Page 77 of Shadowed Agenda

She pulled out the cardholder and a pen. It was risky with Blaine watching her, but it might be her only chance to warn the Senator’s wife.

“It’s a downloadable code to an exclusive short story,” Regan said as she slipped out a card and signed the back. Underneath her name, she printed the wordhelp. It was the best she could do.

She handed the card to Kyle. His thumb covered her message as he took it from her. He placed it in his suit coat’s breast pocket. Regan smiled wider to stop herself from screaming in frustration.

“Thanks. My wife will be thrilled.” He looked at Blaine and studied the camera equipment. “No one mentioned you’d be bringing a photographer.”

“It was a last-minute thing,” Regan said. “I guess they decided it was a great photo op.”

Come on, Kyle. Check out the guy’s carry-on case.She was betting there was a gun hidden at the bottom.

“I’m Blaine.” The man extended his hand, and Kyle shook it. He was all smiles. “I’m really pumped to be meeting Mrs. Aster. When they called, I re-booked my other shoot to do this one.”

“Well, it’s your lucky day. The Senator is here as well. He’ll be joining her,” Kyle said.

Regan had thought she was meeting alone with Mrs. Aster. This couldn’t be good.

“It’s their anniversary. They’ll appreciate photographs to remember the event,” Kyle added.

“I’ll make sure it’s memorable.” Blaine smiled.

The hairs on Regan’s neck rose at the double entendre. Blaine noticed the shiver that ran through her. His smile widened.

Kyle knocked on the front door. A man, wearing an earpiece and a black suit that matched Kyle’s, opened the door.

“Regan Christenson has arrived. This is her photographer, Blaine.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Christenson,” the man said. A metal detector sat on a small table along the entrance wall. “If you’ll just follow me.”

Finlay had been right. Regan was an unthreatening nobody in the political world. The perfect patsy to get past the Senator’s security.

They’d just let a killer walk into the Senator’s cottage.

Chapter thirty-six

Pavlofelttheyellowcompact shudder as they approached Oak Lake. Drake had pushed the car as hard as he could, but they knew they wouldn’t catch up with the bikers.

No one had spoken during the drive other than Finlay telling them her friend had tracked the two motorcycles. They’d handed Regan over to the two men in the black sedan. The plates matched the car they’d found wrapped around the tree.

“Right or left?” Drake asked.

Right would take them to Mackenzie’s cottage. Left would take them to the Senator’s. Pavlo knew his friend would support him regardless of his decision.

He glanced in the rearview mirror. His eyes met Finlay’s. So would she.

Talia had arrived at the Senator’s cottage ten minutes ago. Regan hadn’t yet arrived. The car accident had given Talia the time she’d needed to get everything set up.

Pavlo trusted every member of their team. Talia would do her job or die trying. They all would.

“Right,” Pavlo said. He’d promised Regan he’d find Emmeline.

The captain of the local police department had set up their command post in the neighbor’s home. It belonged to the couple Mackenzie had referred to in her rant to Regan. Karlee’s sister looked in on the place while her sister and brother-in-law were in Europe. She’d let the police in. They’d pulled their cruisers into the garage.

Drake reduced his speed as they drove past Mackenzie’s cottage. It was huge. Not what Pavlo would call a cottage. Finlay had researched the area as they drove. Properties ranged from small bungalows to mansion-like homes. The small town was home to a population of two thousand and a popular summer residence for New Yorkers because of its proximity to the city.

The neighbor’s cottage was half the size of Mackenzie’s. Both waterfront properties had a sloping lawn leading onto a strip of beach. A fair-sized strip of wooded area separated the two properties. Another ran along the gravel road behind the cottages. Drake turned the car around and parked on the gravel road. Passersby would assume the car belonged to a tourist.

They walked across the lawn. The backdoor opened before they could knock.