She stopped and tried Sloan again. This time the ASAC answered with a brisk, “Yes?”

“We’re at Zenko’s mother’s cabin—”

“You’re where?” The task force leader’s voice rose in a way that made Yael realize the woman had no clue what she was talking about. Shane had lied to her. And if she outed him, he might lose his job.

Yael swallowed the knot in her throat. Took the fall. “I discovered a property owned by Zenko’s mother an hour west of Quantico. I persuaded Agent Livingstone to come with me to check it out.” Yael rattled off the address from memory. “I think Zenko was here. I think he drove off a few seconds ago. Now I see flames inside the cabin. Please send the local fire service and cops to this address. But tell them to be careful as there are tripwires around the grounds. I’m going to find Agent Livingstone”—and beat him to death with his own walking poles.

“Ms. Brooks—”

“Sorry, the signal is terrible and I’m worried it’s going to drop. Please send help. Oh, Zenko is driving away in a white Ford van. I have video of it but couldn’t make out the plate. The area is remote and the cops will probably be able to find him if they set up roadblocks ASAP.” Yael hung up knowing she was going to get her ass reamed later.

She stuffed the cell in one of the jacket’s pockets, ran towards the cabin. She raced to the front door just as Shane stumbled over the threshold carrying a man over his right shoulder, gun in his left hand. He jumped from the top of the porch all the way to the ground and Yael took a step back.

“Let’s get out of here. Gas line was severed. I think it’s about to blow.”

Shane stuffed the weapon in his holster and grabbed her hand and started running.

Despite carrying another man, Shane was still faster than she was. He led them to the property two down and cut in behind the main structure, laying the injured man in the damp grass. Blood soaked the man’s chest. The stench of beer was thick on the stranger’s breath, even stronger than the odor of smoke that clung to his clothes.

“Is that Lloyd Zenko?” she asked in surprise.

Shane didn’t look up as he started first aid. “Yup. Press down hard on this.”

Yael forced herself not to balk as he pressed her hands against a wadded tea towel on the man’s chest. The sight of blood made her want to curl into a fetal ball but she forced back the feeling and concentrated instead on doing what was needed.

“Shane, I saw someone leave the house. You must have missed him by a split second. He climbed into the white van and drove away. I took a video.”