“It isn’t that simple.”
“It never is with you!”
His eyes flashed.“Now isn’t the time.”
“You’re always holding back from me!When we were married, now this!”
The words came out sharper than she intended, and old enough to wound them both.
Connor looked away toward the street.A patrol car went by with no siren, only speed.
Selena lowered her voice.“I’m not talking about fifteen years ago.I’m talking about this case.You disappear to see Morimer.You go silent.You decide what I’m allowed to know.We can’t work that way.”
Connor looked back at her.
The struggle lasted only a second, but she saw it.Habit against trust.Pride against fear.
“Morimer has Marlene,” he said.
Selena felt her chest tighten.“What?”
“He has her.”
“Where?”
“At his place.Two of his guys found her on the edge of the woods.He wants me to go personally to deal with it.”
“God.”Selena looked toward the sheriff’s department, then back at Connor.“We need units there now.”
“No.”
“No?”
"I'm too deep in this.He wants me to come.I will go.If we turn up with deputies and a federal agent, it will make things more complicated than they have to be."
“He has a fugitive in an active murder investigation.”
“He says she came onto land controlled by one of his people.His words.”
“And you believe him?”
“I believe he has her.Maybe she thought he could help her.I don’t know.”
“Connor...”
“He said she’s alive and unharmed.”
“Because crime bosses are famously reliable when they give comfort over the phone.”
Connor’s jaw tightened.“I’m going in to get her.”
Selena shook her head.“We’re going in.”
“No.”
Selena stared at him.“You have got to be kidding, Connor!”
“They won’t let an FBI agent on the property.”
