The traffic is stop-start, making me miss my bike already, but at least it lets me concentrate on this conversation. “Not their security, right?”
“No. Not their security.”
“Then by whom?” I prompt. Not asking would be a catastrophic mistake. Hale would ask; Maddox knows.
“FBI.”
“Fuck!”I let all my anger with Mercer into that word, reliving my frustration again to give it credibility. I’ve had time to anticipate this, and plan my play. “They were watching the job,” I say, feigning alarm, like I’ve just made that realization. “Was it me? I’m the newest member. If someone’smade me, I need to know. Have they made Briggs? Tell me you trust the others. Shit… could Pablo have somehow led them to us?”
“Relax, Declan. I’ve no reason to believe it’s you, or the rest of the crew.”
Or if he did, he doesn’t anymore. I’ve thrown him off with that little performance.
“Are they still holding you? Don’t tell me you’re using your one call to talk tome? Fuck, dude, those things are recorded!”
Renner chuckles dryly. “Calm down. I’m out; my lawyers sorted everything.”
Along with the goddamn CIA.What are you hiding, Renner?
“Good,” I say. “Have you heard from the rest of the crew?”
“Dario, Cammy and Tasha are fine, all here in San Fran with me. Cole’s in a private hospital. I have connections here; there won’t be questions. He’ll be there for a couple of weeks, and fully recovered in two or three months.”
“Good,” I say again, actually feeling some relief. Partly because that means Renner can’t send him after me, but partly because Ilikethe British bastard. “And Raven?”
“Why are you asking me?” His voice tightens. “Isn’t she with you?”
“I haven’t been able to reach her.” He must know that already. “Her phone isn’t taking calls. I’ve just left her apartment; I’m heading to mine.”
“Fuck. I thought she’d turned it off because youwere both together.”
I can’t remember Renner ever swearing before.
“I’m guessing she has your package, right?” Like I don’t already know.
“Yeah, she does.” His voice sounds tight. “And I need it, Declan. It’s more important than you could possibly imagine.”
I have some idea. Important enough for the CIA to want it too.
The question is whether Renner’s working against them… or… shit…withthem.
That’s a realization that hits hard.
What if the CIA isn’t just taking an active interest, what if they’re hiscontractor?
My brain races.
Meridian Pacific holding something they want. Chinese target on US soil… they can’t touch it without the FBI, who they’ve specifically avoided. Renner’s a criminal, but disciplined, with methods they could accept. Just the kind of profile they’d use for something… deniable.
And if that’s the case, he was always untouchable.
Fuck. If I’m right, whichever way this operation went, Renner was never going to be taken in.
But he’s not the focus right now. Raven is. Along with her package.
“Where would she have gone?” I ask. I check the GPS; I’m ten minutes from my apartment, if this damn traffic ever gets moving.
“That’s what I was hoping you would know,” he replies. “She’s got closer to you these last four weeks than… anyone, ever.”
