No Way Back by Andrew Gross Read Free Book Online Page A

this time they’d have found the tote bag. So they had to know who that third person was. More than three hours had passed. If the police knew, why weren’t they already here ?
    The only possible answer hit me. And it didn’t make me feel any better. If the NYPD had it, they’d have been here by now. The neighborhood would be lit up with flashing lights. They wouldn’t have even mentioned a third person on the news . . .
    They would already have me in custody.
    But if the people who had killed Curtis had found it first, they’d want to keep the whole thing quiet. They might not hand it over so quickly. They’d be just as scared that I’d be in the hands of the police and divulge what I had seen, which they’d want to cover up. Which meant . . .
    I felt my throat go dry.
    Which meant they might be heading here themselves, at that very second. To finish the job.
    Their role in all this could remain secret as long as I stayed away from the police.
    Or was dead.
    Suddenly I became encased in sweat. We weren’t safe here. We had to get out of here now.
    â€œDave, I’m going to get dressed. It’s not safe to be here. You wanted to go to the police. So let’s go! Let’s just get out of here now!”
    I ran to the bedroom and threw on some jeans and a fleece pullover. Back in the kitchen I grabbed my bag and Curtis’s phone. We headed into the garage and climbed into Dave’s Range Rover, me behind the wheel.
    I opened the garage door and turned on the ignition.
    Dave put his hand on my arm. “We’ll make this all work out, Wendy . . .”
    â€œI know,” I said. “Thanks.” I started to back out.
    Suddenly a bright light enveloped us from behind. Headlights from a vehicle at the end of our driveway.
    â€œHands in the air!” someone yelled. “Out of the car! Now!”
    I spun around in fear.
    It was over. The police were here. I let out a deep breath, ready to comply. Thinking what I was going to say.
    Then I saw that the light was from a black SUV. A single SUV.
    â€œIt’s them,” I said. I grabbed my husband’s arm, terror running through me. “Oh, Jesus, Dave, they’re here.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
    S omeone stepped out of the passenger’s side of the SUV and cautiously approached us along the circular drive, his gun extended from the top of the semicircular drive.
    Dave turned to me. “Wendy, you said these people were from the government. I’ll talk to them.”
    That’s when I looked out the window and saw the same black agent who had shot at me at the hotel perched behind the SUV’s open driver’s door.
    My heart almost exploded in fear.
    â€œDavid, we can’t go out there!” I seized his arm. “These aren’t the police. You heard what I told you. They’re here to kill us!”
    â€œKill us?” His tone was as skeptical as it was uncomprehending. “Wendy, we have to go out there. I’ll call Harvey. I promise, I’m not gonna let them take you without knowing where—” He started to open the door.
    â€œNo! Don’t!” I screamed, reaching over to him. “You’re not going out there, Dave!”
    There was no time to convince him. I threw the car into reverse and floored it. With a roar, the Range Rover lurched out of the garage and shot right at the oncoming agent, who dove out of the way.
    I gunned it toward the SUV.
    â€œClose the door!” I screamed at Dave, twisting around to see behind me. “Close the fucking door!”
    He couldn’t. We smashed full force into the grill of the government SUV, Dave’s door flying open. I was jolted out of my seat, my head hitting against the sun roof. The black agent disappeared. I didn’t know if I had hit him or not. I didn’t care! I had to remind myself that these weren’t the good guys—they were covering up a cold-blooded murder.