Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford 1)

I smiled. "But of course. If it's stupid, it must be my idea."

"I didn't say--"

"We can't just make Wilkes disappear. You saw the scene in that Vegas diner. People need to see a body, to know this is really over. They need resolution. We need resolution or every pro is still on the Feds' hit list."

"And no, it wasn't Dee's idea," Evelyn said. "It was mine. If this agent in charge is as ambitious as Quinn says, he'll make the trade. He gets the glory of the arrest, and in return, plays down Wilkes's past, doesn't portray him as a psycho hitman. Things go back to normal. Sure, the cops still want us gone, but they won't be seeing us all as potential serial killers. That's what we've been trying to do all along, isn't it? Get back to business as usual?"

"Pulling Feds in--"

"One Fed. Maybe two if he needs someone to hold his hand. As for exactly how he'll manage it without involving his team and his superiors, that's his problem."

"This okay with you?" Jack said, twisting to look at me, eyes unreadable. "Taking Wilkes down by yourself?"

"Sure, Jack. Why not? A chance to catch a killer and redeem my sorry life, and if I fail, well, it's not like anyone will give a damn if I turn up in a Dumpster somewhere."

Evelyn looked at him. "What the hell did you say to her?" When neither of us answered, she leaned back into her seat. "Oh, boy. This will be fun."

Next we had errands to run. Jack phoned Quinn to summon him and Felix to West Virginia. Then we drove out of town to dispose of my things and pick up supplies. By the time we got to our hotel, it was evening, and my mood had lifted. We had a plan, and I was an integral part of that plan, so there was no time for sulking.

As for Jack, well, he was quiet, maybe still simmering, or maybe just gone back to his normal self. Either way, I wasn't dwelling on it.

I walked through the door joining the two hotel suites Evelyn had checked us into.

"Better digs than he puts you up in, I'll bet," Evelyn said, shooting a look at Jack.

"We had a nice place in Ohio," I said. "Real flowers, Jacuzzi tub..."

Evelyn sniffed. "And a heart-shaped vibrating bed? Classy, Jacko."

"Do you want this room?" I asked, moving into the bedroom doorway. "Or I guess if the other has two beds, you and I should take that--"

"This one's yours. You took on Wilkes today, you deserve something special, and this hotel is my way of saying 'good job.'" She glanced at Jack. "You can take the sofa."

I shook my head. "We all need a good rest tonight. There are four beds--"

Evelyn cut me off with a sigh. "Fine, share my room with me. You don't snore, do you?"

I thought about the nightmares, but Jack said, "She's fine." He paused. "Or she will be. Gotta get those hands fixed."

I picked up the drugstore bag he'd laid on the table. "I'll do that now."

"Can't bandage your own hands." He took the bag from me. "Sit down."

"I'll be unpacking," Evelyn said, and left.

Jack was still cleaning my wounds when Felix rapped at the door. Jack opened it. Quinn walked in and stopped dead, staring at my hands.

"Shit, are you okay?" he said.

I nodded.

"How did you--?"

"Garrote wire."

Felix stepped up beside me and frowned down at my wounds. "A garrote wire can be tricky to use. The instinct is to wrap it around your own hands, but if it's sharp enough, then you see the damage you can inflict."

"This isn't--I wasn't using it on someone; he was using it on me."