Page 43 of Hidden Chance

“Have you talked to Fletcher about this?”

“I’ll leave that up to you. I’ll send you the details, but basically, I need to flush this thing out. You guys get intoposition and wait for my signal. If we get two of them in custody, we can work them against each other, but I think this might be the big fish we’ve been after.”

“Where exactly do you want us?”

“There’s a loading bay out the back. Be ready to blow the door. And put Fletcher on alert for me. I’ll need him here if this goes the way I think it might. I’ll need him here to do the explaining.”

“You know he doesn’t like us to make a mess on U.S. soil. It’s harder to clean up when we don’t have an FBI or police badge to back us up.”

“We don’t have time for that.”

“You sure?”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t. It’s now or never. She isn’t budging, and I’ve already crossed too many lines. I need to get this wrapped up before it gets any more out of hand.”

“Robby.”

“Don’t. I know what you’re going to say. I only did what was necessary. I’m not asking you to break in. I’m asking you to be ready to come to my aid when I’m threatened.”

“Okay. We’ll be ready.”

“Thanks.”

Chapter 12

Robby tookhis time getting a small meal. It was the safest way he could stall without giving it away.

When he came back into the room, Hannah was asleep with her head on the table.

He cleared his throat, and she jumped.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. I got some dinner. You hungry?”

He put the burger on the table in front of her, and she resisted but finally picked it up.

“I didn’t poison it,” he said.

“I didn’t say you did. I can pay you back if you give me my purse.”

“It’s fine. I can buy your dinner.”

“I don’t like the idea that you think I owe you anything.”

“You don’t.”

She took a bite, then swallowed and said, “Is there a reason we haven’t left yet?”

“I told you. I don’t want him still drunk when he wakes up.”

“I don’t think it will matter. He’ll be ruffled being woken up by a strange man whether he’s drunk or not.”

Robby’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out. It was Holland saying they were en route and would be in position in twenty minutes. He responded to the text, then waited for her to finish her burger.

“You ready?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Sure, we could skip the whole thing and you could sleep here, but you’ll be on the floor. I haven’t prepared any provisions for a sleepover.”

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