Knowing they had to move quickly or lose her, Avery stepped free of Grant’s arms, immediately missing the feel of his hard muscles and the heat he generated.
They hurried to the rental car.
Before they reached it, another car left the parking lot, heading in the same direction as the imposter.
Avery yanked open the passenger door while Grant sprinted to the driver’s side. Once in the car, Grant started the engine and drove the same direction the fake agent had gone, toward the Good Night Motel.
The car between them turned down a narrow alley a block before the hotel, giving Avery a clear view of the Jeep pulling into the motel parking lot.
Grant drove past the motel, turned off the headlights and backed into an alley between two businesses. From where they were positioned, Avery could see the Jeep, Room 21 and the doppelganger getting out of the vehicle and walking toward the motel.
As the woman raised her hand with her key, she hesitated, her body stiffening.
Avery could sense her caution and a flash of fear. “Something’s wrong.” She pushed open her door and was out before Grant could say or do anything.
Blood thundering through her veins pumped adrenaline throughout her body, sending her flying forward.
Grant called out, “Wait!”
Avery barely heard his voice through the pulse pounding in her ears.
The woman in front of Room 21 eased away from the door, her knees bent, her body poised for fight or flight.
A large man dressed completely in black from head to toe erupted from the room and grabbed the woman.
She fought hard, her elbow jabbing into the man’s midsection, her foot slamming down hard on his.
A man ran from the end of the building straight for the two.
Avery and Grant couldn’t get there fast enough.
The incoming man plowed into the pair fighting for dominance. All three went down in a jumble of arms and legs.
By the time Grant and Avery made it across the street, the man dressed entirely in black pushed to his feet and ran, limping slightly.
“Go!” Avery yelled. “Get him. I’ll help her.”
Grant hesitated.
The woman on the ground, trapped by the man who’d come from the end of the building, struggled to free herself. “Go after him!” she yelled, waving her free hand toward the disappearing figure in black.
Grant pulled his gun out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Avery. “Either one of them moves, shoot them.”
She took the gun and aimed it at the two on the ground. “Got it. Now go before he gets away.”
Grant ran after the assailant, who had disappeared around the far end of the building.
Avery pointed the gun at the woman and the man, disentangling their limbs.
“Dan?” the imposter frowned at the man rolling over to a sitting position.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I’m sorry. I saw you were in trouble and had to stop him any way I could.” He shrugged. “I played football a million years ago in high school. It’s all I could think to do that would help.
The imposter shook her head. “You don’t live around here, do you?”
He ducked his head. “No, ma’am.”
“Then why the hell were you here at the motel tonight?” Avery demanded.
