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Back Vortex Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. Epilogue
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. About the Author
  60. Also by Catherine Coulter
  61. About the Publisher

“If it is her drink.”

“It is, it has to be.”

He paused a moment. “Mia, tell me who you think these two men are. Where did you spot them? You’re going on a torn earlobe and a bracelet? A gamer?”

“Yes. Tommy, I don’t want to tell you yet. I don’t want to prejudice you or the sheriff.”

Tommy had learned over the years how stubborn Mia could be. “All right. But don’t you go showing these photos around, all right? If you have come across the two men who took Serena, you know they’d do anything to keep from being exposed. They wouldn’t hesitate to kill you. You know that, right? Come on, Briscoe, I don’t hear you nodding.” He sighed deeply. “You’re not going to leave it to me, are you? You’re going into full reporter mode.”

She said, “Tommy, be realistic. It’s nowhere near a sure thing that these photos show the same two men. And yes, I’ll be careful, just in case. Please don’t worry. You’ll keep me posted, all right?”

“Only if you promise you’ll tell me what you’re doing on your end.”

“Sure, of course, we’ll see. Now, before you head off to arrest some crooks, tell me, how are your folks?”

When she punched off her cell, Mia felt a blast of guilt. No, she’d been right, it was too soon to tell him about Harrington and Harper when she had no real proof. She couldn’t ask Tommy and the FBI to investigate a candidate for mayor based on a hunch, it wouldn’t be fair. She had to learn more first and she fully intended to. Sins of omission, she thought, weren’t really sins if there was good reason for them. That was her reasoning and she was sticking to it.

19

Olivia

23 Swan Court

CIA Safe House

Washington, D.C.

Tuesday night

Whomp, whomp, whomp—the helicopter blades were vicious loud, the vibrations scoring through her head. Olivia felt hands on her, felt a needle slide into her wrist, but oddly, she didn’t feel any pain, but she knew it was there, waiting. She heard voices speaking quietly above her, but they were only meaningless sounds. Then she heard Mike’s voice, low and harsh, close to her face, she’d recognize it anywhere. He sounded upset. Were those his fingers stroking her cheek? Was he afraid she’d die? She wished she could understand what he was saying, but even so close she felt his warm breath on her face, she couldn’t understand. She wanted desperately to reassure him, to tell him everything would be all right, but she couldn’t. She could only lie there, huddled deep inside herself, and wait.