Not Adrian.
No, she’d reached out to her boss.
The implications of that stung more than he liked.Hurt feelings were the last thing he needed right now, and weren’tgoing to help them bring down Zimmerman before it cost innocentlives.
He needed to get over himself and focus on the work.Especially now he knew his feelings for Megan ran deeper than theyshould.
She tapped the wheel with her finger. “You thinkZimmerman’s going to use that sonic weapon on the whole buildingwhere the conference is? Or will he kill the two Navy officers someother way.”
She was worried about her mother. Adrian set a handon her shoulder for a second and gave her a short squeeze. “Hank isgoing to call the Denver FBI office. They’ll get agents to theconvention center to secure the place and look for Zimmerman.Between them and local police, they’ll make sure people are safe.”He paused, wanting to tell her there was nothing to worry about.That wasn’t true, was it? “Zimmerman’spicture will be everywhere. They can evacuate and do everythingthey can to keep everyone safe. They’ll lock down those twoguys.”
Megan nodded. She knew the FBI was good at what itdid. That was why so many terrorist attacks were thwarted. She hadto trust.
He said, “The fact we know who we’re looking forand where he’s going puts us one step ahead of him.”
“Unless he already set it off.”
“Your mom is on her way there, right?”
She shot him a look. “Don’tremind me.”
“What I’m saying is that she didn’t arrive yet,right?”
“Right.”
Adrian nodded. “Then maybeZimmerman is waiting until the right time. If we can redirecteveryone before they get there and find those two guys, lock itdown before the conference even kicks off tonight, then Zimmermanhas no reason to set off that sonic weapon. Right?”
“Oh.”
“So we’re ahead of his game.”
“That is right.” She nodded. “Thanks.”
“I’m not trying to get you to feel better. False hopeisn’t hope. But I’m trusting you’ll see that we’re on this, and weare ahead of Zimmerman. There’s little reason why we can’t stopthis from happening.”
“That’s true.” She reached over and squeezed hishand. “And hopefully while we get Zimmerman, Remy can use a processof elimination to figure out who the blackmailer is.”
“You think it’s ElCuervo?”
She shook her head. “No. But I think he might knowwho it is.”
“Because the blackmailer had that shooter protecthim.”
“That doesn’t necessarily indicate it’s two differentpeople. The reason why I don’t think it’s El Cuervo is because…” She swallowed.
“We don’t have to talk about this, if you don’twant.”
“It’s okay.” She blew out a breath. “I met him,though it was only a few minutes. He has people to do his dirtywork. But I know him. I know his type. And that man is not inanything for revenge, only money.”
“Tell me about him.”
“He’s cold. Calculated. That’s probably acliché, but it’s also true. He didn’t getwhere he is in that cartel by being nice. He wears his money.Italian suit. Silk shirt. Gold watch, gold chain around his neck.Like he’s trying to compensate for the scars on the side of hisface by dressing as flashy as possible.”
“Scars?”
“They look like burns. I don’t know how far downbelow his collar they go, but the edge of one touches the bottom ofhis left ear.”
Adrian said, “I don’t know if the FBI knows that.”Was it significant? He could pray it was, but that wouldn’t make itso. What he needed to pray was that this might be a significantlead—and that Remy would find the connection. That she woulduncover the blackmailer.
“They are minimal,” Megan said. “Unless they’re allunder his shirt.”
“It isn’t on any of the photos of him that we have.Maybe Remy can look into his past and figure out where he gotthem.” If those scars, and the life he’d led, caused El Cuervo to evolve into a calculatedpower and money hungry killer, it might be helpful to know thedetails. It could lead to a weakness they’d be able to exploit inorder to find him.
Megan shifted in her seat. “Whoa.”
“What is—”
Metal screeched against metal, and the SUV jerkedforward. She hit the gas, and the engine revved as they pulledaway. Adrian glanced out the back window. “Blue truck.”
“I see it.” She swerved between lanes, but it keptright on them. “Stay on the freeway, or get off?”
“Stay on.” There was nothing around them. And whoknew when the next exit was?
The truck came at them again.
Bumped them again.
A compact car in front of them braked. Megan grippedthe wheel two-handed. The truck clipped their back left corner. Shesteered hard to the right to avoid the compact in front, and theyspun out.
Over the rumble strip. Onto the dry brush at the sideof the freeway.
Adrian’s head whipped around, and he struggled toinhale against the inertia of spinning. Megan cried out, probablybanged her arm on the door. But there was nothing he could do.
The SUV went down a shallow embankment and hit theberm on the other side. The airbags deployed.
Adrian shook off the impact and tried to get hisbearings. He glanced over at Megan, slumped in her seat.
Lights flashed behind them. Headlights.
He reached for his gun.
They were coming.
Chapter15
Megan’s whole body hurt. She heard the moan that camefrom her own throat before she even realized she’d made asound.
It hurt to breathe. Adrian. She looked over athim. Gun out, looking around. “What..?”
He started, then said, “Good. You’re awake.”
He didn’t look hurt, just flushed. Adrenaline pumpingagain. The air in the SUV was thick with the smell of singedrubber. She coughed and almost passed out from the jolting pain itcaused her body. Her arm and her hip, where she’d been grazedtwice for goodness sake, stung like nobody’s business. Butthey didn’t hurt as much as her chest. It felt like she’d been saton by an elephant.
“They’re coming.”
She shoved at the airbag and reached for thehandle.
“Hold on. We do this together. Smart.”
Megan reached around. “I need my gun.”
She had to get to Denver. To her mom, and Zimmerman.Who was back there in
