Wallace scowled.“We know about him too, obviously.He was with Emma in Lucerne.”
“Right, but he’s been with us from the beginning.”Sorry, Jason.
The old man’s eyes gleamed as if she were confirming a secret suspicion he’d had.“How long?”
“Emma and I started FPP—the Free Pen Project—three years ago as a front for our…investigations.”She tried not to stray into territory that would piss him off too much.Or veer too far from the truth.He needed to be engaged but somewhat pliable.As relaxed as possible.“Jason and his team provided backup or intel when needed.I don’t know the full story of how he and Emma know each other, but I think they dated in college and stayed in touch.”
Wallace nodded, his grip loosening as he became invested in her story.“What about journalists?And you must have a hacker or…something on staff.Who’s moving the money?”
Natalie caught her brother’s gaze and blinked three times, hoping he’d catch it in the dim light.When his lips thinned, she knew he’d received the message, just like when they were kids.She’d gotten them into plenty of trouble, but she’d usually gotten them out of it too.This time the stakes were simply higher.
Turning her face up to Wallace, she sighed.“We have a hackeranda forensic accountant who’s a whiz at following the maze of shell corporations.”
He smirked.“I knew—”
She shot to her feet, and he took a startled step back.
Across the platform, Erik dropped like a dead weight and rolled backwards into the water with a faint splash before Lear could grab him.
As Wallace recovered and lunged for her, she juked toward the water.Her heart rate spiked at the thought of going in, but—
She came to an abrupt stop on the edge as someone yanked the back of her windbreaker.Choking from the pressure of the collar against her throat, she fumbled for the zipper.Stretched tight, the pull tab wouldn’t budge.
She quit fighting and leaned into Wallace’s pull, catching him by surprise as they crashed together onto the platform.The pressure on her neck eased as his hold loosened.Blocking out all thoughts of what lay beyond, she took a deep breath and slid right off her attacker, feet first over the three-inch lip and off the edge.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she inhaled deeply and anticipated the shock of going under as her feet plunged into the cool water.Instead, she jerked to a stop as someone grabbed her right forearm, leaving her dangling in the air with waves licking at her shins.
Nat screamed from the fire that lanced through her still-tender wound.
Mother fucker.
Her head spun, her body turned hot, and she nearly puked.
Looking up, she saw Wallace grimacing down at her, braced on his knees, gripping her arm with both hands.To her right, Lear was in a similar position, aiming his gun at the spot where Erik had disappeared.
Erik.She had to get to him, untie him so he could swim.
With her good arm, she gripped the narrow rim that ran along the back edge of the platform, easing some of the pressure on her right side.Then, she swung her legs slowly up out of the water and braced her feet on a crossbar that must’ve been part of the hydraulic lift system.When she bent her knees, her body shifted closer to the boat.Misunderstanding her intentions, Wallace straightened a little, raising his center of gravity.
Wincing as all of her weight hung from his grip on her bad arm, Natalie grabbed his wrist and straightened her legs as if attempting a backwards dive.The move threw him off balance and he toppled forward, following her headfirst into the ocean with a shocked cry.
Cold water closed over her head as she sank into a forest of kelp.Don’t breathe.She pressed her lips together, kicking and flailing against the massive plants, her heart threatening to bolt from her wounded chest as she fought to return to the surface.Every stroke brought a wave of pain, but she gritted her teeth and kept kicking, toeing off her running shoes to make it easier.
A muffledpopcame from above.Was that a gunshot?
Oh, God.Where was Erik?
She spun, trying to see, but the boat’s lights barely penetrated the murky gloom.
Dimly, she became aware of the muffled sound of a motor coming closer.Had Wallace or Lear called for backup?
With one more hard kick, she breached the surface and sucked in a breath, trying to remember how to tread water while moving her right arm as little as possible.Spinning, she caught sight of Lear shining a flashlight down into the water, gun in his free hand.
A few feet away, Wallace sputtered and cried out.“Help!”
Probably worried he wouldn’t get paid if the man drowned, Lear stopped his search and tossed his boss a life ring.Wallace hooked an arm through and waited to be pulled over to the yacht.
The sound of the motor drew her gaze toward land.A small boat sped toward her from maybe fifty yards away.From what she could see in the foggy glow, the occupants fit the same mold as the rest of the old man’s entourage—big, tall, dark clothing.
