“That doesn’t mean anything.” He slammed the phone in its cradle and Ava jumped. He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She rubbed the back of his hand with her fingers. “I realize it all could be a ruse, but he wasn’t on that map.”
“That could all be by design. Maybe Tempest figured since you were with me and had treated all the agents that you would’ve noticed Bessler’s absence on the map, making this call more believable.”
“But what if it’s the truth?” She curled her fingers around his hand and squeezed. “You said yourself that you wanted to track down the other agents and warn them. Now you don’t have to. One has come to you.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes closed. “I’d have to be very careful meeting him.”
“Of course, and I’ll be there, too.”
“Forget it.”
She squeezed his hand tighter. “I thought we were partners. I, at least, will know what Adrian Bessler looks like. That’ll give us an advantage. You’ll be walking in blind. He could be anyone—and that’s dangerous.”
“You could describe him to me. I’ll tell him to wear something specific for the meeting.”
She opened her eyes wide. “Didn’t I ever tell you I’m really bad at describing other people? Besides, he could tell you he’ll be wearing a red baseball cap and then blindside you. With me, there will be no blindsiding.”
He shoved the phone to the foot of the bed and took Ava into his arms again. Her silky, soft skin soothed him. “I don’t want you in harm’s way, my love.”
She sipped in a small, quick breath and he mentally gave himself a good swift kick. He hadn’t meant to mention anything about love, but after the incredible connection they’d just shared, the words had come to his lips naturally.
“If you don’t want me in harm’s way, then don’t leave me—ever.” She nuzzled his neck and pressed her lips against the pulse beating in his throat. “Call him back. Let’s meet him and see what he has to say. We can use all the allies we can possibly get on our side.”
With her soft breasts pressed against his chest and her wavy hair tickling his chin, he couldn’t refuse her anything.
He sat up and reached for the phone. He put it back on Speaker and punched in the number Bessler had left.
The agent picked up on the first ring. “Yeah?”
“Bessler, I got your message.”
“Duvall?” Bessler released a long, ragged sigh.
“Start talking.”
“I’m in the same boat as you, man. The juice stopped working on me or something. I started remembering things, terrible things I’d done.”
Max flinched and Ava ran her hand down his back.
“How did you find me? Why are you off the grid?”
“I knew you were with Dr. Whitman. I knew Dr. Whitman had a brother in Snow Haven. She told me herself that he was headed there to be a snowboard instructor. And I’m off the grid because I chucked my phone, just like you.”
Max glanced at Ava and she pressed three fingers to her lips and nodded.
“I tracked her brother down, broke into his place to see if I could find out anything about Dr. Whitman. But I didn’t know I’d be running straight into a Tempest trap.”
“What does that mean?”
“You took him out, didn’t you? The agent in the bathroom. I knew it was you as soon as I heard the circumstances. If he had seen me here, I’d be dead. I may still be dead. I can’t talk any more, Duvall.”
“We meet in broad daylight, tomorrow.”
“In public.”
“Exactly. There’s an ice-skating rink in the center of town. Be there at noon in a green scarf and cap.”
“And how will I know you?”
“I’ll be in a green scarf and cap, too.” Max drummed his fingers on the receiver. “And I have one more question for you.”
“Yeah?”
“How many blue pills do you have left?”
“Not nearly enough, man, not nearly enough.”
When the call ended, Ava took the phone and placed it back on the nightstand. “He sounds legitimate, doesn’t he?”