Tanner stared forward. “Go home. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
That icy monotone was back. She didn’t like it. “What’re you going to do?”
He turned to her then. “I honestly don’t know.”
She’d given him what she had in the hope of winning his support, but that was all she could do. The rest he had to come to terms with himself.
“You know what they’ll do to me if they find out what I’ve told you. Someone shot at you and trashed my Lexus. I’m reasonably sure we’re both already on someone’s kill list.” She didn’t mention Jazel or the black sedan.
“Go home,” he said without looking at her. “Stay there.”
Annette got out of the Cadillac and climbed into the Jaguar. Tomorrow. She had lived with this for days now. She’d done all she could. Running out on Paula was out of the question. There was only one choice: Trust Carson Tanner.
She drove away. Carson Tanner was a victim of the same people his family had been. Whatever had happened, whoever had ultimately been responsible, she hoped he realized that he was now in the same dangerous situation she was. The questions he wanted answers to had not changed. But he did have physical evidence now. He could get to the truth. Like her, it was going to cost him everything.
At this rate, she was dead anyway. If she could ensure Paula’s safety, maybe Annette could finish this without Tanner. She could go to the feds, spill her guts on Wainwright and the others. Could she trust the feds to protect her sister?
If she went that route, maybe Tanner could still salvage his life.
Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. She had no business feeling sorry for him. Yet she did.
Was there even a way to stop this lunge toward disaster without additional risk to him?
She needed to think. There was one other route she could try. One man powerful enough to end this. After all ... it began with him. Buthewasn’t the kind of man to whom one could pay an unannounced visit. She had to be absolutely certain she wanted to make this move. It was a no-turning-back decision. Once she crossed that line it was done.
Frankly, it was the only feasible strategy she had left outside trusting the feds. Considering the feds were two-and-zero when it came to protecting their witnesses, that option would definitely be a last resort.
Annette dug around in her bag for her cell phone, then put through the call to the private lineheused for business of this nature.
“We have to talk,” she said without preamble. He needed to understand she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Face-to-face.”
“We have nothing to talk about.”
His response was exactly what she had anticipated.
“You know better than that,” she argued. He could pretend all he wanted, just not with her.
He then explained all the risks involved with such a meeting. Risks to her.
“I know the risks.” Did he think her a fool? “I also know the risk to you if you refuse to see me.” She paused for effect. “Is now a good time?”
Checkmate. She had threatened the most powerful man in Birmingham. The silence that followed warned that he was not pleased by her defiance.
All her past experience combined could not have prepared her for what he said next.
“It’s over. I know what you’ve done.”
What did she do now? She tossed the phone onto the passenger seat.
Fear tightened like a noose around her neck. Ifheknew what she’d done ... there was little chance she or Tanner would survive the night, much less the day to come. Allowing the two of them to live with this knowledge, no matter how incomplete, would be too risky.
Did she dare go to the feds? If she confronted him in person, would it change things?
Headlights appeared in her rearview mirror, seizing her attention.
Her breath caught.Stay calm.Could be nobody, just another car on the road. She should have just gone home like Tanner said. Stayed there and waited for his decision.
Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Focus. Drive.
