She’d been a fighter. Quinlan stared down at Beth’s still body as he stripped off his clothes. She hadn’t gone down easy. Beth had fought for every breath.
Not that he’d given her much time to fight.
Naked, he stalked toward Frank’s hidden safe. Still hidden—he’d made sure not to reveal its location as he trashed the room. The safe would make the perfect hiding place for his bloody clothes. No one would get inside for a while. His father had made sure to get a crack-proof safe.
But his father had made the mistake of giving Beth the combination.
Quinlan spun the dial easily and heard the soft snick as the lock opened.
And Beth gave it to me.
He shoved his clothes inside. He’d come back for them later, and he’d burn them. For now, he had to get clean, fast, before the cops showed up.
Thanks to Beth, Quinlan knew they’d be coming. The cops and the dicks from the FBI.
He stepped over Beth’s body. She’d f**ked things for him, but he could still finish his plan. Would finish. Nothing, no one, would stop him.
If anyone tried, they’d die.
“Do you think she was part of it all along?” Max wanted to know. “Was she part of this whole sick plan to kidnap them? To take Quinlan?”
Sam wet her lips. The seatbelt bit into her shoulder, rubbing against the same bruised spot that had crashed into the pavement. “Too early to say.”
God, I nearly lost him. She hadn’t been able to move fast enough. Hadn’t been able to get to him. As soon as she’d found out about Jacobson, she’d been terrified for Max. Then she’d heard that peal of sound. Just a cell phone, just a ring…
But Ramirez had told her about his time in the Middle East: how so many bombs were linked to cell phones. One call and the world exploded, thanks to an electronic trigger.
If Sam hadn’t heard that stupid little sound…
I would have lost Max. She’d never forget the sight of him, his eyes intense as he stared at her and fire exploded behind him.
Sam swallowed. Before, she’d feared for her own life. Feared death would come for her—and then that it wouldn’t. But tonight, she’d feared for Max.
Just when she thought that she might be getting a handle on this case, the game changed. Scott Jacobson. Dead? Christ. The guy had come back because he thought that it was safe. He’d been coming to talk to them.
It seemed to take forever to reach the house. Traffic blocked them, and they had to take a detour away from the snarled roads. Then, finally, they reached Malone’s place with brakes squealing and sirens shrieking. And there was Quinlan, standing outside of the house. He was already surrounded by the other agents that Hyde had sent earlier, as well as the team from the bomb squad.
“Quinlan!” Max jumped out of the SUV even before it had fully stopped. He thundered toward his brother. “Dammit, man, where have you been?”
Quinlan blinked and shook his head. Sam hurried toward them even as Hyde barked orders to his men.
“I-I had to clear my head.” Quinlan slammed his car door shut behind him. “After the station…” His gaze swept to Sam. “They thought it was me, Max. Me. I just had to—to get away, you know?”
Max pulled his brother close in a hard hug. “We got trouble, okay? When you saw me call, you should have answered the damn phone.” He stepped back, glaring. “After all that’s happened, you should have—”
“My phone’s dead.” Quinlan shifted from his right foot to his left. “With everything going on, shit, I just forgot to charge it. I saw the shrink this morning. He’s putting me on more meds—”
“Mr. Malone.” Hyde’s voice cut through the ramble of Quinlan’s words. “Have you seen Elizabeth Dunlap today?”
“Beth?” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Uh, not since this morning, before I-I went in to your office.”
But the BMW was there, sitting in the drive.
“Have you been inside yet?” Sam asked him as she pulled out her gun. Hyde already had his weapon ready in his hand.
Quinlan shook his head.
“We’re going in the house to search for her.” Hyde was telling Quinlan to stand back.
“I’m coming with you,” Max said immediately.
“Son, this isn’t—”
“Right now, that house is mine.”
Quinlan’s gaze flickered to Max. Sam saw the slight tightening of his eyes.
“Maybe so, but we’ve got just cause, and you’re both staying out here.” Hyde inclined his head toward Max. “We all know what happened the last time a civilian went running into a crime scene.”
Quinlan stepped back. “A… crime scene?”
Max held Hyde’s stare. She could see the fierce anger in his blue gaze.
But Hyde wasn’t backing down. This was his scene. And after a moment, her boss spun away, shouting out orders as the agents lined up.
Sam turned to follow him. Max snagged her wrist. “Watch your back, baby.” A gruff order.
She forced a smile to her lips. “These days, I always do.” She wanted to kiss him right then because fear rode her, too. Fear and rage, and she needed to taste him. They were alive. Nothing was going to come between them. Not now.
But Quinlan was there and watching so closely. And Hyde waited. So she walked away.
When the team went in, she was ready. Her fingers curled tight around the butt of the gun. She kept her weapon up, and her gaze roved the house.
First floor—clear.
She crept up the stairs, keeping her back to the wall. Hyde was in front of her. Their steps moved in almost perfect sync. He called out for Beth.
No response. But then, had they really expected one?
The team made a fast trek down the hallway. Sam pointed to Beth’s room. She’d go in first this time. One, two, three. The door flew open with the force of her kick.
Empty.
The agents spanned out. Searched the rooms. No one appeared to be in the house. Where was everybody? Wasn’t Quinlan supposed to have guards?
Too quiet.
The door to Frank’s room was closed. Sam stared down at the thick carpet around the door, and her nostrils flared. That scent… oh, dammit, she knew that smell.
“Hyde.” Just a whisper, but his head immediately turned toward her. He took two fast steps her way, then she saw his nostrils widen. His jaw clenched. Yes, he’d caught that telltale odor too.
Hyde raised his hand, signaling her. He’d go in first.
She’d cover him. Her heart slammed into her ribs. One. Two. Three.