Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            He tilted his head toward the door, secretly relieved when she stood up.

            Kowalski, then. If it had been the facility owners, she wouldn’t have been afraid for them to know.

            He left the bugs in place. He’d deal with them once he learned the extent of this treachery.

            When they got to the living room, DJ leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You’re giving me a tour if anyone asks. Got it?”

            She nodded, her body trembling.

            “And if you fuck it up,” he added silkily, “I will kill you and anyone who has the misfortune to stop us. Nod if you understand.”

            She swallowed hard and nodded.

            He put the damn mask back on. “Hands where I can see them,” he murmured as they left Pastor’s suite and began the walk to the back door. No one stopped them. No one even passed them. The halls were so quiet, it was creepy. DJ didn’t breathe until they were outside.

            He pointed at the lot. “Which car is yours?”

            “The Audi.”

            “Fancy. Let’s get in it so that we can talk.”

            The woman was shaking so hard she could barely walk, but she made it to the car. DJ stopped her, making it look like he was opening the passenger door for her. Instead he patted her down, hissing when he found a wire.

            A fucking wire. Bugs weren’t enough? Kowalski had to wire her as well?

            He yanked it off her and tossed it on the asphalt, where he crushed it with his shoe. He then opened the door and showed her his gun again.

            She got in and immediately began to cry. It was good that women’s tears had no effect on him. He took her keys and got behind the wheel.

            “Don’t kill me,” she begged. “This is the first time I’ve done anything like this. I swear.”

            I don’t care. He pulled the mask down, giving her his kindest smile. “I won’t kill you if you cooperate.” He totally would, regardless. “How much is Kowalski paying you?”

            She frowned in confusion. “I didn’t talk to him.”

            He believed this as well. Kowalski could, however, have sent one of his underlings. He likely had, in fact. “Who put you up to this?”

            “Mr. Raeburn.”

            DJ didn’t recognize the name, but he didn’t know most of Kowalski’s men. “What did he offer you?”

            Tears were flowing down her face. “Help for my son. He’s in prison, waiting for his trial. Mr. Raeburn promised to get him out.”

            Now that sounded like Kowalski. Of course, the man had no ability to spring people from prison. He’d lied to the nurse just as DJ had.

            “Do your employers know your son is in prison?”

            She shook her head. “He was recently charged. I was trying to find him an attorney.”

            “Charged with what?”

            “Murder. But he didn’t do it!”

            “Of course he didn’t,” DJ said dryly. He started the car and headed toward the security gate.

            She paled. “You said you wouldn’t kill me.”

            “And I won’t,” DJ said. Here in this parking lot, anyway. He needed to get her off the property so that the rehab center wouldn’t have him charged with her murder. He noted the card reader and grabbed the badge clipped to her scrubs. He pulled the mask up to cover his face in case there were cameras at the gate. At least he learned from his stupid mistakes.

            He exited the lot after swiping her card through the reader. He’d made it to the end of the street when a plain white panel van pulled out of a side street behind him.

            Oh goody. Kowalski sent a tail.

            “How many bugs?” he asked.

            To her credit, she didn’t play dumb. “Three.”