Page 92 of Fear of Flames
He cursed, his shot whizzing by Michelle’s body, striking, and splintering the door.
Her blast sent Peterson backward. He tripped and fell over a desk chair as the bangs ricocheted throughout the apartment. She ran forward and kicked his gun out of his reach. Her shot hit his right shoulder in time to throw off his shot.
“Fucking bitch,” he screamed, his hand covering the bleeding wound.
Her gun was pointed at his chest. “Where’s Fletch?”
“I told you. Now get help.”
Michelle’s voice calmed, too calm. “Tell me where the hell Fletch is, and I won’t shoot you again.”
“I haven’t heard from them.”
“You alerted Nelson that they were on their way.” When he didn’t answer, she moved her finger from the guard to the trigger.
“Yes. Nelson’s people were waiting for them.”
Peterson hadn’t heard from Fletch or Leo.
That meant that maybe things didn’t go down the way he planned.
Michelle could kill Peterson, but if she did that, he wouldn’t pay for his traitorous acts. Instead, she searched him for more weapons, removing belongings from his pockets. He squirmed but was obviously feeling the loss of blood. She pulled an extension cord from an outlet and disconnected the plug on the other end. He continued to curse and fight, as she secured his hands together. A length of duct tape shut lips and quieted his threats so she could think.
Who could she call?
Who else in the agency was dirty?
She only knew one other person.
Chapter
Forty-Five
With Peterson secured and his gun on the kitchen counter, Michelle went in search of her phone. It was still the one Fletch purchased at the truck stop. She called Fletch. The call immediately went to voicemail. Thankfully, after the day in the computer lab, Olivia and Michelle exchanged numbers. At nearly three in the morning, Olivia answered on the second ring.
“Shelly, is everything all right?”
“No. Do you live far?”
“Are you at Arrow’s place?” Olivia asked, sounding more awake.
“Yes. I’m worried about Arrow. Do you know how to reach him?”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Michelle disconnected the call and checked on Peterson. He was still fighting the extension cord. She wished she had whatever the deputy tried to inject her with. That would keep Peterson in his place. She opened a drawer at Fletch’s main desk and removed the hard drive.
Peterson made noise behind the tape.
Michelle took the hard drive to the closet in the bedroom and locked it in her gun safe. Next, she took off her pajama shorts and slipped into a pair of blue jeans. She was about to put on a bra when the doorbell rang.
Through the peephole Michelle saw Olivia. She opened the door. Olivia’s hazel eyes shone in the cold air. She was wearing a heavy coat over pajama pants. “That was fast.”
“We only have two apartment buildings. I live that way” —she gestured with a shake of her head— “on the second floor. What’s wrong?”
Michelle let her inside and closed the door.
Olivia looked around. “Arrow has a nice place. I always wondered what it was like.”
