The Sixth Man (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 5)

“I never even want to get in a car again.”

“We can’t go back to the inn.”

“I know. That’s why I’m calling Kelly Paul right now.”

“What if they can trace your phone?”

“I swapped out the SIM card for another one I got while we were in New York. I texted her with the new info.”

“How’d you leave it with Bunting?”

“He said he’d think about it. I left him my new contact info too.”

“Think we’ll hear from him?”

“I hope to God we do.”

“And what about the guys in the park? They were definitely set on killing us. If Bunting was involved with them?”

“I looked the guy in the eye, Michelle. He’s scared. And not just for himself. He’s terrified for his family. My gut tells me he had nothing to do with the attack against us.”

“You think he might be dead?”

“What do you mean?”

“They obviously knew you two met. They might have taken it out on him.”

“I don’t know. If he is dead we’ll know soon enough.”

They reached Machias by one thirty. After receiving Sean’s call, Kelly Paul had arranged another place for them to stay. She’d moved their things there and given them directions to it.

When they pulled up in front of the rustic cottage that was set near an isolated stretch of coast about five miles from Martha’s Inn, Kelly Paul came outside to greet them.

“Thanks for the help down south,” said Michelle, as she stretched and did a couple of deep knee bends to work the road kinks out.

“I never send people on a mission without backup. It’s an essential part of the equation.”

Sean said, “Well, it would have been nice to know about it. I almost shot one of your guys.”

“I tend to keep things close to the vest. Maybe too close,” she admitted.

“But you did save our lives.”

“After risking them by having you make contact with Bunting.”

“Well, without risk there is no reward,” said Michelle.

“Where’s Megan?” asked Sean.

“Still at Martha’s Inn.”

“By herself?”

“No, she’s got police protection there.”

“How did that happen?”

“I made a few phone calls and the people I called made a few phone calls. It’s the best we can do right now. You two are obviously marked. How did it go with Bunting?”