He reaches in, sweeping an arm across my stomach to hit the seatbelt release, far too close to everything I need to protect, and instinct takes over.
I surge my bound hands toward his face, aiming for his eyes. But he jerks back fast, faster than he should be able to, and shakes off the near miss with a snarl.
Then his gun comes up immediately, and he stares at me with a blank determination.
He gestures his weapon toward the cliff with unmistakable instruction. “Walk.”
My thoughts sharpen.
If I walk, I’m stepping straight into my death.
If I don’t, he might shoot me.
I’m terrified, and my eyes sting with tears, but I straighten my shoulders, buy time to think, time for Anton to find me, for him to make a mistake…anything.
“Where are we going?” I demand.
He snarls. “You know where the fuck we’re going.”
My heart pounds with indecision, and the only weapon I have is my words.
“You think I’m going to walk the plank just because you have a gun?” I bite.
He jerks the gun higher, pointing it straight in my face. One slip of a finger and I’m dead.
“Out of the truck!” He trembles with anger; spit flies with his command. “I said walk!”
I need to keep him calm. “Mace?—”
Anxiety floods his system. “My name is fucking Mike…”
“Mike…” I slow my breath, trying to keep him talking, trying to think. “Getting rid of me won’t save you.”
“You think I give a shit about myself at this point?” His voice is high-pitched insanity.
He told me I fucked his brother over. He cares more about Ingram than himself. He thinks if I disappear, his brother has his life back.
I change tactics. “Killing me won’t save your brother. Justin, right? Justin Ingram?”
At his brother’s name, humanity flickers behind his eyes.
“If you really want to help him, you can’t do this,” I push. “Whatever you have planned only makes it worse. The only way to save him is to turn yourself in. Confess.”
His cheeks go red, emotion rising as he wipes his nose on his sleeve.
“Mike.” I use my training. First names. Make a connection. “If you turn yourself in, you can testify. Make a statement. Admit it all. That keeps Justin safe.”
“You would say that.” His arm is stiff and charged, but his finger isn’t on the trigger.
My stomach cramps tight and hard.Shit, baby, hang on. We’ll get out of this.
Thinking of her nearly brings me to tears, but I hold my nerve. I try my most empathetic tone. “If I go off that cliff, a lot points to your brother. If you want this over for Justin, and your niece and nephew, then confess. Then it’s over. It’s all about you. His life carries on…”
“You’re fucking lying!” His shout bellows around the dead walls of the quarry. “You’re a goddamn liar!” He pulls at his hair with his free hand, his face pinched and tense. He speaks almost as if responding to voices in his head. “I fucked up too big. He was right, I should have never come back.”
Never come back? Mariana Reyes…was that Mike’s first murder? Ingram closed that case. A cover-up? And then he sent his brother out of town to disappear?
Mike strides toward me, and my nerves light up, blood surging to my limbs.
