Page 87 of Shadow Operative

One was already too many.

“Let’s walk around the house and see what else we can find,” Gage said.

She followed him, and they peered in each window. However, they saw nothing of help.

When they reached the back side of the house, Nia pointed to a small pier jutting into the river. “Gage . . . it looks like there was a boat here.”

“How can you tell?”

“Look at the way the ropes are thrown over the pilings—and they’re still wet. I bet a boat was docked here, and someone took it out . . . recently.”

They walked closer to the water and spotted several boats on the river. Nia halfway feared Gage would suggest stealing one, just like he’d “borrowed” that caryesterday. But they had no way of reaching any of them without having a boat themselves.

“Maybe Cormac likes to go fishing when he’s stressed,” Nia said. “Maybe he’s out there somewhere.”

Gage nodded as he stared with a locked jaw at the sparkling river. “You’re probably right.”

Nia glanced up at him. “Do we wait for Cormac to come back?”

“Who knows how long that’s going to take.” Gage frowned. “I say we come back later. In the meantime, we have more investigating to do.”

Before they could step back, the reeds rustled.

At just that moment, an alligator scurried from the water, stopping mere feet in front of them.

Nia froze as she stared at the beast, wondering what it would do next.

chapter

forty-one

Gage watchedthe gator and put his arm out, blocking Nia from getting any closer. He had his gun, but he didn’t want to shoot the creature—not unless he absolutely had no other choice.

“Slowly back away,” he murmured. “No sudden moves. We should be fine.”

The gator continued to eye them.

Gage wasn’t an alligator expert, but he knew they were fast runners. They couldn’t sustain the speed for long—but in this case, it would be long enough.

The beast let out a low sound, almost like a growl.

Then it took another lurching step toward them.

Nia gasped beside him.

“On the count of three, run,” Gage murmured. “One, two, three!”

They darted away from the creature.

Gage looked back. Saw it was following.

It kept following them across the yard.

They reached the garage, and Gage saw some cement blocks stacked there. “This way!”

He scrambled up them, pulling Nia behind him.

The gator paused, started to climb up after them.

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