“No, but he sent someone with a lot to lose and was willing to take a massive financial hit to get me off the case. He’s scared of me, which means I’m on the right track.” I take Sawyer’s hand, running my thumb over his warm skin. “He broke his six degrees of separation rule and exposed someone who can contact him directly to a world-class hacker.”
“Their phones.” Jonah stares at me in awe. “You hacked their phones in the hangar.”
“No.” I smile and look at my bracelet. “But Imayhave hacked my tracking device and added an extra function to it.” My smile broadens, and Jonah’s eyes just grow wider. “It transferred all the data from their phones to my laptop.”
“Can you trace the phone call?” Jonah asks, and I shake my head.
“It was a burner and rerouted a million times. It’ll take some major hacking and tracking to locate the source. It’s the kind of time I don’t have right now, but I can get some info off it that’ll set me on the right trail.”
“And you think going into hiding will flush out the real Harlow?” Jonah asks, deep in thought.
“Yes.” I nod, and Sawyer’s finger twitches in my palm as if telling me I’m right. His sarcastic tone telling me he’s impressed by my strategic thinking echoes in my head. “Sawyer and I have been studying Harlow’s MO, Jonah. He stays away from people who don’t pose a threat, he tries to neutralize law enforcement with trickery rather than violence, and he’s overly vigilant in avoiding civilian casualties. As long as Andy’s in the dark, he and Phoebe should be safe. Daniel Harlow won’t go after them.” I take a deep breath. “He’s resourceful. He’s cautious and really smart. My mistake was to think I could be smarter.”
“What’s different this time?”
“Harlow is smart, but he’s also isolated.” I turn to look at Jonah. “I tried to do things alone and look how it ended. Am I going into battle alone again, Lieutenant?”
“Hell, no,” Micah’s voice rumbles from the door, and the Peak brothers file into the room. “He hurt one of our own. Plus, that idiot,” Micah says, pointing at Jonah, “will walk the fires of hell for Sawyer. Someone needs to keep him from getting himself killed.”
“That’s probably true,” Jonah says with such a no-nonsense tone that even I’m alarmed at his intentions.
“No one is getting themselves killed,” Effie declares with a huff as she strides into the room in her nine-inch heels and powder-pink wide-legged pants, complete with a tight white top that even has me admiring her curves, golden hair knotted at the top of her head, and her signature black-rimmed glasses doing nothing to hide those sapphire blue eyes that always seem to be thinking.
She hands me a fat brown envelope with the seal still intact, and even with all the chaos that’s in my head, I don’t miss how Jonah’s eyes roam over her from head to toe with barely suppressed heat.
“Is this everything?” I ask, and she nods. “Did Sienna get the gear I asked for?”
Effie pulls out another envelope, this one plain white. “There’s a key to a locker in here. The location is in the ghosting pack, and Sienna is laying low for the time being.”
“Thank you.” I take the second envelope and turn to Jonah. “When he wakes up, I’ll make sure he knows how to find me.”
Silence descends over the room, everyone looking at each other with a pained expression, until Micah takes a step forward.
“He may not wake up, Maddie.” Micah places a gentle hand on my back, solid and stable.
“Why is it that you’re always the one delivering the difficult truths?” I look at him with an understanding smile, squeezing his shoulder before stepping over to Sawyer and leaning down to his ear.
“Remember what you promised me, Huckleberry.” The sudden jump in the heart monitor has the entire room gasping, but I just smile and kiss his temple. “I’ll be waiting.”
I retrieve the bag of clothes and supplies Effie put together for me, giving her a tight hug and squeezing Jonah’s arm. Pulling back, I break off the bottom half of Sawyer’s dog tags hanging around my neck and hand it to Jonah, who nods his understanding.
“Thank you guys for everything.” I look around the room at the men I’m trusting my future with. Four sets of brown eyes meet mine, and Micah gives me a reassuring smile and a wink.
After securing my backpack, I bid farewell to the Peak brothers, giving one last squeeze to each and every one of them.
“Keep safe, Maddie,” Isaiah practically orders me as I’m wrapped in his brotherly embrace. “We’ll be waiting for you when you’re back on the grid.”
I smile at him, finishing my round with Effie.
“Keep them in line for me, Eff, especially this one.” I indicate Jonah, who seems utterly offended.
“That brat is beyond redemption,” Effie replies with a dismissive wave of her hand, but her teeth are wearing into her bottom lip as her eyes keep flicking to Jonah.
I smooth my hand over Sawyer’s one last time before leaving the room. I know the guys will follow me to the parking lot, make sure I make it to the first of three escape cars hidden across the city.
And I’m leaving knowing Sawyer is in good hands.
Sawyer