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The black sedan screamed past them and hit the dip going almost seventy. The front end of the car flew into the air, its spinning wheels leaving the asphalt. It seemed to float for a second and then crashed to earth with the shrill sound of twisting metal. Max saw a single wheel go airborne before he headed down another street for the freeway.
A siren wailed in the distance and Ava pressed her hands to her heart. “Someone had already called the police.”
“Too bad there are no witnesses to the crash since we’ll be long gone. I wonder if the cops are going to discover Mrs. Arnoff’s body?”
Ava pinned her hands between her knees. “I’m slowing you down, aren’t I? They wouldn’t have tracked us down if I hadn’t used my ATM card like an idiot.”
“Don’t keep beating yourself up about that. You’re a civilian. Your mind doesn’t work like mine. I should’ve known Tempest would pay a visit to Mrs. Arnoff—just didn’t realize they’d show up so soon and kill her.”
“You did know they’d pay her a visit, but in the end it was worth the risk, wasn’t it?” She jerked her thumb at the backseat. “We got Arnoff’s laptop.”
“That’s another thing. I never would’ve known about that laptop, Ava.”
She sighed and tilted her head back. “What now?”
“We need to take a look at Arnoff’s computer, see if he has any information about an antidote or the location of more blue pills.”
“Even looking at his notes on the serum will help us, help me. I just might be able to figure out a way to neutralize the drug’s effects.”
“And I need to warn the other Tempest agents.”
He could feel her gaze searching his face.
“Why do you need to do that?”
“Tempest is planning something big. All of my assignments have been leading to something big. If Simon hadn’t gone off the rails like he did, I’d still be working for Tempest, still be on the inside.”
“You still wouldn’t have gotten all the names of the other agents. Tempest kept you apart, right?”
“That’s right, unless we worked an assignment together like Simon and I did. My guess is Tempest won’t be putting any agents together anymore. Anyway, I’m hoping to get the other agents’ names from Arnoff’s laptop, unless you have their names.”
“I just knew a few names, usually first names only. Most of my patients didn’t want to get personal.”
He slid a quick glance her way. He’d wanted to get personal with her even though she’d known them by their numbers. “They may have given you phony names anyway.”
“Did you and Simon discuss your memory lapses and suspicions when you had that assignment together?”
“Not then, but we became aware of each other. Later he found me in Brussels. I don’t know how he found me and I don’t know how he knew I was having the same experiences he was having, unless it was something he noticed during that joint assignment.”
“Did you ever ask him?”
“Of course I did. He wouldn’t tell me. I don’t know if it was for his safety or mine.”
“Or someone else’s.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You think he had someone on the inside?”
She shrugged. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to drive for a while and find a place to spend the night. Then we’re going to delve into the private world of Dr. Charles Arnoff.”
He bypassed the lights of Albuquerque and headed toward a small town on its outskirts. He’d need to swap this car for another. He had the cash to buy a used car and avoid the danger of getting pulled over for auto theft.
Ava tapped on the window. “How about that place? Not too small, not too big.”
“Why don’t we want a small motel?”
“Too few people checking in, so we’d be more memorable.”
“And why not too big?”
“Too crowded, so we wouldn’t be able to keep track of the other guests coming and going.” She tilted her head. “Was that a test?”
“If you’re going to help me out for a little while longer, I need to prepare you better.”
