Page 97 of Bravo

KENNEDY

Not a word has been spoken to me since that phone call.

When I’d arrived at the car that was waiting for me, someone got out, patted me down, took the thumb drive, then shoved me into the back seat. All without a single word.

Hands tied behind my back, I’m in another car now after riding in a private plane for four hours on our way to California—something I only know because of the billboards I saw when we drove from the airport into Alexander Brown’s massive house.

Even with as good of friends as we were, Olivia never brought me here. I wonder now if she was always trying to protect me because she knew what kind of sinister life was led behind these stone walls.

My body aches from being tied to a chair in what appears to be a study. Leather-bound books line the walls around me, and a massive mahogany desk takes up most of the room. The décor is impersonal, just empty photographs and random items, including an old globe and what appears to be a few rusted chain links. The fireplace has no fire in it, and curtains have been drawn over the windows.

I’m completely shut off from the outside world.

My thoughts drift to Bradyn. Has he found the note? Was anyone hurt in that explosion? So many questions that I’m going to die without having answers to. Fear tries to claw its way to the surface, but I beat it back down. I made my peace with dying a long time ago. I always knew this was how it was going to end.

At least, I tried.

The door opens behind me, but I remain staring straight ahead.

Alexander Brown comes into view and leans back against the desk. “Well, well, well, Kennedy, we meet face-to-face. Again.”

I don’t speak.

“You know, I thought we had a deal. You come here. Bring the thumb drive. And I won’t kill your boyfriend and his whole family.”

“And I followed through,” I snap. “I’m here, aren’t I? You have your precious thumb drive.”

“But do I?” he asks, moving to sit behind the desk. As he does, he sets the thumb drive down on top of the desk.

“It’s literally right there.”

“We both know that’s not the right drive.”

I gape at him, that fear coming through again, though this time, it sneaks past my quiet resolve. If that’s not the drive, and he thinks I have it, then this was all for nothing.

He’s going to go after the ranch anyway because he’ll think it’s there.

“That’s the one Olivia gave me.”

He lifts the drive. “This is not the drive she stole from me.” His cheeks redden. He reaches into his pocket and withdraws a drive that looks exactly like mine. “This is the key that unlocks it. One is completely useless without the other, yet this one”—he points to the one I brought—“is useless regardless.”

The key.

It’s right there.

Renewed purpose fills me. If I can get the key and somehow get out, then I can finish this once and for all. But how?

“I despise having my time wasted, Kennedy, and right now, you’re proving to be one massive waste.”

“I’m telling you, Olivia handed me that drive. It’s been around my neck ever since she gave it to me—” Until we got back to the ranch and Tucker took it to download a copy of the data.

He’d had it for a few hours.

What if?—

“You seem to be elsewhere now. Remembering something?”

“Just thinking back through my steps over the last two years. Things are a bit hazy, given the whole running for my life.”

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