Page 42 of Hidden Chance

“Not one that I can think of. Unless you have more information to give me that you haven’t shared yet.”

“I don’t.”

He smirked. If this was the ambush he hoped it would be, he’d have more than just Hannah in custody by the end of the night. It would make his job easier having another suspect. Two made it easier to break one. Not only that, but he had a strong feeling that this newcomer would be the brains of the operation. The way she wanted to protect him meant he’d likely manipulated her. By the end of the night, he’d have more answers.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Hannah watched Robby go, then rested her head on the table. She was exhausted and confused, although not as scared as she thought she should be. It was the anxiety that twisted her stomach now. She was worried about how Sal would react. She could see in Robby’s eyes that he didn’t believe her, but she wasn’t afraid of him anymore, and she was sure that once Robby met Sal and realized she’d been telling the truth, he’d finally be convinced that she wasn’t involved in whatever it was he was chasing.

His questions about Burma were unsettling. She was trying to grasp what it was he wanted her to say, but espionage was the only thing she could come up with that would warrant this kind of behavior. But how that connected to building schools in Burma was beyond her understanding. Or what other evidence he thought he had found. And if Robby did really work for the government, then that meant he was investigating something real. Something that didn’t involve her, but it must involve someone at work. Was it possible that someone else at TreadCraft was guilty of the crimes he’d convinced himself she was guilty of?

You need to tell him everything.

She stood, pushing aside the thought that now bordered on a command. Whoever this Robby guy was, it didn’t matter if he was right or wrong. He’d gone too far.

“Were you not there when he knocked me out and threw me in his trunk?” she said to the ceiling. “He hasn’t believed a word I’ve said, and you want me to tell him personal things about my life? No way.”

Folding her arms, she watched the door, then looked up at the two high windows that had bars on them.

“How about you get me out of here instead? Get the police here.” She smiled at the thought of seeing Robby led away in handcuffs. It would be nice to see him answer for the way he’d treated her.

She went to the door and tried the handle, but it was locked. If she could stall long enough, Sal would be out of the building by the time they arrived, but then Robby would think she was lying to him.

“Please, God, don’t let Sal react when we wake him up. I don’t want him to get hurt.” She had no idea how he’d take the disruption. He may never speak to her again if he thought she’d put him in danger, but she had no choice. When she got the chance, she’d explain that to him. After she lost her dad, he’d become very protective of her, but losing his family meant his focus had turned more internal, and she had no way of knowing what this would do to him. She’d have to hope and pray that God used this for Sal’s good somehow. He’d done it before. He could do it again.

Robby walked to the end of the hall and called Holland.

“How’s the undercover op going?” Holland said when he answered.

“Not as well as I’d hoped. My mark caught me snooping.”

“You’re kidding. How’d that happen?”

“Everyone had gone for the night, but she came back.”

“I think that’s another first for you. You don’t usually slip up like that. You’re really racking them up on this assignment.”

“I didn’t slip up. It was an unforeseen occurrence. She’d gone home for the night. Or so I thought. And it means I’ve had to change tactics. I brought her to the warehouse, but she’s holding out.”

“Your cover is blown.”

“Only to her, but I think I can salvage it. She’s telling me some tall tales, and I’m going to call her bluff. If I’m lucky, I’ll catch a break. But I’ll need you and the boys to get up here as soon as you can.”

“Is this about that name you sent to Green?”

“Yeah. Did he find anything?”

“Not much. Not worth reporting on. Divorced man with a couple of grown-up kids.”

“Any connection to Burma?”

“Not that we could find.”

“She could have given me a fake name. Any address?”

“Nothing recent. When do you need us? Are we talking hours?”

“Less. You’ll need the chopper.”

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