Chapter 31

 

Anna dug her phone from her pocket as her truck passed down onto the floating section of the 520 bridge across Lake Washington. The rain was coming down in sheets now, the roadway almost totally obscured by spray and the increasingly heavy downpour. In the rearview mirror, a last strong beam of late afternoon sun shone through a break in the clouds, revealing the surreal spectacle of a faint rainbow over the eastern part of downtown Seattle.

She hit the speed dial, hoping she’d pick up. There was no telling where the woman had gone. For all Anna knew, she could have been on her Harley halfway across the country by now.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Then the call connected, the woman’s voice an annoyed growl. “Why the hell are you calling me?”

“Darynn. W-where are you?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because you’re my best friend, idiot.” The turn signal indicator clicked softly as Anna pulled around a semi that had her nearly blinded with road spray.

“Tell me you’ve come to your senses and you’re back to at least attempting to do your job.”

Anna sighed. “I went to see Grayson.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

The highway rose back up onto the eastern shore, leaving the lake behind — and immediately, a storm of red brake lights erupted up ahead.

Anna cursed under her breath. Traffic was absolutely awful in the Seattle area now. It had never been good, but with the tech boom going on in the downtown core, life in Seattle was starting to resemble — in all the wrong ways — the insanity of Silicon Valley.

“I had to see what he was up to. What he might… do.”

“What do you mean? This is Grayson Corddray we’re talking about here. What he might do?” Darynn chuckled bitterly. “The answer is — anything he wants.”

“There is… a problem.”

“Tell me about it,” Darynn said, bitterness in her tone. “No — wait. Don’t tell me about it. If you’ve called me to explain, or try to weasel your way out of admitting how fucking stupid you’re being, then you can save your breath. I don’t want to hear it.”

“I want to cancel the contract.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Darynn? You there?”

“Jesus.” Darynn mumbled something, but Anna couldn’t make it out. “You gonna just return the fee? Call it good? He’s a dick — but as far as I’ve ever heard, he’s a reliable dick. A businessman.”

“It’s not that simple. I… if I do it, he’ll take the fee back. Without interest.”

“So, what’s the problem? Do it. Maybe you’ll start thinking straight once that piece of shit is out of your house.”

Anna’s mouth had gone dry. “Darynn, if I do that, he’s in danger.”

“He’s already in danger, you crazy bitch. From you.”

“I’m not talking about that. If I drop the contract… I think Corddray will do something to him.”

Darynn’s voice went tight. “You serious? There’s no way he’d chance it. You really think he would?”

“I’m positive. I saw it in the bastard’s eye.” Anna looked over her shoulder as she angled the truck into the far right lane. She’d roll onto the shoulder if she needed to, her exit only a few hundred feet away.

“Jesus Christ, I knew this was going to go sideways. We shouldn’t have taken the fucking contract.”

“I tried to call George — just tell him everything. But Elaina said he’s back east somewhere — she isn’t even sure where he is. So, he’s out.”

Darynn grunted. “Sounds like George Trask. Jesus, why would you want to spill everything to him though? That really would be blowing up the contract.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the contract anymore, Darynn. I care about saving a man’s life.”

“An asshole’s life.”

Anna blew out a breath, trying to keep her temper under control. Trying not to think about the noose slowly tightening upon all of them if she didn’t figure out a way out of it.

“I don’t care if he was an asshole or not.”

“Was?”

“He’s not the same guy he was. Even you have to admit that.”

Darynn almost snarled the words. “I don’t have to admit a goddamned thing, Anna. This shit is fucked up, you know that?”

“I know it.”

Gravel sprayed up against the undercarriage as Anna lost patience and whipped the truck onto the shoulder, gunning the engine and zipping around the now completely stopped traffic. The ride smoothed instantly as she brought the tires back up onto the pavement, speeding up the exit ramp.

“I’m going to park before I get my ass pulled over.”

“Where are you?”

“On the way home — but we need to talk first.” Anna swallowed hard, silently praying. “I need your help, Darynn. I really… need your help.”

The line was so silent, she began to despair that the stubborn ex-Marine had hung up on her. Then there was a weary sigh.

“Looks like I have to bail your fucking ass out, Shaw. Again.”

And Anna smiled.