determined to right a wrong, you were not going to stop, no matter what obstacles you faced."

  "I don't know any other way to be. I just wish I knew what I missed, because I obviously present a danger to someone."

  "Maybe Daniel and his friends. They seem the most likely suspects. We know he's connected to the gym, and the car that almost hit us is also connected to the gym. Daniel's drug problems, his inside information on Neil's house…" He shrugged. "He's at the top of my list."

  She nodded in agreement. "We need to find him."

  "I don't think we're going to do that, at least not tonight. Unless you're planning on bailing on our safe house?"

  "I was considering it," she admitted.

  "Well, I think you should eat something before you make any decisions. I may not be as good a detective as you are—"

  "May not?" she challenged.

  "Okay, definitely not," he conceded. "But I'm a decent cook, and Caitlyn picked up some good steaks. Will you let me make you dinner before you take off anywhere?"

  "You don't have to cook for me. I can help."

  "I've got this. You think about what we need to do next."

  Chapter Seventeen

  Andi couldn't think about anything else but what she was missing, and that was a frustrating wheel to be trapped on. She could have spooked any number of people, but a bomb…that seemed completely out of left field for a child kidnapping case. There had to be more at stake than one child's life. Elisa had to be the tip of an iceberg. This was about more than just her, which raised all kind of speculative theories in her head, especially a human or baby trafficking ring. That didn't sound like something the twenty-year-old Daniel Guerrero would be in charge of. But he could definitely be working for a bigger organization. Hell, maybe the whole gym was a front for a criminal enterprise.

  But she needed more than an idea; she needed proof of something. And that's what she didn't have. Or at least, she didn't think she had.

  As her head spun in a frustrating circle, she became more aware of stinging pain in her face, so she got up and went into the downstairs guest bathroom to look in the mirror.

  No wonder everyone was treating her like an invalid. Her right eye was swollen, there was blood seeping through a bandage on her forehead, and she had tiny, bloody knicks all over her face and even her throat. Her blouse was torn in several places, revealing some cuts and dried blood, mixed in with the dirt and smoke of the fire.

  She could still feel the heat of the flames, the ringing in her ears, the force of her body hitting the ground. She would probably have some aches and pains twenty-four hours from now. Her head was already throbbing, but she wasn't going to mention that to Cooper. She'd had a concussion before, and this wasn't that bad, although, according to Cooper she'd been completely knocked out for a few seconds. But she was fine. She didn't want to go to a hospital. She just wanted to take a shower and clean up.

  Returning to the living room, she looked through the duffel bag finding a mix of new men's and women's clothing. Caitlyn had thought of everything. She grabbed undies, black jeans that were her perfect size, a thick sweater, socks, and tennis shoes and then went up the stairs to the master bathroom where she took a long, hot shower.

  It felt great to be clean again, and she was thrilled to find lotions in the bathroom drawers as well as a first-aid kit. She checked out the rest of her cuts but nothing besides the one on her forehead was that bad. She changed that bandage and then dried her hair and got dressed.

  She left her dirty clothes in a hamper in the bathroom, but took her gun, badge, and phone down the stairs with her. When she got into the kitchen, she found Cooper looking remarkably comfortable as he sauteed a steak with butter, while mushrooms and onions sizzled in a nearby pan. She probably shouldn't be surprised he could cook. His mom had insisted that her kids know how to provide for themselves, and while Monica had veered toward baking, Cooper clearly knew his way around a stove.