Body of Trust - Jeannine Colette Page 0,67

count. I hope.

“And that’s tonight’s drawing!” Madison says by the red balls after she announced that it was a six.

And then someone yells, “Clear,” and people clap while others go to the machines and take pictures and carry papers.

We’re huddled on the set, where we’re forced to take pictures, looking excited to be part of the drawing.

Someone tries to take my gloves, and I ask if I can keep them as a souvenir. The FBI may need them as evidence.

The rest is a blur.

I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m on edge, and my skin prickles all over in fright. I look for my phone.

When I get to my bag, I open it to see no one has called. Salinger has disappeared, and Eric is whistling. DeLuca won’t say a word.

Sarah offers me a piece of gum. “Do you want to go out to dinner? Eric and I got rooms in town, so we don’t have to drive home,” she offers.

“I have to be back tonight.” My words are blank, as is my expression as I stare straight ahead, in complete shock.

We say good-bye, and I exit the building.

It’s nighttime now.

My car is in the lot. Nothing seems out of place, and in fact, the world appears to be going on as usual.

I get in my car and do a sweep of the back seat. My jaw is quivering, and there’s this buzzing energy radiating through me. I don’t like this feeling. It’s dark and ominous, and I just know something horrible is about to ensue.

I start my car and begin my drive. It’s an easy drive down a main road until I get to the highway. I see the green sign to enter onto the highway, so I make a right and curve down a long road that will wind around under the highway and then take me south in the direction for the city.

I’m winding around the bend when a flash of red and blue lights ignites behind me. I look at the speedometer. I’m not speeding, but I pull over anyway.

The officer gets out, followed by another man in a suit.

“Salinger,” I say out loud, delighted that he’s here.

“Get out of the car, ma’am,” the officer says, and I don’t hesitate.

“Boy, am I glad to see you. I did exactly as they said. I only used my right hand, and I replayed every number precisely—”

“Get in the car, Amelia,” Salinger says, motioning toward the back seat of mine.

“You want me to get back into my car?” I stammer.

“Yes.” His tone is full of authority, so I do what he said.

He hands a thick envelope to the officer. “Thank you for your time.”

The officer takes it, walks back to the police car, and drives away.

Salinger and I are under a dark overpass in the middle of, as far as I’m concerned, nowhere. I’m sitting in the back seat with my feet hanging out, and he’s standing above me.

“What’s happening?” My voice is laced with desperation. “Is my family okay? Where’s Jesse? Where is he? He said he’d be with me the whole time.”

He takes a handkerchief out of his pocket. “You had one job to do.”

“I did it. Down to a T. I’m sorry it didn’t work, but that should be enough for a conviction. I have the gloves. Can’t you use those?”

His eyes bead as he grimaces with a snarl. “Jesse was right. You ask a lot of fucking questions.”

Before I know it, his large body is over me, covering my face with the cloth. I try to fight him, thrashing, kicking, and head-butting, but his body is on me in a way Jesse never taught me to fight against. His hand pushes the handkerchief harder against my face.

I feel light-headed.

And my mouth tastes sweet.

And …

It.

All.

Goes.

Black.

Chapter Eighteen

Jesse

At least once a day, I think of going home.

Dad’s jokes, Mom’s cooking, and my sister Melanie’s laughs are the three things I miss the most.

I remember the day I told Mom I wanted to be a police officer. She was thrilled. A son who would be out to protect and serve his community was the be-all and end-all.

For a kid who had gotten into his fair share of trouble as a teen, this was great news. When she learned it was to join the FBI as an undercover agent, she panicked.

For my safety.

For my life.

Because she’d never see me again.

I love my mama, but when a man sets out to fulfill his destiny, there’s no stopping him.

When I left