Deadly Agenda Page 8

  She moved her head again to look at Adrian. She never would’ve thought she’d find herself attracted to another man. Not after what happened to Will. It was nice to know that part of her hadn’t gone completely dormant when he’d been killed. But it didn’t mean she was going to do anything about it.

  If Adrian wanted a relationship with her, he would have to make the first move. Maybe she was old-school, but that was the way things were supposed to go. Or, so she’d always thought. It was how her dad had won over her mom. By making the effort to convince her she should take a chance on him.

  If Adrian did that, she would kindly let him down gently. This was a one-woman show.

  She didn’t mean that in a mean, or self-absorbed way. It was just that life was a whole lot simpler if it stayed just her. The apostle Paul even said it was better to stay single—so you weren’t distracted with having to please a spouse and take care of kids. Sure, they were nice distractions, and there wouldn’t be this nagging loneliness all the time. But she only had to worry about herself.

  See? Easier.

  And it meant she could focus better on finding Zimmerman.

  Adrian shifted and pulled his cell from the inside pocket of his jacket. “Gotta take this.”

  She nodded and watched him leave the room. He really was nice-looking. And a nice guy. Who was even like that anymore? So many men were sweet on the surface and toxic underneath. Women too, if she were honest. She’d spent enough time with Adrian the past few weeks to know his outward manner went all the way to the core.

  He was genuine.

  “Okay.” The doctor secured the bandage down. “All done. I’ll send the nurse in with instructions.”

  She nodded, her mind still mulling over Adrian being in her life. And then she was alone. The way things were supposed to be.

  So why would she rather Adrian was back in here?

  What was taking him so long anyway?

  Okay, that was the meds. They’d given her something good for the pain. Maybe it was making her loopy.

  She didn’t need a man in her life. Not when she knew the reality of how much it burned when the person you cared about was taken from you. Even if he was a nice guy like Adrian.

  **

  Adrian paced the hall and clutched his phone, on the line with Hank. “Yes, both of them were South American. The same men who tried to abduct the boy’s mother at the hospital.”

  It was too obvious of a connection to dismiss. Zimmerman had a connection to El Cuervo, and these men might have been the same nationality. Were they El Cuervo’s men? Traffic cams would hopefully get their images. Or they’d trace their identities from the vehicle details. The man the police had taken into custody at the hospital could talk.

  One way or another they would figure out who they were.

  “They really waited for you?”

  Adrian said, “Yes,” and had to bite back the urge to call him Hank. Megan was rubbing off on him. “Sir. They were in their car across the street when we exited Almonde’s building. Pulled out of their parking space and opened fire.”

  He hadn’t seen it. Witnesses at the scene had told the police what happened. Eventually those cops would show up here for their statements as well. Adrian was just thankful he and Megan were alive to give them.

  Hank blew out a breath. “Glad you guys are okay.”

  “You and me both, sir.”

  “She’s really all right?”

  “It’s a bad graze, but it’s a graze.” Kind of like her hip.

  Adrian figured she’d downplay it, pretend she was still at full strength.

  “Take care of her.”

  “Will do.” He had every intention of making sure Megan stayed “okay” for the remainder of this manhunt for Zimmerman. And while they found the blackmailer. It was his part in this operation. “The link between Zimmerman, these South Americans, and El Cuervo is known. But what about the think tank? I don’t believe it was a randomly chosen target.”

  “You think it’s about what the think tank was working on?”

  Adrian squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Genetic weapons aren’t as far off as people think. Not with the strides science is making in that field. We can do incredible things with DNA splicing, and experimentation. Weaponizing it is never far off, no matter what the method.”

  Whatever breakthroughs science made, there were always people who wanted to use that to destroy their enemy.

  Hank said, “You think Almonde is in on that? He funded the think tank. He had to know what they were doing.”

  “If you’re asking whether I think he’s patriotic or a threat, I have to say I don’t know. He seems like a businessman. A visionary and an entrepreneur, just like the brochure says. But he was more interested in impressing Megan than showcasing the think tank’s work. Maybe he just threw money at it to see what came of it. If they made a breakthrough, he could claim ownership and get the credit.”

  Hank made a “huh” sound. “So it was about one of the victims?”

  “Pretty big lengths to go to in order to kill someone. Especially when it’s easier to come up to them on the street and pull a trigger.”

  “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

  Adrian figured it was more likely there would be a note made in his file that he needed a psych eval. “I just mean there are easier ways to kill someone than this elaborate plan.”

  “Unless it’s all a smoke screen. Overcomplicating it so we’re running in circles, trying to figure out what is going on.”

  Adrian nodded. The doctor passed him in the hall and lifted his chin. Adrian did the same. He was done with Megan already? Adrian needed to get back in there. He didn’t want to leave her alone. And not only because he wondered, in the back of his mind, if maybe she’d bolt at some point. He just couldn’t get a full grasp on her.

  She was elusive.

  He wasn’t getting where he wanted to be. Which meant he wasn’t fulfilling his duty to her. Hard to take care of someone who didn’t want to be taken care of, but he’d been making it work so far.

  He moved closer to the door to her room and saw a nurse head inside with a yellow paper. She was getting discharged. The woman needed a nap, but he figured he’d have to wait for her to pass out like the last time.

  Not wanting his thoughts to return to that hotel bathroom—and the fear after he’d heard her collapse—he asked Hank, “Any updates on the think tank destruction?”

  “The second body they found in the rubble.” Hank was quiet for a moment, then he said, “Retired Army General Eric Thomas.”

  “Do you figure he was the target?” They for sure didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle they needed to answer that question. But Hank had resources.

  There was no way to find Zimmerman unless they knew what the blackmailer’s next target was, or where he was hiding. Adrian didn’t figure the think tank was the end of it.

  “Can’t see how any other answer makes sense,” Hank said.

  “Anything else?” Adrian asked.

  “Like Zimmerman’s family? Can’t find them anywhere. I sent crime scene techs to the house. They say there are indications the family might have been taken. It isn’t obvious that they were kidnapped, but it’s a possibility. In fact, it was so not obvious it was actually missed at first. Like someone cleaned up afterwards.”

  Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. “They were abducted?” He’d heard “clean up” way too many times during this whole thing to pass over that as well. “The blackmailer took them, and then hid that fact. So is that the leverage he has over Zimmerman? He’s holding the man’s ex-wife and children hostage to force him to do his bidding?”

  “It’s definitely a possibility. Which confirms Megan’s idea that Zimmerman tried to make contact with her for a reason. Maybe he was planning on telling her that he was under the blackmailer’s thumb.” Hank paused. “I passed the kidnapping over to a new group of agents. They’re working that case.”

  “Okay
, good. If we can find them then the blackmailer no longer has Zimmerman under his thumb.”

  Could Zimmerman really be nothing but a pawn in this whole thing? And his family dragged down into it as well? More innocent people suffering because of the whims of one man.

  A blackmailer.

  “I’ll keep you posted.” Hank ended the call.

  Adrian stowed his phone away and went to give Megan the news about Zimmerman’s family. Knowing the man had been coerced into destroying a building and killing three people didn’t make it better. That hadn’t been a noble act of sacrifice.

  Adrian didn’t know what he’d have done in that situation but figured the man had been right about trying to contact Megan.

  He knocked but didn’t wait long before he entered the room. Megan looked up from wiggling her foot back into her shoe.

  “Good, you can help me with my laces.”

  Adrian pulled up a chair and set her foot in his lap. For some reason, Megan had been dragged in the middle of this. Zimmerman could have left that flash drive for anyone at the FBI. And yet, he’d specifically mentioned Megan. Like bringing her to meet the family of a man who’d hurt her so badly was a good thing. Or even that it was okay.

  “There’s some big thinking going on in there.” She tapped the top of his head.

  Adrian set her foot down and lifted the other one, along with her shoe. He slipped it on. “I’m just working through everything in my head.” When her eyes weren’t glassy, and her words weren’t slurred, he would explain. “Feel like eating something?”

  “Smoothie.”

  “And then I think you need a nap.”

  “Are you going to change my pants again?”

  He chuckled again. “Thankfully, no. I don’t have to do that.”

  Her brow crinkled, a note of humor in her eyes. “Okay.” Whatever that meant.

  Adrian stood, holding his hand out for her. “Ready?”

  She hopped off the bed and nearly collapsed.

  He caught her.

  Chapter 10

  If felt like she’d slept for three days, but the clock said it had only been sixteen hours. Still, Megan was more rested than she’d been for days. After all, she had enough brain power to calculate how long she’d been asleep. That meant something.

  Adrian sat across the hotel room much like the last time she’d woken up. The covers of the other bed were rumpled again, like last time. So he’d gotten some rest, too.

  The text came through while she showered.

  She came out of the bathroom to brush the tangles from her wet hair while she booted up her computer. The message had come through to a burner phone she kept. A username. Then another text, the password.

  When she’d first been hired on with Double Down, she’d been brought in on their security measures. It was serious if Steve thought they needed to go to the website they’d set up just for situations like this. For the purpose of a team meeting that could be kept off the radar. They would be secure—thanks to a friend she’d introduced to Steve who had a private security business. A computer whizz known only as “Remy.”

  Nothing was impenetrable, but this was about making it as hard as possible for the blackmailer to even know they were communicating with each other.

  She waited while the video call connected, and three screens filled with an image. Emma with Mint beside her. Steve, in his office. Bradley—who’d chosen to keep Alexis out of this meeting. She was at Rachel’s. Two of their team had been killed in Colorado a couple of weeks ago. Those windows were blank, and she had to bite her lip at the sight of them.

  Adrian settled beside her. He rubbed a hand down her back. “Okay?”

  She brushed off the grief and nodded.

  “Arm hurt?”

  “Dull, but whatever they gave me worked because it’s manageable.”

  Steve’s voice came over the call before his screen loaded. “That’s good to know, Perkins.”

  She glanced at the screen. “Hi, guys.”

  “Okay, since everyone is here, we’ll begin,” Steve said. “Megan’s injury was first on the list, so next is Sylvia.”

  Megan said, “Why, what’s up with mom?”

  Adrian shifted.

  They both waited. Steve said, “Nothing’s wrong.” He lifted his fingers so they were huge on the screen. “Sorry. What I mean is, she’s headed to a conference in a couple of days. So do we have her cancel and stick her in a safe house for the time being so the blackmailer doesn’t target her?”

  “Yes.” Megan nodded. “Do that.”

  “Or,” Steve said, dragging out the word. That meant this suggestion was his recommendation. “Do we let her go, send cover with her—with or without her knowledge—and let her keep her schedule?”

  “Why does she need to go?”

  Steve’s gaze softened slightly. “Part of the conference is honoring fallen federal agents. They’re going to have all the surviving spouses and some of their children come on stage.”

  “She told me she was going. But she didn’t say anything about that.”

  Her mom knew Megan would never have gone for that. She hated the spotlight. Not to mention standing in front of all those people when she’d done nothing worth honoring was super awkward. No wonder her mom hadn’t mentioned it.

  Steve nodded. “So do we let her go?”

  “Who would the cover be?”

  He looked down at his paper. “Guy I used to know. Former Delta Force. The wife was CIA. Now they have kids. He’s on retainer with Double Down.”

  “You trust him?”

  “No doubt.”

  Megan didn’t like it, but was it worth her mom complaining to the entire team and making all their lives miserable? “Let her go.”

  “Agreed,” Bradley said. “I know those two as well, and they’re solid.”

  Mint said, “Me too. On both counts.”

  “Okay.” That made her feel better. Whoever this guy and his wife were, the Double Down team knew they were good.

  And while she knew they weren’t placating her, she couldn’t help but think being a woman made them all want to take care of her. Good thing she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

  “Next up is the think tank,” Steve said. “We’re looking into the backgrounds of the two who were killed, looking for something that might warrant someone retaliating against them.”

  “My office is doing the same,” Adrian said. “Though my guess is the target was the Army general and not the janitor.”

  Steve nodded. “The general has a lot of top secret, redacted stuff in his file. Seems he was over a whole lot of clandestine operations. Some of them go back decades,” Steve said. “If we’re going to get a connection, we’ll have to know what we’re looking for.”

  “Whatever it is, has to be connected to South America.”

  Adrian’s statement made her stiffen. He didn’t glance at her, or acknowledge her reaction. Something she was glad for. The last thing she wanted was for the guys to think this was all getting to her. They’d yank her from the operation faster than she could dig her heels in.

  Nothing they could do would remove her, or protect her, from this. She was right smack in the middle of all of it.

  She said, “What about the others who were in Mexico?” Steve would know she was referring to the time she’d spent there when Will was killed and not anything else. “If Zimmerman went to the hospital because that kid’s father was connected, then maybe he’ll try again with a different one of the men who were in Mexico. Use one of them to send another message.”

  Steve said, “Good idea. I’ll find out where they are.”

  If anyone could do it, it was Steve. “Thanks.” She hardly wanted to end up face to face with any of them. But if it got them answers, she would do it.

  Steve said, “Walker, do you have anything from the FBI about Zimmerman’s family?”

  “They’re investigating the family’s disappearance as a kidnapping. But considerin
g the lengths gone in order to cover it up, I wonder if they’ll find anything at all. None of these people have made a misstep. Only Zimmerman, trying to pass that flash drive to Megan. And the blackmailer got men there to intercept and steal it. They were pros. If it’s the same people who took Zimmerman’s wife and children, then it’s going to be a hard task.”

  Steve took a second to absorb that. The man never reacted straight away. He thought things through, and his slowness infuriated Megan at times, but he was right.

  Finally, Steve said, “He’s killed a child already today.”

  Megan nodded, trying not to think of Sofía and José.

  “I’ll follow up with the FBI on that, if you want,” Bradley offered. “Make sure we do everything to see they’re found—no more victims.”

  Megan broke the seal on her prayer life and asked that they be found alive. She didn’t want to see any more children killed because of this blackmailer.

  On the screen, Mint nodded. Emma leaned against his shoulder, as though being right there was precisely where she wanted to be. Megan could appreciate that. It was nice having Adrian beside her.

  Emma had talked to Megan about doing accounting for a nonprofit that helped victims of violence. It was a great idea, but they were all waiting until this was over before they made moves like that. Took different career paths. It was why Mint and Emma hadn’t gotten engaged yet. Or so Megan figured.

  Not wanting to make major life changes when the threat against them all was still very real.

  Bradley’s history with Alexis, and having known each other for years, meant he hadn’t wanted to waste time. They’d gotten married weeks ago. Megan had always thought she wanted to make a fuss for her own wedding. After all, the idea was to only do it once. Right?

  Someone chuckled. She focused on the screen and saw them all smiling.

  “Yep,” Bradley said, a smile on his face. “Drifting.”

  “I’m fine,” Megan argued.

  “Good.” Steve nodded. “Because you’ll be needed soon enough. I have a feeling that think tank was just the beginning of what he has planned.”