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“Just send Quinn a message,” I say, not caring if she can hear the pleading in my voice. “Tell him where the antidrug is. Carson doesn’t matter anymore. He won’t be conscious enough to say anything.”
“My identity is of no more consequence.” Her voice sounds vacant, hollow. “It will all burn to the ground. Every player that ever slipped me dirty money…every favor ever asked…they’re all burning with Lena Bell.”
I take a chance and turn around. “You sound concussed, Lena. Let me look at you.”
Her smile meets her cold and distant eyes. “I suspect this is your way of getting your own favor.”
I wet my lips, my mouth dry. “Sadie would say that even a psychopath is human.”
Her smile stretches. She moves closer, whispers in my ear, “That's when I realized that death was the ultimate thrill.” She steps back. “John Wayne Gacy said that about his first kill. Now move.”
Please let Quinn find the antidrug.
I don’t know who I’m praying to, but some higher power has to hear me.
The chirr of crickets melds against the distant traffic sounds. The morning is waking up. In spite of it all, that much is comforting. I imagine I can feel a link to Quinn. I trust that he’ll find the feed in my office, and in doing so, he’ll discover my notes on the solution for Carson.
I have to let go. I made a choice, and there’s no alternative but to see this through.
I press a hand to my wound, feeling every singed nerve ending. “Where are we going?”
“I should cut my losses.” She licks blood from her lips, then braces the gun against the bridge of her nose and…crack. No scream, but Lena mutters a harsh curse. She resets her broken nose and then straightens her back, like she sets broken bones every morning.
“I should put a bullet in your pretty head. Believe me,” she says. “I’m tempted.” She pushes my shoulder with the gun, thrusting me forward. “But I’d hate to waste such talent. And I’ve invested too much in you. Guess we’ll just have to make this relationship work.”
Headlights illuminate the tree line farther ahead, and for one second, I fear Quinn has found me. By now, he must have seen the lab surveillance and knows what I’ve done—and I’ve hurt him. Sadie’s words rush back to me, blunt and crushing. Don’t hurt him.
“Stop,” Lena commands.
I stop walking, taking the time to examine the bullet wound. Peeling my sweaty, blood-stained sweater away from my stomach, I inspect the burning gash along my side. It looks and feels as if a hot poker branded a chunk out of my skin.
The echo of car doors slamming bounces off the trees, and two men head our way. “Carry her,” Lena tells the tallest one in a suit.
He’s a wall of muscle, and I weakly fend him off like a flea. He scoops me into his big arms without so much as a grunt. By the time he has me seated in the backseat of a Mercedes, my adrenaline has drained, and I feel every damaged bone in my body. Flames lick my skin around my wound, and I hunker over to be sick. Only there’s nothing in my belly to relieve the queasiness.
Lena slides in beside me. “Sit back,” she instructs, pulling out a First Aid kit from under the seat.
I laugh. “I’m a medical examiner. I think I’m better qualified than you to doctor myself.”
She digs a cloth laced with alcohol into the wound. I grit my teeth at the searing pain.
“I’ve had plenty of experience with anatomy.” Her gaze flicks to mine.
“I know.” I snatch the bandage from her hand. “I’ve studied your handiwork.”
“Then you know better than to behave like this. I don’t even give my girls this many warnings.” She sits back as the car shoots forward.
I focus on wrapping the bandage around my waist, trying my best to feign indifference. I didn’t quite think my move through back there. I wanted us to hit a tree, or Stop sign…not flip the car. Just enough of a detour from the airport to reroute Lena.
Well, mission accomplished.
Now I’ll be lucky to survive past dawn.
Quinn, forgive me.
* * *
They say only a guilty mind can sleep. Who are they? I guess in my case, they would be the officers and detectives I’ve worked beside for years. And I suppose my mind is full of guilt, because I awake to Lena’s brute carrying me through a freaking mansion.
