"I don't want to talk about it." She bumped past him and made a beeline for Davin's vehicle.
"Taylor, wait." Kirk jogged toward her. He reached out his hand as if he wanted to touch her, but then let it drop. "Did Kam hurt you? Where is he?" He scanned the scene.
Taylor took a step towards him. "Lower your voice, Peters. Transport the bus to the prison. I promise to explain everything once we know those three are safely at Spring Creek."
Kirk clenched his jaw then nodded once. She knew that he cared for her, but she would not have him inadvertently ruin this operation. Pretending to be someone else while undercover with people you don't know or would probably never see again was one thing, but having to lie, even by omission, to people you consider your friends, that stuck under her skin.
Was this what Kam felt the night of the fundraiser? Remembering how he had attempted to come to her rescue fromChad made the deception she aimed at her friend ease some. She hadn't known who Kam was then, but looking back on it now, she could only imagine what he must have been going through. If she would have seen a woman flirting with Kam across the room, she wasn't so sure she wouldn't have stepped in to put the woman in her place.
Taylor watched from the SUV as Peters talked with the guard before returning to his cruiser. They were so close to this nightmare being over, yet so much could go wrong. Now that they had Ian, they needed to sell it to Dasha.
The ride toward town was silent. Once they hit Moose Pass, Davin and Taylor went on to Seward while Peters escorted the bus to Spring Creek.
Davin broke the silence, "Will you be coming back once Dasha is in custody?"
Taylor considered the question. There was so much about her future that wasn't settled. "I don't know."
Davin hmphed, but said nothing else. For some reason, she had hoped that he would have given her advice or encouraging words or even a Bible verse, but he choose silence instead.
"You and Paul are like family to me, but God has given me a second chance with Kam and I honestly don't know what that looks like."
"When you know what door God opens for you, just let me know." Davin gave her a half smile. "You are a part of this team and you will remain so until you're ready to move on."
They bounced down the road that ran along the airport at Seward. The only air craft using this airport were helicopter tours and small personal air planes used to reach those deeper inland. The road came to an end next to an abandoned hanger. Their headlights washed over Paul and Kam leaning against the car they had driven here. The two weren't laughing like oldfriends, but they weren't trying to kill each other either, which was an improvement.
She didn't want to have to choose between her family at the Seward Field Office and Kam, but she didn't know how she would get to have a life with Kam if she stayed.
Davin put the car in park and greeted the two men, "Any problems?"
"Nope. Gimpy here was even half helpful in loading the package in the backseat," Paul joked.
So maybe they had come further than she thought. A bit of hope flickered to life in her.
Kam pushed off the car. "More like you wouldn't let me help."
"And bare the wrath of Ertz when you showed up here with your shoulder all jacked again? No thanks." Paul bit out the words, but the twinkle in his eye gave away his true intent.
Kam slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. She clearly wasn't the only one who struggled being away from each other.
"I'll take the package to the safe harbor. You make your phone call." Davin caught the keys that Paul tossed his way. The three of them watched as the taillights of the car shrunk into the distance then turned at the end of the way.
"Ready to wear some orange?" Kam asked Paul.
"It's my favorite color," Paul mumbled.
Kam pulled out his phone as Paul walked towards the underbrush to change into the prison jumpsuit. Kam texted Dasha,
I have what you want. Meet at the exchange.
Taylor watched as three dots danced on his screen. Dasha demanded proof of life.
Kam snapped a picture of Paul walking toward them in orange. It was dark enough that you could make out a person, but not the facial features.
A text came back almost immediately,
0200. don't be late.
CHAPTER 16
