Page 28 of Silent Target

Through a broken window, orange flames rise above the rooftops. Fire engines are already approaching. Police will follow.

Then federal agents.

Then Graves’s people wearing official credentials and concerned expressions.

Evie wraps her arms around herself. “They destroyed an entire house.”

“To erase one witness.”

She looks at me. “Do you think they’ll stop?”

“No.”

She takes a slow breath.

“Good.”

That surprises me. “Good?”

“If they’re willing to do this, then what I heard is only part of it.” She watches the flames climb higher. “We aren’t exposing one assassination plot. We’re exposing everything.”

For the first time since entering that parking garage, I see something in her stronger than fear.

Resolve.

Walter Graves tried to silence the wrong woman.

I pull out my phone and send one encrypted message to Rook.

HAVE HART AND RECORDING. SAFEHOUSE LOST. MOVING TO WEST VIRGINIA.

The response comes almost immediately.

NOT ALONE. TEAM EN ROUTE.

My brothers are coming.

Because Rook knows what I already understand.

This is bigger than one witness.

Bigger than Mac Stenson.

Bigger than the senator Graves intends to kill.

Evie turns from the window. “What now?”

“We find a vehicle.”

“And then?”

“We reach the listening station before Graves moves Mac.”

“What if Mac really did betray you?”

“Then he’ll answer for it.”

“And if he didn’t?”