Renee closed her mouth and glared at Jesse.
Damn, he was really hoping that once he got her to walk into that, he’d lead her straight into a dozen other traps.
“Cooperating is your best move, Renee,” Jesse said. “You’re not the only one we caught. How long do you think Milton will wait to hand us everything we need? He wasn’t loyal to the bureau. What makes you think he’ll be loyal to your cause?”
Renee looked away, exaggerating how much she was pretending not to care by lifting her chin even higher. She was defeated, but she had a confidence in the way she held herself.
Jesse could cut that away. Hopefully with one blow. “After all, maybe he wasn’t even following you. Maybe it was Megan he cared about.”
“Megan isn’t aleader,” Renee snarled as she turned toward Jesse again. Anger flashed in her eyes, and she scrunched her brow and nose. “She didn’t even care.”
“Is that why she abandoned you?” Jesse said. “Or was kidnapping a federal agent too much for her?”
“That psychic is an FBI agent?” Renee asked.
Jesse leaned in closer, like he had a secret, and Renee leaned in a little as well. Smugly, he whispered, “What makes you think this is the FBI?”
Renee’s eyes went wide and she turned a pale greyish shade. Though she recovered some with her next breath, she lost the prideful attitude. She pulled back.
“You have no idea who arrested you,” Jesse said.
Renee folded her arms over her stomach and held herself tight. She looked away from him and said nothing.
Not an uncommon tactic, but Jesse needed to press. Her body language alone was feeding his imagination, helping him connect dots in a pattern he hadn’t seen before. He had no idea if he was right, but pushing Renee would either confirm speculation or destroy it.
“It was Megan’s idea, wasn’t it?” Jesse said. “She was the one in charge of the cult. You might have recruited. Your statue went a long way to convincing the others, but she was the one who wanted to go through with it.”
“Megan didn’t care,” Renee muttered. “She abandoned the ritual. Said I was being stupid.”
“Because you wanted to kidnap the psychic and make him fix the ritual,” Jesse said.
Renee rubbed her arm. “He was connected. I could feel it. You were, too. From the moment you came into the house. But not like him. He’s stronger. He could open the portal without even trying. Megan wouldn’t listen.”
“When everything went wrong, she went with her contingency plan over you,” Jesse said, doing his best to sound sympathetic. Part of his stomach churned, but he needed her to think he was on her side in this moment.
Renee only nodded.
“Where did she go?” Jesse asked softly.
Renee said nothing.
“Sheleftyou. Did she even tell you she had a plan?” Jesse waited for the words to sink in. “She tried to murder your brother. She abandoned your cause. I bet she never really believed in the end of the world. She was never your friend.”
“You’re wrong,” Renee whispered. “Unlike some people, Megan believes in ending the world.”
“Some people?” Jesse asked.
True fear shone in Renee’s eyes.
“Is there another conspiracy? Does it have to do with Crowley Construction?”
“I want my lawyer,” Renee demanded.
Jesse shook his head. “We’re not operating under standard rules. I’m pretty sure trying to end humanity counts as treason.”
“I’m not talking to you anymore. Or anyone.”
“I can’t protect you if you go silent on me, Renee,” Jesse said.
