Page 98 of Beyond Protection
"You boys be careful."
"We will."
Outside, the gray sedan was still there. I memorized the plate as we passed. Pulled out my phone and sent it to Michael along with the new messages.
Mac was quiet in the passenger seat. Watching the mirrors like I'd taught him.
"Six days," he said finally.
"We'll end it before then."
"How?"
"I don't know yet." I reached over. Took his hand.
He squeezed back.
My phone buzzed.
Michael:I'm already at the precinct. They want to see both of you NOW. Detective found something.
I showed Mac.
"What do you think they found?"
"I don't know, but I have a feeling we're about to find out how close she's really been."
In my peripheral vision, the gray sedan pulled out behind us. Kept three cars back. Professional distance.
I didn't tell Mac. Not yet.
One crisis at a time.
My hand tightened on the wheel, and I noted the routes with the most traffic cameras. The most witnesses. The places where she couldn't follow without exposing herself.
Six days left.
Time to consider turning the tables.
Time to turn the hunt around.
Chapter thirteen
Mac
Eamon's knuckles had gone white on the steering wheel.
"You see it too?" I kept my voice low.
"Been following us since Ma's street." He signaled, took a right two blocks before the precinct. "I'm going to run a loop."
I caught the side mirror. Gray sedan. Three cars back.
We doubled back through a residential neighborhood. The sedan stayed through the first turn. Dropped back on the second. At the third, it peeled off.
"Lost interest or smart enough to know when we've spotted them?" I asked.
"Both." His hands loosened their grip. "Whoever it is knows what they're doing."
