Page 60 of Burning Justice

“I don’t think so.” She started to turn away. As if he wasn’t high enough in the bad-guy food chain for her to even consider talking to him.

He grabbed her elbow. “Thought you were here to make a deal.”

“I was here to meet Elias Redding,” she said quietly. “And in a second, I’m gonna be gone and disappointed.”

“You think he’d meet you in a place like this?”

She eyed him. “I’m not going anywhere with the guy they hung out to dry. The guy about to get arrested by the cops.”

His eyes flared.

“Yeah. Surprise. This place is crawling with cops waiting to arrest Elias. Guess they have to settle for the guy Elias threw to the wolves.” She moved her arm from his grasp and set it on the edge of the bar, leaning in a little. “So talk fast. Elias told you to come here? The cops aren’t going to settle for anything but you telling them everything you know. They don’t give deals out when it’s national security. Unless you know where that canister is, where to find Doctor Cortez, and where Elias is right now.”

She could sense movement in the room, a shift in the air like growing tension around her, and knew she didn’t have much time.

“Where is the canister?”

“Doesn’t matter. You’ll never find it.” His expression shifted, and he looked all smug. “Elias will get that code one way or another.”

She said, “I guess he should’ve come here himself and asked for it.”

“They ain’t gonna find him. He’s too smart to show his face. Guess you should’ve known that when you asked for a meet.”

A niggle of instinct settled itself in her mind. Some of her training, refusing to let her walk away from this guy without working out what was bothering her.

“He sent you. Guess you’re a loose end.”

Skin around his eyes contracted. He didn’t like that. “I’m your warning. You can’t stop him.”

“Message received.” Maria straightened, grabbed her glass from the bar, and finished her drink. She told the bartender, “The FBI will pay my tab. And probably pay for the damage that’s about to?—”

Rio strode up to them. “FBI. Wilson Cartwright, you’re under arrest.” He looked at Maria. “What damage?”

The front door of the saloon flung open, and Crew rushed in. “Everyone get down!”

Automatic gunfire exploded outside.

The windows beside the door shattered, blowing glass inside. Rio dragged the militia guy to the floor.

Maria grabbed the counter and clambered over the bar one-handed, landing on the far side, where she grabbed the bartender’s arm. “Get low!”

She clapped her hand over one ear and listened to the steady rat-tat of bullets eating into the front of the saloon.

Lord, don’t let anyone get hurt.

Lord, don’t let anyone get hurt. Kane was trying to give it to God, to let go of control. Do what You need to do to get her attention.

The plane leveled off, shuddering as it caught an air current.

“Should’ve let me fly.”

Kane glanced over at Saxon. “You’ve thought about being a pilot for real, right?”

Saxon shook his head. “I don’t wanna be told what to do. And I definitely don’t wanna file a flight plan. It’s no one’s business where I’m going.”

Kane chuckled.

“Got your landing in sight?” Jade stuck her head between their shoulders and looked out. Streamers floated down in the wind.

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