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Ignoring her, he whipped off the glasses and looked around the store with a practiced eye, sizing up the place.
The second man was shorter, but no less imposing. He had a thick neck and muscular arms that bulged beneath his suit jacket. His eyes were a sharp, piercing blue, and he had a small scar above his right eyebrow.
The third man was older, with salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a hawk-like nose and a thin-lipped mouth that seemed to be perpetually turned down in a frown. He was the only one of the four who didn’t wear sunglasses.
The last man was the tallest of the group, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He had a thick beard and a shaved head, and his suit seemed to be straining at the seams. His eyes were dark and intense, and he held himself with a quiet confidence that was totally unnerving.
Jane’s heart pounded in her chest as the four men made their way to the counter. She tried to keep her voice steady as she asked, “Can I help you with something?”
The man with the hawk-like nose stepped forward.The leader flattened his hands on the counter and leaned close. His breath carried the odors of mint and something else, something that made her stomach heave.
Or maybe it was just fear. She might not be an expert at body language, like Bridger, but she knew a black soul when she saw one.
She could see her reflection in the glasses hanging from the chest pocket of his suit coat. Tight-lipped and wide-eyed, there was no hiding her concern.
He reached inside his jacket, making her flinch. But instead of a weapon, he pulled out a wallet and flicked it open.
“We’re FBI, ma’am. Special Agents.” He held out the open wallet, challenging her to scrutinize the identification and the badge.
Not that she’d be able to tell a fake from the real thing.
“We’re looking for your ex-husband, Pete Sanderson,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice.
The truth would never do. Not when she’d just handed Pete the means to escape. She thought hard. As far as she was aware, no one had seen Pete at the store yesterday. He might have been recognized at the motel, but he hadn’t been with her. No way anyone could place the two of them together. If it turned out these men were real agents, she’d tell them what she knew, which was precious little. Pete had enough cash to disappear, but she had no idea where to.
“I haven’t seen him,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. “We’ve been divorced a long time.”
The man’s frown deepened. “You’re sure? Because we’ve got witnesses saying otherwise.”
She gestured at the empty parking lot. “Whoever sent you is mistaken. You can ask anyone in town. My ex hasn’t been around since we split up.”
The man’s eyes hardened. “Then why was he caught on camera at a convenience store twenty miles from here?”
She winced inwardly. She’d been caught.And his pointed question certainly confirmed her suspicions. Finding law enforcement agents coming after Pete was no big surprise. But how to handle this? Wes wouldn’t be back for at least half an hour. Not a bad thing. She didn’t want to put him at risk.
And she didn’t dare reach for her phone. Something told her the man would confiscate it before she activated it.
The sad fact was, all she could do now was stall for time. And pray for a miracle.
“I have no idea,” she answered the man’s question, forcing herself to shrug casually, as if she couldn’t be less interested.
The leader snapped his fingers, sending the tall agent racing to lock the front door. Then he smiled, a nasty expression meant to instill fear, not comfort. “You can talk to us here, or we can take a drive to headquarters. It’s a long way.”
“A really long way,” the bald one added.
She studied their impassive faces. They could well be real agents. The possibility didn’t make her feel any better. Even if they were legit, they clearly wanted something she couldn’t provide.
Which meant they’d do their worst. She prepared herself for the handcuffs.
6
“We have an issue.”Tai stared at the tablet he used to control his surveillance drones. “Jane’s in trouble. Four suits. All armed.”
Bridger’s heart leapt into his throat. He moved in next to his friend and squinted at the screen. Four men in dark suits swarmed around Jane like ants on a discarded lollipop. “They could be legit. Feds, or an agency with more discreet initials.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Tai muttered. “Reception committee of that size is overkill for one little hardware store owner, don’t you think?”
Yeah. It was. Bridger grabbed the Jeep keys off the hook. “I’m on it.”
