Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents #7)(34)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I don’t think Jack is done with you. Not yet. He’s just made sure that you can’t be with Rachel.”

But he needed to be with her. Dylan clenched his hands into fists because his fingers were trembling. He couldn’t afford to show any weakness, not then. He didn’t know who might be close.

There’d been no sign of a struggle in the alley. Rachel had simply appeared to vanish.

But I know that didn’t happen.

His phone began to ring then. He yanked it from his pocket, wondering if the EOD had news—

Blocked Number.

He stilled.

“What is it?” Noelle asked him softly.

“Personal call. Excuse me.” He turned from her and took a few more steps away from the scene. Dylan didn’t know why he was hiding the truth from her. He only knew—

I need Rachel back.

“Dylan Foxx.” He answered the call when he was sure no one else could overhear him.

“You’re not very good at following orders…”

That chilling rasp filled Dylan’s ears.

“I think I told you to come alone last time, but you just had to drag my Rachel with you.”

She’s not yours.

“She’s bleeding now. She’s hurting. And it’s all your fault, Agent Foxx.”

No. The thunder of Dylan’s heartbeat filled his ears. “I’m going to kill you.”

Laughter. Low. Insidious. “Is that the way a government agent should talk? Shouldn’t you be interested in bringing me in? Containing me?”

“Put Rachel on the line.” His grip was about to shatter his phone.

“No. I’m afraid that just can’t happen.”

“Then you don’t have her.” Or she’s dead. No. He wouldn’t go there. “Unless I hear her voice, we’re done talking—”

“I have her. You can’t track her. Oh, I bet you tried, didn’t you? Using those EOD connections of yours. But Rachel’s’ tracking system is…off-line now.”

Yes, it was. And that had terrified him.

“She’s such a tough marine, isn’t she? Rachel didn’t even scream when I cut the tracker out of her shoulder.”

The image flashed though his head. “Don’t touch her again.”

“I’ll touch her plenty. And if I want, I’ll use my knife again. I’ll see if I can make her scream. I bet if I try hard enough, I can.”

Dylan fought to hold back the fury and the fear, but the emotions were choking him.

“Good old Brent was a free kill. I don’t usually do those. I like to get paid for my services, but I didn’t like the way he kept bothering Rachel.”

He’d been in the bar. He’d seen Rachel.

“I figured he deserved what he got.” There was a pause. “Just as you deserve what’s coming.”

“But Rachel doesn’t deserve to be hurt.” Dylan had to make the guy focus his fury—on me.

“I decide what she deserves.” His breath sighed out. “I know you were playing a game. You and Rachel aren’t together. It was just bait, to lure me in.” That low laughter came again. “Good try. But the game’s over now. Guess what? I win.”

The hell he did. “Ask Rachel. She’ll tell you that we’re lovers.”

He heard a gasp behind him and spun to see Noelle staring at him. Damn it, she’d been eavesdropping.

And he had to wonder just how the profiler had learned to move so soundlessly.

“You’re lying!” Anger blasted through Jack’s words.

“No, I’m not. It wasn’t bait for you. Rachel is mine. She’ll tell you.”

Noelle began to frantically shake her head.

Dylan’s heart iced. His mind worked quickly as he tried to figure out what to say—

“Rachel doesn’t give a damn about you,” Jack growled.

Maybe she didn’t.

“Why did you call?” Dylan demanded. Not just to torment him. But more. There had to be more.

“Because I’m not quite done with you.”

Dylan’s muscles were so tense they ached. “I’ll follow orders this time.”

“You have to, or else she dies.”

He still hadn’t heard Rachel’s voice. He was straining, desperately trying to pick up some background noise, but there was nothing for him to hear.

“If you tell anyone else, I’ll know. I’ll see them coming, and I will put a bullet in Rachel’s head.”

“Don’t!” The word burst from him too quickly.

Noelle gave another frantic shake of her head.

There was a sharp inhalation on the other end of the line. “Agent Foxx, it sure sounds to me like you care too much for my Rachel.”

He did.

“I remember you now,” Jack continued. “You and Shannon. You don’t want Rachel to wind up like Shannon, do you?”

“No,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth.

“Then get in your car. Head to the National Harbor. I’ll call you again when you’re on the way.”

“What happens when I get to you?” But Dylan knew just what he planned to do. Jack, you’re a dead man.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jack murmured. “One of us lives, and one of us dies.” A pause. “Now get in the damn car.”

The line went dead.

He stared into Noelle’s eyes. She knew what was happening. He brushed by her, but Noelle grabbed his arm. “Don’t! He’ll kill you long before you have any chance of getting to Rachel.”

Dylan pulled from her. “My job is to take down Jack. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.” And I’m getting Rachel back.

“He’s just going to kill you. You know that.” Her voice was low, pitched to only reach his ears. “You…you shouldn’t have said that you and Rachel were really involved. He was just calling to taunt you, but that changed things for him.”

“He’s hurting her.” No one hurt Rachel. No damn one.

“He’ll have a trap set for you. Please, Agent Foxx, think about this! He’s got this all planned. You know he isn’t an average killer.”

“That’s why the EOD is after him.” Because they knew just what sort of threat he posed.

“You need backup!”

“What I need…” He leaned in close because Thomas was coming toward them, and Dylan didn’t want the guy catching his next words. “I need her. Safe. Away from him. And I’ll do anything in order to get her back.”