Elias watched them go. "They're looking in the wrong place," he said quietly. Marcus glanced at him. "What do you mean?" "If someone wanted this to happen at speed, they didn't need to watch the crash," Elias explained.
"They just needed to make sure you left." Victoria stepped closer. So, the person who did this could already be gone? Maybe. Marcus frowned.
Or maybe they're waiting to see if the trap worked. Elias didn't disagree. Thunder rolled faintly across the distant hills. One of the guards hurried back toward Marcus. Sir, convoy vehicles two and three are clear.
Marcus nodded. Keep checking. The guard jogged off again. Victoria studied the disabled SUV. How long would the brake line have held if we'd kept driving?
Elias crouched again beside the wheel. "At highway speed," he said. "Maybe a mile, maybe less." Marcus followed the calculation in his head. That curve is half a mile away.
"Exactly." Victoria looked down the dark road again. "Meaning the failure would have happened right in the turn." Marcus ran a hand down his jaw. "Whoever did this knew the route."
Elias stood again. "Or studied it." The rain eased slightly, leaving a steady hiss on the pavement. Marcus's phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered quickly.
Trent. A voice spoke urgently through the speaker. Marcus's expression changed. Say that again. Elias watched carefully.
Victoria waited. Marcus listened another few seconds before hanging up. "What is it?" Victoria asked. Marcus looked at her.
The fuel crew at the last stop just reported a suspicious vehicle. Victoria's eyes sharpened. "What kind?" "White cargo van." Parked across the lot for about 1five minutes.
Elias spoke quietly. "Same window of time your car was unattended." Marcus nodded slowly. "Exactly." Victoria frowned.
"Did anyone get a plate number?" Marcus shook his head. "No cameras facing that direction." Elias exhaled. That's not sloppy, he said.
That's deliberate. Marcus studied him. "You're awfully confident about that." Elias met his gaze calmly. "People who plan something like this don't improvise."
Victoria crossed her arms again. Then the question becomes obvious. Marcus finished the thought. "Who wants you dead?" Victoria's expression hardened slightly.
"Quite a few people, actually." Elias raised an eyebrow. "That's comforting." Victoria almost smiled despite the tension. Marcus looked down the highway again.