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“Would a bonus push me to the front of the line?” he asked.
“Hell, no,” the guy on the other end of the phone call said. “That’s not the way we do things in Boughton.”
“Fair enough. I’ll give you a credit card number,” Gideon said, fumbling in his pocket for his wallet. “And you can leave the car at the high school. Call me and tell me where it is. Tuck the keys behind the driver’s side tire. I know you’ll have lots of calls, and I don’t want to hold you up while I make my way out of the gym,” he added smoothly.
He recited his credit card number and gave the tow truck operator its expiration date and his security code. Then, thanking him, Gideon disconnected the call.
When he slid his phone back into his pocket, he caught Alex’s eye. “How long will it take?” she asked.
He shrugged. “No idea. But I’m sure there are a lot of people who need a tow, and he can’t do anything until the roads are plowed.”
“So we’re stuck here tonight,” she said with a sigh.
“For at least tonight,” Gideon said. He nodded at the television. “How long is this storm supposed to last?”
Alex slumped against the headboard. “Overnight, at least,” she said. “Maybe longer.”
They had a case of water. That would be plenty for two days. He eyed the food they’d bought at the truck stop and grimaced. They wouldn’t be eating gourmet meals, or even big meals. But they wouldn’t go hungry.
Gideon settled against the headboard of his bed and watched the screen, seeing reporters in heavy parkas, standing in blinding snow, telling people to stay inside. Duh.
Icy slush slid off the roof and landed in the snow with a muffled thud, and Alex jumped. Twenty minutes later, a plow passed the motel, its diesel engine roaring, its blade scraping the pavement. Alex flinched. Was she still waiting for the hitman to find her?
Gideon sighed. They’d have to have a conversation about that. But before he could initiate it, Alex turned off the television. Glanced over at him and said, “Do you mind? I’m exhausted.”
“Of course not. I’ll read something on my phone while you sleep.”
She frowned. “You going to stay up all night?”
“No, but I’m not ready to sleep yet.” He’d wait until she was sound asleep before he closed his eyes.
Alex nodded, then opened her suitcase and rummaged through it. Gideon saw the dark outline of what looked like the tote bag she’d had at the restaurant in Fargo. Wondered what was in it. Then she whipped a dark piece of clothing out of her bag, grabbed a bright pink kit bag and hurried toward the bathroom.
Who knew the tough-as-nails-attorney would like pink? His mouth curled into a tiny smile as he watched her bend over the sink and brush her teeth, then disappear into the bathroom and firmly close the door.
She re-emerged a few minutes later wearing black yoga pants and a sweatshirt and clutching the clothes she’d been wearing, all neatly folded. Without looking at him, she crossed the room and tucked everything into her suitcase. Then she climbed into bed, pulled the covers up to her ears and turned her back to him.
Hours later, a rustling noise woke Gideon. He opened his eyes to a dark room, where he spotted Alex’s outline rummaging through her suitcase. Was she trying to find her clothes? To get dressed so she could take off?
Sliding out of bed soundlessly, he padded across the hard carpet and grabbed her wrist. Alex screamed, jerked her hand away from his and spun around to face him. Backed far enough that she was out of his reach.
“Whoa! What’s that about?”
“What the hell do you think, Wolf?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You scared the crap out of me. What was that for?”
“I’m sorry. I thought you were taking off.” He spotted the pair of leggings dangling from her hand and felt like a fool.
She wiggled the leggings in front of him. “Getting more clothes. It’s damn cold in here.”
“Heat’s as high as it’ll go,” he said.
“I know that,” she retorted. “That’s why I’m putting on more clothes.” She swallowed and gripped the leggings more tightly. “I’m sorry I screamed,” she muttered. “That was stupid. If there was someone outside, they would have known we were here.”
“There’s no one outside. I would have heard them.”
She hurried into the bathroom and returned moments later with her yoga pants on over her leggings. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said quietly, “You think I’d leave you stranded here? Without a car?”
“Hell, no. I was afraid you’d end up dead,” he shot back.
