“You can leave your gun belt on,” Beck said with a smirk just before they left Tess’s office. “But turn your radio off, no accidental notifications. I want this jaunt to look perfectly normal and natural. I can press this button faster than I can blink.”

As she switched her radio off, Tess realized there was no way she could draw her weapon before Beck pushed the button. Part of her wanted to call his bluff, but she could never live with herself if a bomb did, in fact, explode on River Drive. So she walked out of the station with Beck and Oliver, planning, hoping, and praying for an opening.

Livie was expecting them. Tess had the duration of the drive, maybe fifteen minutes, to figure out a way to get the remote from Beck. He’d already dashed her hope that Livie’s home would be out of range for the remote, telling her that his technology was as advanced as anything used by the US military. Tess knew he could be lying, but she didn’t want to risk innocent lives on it. No, she had to get the remote away from him, eliminate the threat.

Tess’s phone buzzed as she, Oliver, and Beck left the station. She looked at the caller ID. It was Steve.

Beck gripped her arm. “I suggest you answer it, on speakerphone.”

“I think I should just let it go to voice mail, safer that way.” She held his gaze. He relented.

“For the sake of your town, I hope you’re right.”

The buzzing stopped; then the phone chimed with a voice mail. Tess put it in her pocket.

They reached her SUV. Beck climbed in back. “Better to watch the both of you,” he said.

Oliver took the front passenger seat.

Tess drove out of the lot, mind whirring. Beck hadn’t disarmed her; she supposed he figured the threat of the remote would keep her from shooting him. He was right on that count. And other than the remote, she couldn’t see that Beck had any weapons on him.

She drove slowly, stalling. Hoping Steve would be perplexed by her not answering. They were supposed to be contacting Harp together today. What would he do if he thought Tess had stood him up? She prayed that he’d think something was wrong and do something to throw Beck off-balance. She glanced at Oliver on her right. She knew he was praying as well, and that gave her hope and, surprisingly, peace.

Who said a cop and pastor wouldn’t make a good team?

They reached the gate. Tess pressed the intercom and announced their arrival. The gate swung open. As Tess drove through, she remembered the cameras; they were everywhere. Was Harp watching? She knew who Cyrus Beck was. Would she recognize him and be ready?

I have to grab that remote.