Burke’s heart pounded. He didn’t want to make eye contact with either of the law enforcement agents in the room. He had broken into the phone of a representative of the United States federal government and probably broken several laws in the process. The wallets were nothing, but the phone hack along with the social engineering that Carter had witnessed could carry a lengthy prison sentence, if they decided to call him out on it. Plus, he had shot a guy. Although, he was relatively certain the man he shot wasn’t actually a CIA agent, which should have been a lesser charge.

When he looked up, both Carter and Nic were smiling back at him. Nic slapped him on the shoulder, and Carter said, “Where is he now?”

Burke brought the tracking app up on his iPad, and said, “His phone is at Ty Loria’s mansion out in the foothills.”

“That doesn’t help us,” Carter said. “Even if the terrorists were hiding there, which is unlikely, we’d be showing our hand by getting a warrant.”

“Unless we broke in,” Burke said.

Nic chuckled. “Let’s take it easy for a minute there, Ocean’s Eleven. What about Black Dog?”

With a machine gun clicking of the keys, a wealth of information on the company and its owner appeared on Allanon’s screens.

“Carl Verbeek owns the company,” the wizard said. “And rumor is that, while he’s mostly legit, his guys will do just about anything for a price. And he has the connections to get you any armament short of a ballistic missile. But here’s the kicker … Verbeek is former South African special forces.”

Burke narrowed his eyes at the picture of the heavyset man displayed on the screen. Verbeek was the missing link in the chain, the piece of the puzzle that could tie everything together, Burke could feel it in his bones.

“Who’s up for paying Mr. Verbeek a little visit?” he said.

Nic nodded, but then added, “Sounds like a good place to start. But let’s try not to shoot him or ask him if he wants to die today.”

“Those were isolated incidents.”

“And try not to steal his wallet,” Carter said.

Burke shrugged. “We’ll just have to see where the moment takes us.”

Chapter 87

Isabel’s whole body shook as she fought to keep her composure. She looked in the mirror, saw the blood splattered across her face, and vomited into the sink. It felt like a part of her soul flowed out of her along with the bile and fluids. Thankfully, she hadn’t eaten in more than a day. Her eyes in the mirror appeared sunken, and her normally tan skin had turned the color of ash.

She looked to her hands and realized that she still held the bloody hammer. She dropped it into the sink and stepped back like she’d come across a rattlesnake.

Her mind raced. What was she doing? What had she become? Only a day ago, she had been a constable, a representative of law and order, one who was on suspension and mandatory psychiatric care, but a police officer nonetheless.