Page 23 of Burning Justice

Maria found the restroom. She kept going down the hall, snuck into an empty office. Raine’s grandfather’s office. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.”

“What?”

She glanced at the door, moving to the computer on the desk. “Raine didn’t mention her grandfather or his birthday. She said she could get me somewhere I’d be able to get intel on the canister. Did she lie, or has she known more than she said this entire time?”

“Either way, it doesn’t look good for her,” Kane said. “Saxon is transcribing their conversation. It’s just small talk so far.”

“Do we know who he is, this guy Robert Howards?”

“I sent the information to Jamie, but who knows when she’ll be able to look him up? Rio sent me a text. Logan was transported to the hospital. They might keep him overnight for tests.”

Maria winced and crouched, finding the ports for the computer. She pulled the lipstick from her purse, unscrewed the bottom, and inserted the flash drive into the USB slot. It would immediately start copying every file on the hard drive. “I hope he’s okay.”

“Whether he is or not, he’ll have all of us there to help him. And his family from Last Chance County. They’ll show up, I know they will.”

Right. Because that’s where he’d grown up. “Guess you know them all.”

She looked around the office for a file cabinet or a safe. There wasn’t much she could do if the lock was high tech, as she didn’t have all her equipment.

Hopefully, copying the hard drive would get them information.

“I’ve been gone a long time,” he said. “I doubt most of them even remember me now.”

She doubted that. As if Kane Foster was all that forgettable. Or was it more about them currently believing he was dead?

Once in a while, she entertained the fleeting dream that he might take her home with him and introduce her to his family, as if he was proud to have her with him. As if she was worth trusting.

Worth loving.

But the dream never lasted long. Reality always intruded sooner or later, and she realized it was impossible. He’d have let her in by now if he was going to.

The door handle turned.

“Someone’s coming.” She crouched and ducked under the desk as the door opened all the way.

“Empty. Like I said.”

“Good,” a second person responded. “Because the helicopter with Elias will be here in five minutes, and I don’t want anything upsetting him.”

Everything inside Maria solidified like she’d been doused with ice water.

She squeezed her eyes shut and saw him in her mind.

Her nightmare. The man who’d shown up when she was captive in Syria was here. Elias Redding.

The man who had betrayed them all.

“What is it, Sanchez?” She’d gone silent. Kane bounced his knee in the truck, determined not to get out and run into that house. The woman was going to drive him crazy not letting him know what was going on. “What’s happening?”

She’d better not be in danger.

More likely she just couldn’t tell him and he’d have to wait. Be patient. Lord, teach me quick. Eventually she’d be able to talk out loud.

He should text her.

Kane leaned back so he could drag the phone from his jeans pocket, ready to send her a message.

“They’re gone,” she whispered.

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