Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents #7)(23)
Author: Cynthia Eden

He’d put the call on speakerphone.

Rachel reached for her robe. She was breaking his not-moving rule. He could deal with it.

That laughter was familiar to her. It was familiar, and so was the voice that said—

“Agent Foxx, just who the hell do you think I am?”

Jack.

She was on her feet in an instant and rushing toward Dylan.

Dylan had turned to stone.

“Rachel knows who I am,” that familiar voice continued, deep and low. “She knows me very, very well.”

Dylan’s gaze caught hers. “Does she? Well, guess what? Turns out I know her pretty well, too.”

She froze.

“You’ll never know her the way I do.” Jack was smug now. “Rachel loves me. Did she tell you that? She loves me so much that even after everything that I did to her, Rachel couldn’t bring herself to kill me.”

Rachel fought hard not to let any expression cross her face right then.

“Rachel doesn’t give a damn about you,” Dylan replied, his own voice clipped. “She knows exactly what you are—a killer, and she wants to see you locked up.”

“Or maybe…” Now a mocking tone had entered Jack’s words. “Maybe she just wants to see me again. Maybe Rachel misses me just as much as I miss her.”

She shook her head, the move instinctive.

A siren echoed outside. Rachel’s gaze flashed toward her window, then back to Dylan. She hurried to grab her phone. She needed to call the EOD. They could try and get a trace on the call. She tapped in the number for headquarters and brought the phone to her ear. When the agent answered her call, Rachel whispered, identifying herself, then she said, “Jack is on the line with Agent Foxx. The killer just called—”

“Is that my sweet Rachel?” Jack asked. “Standing there, is she? Listening to all that I have to say.”

Dylan was as still as a statue.

His silence seemed to infuriate Jack. “Then why don’t you both listen to this?” The words were harder now. Snapping. “You want to bring me in, Agent Foxx? You think you’re the man who can finally bag the infamous Jack? Then come and get me. Just you, got it? You come to find me, and I’ll be waiting for you behind Ford’s Theatre. Right there in the alley. You and me.”

Dylan didn’t speak.

“Leave Rachel behind because right now…this isn’t about her, is it?” Jack taunted. “It’s about us. Her two lovers.”

Rachel shook her head. No, Jack had never been—

“And if you aren’t here in fifteen minutes, then I’ll just kill the first loser who is dumb enough to cross my path. I’m feeling a little…angry tonight.” But it wasn’t just anger coating his words. It sounded more like fury. “First my client double-crosses me, and then I see you…spending the night with my girl. Things like that tend to wreck my control.”

The sound of sirens filled the room again.

And…did she hear the sirens coming from Dylan’s phone, too?

“Fifteen minutes,” Jack snapped. “Get here or some fool will die in your place.”

He hung up then.

“Did you get all of that?” Rachel asked the agent on the line because she’d turned her speakerphone on, too.

“Yes,” Helen Grant said, her voice cool and in control. Rachel had worked with the other woman a few times before. “And I’ll get support personnel en route. Dylan, get to Ford’s Theatre. We’ll have a team to back you up.”

Rachel tossed her phone toward Dylan as she ran to the bedroom. It wasn’t just about having another team there. She planned to be there, too. Dylan would have backup all right—me.

She grabbed for her clothes, dressing as quickly as she could. She ran back into the den seconds later.

And saw that Thomas was coming into her apartment. Dylan was at the door, heading out.

He’s leaving me?

“Stay here,” Dylan directed her as he glanced over his shoulder. “This will be over soon.”

He was crazy. “Not happening.” She marched toward him. “I think you’ve got me confused with a civilian—and not an EOD agent.”

His dark eyes glittered down at her. “I don’t have time to argue. Please…just stay here.”

Then he was just—gone. What the hell?

Thomas shrugged and lifted his hands. “My orders are to watch you.”

“And my orders are to bring down Jack. Not just sit here while Dylan risks his life.” Because that wasn’t the definition of a team.

One person facing the danger?

One person being safe?

No way.

She rushed out right after Dylan. Thomas tried to stop her, but she just yanked free of his hold. Her feet thudded down the stairs, and she caught up with Dylan just as he was heading for the door of her building. “It’s a trap!” She grabbed his arm.

He swung around to face her. “You think I don’t know that? Why do you think I want you to stay here with Thomas?”

“So you can face all the danger yourself.” She shook her head. “Teammates take the risk together.” And Jack—he was her problem. It was personal for her. Not just about the EOD. Not just about stopping a killer.

“I don’t have time—”

She sprinted ahead of him and into the night. “Then catch up.”

Dylan’s car waited in the parking spot just a few feet away. She ran toward it.

* * *

RACHEL EXITED THE BUILDING, running ahead of Dylan Foxx.

Jack stiffened.

Rachel had heard his orders. So had Dylan. Dylan was to come to that meeting alone.

He’s not alone.

As Jack watched, Dylan unlocked his car. He was standing at the passenger side, right next to Rachel. They were arguing.

But Rachel got in the car.

She got in the car.

Dylan ran around the vehicle and jumped into the driver’s seat.

Rachel was in the car.

No. She had to get out.

Jack rushed forward. Horns blared as he ran right across the busy street.

* * *

“SO MUCH FOR listening to your senior officer,” Dylan snapped. Rachel was already buckled up, and the woman’s delicate jaw had locked. No matter what he said, Rachel wasn’t backing down.

“Drive, Dylan. Now.”

Car horns honked, blaring loudly. There was a police cruiser a few feet away. The uniforms were talking with a few college-aged guys.

And…

Someone was rushing across the street.

That was why the cars were honking.

Dylan turned the ignition, frowning.