Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

Or to die?

Chapter Eight

The new building complex waited right on the waterfront. The scent of the river teased Dylan’s nose as he advanced.

The building was about three stories high. Dylan suspected that Jack would be up on the top floor. A better vantage point. A better spot to watch and see if Dylan followed orders.

This time, he had. With Rachel’s life on the line, Dylan wouldn’t take any chances.

Jack had called him during the drive over. He’d given him terse instructions so that Dylan would locate this exact building. There were quite a few new buildings going up near the harbor. And, this late at night, all of those spots were empty.

Perfect for Jack.

Dylan had listened. Then he’d followed.

Now he advanced toward the building. The main entrance was locked, so he kicked in the door.

The stairwell was dark. But he made his way up. One flight. Two. Three.

The heavy metal door swung open beneath his hands, and he slipped out onto the third floor. It was dark up there, the only light coming in from the moonlight that spilled through windows.

About ten windows lined the left wall. Half of them had already been framed and had glass set in place. The other five were just gaping rectangles that opened into the night.

A breeze blew against him. He had his gun in his hand, gripped tightly. His steps were soft. Careful.

Bright light flooded on above him.

Dylan froze.

“You did better this time,” a hard voice called out.

And then Dylan saw them.

A man stood to the left, positioned in front of a gaping rectangle that would one day be a window. A black ski mask covered his face. His left forearm curved around Rachel’s neck. And he had a gun pressed to her temple.

“This is the point when you drop your weapon,” Jack said.

Dylan put the weapon on the floor.

Jack laughed. “All of your weapons. I’m sure you have backups, right? A good EOD agent would. Probably a knife in your boot. Maybe another gun strapped to your ankle.”

He had both. Dylan bent and pulled out the weapons. He tossed them aside. Then he lifted his hands. “There’s nothing else.”

Helplessly, his gaze went to Rachel. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide, but she showed no emotion.

“You’ve been a thorn in my side for years, Agent Foxx.”

Dylan kept his hands up. He took a slow step forward. “Maybe you shouldn’t have decided to make a living by killing. I would’ve stayed out of your way then.”

Jack shook his head. The gun never moved from Rachel’s temple. “You do the same thing that I do. Kill. Hunt. For a price. Only you work for the government.” Jack shrugged. “And I’m a free agent.”

“We’re nothing alike.”

“Are you so sure? Shannon thought we were...”

Dylan’s jaw locked.

“Shannon told me that you were a killer. Cold-blooded. Single-minded. The missions were all you cared about. You existed only for the rush.”