Page 114 of Rise of the King (Checkmate 5)

“Relax.” Reaching out, I snag his shirt and drag him back. “He has no clue where we are. He’s bluffing—and doing a shitty job of it.”

“If he were a woman, he’d be smarter,” Jess says with a teasing smile. “Women are always smarter about blackmail.”

“You don’t get to bethatpretty andthatsmart at the same time,” Spence argues. “Andyou,you can dance…? No. It’s against the laws of physics.”

“Laws of physics.” Laughing, I pull up another email window and shake my head. I nod toward Jess. “She’s beautiful,andshe’s a lawyer. Smart as fuck.” I point toward Laine. “Also beautiful. Also smart. She’s a school teacherandknows how to rebuild classic engines from the ground up.” Then I glance toward Andi. “I don’t know what she does for a living, but she has a pig, and she’s with the bionic man, so I’m gonna assume she’s an evil warlord with a cat at home and a maniacal laugh that creeps everyone out.”

“We actually do have a cat,” Riley says. “She’s kinda evil, too.”

“Exactly. Fuck you all for assuming Ace has to be a dude.” My computer signals movement and draws my attention.

Colum is moving. Slowly, fearfully, he pulls to the edge of the parking lot of the truck stop outside town and slows at the T intersection.

“Turn left, he’s running.” I zoom in and smile at the satellite imagery tech we have nowadays. “Turn right, he’s coming to get his boy.”

“I don’t know which one I want more,” Kane rumbles. “It’s so much more fun chasing down a motherfucker. It takes away the fun when they give up.”

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From: AcesAndEights

To: Colum Bishop

Cc: Kane Bishop

Subject: Making assumptions only serves to make you look like a fool

I see you moving.

You think I don’t have data on you? Then how do I know you’re driving a navy Chrysler with tinted windows? How do I know you’re freaking the fuck out right now?

You’re compromised, Lieutenant General. Also, you’re a shitty father.

Hitting send and sitting back, I watch my GPS screen and wait for his move.

His car idles at the intersection for a minute.

Two minutes.

Three.

Tension fills the kitchen as Colum panics and tries to figure out which way to turn. He’s screwed no matter which way he goes. If he comes here, he knows he won’t walk away alive. If he leaves, he knows I’ll drop the data and run.

He’s at my mercy, exactly where I intended to put him.

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From: AcesAndEights

To: Colum Bishop

Cc: Kane Bishop

Subject: Reconsidered?

I can have you sent somewhere safe. I’m asking ten million now, since you’ve wasted my time, but I’ll allow an extra sixty seconds to take care of the wire. That means you have forty-six minutes left until I pull the trigger.

I hit your men at the drop in March. Eleven hundred yards, not a single wasted round.

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