The van pulls up behind my vehicle, but I don’t hear them getting out. They’re probably reporting to Cade on my whereabouts.
I exhale slowly.It’s okay. He’s too far away to get dragged into this now.
Even if it hadn’t taken me this long to gather what I needed, I would’ve waited until this close to the deadline. I didn’t go through all this heartache to protect Cade only to have him get caught in the crosshairs at the last minute.
Aware of the looming deadline, I scurry over to the eastern wall of the church. I count the bricks once. Twice. Three times.
When I’m sure I have the right one, I pull it out. A few tugs has the packet I’ve prepared placed inside, the letter to Cade on top of it.
The final piece of paper I add is my request. Three simple words.
Make them pay.
The brick goes back into place.
There. It’s done.
The weight I expected to lift doesn’t. If anything, it’s heavier now, driving me down into the earth beneath my feet.
Fitting, really. After tonight, I’ll be joining the denizens down there. I wonder briefly if I’ll be buried here. I’d like that, I think. This church is part of The Firm.
Part of the Buckinghams.
Part of Cade.
It’d be nice to be close to him in the afterlife.
The closest I’ll likely ever be again.
I don’t pause. My pace increases as I draw closer to the edge of the graveyard. I have no idea how or when the axe will fall, only that it will.
I need to be far from the guards when it does.
I glance at my car before dismissing it. There’s no point. It’ll be easier to lose the guards on foot. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky. Perhaps the plan I mentioned in the letter to Cade will come to fruition.
It’s stupid, really, to hope I might escape this. That I’ll make it out of this city and to freedom.
They’ll catch me long before that.
I beeline for the bus station. If I can jump on a departing bus, I might be able to flee.
Doors open behind me. Footsteps follow at a leisurely pace. I know they’re keeping me in their sights.
Over the road, I spot my salvation. I cross against the traffic. What’s one more law to break at this point? The cops would be doing me a favor if they arrested me right now.
On the other side, I nudge through a group of frat boys who are out on the town. As I break free, I dart into an alleyway, flattening myself against the wall. I hold my breath as my gaze finds the guards. They’re looking up and down the block, shaking their heads as they look for me.
Relief washes over me. One hurdle overcome.
Just then, my watch vibrates against my wrist to let me know the deadline is here.
A hand wraps tightly around my bicep. Pain shoots up and down my arm as the bones creak under the grip. “Trying to run, Ansel?”
That’s all I hear.
Then the world turns black.
26
