Page 77 of Cold Silence
“Then no mistake,” Gage said. “We’re here to detain you until the police arrive to arrest you for theft.”
“Theft? Theft of what?” White challenged.
“Of that prototype sitting on the dresser,” Gage said.
“Looks like they found the prototype,” Travis told Claire. “Not one hundred percent sure, but sounds like it.”
“Praise God!” She slumped in the seat. “This is over then. Truly over.”
Gage’s voice came over Travis’s earbud.“We’re clear for Claire.”
“Do you still feel a need to confront White?” Travis asked her.
“I do.”
“Then let’s go.” He killed the engine and slid out into the heat. She joined him.
“Stay close to me,” he said. “Just in case.”
“Can do.”
They made a direct trip across the lot to the room. White was seated on the bed, his hands behind him, most likely zip-tied. He flashed his gaze to Claire. “You have to tell them this is a mistake.”
Gage pointed at the prototype sitting on a long, scarred dresser.
“Then explain why you have the prototype,” she said, looking like she was working hard to control herself from saying so much more.
White lifted his chin and looked her in the eye. “I heard it was stolen and got it back.”
Travis snorted.
“Let’s try that answer again.” Eryn explained how she tracked his transmission for the theft to the motel.
“I was just testing our security,” he said, still peering at Claire. “You have to believe me.”
Claire let out a long breath. “If that was true, why not loop me in on the test?”
“I…I…well, I didn’t want it getting out.”
“Who did you recover the prototype from?” Travis asked.
“I…I mean, some guy I tracked down.”
“How?” Claire demanded. “You know the security feed was cut. There was no footage so how did you find someone all of these fine investigators and a top-notch forensics lab couldn’t locate?”
He swallowed hard. “My mistake. I must be thinking of something else. I don’t remember now.”
Claire’s eyes darkened and she stepped closer to glare down on White. “How could you betray us like this? We worked together for six years. Day in and day out. I thought you cared almost as much as I did about this project.”
His chin went up higher. “Did you ever think we aren’t all like you and some of us wanted to have a life outside of the job?”
Claire narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t have to put in so many hours.”
“If I wanted to keep my job, I did.”
“I never told you that.”
“Unspoken.”
