Page 29 of Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries #6)

I ce shot through Olive’s veins.

She quickly slipped her phone into her back pocket, her mind racing.

The bathroom stalls had gaps at the bottom and top.

There was nowhere to hide and no way out except through the main door.

“I’m not interested in talking.” Olive kept her voice steady.

“That’s unfortunate. Because my employers are very interested in talking to you.” The voice sounded professional, controlled.

Olive peered through the crack in the stall door and could barely see the woman. She appeared to be standing alone with her back to the bathroom entrance.

She was tall with dark hair cut into a sharp wedge, and she wore a dark blazer over slacks.

Her hands were visible, empty of weapons. But Olive knew that didn’t mean she was unarmed.

“What do your employers want?” Olive asked, desperate to buy time.

Should she text Jason? By the time she explained which bathroom she’d gone to, this woman could kill her.

No, she was on her own right now.

“My boss wants you to stop looking for Lloyd Stewart. To forget about Oasis, forget about your family, and go back to your normal life.” The woman’s voice remained calm, conversational. “I’m prepared to make it worth your while.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then things will become unpleasant for you and Mr. Stewart. Very unpleasant.”

Olive stared at the stall door. “Are you the one who tried to kill Lloyd?”

“I’m not here to answer your questions.”

“Is he alive?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Olive took a deep breath and unlocked the stall. The door swung toward her as she said, “I want to see him. I want proof that he’s alive.”

The woman scowled. “That’s not how this works.”

Recognition hit Olive like a physical blow.

She knew this face.

Not from recent memory, but from an assignment she’d taken a couple of years ago.

This was Elena Vasquez . . . a woman she’d encountered on that case.

A woman who had supposedly died in a car explosion in Detroit.

Elena saw the recognition in Olive’s eyes and smiled coldly. “I was wondering when you’d figure it out.”

Her mind raced. How was Elena connected to this?

Elena had been the enforcement arm of a human trafficking ring that Olive helped expose in Detroit. Elena’s job had been to track down escaped victims and eliminate anyone who posed a threat to the operation.

She’d been known for her ability to appear trustworthy—often posing as a social worker or immigration officer to gain victims’ trust before betraying them.

When federal agents raided the trafficking network’s main facility, Elena had supposedly been killed in a car bomb explosion.

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Olive murmured.

“Death is often more convenient than prison.” Elena smirked.

“You followed me here?”

Elena shrugged. “Something like that. Now, are you going to listen to my offer, or do we need to do this the hard way?”

Elena reached into her jacket, most likely where she’d stashed a weapon—probably a gun, possibly a knife. Olive had no idea how the woman had gotten it through security, but where there was a will, there was a way.

Olive glanced around. The bathroom was small and enclosed, with no room to run. Her only advantage was that Elena probably wanted to keep this quiet, avoid drawing attention in a crowded airport.

“I’m listening.” Olive took a half-step closer, her entire body poised for action.

Elena’s hand paused. “Smart girl. My employer is prepared to offer you two million dollars to walk away. Cash, untraceable, deposited in whatever account you specify. All you have to do is forget Lloyd Stewart exists and never mention Oasis, Texas, again.”

“Two million?” Olive took another small step. “That’s a lot of money. Why is this so important?”

“Because some secrets are worth more than money.” Elena’s fingers found whatever she was reaching for. “What’s your answer?”

Olive launched herself forward.

Elena was fast, but Olive had the advantage of surprise and momentum. She grabbed Elena’s wrist as she tried to draw what looked like a small pistol from a shoulder holster. They crashed into the bathroom counter, fighting for control of the weapon.

Elena was stronger than she looked, with wiry muscles. She threw a punch into Olive’s ribs, trying to break her grip.

Olive held on and used Elena’s own momentum to slam her hand against the mirror.

The gun clattered to the floor and skittered under the sinks.

Elena swung a fist that Olive barely dodged. The fist whistled past her ear as Elena followed up with a knee aimed at Olive’s stomach.

Olive twisted away and grabbed Elena by the throat, her fingers finding the pressure points she’d learned in her self-defense training.

Elena’s eyes widened as Olive’s grip tightened. She clawed at Olive’s hands, trying to break free, but Olive held on with grim determination. This woman had tried to kill Lloyd. She’d threatened Jason. She was connected to whatever had happened to Olive’s family.

“Who are you working for?” Olive hissed, maintaining the pressure on Elena’s throat. “Who’s behind all this?”

Elena’s response was a gurgling sound. Her face turned red, then purple, as she struggled to breathe. Her hands fumbled weakly at Olive’s arms.

Olive realized she was squeezing too hard. Elena’s struggles were growing weaker, her eyes rolling back.

She loosened her grip just enough to let Elena breathe. But she kept the woman pinned against the bathroom counter.

“Answer me,” Olive demanded.

Instead, Elena went limp in Olive’s arms.