Page 83 of No Lies No Promises

As Dante flicks a worried glance at Mace and Sean, Schlagle frowns.

“We’re assessing the situation.” By her cool tone, we’re supposed to understand our part in this shit show is officially over.

Or not, because the phone from the safe pings again.

UNKNOWN: The cure for my daughter. Many lives for one.

“Holy Mother of God.” Yeah, I’m screeching again. This time at the Fed. “How the hell is my father free?”

While I try to calm the fuck down, a location and a time pop up on the phone.

Schlagle makes a call while Sean plugs in the coordinates. “He wants to do the exchange now. At the River Walk.”

Hanging up, the agent in charge of this clown show rolls her eyes. “Boyle’s ambulance was hijacked on the way to the hospital.”

Of course it was.

Chapter 44

Sean

As the truck walls close in on me, Dante and Schlagle exchange a meaningful glance but say nothing.

“We’re not using my fiancée as bait.” I dare anyone to argue. “I don’t care what the text wants. Hell, we don’t even know if it’s Boyle.”

“This may be our only chance.” Eyes pleading, Lillian holds my hands.

My fucking chest constricts. This is my Waterloo, my Bunker Hill. If I don’t let her go, we are done as a couple. If I do, her father may snatch her. This time, she’ll be lost to me forever.

While my internal debate rages, the rest of my team shares almost imperceptible nods. They trust Lillian. Hell, so do I. But what kind of man puts his woman at risk?

Fuck me. “Fine.” Emotions switched off, I stand. “What the hell is a River Walk?”

Daed taps his tablet. A series of images appears on the truck’s monitors. Lights. Shops. Restaurants. Stone bridges arching over a narrow canal. Tour boats carrying forty people glide beneath them. An outdoor shopping and entertainment district with a narrow waterway winding through it.

A smile tugs at my lips as a plan takes shape. “Give me the burner, babe.”

After he hands it over, I open the text window.

Me: Need proof or no go.

UNKNOWN: Trust me.

Me: 5 mins or I smash this SIM.

“You’re not in charge here, Clark.” Face red, Special Agent Schlagle snatches the device from my hands, but she’s too late. The challenge is out there now. Backing down isn’t an option.

About four minutes later, when the burner pings, a scowling Schlagle glances down. “It’s a chemical equation.”

At her hesitation, Dante takes charge. “Daedalus can decipher it faster than your team. Give it to him.”

Lips pressed into a thin line, she surrenders the phone. Without missing a beat, Daed crowds the guy at the laptop.

Cursing, the agent moves aside, handing off the keyboard to Daed.

Finally, our resident genius swivels his chair toward us. “AI Stanley has identified it as an antiviral, but it’s missing key components.”

“So, what now?” Schlagle relinquishes command so fast, I wonder if this is her first rodeo.