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“Sophie. I’m so sorry,” Micky said. At the sound of his voice, Sophie’s stomach quaked. “She got me when—”
“The details don’t matter.” Quinn was back on the phone. “Here’s what you’re going to do. I need two things—the knife used to kill Razor and the flash drive Mason gave to your friend Helen. Get both and bring them to me at Seatack North Park at one this afternoon or I’m going to kill Micky. And that would be too bad. He’s kind of cute in an old guy way.”
“Don’t harm Micky, please.” Sophie knew it was pointless to plead with a woman like Quinn, but she had to try.
“That’s up to you now, isn’t it? Oh, and don’t be stupid. I know what that flash drive looks like, and I’ll have a device with me that I can use to check the files on it to make sure it’s the right one. Don’t think you can make a swap. Got it?” The call ended before Sophie could say anything.
Her eyes met Owen’s. Even though she was upset with him, he was a source of calm. She could see him even then processing what had been said and working out a plan.
“Why does she want the flash drive?” Owen asked. “All it has on it is the doctored security footage of the curator signing for a package. What good does that do her? It’s a digital file—how does she know we didn’t download copies of it?”
“I don’t know, but I’m willing to hand it over.” Except she didn’t have it. They’d given it to Ethan for safekeeping. “How are we going to get that back so quickly?”
He sucked in a breath. “We’ll have to split up and collect the items separately in order to make her deadline. I don’t want to risk that.”
“We don’t have a choice. You heard her. She’ll kill Micky.” Sophie was sure that wasn’t an idle threat. Oh, god, how would she ever face Helen again?
“You’re right.” Owen ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t like it, but I don’t see any other way. You’ll need to be the one to go to the newspaper building and find the knife where Jude has stashed it since you’ve got access to the archives. I’ll go to Ethan’s office on base.”
“Will they let you in?”
“Yeah, I’ve still got my security clearance. It won’t be a problem.” He’d yanked a bag down from the top of the closet while he spoke. “When you have the knife, meet me on the corner of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Birdneck Road. There’s a shopping plaza there, and it’s a short drive to the park. We’ll do that part together.”
“Okay.” She wasn’t going to argue that—she didn’t want to face Quinn alone.
“And drive my truck.” He tossed her the keys. “It has OnStar, so I can track your location.”
“Just track the GPS in my watch.” She held up her wrist.
“Sophie, please just take my truck.”
“If that’s what you want.” It wasn’t worth taking the time to fight about. She pocketed his keys and gave him hers before putting her purse strap on her shoulder.
“One more thing.” He pulled a handgun from the bag, dropped the magazine into his hand, checked it and reloaded the weapon. “Take this. You said you know how to use it, right?”
“Yeah, I know.” She put the gun in her purse and headed for the door with Owen right on her heels. At the parking lot, she wanted to give him a good luck hug. Wanted to give herself that little comfort. She didn’t. She unlocked the truck and started it. With a brief wave at him, she gunned the engine and took off.
TWENTY-NINE
Owen stayed on Sophie’s tail until she split off to go to the newspaper offices. He hated leaving her to do that on her own, but there was no other way. The last he saw of her and his truck was when she exited the highway. While he navigated toward the base, he called Ethan.
“Hey,” he said. “I need you to get me access to your office. I’m going to be there in twenty.” He’d told Sophie the truth that he could get on the base due to his clearance, but getting into Ethan’s office was another matter.
“Sure, but why?” Ethan asked.
“I need the flash drive; the one Mason gave Helen. Where is it exactly?”
“It’s attached to my top left desk drawer. Pull the drawer open and reach under it. I taped it to the bottom side.”
“Got it.” Owen was about to hang up when Ethan’s questions came pouring out.
“Owen, what’s going on? Why do you need that now?”
“Wilson’s fixer kidnapped Micky.”
“Shit,” Ethan said, and Owen heard the slam of a door when Ethan must have walked outside so Helen didn’t hear their conversation. Learning about her father’s kidnapping was about the last thing Helen needed. “Is he hurt?”
“He was able to talk to Sophie,” Owen said. “The fixer seems like the professional type. I don’t think she’d hurt him just for kicks—but she won’t hesitate to take him out to punish us if we don’t deliver what she’s asked for. And the timing’s going to betight,which I’m sure is no accident.Just get me in to get the flash drive.”
