Page 73 of Shadowed Agenda

She sat back, and Beard passed her a water bottle. Regan swirled a mouthful of water and spat it on the ground beside her several times before taking a small sip. She poured some on her hands to wash the driver’s blood off her hands.

Beard stuck the water bottle in his pocket and scooped her up into his arms.

“I won’t run,” Regan said. “I won’t try to escape.”

“Peanut, you shouldn’t even be moving. You’ve got a mild concussion,” Beard said as they moved among the trees. “You know, I like you. If I had a choice, I’d be taking you straight to a doctor, but a contract is a contract. We’ve been paid to deliver you. I have some painkillers in my saddlebag. It’s the best I can do.”

It wouldn’t be enough.

Chapter thirty-four

Pavlolookedupfromhis cell phone at the passing scenery. It looked like they’d been right. Emmeline’s kidnappers were headed back to Greenwood Lake. He had to trust they were right, and Regan’s abductors were headed to the Senator’s cottage.

“There’s an accident up ahead.” Finlay broke the silence that had settled in the car. “It looks bad. We have to stop.”

“I already saw it,” Drake said as he slowed the car. He pulled over onto the shoulder several yards away from the car to give EMS enough room.

Finlay was right. It was bad. Someone had run straight into a huge white oak. Pavlo couldn’t imagine anyone in the front seats being alive.

He was the first one out of the car and ran to the vehicle.

“Two casualties,” Pavlo shouted as he wrenched the passenger car door open. The guy’s face was smashed, and his neck lay at an odd angle. The cracked windshield in front explained his injuries.

A book lay on the floorboard beside his feet. It was one of Regan’s. His eyes darted to the backseat. He ripped open the door. Another book lay on the floorboard behind the passenger. He closed the door.

“He’s got a pulse,” Drake said, checking the driver.

The guy groaned and tried to lift his head.

“Easy, buddy,” Drake said.

“Call…” His head slumped forward. He was unconscious again.

“I don’t have any bars on my cell,” Finlay said. She’d trailed behind them and took a cell phone shot of the license plate. “I lost them a minute before we saw the crash.”

“Pavlo, you’ve got to look at this guy’s face,” Drake said.

His eyes darted to the backseat. It was empty. He ripped open the door, expecting to see Regan crumpled on the floorboard. Another book lay under a red-smeared headrest.

“I’ve found two of Regan’s books. She was in the car. I’m betting the child locks were on, and she crawled over the driver to get out.” It would also explain the headrest on the floor. Regan yanked it out to give herself more room to crawl over the guy.

“That might explain this guy’s injuries,” Drake said, stepping away from the driver’s door so Pavlo could take his place.

“The airbag didn’t do that damage. Regan did,” Pavlo said, piecing together what happened. “I’m betting these are the guys who snatched her. She lunged at the driver and clawed at his eyes to force him off the road.”

“Regan did more than claw,” Drake said, taking a deep breath. “She was determined to stop the car.”

“She has to be badly injured. Where is she?” Pavlo asked. They would have seen her if she’d been hiking to the gas station. The road ahead of them was a long, straight stretch with no one in sight. He placed a hand on the crumpled hood. It was still warm.

Drake followed the gashes across the grass strip back to the highway. “The driver was caught off guard and lifted both hands off the wheel. He slapped one back down on the steering and slammed on the brake there.” He pointed to skid marks on the road. “It was too late. The car was already out of control.”

A car approached them and pulled onto the shoulder. It stopped.

“I’ll tell them to call EMS as soon as they’re out of the dead zone,” Finlay said, already running to the vehicle.

Drake’s gaze was focused on the grassy strip several yards away. Pavlo knew he’d spotted something. He swore there was nothing his friend couldn’t track. Drake’s dad had taken him hunting the minute Drake could hold a rifle steady. The man was a well-known hunting guide and an expert tracker. He’d passed his knowledge down to Drake.

Pavlo followed Drake to the spot that had caught his eye. Drake pointed to the flattened grass. “Motorcycles. Regan ran when she heard the motorcycles.”