“Not even for a second.He was there to fish out whether I was in touch with you.And then, as a ‘gift’—” Melissa put the word in air quotes “—they were giving me one of the first completely upgraded computer systems.They took mine without a word.If I’d had anything on there...”
She didn’t finish, but she didn’t have to.They hadn’t given Melissa any warning or time to erase anything on her hard drive.If her computer had contained any trace of communication with Bree, they would’ve known about it.
Michael Jeter showing up himself just confirmed how suspicious they really were.
“There was nothing on there that could’ve led them to me and the kids?”
“Nothing.This is the only thing I use to communicate with your phone.”She held out a phone that looked similar to Bree’s—old with no camera.“I tracked you using a public system outside the Organization.But once this new system goes live, they’ll find you, Bree.It will only be a matter of time.”
“Okay, I’ll work harder on the files you gave me.”She didn’t know how she would find the time and energy, but she would make it happen.
“No.That’s the opposite of what needs to happen.I’ll focus on the Organization files.You just keep off the grid and keep the kids safe.”
“But—”
Melissa’s phone buzzed in her hand.
“We’re out of time,” she said.“You need to get out right away.I’ll go out the front and draw them away.You go out the side.”
Bree grabbed Melissa’s hand.“Are you going to be able to decode the files before the summit?Especially with them watching you?”
“I have to.That’s all there is to it.Your job is to keep yourself and the babies safe.That’s the most important thing.Nobody knows about Risk Peak, so just stay there and stay out of it.”
Before Bree knew what was happening, Melissa pulled her in for a hug.Bree stiffened before forcing herself to relax into it.This was her cousin.They’d hugged each other as children.Melissa had been the only person who’d ever really befriended the stiff, difficult Bree.
“You’re doing a great job with the kids,” Melissa whispered in her ear.“Thank you.”
They pulled away from each other as a door slammed in the back.
“Mellie, be careful.”
“The twins are the only thing that matters.If something happens to me...”
Bree wasn’t going to offer useless platitudes.She nodded.“The twins are the only thing that matters,” she repeated.“I’ll make sure they’re safe, first and foremost.”
They squeezed each other’s hand, then Melissa’s phone buzzed again and she rushed toward the front door.
Bree kept to the shadows, moving faster when she heard a man’s voice talking on the phone in the hallway behind her, a priest saying something about communion for the next Mass.She crouched behind a pew and waited for the voice to move past, relieved when he didn’t seem to slow at all near her.She made her way to the side door she’d come in through.
She slid the door open quietly and stepped back into the alley.Glancing both ways, she turned and walked rapidly in the opposite direction from the way she’d come.
It looked like she was going to make it out of the city alive after all.
She was about to round the corner into the larger avenue when a hand reached out from the shadows, covered her mouth and yanked her hard against the wall.
Chapter Nine
Tanner kept his hand tightly over Bree’s mouth and pushed her harder against the wall.Her back went ramrod straight, and he knew it would only be a split second before she panicked and started fighting him.
Which was definitely going to draw the attention of the three armed men less than twenty feet away.Bree had been about to walk into them.
“Bree.”His voice was so low it was almost silent.It was only because his mouth was right against her ear that she’d be able to hear him.“It’s Tanner.”
Her body relaxed enough that he at least knew she understood him and didn’t think of him as a threat.
He couldn’t help but be aware of all the feminine curves pushed up against him, but he forced those thoughts from his mind.
He loosened his hand on her mouth just the slightest bit.“We’ve got trouble.Do you understand?”
