Page 93 of Poison Evidence

Ian and Luke had probably let her escape down the dock, hoping she’d lead them to Dimitri.

Every person here had claimed to be protecting her at one point or another. And every person here—Rudy, Luke, Ian, and Dimitri—had manipulated and lied to her at some point.

Everyone here had used her.

But only one of them had attacked Ulai.

She fixed the gun on Dimitri. “Let him go,” she said to Rudy. “My aim isn’t great, and I might shoot you.”

“You can’t—” Rudy said.

“Oh, but I can. I can save the expense of a trial, and no jury would convict me. He abducted me. He used me. He killed Ulai. I can take him out right now and no one will hold me accountable. So move the fuck away, Rudy, or risk getting shot.” She fixed the gun on him. “I could take you out too and call it an accident. Don’t think I’m not tempted after you set me up for this.”

Rudy’s eyes widened, but he released Dimitri and stepped to the side, his gun still pointed at the Russian assassin.

She took a step toward Dimitri, and he stepped back, closer to the edge of the well that housed the floatplane.

She shifted her stance, facing Dimitri head-on, with Rudy in her peripheral vision. “I had a chance to do this once before, but like a fool, I didn’t. I’m not a fool anymore.”

“You’ll never find the AUUV if you do this,” Dimitri said. “I hid it again.”

“I don’t give a damn about the AUUV. I never have. I came here to map Peleliu.”

“Yeah, but he”—Dimitri nodded toward Rudy—“wants it badly enough to kill Ulai.”

“I’m so done with your lies,” Ivy said aloud, then mouthed,I love you,and pulled the trigger.

Chapter Thirty-Four

The report of the bullet sent fear jolting through Luke’s system. He paused at the side of the building. Ian’s job was to make noise by the door on the dockside of the hangar, while Luke circled around, heading to the large bay door that opened onto the water.

Behind him, he heard a shout from Ivy, while in front of him, a man swam under the hangar wall. Luke dove into the water, cutting off Dimitri’s escape.

Dimitri fought against his hold, but froze when his gaze met Luke’s underwater. All at once, he flung his arms out. No fight. Absolute surrender.

Blood swirled in the water between them as Luke weighed what he knew and what he believed about Dimitri Veselov.

He gripped Dimitri’s shirt and kicked off the sandy seafloor, lifting them both to the surface.

He didn’t know what he was going to ask until the words came out of his mouth. “Why am I here, Dimitri? Why did you send me the card?”

“To protect Ivy. The DIA is here—with her in the hangar. Ulai is dead or dying. The DIA’s involved somehow. But you’ll need proof. Ivy faked shooting me so I could escape.”

Luke dropped his gaze to the water that had taken a purplish hue. “From the blood, I’m guessing she shot you for real.”

He glanced down. “Her aim was off, she didn’t mean to hit me. Bullet grazed my hip.”

“Can you swim?”

“Yeah.”

“Swim to our boat. You know which one?”

Dimitri gave a sharp nod.

“Hide in the cabin. We’ll get help for Ulai and deal with the DIA. Hurry. Before the sharks smell the blood.”

In a flash, Dimitri was gone and Luke had to ask himself if he was the biggest dumbshit on the planet.

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