“THAT’S YOUR PLAN? Go after the guy first?” Quinn sneered at Kelsey.

“I’m saying it will be easier to get to him out there. And we’ll have time to decide the best course of attack. I have an eye on him there.”

“Meaning you don’t have an eye on the woman.”

“She’s either in Long Beach or out in the desert with the guy.”

“You can’t be sure one way or the other?”

“My contact told me she planned to go out there. I’m just not certain she’s there yet.”

“It would be to our advantage to take care of both of them at the same time.”

“I agree. That’s why I think the best place to start is out there.”

Quinn started to say something, then stopped. At least the sneer is gone, Kelsey thought. He sees my logic.

“The eye you have on the guy out in the desert, he trustworthy?”

“He owes me, so yeah, I think he is.”

“Call him. Make sure our guy is where you think he is and then let me talk to him.”

Kelsey bit her tongue, hating having to take orders from Quinn. She called Jerry while Quinn drove. They’d picked up a nondescript rental car, and the only thing she didn’t mind about this arrangement was him driving.

She asked Jerry to confirm where Murphy was. He told her the PI was staying in Tehachapi, at the La Quinta hotel.

“You’ve seen him?” Quinn asked. The call was on speaker.

Jerry hesitated.

“It’s okay, Jerry. He works with me,” Kelsey said, hoping to allay Jerry’s fear.

“I have a guy I trust in town watching him —”

Quinn shot Kelsey a dirty look. “Who?” he demanded. She knew he was mad that another person was involved. She was upset as well; she hadn’t known that Jerry would involve someone else, but she wasn’t going to let her irritation show.

“Guy who runs the local computer shop. His dad was a deputy. I trust him. He does a lot of stuff besides computers.” The implication in Jerry’s voice was that this man did illegal things. “He sent me the guy’s license plate and confirmed the guy is there, investigating an old crime.”

“I want his information,” Quinn demanded. “Can you text it to us?”

“Kelsey, what is this?”

“Trust me. Just send me what you know about this guy. It’s no big deal; we’re just checking up. Your work is finished. You’ll be paid. The money will be in your account tomorrow.”

That seemed to placate Jerry. Kelsey disconnected.

“Money he’ll never spend,” Quinn said.

“What do you mean?” she asked, unease spreading through her gut.

“You don’t think we can leave any loose ends, do you? You’ve made more work for us. There are two more names to add to the list.”

She shivered. A few seconds later the text from Jerry came through.

Rubbing her forehead, she realized she was in far deeper than she’d ever wanted to be. Stuck in a car with a dangerous moron like Quinn, heading out to kill two people —now four —she was trapped. Her employer had gone around the bend letting this guy off his leash. His presence and his accent were already grating on her nerves; now they made her afraid.

She’d also lost her grip on the ledge and was in free fall, without the energy to fight with him. He’d probably dictate the plan, and once they set it in motion, they’d have to strike quickly or she’d lose her nerve. As it was, when they hit the 14 freeway and traffic jammed to a stop, she knew it would be dark before they arrived in Tehachapi. Part of her wondered if she should just give in, point a gun at Quinn, and make him turn around. Then she’d march into the homicide office and tell the truth about those murders so many years ago.

She heard Gavin’s voice in her head saying that that would be quitting.

But you quit on me! her mind screamed. She barely kept the tears at bay, knowing that to show such weakness in Quinn’s presence would be her death.

I’m crazy, she thought, certifiable, talking to a dead man. But once this is over, my place on Rollins’s team will be solidified, set in concrete. All I need to do is be thorough, careful, and this ugly chapter in my life will be over for good.

Fists formed so tight her knuckles turned white and her fingernails cut into her palms as traffic inched forward.