The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents #6)(26)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“Plenty of people were in the military.” He didn’t seem to be jumping on board with her idea.

Maybe he needed more of a push. Shading her eyes, she told him, “I want to find out what, where and when they served. If Lockwood and McAdams were together, if they knew each other…that could lead us to the killer.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. A storm would be hitting that night. But that still left them with plenty of time to follow up on more leads.

“We’re getting closer,” Gabrielle whispered. “I can feel it. I—” She broke off when her phone began to ring. Gabrielle yanked it out of her bag and she frowned when she saw Blocked on the caller ID.

“Is it Carmichael?” Cooper asked as he pressed closer. “Has he found something new?”

She swiped her finger across the screen so she could take the call. “Harper,” she said.

“He’s not who you think…” The voice was low, rasping, and she had to strain to hear the words.

Gabrielle put her hand over her left ear, trying to drown out the noise from the lot and the street as she focused on the call. “I can’t hear you—say that again.”

“Cooper Marshall isn’t who you think…” The voice was still low, still rasping, as if the caller were trying to disguise his voice.

But this time, she clearly understood his words. Her gaze flew to Cooper. He frowned back at her.

“He’s right there, in front of you, and he’s lying to you.” A rough laugh. “Lying right to your face.”

Her stare slid away from Cooper and she scanned the lot. “You’re watching me.”

More laughter. “You interest me. You shouldn’t have even been in the game, yet here you are, leading the race.”

“I didn’t realize we were playing a game.” There was no accent to his voice, at least, not one that she could detect.

“Of course, winner kills all—”

Fear had her voice cracking as she said, “People’s lives aren’t part of a game!” Then she mouthed It’s him to Cooper.

Cooper immediately tried to reach for the phone, but she backed away from him.

“Good, good,” the voice in her ear praised her. “Don’t let him get too close. That’s what he’s trying to do. Get close to you. Lie to you. Use you.”

Like she was going to believe a killer.

“He’s not who you think…don’t trust the wrong man. Doing that will just get you killed.”

Then the line went dead.

For a moment, she didn’t move at all. Where is he?

“Gabrielle?” Cooper touched her arm.

She flinched. “He’s here. He’s watching us.” She spun around, her gaze searching all around the area.

Cooper took the phone from her. He tried to do a call return.

“You can’t,” she said, her eyes still scanning the area. “He blocked the call.”

Cooper pulled her back toward the shelter of the building. Cars were in front of them. The heavy stone of the building behind them. As far as protection went, it sure seemed like a good spot to her.

Cooper put his phone to his ear. A few seconds later, he said, “Rachel, the SOB just called Gabrielle. See if…if Sydney,” he said as his gaze fell away from Gabrielle’s, “can hack into the system and find him.”

She figured Sydney must be another one of his useful friends. Those friends were sure coming in handy.

“She says that he’s watching us,” Cooper continued. “We’re at the DOC. Yeah, yeah, I want a search.”

A search for the killer sounded like an excellent plan to her.

“I’m going now. I’m sending Gabrielle back in with the guards.”

Whoa, he was benching her?

He ended the call and secured the phone back in his pocket. His stare leveled on her. “Get inside. Stay there until I come for you.”

“While you face him alone?” That sounded like a horrible plan.

His smile was grim. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve got this.”

He was cold and deadly and he didn’t show even a hint of fear.

He’s not who you think.

“Get inside,” Cooper ordered her.

Now she knew why he seemed to be so good at giving orders. That was the military in him, coming out.

Only she wasn’t so good at following orders. Especially in a partnership. “I’ll call Carmichael.”

His jaw hardened. “Do what you need to do.”

Uh, calling the cops counted as doing what she needed to do.

“I have to know that you’re safe, Gabrielle, or I can’t look for him. Every minute we waste…he could be getting away.”

She managed a nod, but she sure wasn’t happy about him racing out alone. Then she was inside and he just—gone in an instant. She glanced around, looking through the window, but she could find no trace of him.

A chill settled over her as she kept staring outside.

Don’t trust the wrong man. Doing that will just get you killed.

She didn’t plan on dying.

* * *

“THE KILLER JUST made contact with Gabrielle Harper,” Bruce Mercer said as he lowered the phone back onto his desk. His gaze lifted and locked on Noelle Evers.

The FBI profiler had arrived less than an hour ago. She’d come right to him so that he could begin briefing her on the hell they faced.

Outsiders didn’t normally get this close to the EOD. Noelle Evers had passed one very thorough background check in order to get her insider access.

But he trusted Noelle—mostly because he knew her secrets.

Behind her glasses, Noelle’s eyes widened. She’d pulled the glasses out a few moments before to begin reading the files that he’d gathered for her.

“That’s a very dangerous sign,” she said.

He didn’t need to be told that.

“But…that’s also something we can use,” Noelle continued. “If the reporter can draw the killer out, then the authorities will have a better chance of catching him—”

“The local cops aren’t catching him. The EOD is containing him.”

Her head cocked. “He is the EOD.” Her fingers curled around the files in her lap. Files on Lockwood and McAdams. And on the other two agents who’d been killed—Frank Malone and Jessica Flintwood. “These agents were highly trained. They could kill in an instant, yet they never had the chance to fight back against their attacker. He’s a man they trust implicitly.” She squared her shoulders. “I know you told me that my access would be limited, but I need to see the files of every agent they worked with on their missions.”