Was his?
He patted his pockets. Keys were still there, butthey’d taken everything else.
Adrian stumbled to the entrance and went inside,right to the register, all the while trying to figure out what onearth had just happened. Hank had acted like a father figure in Megan’s life. He’d called her “Meggie,” and it seemed almost like he doted onher.
Until he suspected her of being part of all this—andnot in a good way. Now he’d stuffed her in his SUV and driven offwith her.
This had to be the work of the blackmailer. OrHank was, for some reason, on ElCuervo’s side just like Zimmerman. Maybe he’d even betrayedMegan and her partner years ago while she was undercover. Or all ofit was connected somehow, in some other way, which put Hank in themiddle of everything.
Could he be the blackmailer?
The cashier was on the phone. “Looks like he might beokay.” He hung up.
Adrian said, “A woman was just kidnapped out of theparking lot. I need witnesses, I need local cops here now to takestatements, and I need a first aid kit. Not necessarily in thatorder.”
The cashier’s eyes widened.
The TV, hung high in the corner, interrupted whateverhe’d been about to say.
“…breaking news story,” the commentator said. Thewords ALERT flashed across the bottom of the screen. A local newsshow. “The FBI have just released a statement confirming that theirmissing agent, Daniel Zimmerman, is working in cohorts with anotherformer agent. A woman who retired from the bureau due to medicalissues, including mental instability.”
A picture flashed on the screen. Zimmerman. Besidehis picture was one of Megan. A bureau photographer had taken ityears ago from the look of it. Definitely before Mexico. Shirt andblazer, neat hair pulled back. Minimal makeup.
She was working with Zimmerman?
Hank had taken her so the blackmailer could put itout on the wires that she was working with Zimmerman? Adrian hadjust suffered a head injury from someone working with Hank, who wasclearly in cahoots with the blackmailer, but he could figure thismuch out at least. Yet more connections.
The blackmailer. Digging deep to make sure his plancame to fruition.
And Megan was going to take the blame, along withZimmerman.
The idea that the blackmailer was Hank ran throughhis mind again. Adrian didn’t want to believe it, but it waspossible he supposed. Megan knew she was a target.
But they hadn’t known just how deep the threatwent.
“The FBI is now on the lookout for Daniel Zimmermanand Megan Perkins in connection with a missing weapon they mayattempt to use. The two are considered armed and extremelydangerous. If you see them, call the number on the screenimmediately. Do not approach them.”
Chapter 17
Megan’s cheek pressed against the carpeted floor ofthe SUV. Her head throbbed where Hank had shoved her in, and she’dclipped the door frame with her injured hip. Hank. Sheshould be angry—so angry. She should be hurt by his betrayal.Inside, where that feeling was supposed to live there was nothingbut…cold.
The sun flashed into view through the window. Meganwinced and shut her eyes.
She could hear Hank breathing, each inhale comingrapidly as he drove wherever. To whoever. She had plenty ofguesses. This whole thing had been a puzzle from start to finish.If she was going to maintain her sanity and not get dragged downinto the crazy, then she had to hold back. Keep her defensiveposition intact. Not fall into all this, so she didn’t end updissolving into a ball of uncontrollable emotions.
She didn’t need to do it. They didn’t need to seeit.
What she should do is figure out a way to get free ofthese bindings that had her arms locked behind her. Shoulderswrenched.
Hank swung around a corner. Megan’s body swayed andher shoulder pressed against the seat. Against the bandage over herwound. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming. Sweat rolleddown her forehead. Megan stared at the back of Hank’s chair. Therewas nothing she could do but lie here and wait for them to getwherever he was taking her.
Nothing but pray.
She’d needed God before, and she’d prayed then. Willhad still died. But Megan had lived. And for what? This lifecertainly wasn’t anything noble or great. She hadn’t devotedherself to much of anything except survival and doing the best jobshe could for Steve.
She hadn’t even gone after El Cuervo.
Because she knew, if she did, that he’d havedestroyed her. Truth was, she never wanted to see El Cuervo again in her entire life. She knewthat as well as she knew it was where Hank was taking her. Meganmight have been looking for him but frankly, she hadn’t found manyleads. And maybe that was because she hadn’t wanted to actuallyfind much of anything.
Fear had held her back. It had kept her in a box ofher own making.
If she’d gone after Will’s killer, then she’d havedestroyed the one thing God allowed to survive—her. She’d havethrown his gift of life back in his face.
And that was why she hadn’t been able to do it.
Megan didn’t know why she was saved when Will wasn’t.She’d rather have lived in a world with him in it. Or for her tohave died, and him to have lived. Will would’ve made the world abetter place. After all, he’d done that for her.
Now she had Adrian in her life. The two men were sovastly different, she didn’t even know where to begin comparingthem, even if she’d wanted to.
Megan prayed.
Hank drove.
His phone rang. “Yeah.” Pause. “I’m ten minutes out.” Another pause. “Okay.”He hung up, then said, “Not long now.”
“You’re taking me to El Cuervo?” The question filled her mouth with thetaste of an acid that ate at her resolve. She’d tried to soundstrong, but what was the point? Hank had done this, and he knewhe’d won.
Hank said, “Nothing personal.”
“He’s got your life in a vice, right?” He’d know shewas talking about the blackmailer. “So you’ll hand me over, and sayyou had no choice.”
“Coercion is a valid defense.”
“I don’t buy that. You’re an agent.” She’d hadcompassion for Steve, but
