Chapter 20

Case slid along the concrete underneath the SUV, using her shoulders, back, and feet to push her body along, as she checked every crevice she could find with her flashlight. She'd already checked the tire wells and had found a small tracking device magnetically attached to the underside of the metal. She'd realized it had been too easily found, so that was why she was now doing a thorough examination of the underside of her truck.

After twenty minutes of searching, she found the second beacon. It was disguised as part of the truck itself, but Case had inspected her truck the day she'd gotten it and her memory told her this piece of metal didn't belong. She didn't move it, or even touch it, but continued with her search.

Nothing else looked out of place, so Case climbed out from under the vehicle and did a check of the interior. There were no bugs, but Case wasn't surprised at that. No one in the organization had ever been known to use wires, since the recordings could just as easily be used to incriminate the user as they could the one being spied on.

Case sat in the driver's seat of her truck and tried to figure out what Carlotti was up to. It was obvious that he intended to set her up. But for what and how, she had no idea. Or why. That was the really frustrating part.

During all her time in Carlotti's employ, there had only been two instances in which Case had disobeyed Antonio. The first time had been when she'd refused to become one of his assassins, but he'd changed her mind about that by having her cat killed. The second had been after the Massucci hit and the threat of personal physical torture had been enough to put her back to work.

There was only one other major event that came to Case's mind and that was the start of Rain's training. Things had been out of whack ever since.

For a moment, Case considered the possibility that Antonio was working with Rain. Case's knowledge of what went on and who was who would make her the perfect fall guy, if Antonio had decided to turn state's evidence in order to earn himself immunity. But the more Case thought about it, the more she was inclined to dismiss the idea.

Antonio thrived on his position of power. He would rather go down with a gun in his hand than work with the FBI. It would be an insult to his pride to admit that kind of defeat, one that he would never accept.

Case shook her head. She was sure that Antonio had no idea that Rain was a federal agent.

And Rain working with Antonio made no sense at all. If she'd had that kind of inside help, she never would have had to go undercover in the first place, let alone for the last three years. The fact that Antonio was in charge of the organization that had caused the death of Rain's brother was another big hole in that theory. Which left Case at a loss as to why her boss seemed to think she was a threat to him now.

Antonio never did anything without a good reason. He was intelligent, which had made him one of the best leaders ever to head the organization. And he never made idle threats, something that had set him apart from the rest of the pack. If Antonio said you either do something or he'd have your balls on a plate, you knew he meant it literally. In fact, he'd probably send the doctor to you himself, and pay for the hospital room too, just to make sure you survived the procedure.

Case locked up her truck and headed back to the hotel room. If Antonio really was intending to take her out in some fashion, she needed to know more, and fast. She had some investigating to do.

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"So, did the truck check out?" Rain asked before Case could even close the door all the way.

Case went to her bag and put away her flashlight.

"Well, I found two trackers. The first one was really obvious, but the other one wasn't, so I think it was there in case I found the first one. I left them both intact. I don't want Antonio knowing that I know he's watching me. I just wish I knew why. It doesn't make any sense."

"Did you do something to piss him off?"

"Not that I know of. I've never taken an outside job and I've never asked for more money. And I've only told him no twice, but we worked that out a long time ago."

"So, there's nothing you could have possibly done to maybe make him nervous?" Rain asked.

Case's face took on a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean? Do you know something I don't?" Case asked, suddenly suspicious of the phone call she knew Rain had made to Doc.

Rain only took a second to think and decided to tell Case what Doc had told her.

"Well, Doc seems to be under the impression that you've been working for Carlotti's rivals. Do you have any idea why he would think that?"

Case sat down on the bed and Rain made room for her. The assassin went over her movements of the past eight years again, but she didn't come up with any more answers than she had the last time.

"I can't think of anything. I don't associate with anyone, so I couldn't have been seen with someone. The only calls I make are to my voicemail and Doc and whatever places that have to do with my assignments." Case suddenly had a thought. "What else did Doc say?"

Rain looked into Case's eyes and found herself unable to lie. It was an unsettling feeling, since she realized if Case had asked her point blank who she was, she would have told Case the truth.

"He expects me to take your place in a month or two. I'm supposed to take you out when he gives the word, but..." Rain trailed off, unable to explain why she was willing to throw away the last three years of her life, as well as her career and possibly her entire future, in order to keep Case safe.

Case looked away. There was something in Rain's eyes that put Case on edge. Maybe if she didn't look, she could ignore it.

"Don't worry about it. If you'd planned to go through with it, you wouldn't have said anything, so I know you don't," Case reassured her.

Rain nodded and Case continued.

"All right. For now, we do nothing. I'm still training you and we're still going on hits for Antonio. As far as they're concerned, nothing's changed," Case said decisively. "I'll figure out what's going on and try to talk some sense into Antonio. I've got connections. Maybe someone can tell me what the idiot is so freaked out about."

Case stood up and began to undress.

"It's been a long day. Get some rest. I'm going to go take a shower," Case informed her student, and continued to pull off her clothes as she entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Rain sat on the bed and listened as the shower came on.

"I'm in way too deep," she said to herself.

She turned her body to let her legs fall over the side of the bed and leaned over to take off her shoes and socks. Then she stood up and continued with the rest of her clothing.