Chapter Twenty-Seven

An explosion of shattering glass interrupted the rustle and the thud. Jessie stood motionless behind the shelf, as if her blood had stiffened even though her heart pumped furiously. Seconds passed like minutes while she waited for Ian and Elizabeth to react.

“What the hell was that?” Ian asked.

Jessie wondered the same thing.

“Sounds like it came from your office,” Elizabeth said.

“Stay here.”

No, go with him. If she and Ian went into his office, Jessie would have a straight shot at the stairs.

“I’m coming with you,” Elizabeth said.

Yes. Jessie got ready to make her move. She slipped file 03 into her purse, peeked around the shelves, and watched the doorway. Ian stepped past cautiously. Elizabeth—it was Philippe’s Elizabeth—stayed close behind him.

Jessie hoped they would stay in Ian’s office long enough for her to reach the stairs. After a moment, she risked easing out into the hallway with quick, light steps.

“Some son-of-a-bitch busted the window with a rock,” Ian said. “First the vase, now this.”

Jessie started to dash for the stairs, but hesitated when she saw Elizabeth’s jeweled button glinting on the floor. She stopped, picked it up, and headed for the stairs.

“I can’t stay here if you’re going to call the police.” Each of Elizabeth’s words became fainter as Jessie crept down the steps on tiptoe. When she reached the bottom, she heard footsteps above and Ian’s voice, closer.

“I’m going outside to look around,” he said. “Pull yourself together and get out of here.”

Jessie hurried down the hallway to the door but stopped short when she saw the solid red light on the alarm panel.

Armed—a single word on the LCD screen.

No doubt she would trigger the alarm when she left, but she had to get out now.

She held her breath and opened the door. A siren blared as she tore into the bitter cold, across the concrete porch, and down the steps. She ran up dim and deserted Q Street until the sound of the alarm dissipated in the mist and became silent.

With the Dupont North Metro entrance in sight and several people in view, she slowed to a walk, sweating and shivering, fighting nausea. Her purse weighed heavily on her shoulder, full of all kinds of trouble—Sam’s files, Elizabeth’s button. And a gun.

She passed the steep escalators that descended to the Metro station, found a bench, and sat. People passed by on the sidewalk along Connecticut Avenue. No matter the weather or the time, this city never slept. It made her weary just thinking about it, wondering if she could keep up. As the adrenaline drained from her system and leached her energy, she decided she couldn’t. She’d gotten what she wanted from Ian’s practice, but she hadn’t made it to Sam’s in time to meet Michael. She should’ve been there almost an hour ago. Certainly he knew the difference between a little late and stood up. He’d be crazy if he was still waiting for her, and she wouldn’t blame him if he wasn’t.

She pulled her phone from her purse and checked to see if he’d left a message. He hadn’t, so she called him but got no answer. Considering her state of mind, she figured it was best not to leave a voice mail. She slipped her phone back into her purse, propped her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. Her warm breath heated her cheeks.

“We’ll call it even if you show me what’s in your pocketbook.”

Jessie jolted upright. Michael Gillette stood in front of her, looking even taller from where she sat. A chill skittered over her. Did he know what she had in her purse, or was he just bluffing? “I’m sorry I didn’t show up to meet you at Sam’s place, but—”

“You were trapped inside Ian’s practice and couldn’t get away?”

Jessie reeled, but she started to make sense of things. “You broke Ian’s window?”

A corner of Michael’s mouth hitched up in a stomach-flipping half grin. “Former left-fielder.”

Jessie looked at him self-consciously. “I can explain.”

He pulled off one of his black leather gloves and reached toward her. With warm fingers against freezing skin and a slow, gentle motion, he smoothed a lock of hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. “I can, too.”