Page 98 of Shadow Operative

“I didn’t do anything.” Cormac shook his head with such small motions that his skin almost seemed to vibrate. “I’m afraid nobody’s going to believe me. I know the police are looking for me. I saw it on the news. My face is plastered everywhere, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t kill Rob or shoot that guy in the club. I promise!”

“Can we come in?” Nia nodded to the door. “You can tell us your story. Maybe we can help.”

Gage stared at Cormac, curious how the man would react.

After a moment of thought, Cormac lowered his gun. “I guess it would be all right. Come in.”

Gage and Nia rushed through the door and into the house before the man could change his mind.

Nia sat on the edge of the couch, anxious to hear what Cormac had to say. Based on his jerky motions, tempestuous gaze, and shallow breathing, he was frightened. Really frightened.

“The police think I shot that man at the club.” Cormac paced, but at least he’d put his gun down.

But Nia knew Gage still didn’t trust him. Probably rightfully so. She wasn’t 100 percent sure she trusted Cormac either.

“You were at the club that night.” Gage leveled his gaze with Cormac. “We saw you.”

“I got a text saying I should go there and meet someone. I’ve been getting these texts, and the sender is threatening to go to the police and tell them I killed Rob.” Sweat beaded on Cormac’s forehead.

Nia’s heart beat harder. “What?”

“I even got a text the night Rob died, saying I needed to go to his apartment. I knocked, but he didn’t answer. I used the code he’d given me to open the door. But when I walked in . . .” His voice cracked, and he rubbed histhroat. Then he dragged his gaze up to meet Nia’s. “I saw you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” she assured him. “I promise you I didn’t.”

“I didn’t think you would. Besides, I knew you couldn’t text me. You were unconscious on the floor. I knew something was up. So as soon as I saw the scene, I ran. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“So you went to Avenue 12 last night, but you didn’t find the person who told you to meet them there, correct?” Gage directed the conversation back to the original purpose.

“That’s right. Then I started to leave, but I heard the gunfire. I ran, just like everyone else. I was afraid I’d get shot. Then I heard the police thought I was guilty. I knew I couldn’t stick around town.”

Nia leaned forward, her elbows resting on her legs. “Whoever is threatening you is also threatening me. I think both of us are being set up and used as pawns.”

Cormac froze from his pacing. “What? Really?”

She nodded. “We have to figure out who’s behind this, and I’m hoping that you might have some answers for us.”

“That’s all I have been thinking about. How I want answers.”

“Have you thought of anything?” Gage asked.

He ran a hand over his face. “No, entire sections of my memory seem to be wiped . . . It’s hard to explain.”

The blood drained from Nia’s face, and her pulse quickened. “I know exactly what you’re talking about.”

chapter

forty-seven

Gage listenedto the conversation with interest.

Whatever had happened to Nia had happened to Cormac as well . . .

He hoped that with more questions and digging they’d be able to find some type of commonality to give them answers. Something very strange was going on here.

“We’re trying to put together the timeline of what happened to Rob before he died,” Gage told Cormac. “We understand you were there with Rob when he had a change of heart about this deal he’d made with The Anderson Group. Could you tell us about that?”

Cormac shook his head then ran a hand through his red hair, leaving the coarse strands standing on end. “I wish I could. I knew Rob had a meeting with The Anderson Group. He asked me to meet him afterward at his place because he wanted to work out a few kinks in the program. I was waiting for him when he got back to his apartment after his meeting with you. He seemedupset but didn’t explain why. We fiddled with the program for a few minutes. After that, everything is blank.”

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