Agent Hammond pushes me into a side alley. “Stay here out of sight until I come back for you.” Then he sprints across the street.
I dig the phone out of my pocket and dial Catherine’s number. It barely rings before Ethan picks up. “Where in the hell are you? There are girls in white dresses everywhere! And this damn app just narrows it down to a single block.”
God, it’s so good to hear his voice. “Come back to Ursuline. It’s over. Or almost over. Thomas is dead. And so is Mateo. Agent Hammond has gone in to get Agent Parker—then it will be over for good.”
“Thank God.” Ethan chokes out on the other end of the line. “I’m close. Stay put, I’m coming for you.”
I end the call and feel something against my back. “You’ve made a very bad mistake.”
I turn around quickly and that’s when I see her. Agent Parker.
She grabs my arm. “Let’s walk.”
“Don’t touch me! You betrayed me. You betrayed my family. I cried for you when I thought you were dead!” I try to jerk my arm out of her grasp but her claws dig in deeper.
“Agent Hammond!” I scream at the top of my lungs. “Help!” She pulls me deeper into the alleyway then pushes me down to the ground.
She moves closer and I cringe with each step she takes. I can’t believe how normal she looks—no bruises, no busted lip, nothing.
“Where is it? Where are the money and the passports?”
“I don’t know.”
She is furious.
“Get up. You’re coming with me.”
I don’t move.
She cocks the gun and says, “You come with me or I leave you dead here. Your choice.”
I didn’t come this far to let this bitch kill me now. Agent Hammond won’t be long so I just have to stay alive long enough for him to get back.
“You shoot me and you’ll never find the money.”
“Tell me where it is and I’ll let you go.”
I press my lips close together.
“I took a peek at dear ol’ Mom. Looks like she’s all dried up. Wonder if she’ll stay that way after she finds out you’re dead?”
That one question is all it takes to knock the breath out of me. She’s the one who took the picture of her at the treatment facility. I refuse to answer her. I refuse to give this woman any power over me.
The problem is, she won’t stop talking.
“I can’t say I miss those tearful calls from her at all hours of the day and night. I mean, you’d think a fifth of gin would last more than twenty-four hours, but no. She always needed more.”
I crumble on the ground. I could never figure out how Mom, with our limited resources, could have an endless supply of booze. Now I know. After everything that has happened today, this is what does me in.
Agent Parker points the gun at me, yelling for me to get up—then she’s tumbling down to the ground, headfirst. The gun still in her hand.
It’s Will! He’s holding her down with his knee pressed in her back as she struggles. “Knock her gun away, Anna,” Will says.
Once I have her gun, Will and Ethan, using his one good arm, yank her up to a standing position. I take two steps until I’m face-to-face with her, then slap her across the cheek with everything in me.
“That was for Mom.”
I hear heavy footsteps and it’s Agent Hammond charging down the alley toward us.
