Page 102 of Critical Doubt

"About a thousand."

"Okay, that's more than I was hoping for. You're angry that I brought Parisa in before you had a chance to get all the information from Todd."

"It wasn't the best timing." He paused as they reached the end of the alley.

"When I sent the text, I didn't know what we were walking into, Ryker. I had to play it the way I've been trained, and that's to call for backup, to let my team know where I am, what I'm doing, how they can help."

"I get it, Savannah. But I wish I'd had more time alone with Todd. Now there will be lawyers and federal agents involved. We missed the perfect opportunity to find out how the plan was going to be executed and who else is involved."

"We know the players—Mason and Hank."

"There could be others. Chief Tanner was involved. Who knows who else they've recruited?"

"True." She gave him a thoughtful look. "But here's what I really want to know... Do you wish you had more time alone with Todd, because you think you could have gotten Todd to call it off? Are you trying to stop your former team, or are you trying to save them?"

Chapter Twenty-Four

Savannah's questionrolled around in his head. It would be stupid to try to save the people who were trying to kill him. But there was a voice in his head that kept reminding him that these guys had once been his best friends, his brothers, the men who had always had his back, who had saved his life on more than one occasion. And Paul had done that last night.

Were they all bad? Or was just one of them pushing his own agenda?

"Maybe I do want to see if any of them can be saved," he said finally.

"Well, Todd might have a chance. He can't move forward on the plan now. He didn't seem to be aware of the attack on us. Maybe he hasn't done anything more illegal than fake his own death."

"He's still involved in the conspiracy."

"If he turns on the others, he'll get a deal. And if he can prove that he had nothing to do with the attacks on us or on Paul, he might still have a life to save. Maybe the motivation behind the plan will also play in his favor—if they were truly trying to just take care of the families."

He heard the doubt in her voice. "You don't believe that?"

"Not entirely. I think it might have been the lie that Paul was talking about."

"I had the same thought."

"Todd sold it well, though. He believed it."

"I thought he did, but I'm not sure I can trust my gut anymore, because I could have never imagined any of them doing any of this."

"There could be levels of knowledge—not everyone is in on the entire scheme. I can't imagine Paul doing any of this, either. Yet he is. Maybe I'm too naïve. God knows, I've seen a lot of shitty people in my line of work. Perhaps I'm not cynical enough."

"Don't let the shitty people change you, Savannah."

She gave him a small smile. "Can I just say that while the takedown might not have gone the way you wanted, I'm really glad you're all right."

"You were worried that Todd was going to take me down?" he scoffed.

Her smile broadened. "That was stupid, wasn't it?"

"I'll say. Todd has never taken me down in his life."

"So, on a scale of one to a thousand…"

He couldn't help but smile back at her. "I'm no longer seeing fiery-red dragons. Come on, let's check out the motel."

They crossed the street and walked down the block to the Happy Days Motel, a two-story, run-down building that probably rented rooms by the hour. The older male desk clerk was eating a bag of chips while the television blasted a game show in the background. The lobby smelled like cigarettes and stale coffee.

He let Savannah take the lead, using her badge to cut through any resistance, but there was none to speak of. The clerk took one look at Paul's photo and immediately handed over the key card and a room number.