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Staci’s praises. He was too damn worried. “Staci suspects Beto Bevilacqua is behind this.”
    Emmett paused, looking as if he was considering the idea. “This isn’t his usual MO.”
    Drew held Emmett’s piercing gaze. “Definitely RIOT, then?”
    “That’s our best guess. We’re trying to track down the shooter.” Emmett paused. “Don’t let this take your head out of the game. Stick to your mission. It’s delicate enough as it is. Let us handle this attack on Staci.
    “We need the Fisherman to lead us to the Gardener and get them both before either can pass the satellite secrets to RIOT. It’s time we brought down this whole Pacific Northwest RIOT operation before they cause worldwide chaos.”
    Drew blew out a breath. “But why attack Staci? Has the Fisherman threatened to back out or gone off plan?”
    “Not that we know of.”
    Drew frowned. “Could Staci know something? Something she doesn’t even know she knows? Since we separated, she’s been spending more time with her mom and Sam.”
    “Find out,” Emmett said.
    “I need to be able to let her out of the house without worrying she’ll end up dead.”
    “Then make sure she’s safe. I’ll do what I can on my end.” Emmett paused. “Be kind to Staci. Make her happy. She went through hell for you in Ciudad.”
    As if Drew didn’t know that.
    Emmett looked up at the sky and watched a western tanager fly by. “You didn’t see what she looked like when we found her.”
    Drew balled his fists and took a deep breath. No, he hadn’t seen her. Thank God. He’d have killed Bevilacqua on the spot. Fortunately for the Brazilian Bevil, Drew had been miles away in surgery, fighting for his life. It had been days before he’d been well enough to go to Staci’s hospital room and see her. Even prettied up, she’d looked fragile, bruised, and broken. Drew’d had the same urge to kill Beto then.
    Emmett was still watching the slow-moving red, yellow, and black bird as it landed in a tree. “They tortured her with spiders, you know.”
    No, he didn’t know for sure, only suspected. It was just like Emmett to drop that bomb on him now. Staci had always been afraid of spiders.
    “Brazilian wandering spiders. Most lethal in the world. Ugly bastards, too.
    “After all the beating and threats, that’s when she cracked and told them you mentioned you’d be in Minga Guazú that night. Remember, she never did reveal that you and Jack worked for us.”
    Yeah, he remembered and was proud of her. She’d nearly lost her life protecting him.
    But damn that bastard, Bevilacqua! Drew felt like punching something. Instead he hung on to his self-control, barely. He never should have mentioned, even in passing, that he and Jack were going to Minga Guazú that night. It didn’t mean anything to Staci so he thought it wouldn’t matter. He had no idea Bevilacqua even knew she existed, let alone would come after her. He still didn’t know how Bevilacqua had found her or discovered she was his wife.
    “A woman like that’s worth hanging on to,” Emmett said.
    “She doesn’t want me to hang on to her, as you say. She’s made that pretty clear.”
    “Have you tried to convince her you want her back?”
    Drew raised a brow. “I don’t see the point. She’s agreed to pretend we’re back together until the danger’s passed. Once Staci’s safe and we have the Fisherman, I am going to finalize this divorce.”
    Drew was in direct defiance of Emmett’s wishes, but he didn’t give a damn. Emmett believed ex-spouses were a liability, a security leak waiting to happen. He could just go to hell. Once this was over, Drew wasn’t putting Staci in danger again.
    *   *   *
     
    Staci stared at the phone on the table before her, peeved as well as scared. No way could Drew order her around, fake happily reunited husband or not. The word obey hadn’t been in their wedding vows. She’d call when she felt like it. Right now she didn’t feel up to either