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THIRTY-SEVEN

Back at the county offices in Big Rapids, Alex finished giving his statement to the federal agents. Mackenzie was around the place somewhere, and he intended to find her. The agents had found William’s female accomplice, Anna Craven—a criminal for which a red notice had been issued by the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol. William had met her on the dark web. She’d been apprehended at a warehouse in Indianapolis, along with the prototype drone, thanks to intel provided by Julian Abel. Anna was driving the vehicle that hit Julian and was also the one who shot at Mackenzie in the woods. Apparently, Anna had only been tasked with observing Mackenzie with the drone but was jealous of William’s infatuation with her. In addition, the FBI had also taken into custody the individuals who’d arranged to purchase the classified prototype drone.

Nebulous 2.0 chose Indianapolis because he’d planned to incriminate Carson—who often traveled there to handle issues with his mother’s care—and frame him if his plans went south. He’d also threatened to harm the zip-line employee’s teenage daughter if he didn’t cooperate by sabotaging the zip line to end the undercover federal agent’s life. Maci’s son’s life had also been threatened. But Nebulous 2.0 had met his match in Mackenzie. Once she deployed countermeasures, he’d had to resort to plan B to take out the servers.

The woman was a genius. Alex had known that before this incident.

Stunningly beautiful. Compassionate. He wanted to catch her up in his arms and kiss her. Hold her and never let her go. But he was allowing his emotions, his desperation to get the best of him. He didn’t want her to climb into her vehicle and drive home to Michigan without telling her how he felt. What he thought. Would she actually do that? He hoped she would stick around to support her sister through the chaos. But he simply couldn’t know.

The biggest problem—he had been called back to DC without delay. SSA Lynch wanted him on the red-eye tonight. That was news he didn’t want to deliver to Mackenzie in a text or even on a call. He had to see her face and make her understand.

Where was she?

Detective West sidled up to Alex. “I know this is probably not the right time, but I have something you might want to see.”

“It’s fine. They’re done with me.” My career could be over too. He followed Detective West down the hall. “Do you happen to know where they’re questioning Mackenzie?”

West pulled Alex into his cubicle and sat down, offering him a chair as well. Then West gave him a warning look. “You know this could go either way for her. She was digging around where she shouldn’t have been.” He shrugged. “Or she could be seen as a hero, routing this guy out. They’ve wanted him for years, I hear, though I’m not sure I was supposed to.”

“It could go either way for me too. I’m heading to DC tonight.” God, I don’t want to go. He had unfinished business with Mackenzie. He’d had to rush away from her all those years ago, and he didn’t want that to happen again.

He’d been inexplicably drawn to her that first moment he saw her three years ago. And now, they’d had another chance, but the chaos of this world seemed bent on keeping them apart. If either of them was seen as anything other than a hero, then William would have taken even more from her—her future.

“Earth to Alex.”

Detective West’s words pulled Alex to the moment and the detective’s arched brow.

West blew out a breath. “This is what I wanted to show you.” He turned on his monitor. “This security footage is from a gas station at the corner of a state highway and forest road near Stone Wolf Mountain.”

Alex concentrated on the video. West replayed it.

A woman dressed in all black—yoga pants, a T-shirt, and a cap—opened up the back of her car and shuffled stuff around. A sledgehammer was in plain view.

Alex memorized the license plate but asked, “Did you run them?”

“I did. The vehicle belongs to a Shelby Colton.” West pulled up her address for Alex.

“Let’s pay her a visit.” Alex hoped that since the detective had seen fit to show him this much, he wouldn’t mind him tagging along.

West nodded. “As long as you’re free to go.”

Alex stood and took in the busy county sheriff’s office, which was filled with more personnel than it had probably ever seen, even during the incident surrounding Erin.

He was free, except he didn’t want to leave Mackenzie. Then he spotted her walking down the hallway with Nora and Carson, heading toward the exits. She glanced over her shoulder. Was she searching for him? But her gaze never found him.

Disappointment landed in his gut. He should chase after her, but West had started walking. He turned to Alex. “You coming?”

He would catch up with Mackenzie later. Now was the time to solve the memorial vandalism. “Yes.”

Twenty minutes later Alex was walking with Trevor up the steps to a second-floor landing, and they found Shelby Colton’s apartment number. It was 8:30 in the evening. West knocked and held himself in both a compelling and intimidating demeanor.

The door opened, and a young, smallish woman answered with a tenuous smile. Her pupils spasmed, but she kept her cool. She was guilty alright. But was she guilty of vandalism?

“I’m Detective West, and this is Special Agent Alex Knight. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

She stiffened and stood taller, then took a slight step back, bracing the door as if she would close it. “What’s this about?”

Trevor hadn’t given Alex leeway, but he was taking it. “We have video footage of you destroying memorial plaques at the Rocky Mountain Courage Memorial.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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