Page 82 of The Deadly Shallows

“Happy to be of help. If you think of anything else, don’t hesitate to call.”

“I appreciate that,” he said.

“Would you like me to have Scott Mirch brought on the line now?” Colonel Burton asked.

“Yes.”

After a brief pause, a man cleared his throat. “Hello?”

“Hi, Scott. This is CGIS Special Agent Noah Rowley from Wilmington, North Carolina.”

“Yes?” Scott’s voice cracked.

“I have a few questions.”

“Can I ask what this is in reference to?”

“A mass shooting on our base here in Wilmington three days ago.”

Scott cleared his throat again. “I heard about that on the news. Awful.”

“Yes, it was.” Noah shifted in his seat. A shock of pain shot through his thigh, and he resituated himself.

“I don’t understand why you want to talk with me though.” Wariness clung to Scott’s scratchy voice.

“The three Coast Guard instructors you named as coconspirators in the crime you committed, Talbot, Ford, and Sydell—”

“Trust me, I know who they are. They’re the ones who put me in here.”

“Are you saying you didn’t commit the crime?”

“I’m not going through this again. If that’s why you’re calling . . .”

“It’s not. I’m calling because Instructors Talbot, Sydell, and Ford were killed during the mass shooting.”

“Oh.” Genuine surprise rang in his voice but not a hint of sorrow. “Okay, and what does that have to do with me?”

“There are unusual circumstances surrounding their deaths,” Noah began.

“At a mass shooting? I don’t see how any death would be normal.”

“True, but it appears the three were singled out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t go into more detail, but we suspect they might have been targeted.”

No response.

“Scott?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.” The edge in his voice deepened. “You aren’t suggesting I had anything to do with their deaths, are you?” He chuckled but no humor clung to it. “I’m in prison, remember?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time a hit was ordered from prison,” Noah said, certain that would end their call, but he had to put it out there, had to try to judge Scott’s reaction.

“My communication with the outside world is monitored. In fact, I’m sure they are listening in on this call right now. If I’d planned something like that, the guards would know about it long before it could happen. And I wouldn’t kill innocents just to get back at . . .” He swore under his breath. “Look, I’m done now.” The line dropped.

Noah lowered his phone and looked over at Brooke.