Page 94 of Marked

“Thirty minutes, behind St. Paul’s Church. Can you get there fast?” His question came out sharp and quick.

She did a mental calculation. If she left immediately she’d make it, depending on traffic. “I’ll leave right now.” A beat passed. “Are you coming alone? What car are you driving?”

“I’ll be on foot and alone.” He disconnected.

Not that she could take his word for it. She had a ways to go before she could trust Markie, but that was the nature of having an informant.

“Was that the informant?” The voice behind her made her jump and wheel around.

Kenneth stood on the steps with his hands in his pockets. “Sorry. I came out to see if you’d consider a desk job after your break and heard the tail end.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and she returned her phone to her purse. “Yeah, that was him. I’m meeting him now, but I have to hurry.”

“When’s the meeting?”

“Thirty minutes.”

Kenneth whistled. “Yeah, he must be spooked. Tell me you’re taking someone with you.”

She scrunched up her face. “I really don’t have time to ask anyone. I was going to make some calls on the way and see if an officer could cruise by.”

Kenneth pulled his keys from his pocket. “I’ll follow you. I’ll be sure to keep my distance, but after what happened...”

“No, that’s perfect.” She quickly waved away his explanation. Her instinct had been to call Cole and tell him to meet her, but she couldn’t refuse the immediate help. Cole could be on the other side of the city right now.

She pulled out of the parking lot and waited a minute until Kenneth’s Ford Escape rolled up behind her. She got onto the road and voice-dialed Cole.

He answered after one ring. “Hey.”

Her belly did a little dance, and she swallowed over the butterflies wanting to take her back to bed with him. “Hi. Did you make any headway today?”

“Saw Lawson, if that’s what you mean.”

Her hands tightened on the wheel and her insides curdled. “He’s still alive?”

“He survived the bullet wound. Not sure how much longer he’ll be around once I don’t need him.”

Sophia merged onto the expressway and pushed Cole’s admission from her mind. Being at the police station, questioned by her boss no less, had brought home how much she’d broken the law. She could accept the things she’d been involved in to rescue her daughter—and she’d damn well do them again. But the knowledge of all of Cole’s planned killings sat like month-old milk in her belly.

She cleared her throat. “I’m going to be a little late returning. I’ve got a meeting with my informant, and—”

“Sophia,” he growled. “I don’t like the idea of you seeing him alone. Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

“Because he gave me a thirty-minute window and I didn’t think you’d make it in time.”

“Where?”

“Behind St. Paul’s church. But you don’t need to come. I have backup.”

“All right. I’d still feel better if I were there.” His words came out begrudgingly.

“I won’t be long,” she assured him. “Sounds like he’s got something big. I’ll call you when I’m done, but either way I’ll head right over.”

“All right.” His tone held reluctance, but he disconnected.

Sophia glanced in her rearview mirror and watched Kenneth cut into traffic directly behind her. She took the next exit. Tension pulled at the tendons in her neck. Her gun sat heavy in her holster.

Kenneth will be on guard too. She had nothing to worry about. Besides, Markie was thoroughly scared of Lionsgate, and he’d already incriminated himself by speaking with her. Odds were he wanted out of this as much as she did.

---