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Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR JANICE CANTORE
  3. Map of Rogue’s Hollow
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. Epigraph
  7. PROLOGUE
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. EPILOGUE
  62. 1
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

“Why should I believe you?” she asked.

“Because I have nothing to lose. You’ve ruined me. My best people are dead. If I blow up your town, you shoot me.” He shrugged. “I win because I stay out of prison.”

“How can you say that you win by causing the deaths of innocent people?” Oliver asked, clearly disgusted.

“Because I don’t care about them. At all. You can save those innocent lives, Chief. You and you alone have that power.”

“How can I do that?”

“Take me to Roberta. You do, and I’ll give you the detonator. Lives saved, everyone happy.”

“What about Roberta?”

“I have a score to settle. Your choice is one death or many.”

“You can’t expect me to make that choice.”

He arched an eyebrow. “I expect you to do just that. I’ll count to ten. Either you take me to Roberta, or I kill everyone within a one-block radius of my vehicle. Some damage may even occur here. Digger always was one for overkill.” He held the remote up again. “One, two, three . . .”

Tess listened to him count, a mix of negative emotions choking her, knowing he might well be lying, but realizing that she just couldn’t take that chance. He got as high as eight.

“Wait.” She put her hand up. “What do you think happens after you settle your score with Roberta? Do you think that you’ll just walk away?”

“Tess, you can’t.” Oliver gripped her arm.

“Oh yes, she can,” Beck said. “She’s pragmatic; she can’t have the deaths of thirty or forty people on her head when one will suffice. I expect you’ll try to arrest me. Good luck with that.”

“You’re crazy, Beck.” Tess’s heart was pounding in her ears, and her thoughts scrambled for a way out of this situation. She could shoot Beck dead right now, but suppose he pushed the button as he fell? Or pushed it in the time it took to unholster her weapon?

“Maybe I am. Call the woman who has Roberta. Tell her we’re coming; tell her an agent will be with you.”

He must have seen the shock on Tess’s face because he laughed. “Yes, I know very well you’ve hidden her with some insane prepper. Digger did a lot of what he was good at—he dug up information for me before his unfortunate demise. Just call the woman and don’t do anything to alert her or—” he snapped his fingers—“boom.”

Tess turned to Oliver. “Call Livie.”

“Tess . . .”

“Trust me, Oliver, call her. Tell her we’re coming up to visit and talk to Roberta.” Tess needed time to figure out how to disarm Beck, look for an opening, and only by making him think he had the upper hand could she do that.

Oliver took a deep breath. “If you’re sure . . .” He pulled out his phone and called Livie Harp.

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