“Why, thank you, Jewell, for asking. A water conduit system was installed at the turn of the century. It runs from the river four miles to the east to …”
“The compound,” Blake guessed.
“Bingo! Give that man a cigar. Big culverts, and they’re still in place and close by.”
“Exfil,” Zane said.
Blake nodded his head silently. He agreed that would be the perfect exfiltration plan. Any way you cut it, there was a vast amount of open space circling the compound. A few hedge rows that were probably built as windbreaks back at the turn of the century, which were now overgrown and tangled messes of branches, but if he had a straight shot, underground … It could work. He’d check out the conduit as soon as humanly possible. “Send it.” He wanted to see the plans and scout the locations.
“On its way.”
“Con?” Blake closed his eyes
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” he said with a grimace.
“What? Oh my God. I’m going to have a heart attack. Someone call the doctor.” Con started gasping and coughing before it went silent.
Jewell chuckled. “I turned him off.”
“Thank God,” both he and Zane said at the same time.
Blake hated the man and kind of liked him at the same time, but damn, he was annoying. “I’ll check the conduit as soon as I get the plans.”
“Don’t let that be your only option.”
Blake gave a low laugh. A laugh that people told him sounded just like his father’s. “I’m not an idiot.”
“I know, but youaremy nephew, so you’ll have to excuse the looks over your shoulder,” Zane replied.
“Appreciated and always welcome.” Blake started packing up his map and NVGs. “I’m going to review the plans and then make my way to the system to find out if it’s passable.”
“Let us know if you need anything.”
“Will do.” Blake put his pack on and continued down the hill to the small washout at the bottom. He moved away from his lookout and behind a chestnut tree before he pulled his phone out of his pocket, put it under his jacket to shield any light from being seen, and studied the diagrams that Con had found. The channels were formed by brick and mortar and then buried. Over a hundred years old. The damn things were probably compromised and blocked. But he’d check anyway.
CHAPTER 16
Elise startled awake at the soft groan of the front door hinges. Her breath caught until she heard the low voices of Blake and Rook. She tried to listen, but their voices carried low, a murmur of men who didn’t need full sentences. Then the door closed again. A few moments later, the sound of a car engine started before it drove away. That meant Rook was gone, leaving Blake in his place. A smile spread across her face. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Rook, but being alone with Blake was a prize she’d take.
She listened as Blake moved around downstairs and glanced at the window. The predawn light had started to lessen the darkness. Rook was right. Blake had been gone all night. She yawned and stretched. Her life had changed so drastically since he’d come into her life. If he hadn’t, she’d probably be dead. That thought chased every last vestige of sleep from her mind. The deepfake video he’d shown her was so vivid in her mind. If that was shown to any juror, she’d be convicted of murder without a doubt.
She listened as his boots dropped, one and then the other. Blake had to be exhausted. She sat up, getting ready to go downstairs, when she heard his heavy steps coming up thestairs. He avoided every creak in the stairs, but she could still make out his steps. When Blake stepped into the bedroom, a bit of light from the hall caught the edge of his jaw. His shirt clung damp to his shoulders, and his pants were wet as well. Tension ran through every line of him. He carried the weight of the night, but when his gaze found hers, the hardness softened.
“Did you fall into the lake?” she asked as she stood up. “You need to get out of those clothes. You’ll catch your death.”
He stopped her hands from unbuttoning his shirt by grabbing them both in one of his. “I’ll take a shower. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine. Rook made me go to bed instead of waiting up for you.”
“Then I’ll shower and be back in a minute.”
She nodded, and he leaned in for a kiss, which was when she caught the scent. She backed up and her nose scrunched as her eyes watered. “What did you fall into?”
Chuckling, he pulled her back and kissed her hard. When he lifted, he said, “Stagnant water.” Then he stepped out of the bedroom and headed to the bathroom.
“Are you sure it wasn’t sewage?” She followed him and used two fingers to pick up the clothes he’d taken off, placing them in a pile.
