“I saw the FBI agent leave here earlier. I know he was asking about Pete.” The barrel of the gun sunk into her scalp and she winced. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him he was wrong. Pete couldn’t have taken Becca. He’s a good guy.”
Holy shit. This crazy bitch knew Pete. What had she gotten herself involved in?
The woman snorted. “He’s far from a good guy. You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
Mickey’s ears tuned in to the hint of anger in the woman’s voice. Maybe she could get her to talk, calm her down and talk her into leaving her alone. “How do you know Pete? Did he lie to you, too?”
“It’s none of your damn business.” The woman lifted the gun from her head and Mickey released a pent-up breath. “Sit down and put your hands on the table where I can see them. Don’t even think about trying anything stupid. My partner’s waiting downstairs. If you’re lucky enough to get away from me and my gun, he’ll snag your ass as soon as your feet hit the sidewalk.”
She did as she was told. Sweat gathered on her palms, making her hands slippery on the wooden table. She pressed her teeth together to keep them from chattering and kept her gaze glued on her purse mere inches away from her hand. Running obviously wasn’t an option. She had to get in there.
Footsteps fell behind her and traveled from one end of the kitchen to the other. The gun wasn’t pressed against her anymore, but she had no doubt it was still trained on her. “I didn’t sign up to kill people, but I have no choice. Pete slippedup. I told him it was too risky getting involved with someone, even if it were only to get close to the girl.”
Mickey’s stomach dropped and the queasiness intensified. Her vision blurred and she blinked to keep the room in focus. Doubt had crept in about Pete’s role in Becca’s disappearance, but now there was no hiding from the truth. Pete had Becca, and she had to pull herself together. She had to find Becca.
She had to keep the woman talking so she could come up with a plan. “How did you get into my apartment?”
The footsteps came closer and her body tensed. “Pete gave me your spare key. How sweet of you two to decide to take the next step in your relationship. It’s too bad you didn’t ask for the key back when you broke up with him.”
A sharp clink ricocheted beside her and the spare key bounced on the table. She’d been so excited when they’d exchanged keys. It had been the first time she’d ever taken that step and it had cemented their relationship in her mind. Things had progressed quickly for them, but they both had believed their meeting was fate.
What a mistake that had been.
Even when the excitement of their whirlwind romance had died down and Pete’s temper had flared, she had told herself everyone had flaws. Maybe Suzi was right, maybe she’d kept him around too long because it was better than being alone. Now the decision to make him a part of her life might cost her everything.
The gun came back to rest against her head and she sucked in a sharp breath. “Breaking up with him really set him off, you know. He hates when people make decisions for him, especially women. He might have even spared poor Becca if you’d kept on screwing him.” Moist lips rested against her ear and she choked back a sob. “He said you were an excellent lay.”
Mickey gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. Fury burned the blood flowing through her veins,heating her from the inside out. Every muscle in her body screamed to turn around and knock the bitch on her ass, but she couldn’t act yet. She needed to be smart.
The barrel twisted against her head, winding her hair into a painful knot. “Now I have to make sure you don’t ruin everything. You said Pete didn’t say anything, but he had to have slipped up at some point. You two spent months together. I don’t see any other way to make sure all the loose ends are tied up before we leave town.”
“Please don’t kill me.” Mickey hated the frantic sound of her voice. “Pete didn’t say anything. I don’t know a damn thing.”
“I wish I could believe you, but your time’s up.”
Mickey squeezed her eyes shut. At least it’d be quick. A soft rattling sound followed by muffled curses came from the door. Her eyes flew open and her heart clutched in a vise. She glanced at the clock.
Shit. Lydia’s home.
Her heart pounded in her ears. She held her breath and bit into her bottom lip as her focus returned to her purse. The rattling stopped and the door creaked open.
“Who’s there?” The gun left her skull. Now was the time to act. She jutted her elbow backward and slammed it into the soft stomach of the woman behind her. The woman grunted and stumbled backward, staggering to stay on her feet.
“Get out of here, Lydia! Now.”
The door slammed shut. Mickey’s arm shot out and her hand plunged into her bag. Her fingers found the hard handle of her taser and she pulled it out. Turning on the balls of her feet, she lunged at the woman, tackling her to the ground. A primal scream tore from Mickey’s mouth and the gun fell to the floor.The woman twisted around, but not before Mickey saw a flash of sapphire eyes and the hard lines of her face.
Long bleach-blond hair trailed down the woman’s back as she stretched out, reaching for the gun. Mickey’s reach was longer, and she swatted the gun away. Mickey’s arms wrapped around the woman’s waist and she pulled her back. Keeping one arm in place as the woman clawed her way forward, she pressed the taser to the back of the woman’s neck and pulled the trigger. Yellow sparks jumped out and the woman convulsed beneath her before falling limply to the floor.
Mickey jumped to her feet and grabbed her phone. She turned toward the gun on the floor. She didn’t know how long the woman would be down and couldn’t risk her waking up and grabbing the gun. Reaching down, she grabbed the butt of the gun and then ran toward her room. She couldn’t risk running into her assailant’s partner downstairs. Her fingers trembled as she unlocked her phone and pressed send. Agent Grassi’s number flashed across her screen before she pressed it to her ear.
Come on. Answer the damn phone.
Her heart raced as she waited for him to answer. She closed and locked her bedroom door, and then sat on the floor with the gun pointed at the door. If the bitch came after her again, she’d be ready.
“Agent Grassi.”
