Part 16 (1/2)
Jack had killed this sweet, wonderful girl. Chase looked at the useless gun in her hand. She wanted to scream out her fury and attack Jack, but Jack would shoot without hesitation. Not because Jack wouldn't recognize her, but because the look in her eyes was that of a cold killer. The Jack she knew was gone.
”Get down. I have him,” Jack said to someone Chase couldn't see, before she took down one of the feds and, a moment later, one of the Italians.
Chase remained hidden and didn't make a sound.
After another minute, the arms dealer himself crawled out from behind some cover and joined Jack. ”Kill Stellari,” he told her.
”That's what you paid me for, that's what I'll do.”
”When did you get here?” the Russian asked, wiping the sweat from his face.
”I was here before you,” Jack said.
”That's why they call you Silent Death.”
”Yeah,” Jack replied, and fired. The dom crumpled to the floor.
The feds kept shooting in all directions except theirs.
”I pay you anything you want if you get me out of here,” the arms dealer said.
”What's it worth to you? My fee was for Stellari, not for saving your a.s.s.”
”Double.”
”Follow me,” Jack replied. She led him safely away, through the door Chase had been headed toward with Regina.
* 129 *
To this day, Chase still couldn't answer why she hadn't told the EOO about Jack.
The experience had changed her. Since then, Chase had avoided any kind of intimacy, especially with women who mattered. Losing Regina had cost her too much, and as long as she lived a life of such uncertainty it was painful and pointless to drag anyone else into it. Just like Landor, she'd stick to easy and uncomplicated if she couldn't have the one she wanted. Only in this case, the woman she wanted was dead.
”You still in there?” Jack's voice startled her out of her reverie.
Chase fought an overwhelming urge to say something cruel.
She wanted to confront Jack with who she was and what she knew, but that would make an already unpleasant working situation impossible. Maybe she'd let it all out once this job was done. Maybe she'd finally let Jack have what was coming to her. Maybe. ”I heard you the first time,” she finally replied.
”Time's wasting. Christ, what's wrong with you? Remember Ca.s.s?”
”I'm calling already,” Chase said. ”Just shut up.”
”About d.a.m.n time.”
Chase reluctantly pushed Dial on her phone. She watched Heather on the monitor as she reached for her cell.
”h.e.l.lo?”
”Hi, Heather. This is Brett, from the Cave.” Heather smiled. ”Of course. I remember who you are.”
”Are you busy? Is this a bad time?”
”No, not at all.”
”Excellent. I was wondering if you had time to meet with me tonight?”
”For a signed copy?” Heather asked.
”Right. I was in Manhattan anyway, so-”
”I'd love...I mean, sure. My brother hasn't stopped talking about you ever since I told him.”
”I'm flattered. So when is convenient for you?”
”Can you give me an hour? How about you pick me up?” Heather asked.
* 130 *
Chase checked her watch. ”Of course. Just tell me where.” Heather gave Chase the address they were sitting in front of.
”I'll be there at seven,” Chase said.
”Great. See you in a little.”
”I look forward to it.” As Chase hung up, she watched Heather head into her bedroom. She pulled several ensembles from the closet, a mix of casual and dressy, and laid them on the bed, pursing her lips while she considered which to wear.
”Now, was that so hard?” Jack asked.
Chase turned to face her as the urge to physically hurt Jack returned. ”Don't push it, Harding.”
They were interrupted by Heather's voice on the audio feed from her landline. She'd picked up the phone beside the bed. ”Hey, it's me. Guess who called?”
”Landor?”
”Brett, you idiot.” Heather laughed.
”Do you have a date?”
”We're getting together for the signed copy.”
”Yes!” Adam shouted through the phone.
”Okay, gotta run. Need to get dressed.”
”Wear something nice,” he said.