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“Good.”

We stay quiet and tense until Jakob pulls the car out onto the highway. All of us keep sneaking glances out the back window, but so far, the small gray Toyota isn’t in sight.

“We’re good. For now.” Reggie leans back in his seat.

Kim holds up one hand for continued silence and then frantically goes back to typing on the phone in her lap. In a few moments, she casually announces, “We’ve finally found the other end of the money trail. A terrorist group. RACAF.”

“What?” I yelp and wince when the sound bounces around the sealed car.

“The Revolutionary Armed Central American Federalists. They’re small but vicious and getting bigger all the time. Their goal is to destabilize all the individual governments of the Central American countries and create a federalized group of territories under a dictator who rivals Stalin and Castro— Leon Estrada.”

“Leon Estrada?UncleLeon?” I whimper. “Matt’s godfather?” Matteo talked about his godfather affectionately all the time, but I never met him.

“Mhm. Delgado was rumored to be Estrada’s godson—not that you would know his connection to this organization.”

“I never even met him. He didn’t come to our wedding, but he sent us a lot of travel vouchers,” I gulp.

Kim doesn’t look up and doesn’t look surprised. “Estrada runs everything from his mobile fortress and never comes ashore if he can help it. The travel vouchers were probably his way of sending Delgado out to complete his hits.”

I sneak a look at Reggie, who stares straight ahead. We know there are other purposes for Matteo’s kills, but it’s just easiest to kill two birds with one stone here.

Ugh. What an ugly metaphor. I shudder, and Reggie pats my hand, his large, cool palm completely covering mine.

“We cannot lead them right to our safe house,” Jakob says.

“Hell, no. Half the fishing boats and shipping freighters in the Panama Canal region are paying protection money to the RACAFs. Whether the men following us are sent by Delgado or Estrada, it’s bad news.”

“Why are they following her?” Reggie’s voice is a low snarl that rivals the engine.

“To see what she knows. Who she talks to. We need to make a little detour, kids.” Kim finally looks up, but her hands are still flying over her phone screen. “Mr. Minegold, you know where the Federal Courthouse is in Binghamton? On Henry Street.”

“If you take her to a courthouse, those men will open fire.”

“We’re going to go past it. Farther up the block is Christ Episcopal. Pull into the parking lot there. You two are going to go get ‘married.’ In reality, agents are going to take your statement on camera, Therese. This is a smart move. It means there’s a chance you won’t have to testify in court in person. You can get into hiding faster with less chance of having to come out of it.” Kim shifts in her seat.

Both Minegold and Reggie stiffen. I see them exchange a glance before Reggie nods.

“What else could happen? There is something you’re not telling her.” Reggie demands, his grip tightening on mine.

“Well... Delgado is a wanted killer, and he’s on Estrada’s payroll. Not to mention, there’s some kind of nepotism and relationship there, as Estrada’s godson. Estrada is a much bigger fish than your ex, Therese. I’m afraid... You have to catch the biggest fish you can. Delgado killed a handful of people. Estrada ordered the deaths of hundreds, not to mention drug running and human trafficking. If the feds have good evidence that can put Delgado away, they might convince him to plea bargain—or even turn on Estrada.”

“Estrada would kill him,” Reggie growls.

“Not if he’s in the Federal Witness Relocation Program, too.”

What? Matteo could go free? He could be walking around pretending to be someone else, whileI’mwalking around pretending to be someone else? What if he walks around right into me?!

“How did you find all of this out?” I ask, head spinning. “And why didn’t you tell me before now?”

“So you wouldn’t back out. Isn’t that right?” Minegold asks sharply, shooting a poisonous look at Kim.

My cool, calm handler doesn’t turn a hair as I look at her with worried eyes. “That’s not all. We finally got positive identification on a third victim. Three with ties to Estrada and RACAFs.”

“So, the target on Therese’s back is much larger, now,” Jakob says in a frosty tone, his lilting accent so incongruous with the harsh words.

“If you guys can’t handle it, I can see what I can do when we get to the church.” Kim’s tone is no longer fun and friendly.

This is a job to her.