PAYBACK

Chapter 33

Shelby drove straight to Dan’s house after leaving Gabby with her father. Dan opened the door for her at the first knock and invited her in. As they walked into the living, she said, “How’s he?”

“Terrible. He couldn’t sleep. He kept saying he killed her. He’s not himself. When he asked for tea at 2:00 A.M., I spiked it. He passed out and hasn’t woken up since.” He narrated how he had drugged the reluctant Ethan last night to sleep.

Shelby sighed. “I’ve got a plan to get Ronnie back.”

“Good, because right now that’s the only thing that would calm him down. How did Terry’s husband take the news?”

She walked to a couch and told him Eddie’s reaction upon hearing his wife was dead. “He handled it quite well, didn’t say much. I’m sure he was overwhelmed.”

Dan said, “I still can’t believe she’s—”

“Me neither.” She swallowed hard, then said, “Terry’s death should teach all of us a lesson. Clinton and Admiral Peterson are very dangerous. Without a proper plan, people will die. I told him that but he didn’t listen.”

“Ethan is stubborn. He never listens. What’s your plan?”

Shelby leaned forward and walked him through her plan.

#. #. #

In the dense garden, Dan lay on his stomach on the floor, looking into the lens of his binoculars. The panoramic windows of the penthouse were transparent and from his stance, he saw Clinton speaking with someone on the phone. After Shelby had told him her plan, they had formulated it and blueprinted Clinton’s penthouse. Then they shared the parts each would play and left Ethan asleep to execute it.

Clinton was moving close to the windows and staring into the manicured lawn. He seemed concerned with whatever the person on the line was telling him. Ten minutes later, he was emerging from the front door, holding a briefcase. Dan said into the listening bug in his ear, “He’s on the move.”

“Copy,” Shelby said.

Clinton talked to the guard on the porch, then walked a distance to his SUV shining in the rays of the sun. He directed his keys toward the rear and hit a button. Pushing the briefcase into his left hand, he used the right hand to open the door, stepped inside the passenger seat, and unbuckled the seat belt.

He hadn’t shoved the keys into the ignition when his eyes caught the reflection of someone supposed to be dead.

“Surprised to see me?”

His eyes widened. Swiftly, he jerked his hand into the glove compartment and hastily pulled out his gun. He didn’t get time to ready it for use when he felt the muzzle of a firearm on his head. Shelby cocked her pistol, said, “Drop it,” and moved forward from the back seat.

Taken by shock, Clinton blinked it off and let go of the gun. Boastfully he said, “You can’t kill me. If I die Ethan will never find—”

She hit the butt across his head so hard he passed out in seconds.

“You talk too much,” she muttered, unbuckled him, and shoved him into the other seat. Then she jumped into the driver’s seat.