Page 104 of Hours to Kill
Mack had to agree, but they could deal with the horrible things Noble had done later. They couldn’t lose focus right now. “How long has this blackmailing been going on?”
“Two years, but I was getting tired of it. So I made a deal with Zamora. Get rid of Razo and he could have his job.” Noble shook his head. “But then Agent Leigh got nosy. She would’ve exposed me. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Mack had to plant his feet to keep from stepping closer and pummeling Noble. “So you had Zamora try to kill her?”
Noble shook his head. “I just wanted him to scare her off. Not kill her. Zamora was a little zealous, so I told him to back down.”
Mack gaped at him. “Kidnapping her is backing down?”
“I didn’t authorize that. Zamora must’ve decided to go out on his own.”
“Zamora couldn’t have taken her. He’s in jail.”
“Jail? But I ... no wonder he isn’t taking my calls.” The senator sighed. “This has gotten out of control.”
“You think?”
“If Zamora isn’t behind this, then it’s Razo. He must’ve taken Agent Leigh.” Noble’s eyes flashed with fear. “And if he has her, God help her. Razo is one of the most brutal men I know.”
Bile rose up in Addy’s throat as she had to endure the rough search by LeRoy. He tried to grope her. She shoved her shoulder into his stomach, sending him flying. He landed with a thump on the concrete, snow puffing into the air around him. She smirked at him and relished the moment.
He was growling and scrambling to his feet when Holt grabbed his arm and held him back. “Enough! We don’t want to look like amateurs when he arrives, do we?”
“He?” she asked.
Neither of them answered.
The sound of a vehicle coming up the mountain drew everyone’s attention toward the road.
“It’s showtime.” LeRoy cracked his knuckles and grinned. “Now you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
Panic assailed her, and she wanted to flee into the wooded area behind them.
Give me courage to face whatever’s coming.
She pulled her shoulders back and stood her ground. The car stopped behind the pickup. A single car door opened and then slammed. Footfalls crunched over the snow. A stocky figure emerged from the dark. The short guy wore black gothic track pants, a black hooded puffer coat, and a black beanie. But it was his square and yet chubby face that captured her attention.
Razo.The man she’d been hunting for months.
“Imagine running into you out here, Agent Leigh,” he said, a snide smile on his face.
She didn’t respond. There was nothing to say.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
Holt nudged her. “Go on. You been wanting to talk.”
She remained quiet, as she wasn’t about to give him what he wanted.
“Okay.” Razo glared at her. “You want to get right down to business? Fine. I hear you’ve been having some problems. A visitor to your house. An accident. A shooting.”
She pressed her lips together. Why speak? He knew all about these incidents as he was the perpetrator, so why say anything and stroke his ego?
“I was sorry to hear about it. I believe one of my men was to blame.” Razo smiled. “I had so hoped to deal with him at the same time as you, but then you arrested him and that was no longer possible.”
“You’re saying Zamora was acting on his own,” she clarified.
“She speaks.” He chuckled. “Yes. My number two decided he wanted to be number one. I went along with this fumbling effort to take over, but I was growing tired of it, so I planned to intervene. Now I’ll have to settle for you. And the good senator, of course. He can’t team up with Zamora to plan my demise without paying for it.”
