Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
The minute I spy Ellis’s number on caller ID I glance at Ghost. “This is my boss who went after Elsa and disappeared. I need to take it.”
“Understood,” is all he says, his posture unchanging.
I answer the call, and to my shock, I hear, “Agent.”
“Ellis?” I ask, shocked to hear his voice.
“Yeah. It’s me. She’s coming to you and she’s losing her mind.”
“Elsa?” I ask, my eyes meeting Ghost’s stare.
“Yes. I know you know I know her. I tried to convince her to stop this nonsense.”
“That was the definition of stupid.”
“It distracted her. No one else has died. Not yet. But they will. When I got there she had traps set-up. When she caught me, she tied me up, and proceeded to pace and cry, while I sat there for what felt like eternity. I watched the press conference with her, Agent. It was a brilliant way to flush her out, but she’s coming at you hot after leaving me to starve and die. Thankfully Adams came after me” He starts to cough, and not gently.
“Agent.”
It’s no longer Ellis. “Adams, is he okay?”
“He’s pretty beat up. I need to get him to the ER for a checkup and then I’ll head your direction, but I have a feeling this is going to blow up before that happens. More soon.” He disconnects.
I return my phone to my pocket. “She’s coming.”
Ghost’s mouth curves, but this is not a smile. It’s a devious, lethal, satisfied smirk. I’d know that look if I saw it again, no matter what his disguise.
“Killing her saves the rest of your hit list,” Ghost states. “You know that, right?”
“I’ll handle her. You need to back off.”
He pushes to his feet and I follow. He towers over me, a mountain to my hill. Size does matter, and whoever says it doesn’t matter, lies. “I’m not going to back off, Agent Mendez,” he states. I’m no longer Lilah, signaling the shift between obsession and business. “Now you have a decision to make,” he adds. “Are you going to walk out of here and let me do the same?”
I know then that I can’t let him leave, but the island is between us, and that makes this about who draws first. And for all I know, he’s already drawn beneath the table and his weapon is much bigger than mine, the kind that can blow through the island.
“I won’t give you my back,” I say.
“Agent Love! Where are you?”
At the sound of Taylor’s angry voice, I know Ghost just won. I can stand against Ghost one-on-one and survive, but if Taylor gets in the middle, Taylor is the one who dies.
“Go,” I say to Ghost, and a hint of a smile quirks his lips, just a hint. And then he’s gone. He doesn’t forget his coffee cup that would have held DNA.
And no, his weapon was not drawn.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chief Taylor is angry at the world and he’s decided that I’m the world. I exit the kitchen to have him blast me. He literally spews about a hundred words at me, I say absolutely nothing. When he finally takes a breath and settles his hands on his hips, I ask him, “Are you done?”
“Are you?” he snaps back.
“Actually, no.” I hold up my badge and say, “I won’t be long.”
“Did you hear anything I just said to you?”
“No, actually, I didn’t. I was thinking about the six people who will be dead soon if I don’t catch their future assassin. I’m really good at tuning people out so feel free to follow me around and yell while I work.” I start to step around him and pause, “And get someone to check out the attic if you haven’t. Now. Not later.”
“What the hell is in the attic?”
“That question tells me you haven’t checked.”
“I didn’t run this investigation. I just got here in time for the press conference.”
“Then I need to call Andrew and tell him you aren’t up to date?”
“What else, Special Agent?” he bites out, knowing full well he should be up to date.
“Expect Elsa to come to the house and the morgue. Be ready for her and unless you want your people to end up dead, I’d consider who they’re up against and what she’s done. Two highly skilled directors are dead.” I step around him and head to the second level, and the master bedroom where I’d found the Ghost’s phone number on the pill bottle.
Once I’m in the bedroom, I pull out my phone and lean on the wall, choosing to text my team rather than calling. Not only is the content of my conversations not meant for Taylor, for all I know Ghost has cameras in this place that weren’t here yesterday.
I start with Tic Tac: Check the street cameras around Elsa’s place for a tall, dark-haired man with a mustache wearing a blue long sleeved T-shirt. He’ll be slightly plump around the middle. If you find him, try to track him to a hotel or residence. And while you’re at it, look for Elsa.