Page 47 of Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries #6)

O live pushed open the door and stepped inside the bathroom, grateful for a moment of quiet to process everything.

The diner’s restroom was small and dimly lit, with faded floral wallpaper and a mirror that had seen better days. There was only one stall and a small sink.

And it was quiet.

She leaned against the sink a moment, her thoughts racing.

What had Tevin learned?

She was certain it had the ability to change everything.

She was reaching for the faucet when she heard the door close behind her with a soft click.

Then a familiar voice said, “Hello, Olive.”

She spun around, her instincts instantly on alert.

Elena Vasquez stood there, her back against the door, effectively blocking the only exit. One hand slipped behind her, and she locked the door.

The woman looked exactly as she had at the airport—sharp business attire, calculating eyes, and the stillness of a professional criminal who wasn’t squeamish about violence.

Olive knew that, because of the setup at the restaurant, Elena had probably entered through the back door and followed Olive down the hallway into the bathroom.

In other words: Jason wouldn’t have seen anything.

“You really should have taken my offer.” Elena stepped away from the door, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Two million dollars to walk away. That was generous. Very generous. I would have taken it in a heartbeat.”

“I’m not interested in your money.” Olive backed toward the far wall, her mind racing through her options.

The restroom was small—maybe six feet by eight feet.

There was no room to maneuver, and she didn’t have her gun with her.

That meant this fight would be primal.

“That’s unfortunate.” Elena smirked. “Because my employers have decided you’re becoming too much of a liability.”

Elena stepped forward, and a knife flashed in her hand.

Olive grabbed the soap dispenser from the sink and hurled it at Elena’s head.

Elena ducked, but the distraction gave Olive enough time to lunge forward, trying to get past her to the door.

Elena caught her arm and spun her around, slamming her back against the sink.

Pain shot through Olive’s spine as the edge of the counter dug into her lower back.

“You should have listened,” Elena hissed, driving her knee into Olive’s ribs.

Olive gasped as pain exploded through her.

Elena brought the knife toward Olive’s throat.

Olive grabbed Elena’s wrist with both hands, fighting to keep the blade away from her neck.

They struggled for control of the knife, crashing into the narrow space between the sink and the stall.

Using Elena’s momentum against her, Olive twisted and threw her weight sideways, sending them both into the bathroom stall.

Elena’s head hit the metal partition with a sharp clang, but she didn’t let go of the knife. She recovered quickly and backhanded Olive across the face.

Stars exploded across Olive’s vision as her head snapped to the side.

“This could have been easy,” Elena panted, raising the knife again. “But you had to put up a fight. You’re only making this worse for yourself, you know.”

Olive tried to get a deep breath, but her gaze stayed focused on the knife in Elena’s hand.

Her heart raced.

Olive had to act—now.

Otherwise, she felt certain she would die.

Olive found her remaining ounce of strength.

She kicked, catching Elena in the knee.

Elena stumbled but didn’t go down.

When she came back at Olive, her face was twisted with rage.

The knife sliced across Olive’s collarbone. Pain shot through her, and blood immediately began to soak through her shirt.

Elena drove Olive back against the bathroom wall. She grabbed a handful of Olive’s hair and slammed her head against the tile.

Olive’s vision blurred, and her knees started to buckle.

“Olive!” Jason’s voice echoed from outside the bathroom. “Olive, are you okay?”

Elena’s eyes flicked toward the door for just a second—but it was enough.

Olive drove her elbow into Elena’s solar plexus, doubling her over. Then she grabbed the knife hand and twisted hard, using all her training.

Elena cursed as the knife clattered to the floor.

But the woman wasn’t finished. She threw a punch that caught Olive in the temple, sending her stumbling backward into the mirror.

The glass cracked but didn’t shatter.

“Olive!” Jason pounded on the door.

Elena glanced at the small window above the toilet—barely big enough for a person to squeeze through.

“This isn’t over.” Elena’s nostrils flared as she stared at Olive, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead.

The next instant, she climbed onto the toilet and shoved the window open. She squeezed through the narrow opening, escaping into the parking lot behind the diner.

By the time Jason cracked the door facing and burst into the bathroom, Elena was gone.

Olive slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Blood dripped from her neck, and her head spun.

“Olive.” Jason dropped to his knees beside her, his hands hovering over her injuries as he tried to assess the damage. “What happened? Who did this?”

“Elena,” Olive managed, her voice hoarse. “Elena Vasquez.”

Jason’s expression hardened as he helped her to her feet. “Can you walk?”

“I think so.” Olive tested her weight on unsteady legs. “Jason, she escaped through the window.”

He looked toward the open window, then back at Olive’s bleeding arm. “We need to get you to a hospital.”

“No hospitals. Too many questions. Too much attention.” Olive leaned against him as they made their way out of the bathroom.

“Olive . . .”

“Please.” Her voice sounded strained. “All I want is to find out what Tevin discovered.”