The 39 Clues [Cahills vs. Vespers] 05 - Trust No One Read Online Free PDF Page B

if they spot her?” Evan asked.
    “Keep her locked down until we can get her to reveal the location of the hostages. Otherwise, any sightings should be reported so you can coordinate the hunt.”
    “Got it,” Evan said. He was impressed by her businesslike tone, which made him feel proud. He smiled at her.
    She nodded, but didn’t smile back.
    “Next. This one’s on me.” Amy hesitated for a moment; whatever was coming, it wasn’t pleasant. “I have to call Ian and apologize. For thinking he was the mole all this time.”
    “Not your fault,” Dan said. “It was obviously Sinead feeding you bad info.”
    “Garbage in, garbage out,” Atticus agreed.
    “Maybe not my fault,” Amy said, “but still my responsibility.”
    Now she raised her chin toward the building in front of them. “After that, we need a plan for the Voynich,” she said. “Sinead has been a major distraction. We have to get back on track.”
    “We need to talk about this,” Jake said. “Do we have to steal it?”
    “Of course we have to steal it,” Evan said. “Like everything else so far — why should this be any different?”
Funny how things change,
he thought.
Just a few weeks ago I’d have been asking the same question. . . .
    Amy held up her hand. “We can discuss that in a minute,” she said. “Let me get through the list first.” Pause. “Once I get things straightened out with Ian, I want him to work with you, Evan, on finding the hostages. Dan and I have to keep playing Vesper One’s game — it’s too risky not to. But I don’t trust him —”
    “You think?” Dan said in disgust.
    “— so I want us focusing on rescue as much as on release. Whatever you need, whatever it takes.”
    Evan didn’t respond right away. He made eye contact with Amy.
    “Can I talk to you for a second?” he said quietly.
    He saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, but then she blinked it away. She stood and walked away from the bench, around the corner of a retaining wall, where they had a little privacy.
    Amy crossed her arms, looking almost defensive; Evan could tell that she was not in girlfriend mode. He wanted to touch her, but instead put a hand on the wall and leaned against it. Close to her, but not touching.
    No use beating around the bush.
“I don’t want to go back to Attleboro,” he said. “I want to stay here with you.”
    “Not an option,” she said immediately. “We need someone at the comm center and on the computers. You’re the only one who can do it.”
    He sighed. “I knew you’d say that,” he said. “I guess — I just wanted you to know that I’d rather be with you. I miss you.”
    Say it,
he begged silently,
say you miss me, too.
    Amy was staring at the ground. “I know,” she whispered.
    Then she straightened up and looked at him with an expression of — apology? Regret? Maybe even guilt? Why wouldn’t she tell him what she was thinking?
    “Evan, I can’t . . . I’m sorry. We have work to do.” She touched his arm briefly, then walked back to the others.
    As they rejoined the group, Evan saw Jake give him a long, cool stare. Evan’s stomach double-clutched.
    Does he — Is Amy —
    He tried to force his thoughts in a different direction.
Don’t think about it. It’s not important, not right now.
    But another part of him wanted to shout,
Yes, it is! It’s important to ME!
    Evan jammed his hands into his pockets. His shoulders hunched, he watched her out of the corner of his eye.
    I can wait,
he thought.
Until this craziness ends. And then we can talk, and everything will be okay.
    Maybe it wasn’t true. But for now, it wasn’t false, either.
    He’d take those odds. She was worth it.

    “Ian, it’s Amy. I’m here with Dan. And Jake and Atticus.”
    A brief silence. Then, “Hello.”
    Never had that word sounded less welcoming. Amy sighed — he wasn’t going to make this easy. And she had the added pressure of making this call with an audience: The phone was on speaker, so the