No One to Trust Read Online Free PDF Page A

seemed promising, making a mental note to check some of them out more thoroughly later. By the end of the day I was exhausted and had had two dozen emails from Ken and Jay. I’d go through them when I got home. But first, I wanted to make a quick detour to visit the Zimmerman twins. No one knew technology better than they did and I wanted to bounce some thoughts off their genius brains.
    At about five-thirty, I packed things up and headed for the office stairwell. While climbing down the seven flights of stairs toward the garage, I congratulated myself on foregoing the elevator and renewing my commitment to improved stamina and health. I entered the garage and headed toward my car when, out of nowhere, someone grabbed me from behind, clamping a gloved hand over my mouth. He dragged me behind one of the concrete pillars.
    I kicked, scratched and fought like a wildcat on drugs, but the guy was like a pillar himself, completely unmovable.
    “I’m not going to hurt you.” The voice was deep, male. But I didn’t stop until he twisted my neck in a very uncomfortable way. “I can snap it with no effort. I’d advise you to hold still so I don’t do it by accident.”
    “Amhogurgsill,” I garbled.
    “Huh?” he said, but the pressure on my neck eased.
    I sucked in a deep breath. “I said I’m holding still. Obviously I’m in no shape to fight you.”
    He snorted. “No kidding. That was a pretty pathetic attempt to escape. You need to get more exercise.”
    Okay. Time to humor the bad guy. “Um, I just took the stairs instead of the elevator.”
    “Cardio isn’t enough. Try strength training. A woman your size should be able to bench press about thirty pounds. It especially works the upper arms and biceps. Great for helping you get out of situations like this.”
    “Thanks, but I think I get enough exercise just pressing my luck.”
    That apparently reminded him of why he’d grabbed me because his grip tightened again.
    “Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I’m going to ask you a question. If you answer quietly and correctly, you get to live. Understood?”
    I nodded as gingerly as I could.
    “Where is Darren Greening?”
    I gulped. “This is about Darren Greening?”
    “Just answer the question.”
    “I don’t know where he is.”
    “Don’t lie to me,” he growled.
    “I’m not lying. I mean it. I don’t even know Darren Greening.”
    “Tell me or I’ll kill you.”
    Oh, God. Why wasn’t anyone else coming into the garage? It was five-fricking-thirty. Didn’t anyone keep regular hours these days?
    My breath hitched in my throat. “I swear. I don’t know my connection to him. I’m certain I’ve never met him. We went to Georgetown University at the same time, but that’s it. I’m trying to figure it out myself. Honest.”
    I closed my eyes and waited. To my enormous relief, the grip around my neck disappeared.
    “You’d better be telling the truth. If I find out you’ve been lying to me…” He made a horrid hissing sound like something getting sliced across the neck. I gulped. Loudly.
    He pushed me into the pillar and walked away. I stood shaking, turning around just in time to see a very large dark-clad form disappear into the stairwell.
    I hugged myself, breathing in and out until I was pretty sure I could walk without collapsing. I wanted to call the police, but I didn’t have reception in the garage basement. I thought about going back to the office to tell Finn what happened, but that would require following Neck-Snapping Man into the stairwell. Not a good plan either. I could wait for the elevator, but that meant standing next to the stairwell where Neck-Snapping Man might reappear after changing his mind and coming back to finish me off.
    Hell no.
    Half stumbling, half running, I retrieved my briefcase and made it to my car. My hands were shaking so bad, I could hardly press the key button to unlock it. Once inside, I locked the doors and put my head on the steering wheel. I willed my