“We left Hope’s phone on in Raleigh, as a way to make her harder to track, and there’s an agent keeping tabs on her email and messages. A little while ago, she received a text from Mrs. Lin.
“What does it say?”
“It says, ‘The man you’re looking for is here.’”
Faith set the phone on Luke’s knee and reached for her iPad and pencil. “What time did the message come through?”
“Around two Eastern.”
Luke glanced at his watch. Two hours ago.
“We’ll be in touch.” Faith’s finger hovered over the End Call button.
Charles spoke quickly. “One more thing.”
“Yes.”
“She says to please be careful, because no matter how much she tries to convince you she can do life on her own, she doesn’t want to do it without you.”
Tears filled Faith’s eyes. “I will. Take care of her.”
“With my life.”
The call disconnected.
Luke grabbed a tissue from the box on the edge of Faith’s desk. “Here.”
The tears hadn’t fallen, and Faith dabbed the corner of each eye as she pulled in a shaky breath. When she looked at him again, all emotion had been chased back deep inside, where she kept it well controlled most of the time.
“Let’s go find David Lee.”
35
THREEHOURS LATER,Faith stood along the edge of a police barricade. Her FBI windbreaker hid the bulk of the bulletproof vest she wore. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail stuck through the back of her cap. It kept the wind from swirling her hair into her face, but it couldn’t do much to stop the wind from blowing the misty rain against her cheeks.
This was the first time she’d been able to take a breath all afternoon. Everything ached. Her eyes, head, throat, hands, feet. Nothing was wrong with her that a solid forty-eight hours of sleep couldn’t fix. Especially if she followed it up with a spa day. Or maybe a trip to the Caribbean.
She assumed those things would work. It wasn’t like she ever took the time for anything like that. She wasn’t a spa girl and hadn’t used her vacation time for anything that wasn’t family related in ... well ... ever.
She shifted her gaze to include Luke in it, but so it wouldn’t look like she was ogling him. This thing she had with him would never work, and the realist in her knew it, but she was going to miss him so much when this was over. She had to solve the case tokeep him alive, but that would take him away from her. He would go back to his life, and she would go back to her ... work.
She’d never minded the work. But now? She would always wonder what it would be like to spend weekends not working. Maybe the Carrington guys would set her up with the best dive master around. She’d get her certification and then she and Luke could go to the Outer Banks and dive shipwrecks. Or maybe they could remodel her house. She could picture it. Luke, with paint on his face, laughing as they ripped out a countertop or—
Luke looked up and caught her staring. A smile spread slowly across his face, and his step had a bit of swagger in it as he made his way toward her. He stopped a professional distance away and leaned against her car. “See something you like?”
“Yes. Can you introduce me to that officer you were talking to? He’s cute.”
Luke glared, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. “He’s a baby. You need a real man in your life.”
“Know any?”
“Now you’re just being mean.” He took a step closer, and his arm brushed against hers. “I don’t like the waiting.” The happy-go-lucky façade was gone. “That baby over there”—he inclined his head toward the officer he’d been speaking to—“told me they’ve confirmed that all the houses between us and Mrs. Lin’s house are clear.”
“Thank goodness.” She’d insisted on a wide perimeter. David Lee, and possibly Mr. Park, were known to be explosives-happy. For all she knew, they could have Mrs. Lin’s house wired to blow the entire block.
“Faith.” Luke turned to face her. “I need to tell you something.”
“Malone!” The shout came from behind Luke. His face twisted in frustration, and his shoulders slumped.
