Target on the Mountain by Elizabeth Goddard (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

and then also Dee. I just know that Dee was scared. If only he had shared everything he knew with me. But maybe someone in this group they’ve arrested will share more—like who found me at the safe house today.”

“I hope you’re right.” For Tori’s safety’s sake. “Let’s hope they discover the true reasons for Sarah’s murder now that they have made some arrests, but it doesn’t sound like they’re connecting those dots the same way we are. I’ll do what I can to find out more, even though this guy made it clear he wasn’t going to share the information with us. Maybe when your leave is over, you can somehow use your connections within the FBI to find out more.”

“You’re assuming that I’m going back to work for them. I told you that I was considering staying even if only by extending my leave. You didn’t believe me?”

“No, actually. I believed you would come to your senses.”

“Can we just get out of here?” Irritation edged her tone.

“Yes.” He glanced at her. “But first, pull your cap on.”

She flicked her green eyes his way, and though she tried to send him a severe look, dimples broke out on her cheeks. And at the sight of them, his heart was in his throat. He reined in his emotions before he spoke.

“Tori, please. You agreed to work with me.”

“Fine, but I’m not ducking.” She tucked the hat over the wig of long black hair. “Even if Sanchez believes the killer is still out there, since he doesn’t believe the activists murdered her.”

“We can’t know for sure, and I, for one, don’t want to take any chances. There are too many unanswered questions.” He steered from the parking lot. “So let’s do this. Let’s relax and eat with Katelyn when we get back to my house. She’s going to be upset if we don’t, I know that much. So please just try to enjoy the dinner that she cooked. Sometimes we have to get away from the investigation long enough to clear our heads.”

“Agreed. And I assure you I won’t have to work hard to enjoy her dinner. It smelled amazing. Besides, I need a break. I’ve been overthinking. Whatever Agent Sanchez says, I still believe Sarah’s murder has something to do with that group—or at least her environmental activities, which just leads back to them. Maybe there’s another group she was involved with. Something we missed. At least the ecoterrorist faction has been effectively shut down for the time being. But after I eat Katelyn’s pasta, who knows what I will think.”

God, please let this be over.

And if it truly was over—if Tori was right and Agent Sanchez was wrong—then she would probably go back to her job in South Carolina. Maybe she wouldn’t go back now, or even next week, but eventually. His throat threatened to close up on him at the thought.

“Look out!”

Tori screamed.

The vehicle filled his vision. He accelerated and swerved in hopes of a near miss. But he had no time to escape the vehicle as it slammed into them.

THIRTEEN

A loud blast filled her ears as a force propelled her forward. The next thing Tori knew, she sat in the vehicle, stunned, a deflated airbag in her lap and a weird smell filling the air. Seconds ticked by before she shook off the daze and gathered her wits. The airbag had exploded and the impact happened much too fast for her to comprehend.

And screams.

She’d heard screams.

Tori realized the screams had come from her. But she wasn’t screaming now. She was absorbing the fact they’d been in a car crash and she was still alive. She gasped for much-needed oxygen as her heart pounded. Dizziness tried to swallow her but she fought it. She remembered a vehicle had headed straight for them.

A hand gripped her. “Tori. Are you hurt?”

Ryan. Ryan had been driving.

“No, I’m not hurt. I’m... I’m okay.” She looked at him, a deflated airbag in his lap as well, but he had a cut across his forehead, and the sunglasses propped on his head were broken. “But you’re hurt.”

She touched his head and then looked at the blood on her fingertips. Ryan checked the rearview mirror that barely remained intact on the cracked windshield. “I’ll live. We have to get out of here.”

Tori reached up to touch her own head to see if she, too, was bleeding. Then she realized she was no longer wearing the wig. The impact had dislodged the disguise she’d donned moments before. She disentangled herself from the airbag and unbuckled the seat belt to search for the wig. The move ignited a throb across her chest. She’d have a bruise from the seat belt, if not the airbag.

“Get ready to run.” Ryan’s tone was urgent. “Tori, are you listening?”

“Sure.” She tried to shake off the daze.

“I need you to stay down until I can get you out.” Ryan grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “The wreck was deliberate. Your life is in jeopardy.” Ryan had his weapon out. “Get down, please.”

He urged her downward in the seat, which was hard because the front end was crunched inward, giving her less room. Again her chest throbbed. Tori did her best to remain down and out of view.

“Wait here,” he said. “I’ll be back.”

Ryan tried to open his door, but it wouldn’t budge. He shoved against it repeatedly. Then he shifted his body around, putting himself practically over her, and kicked the door open. He slipped out of the vehicle.

“We should stay together, Ryan.”

But he was gone. What was he doing? Panic spiked through her. Tori tried the passenger door. It wouldn’t budge. She reached for her own gun.

She could possibly crawl over the console and out of Ryan’s opened side, but then that would expose her if someone was aiming to shoot her. Tori remained crunched down in the seat.

Gunshots exploded around her in an exchange. Between Ryan and who else? Was he up against one person