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Valgasped.
“Rex was the senator’s driver that day, wasn’t he?” I asked. “He didn’t have a beard then.” It had finally clicked where I had seen him. “He told you I was secure in that Bentley and wouldn’t get killed in that rollover, but you didn’t care aboutAmelia.”
“Orlov couldn’t get to you, so he asked my boss for some help. We needed you alive and it was the perfect setup to alienate you fromthem.”
“You fucking bastard!” Grant’s sister leapt up from the cot, but Rex turned the rifle ather.
“Wow! And then you marched me out to the slaughter,” Iderided.
“You’re a survivor though. You’ve ruined my chances for greaterthings.”
I sat up straight and cracked my neck from side-to-side. “What do youmean?”
“Blaire, do you think I wasted years going to law school, years building my reputation as a political advisor, just to be a thief? No. The plan was to infiltrate the administration of the next president. Then you proved to be too difficult to abduct because your damned boyfriend was too paranoid. There was a change of strategy. It wasn’t my preference, but my backer was making it worth mywhile.”
“You work for the Russians? Are you a spy for theKremlin?”
Andy burst out laughing. “No, I don’t work for theKremlin.”
He did not deny working for theRussians.
A large clanging gate slid open somewhere and a rush of footsteps echoed through the warehouse. Two men appeared, both armed withcarbines.
“One of the carriers is down,” one of them said. “It’s beinghacked.”
“Bywhom?”
“We’re not sure, chief. But the location markers are down to seventeen. What do you want todo?”
“If we try to move out of the tracker’s range, they’ll locate us before we reach a safe house. BloodTrak is using satellites, so there’s no guarantee they won’t find us.” Andy glanced at Valerie. “We’ll send a message. What do you think, sweetheart? Shall we see who’s more important? Will your daddy stop me from chopping off your finger? Or maybe we should go straight for thejugular?”
Val’s eyes widened in terror and I wanted to kick Andy’sass.
“You wouldn’t,” Val said, her chin trembled but she tilted it up indefiance.
Andy smirked, before he turned to Eric. “Get the webcam up and make sure our IP redirectors areactivated.”
“Andy, don’t do this,” I appealed to my former friend. “I’ll get this donefaster.”
“You’re not even halfway done, Blaire,” Andy told me. “I’m buying you more time, sweetie.” His smile was maniacal as he considered Val. “I’ll do this side-show in anotherarea.”
“No!” Ishouted.
“Rex.” Andy tilted his head in my direction and his guard pointed his carbine at me. He then grabbed Val’s arm, but she yanked out of his hold and refused to budge. It took three men to pull her past a section of stackedcrates.
“Get to work,” Rexordered.
“You can tell Andy I’m not goingto—”
Rex swung the butt of his rifle toward me and smacked me at the tip of my chin. Pain erupted on the whole side of my face as my eyes watered. Refusing to let him see my tears, I turned back to the paintings and grabbed the cutter andsolvent.
I tried to block out Val’s cries and struggles on the other side of the rows of boxes, but Icouldn’t.
“Shut up!” I heard Eric shout. His outburst was followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Val suddenly stoppedcrying.
“That was harsh, Eric, but thanks,” Andy said. “She was getting on my last nerve and I would have shother.”
Asshole.
