When all the women had been paraded past the audience and judges,
they waited in the wings for the results.
That's where she was when she saw John suddenly head for the doors. Looking
through the walls, she saw agent Pierce holding a man down and agents Evans and
Bartow on the floor as a man hurtled toward Cade with a weapon.
Mandi almost abandoned the contest to go to his aid, but the situation
unfolded too quickly. In a bit less than eight seconds the attacker was
unconscious and dying fast and Cade was again on his feet, talking into his
lapel mike.
When Carter picked up the attacker's weapon and asked if Cade was okay, he
shruggingly replied that he could use a coffee. Was that just a bit of bravado
for Carter?
For several long-seeming moments more Mandi watched Cade after he'd resumed
his post in front of the doors. He showed no outward signs of aftermath anxiety;
his heartbeat and respiration returned to normal inside three minutes as he
stood calmly in a loose parade-rest stance.
Had she been mistaken about him, after all? Had his soft side only been a
facade for her benefit? John appeared and dismissed Cade, who headed for the
escalators as John returned to the ballroom.
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