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But she couldn't live in her imagination. This was the real world. And the real world held danger. Getting complacent would be a huge mistake.
"I think I've got enough," Megan said a short while later. "I better start typing. Thanks Drew. You're awesome."
"No problem. Just make sure your paper is awesome, too."
"I will."
As Megan left the room, Drew stood up. "What do you think about taking a walk, Ria?"
She hesitated. "It's late."
"It's not late. It's seven-thirty," he said dryly.
"All right, but a quick walk." She went into the bedroom. "Drew and I are going to take a walk. I won't be gone long. I'll have my phone if you need me."
Megan smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Have fun."
* * *
Drew took Ria's hand as they walked out of her apartment building. For a split second, she resisted, then her fingers curled around his. And it felt exactly right to have her hand in his. He tightened his grip on her, wanting to keep her close for as long as possible.
"I can't remember the last time I held someone's hand," she murmured as they walked down the shadowy street.
"It's nice," he said, realizing how much he liked having her at his side.
"It is," she agreed.
"Are you cold?"
"No, I'm good."
They walked for a few blocks without speaking and then Drew steered her toward a bench at the edge of a small park. He let go of her hand as they sat down, and he was surprised at how quickly he missed the contact of her skin against his. But they needed to talk.
"I went to see my sister and her fiancé today, Emma and Max," he said.
Even in the shadowy moonlight, he could see Ria tense.
"As I mentioned before, Max is a homicide detective with the SFPD. I asked him to find out whatever he could about Enrique Valdez. Specifically, I want to know if he's accused of any crimes, if there are any warrants for his arrest, and if there are, how close anyone is to catching him." He could see the anger brewing in her eyes. "I didn't tell them anything about you, Ria."
"Oh, come on, Drew. I met Emma the other night. She knows you're spending time with me, even if she doesn't know my story. Suddenly you show up at her door with questions about a drug smuggler? If she's as smart as you say she is, I'm pretty sure she already knows your questions have something to do with me."
"You're right," he admitted. "But she doesn’t know the details."
"Well, that's great."
"I would trust Emma with my life."
"You're not trusting her with your life; you're trusting her with mine and with Megan's," Ria said.
"Max will be discreet," he argued. "He's not going to mention my name or yours."
"But he's going to be your brother-in-law, which connects him to you, which connects him to me. I have to be careful of every link, Drew. I have to watch my trail, and since you and I ran into each other again, my trail is covered with clues."
He heard the frustration in her voice. "I know you're worried, Ria, but I'm trying to help you. You haven't had time to think about going on the offensive. And I understand that. But you can't hide out forever. You need a long-term solution."
"This isn't a game, Drew. There isn't offense and defense; there's just staying alive, and you're making it harder."
"No," he said with an emphatic shake of his head. "If you think I'm your main problem, think again. Your biggest problem is in your apartment. Megan is a talker, and she has a boyfriend, and she's going to want to tell him things. And what about her friends, her phone, her text messages? She has a computer. She goes on the Internet. You have no idea what kind of trail she's leaving."
"Stop," she said, putting up her hand. "I hear what you're saying, but I make sure that Megan is careful."
"You can't watch her every minute, and she thinks she's safe now. You've made her believe that, and that's good, because you want her to be happy and not grow up paranoid and stressed out. But she's not safe, and someday, she's going to slip, and she's going to tell someone something. If we can find a way to get Enrique Valdez into prison, you and Megan will really be safe," Drew said.
