Playing Dead_ A Novel of Suspense - Allison Brennan [118]
Mitch couldn’t help but think that only a mile south, Oliver Maddox had drowned in this same river.
Mitch resisted the urge to snap at Steve for moving too slowly along the dangerous delta road. Claire was shaking uncontrollably in his arms. She held on to him as if she were drowning, her face buried in his chest. She was having a hard time catching her breath, and her skin was cold and clammy.
“Turn on the heater,” he told Steve. “She’s freezing.”
Steve did, but Claire still shivered. “Meg said to take her directly to Sutter Memorial, where O’Brien is.”
“He’s already there? Isn’t it early?”
“O’Brien is going in for emergency surgery in less than an hour. He surrendered early when he found blood in his urine. Meg’s at the hospital talking to him right now with the D.A. and O’Brien’s attorney to get a statement regarding the prison break and his activities since.”
Meg could be a hard-ass, Mitch knew, but she had a deep, quiet compassionate streak.
Steve spoke to the sheriff, told him about the truck and asked him to send a deputy to secure the Rabbit Hole, that they’d be sending an FBI forensic unit to process the evidence because this was now a federal crime. When he hung up, Mitch asked, “What federal crime?”
“Tax evasion,” Steve said, glancing in the rearview mirror at Lowe.
Mitch doubted Claire even knew it was him she was clinging to. But he would take it. What could he do to make it up to Claire, lying to her about who and what he was? Claire wasn’t a forgiving soul, but even if she were what he’d done was unforgivable.
“How long?” he asked Steve when they finally reached the main highway.
“Twenty minutes.”
Mitch kissed her forehead. She was conscious but unfocused; shaking and confused. “Stay with me, Claire.”
Forgive me, Claire. Stay with me.
Lora was alone in the house. Her mother was still at the mall, had been gone most of the day, and her father had been called to The Rabbit Hole. He’d ordered her to stay inside. Daddy had been furious and worried—she’d befriended Tip, and now Tip had been arrested.
Lora didn’t know what exactly was going on and she sat in her bedroom writing everything in her diary.
The men said his name wasn’t Tip, but Frank Lowe. They can’t be right. Agent Smith and Agent Jones called him Tip. Wouldn’t they all know the same thing? I don’t understand what’s going on. I called Agent Jones as soon as I left the bar and told him everything. Maybe the men weren’t real FBI agents. Maybe they kidnapped Tip. They knew the terrorist girl who came in.
Agent Jones was very mad, and I wish I didn’t call him. I wish I’d just kept the information to myself, because I don’t want to make him mad. He’s so pretty and nice.
The doorbell rang. Lora went down to answer it, certain it was someone else coming by to find out what had happened. Three neighbors had already called on them to ask what was going on at the Rabbit Hole.
It was Agent Smith and Agent Jones.
“Is your father here?”
“No, he’s at the Rabbit Hole if you need to talk to him.”
They stepped in and closed the door. She noticed they were wearing gloves, which seemed strange because it was so warm outside. Agent Jones wore a nice suit and his shoes were polished. He was so pretty, Lora could stare at him all day.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I called you as soon as I could.”
“You did the right thing.”
She smiled and relaxed. He wasn’t mad at her anymore. Agent Smith walked around the living room, but she focused on Agent Jones.
“What happened to Tip?”
“He was arrested. He’ll be dealt with appropriately.”
“So you proved he was a terrorist? Did I help?”
“Unfortunately, not as much as I had hoped.”
She frowned.
“You did write down everything, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Will you show me? Please?”
“You need it for evidence, right?”
“Exactly.”
She smiled and started up the stairs. Agent Jones followed. “Will you need me to testify? I can do that, you know. I have a very good memory.”
“I know you do. I’m sure I’ll be in contact once we have what we need.”
“Oh, good!