Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(65)

She'd withheld that information, just as she'd withheld information on Cutter from Colonel Hunter. If Corinne didn't know before that she was playing with fire where Baikov and I were concerned, then she knew it now.

James refused to spot me while I lifted weights.

I didn't care. I could take care of myself.

*

Corinne

There was so much that so many people didn't know. I hunched my shoulders as I walked down a sidewalk in Silver Spring. Getting out had never been a problem, no matter how well Colonel Hunter imagined his villa was guarded.

Nick would get back the following day. Maybe he could tell them when they were in danger; I was currently out of the business. Auggie and Ilya had played their hands; I'd played mine. I still held cards, too, while their hands were empty. There was one last thing I had to do before I dropped out of sight.

Maye, I sent to her, Mary Evans will be disguised and in a wheelchair tomorrow.

*

Notes—Colonel Hunter

We had to break down the door—she'd moved a heavy dresser in front of it. I had no idea how she could get past the cameras outside her windows after that. It wasn't difficult to determine actually—the soldier watching those feeds had fallen asleep.

I played the images back twice—she'd crawled through the window as if it were something she did every day and walked—yes, walked—off the property.

Nobody stopped her.

I thought Rafe would go crazy when I told him. I'd never heard him curse in his native language, but I'm glad I didn't understand anything he said. At least he didn't have to tell the President that Corinne had gone AWOL.

That was my job.

"I was angry. So angry with her," Rafe slammed his fist onto the kitchen counter. That's where I'd found him, brewing coffee. "Now she is outside without help." He cursed again.

"And she has vital information."

"You know they will kill her if they learn of this."

I was just as sure as Rafe was that Cutter had pointed her out to whomever he was serving. He knew the Program was still alive—he'd shot at Nick, after all. He'd called Corinne a witch. His cronies had that information, just as they had information on everyone else in the Program.

Cutter had gotten killed for his trouble—his body had already been transported back to the U.S. by Canadian authorities. He'd served a purpose, but after Becker and Gene died, that purpose died with him. Somebody, somewhere, had Becker's blood and enough information to do whatever they wanted.

"We have to get Cori back," I fumed.

"Where would she go?"

"I don't have a clue."

"Perhaps the beach? She said she wanted a beach house."

"Which one?" I shook my head at Rafe. "Never mind, I'll get everybody I know to start looking for clues. She has no money—that I know of. Wait, where the hell did she get the money she gave Nick? Everything she had was destroyed in the Mansion."

"I am beginning to believe that Corinne is smarter than all of us."

"And three steps ahead," I snapped. "James," I shouted while I headed for the stairs and the second floor.

*

Corinne

One of my lawyers has offices in Silver Spring. All my e-mail correspondence with him is read by James or someone else in the Program.

I wasn't at his office because of that.

I was at his office for something else.

He'd never laid eyes on Sarah Fox or Corinne Watson.

"Ms. Dane?" the receptionist stood. "Bryan is waiting for you in his office."

I didn't just write as Sarah Fox. I also wrote other books—as Carol Dane. All those books I'd written as Carol Dane had been done at the library, on a laptop I kept at a storage facility. I no longer had a key to the storage facility—it had been destroyed in the Mansion bombing.

Bryan Kellogg, one of my lawyers, had a key, along with an envelope full of other things in case I needed them.

Things like credit cards, cash, keys and banking information.

All registered to Carol Dane.

"Here are the things you requested," Bryan smiled and handed a large manila envelope to me. He'd tried to ask me out before. I always said no. I didn't intend to change my answer.

"Thank you for this," I held up the envelope and smiled back.

"How was your trip to France?"

"Enlightening," I said.

"Let us know if you need anything else."

"I will. Thanks again."

*

A cab dropped me off at the storage facility. I waited until he drove away to walk to the unit I rented.

Opening the garage-like door after pulling off the lock, I set the lock inside the unit and nodded.

The car was registered to Carol Dane and draped with a car cover. Flipping the cover back, I revealed the front bumper of my silver Mercedes. In the trunk was a laptop and enough cash to do me for a while.

I laid my envelope on the car's hood and pulled the rest of the cover off before piling it in a corner. Then I found the car keys inside the envelope, tossed the envelope on the passenger seat and climbed in.

The car started right up.

So many things needed doing, before I allowed myself the time and a corner somewhere to weep my heart out.

*

"Miss Dane, we hardly expected you to arrive unannounced," the desk clerk breathed. He was a fan; that was easy to see.