“Move,” Court said, and he stepped up and kicked Hightower in the ass. The big ex-SEAL stumbled forward. Court added, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“Then I guess I’m fucked.”

—

Both men stood on rotten floorboards inside the mill. Zack’s wrists were still tied behind his back, and Court had also used a length of the jute to affix Zack to a heavy weight-supporting beam on the outside wall. Court stood a few feet away, leaning against a stone column around a wooden vertical stabilizer that went up to the roof.

Court didn’t bother to build a fire. Instead he left his flashlight on and put it on the floor between them, with Zack’s T-shirt draped over it to diffuse the powerful glow. It was enough for the two men to see each other here inside the mill, but from the air no one could possibly detect any light.

Court said, “I want to hear what you have to say. You were out there tailing Catherine King so you could get a shot at me. Is that it?”

Zack shrugged in his bindings. “I wasn’t enjoying myself, if that makes you feel better.”

Court just shook his head. “You do remember what happened the last time we saw each other, don’t you? I saved your stupid life.”

“And you remember what I said back then. I told you that if you saved me, I’d just come back and kill you. I was working for Denny. Denny calls the shots. Not me.”

“Well, Denny is full of shit. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Zack licked blood off his lips and spit on the floor. “Tell that to Ohlhauser.”

“If I killed Max Ohlhauser I would only do it because I had reason to. And if I had a reason, I wouldn’t hide it. I’d be proud.”

Zack just eyed Court with mistrust. He leaned back against his tied hands on the beam.

Court said, “I didn’t kill Max. I didn’t kill Leland Babbitt. I didn’t—”

“I killed Babbitt,” Hightower replied casually.

Court cocked his head. “You what?”

“Jordan Mayes said Babbitt was threatening to go public with critical classified material. He had to be taken down. As in immediately. As in permanently.”

Court thought about this. “He had been targeting me in Europe. Maybe Denny cut him out because he failed. Maybe he was going to talk. Shit, Zack. You just fragged an American citizen because Mayes told you to?”

Another shrug by Zack, like it was no big deal. “That’s about the size of it.”

“You know the CIA isn’t supposed to do that without presidential sanction.”

Zack winked. “Good thing I’m not CIA. I’m freelancing.”

Court just mumbled, “There’s a lot of that going around these days.”

“Is that right?”