Page 60 of The Agent
Marley could barely focus as the men discussed the situation in urgent tones. Patrick had her father and Sam. He’d taken so much from her already. Several pieces of her heart, her ability to trust, her confidence and now he wanted to take her family?
“We can use a decoy,” she heard Hernandez suggest.
Marley’s head whipped up.
“We’ve got an officer in vice who’s about Marley’s height and build,” the detective continued. “We’ll set her up with a wig and a wire, and send her in to—”
“No.”
The men swiveled their heads in her direction, stunned into silence by the vehemence in that one word.
“Marley,” Caleb began, “I know you’re upset, but we’re doing everything we can to get your dad and brother back.”
“You can’t send in a decoy,” she insisted. “He’ll know.”
Hernandez glanced at her in annoyance. “Officer Gray is trained to—”
“I don’t give a damn what she’s trained to do,” she snapped. “I’m telling you, Patrick will know the second she gets out of the car that she isn’t me. We were engaged, Detective. He’llknow.”
Silence descended over the room again.
“What exactly are you getting at?” Caleb asked, sounding extremely wary.
She drew in a steadying breath. “I should be the one to go.”
“No way,” Caleb jumped to his feet. “No way, Marley.”
“Why not? I can take the money, give it to him in exchange for my dad and Sammy, and then you guys can catch him when he tries to leave.”
“It’s not that simple,” Caleb said. “He’s bound to have a weapon. He could shoot you and your family the second he gets the cash.”
She lifted her chin. “So give me a bulletproof vest.”
“And if he shoots you in the head?”
She swallowed hard. “I need to do this, Caleb. I won’t let him hurt my family, and if you try to send in some fake version of me, hewillhurt them.”
She studied the faces of the men. Caleb’s partner was looking at her with what appeared to be admiration, the two DEA agents looked as if they were mulling over what she’d said, the SDPD officers were stone-faced and Hernandez watched her with serious dark eyes.
“Do you think you can get him outside?” the detective asked.
Caleb spun around to glare at Hernandez. “What are you doing? She’s not going in there, damn it!”
“It could work,” Hernandez replied. “She gives him the money, and then convinces him she wants to run off with him. Kincaid Sr. and Jr. remain in the house, and Marley and Grier head outside where we’ll have a team waiting.”
“He’ll spot us,” AJ spoke up.
“Not if we stay out of sight until Marley gives the signal they’re coming out,” Hernandez countered. He looked over at her again. “Do you think you’ll be able to do this?”
She hesitated. Convince Patrick she still loved him, that she wanted to flee the country with him? The very idea of seeing his face again made her feel sick.
But what about her dad? What about Sammy? Could she really let them be taken away from her simply because she felt ill at the thought of being near Patrick?
She exhaled. “I can do it.”
“No,” Caleb said again. He stepped toward her, his features hard. “I won’t let you put your life in danger. We can handle this.”
“No, you can’t. Patrick won’t open that door to anyone but me.”
