“An associate of the sister located them.They were pursued, and the mark was killed.”
“Fuck,” Nick hissed.“So we have nothing is what you’re telling me?”
“At this moment, no, but I have Andrea in my custody.I’m confident she knows something.”
“Meanwhile the sister’s body is rotting somewhere that could have information on it.”Jack was used to Nick’s course words.They weren’t meant to be cruel, but the sister was the enemy, so he didn’t have much care for her other than the information she could provide.
“I called the police to pick her up.”
“I have a contact in that area.They can get to the body and check it.Good thinking.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Do you honestly think the girl knows anything?”
“She’s distrustful, but she knows she doesn’t have many options at this point.”
“Distrustful?I thought you were close.Damn it, Jack, that’s what I sent you there for.”
“The sister must have said something to her, or she’s shellshocked.”He still remembered her words when he’d found her.And why should I trust you?He had a feeling the sister had said something, undoing his past two weeks’ worth of work.“I’ll get something from her, sir.”
“For your sake, you better hope so.Otherwise, you have been a goddamn waste of my time, and we are back at square one.”Nick hung up, leaving Jack with his thoughts.
Jack sat down on the couch, scrubbing a hand over the back of his neck.His eyes strayed to the hall where Andrea was.He really hoped the sister had given Andrea something or that she knew what her sister had been up to; otherwise, he might not have a job after today.
Chapter 33
Andrea didn’t know how long she stood in the shower for.Minutes.Hours.Days.The hot water managed to chase the chill away.The blood was washed clean from her body, but she could still feel it on her hands as she tried to put pressure on her sister’s stomach.
Her sister was dead.That thought was on repeat cycling in her head.And now she was in the home of a man she didn’t trust, with a drive she didn’t know what was on it, and a gun she didn’t know how to use.A wave of helplessness crashed over her.
Why had her sister given her this responsibility?She didn’t want it.She enjoyed her quiet, simple life.Now it was all gone.Andrea would have to start over somewhere.A new name.A new identity.She hadn’t liked doing it once, and now she would be forced to do it again.Would WITSEC even help her this time?Her sister was no longer a concern, but her enemies were still a problem.Whoever they were.All she knew was the name Carlos.There were probably millions of Carlos’s in the world.They wouldn’t protect her from all of them.
So what was she to do?She knew she couldn’t hide in this bathroom forever.The real world awaited her outside the door.
The water started to turn cold, so Andrea turned off the shower.She wrapped herself in the fluffy towel and stepped out of the stall.She kept her gaze averted from the clothes she’d taken off covered in blood and focused on the ones on the bathroom sink.It was a white T-shirt, grey hoodie, and grey sweatpants.
Obviously, he wouldn’t have clean underwear or a bra for her.Forgoing putting her old set on, Andrea slipped into Michael’s clothes.Was that even his real name?Doubtful.Was everything about him a lie?She was willing to bet so.Andrea had slept with a total stranger.The thought turned her stomach.
Figured, the one time she let a man into her life, he turned out to be a lying asshole.An asshole who had saved her from Carlos’s men, but to what end?Was he an enemy of Holly?Did he work for another dealer?
Andrea faced the sink and grabbed the corners, closing her eyes and taking a calming breath.“Damn you, Holly,” Andrea whispered, feeling a new wave of tears threaten to leak out of her eyes, but she refused to let them shed.Tears weren’t going to help her now.She needed to think rationally.
She opened her eyes to see the flash drive sitting there harmlessly next to her left hand.She picked it up and studied it.Funny that something so small was something people were willing to kill over.
Andrea caught her reflection in the mirror and gasped.Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.Her skin pale.Her hair a tangled mess from towel-drying it.She hardly recognized herself.
Andrea stuffed the drive in her pocket—it was a worry for later—and focused on making herself appear more human.She found a comb in the one of the drawers and a toothbrush still in the box along with a tube of toothpaste.
Andrea combed her hair until she got all the tangles out and brushed her teeth.She looked better.At least not the walking dead.
She hung up the towel and tossed her clothes in the trashcan before stepping out into the hallway.The door to the bedroom across from her stood open.She heard Michael moving around in the living room.
Andrea could either go to bed and deal with the issue at hand tomorrow, or face Michael and get answers now.
She turned right and headed into the living room.She needed answers now.Andrea would never be able to get any sleep if she had to wait to know what was going on.
Michael stood up from the couch when he saw her walk in.“Are you hungry?Or thirsty?I’m afraid I don’t have much, but I have coffee, tea, and soup.”
