“I suppose there’s one sure way to find out,” I say. “I’m still in touch with Townsend. Under the right circumstances, I can get the truth out of him.”
“If Townsend knows, though, that means he’s been involved too. He’d have to have known this entire time. Why would he help us?”
“Maybe he knew, maybe he didn’t. Jay could be using him.”
“But…” Her shoulders soften. I can almost read her thoughts, her shock and confusion painted across her beautiful features.
“I have no idea what she’s capable of, Isabel. He may not either. But I’ll find out what’s going on, one way or the other.”
She draws her soft touch up my forearm and back down until we’re palm to palm. She already knows what has to happen next.
“I shouldn’t have stayed so long. I need to get going before your parents get suspicious.” Saying the words borders on painful.
“I wish you didn’t have to leave.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, like she’s trying to hold her emotions in check.
I’m not sure if I can survive more of her tears. I’ll barely survive walking away from her today. But I have to finish this. For both of us.
“I’ll be back to get you when it’s over.”
She blinks back tears and crawls gently into my arms. I hold her. I tell her how much I love her. I promise to come back. I’ll always come back for her…
I speed away from Isabel’s house, my phone pressed to my ear. Leaving her is agony, so I decide to spread the misery. It’s early, but I don’t care. I need answers, and I need them now.
“Who is this?” Townsend’s voice comes through the phone.
“It’s Red. New number.”
A pause. “Did you get the package?” Townsend’s question momentarily distracts me from my original intention.
“I got it.”
“And?”
“And don’t worry about it. I need to talk to you. In person.”
I don’t trust him not to disappear forever if he knows I’m onto his or Jay’s deceit. However he’s mixed up in her scheme, I’ll be sure to figure it out as soon as I can get my hands on him.
“Why? What’s your problem now?”
“Something came up in Paris. Crow got away.”
“Fuck all. Are you kidding me?”
When pure frustration overwhelms his usual sarcasm, I smile to myself, satisfied that I’ll be able to twist this development to my advantage. “I think I might know where he is.”
“Well, are you going to fucking tell me, or did you call me just to catch up like old times?”
“I need your help with something first.”
I hear him exhale impatiently. “Let me guess. You’re going to hold out about Crow until you get what you want. That’s the way it usually works, right? I’m sick of these games, Red.”
“You help me. I help you. That’s how it works.”
“Or you could hand over Crow once and for all and we can be done with it.”
“I know where he might be. I don’t have him, so you’ll have to chase that lead on your own. Until then, I can’t risk you getting distracted. When can you meet? I’m going to be in DC for a few more days.”
He cusses under his breath. “Whatever. I can be there tonight.”
“Perfect.” I smile again, oddly looking forward to seeing him even though it’s probably not going to be pretty.
CHAPTER SIX
Isabel
My mother is sitting at the kitchen island when I come downstairs. Her palms molded around her teacup, she looks a little rested—at least less worn down than when I saw her yesterday. While I’m truly happy to have her back home with my father and me, my thoughts are solidly with Tristan. In his absence, I’m in tatters once again, wondering if this will be the time he doesn’t come back to me.
I could have begged him to stay. All it would have done is weigh on him. He still would have disappeared out my window, leaving me alone to wait and worry while he tries to pin Simon down.
Memories of our night together aren’t even enough to distract me from the fear that started working its way through me the second Tristan told me about Keegan’s meeting. If anyone can pull off this mission, Tristan can. I just have no idea how.
“Good morning,” I offer brightly, though my heart isn’t really in it.
I pour my coffee and try to wade past my worries and think about the day ahead.
“I see you had a visitor last night.”
Torn from my malaise, I whip around to face my mother.
The corner of her mouth is lifted in a coy smile. “I was up early. I saw him come down the tree. He could have used the front door, you know. You aren’t teenagers anymore.”
I’m stunned into silence, paralyzed momentarily by a remembered feeling of getting caught with him before and having to face the consequences for it. We aren’t teenagers trying to fool around behind our parents’ backs, though. There’s a lot more on the line.
I smile a little, hoping to hide my prevailing sadness. “I wish things were that simple again. It was good to see him, though. I’ve been really worried since we got separated.”
“I know all about that.”
She’s talking about me, of course, but I don’t have any room in my heart for the guilt of falling out of touch. Especially when circumstances may separate us again soon. I’m bound to Tristan.
My father interrupts the moment when he joins us. He looks like he’s ready to say something but stops himself when he sees me. “You look miserable. What’s going on?” Frowning, he looks to my mother.
“Tristan was here,” she says lightly.
“In the house? When?”
“He left this morning. He just wanted me to know he was okay.” I’m not about to imply that Tristan and I did any more. He’ll suspect it anyway.
He lets out a tense breath. “Okay. Is everything all right?”
“He’s going to see Simon.” With those words, I hope to communicate the rest I’d rather not speak out loud—that Tristan has every intention of killing Simon Pelletier the second he gets him in his sights. If my father’s passion for justice has dimmed at all, he can’t know anything else about it. But for Tristan’s sake, I desperately want my father’s help.
“How did he manage to track him down?”
“He had someone set up a meeting that he plans to intercept.”
“Where?”
I worry the inside of my lip, scared to say too much too soon.
My father places his palms flat on the island and leans in, his determination plain. “Isabel. Where?”
“At the Capitol building. Simon has a reputation for taking meetings in public places—or places where it’d be difficult to make a move on him.”
He straightens and drags his hand through his short hair. “That complicates things.”
Meeting at one of the most iconic and well-protected areas in the country is more than a complication. No matter what he says, Tristan is too driven on this mission to weigh the true risks. His freedom. His life. Our future. We could lose everything if this goes wrong. And even if Tristan thinks he can pull it off alone, I don’t know if I can let him. Not this time.
“Dad…I want your help. I can’t tell you anything that would compromise him, though.”
“Compromise him? Do you have any idea how deep I’m already in this? I’m ready to pull a lifetime’s worth of favors to take this bastard down. Tristan’s not the only one worried about being compromised, believe me.”
I look into his eyes, trying to convey the dark truth of the matter. “You know Tristan’s not going there just to talk to him.”
He’s quiet for a long moment. My mother stares into her tea. They both know this is an ugly mission, but it’s one that Tristan won’t turn away from, no matter what.
“We all know that bringing Simon into custody isn’t going to accomplish a goddamn thing,” my father says. “I wish things were different, but that’s the unfortunate truth.�
�
Having my father fully on our side is both a relief and a fresh dose of worry. He has age and experience on me, but I’m not sure if he’s seen the kinds of things I’ve seen, even in the field. If anyone ever met their death at the end of his gun, of course he’d never tell me.
“What if you change your mind? I need to know we can count on you, no matter what happens.”
He lets out a frustrated sigh, but sadness simmers in his eyes. “I know you’ve been shell-shocked. I fully admit that I haven’t always deserved your trust when it comes to Tristan, but you’re my little girl. These people have already taken Mariana away from me. They’re done playing with people’s lives. I’m going to make goddamn sure of it.”
I nod. The break in his composure silences my doubts and reinforces this new, unexpected pact between us.
“If we can get Tristan safely in and out of the building without attracting any unwanted attention, I think that’s half the battle. Once anyone realizes what happened inside, he needs to be long gone without any suspicions.”
He drums his fingers on the countertop. “Anyone can enter during visitor hours, but sneaking downstairs to the hideaway offices could get him noticed.” Frowning, he squeezes the back of his neck. “Damn it. Had to be the worst possible place.”
“He won’t wait for another chance. Last time—” I stop myself short of mentioning Miami. He doesn’t need to know about that. Not now, not ever. “He got past us. Tristan isn’t going to let Simon slip through his fingers again. I can’t talk him out of it.”
My parents share a look, some quiet understanding passing between them. My father’s expression is resolute in a way I’m beginning to recognize and appreciate more and more.
“I’ll find a way to get him in,” he finally says.
“There must be a staff entrance,” I say. “Could you get him a pass?”
“Possibly. Can he look the part?”
“If that’s what he needs to do to blend in.” I’ve never seen Tristan in anything other than street clothes, but my father has a point. “Then what?”
“Then hopefully he can find his way out.”
TRISTAN
Anticipation rushes through my veins like the choppy water flowing under the docks just ahead. I used to enjoy this more. Not knowing the extent of Townsend’s deceit takes some fun out of the hunt. I’d like to think the worst of him, but only time will tell.
Hours have passed since I sneaked away from Isabel’s house this morning. Each moment apart from her seems to stretch out longer than the last. I’m in a better place than I was before seeing her, but I won’t be happy until nothing else can keep us apart. Finding out why Jude McKenna’s name is listed on the account Mateus was supposed to wire funds into should be a welcome distraction. Except Townsend’s late and I’m growing impatient.
I tighten my grip on the gun tucked by my side when there’s a loud rapping on the passenger window. Townsend’s face appears through it. I press the button that unlocks all the doors at once. He slides into the passenger seat, slamming the door behind him.
“Nice ride.” He glances to me, then squints toward the river and the restaurant. “What’s up with this place?”
Even if he knew, he wouldn’t appreciate the significance, so I don’t bother telling him. “Just an old haunt.”
He regards me for a moment before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.
“Not in the car.”
He taps one out anyway and tucks it carefully behind his ear.
“You already looked at the files Mushenko dug up,” I say matter-of-factly.
He shrugs. “I took a glance before I handed them over.”
“And?”
“It looks legit. Seems like the FDA thinks it is too.”
“If that’s how you felt, why didn’t you just tell us that?”
He exhales an annoyed sigh. “Listen, I’m not a fucking scientist. I don’t do what Mush does. I like to work with the shit, not cook it up. I’ll be as curious as you are when it hits the market and we can see if it actually does what they’re promising.”
“Just seems like maybe you were wasting our time.”
He releases a dry laugh. “Ah, Red. I’m really going to miss these chats.”
“Why didn’t you go after Crow yourself when he showed up in Berlin?”
“Don’t like planes,” he says, his tone clipped. “Anyway, I figured the Company had it handled.”
“Seems strange that one minute you’re ready to run through a wall for a little revenge, and the next minute you don’t care all that much about seeing it through.”
His mouth wrinkles into an ugly grimace as he turns his body toward me. “A little revenge? Are you serious? Do you ever stop and think about what they did to her?”
The way he spits it out, I know there’s a lot more venom behind it. Whatever he might know, I trust his protectiveness over Jay is genuine, which may be half the problem.
“What wouldn’t you do for her?”
His dark eyes grow darker. “Cut the shit and tell me where Crow is, or I’m out of here.”
I’d hoped to talk a little more, but he’s not giving me much choice. I reach out and cuff his neck, shoving him sideways against the window at the same time. With my left, I shove the muzzle of the gun hidden by my side into the soft flesh under his jaw. He clutches my arm, but I only squeeze harder. I’m stronger and faster. He knows it.
I take in all his panicked responses. Dilated pupils, slick palms, restless legs trapped below the dashboard that have nowhere to go when I have him pinned against the window with all my strength.
“Red,” he croaks past the hold I have on his throat. “The fuck.”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” I ask the question calmly. I’m curious what he has to say. Except I’m barely letting him breathe, let alone answer. “Because either you’re jerking me around, or Jay’s jerking us both around. Neither would surprise me. We’re going to figure it out right now.”
He tries to swallow but can’t. He presses his lips together so tightly they’re white.
I tilt my head. “Maybe I should give you a little truth serum. That’s what’s in the antidote, right? A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Maybe I’ll shoot it into your vein instead and see what happens. Seems only fair since that’s what you did to me.”
His nostrils flare when I let him take in a full breath. The added unease when I mention the antidote reaches into me too. Any doubts I harbored about it are now wrapped in distrust for Townsend.
“I paid a little visit to the Paris lab. Reminded me what a piece of shit you are. I guess that was a good spot to play doctor, huh? You want to talk about revenge? Did you think I forgot you fucking blasted my memories because you helped us out a little bit?”
“Said I was sorry,” he grates out. “Hypocrite.”
I lift an eyebrow. “You want to test me right now?”
After a few seconds, he shakes his head as much as he can. We’re both murderers. I get it. Doesn’t mean I have to give him a clean slate after what he did to me.
I lean in so close I can smell the tobacco on his clothes. “I’m going to let you take a nice deep breath. Then you’re going to tell me why Jay’s on Simon’s offshore accounts and anything else you think might keep me from putting a bullet in your head.”
His gaze flits back and forth across my face. He’s trying to read me. Motherfucker.
I release my grip to gain just enough leverage to slam his head harder against the window. He widens his eyes and tries to twist and look out the window.
“There’s no one here to help. I’m your only hope. Unless you have something to tell me, this is probably the last stop for you.”
“Okay… Okay. Fuck,” he rasps.
After a prolonged moment, I pull away. “Don’t bother trying to bullshit me either.”
He blinks a few times before taking in a ragged breath. From the way he glares at me, I don’t think the t
hings on his mind at present align much with what I want to know.
He rubs his neck and swallows hard. “Who cares if she’s on the accounts? It doesn’t make her any less valuable to the Company. Only makes the price on her head that much higher.”
“She lied to me. She’s deeper in this than she let on.”
“Why the fuck would she tell you? It’s not like she trusts anyone.”
“Because I saved her life. Three times, actually. This is the thanks I get?”
“She’s not working with Simon. A long time ago she tried getting out of the Company. He couldn’t risk letting her go with everything she knew. She was too valuable, so he got her to double down instead, roping her into this Felix fiasco. She was on the accounts long before Crow snatched her. She hasn’t exactly been available for him to take her off it.”
“If they’re both signers on the account, that means they’re partners,” I say, furious at myself for assuming Jay’s subordinacy to Simon all this time.
“The whole fucking lot of them are in on this. Jay got cut in along the way, and there was no going back. Now she’s nothing but a liability. You think they want to get their hands on your precious Isabel. How badly do you think they want Jay?”
Judging by the money on the line, I’d guess Simon would do about anything to have Jay back under his control, if she isn’t already.
“How long have you known she was involved in this?”
“She only told me after Miami. When you got that close to Simon, it wasn’t just about hiding out anymore. She realized there was hope of getting out of this mess.”
“And how exactly did she think she’d manage that?”
“The second she walks into that bank to make a withdrawal, she’s as good as dead. This isn’t over until they’re gone. Every last one of them.” He hesitates. “And you’re the best man for the job.”
The air in the car is thick with a different kind of tension. Suddenly it all makes sense. Even with Townsend’s help, Jay wouldn’t be able to get to all of them. It had to be me.
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