Bill stood on the track by the fifty-yard line and watched my approach with a puzzled look on his face. As I got close, he yelled it over the spinning rotors. “What the hell are you doing?”
Was he fucking with me? “You told me not to get?—”
“The log was blank. There’s nothing. I mean, not a goddamn thing.”
How was that even possible? The Marshals Service loved its paperwork. There would be requests and approvals, endless emails and phone calls. A full paper trail. It couldn’t disappear without a higher-up’s security clearance.
“Well, that’s a big fucking problem.” I clenched my teeth.
“No one knows where she is right now except for you, me, and that pilot. After you land, I don’t want anyone to know at all. You understand?” He leaned in, giving me the most serious look I’d ever seen from him. “I know this is a big ask, but I don’t trust anyone else right now. Can you do it?”
He wanted us to go off the books, underground. “Yes. How much time do you need?”
“Two, maybe three days.” He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. “Make it last.”
In case it took him longer than three days to expose a senior level official.
“There’s something else that may or may not be important.” His tone was grave. “We haven’t been able to locate the sister.”
Alarm glanced through me. “How worried are you about that?”
“Let’s say I’m mildly concerned. Do what you want with that info.”
I nodded. Laurel had said she wasn’t close with any of her family, but there was no doubt she’d be concerned to hear her sister had gone missing.
“Are you waiting for a kiss goodbye, Dunn? Get going.”
“Good luck.”
“Yeah, you too. And, for the love of God, don’t fuck her.”
As I hurried toward the helicopter, her angry face turned to me, and it looked very much like I already had.
The first thing I did after I climbed aboard was discuss the flight plan with the pilot while she sat quietly, seething. If looks could kill, I would certainly be dead.
When the plans were set, I tried to help her put on her headset, but she slapped my hands away. I didn’t bother to explain myself now. I could tell she was upset, and rightfully so, and there was a chance she wouldn’t hear me clearly through herheadphones anyway. Plus, I didn’t want the pilot listening in on my apology.
I hoped she could forgive me. If not, I’d have to figure out a way for us to move past it, end of story. Her life was in danger, and that trumped everything else.
Once we landed, there was a car waiting at the regional airport, keys in the ignition and not a soul around. It took me ten minutes to inspect it for tracking devices. Once I deemed it safe, she got into the passenger seat and stared at the dash while I checked the mirrors and adjusted the driver’s seat.
When I was ready, I set my hands on the steering wheel but didn’t start the car. “You wouldn’t get on the chopper if I?—”
“You’d said you wouldn’t leave me.”
“I didn’t want to.” Could she hear how true my statement was?
It didn’t seem to matter. Her expression hardened. “Why, after every word you’ve taken back, should I believe anything you say now?”
All my life, I struggled with my feelings, and the knee-jerk response fired out of me before I thought better of it. “Believe whatever you want, but that’s afact.”
It was unlikely I’d have been able to stay on that track anyway. Letting her out of my sight meant letting go of control, and I needed to be in charge. It had been a terrible idea anyway because how could I trust her life with anyone else?
I took a breath and lowered the temperature of my voice. “I’m sorry you got upset.”
“That’s not an apology, but I’ll be fine. Can we go?” It was like sitting in the unmoving car was making her claustrophobic. I nodded, started the engine, and put the car in gear.
The first stop was the nearest drugstore for restrooms, food, and painkillers for my back. I also bought a cheap, prepaid phone for the call I’d make in three days to Bill.
