Still, someone had died because she couldn’t give them five or ten more minutes’ notice.

Vestavia would not be forgiving.

Her conscience would have been less forgiving if she’d allowed thousands of innocent people to die. She steeled herself to face her punishment for failure and prayed he hadn’t discovered that she’d leaked the information.

Basil lifted his eyebrows suggestively and winked. So sure of winning something-her-out of this mission.

She ignored him.

Vestavia opened the door and walked away-their sign to enter.

Linette tried to breathe normally but all she could manage were painful little drags of air through her constricted throat. She took her usual position next to the brass statue, standing with straight posture, eyes staring dead ahead.

Basil and Frederick filed in behind her, closing the door, then standing next to her. Three lieutenants in a line.

“Fra, I know there were problems-” Basil started.

Vestavia held up his hand, which brought immediate silence. “Actually, this project went better than I anticipated.”

Linette blinked twice quickly but maintained her stance.

Vestavia went to his desk and lifted a file. “Yes, in spite of the underwhelming results of the Chicago bombing, I did get something I’ve been searching for.”

Basil and Frederick relaxed immediately.

Linette had worked with Vestavia long enough to understand the meaning of his deceptively happy voice. He was anything but.

“I’ve kept close tabs on all of you.” He strolled along in front of them, holding the file behind him in the image of Hitler addressing his men. “One of you has been a very busy person.”

Frederick’s skin seemed to shrink and lose color.

Linette’s hands were icy and damp. Had Vestavia found a second ghost on the computers? She’d been forced to wait until the very last minute to send her online contact the coordinates, and routing the post had taken extra time.

She’d been careful, but maybe not careful enough.

Vestavia smiled at Basil. “I’ve seen you here late at night putting in overtime. Long hours every day.”

Basil’s cheeks puckered, but he didn’t smile, though she could feel how much he wanted to gloat at what he clearly perceived as a compliment.

“You’ve certainly worked hard to show me how bright and dedicated you are.” Vestavia’s voice lightened, as if he were happy about something. “I have to admit, I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, Fra,” Basil said.

When Vestavia turned to stroll back the other way, Basil sent Linette a confident leer.

And here she’d been worried about getting caught by Vestavia. That disgusting toad Basil was making mental plans for how he’d abuse her. She could see it in the liquid slime gleaming in his eyes.

No, not again. Never again would she let some animal use her. The last one had been too old to hurt her more than three or four times a week.

The animal standing at her elbow would hurt her that many times a night.

Vestavia stopped and wheeled back around. “You covered many parts of this mission, didn’t you, Basil?”

Basil was stunned. He licked his lips, unable to answer.

“It’s okay, Basil. You earned the credit. Why not take it?”

The sound of pressure releasing slipped past Basil’s lips. He gave a fair impression of looking humble. “Just checking on the whole team, Fra. I knew this was important to you.”

“Yes, this mission was important, but for more than just wrecking a city. We can do that any time we want.”

Basil’s next facial impression was that of a confused mutt.

Vestavia opened the file and glanced at the notes. “I need good people, dependable people, trustworthy people. I reward those who show me more than simple commitment.”

Linette noticed Vestavia left out the part about what he did to those he couldn’t trust.

“I’ve been looking for a mole in our organization for a while now, and I’ve found that person.”

Linette kept staring straight ahead. Panic would be a dead giveaway. If he’d caught her, she’d-

“You’re brilliant, Linette.” He started walking toward her. “You’re the epitome of dedication and follow instructions to a T.”

Basil gaped at her.

She slid her eyes horizontally, refusing to take the bait. She had no other plan than denial.

“That’s why I picked you.” Vestavia stepped past her. “What I’m wondering is why I ever allowed someone like Basil to infiltrate my operation.” He turned on Basil. “I found the ghost trail on your computer where you sent the coordinates to a chat room.”

Basil’s face looked as though he was already dead.

He would be soon.

Vestavia snapped his fingers and guards burst into the room. Basil finally caught on. He looked from Vestavia to the guards in horror. “No, I didn’t betray you.”

When one guard grabbed Basil, he screamed, “Noooo!” The second guard slapped a piece of duct tape over his mouth.

Linette should feel some guilt over leaving her files in her office for Basil to break in and read them, or for routing the post with the bomb location to the chat room through Basil’s computer, using his ID code in a buried signature.

To be honest, she felt relief.

Vestavia dismissed Frederick, then told Linette, “Sorry I couldn’t give you time to shower. We’ve got a busy day. Meet me back here in an hour.”

“Absolutely, Fra.” She nodded and walked out on weak legs, but she’d taken one animal out of the game.

Chapter Forty-six

Hunter walked into the offices in the Bat Tower overlooking downtown Nashville that housed the BAD agency.

He doubted this meeting would be casual considering Tee was joining Joe to give Hunter their decision on his future.

“Joe and Tee are waiting,” Danya said when he stepped through the doors into the reception area. He’d heard about a new hire for the offices. Average-looking except for the spiked red hair and blaring yellow skirt with a black sweater, she sat behind a desk tapping at a computer.

“Thanks. Gotthard here, too?”

“In the back conference room with Rae, uh, working on the memorial,” Danya answered, a halfhearted smile on her lips. The quick downcast of her eyes back to whatever she was working on reflected the general mood after they’d lost one of their own.

Korbin had died saving the lives of thousands of people.

Including Todd, Pia, and Barrett.

Hunter thanked him daily for their lives. He’d never be able to repay that debt. He would keep an eye out for Rae and watch her back if he gained his freedom again. He was glad to have cleared the air with Korbin before this happened, but that didn’t make his loss any easier.

Pushing forward, he turned down the hall to Joe’s office, which connected with Tee’s.

Rae came around the corner at the other end, barreling forward on long sweeping strides, head down. She must have sensed him when he stopped walking. She looked up and slowed a step, then picked up speed.

“Rae, I’m sorry about-”

“Save it.” She only glanced at him for a microsecond.

Long enough for him to see that nothing would repair the damage inside her. Losing Korbin had torn her in ways Hunter understood, but she wouldn’t want to hear it.

Not right now and not from him.

He reached Joe’s office door and entered.

Tee stood behind Joe’s desk. The glance of acknowledgment she gave him reminded Hunter of an executioner sizing up a condemned man’s neck. “Joe was called away.”

Most people might foolishly think having only Tee, a petite Vietnamese woman with fine features and gorgeous eyes, would play into Hunter’s favor.

Those would be the people who had no inkling of Tee’s background or abilities. Those who were deceived by a woman in four-inch heels who just reached his shoulders and turned the electric-blue skirt suit she wore into an erotic statement.