Fast Burn (Body Armor #4)(91)

“How did you know he’d be there?”

Sahara was curious about that, too. She hoped they’d keep talking, the longer the better, so her backup could arrive.

Olsen said, “I was staking out the agency, seeing if we’d have a chance to grab her since they missed her on the road.”

Ross straightened. “What do you mean?”

“Terrance and Andy. They tried to take her during a trip south. She had that same bodyguard with her and he decided to shoot it out with them instead.”

Ross glanced toward Sahara. “I didn’t know anything about that.”

She stared back without reacting. Far as she was concerned, he’d started the scheme to get her, and that made him guiltiest of all.

As if unaware of the undercurrent, Olsen continued. “I didn’t see her coming or going again. I guess they were being extra cautious after that. But I noticed a dude hanging around—”

“And it turned out to be Scott?” Ross guessed.

Olsen nodded. “He tried to conceal himself, wore a hat and sunglasses and loose jacket...but that’s what drew my attention to him, you know? And then there was no mistaking him once I did look closer.”

Sahara remembered Brand making note of a man outside the agency. She supposed Scott had been trying to look out for her, or maybe he just wanted to make sure she was getting along okay after his “death.” If only he had trusted her...

“When I followed him to the river, I figured he was meeting someone, I just didn’t expect it to be her.”

Ross stared heavenward.

She seriously doubted any divine spirits were still hanging around.

“He’d been a sneaky bastard, hard as hell to find, so once I spotted him I wasn’t about to let him get away again. He was extra cautious, but I remembered everything you taught us about tailing him, staying back and not doing anything to give myself away.”

“And it obviously worked,” Ross said.

Olsen nodded. “Scott got to the river and spent an hour scoping out the place. I was up on a rise, far enough away that he couldn’t see me while Terrance and Andy got the boat. The plan was to grab him and force him to pay up.”

“It was a good plan,” Andy said, moving closer to her, propping a hip against one of the broken pews. “Until she showed up.”

“She came alone,” Terrance said. “Or so we thought.”

“She’s not stupid,” Ross stated flatly, then his eyes flared and he turned to stare at her. Quietly, he said, “You’re not stupid.”

She released an evil smile. “No, I’m not. Far from it, actually.” Scott, please don’t be dead. She wondered at the time. Brand and the others should be arriving any minute now. She needed to warn them about the rotting floorboards so that no one fell through to the basement.

Not for a second did she doubt that they’d be coming for her. Thank God the tracking device wasn’t in her phone or umbrella, since she’d lost those.

“Son of a bitch.” Ross half laughed, then stood and glanced toward the door in expectation.

“What is it?” Andy asked. Alarmed, he grabbed Sahara’s arm and jerked her toward him so roughly she stumbled off her feet and almost lost her blanket. “Did you hear something?”

Ross blew out a slow breath. “No.” He glanced at the way Andy held her and how she scrambled to keep the blanket around her. “There’s nothing there. Let her go, Andy.”

“Bullshit.” Gaze frantic, Andy jerked her to stand in front of him. “You’re in on it, aren’t you, Ross?”

Terrance frowned. “You’re losing it, Andy. Don’t say shit you’ll regret.”

Olsen now stared at the front door, too.

Wrapping an arm tight around her waist and poking a gun into her ribs, Andy snarled, “This is a fucking setup.”

Ross seemed to swell in front of her. “You little prick.” He started forward with a determined stride. “You dare accuse me?”

“I’ll shoot her!”

Ross froze.

From somewhere behind Sahara, Brand said, “Finger off the trigger or I’ll gladly kill you.”

She jumped, turned her head, and saw that Brand and Leese both stood there, grim-faced, their guns drawn and aimed.

Andy jerked around to face this new threat. He swung his gun wildly back and forth between the two men.

Taking advantage of his panic, Ross threw a meaty fist. Sahara ducked and the punch hit Andy right in the nose.

She heard the crunch.

Brand hauled her up and tucked her behind him.

Ross continued to pound on Andy, who put up a mild show of defense.

Amid the commotion, Terrance bolted out the front door, but he didn’t get far. They all heard the scuffle in the vestibule, then Terrance got tossed back inside, his lifeless body breaking another hole in the floorboards so one arm and shoulder fell through.

Justice stepped in, a taunting smile in place.

“Wait,” Sahara shouted, poking her head up from where Brand tried to shield her. “The floors are rotted! You have to be careful.”

Justice backed up—and his foot went through the floor. He caught himself from falling completely, his arms splayed wide as he grabbed for the wall with one hand, and a table with the other. “Damn.”