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Hmmm… I scrubbed my jaw, contemplating how best to handle her. “Can you provide me with an idea of what this is about?”

“I really can’t do that other than to say it’s vital.”

Vital. An interesting choice of word to use. She could very easily be leading me into a trap. At this point, I certainly wouldn’t rule out anything. “Why don’t you come to me and we’ll talk.”

“I can’t do that. You need to come to me.”

Yes, my curiosity was piqued more than it should be. “Where?”

“I’ll text you the address.”

I resisted laughing. Either she was a fool and didn’t know who she was dealing with or she had a death wish. Which I would be happy to give her.

I would be breaking my tradition of not hurting women, but at this point, anyone involved in the tragedy was on the table. Anyone. And if a family member had been a part, they would wish they were dead.

“When?” I asked while listening for any signs that she was working with someone else.

“As soon as you can. There’s one more thing. Come alone. You can’t trust anyone.”

Alone. I heard more of a tremor of fear in her voice. As far as trust, she was delusional if she believed I could trust her. If this was another cat and mouse game, I’d make good on my earlier promise.

“I’ll see what I can do.” I ended the call, waiting until I received the text from her to decide on how to handle it. From what I could tell, she’d either given me her home address or a location where an ambush would occur.

I watched Shadow for a few minutes as he romped in the sand while debating. Then I dialed Diana.

“You’re a slavedriver,” she said in answering. “I’m working as fast as I can and have my entire team on the project you requested.”

“I’ve come to accept the title, Diana. I need something else, a tapping of information that should be child’s play for you to handle.”

She snorted in response. “Go ahead.”

“I need to find out who owns an address. I’ll also send you the phone number. I want to ensure its legitimate and who it’s attached to as well as see if you can find out any incoming and outgoing calls in the week.”

“That’s quick and easy?”

I whistled for Shadow. “For you, yes. I’ll need the information by the time I’ve finished showering.”

Shadow came bounding up the stairs, his paws covered in sand.

“What’s the urgency?”

“I have a trip to take, some hunting to do.”

“Maybe soon you’ll allow me to come hunting with you. You seem to forget who I was in my former life?”

A tough Marine followed by working for the CIA as an operative, including in Russia. “How fun would it be to let you out of your cage?”

“More bodies would drop.”

I laughed as I led Shadow back inside. “I’ll consider it. Find out everything you can.”

“Will do.”

* * *

I’d been in enough dangerous missions in my life to know that following my instinct was imperative during violent operations and battles. Whether I was involved in actual warfare or in contract negotiations, trust was earned and I could weed out a rat as easily as I could someone unworthy of my time.

Should I be worried I’d been mentally compromised by grief? Only days earlier I would have admitted so, but I was thinking very clearly, enough to remain inside my vehicle on a side street. I was able to see anyone coming and going or even if someone walked outside.