Page 19 of Ground Zero
“Innocent until proven guilty, though,” she said. “Right?”
He grunted. “Something like that.”
“Got it.”
“Good. Now, unless you’re hot on Adam’s trail, I’ll need you to get to Blackout headquarters within the next hour for a briefing.”
She raised her brow. “A briefing?”
“Since you’re still there, you can be our liaison—for now. We’re coordinating with Blackout for a full rundown on Adams and his known associates. Go to the meeting, listen to what they have to say, and we’ll take things from there.”
Dread pooled in her stomach.
One hour.
Then she couldn’t avoid this any longer.
But Sheridan wasn’t sure what exactly she was walking into either.
Maverick saw the dread that filled Agent Mendez’s eyes.
Her face went pale, and her grip tightened on her weapon.
He waited until she ended the call before speaking. “They want you at Blackout headquarters.”
“How did you—” She stopped herself, shaking her head. “You were listening.”
“I didn’t have much choice. His voice was loud, and I was standing right there.”
Understanding filled her gaze before her expression shifted back to dread again. “I have to go to this meeting. It’s my job.”
Maverick continued to stare at her. “What are you going to do with me?”
Sheridan remained quiet, studying his face and determining his fate.
Finally, she said, “You stay here and find answers. Prove to me that someone’s setting you up.”
“And if I can’t?”
Her expression didn’t crack. “Don’t disappoint me.”
Maverick almost smiled despite their circumstances. The woman had moxie. He had to admire that. “I’ll try not to.”
She holstered her weapon but kept her hand near it. “How am I going to get to Blackout? My car is still at the beach.”
Maverick grabbed his keys from the counter. “I’ll drive you back to your car.”
She narrowed her eyes, clearly still cautious. “How do I know you won’t just keep driving?”
He met her eyes directly. “I assume people—if not the FBI, then local law enforcement—are still guarding the docks, which is the only way I’d be able to drive off this island.”
“You’re resourceful. You might think of a way.”
“You’ll have to trust me.”
“I’m not good at trusting people,” she admitted.
“You’ll have to learn then. Because right now we need each other.”
