Page 86 of The Hitman’s Final Job

She nods and gives Clayton a quick hug. “Be careful.”

Clayton waits until we’re almost at his truck to ask me what’s going on.

“Long story,” I say. “Short version is that someone wants Vaughn dead and I need to make sure there isn’t anyone at the house.”

“Let’s go,” he says.

Clayton drives fast and doesn’t ask more questions, which is exactly what I need right now.

He drops me off at the access road. I borrow a flashlight and tell him to get Tess and go home. He tries to argue, but I manage to convince him I’m just being cautious; the threat has been neutralized.

I do a full perimeter check. Every entry point, every window, every area of cover, but I find nothing. No signs of forced entry. No signs of anyone having been here recently. The tire tracks at the end of the access road are old.

He was working alone or the rest of his support is elsewhere, and right now that’s enough.

I go inside, straight to Vaughn’s bathroom, where I’ve seen the first aid kit.

I clean and dress my arm quickly, glad it was only grazed, then change my shirt because the blood is not something I want Vaughn to see before I can explain it.

Then I take two zip-top bags from the kitchen drawer and put a gun inside each.

Vaughn’s car keys are hanging on the hook by the door. I’m pulling out of the driveway when Zuza calls.

“What have you got?”

“The medics took him to Millfield General,” she says. “Same hospital as Rowan. The sheriff received an anonymous tip that the man at the corner of Maple and Fourth is the one who shot Rowan Reeves at the festival. The tip included his location and a description of his injuries.”

“Thank you,” I say.

“One more thing,” she says. “I accessed the police radio transmissions. When they found him, they logged his injuries and his location. No weapon recovered.”

“Because I have it.”

“Silas—”

“I’m going to give it to the sheriff,” I say. “When I get to the hospital. Along with everything else.”

Zuza’s silence is telling. “Everything else?”

“Everything,” I say. “The contract. The reason I’m here. HelixGen. All of it. It’s time to come clean before this gets any messier.”

“Silas, this is already messy. I can’t get hold of Draven. I’ve been trying since this afternoon.”

“You know what I have to do.”

“You can’t, Silas.”

I take the exit to the hospital. “We aren’t supposed to exist, Zee. But we do. Someone pays us to do what we do. It’s time they take responsibility.’

“Fuck. I can’t believe we’re getting to this.”

“I know.”

“The sheriff seems clean,” she says. “From what I’ve seen, I think you can trust him.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I can. Fingers crossed it’s not for you to bail me out of jail.”

“I’ll be here,” she says.