Page 105 of The Wolves Come at Night

“Of course I do.”

“Then put this thing on autopilot and go get him.”

The stillness from the assassin was remarkable. Like a wolf in the forest, setting its feet to leap at the throat of the elk five feet away. But the moment passed. Angelie shook herself slightly.

“There’s no time. We need to start the landing sequence.

“Then I’m going to find Carson, make sure she’s okay,” Taylor said, turning from the cockpit.

“I’m here,” a voice said from her left, startling her. “Is that man…dead?”

Taylor followed the girl’s eyes. She’d lain Jean-Paul on the floor just outside the cockpit, and his head was lolling to the side in a very unpleasant angle.

“Yes, unfortunately.”

“I can’t stay here.”

The girl was turning green, and Taylor felt bad for her. “Go sit in the cockpit, on the seat behind the woman flying.”

“Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. Taylor Jackson. Nashville…formerly captain of the Metro Nashville Police. That woman is my partner. She’ll tell you who she is if she wants, but don’t ask, okay? She’s not as nice as me.”

“Maybe I’ll just stay here with you, then,” Carson said lightly. “How long have I been gone?”

“A little more than a week. Your mom is going to be mad with joy that you’re okay.”

The smile was tired but genuine. “You met my mom?”

“Of course. She came to Nashville immediately when you went missing. Want to tell me how Game took you? And where he’s been keeping you?”

Carson gestured to the plane’s spacious interior. “I’ve been here for a while, I think. He locked me in a closet. Of course, the closet on this thing is bigger than my dorm room. He’s been drugging me, too. I’ve been sleeping a lot. I think…there was a Jeep. Following me. I was scared, I ran. Then I woke up here. That’s all I remember.” She touched her head. “Ouch.”

“Let me see.”

The girl was dutiful, she came to Taylor’s side and bent her head, parting her dirty hair. There was a small cut, healing.

“Your hand?”

The girl’s face was pale. She held up her bandaged finger. “I woke up like this. I… I haven’t looked. It doesn’t hurt too badly now.”

“And he didn’t…”

She shook her head. “No. He wasn’t interested in me like that.”

“Thank God for small mercies.”

“Yes,” Carson said, voice soft. “Can we call my mom?”

“Yes, but let me talk to our pilot first. I bet there’s food and drink in one of the cabinets around here. Why don’t you find us a Coke?”

She watched Carson walk off toward the cabinets and went back into the cockpit.

“She’s okay. Full of questions. Wants to call her mom. Where are we headed?”

“Back to France. Santiago got us clearance to land at Le Bourget. We’ll be on the ground in ten and the driver will meet us. We will go to the safe house to plan our next move.”

“What do you want me to do with Game?” Taylor asked quietly.