Page 12 of Shadow Operative

She opened the camera on her phone and zoomed in as much as she could before snapping a picture.

Then she studied it. His face was shadowed.

But the tattoo on his bicep wasn’t.

It was large and angular, almost like a saw blade.

Had the killer come back? Maybe he’d left her there passed out. Had left to do something, to wait until she awoke.

Then he planned on torturing her to get information before he killed her.

Had he come to finish her off, but Nia had left before he could?

She didn’t know. All she knew was that she needed to get out of here.

Before she stepped away, her phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen, and a chill swept over her.

It showed a picture of Nia lying with knife in hand beside Rob’s dead body.

As Gage ran the woman’s photo with a recognition program, he forced himself to ignore his friend lying dead behind him.

He couldn’t bring Rob back to life, Gage reminded himself. All he could do was find his friend’s killer and make sure justice was served.

It didn’t take long for him to find a match.

Nia Anderson.

Thirty-two years old. Owner of The Anderson Group, a technology brokerage firm.

Impressive.

Her photo showed she was a beautiful woman, probably of Latino heritage, with dark, curly hair that fell well below her shoulders. She wore a soft-white turtleneck, hoop earrings, and subdued makeup.

Her smile appeared gentle and kind.

This womanwas a killer?

It almost seemed doubtful. Yet she was the CEO of a successful company.

Maybe she was the type who’d do anything to get ahead. He’d met people like that before. People who thought only about themselves.

What was her connection with Rob? Was Rob trying to sign a deal with this woman?

What if she’d stolen one of his inventions to claim for her own? The tech business could be brutal—especially when it came to new discoveries that could make millions.

Gage didn’t know what was happening.

Buthe would find out.

He glanced at his friend’s body, and his gut clenched. “I’m sorry, Rob. I’m going to make this right. I promise you that.”

Then, just as the sun began to peek over the horizon and light the sky, he gathered his things and stepped from the apartment. He’d stash his bag in his rental car.

Then he’d find this Nia Anderson woman and get some answers.

chapter

---