street after everything I’ve been through would be an idiotic move of grand proportions. But then again, this is Nick Peterson. I should never have given him that much credit.
But there’s also no way I’d leave the protection of Crew’s compound unarmed.
I look around casually to make sure I’m not going to be ambushed before I settle my eyes on him. “Planning someone’s funeral, Nick? Not really surprised to see you here with as many people as you’ve tried to kill in the last couple weeks. I guess if you keep shooting at the moon, you’ll eventually hit something.”
He didn’t expect that.
“Wow, I actually made you blush,” I say into his silence. Okay, so it’s a blush of fury. He’s about the color of Red’s tomatoes. Which reminds me, the blast didn’t take out the garden. I need to get over there and water it. Abbott would be heartbroken if it dried up.
I rest my finger on the trigger when his jaw goes hard and he says, “You’ve gone AWOL.”
I shrug. “Maybe. But most people would when their superiors are out to kill them. It’s called self-preservation—a natural instinct in intelligent human life. But I get why you wouldn’t understand.”
“You were given orders,” he growls.
“Unlike you,” I lift my chin to him, “I’m no one’s puppet.”
His eyes narrow.
“What do you want, Nick?” I throw my free arm between us. “You want to have it out here, in the middle of a parking lot where they can drag one of our dead corpses inside to get a jump on things? Because I’m game.”
His eyes drop to my hand in my pocket and his jaw clenches. I bet he’s not carrying. Not sure he could be more stupid.
“We can march it off right here, ten paces, like the old west where the law was interpreted by crazy lawmen and the bad guys always died in the end. I promise you, my ass will not be the one dragged in there. I plan on going home to my daughter, the one you had no fucking problem putting in harm’s way when you ordered an IED to be delivered to my front door. I can overlook a lot of idiocy, but not that. Never when it comes to my family.”
He finally adds something productive to the conversation, even if it is a lie. “I had nothing to do with that.”
“Did your boss tell you to say that?”
He looks both ways before taking a step closer. “You don’t know what you’re doing or who you’re dealing with.”
I click my tongue and shake my head once. “That’s where you’re wrong. And Nick?”
“What?” he grits.
“I’d bet my future children I know more than you do. I’ll give you a hint of what your outlook holds—you’re fucked.”
“I came to warn you to stand down.”
“You’re serious? You think you can come to me and tell me to do jack shit after everything that’s happened?”
“If you cooperate, I can assure—”
“That I’ll be as big of a dipshit as you? Yeah, not interested.”
“You know too much. People want you dead.”
I take five quick strides to close the distance. He takes two back. “I’ve been running from bullets and blasts. I know people want me dead. You can give them a message—tell them to watch their backs. I know all the angles and who’s in with who. It’s not me who should be running scared, Nick. So don’t piss me off. I’ve had a bad fucking month.”
His chest rises and falls with labored breaths as he searches my eyes, maybe trying to read me the way CIA officers are trained to.
“Tell your boss to go fuck herself. And I’ll be back in the office after I bury my father and make sure my family is safe.” I start to turn for my car but pause. “You know what? Go ahead and fuck yourself while you’re at it.”
He shakes his head and lifts a finger to my chest. “I warned you.”
“I don’t need a warning. I know exactly how big the stakes are.”
He stares at me two beats before turning on his very basic walking shoe. It’s not until after he slams the door of his g-ride that my finger relaxes off the trigger in my pocket.
I move to my truck and pull out of the parking lot, making sure no one is following me.
Chapter 38
Brilliant Babies
Bella
Two days.
Two excruciatingly painful days have passed.
The money has not been touched.
Randolph has been mindlessly boring.
Marie Kasey is still unconscious and there’s no word on her prognosis