she was always the woman who knew how to paint.
"And I don't regret it."
"And your wife?" I asked.
Zach froze and I had my answer. "You figured it out?"
"I did."
"Then you just signed your death warrant," he said, moving slightly so the gun was pointed directly at me. The gun was small. It had to the nine millimeter we were looking for. Zach grabbed Vanessa's arm with his free hand, holding her in front of his body like a shield.
From the corners of my eyes, I saw Maddox and Farid approaching him from either side, their footsteps soft and deft. But I knew they couldn't shoot him from their angles. They might hit Vanessa but not Zach.
"No," said a voice from the shadows, the word followed by a click. "You just signed yours."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"Wow," said Lily. "I'm surprised he didn't shoot you."
"Me too," I agreed. We both rested our arms on the edge of the spa's pool. I kicked my legs, half floating, while Lily sipped soda through a red and white-striped straw.
"I mean, it would have been dumb if he had, given that Maddox and Farid would have shot him a bazillion times."
"Not before Solomon did. He saw Zach through the rear window and crept up behind him while Zach was trying to work out what I knew and whether he should ditch Vanessa and just get out of there." I paused and took a deep breath. The memory of that chalet wouldn't leave me any time soon. "He already had her car keys but she knew where he was going. If he left her behind, she could have told us where he went."
"Do you think he would have killed her in the cabin she rented?" asked Lily.
"Maybe, if he got tired of her or she started to smell a rat. He told her so many lies. They were just going to lie low a while but there're plenty of places to hide a corpse in the woods."
"You have such a dark imagination."
"Thank you," I said, taking another refreshing sip.
"Are you sure you don't want to hang out later too? We can put a photo of Zach in the garage and throw axes at it."
I frowned in alarm. "You have axes?"
"Sure!"
"We need to talk about this someday," I told her. "I have to go to the hospital after we leave. Austen said Sophie woke up yesterday and apparently, wants to talk. Solomon is coming, and Maddox and Farid are eager to interview her too."
"Jord isn't thrilled that the FBI swooped in and took the case."
"Once it turned into a federal crime, they didn't have a choice," I told her. "For a long time, solving that case looked like Mission: Impossible."
"Then you turned it into Mission: Possible. That's my girl," said Lily as she fist-bumped me.
"Jord is going to get a lot of credit for his investigation," I said. "I heard the DA is delighted. He has so many serious charges to throw at Zach Gallo. Real headline stuff."
"Great. I had to retire the sexy bank robber outfit thanks to this case, but maybe I can get it out again."
"If you do..." I started.
"Yeah?"
"Never tell me. Promise me, Lily. Please! I don't ever want to hear about it."
Lily rolled her eyes. "You should nearly get shot more often. I like it when Solomon sends us both to the spa. Has he considered buying shares in it?"
I laughed and splashed her with water.
~
Solomon was waiting for me at the entrance to the hospital. "How was your day of relaxation?" he asked.
"Perfection. Thank you." I raised onto my tiptoes and kissed him. "Lily appreciated the invitation. We swam, got massages, and I thought of how great our marriage is. How're things in the ICU?"
"No idea. Sophie was moved to another room now she’s awake and she and Austen are waiting for us. From what I hear, be prepared to expect quite a story."
"How's Austen?"
"I'm not sure. Relieved, disappointed, afraid, happy."
"All at once?"
"It's possible, if you can believe it." Solomon slipped his hand around mine.
"I'm not sure anyone will thank me for my contribution to the case," I told him as we took the stairs.
"Vanessa Reyes might. I'm told she cut a deal with the Feds. No jail time, just probation, and she's told them everything they need to prosecute the Montgomery heist. She gave up the rest of the crew too. A couple of them worked at Sky Outdoors with her and Zach, and one of them was the sloppy shooter. Her voluntary