Marcus said nothing.
“More than five.”
“Yes.”
“More than ten.”
“Yes.”
“More than twenty.”
Marcus's silence was answer enough.
Elias nodded.
“Then the road isn't the only thing you need to investigate.”
Victoria's face became harder.
“Inside access.”
“Maybe.”
One of the security vehicles repositioned to block more of the shoulder from traffic.
Rain continued falling.
A passing tractor-trailer threw mist across them.
Elias watched the road disappear briefly behind the spray.
Then a thought occurred to him.
“Where was the last stop?”
Marcus frowned.
“Why?”
“Where?”
“Gas station twelve miles west.”
“Public?”
“Yes.”
“Cameras?”
“Probably.”
Marcus understood.
He pulled out his phone.
“Get surveillance from the last fuel stop. Immediately.”
An agent nodded and moved away.
Victoria looked at Elias.
“You're helping someone who accused you of planning to rob her.”
Elias met her eyes.
“Yes.”
“You should probably be offended.”
“I was.”
“And?”
“And then someone tried to kill you.”
The answer embarrassed her more effectively than anger would have.
Victoria looked away.
“I was alone.”
“I know.”
“I didn't know who you were.”
“I know.”
“I've had threats.”
“I assumed.”
“People have followed me.”
“That explains the convoy.”
Her eyes returned to him.
“I shouldn't have said it.”
“No.”
“I'm apologizing.”
“Okay.”
Victoria blinked.
“That is all?”
“What do you want me to do, make you repeat it?”
Marcus coughed to disguise a laugh.
Victoria looked at him.
“Don't.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Another security man hurried toward them.
“Marcus.”
“What?”
“Fuel stop manager remembers a white commercial van sitting across from the building.”
“How long?”
“Roughly fifteen minutes.”
“Cameras?”
“Angle misses the plate.”
Marcus's expression sharpened.
“Driver?”
“Can't tell yet.”
Victoria looked at Elias.
He said nothing.
Marcus did.
“Same period your car was unattended.”
Victoria's face tightened.
“Was anyone near it?”
“Still reviewing.”
Elias turned toward the SUV.
“Don't move this vehicle yet.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“I wasn't planning to.”
“You were about to have it towed.”
“How do you know?”
“You keep looking toward the recovery truck.”
Marcus glanced down the shoulder.
A contracted flatbed had indeed just arrived in the distance.
“We need it off the road.”
“I know.”
“So?”
“Let me check something first.”
Marcus crossed his arms.
“No.”
Elias looked at him.
“No?”
“You've done enough unauthorized work for one night.”
“I changed a tire.”
“And diagnosed an assassination attempt.”
“Apparently.”
“You're not going under that vehicle again until police arrive.”
Elias looked at the sky.
“Your choice.”
Something in his tone irritated Marcus.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Say it.”
“You have a damaged vehicle sitting on an exposed shoulder in a storm with someone who may be watching whether it moves.”
Marcus looked toward the trees.
Then the road.