Page 43

Shivering, breathless, Cole crawled up onto the banks of the river. His limbs were almost worthless.

This might have been a huge mistake, except he was far too close to capturing Merrick to just let him go. He couldn’t run away or swim away. Cole was on him.

Can’t lose you now.

He scrambled to his knees and then got on his feet. Sluggishly, he tromped forward to the old abandoned industrial warehouse.

Before crawling from the water, Cole had seen Merrick slip inside.

I have so got you now.

Once this guy was incarcerated ... no more bombs.

No more attacks. No more ... anything.

He’d learned vital information. The only person from Jo’s photograph who was still alive, other than Driscoll—Jo’s father—was Troy Martin, founder and president of Resonant.

After selling that company to Gemini, he’d earned millions before moving to be installed as CEO for another aerospace contractor.

And this guy, Merrick, was connected to Martin.

Cole hoped the water would adequately drain from his gun before he had to use it.

He gulped in air and moved his body to get the blood flowing and warm up his core.

He cautiously approached the old aluminum structure and, standing against the wall, listened.

But the rain pounded. The wind still blew.

He heard nothing to indicate that Merrick moved around inside the warehouse.

Merrick had been limping when he came out of the water, so Cole assumed he was injured.

Merrick also had at least fifteen years on Cole.

Still, he wouldn’t underestimate this man’s abilities.

They’d both been trained by the most elite training force in the world—the US Armed Forces.

Cole would use every advantage he could get.

Would Merrick expect Cole to go through the front door or a side entrance? Didn’t matter. Cole wasn’t going in the front, so he’d better find another door, or a window, into the structure that appeared ready to collapse. The posted signs said it had been condemned.

He found a side door cracked open and he quietly slipped in.

Once inside the dark building, he waited until his eyes adjusted to the limited light filtering through the windows.

Cole’s limbs were still a little numb, and he was moving slower than he would have liked under the circumstances.

So he waited in the dark, in the quiet, for Merrick to make his move.

Was he even still inside? Or had he run out the back door? The hair and skin on his arms rippled, and he ducked, saving his head from a blow. Cole dropped to his back and aimed his gun.

Merrick lunged at him with a knife.

Cole fired.

Merrick dropped.

But he wasn’t dead. Please , don’t be dead . He had to be wearing a bulletproof vest. But this had been point-blank. He dropped to his knees next to the wounded man. The vest hadn’t spared him from the blunt-force trauma, and now he saw that a bullet had pierced his chest.

And Merrick hadn’t worn a vest. What?

“Why’d you make me do it, man?” Cole asked. “I told you on the bridge. It’s over. You could have come in.” He felt the man’s pulse. Thready, but still alive.

He kicked the knife out of reach. Cole tugged his cell out, but it was dead. He found Merrick’s cell in the pocket of his waterproof jacket. Cole fished it out. Yeah, he was messing with evidence, but a life was at stake. Using the cell, he called for emergency services.

The guy mumbled. Cole used the flashlight on the cell so he could see his face. His bloody teeth. The guy was actually smiling?

“Glad to be taken out by you,” Merrick said. “You’re a worthy opponent.”

Dude , this isn’t a video game. “The thing is, I shouldn’t be your opponent. We fought on the same side. What were you thinking?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Maybe not right now. Hang in there. Help is on the way.”

“I’m checking out before then.”

Cole hated to sound crass or like he didn’t care, but ... “Tell me what I need to know to save the girl, man. You were once a soldier. Let the good side of you be the voice that speaks now. Why did Martin hire you?”

That would depend on how deep this guy had to reach to find his way out of his mercenary role.

“My uncle ... he has a way of getting what he wants. He’s worth billions, you know. The only person who could take him down is Jo’s father.”

“Then why didn’t he take him down?”

“Uncle Troy would kill anyone who tried to take him down. The ones who knew about it.”

“Your uncle or you? You killed Mira, didn’t you? And what is it ? And what does Jo have to do with this other than she’s Driscoll’s daughter?”

“He ... needed to find him. Draw him out. The woman he loved. The daughter he didn’t even know.

He had accomplished that. I didn’t know about my aunt.

That he killed her. Not until this week.

I figured it out, but I was already in it up to my neck.

In it with him. Like you said, it’s over now, at least for me. I might as well check out.”

Draw him out so he could kill him. That’s why Driscoll put the distance between him and Jo, but it wasn’t enough.

Did Jo’s father have a clue that she’d continued to be targeted?

Seething, Cole pressed harder, blood seeping through his fingers.

The light grew dimmer as it grew colder and darker outside.

“You’re wasting your time here,” Merrick said. “My uncle knows where she is, man. He knows. You’d better get to her.”

Closing his eyes, he said nothing more. Cole feared moving Merrick would only cause more damage, so he did his best to staunch the bleeding. He’d caused it, but it had been Merrick’s life or his own.

“No! No, no, no.” He punched the ground. Where were emergency crews when you needed them?