Page 93 of The Devoted Game

Deirdre.

His heart squeezed with agony.

If they touched her . . .

It was McBride’s fault.

Fury pounded in Martin’s temples.

How could McBride have let him down like this? Martin’s attention was drawn to his home, where a gurney was being maneuvered out his front door.

A long bag was strapped to the gurney.

A body bag.

Deirdre!

Dear God, they were taking her away.

No!

He reached for the door handle but hesitated.

If he showed himself now, they would take him away as well.

Martin drew his hand away from the door.

He would wait.

Deirdre would need him, and he could not help her if he was in custody.

Special Agent in Charge Worth was dead.

His death made Martin a murderer.

A murderer.

The realization twisted inside him like the blade of a knife. He could not allow this.

His hero had let him down. Had let Deirdre down. And Daniel.

How could that happen?

McBride never made a mistake. Never.

Or had he?

Had Kevin Braden’s death been his fault? Martin had always believed McBride’s side of the story, just as Deirdre had. Always. That story Nadine Goodman had done seemed to indicate so as well ... but she was a bad person. How could he believe anything she said?

Could he have been so wrong?

It was true that McBride had risen to meet the first three challenges, but they had been simple. Martin had given plenty of time. And then, the first halfway difficult challenge he issues and McBride fails.

Worth is dead.

All those years Martin had hated the man. Had wished him ill so many times for refusing to bring McBride in on the case when Daniel went missing.

Now he was dead. He had paid for his sins. Found that atonement he needed.