Adams jumped into the passenger seat. “Let’s get out of here. Did you hear him?” His voice was shaking. “This was a mistake. He’s going to kill me.”

“Not if you handle it right. You did a good job in there.” He was driving out of the alley and down a side street. “You’ll get the rest of your money, and you’ll never have to deal with Bohdan again.”

“He wants me to go with him and those butchers. I’ve seen what he lets them do to anyone he gets angry with. Sometimes I get nervous.” He moistened his lips. “He’d know if I was lying.”

“Just stay away from everyone when you’re on the road.” He was shaking his head vehemently and Rodland could see where this was going. “Take a chance. The cash is worth it.”

“I won’t do it,” Adams said. “Unless you’re able to find a way to go with me. You’ve said that you’ve done a lot of tracking. I want you nearby if I need you.”

And hold the son of a bitch’s hand all the way to the Highlands? Rodland thought in frustration.

“Do you hear me? I’m not going to risk my life. You have to do what I want.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” Rodland said through set teeth. “I just have to step aside and let Bohdan find out you might have betrayed him.”

“You wouldn’t do that.” Adams’s voice was panicky. “We have a deal.”

Yes, he did, but the deal was with Caleb. Yet he couldn’t let that deal go down the drain. Too much depended on taking Bohdan down. “I’ll think about it,” he said sourly. “Just keep your damn mouth shut.”

*  *  *

Highlands
Next Day
12:15 P.M.

“You’ve been very quiet,” Jane said as Caleb made the turn that led to the upper Highlands. “Correction. Quiet toward me.” She glanced at him speculatively. “You’ve been talking to MI6 and Rodland almost nonstop. Do we have a problem?”

“Maybe. But it’s more Rodland’s problem than ours. I’ve just been trying to ease his way in case it develops into a gigantic mess.”

“But he called and told me that Adams had convinced Bohdan.” She frowned. “A half-truth?”

“Total truth, he just didn’t mention that he was going to be chaperoning Adams on the trail to keep Bohdan from massacring him en route to the trap.” He shrugged as he glanced at her. “What can I say? I’m not the only one who didn’t want to disturb you in your delicate condition.”

“Delicate? That’s bullshit. What’s he going to do?”

“He’ll just be on watch and take care if Adams causes an upset.” He smiled. “And you don’t have to go to his rescue because it’s already been set up.”

“MI6?”