He looked away. "For a while, she was my employer. Then my — I suppose the best term would be business partner. Now?" He shrugged. "I don't know whether it would be better for her to be dead or alive. I can't prove she lives, but she's disappeared after telling the Feds I attacked her."
I stared at him in horror. "Zia was a Federal Agent?"
He nodded. "I wish I never met her; she's betrayed me, and possibly them as well. Now I'm hunted."
Anger rose in me, and chagrin. I had her on the ground and I let her get away! "If I knew she was a Fed, I would've killed her the day we fought and saved everyone the trouble."
Morton flinched, but said nothing.
"How is it that you joined the employ of ... were partnered with ... a Federal Agent?"
He kept his eyes on the ground as we walked. "I've kn
