Breach of Trust by Jodie Bailey

hadn’t been the victim, she needed to make it right to somebody. “I tried to track who sent the email, but it was a dead end, sent from a burner phone purchased with cash. The sender used a free email address that linked back to nowhere. It’s stupid how easy it was for him to make himself untraceable. I drafted letters to each victim and told them there had been a security breach.” It had helped those people, but it hadn’t assuaged her guilt or erased her crime. “I know—”
    Tate sliced the air between them, attention focused on the rearview. “We’ll have to deal with this later.”
    Meghan’s gaze instantly went to the side mirror, and years of practice kicked into high gear, yanking the pain from her confession. The white car three behind them...
    They were being followed.
    * * *
    Which was worse: learning Meghan had lied to him for years or falling right into Phoenix’s game yet again? Deep inside, the combination of hurt, anger and guilt burned so wildly, it had to be raising the temperature in the truck.
    But everything took a backseat to the immediate problem of the car approaching from the rear.
    Tate shelved his frustration and focused his attention on the road ahead, knowing Meghan would keep a watch on the vehicle trailing them. He had no choice but to trust her...for now.
    She leaned forward, watching the side mirror. “White car?”
    â€œHe came up fast, then slowed as soon as he got within a few cars of us. He’s matched me for lane changes ever since.” The guy wasn’t even trying to hide. Normally, Tate would have said the driver was an amateur, but not now. When it came to this hacker, the rules went out the window. And what they thought they knew? They didn’t. This could be a serious novice behind the wheel, or it could be a deadly setup.
    Well, it was time to flip the script. Their tail probably expected them to run, but the heft of the pickup meant it was no match for a sports car at high speeds.
    Not that it mattered. Tate was going to take this showdown head-on. “I need an exit without a lot of traffic. A road leading nowhere.”
    â€œAbout five miles farther. If you hang a right off the exit, you can get a good distance off the road into some farmland.”
    In spite of everything she’d laid on him, Tate’s mouth tilted in a crooked grin. She knew exactly what he was doing. The ease with which they fell into routine almost made him want to forget her confession and beg her to return to work in the shadows.
    With him.
    Because no matter what she’d said about her past, he hadn’t felt this right in years. He’d found God, but there’d always been something else, another hole aching to be filled. And he hadn’t realized the emptiness was more than in his chest.
    Tate jerked his head, shaking those thoughts to the wind. Now was definitely not the time. He had to focus on what they were doing, or he’d have them in a fiery crash before he could execute this plan. Wouldn’t that delight Phoenix to no end?
    â€œThe driver’s alone.” Meghan’s voice brought him fully to the mission.
    â€œYou’re sure?”
    â€œSmall car. Two seater. Unless he’s got a buddy in the trunk, he’s a one-man show.”
    Finally, some good news. They outnumbered their pursuer.
    Tate flipped on his blinker and exited as though everything were normal, giving no indication he knew the guy was behind them.
    â€œHe followed. No one came off the highway behind him.”
    â€œHow far before there’s no witnesses?”
    â€œA mile, maybe a little bit more.”
    Tate kneaded the steering wheel, antsy for the coming confrontation. At the end of this, there might be answers. “And how do you know this?” He flicked a glance to the rearview and then at her.
    She was watching him. “Some things never change, including the idea you might need to run