Page 169 of To Die For

“Making you flee out the back, you mean?” said Saxby.

“They funneled us, and then they exploited it.”

Campbell said, “And there’s only one reason for them to take her.”

“As leverage over Glass,” said Devine. “And now all bets are off for his cooperation.” He looked at Saxby, whose lips were set in a grim line.

“Which means the bad guys win,” said Walker glumly.

Devine looked at her. “Not by a long shot.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Braddock with a puzzled expression.

Campbell began, “When the enemy takes the high ground—”

“You take it back,” finished Devine.

Braddock looked at the two men nervously. “Okay, but this isn’t a war, and the state of Washington, the last time I checked, was not a battlefield.”

“Looks like one to me,” countered Devine.

“Wedohave laws here, Devine,” said Braddock.

Campbell interjected, “And we will abide by them, to the extent we can.”

“That is not making me feel any better,” noted an anxious Braddock.

“You remember you told me you’d go wherever the evidence led you?” Devine reminded the lawman.

“And that has not changed. But I also haven’t seen any evidence, nothing concrete at least. Until then—”

“Then we’ll just have to get you some,” broke in Devine.

“I’dliketo be kept in the loop on this,” exclaimed Braddock.

Campbell said, “We will to the extent we can.”

“I’m getting tired of that phraseology,” retorted Braddock.

“Not as tired as I am having to say it,” Campbell shot back.

Devine eyed Saxby. “I need to talk to Glass. Now.”

“Why?”

“It’s personal.”

CHAPTER

78

DEVINE WASN’T SURE WHAT WOULDawait him when he met up with Glass. With Betsy missing, the man might actually try to murder him.

And maybe I deserve it.

He got off the elevator and ran the gauntlet of guards, all of whom looked like they wanted to punch Devine’s ticket permanently. Word no doubt had gotten around that Devine had lost the boss’s niece.

But did I lose the boss’s niece?

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