IF THERE WAS one thing that Mischa had learned to do well during her fun-filled stay at JRF, it was to sleep very, very lightly.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstfpBhBLsT
Drake was good, though. He'd figured out her misdirection with the sleeping bag before he'd even touched it. Another second, tops, and he would have spun around, and who knows what might've happened.
She trained the gun and the flashlight on him from a distance of about ten yards. She took one step toward him.
"Drop it," she said.
"I thought you said not to move."
"Oh, very funny, Drake." She threw down the flashlight. She could make him out well enough and she wanted two hands on her Glock. Her hands and forearms were trembling and her heart was pumping at full throttle. "Drop it."
"Think a moment, Mischa." He looked back at her again. "If I droop this gun from five feet, you've got good odds it goes off. Do you want a firearm discharging? Do you want to draw that kind of attention.
She tried to steady the gun. "Okay, Drake. Point made. I want you to slowly..."
In one fell swoop, Drake's right leg swept forward and he did a one-eighty, spinning around into a crouch, training his gun on Mischa. In the time it took her to get a handful of words out of her mouth, he'd made a move and turned the tables on her.
For one beat of her heart, Mischa thought she was a dead woman.
His gun aimed squarely at her, he slowly rose.
"Now be a good girl and put down the goddamn gun!"
Her pulse was pounding so violently her whole body shook. It was James Bond versus a terrified amateur.
"How----the hell----did you find me?" She asked through gritted teeth.
He grunted. "How many times did you go on about this vacation spot to Rihanna and me? All you knew of France and Paris and this place. I played the odds." He moved his gun over so slightly, like a nod of the head. "Now put the gun down, Mischa, before I get really mad."
"I'll die first," she said, meaning it.
He paused a beat, as if this very outcome were on the table. "I don't want you to die."
"No?" she asked. "You just stopped by to wish me well?"
He looked over the sight of the gun at her. "In a way, yes."
"With a gun on me."
"I knew you had one," he said. "I couldn't predict how you might react."
Her eyes were weak from lack of sleep. And sunlight was now streaking through the trees, playing tricks on her eyes. It was hard to focus. This wasn't a fair fight.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbwiMGGl6s
"Who did it, Drake?" she spat. "Which one of you? Or was it all of you?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m24cjhoxk
He didn't answer for a long moment. She wasn't doing herself any favors here. But her frustration and anger were starting to overcome her terror. 459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBTPFKK9XY
Drake moved a step forward. "You don't know what you're doing, Mischa."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQjL64rJTH
"I'm figuring out who killed the president," she said. "And framed us."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUSrrwiCHK
Drake took another step in her direction. Three more strides and their guns would be touching, barrel to barrel.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNZlY0nKQz
"You're not going to shoot me," he said.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaRugTIKNZ
"Are you sure about that?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzLxMmusIM
Another step toward her. "Yes, I am."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuw95o7Xywy
"Watch it, Drake. I'm a girl with nothing to lose." Her finger braced against the trigger. The gun felt heavy in her hands, in more ways than one. She'd never held a firearm in her life before yesterday. She'd never fired anything but a prop gun. She'd never killed a human being in real life.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4LAb4jWwE
But there was a first time for everything. One step closer and she wouldn't have a choice. She'd either shoot him or lose her weapon.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E5droPdKl
"I didn't come her to kill you," Drake said. 459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGPtNOFtcJ
"Then why?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeFZpkoF9c
He watched her for a moment. "Put the gun down and find out," he said.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9maDZnpMy8
