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There had to be a way to salvage his plans. A way that he and Tessa could be together without interference from loathsome meddlers like Billy Barnett. All Matthew needed was time to figure things out.
He glanced over his shoulder at the building gap. He was a little closer to it than he’d intended, but not enough that it should make a difference.
He turned back to Billy, his confidence returning. “Nothing’s over untilIsay it’s over. I have a destiny, andyou’re only a bump in my road to it. If I need to get rid of you, too, I will.” He smirked. “I advise you to watch your back, Mr. Barnett.”
With that, Matthew spun around and sprinted toward the edge of the roof.
???
“Matthew, no!”
Teddy raced after Matthew. But while he was fast, Matthew had legs that were younger and faster. Teddy was still several yards back when Matthew launched himself over the gap.
As Matthew dropped out of sight, Teddy slowed and then stopped at the edge.
Matthew must have thought the roof of the neighboring building was closer than it was, because instead of landing on it, his body was now sprawled on the ground, five stories below.
60
“It’s over,” Teddy said into his phone. He was wearing his dress shirt and jacket again, looking nothing like the masked man from earlier.
“You found Rebecca?” Stone asked.
“Yes.”
“Is she—”
“She’s okay. Shaken but otherwise unharmed.”
“That’s great news. I’ll let Novak know. You’re bringing her here?”
“Yes. We’ll be on our way in a few minutes. When we get there, there’s something I need you to do.”
After telling Stone what he wanted, Teddy went insearch of Rivera, and found him standing beside the sedan in which Rebecca sat.
“You’re clear on your instructions?”
Rivera nodded. “All set.”
Once Teddy and Rebecca left, Rivera would call the police, and feed them the story Teddy had come up with.
Teddy had kept it simple. Matthew had been acting suspicious on set, so Rivera had followed him here. Matthew had seen him, become spooked, and disappeared into the building. He’d jumped to his death before Rivera could find him again.
There would be no mention of Rebecca Novak, the kidnapping, or the nearby building where she’d been held. When the police later searched Matthew’s car, they would find Justin’s button, which Hansen was, at that very moment, returning to where he’d found it.
Teddy opened the back door of the sedan. “Mrs. Novak, I’m Billy Barnett, an associate of your husband’s. If you come with me, I’ll take you home.”
???
Carl Novak, Mori, and Stone were waiting outside the Novaks’ mansion when Teddy and Rebecca arrived in Teddy’s Porsche. Rebecca’s husband rushed over before Teddy had even stopped the car.
Novak helped his wife out and they fell into each other’s arms. As Teddy had requested, Stone recorded video of the entire scene on his phone.
Ten minutes later, they were all in the Novaks’ living room. Rebecca sat next to her husband, leaning on his shoulder. Novak had asked her if she wanted to go to their room to sleep, but even though she was clearly tired, she insisted on staying.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Novak said to Teddy.
“Wecan’t thank you enough,” Rebecca corrected him.
