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Colson shoved his phone back into his pocket.“Madeline isn’t answering.She’s probably talking to the cops.”
No, he didn’t think that was the case.At all.Unclenching his teeth, he growled, “Hunter, I’m gonna need Declan to do some of his usual illegal shit for me.”
Hunter just nodded.
“Get him to trace Madeline Desalt’s phone.It’s gonna be hard because the CIA will have anti-tracking tech that he has to disable?—”
“Say less, buddy,” Hunter advised.“Declan made the tech that the Agency uses.I’m on it.”He backed away.
Colson’s jaw dropped.“Are you serious right now?”And he reached out for Eb once more, closing his hand around Eb’s shoulder.“Look, just go in the station.Madeline is inside.Probably just busy and that’s why she didn’t take my call.You can talk to her in there.I’m sure that Naomi is inside, too.You’re overreacting.”
He wasn’t.“Move the hand.”
Colson did not move the hand.“And even if Naomi is gone…maybe the woman just left on her own.Did you consider that possibility?That she just walked away?She’s clear now.Maybe she just wanted to get the hell away from all of this mess.Can’t say I really blame her.”Colson winced.“And, um, maybe she wants to get the hell away from, uh, you, man.Sorry to say it, but you’re probably a bad reminder of a past that she is dying to forget.Sometimes people don’t like saying stuff to your face, so they’ll ghost you instead.”
“Move the hand.”The last warning.
Colson pulled back, slowly.But he positioned his body firmly between Eb and the Impala.“Madeline is inside the station,” he said again.“She’s my boss.She said you and your friend Hunter had to stay here.I can’t let you leave.So let’s both just take a breath and calm the?—”
Footsteps rushed toward them.
Eb turned, body tense, as a woman in a light gray suit, with a holster under her right arm, ran from the station and right toward them.
“Lateisha!”Relief filled Colson’s voice.“That’s my partner, Lateisha Gray.She’ll tell you that Madeline is inside and that you’re overreacting.Look, I get it.I do.An attempted murder can put anyone on edge.But Madeline gave an order, and I have to follow it?—”
“She’s not inside,” Lateisha cut in to say.Her gaze swept over Eb.Head to toe, then back up.“She’s gone.There is no sign of Naomi Romano in the police station, either.”
“Well, maybe Madeline just got called back to the hospital,” Colson offered by way of explanation.“She may need to do more paperwork after that creep tried to kill her with the scalpel.”
Lateisha shook her head.Her gaze remained on Eb.“I was with Brock Arison when he died.”
Eb didn’t have time for this shit.Every moment that passed meant more time when Naomi was in danger.When she could be hurt.
“Brock was trying to talk.Hard to do with a scalpel shoved in his throat.But his lips were moving…and I swear, I swear…he kept trying to say…” An exhale from Lateisha.A long, hard exhale.“She did it.”
Colson snorted.“Of course, Madeline did it.She defended herself!”
But Eb ignored him.His focus remained on Lateisha.“You’re a new recruit, aren’t you?”He’d seen her when he’d been rushing through the station.
“Yes, I am.”Her chin notched up.“And I’ve heard plenty of stories about you.You’re the boogeyman they send after some of the most high-profile targets.”
Yes.Guilty.
“Brock confessed in his hospital room.I was right there.I heard everything.Said he killed Hudson.Said he’d beaten Ivan to death.He was talking fast and furiously.Just throwing things out.”A quick breath.“Then Madeline sent me out of the room.It didn’t make sense for her to send me out.I’d heard everything else.Why make me leave then?But I went out, and less than a minute later, she was yelling, saying he’d attacked her.The scalpel was in his throat.”
“Hedidattack her,” Colson argued.“Lateisha, seriously, watch what you say.You don’t want to get on her bad side.She will ruin you.I’ve seen her do it with other operatives.The woman is a master chess player.You don’t go up against her and win.”
But Lateisha’s chin remained stubbornly notched.“Brock was trying to talk to me.Trying to tell me something.And the cuff wasunlocked.He hadn’t broken it.Hadn’t broken the railing.Someone had unlocked the cuff.I think she did that after she shoved the scalpel into his throat.”
“You’re committing career suicide.”Colson whistled.“Suicide.”
Her head whipped toward him.“And I think our boss committed cold-blooded murder, so I have to say something!”
Hunter surged back to Eb’s side, with the phone gripped in his right hand.“Got her.”
The cops were rushing toward their little group.One shouted Hunter’s name.
Hunter shoved his phone toward Eb.“This app will let you track her.It’s a little something special Declan designed and gave to only a few, select individuals.Be warned.She’s moving, and she’s moving fast.”