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“That’s another reason I’m leaving in John’s car, but now that you mention it, tell him to make sure he’s not followed.”
“Will do.”
“Uh, what happens now?” Bianca piped up. “I mean, Matteus is lying dead in that house, and Roland is on the beach with a bullet in him. The police will be all over this.”
“We’ll talk about everything on the way up the canyon,” Nick replied. “Right now we need to get the hell out of Dodge.”
“Can I take two minutes in the bathroom? I’m all sandy and salty. I promise to be quick.”
“Okay, and I’ll get you something warm to wear,” he said, seeing the goosebumps on her skin. “Two minutes! No more!”
CHAPTER16
When Bianca hurried from the bathroom, she found Nick wearing joggers, a rugged True Grit sweater, and holding a gym bag. Handing her a fleecy sweatshirt, he borrowed Brad’s cowboy hat, then bustled her into the garage. Grateful for the warm hoodie, she settled into the Ford Explorer, buckled her seatbelt, and willed her heart to settle.
“Stay below the window until we’re on the coast road,” he ordered, pushing the hat low across his forehead.
“You should get one of those,” she remarked as she shimmied down in the seat. “It looks great, and I can see you on a horse.”
“You actually might one of these days. I’m just as much a country boy as I am a city slicker,” he replied as he rolled out of the garage and sped off down the private street. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You just saw someone get shot, then stared at his dead body.”
“I didn’t actually see it, and as I said, a quick death was too good for that monster, but can we talk about something else? Did you pick up more clothes? I hope your guy doesn’t leave any of mine behind.”
“Not a chance, he’s a pro, and yeah, I got a few things, but mostly I needed to clear out some bits and pieces,” he replied vaguely. “The police might decide to look around my house. Everything I own is legal, but finding it would raise eyebrows, especially with a body on the shore at my doorstep.”
“But you’ll be at the house in the canyon. They couldn’t find you there, could they?”
“It would take them a while, but I don’t want to be on their radar, period. I have a love/hate relationship with the LAPD,” he remarked as they turned onto the coast road.
“Ah, I understand.”
He grinned. “I’m sure you do, but tell me more about Big Mike.”
“Can I stop hiding now?”
“Yep.”
“I’m not sure it was Big Mike,” she said as she straightened up. “He just sort of looked like him.”
“So… a random stranger built like a Mack truck just randomly wandered onto a private beach with a gun in his pocket, then spotted a man standing by the water and decided to shoot him?”
“I guess not,” she replied sheepishly.
“You may not remember this, but when Roland refused to give Matteus his pills, Matteus stammered the name Mike. Watching Roland taunt Matt then let him die would be excruciating to watch for anyone, but if Mike and Matt were friends—”
“Now that you mention it, I do remember that moment,” she said, interrupting him. “No wonder you’re a private detective.”
“Because I can add two and two?” he quipped, shooting her a wink.
“Among other things,” she replied, winking back. “Anyway, physically, he did look like Big Mike, but I kept thinking about Mike’s long hair. It’s his trademark. He must have piled it up under that baseball cap.”
“Now you understand why giving you a new hairstyle and going blonde fooled Roland, but tell me what you know about Mike.”
“Just that he worked for my dad for a while before joining that bastard.”
