Page 17 of Shadow Games

He blinked, gasping in pain. “We were supposed to take you in.”

She sat back on her heels, looking shocked. “Take me in where?”

The man shook his head, refusing to answer. He choked on blood and turned his head away, spitting. “Doesn't matter now. They’ll find you.”

Rowan stood and stepped over the man as they walked out the door. Wyatt sent her to the Suburban while he went in and cleaned out the room. He gathered their belongings and stuffed them in his pack. When he was sure the room was clear, he stepped over the dead man and out the door.

The Navy was going to have a hell of a time explaining this.

Climbing behind the wheel, he revved the engine and took off out of the parking lot. The morning was still dark and in the distance, he could see flashing red and blue lights. He turned in the opposite direction.

“What the fuck was that about?” Rowan asked. “That wasn't the cartel. That was Navy.”

“I am aware of that. There must be more incriminating information in that logbook than we thought if others are trying to retrieve it as well.”

“We need to get to Polly and Jerome before it's too late. If they're attacking us here, then they must know what direction we're headed and who we're going to see.”

Wyatt nodded. He handed her the phone Charlie had given him. “Send her a message and tell her that they're in danger. Give her the address. Maybe she can get somebody out there to take them to safety.”

Rowan typed the text message in and sent it off. “She says she'll try, but she's not sure who she has in the area.”

“Then we keep the hammer down and hope we get there before they do.”

“How did they find me out here?”

Wyatt glanced at her. That was a really good question. “Do you have a cell phone on you?”

“Yes, but it’s been powered down since I went to the lawyer’s office.”

Wyatt took a chance and slowed enough to pull into a driveway. He turned on the interior light. “Let me see it.”

Rowan handed it over. Her phone had a case on, and as soon as he pulled it off, something fell to his lap. Wyatt picked up the small disk and looked at her significantly. “These are short-range trackers we use on ops.” Lowering the driver’s side window, he tossed it out into the gravel. “Maybe that will slow them down.”

“I feel stupid,” she said, taking the phone back from him. “I could have gotten us killed.”

“Well, we’re fine and the tracker is out, so we’re good.”

“Ken must have put it in there when I saw him weeks ago. What the hell…”

Backing out of the driveway, he gassed the big vehicle.

It was a tense three-hour drive. Wyatt managednotto get a ticket, but he wasn't sure how. Maybe the suburban had a do not fuck with me license plate or something. Twice he thought he was about to get lit up by State Patrol. Then they dodged away. It would have been hard to explain the blood on their clothing. They stopped for gas and food once and cleaned up in the bathrooms. Then they were on the road again.

6

An hour later, just as the sun was beginning to rise, they were tearing down a long gravel driveway.

“Get your gun out,” he told her. “Stay in the car until I wave you in.”

Wyatt and Echo got out of the car and went low around the house. He peered in through several windows and didn't see any kind of movement. Had someone been here already? There was a deck on the back of the house and the slider door stood wide open. He peered inside carefully. No movement. Stepping inside the house, he went deeper into the kitchen. There was a note propped on the marble island.In-laws are safe.

He very carefully checked the house, then headed out the front door. He waved Rowan in, watching as she stowed her weapon in her pocket. He needed to get her a holster as soon as possible. She needed to be armed right now, just in case they made it through him.

“There's a note on the island that says the in-laws are safe. I think Charlie got someone here in time. Now, where do you think he would hide that logbook?”

Rowan rolled her eyes. “It could literally be anywhere.”

“What does it look like?” he asked.

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