Page 37 of Crossover

Worse, a woman appeared to be running toward the bungalow’s front door.

Shit. I darted to the back door, thankful there was no one outside it. Yet.

Luck. The damn word gnawed at me as I slipped outside and vanished, thankfully, without being seen.

“It was like he was expecting me.” I ran a hand through my hair.

Daniel sat up straighter, his fingers drumming on the table. “Maybe theydoknow we’re onto them.”

I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all. “But he was expecting me to come later. He said he needed more time,” I continued. “Another week, at least.”

Daniel chewed on his lower lip, his gaze distant. At least I wasn’t the only one confused by it.

“And,” I added, “he acted like…he should be the one calling the shots.”

Daniel shook his head. “Maybe he was just trying to confuse you.”

“That’s what I thought at first,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. “But he acted more surprised when I accused him of killing people than he did at being killed himself.”

Daniel reached for his coffee mug, taking a long sip, his fingers tapping against the ceramic.

“He’s not the first criminal whose behavior is odd,” he mused, almost to himself.

That was fair. When confronted with death, people didn’t always act how you’d expect.

“Maybe he just figured his crimes would catch up to him at some point and was surprised how soon it did,” Daniel offered.

“Maybe,” I allowed, but doubt still nagged at me. “But I swear, he had this look on his face like he was…gratefulI was there. He was just…upset the timing was off. Who looks like that when they’re met with an armed intruder?”

Daniel sighed, his shoulders sagging a bit. “Maybe he’d resigned himself to his fate.”

I mulled it over, trying to make it fit. I guess that made sense. After all, what else could it mean?

Daniel leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Look, it was a success. You did good, Grayson. Police don’t suspect anything, and the CIA is happy. Take it as a win.”

I nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. A win. That’s what this was, right?

Daniel stood up, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t dwell on it too much. Sometimes, things just don’t make sense. The important thing is, the job’s done.”

I took a deep breath, pushing the nagging doubts aside.

He gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before heading for the door.

“Get some rest, Grayson. You’ve earned it.”

As the door closed behind him, I leaned back in my chair, trying to let go of the questions swirling in my mind.

It was a win, I told myself. That’s all that mattered.

20

IVY

“You killed him,” I choked out, each word tearing at my throat. My vision blurred with hot tears, the hotel room closing in around us from his betrayal.

Grayson swallowed hard, his breaths ragged and uneven. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he remained silent, each passing second driving the knife of betrayal deeper into my heart.

“Please, tell me it isn’t true.” My voice came out as a desperate whisper. I searched Grayson’s face, clinging to the fading hope that this was all some terrible misunderstanding, a nightmare I could wake up from. Anything but the devastating reality threatening to shatter me.

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