“What exactly are you after with all this? Look, you’ve probably forgotten more about being a cop than I’ll ever know, but I have to admit, I don’t understand what you’re doing. Is this about being pissed off that the feds came walking in here all bold as brass and snagged your suspect out from under you? Or is there something else going on? What was all that stuff I heard you and Dreya saying about the video needing to be destroyed…and Thomas Thorn? What the hell does a thief like her have to do with a man like him? Is he the reason you’re doing this?”
Braden didn’t answer right away. He was the last one to ask about why he was doing anything. All he could say for sure was that his instincts were telling him to follow the black sedan.
“Truthfully, Mick, I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing,” he finally admitted. “I’m making this shit up as I go along.”
On the other end of the line, his partner sighed. “Okay, I can respect that. But try to text now and then, huh? Just so I know you’re not dead or anything.”
Braden promised he would, hanging up in time to realize that the sedan had suddenly moved from the left lane to the middle, as if they were getting ready to exit the freeway soon. He did the same, trying to figure out where they were, and saw the sign for Quantico.
After the conversation with the receptionist, he’d been sure the people who had Dreya weren’t connected to the FBI regardless of what Danica Buchanan said. But Quantico was the home of the FBI Academy, and it couldn’t be a coincidence that they were slowing as they approached the exit for the place. Maybe those two were legit feds. Then again, didn’t the CIA have a presence in Quantico? Hell, he didn’t know. Maybe he should ask Mick.
Braden was sure they’d pull off at the main Quantico exit, so he was surprised when the sedan suddenly veered into the right-hand lane and took the next exit instead of the one another mile or two up the road. He hit the brakes hard, knowing that if he overshot the exit, he’d never catch up before Dreya and the vehicle disappeared.
He knocked up a few loose rocks as he cut across the edge of the off-ramp, praying the feds didn’t see him. He merged with the smaller state road, barely able to see the sedan ahead of him as it took a curve in the road. Had he been made?
He cursed, but it didn’t matter now. He had to figure out where they were taking Dreya.
Braden steered into the oncoming lane and floored it, watching the needle of the speedometer shoot higher as he passed the line of cars in front of him. His gut told him that if he didn’t reach Dreya soon, something really bad was going to happen.
He pulled in before the next curve, catching sight of the sedan disappearing around another bend. He sped up, the trees and buildings whipping past as he drove as fast as the curvy road and traffic would allow.
He was so intent on closing the gap that he almost spun out when the road took a sharp turn to the right. He got his car under control just in time to see the sedan parked on the side of the road, the Agents Buchanan leaning casually against the side of their car, waiting for him.
Braden slammed on the brakes, the whole car shuddering and shaking as the ABS kicked in. He ended up coming to a stop a few feet from the feds and their sedan.
Shit.
“Detective Hayes, are you following us?” Danica asked as he got out and walked over to them.
Braden ignored her and Clayne, focusing his attention on the back window of their car. Dreya had turned slightly in the seat to look over her shoulder at him. She seemed fine. What the hell was he going to do now? That would have been easier to answer if he knew why he’d followed her and the feds in the first place. A sane cop didn’t drive miles outside his police jurisdiction…just because. There had to be a reason he was doing this. Either he was pissed the feds had taken custody of Dreya, and he followed them so he could apprehend her when she escaped—which she would. Or he was worried that Dreya was in trouble, and he wanted to be there to save her ass when things went bad. Both reasons seemed equally implausible—and equally insane.
He dragged his gaze away from Dreya to look at the two feds. “What makes you think I was following you? Maybe I was just out for a drive.”
Clayne snorted. “Bullshit. You followed us from DC. You still would have been tailing us if we hadn’t seen you. What were you planning to do, stealth your way into a federal facility in the middle of the night and steal Dreya Clark away?”
Braden couldn’t help chuckling.
“What so funny?” Danica asked.
“Nothing. It’s obvious you two don’t know Dreya very well. I wouldn’t have to sneak onto federal property to get her away from you, because she’s going to bolt all on her own, probably tonight.”
Clayne arched a brow. “You think she’ll be able to give us the slip that easily?”
“Hell, yeah. Unless you’re willing to lock her in a cell and watch her 24/7.” Braden shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. She simply hates people in authority positions—like the two of you—telling her what to do, even if it’s in her best interest. You say go left, she’ll go right. It’s this instinctive urge she has to piss certain people off.”
Clayne glanced over his shoulder at Dreya, then looked at his partner before finally turning to Braden. “I can appreciate that. But you don’t have to worry about it. I’m good at tracking people. If she runs, I’d find her.”
Braden nodded, considering that. “The first time maybe. Then she’d run again, and this time, she’d have the benefit of knowing how you found her. You might even catch her a second time, but sooner or later, she’ll come up with a way to get away from you. Mostly just to show you she could.”
“You don’t seem to have a problem keeping track of her,” Danica said. “In fact, your files seem to indicate you can find her pretty much any time you want. How exactly is that?”
Braden knew he shouldn’t be surprised the feds had seen his case files on Dreya. These two seemed to have all kinds of access to information they probably shouldn’t. Another indication they were CIA? Shit, this was bad enough to make his head spin.
“I’ve been watching Dreya for a very long time,” he admitted. “I guess you could say that I get her.”
Danica regarded him thoughtfully. “Is that why you’ve been following us? Because you get Dreya and you don’t think we do?”
Braden looked from Danica to Clayne and back again. “Lady, I’m not even sure I know who you two are. But I can promise you that I understand the woman in the backseat of your car far better than you ever will.”
