Page 50 of Devastated

His voice comes from the cab. “At least two shots fired. Four civilians taking cover behind my delivery van.” He rattles off the name of his company and Mother’s address.

A second of relief pounds back the terror. He’s calling for help. He’s not leaving us with no cover fifty feet from the house. I can’t outrun a bullet. I can’t dance around one. All I can do is hide. Cannon and the driver have been through this before.

But I hug Mom harder.

Time ticks by. The shooter isn’t making another move. Are they still around?

My breathing is as ragged as Mother’s. The driver climbs out, and he and Cannon each watch around one end of the vehicle.

It’s not until we hear sirens that Cannon moves. He squats in front of us. “I don’t know if he’s gone. As the police clear the property, we’ll go inside. I don’t want you moving from the cover of the van.”

Mother and I nod. Her fingers are embedded in my skin, and I have at least half my body weight draped around her.

“I’m scared,” I whisper.

His harsh demeanor softens. “I know.” He glances at Mother. “Can you open the gate for the cops?”

Her hands are shaking, but she gets her phone from her pocket and hits the command.

I can’t take my eyes off Cannon as the house becomes surrounded by patrol cars. He’s my calm. The rest of the evening is like a stalker victim’s Groundhog Day that I’m getting far too familiar with.

* * *

Cannon

I don’t waste time.Once the police are gone and Brittany and Penelope are huddled together on the couch in Brittany’s den, I head outside and make a call.

Roman answers with a curt, “What?”

“Good job, asshole. You don’t want to pay my rate? Fine. Try to fucking find her after I get her into a safe house. She’s going to be buried so deep that you’ll have to turn California inside out before you fucking realize that you can shove every tree, every mountain, and every rock up your ass.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Roman’s trying to be smooth, but the tension in his voice is unmistakable.

I wish I could smack him with the phone. “A burner phone and a voice app aren’t going to fool me, fucker. I’ve been doing this longer than you, and I’m better. Let me know when you’re ready to get what you pay for.”

I hang up. I wait for a moment, staring at my screen. Just like I anticipated, Roman calls back. He’s rattled. He might not have known that his people failed—again—but he knows now. And he probably doesn’t think I can get Penelope to a safe house. I could have her at one in three fucking hours, but I need this to play out how I planned. I need Roman to hire me.

I let the phone ring. My smile is grim as I watch Roman’s number disappear. He could be calling to yell and demand to know who the hell I am, but I just proved I’m not an idiot. Roman’s a smart man, but he’s growing desperate.

I have to fucking know why. Desperate men are unpredictable, and I’m guessing the best I can.

When he doesn’t try a second time, I pocket my phone and go inside.

Penelope’s face is wan. “No news?”

I shake my head. She thought I was outside talking to the police. Never in a million years would she suspect I was on the phone with her husband.

Brittany sucks in a steadying breath. “What now?”

“I’m arranging a safe house for me and Penelope.” I already have a safe house. Roman will never find it. He’ll have no choice but to deposit four million dollars into my account. And when he does, I’ll at least know he’s not worried about money. That he’s got a way to hide an eight-million-dollar expenditure to have his wife killed. I address my next question to Brittany. “Do you have somewhere you can stay for a while?”

Penelope presses her fingers against her lips. “You think she’s going to be targeted?”

“No. But it’s best to find another place to stay, just in case, and she’s safer away from you.”

Her expression falls and her eyes mist. Brittany wraps her in a hug. Dammit. I wasn’t thinking about her feelings, and I shouldn’t let it bother me.

“I’m sorry,” I say more gently. “But they won’t care about your mother if she’s not around you.”

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