Page 111 of The Saint

“How do you know that?” Amelia asked.

“I work for them too.”

She jerked back. Esme was a double agent?

“The only person in the CIA who knew that is dead. So I’m fucked.” Esme lips flattened. “Absolutely fucked unless I get myself out of this.”

Triple agent?So Esme was one of the good guys? Amelia tried to understand. “Beth doesn’t know?”

Esme shook her head but pointed at the implements from her bag. “Which is why we’re going to get to all this.”

Amelia didn’t understand. Tears burned the back of her eyes and throat. Hailey was dead. She couldn’t be rescued and brought back. “Do you know where Hailey is?”

“I have guesses. Later, once we’re out of this mess, I’ll help bring her home.”

Amelia nodded. So many tears had been shed since the first night, and it still hurt to think. “Why do you trust me now? Because of those words?”

Esme tilted her head to the side as though thinking through what she might say. “Hailey gave them to you. That’s one reason, and the second is Titan Group. In theory, I trust them. In reality, there’s Camden. He believes in you.”

That caught Amelia off guard.

“He might even love you,” Esme offered. “If I’m going to put my life on the line, I might as well do it with his woman.”

Amelia’s heartbeat jumped. “I don’t… It’s not like that.”

“It is.” Esme’s lips quirked. “I thought I could see it on the first day. He thinks you can handle anything. But then I saw him today.” She studied Amelia. “That man will find you, and I’mtying my horse to that wagon. Between the two of you, it will clear my name.”

How could Esme possibly think Camden had fallen in love with her? Then again, if one ignored their circumstances and the fact he was leaving and just looked at them as a couple—she loved him. That was why her heart had hurt at the thought of witness protection while he went home to Abu Dhabi.

“We’re running short on time,” Esme said. “This is going to have to be believable.”

“What is?”

She’d returned to the bag she’d brought in. “I’ll do what I can to make it look the part. But you’re going to have to handle a lot.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Esme gave her a look that kicked her stomach to the floor. “What do you think I’m supposed to be doing here?”

Her heartbeat picked up with nervous worry. “Um… getting me to talk.”

“Yes. How do you think that normally happens?” She removed a small case from her bag and held two small dark-red pills. “Crush these between your molars. It will taste horrible. You’ll want to gag. That’s what we need, a bloody mouth leaking. Have you ever acted in a play?”

Amelia shook her head.

“You’re gonna start tonight. Just pretend you’re going for an Oscar and an Emmy.” Esme popped the pills into Amelia’s mouth. “Bite.”

Amelia crushed the gel tabs and gagged. They were just as foul as Esme had warned.

“A little bit louder for the cheap seats.”

Amelia tried not to retch.

Esme petted the side of her head. “This is going to get worse before it gets better, but you can do it. I will be with you the entire time.”

Amelia choked. She had too much saliva in her mouth. She wouldn’t swallow the rancid taste. “Free my—” She gagged. “Hands?”

“I can’t.” Esme frowned. “We need welts on your wrists.” She tugged Amelia’s hair lightly. “Tip your head back.”

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