Page 117 of Seven Deadly Sins

“I can do that for you today.”

“No!” She couldn’t veer from the plan. “It isn’t time. I’ll have a job for you by the end of the day.”

“You’d better.” She marched back toward the main house.

He could’ve let her go, the woman was a nuisance, but once he’d completed his quest, he had no intentions of her leaving. When he no longer needed Lucy, he’d dispose of her. Right now, he had more important things to worry about. What to do with the woman they’d taken?

The compound didn’t provide many opportunities to use her to keep law enforcement on their toes. He studied the grounds and the buildings. They needed money. He had money. Lots of it, but he couldn’t get to it. He sent someone to fetch Lucy.

~

“Detective Scranton?”

Harper looked up from the messages on her desk to see a man in a dark suit standing in the doorway of her office. “Yes.”

“Agent Black.” He grinned and thrust out his hand. “Yes, I know it’s cliché, but I assure you I’m legit.”

She stood and returned his handshake. “Welcome. Let me show you the case board. Any idea when Agent McConnell will return?” One day and she missed him more than she should.

“Not long. I doubt I’ll be of much use unless they allow me to stay and help the two of you. A couple of days isn’t enough time to stop a man like Robert Thompson.”

What made him think he could do what she and Liam had failed to? “Maybe you’ll see something we’re missing.”

He followed her to the conference room where he stood with his hands folded behind his back as he studied the case board. “Did you watch the news this morning?”

“Not yet.” She leaned against the oval table.

“Agent McConnell was involved in a shooting.”

“Was he…?” Her heart dropped.

“Minor. A young man was killing women joggers. Said he was doing Thompson’s work.”

“Did they get him?”

“Yes. He’s in the hospital where, I assume, McConnell will question him when he’s able.”

Harper turned on the television in the room and turned to the local news where the live feed of Stephanie played. Harper’s blood chilled.

The woman wore a head cam and marched into the bank. People screamed and rushed for the door. A female teller backed away from the counter.

“Nobody leaves this bank! Step away from the doors. I need to withdraw as much money from this account as possible right now.” Stephanie handed the woman a slip of paper.

The woman’s hand shook as she took it, then typed on her keyboard. “This account has been frozen.”

“Please.” Stephanie sobbed. “If you don’t, this bomb strapped to me will detonate.”

“I…” the woman glanced to someone on her right. “I don’t know what to do.”

Harper stared at the stoic face of Agent Black. Were they going to watch this woman and those around her get blown to bits?

Annie and the other two officers they had thundered past the conference room. No doubt they were headed to the bank.

Harper grabbed her jacket. “Let’s go. I’ll keep the feed on my phone.” And pray very hard that the bomb didn’t go off. As she passed the receptionist, she told her to call the bomb squad which, unfortunately, wouldn’t arrive any sooner than half an hour.

Since the bank wasn’t far from the office, they arrived within minutes. Using her jeep as cover, Harper stared at her phone screen as the bank manager rushed from teller to teller filling a bag of money.

He thrust it at Stephanie. “This is all we got. Everything we can readily get our hands on. It’s about ten thousand. Will it be enough?”