“Wasn’t the time.”

“Should I be looking over my shoulder for you?”

“I don’t have any orders regarding you now. Can’t promise I won’t.”

“And Brynn?”

He hesitated, then repeated, “Can’t promise I won’t.”

Understanding passed between them. “Fair enough.” Rye backed away a few more steps then turned and walked quickly away.

He didn’t start running until he reached the ramp; then he bolted and didn’t stop, not even when he reached the street. He ran full out for two blocks before realizing he was leaving a trail of blood.

Chapter 16

5:08 p.m.

They’re out?”

Nate, speaking into his cell phone, ran his hand over his head, a gesture of frustration and impatience that Brynn had seen him do hundreds of times. She now had the inane thought that perhaps he was checking it for bristle.

He had placed the black box on his desk, within a foot of where she sat. She stared at it while Nate continued his harangue with whoever had answered the Hunts’ land line after calls to the senator’s cell phone and that of Mrs. Hunt had gone to voice mail.

“How can they be ‘out’? They had dinner at home, correct?” The reply caused him to check his gaudy wristwatch. “Then where would they have gone? Fine, fine. Look, if they instructed you to tell anyone who called that they were not at home, I assure you they were not including me.”

That went on for another minute or so. Brynn thought she might scream before he finally disconnected. “She swears they’re not there.”

“Maybe they aren’t.”

“They wouldn’t choose now to go for a Sunday drive, Brynn. Or were you thinking that maybe they went to the movies?”

“Don’t talk down to me like that, Nate.”

He didn’t apologize for his condescension. She doubted he’d even heard her. He was stroking his head and pacing. “I don’t understand this at all. Delores has been hounding me since that catastrophe last night. Hounding me! Calling every half hour, asking what your status was, when you would be back.”

He paused and looked at her with contempt. “While I’m trying to keep her and Richard calm, you’re off gallivanting with that…whatever. Jesus!” He threw back his head and looked up at the ceiling as though searching for an answer to his incomprehension. “I can’t believe he can read, much less fly an airplane.”

“He’s an Air Force Academy graduate. He flew rescue missions in Afghanistan.”

He scoffed. “Is he also a spy for the CIA?”

Actually, it was Wilson who’d shared with her what had shown up when they checked Rye Mallett’s background. His character profile had changed dramatically after his second tour of duty. He must have experienced something deeply affecting during his service, but she would never know what it was.

Just doing my job.

He’d seen it through, washed his hands of the whole ordeal, and walked away from it, as he’d said he would. One day, when a medical breakthrough was announced, he might wonder if it was connected to the pharmaceutical he’d unwittingly smuggled. More than likely he wouldn’t recall her name, but he might remember her as that woman who had complicated his life and temporarily kept him tethered to the ground when he would rather be airborne.

Her wish never to see him again was no longer as desirous, but it was too late to recall it. Anyway, he was gone, and a clean break was best under the circumstances. Her focus, her sole focus, must be on the GX-42.

Her eyes on the box, she said, “Nate? Are we doing the right thing, giving this to Richard Hunt?”

Hearing the misgiving in her voice, he stopped pacing. “Absolutely.” Her uncertainty must have been apparent, because he rapped the top of the box with his knuckles and repeated, “Absolutely. We made our decision, Brynn.”

“I know, but—”

“We can’t backtrack now. It’s out of the question.”

Still, she wondered if her colleague had ever harbored a grain of doubt; but even if he had, he would never admit it. In any case, the die was now cast. “Did you get any indication of when the Hunts would return home?”

“The housekeeper claimed not to know. I’m to stand by, and she’ll notify me. That’s what she said. ‘Stand by.’ Can you believe it? A maid.”

“I hope it’s not long. I’m exhausted. Is there a possibility of waiting until tomorrow?”

“No, they’ve been emphatic. No more delays, during which shit seems to happen.” He checked his watch again.

He was eager to do it, and not only for the Hunts’ sake. He didn’t want to postpone getting on the road to acclaim and medical superstardom. Brynn just wanted it to be done so she could stop second-guessing, vacillating, lying, and half-lying.

Inside her coat pocket her cell phone vibrated. She took it out and saw that she had a text. The sender was identified only by a number, no name.

The HUNTS & I want to know what your game is. Your parking space. Now.

Her heart nearly leaped from her chest. She took a swift breath. Hearing it, Nate came around. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. It’s…my car. It’s been repaired. Someone from Howardville drove it here.”