Page 42 of Cast in Shadow
The ride was quiet, the mood subdued. Gone was that sense of easy acceptance they’d shared for a brief yet wonderful time. Several times, he offered to stop, either to get something to eat or to stretch out the kinks, but she declined.
“The sooner, the better,” he’d said, and he was right.
The GPS coordinates Charley had provided led them to a boxy two-story off the beaten path, along a remote stretch of road through a town long forgotten once the newer, faster highways had been built.
A late-model black SUV sat in the driveway, the only indication that they weren’t alone.
No sooner had Zeke pulled up to the place than a man stepped out of the front door, donned shades, and walked toward them. Black cargo pants. Black polo. Clean-cut. Utterly expressionless.
“I guess this is it,” she said quietly.
Zeke nodded, eyeing the man’s approach as if he was suddenly having second thoughts.
Too late for that, she thought, opening the passenger door.
“I’ll see you inside,” Zeke offered, reaching for his own door.
“Don’t bother. Your mission’s complete.”
He frowned at that.
“You know, the Rover suits you. You should keep it.”
The man who approached the car pulled her door open further, then tossed a thick envelope onto the seat she’d just vacated, and said, “The final installment.”
The sound of the door closing resonated through her, more significant than the simple closing of a vehicle door should have sounded.
“If you’ll come with me, please,” the agent said.
“Lead the way.”
Aggie straightened her spine, lifted her chin, and walked into the house behind him. She was proud of herself. She didn’t look back once.
Chapter Nineteen
Zeke
Zeke watched as Aggie moved away from him. Her head was held high, her body language relaxed, as if she were heading in for coffee with friends. She didn’t look back once. His chest tightened and squeezed, building to a painful crescendo when the door closed behind her.
His hand was still on the handle. He got the door open a scant six inches before it was forcibly closed by a second man who’d appeared out of nowhere, dressed almost identically to the first—a study in black SWAT gear. Same close-cropped hair, blank expression, and fucking mirrored aviators.
“My instructions are to deliver her to Charley,” Zeke said, which wasn’t entirely true. When he’d called the night before to give Charley an approximate ETA, she’d thanked him and told him he would receive final payment upon safe delivery of the package. She never actually said she’d be there personally to accept.
“Charley is awaiting her arrival at a secure location.”
Zeke frowned. “Charley’s not here? Perhaps I should accompany her—”
“She’s no longer your concern, Mr. Ericsson.”
The guy shifted slightly, just enough to let Zeke know he was heavily armed. When Zeke made no move to leave, another man appeared. Then another. Zeke looked around, then spotted the glint of metal aimed his way from a sniper on the roof about the same time a tiny red dot appeared on his chest.
What the fuck did I just do?
Aloud, he said, “Right.”
“Phone, please.”
The guy standing just outside the open car window held out his hand. Zeke reluctantly put the shiny black burner into it.
