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“No,” Dax shook his head. “I’m positive he wasn’t involved—the mechanics of the hit weren’t his style—but this has the feel of something far more sinister than revenge. Somebody wanted to make sure they couldn’ttalk.”
Rebecca took a deep, fortifying breath and looked at her watch. It was after ten. The diner may be open all night, but she wasn’t going to make it much longer. Her jaw still throbbed. Luckily, after a two hour wait at the hospital, the x-rays showed no broken bones. She received instructions to ice the bruise for ten minutes at a time a couple of times an hour and to take some over the counter pain relievers. Not one to take pills, she’d have to stop by a drug store on the way home and pick up something for thepain.
“Well,” she sighed. “Thanks for coming all the way to Boston to tell me.” She nodded, reluctantly offering Dax a drowsy smile. “You didn’t have to come in person, but I appreciate the effort. I’m just glad it’s over and I don’t have totestify.”
“You still have to testify,” Dax informed her, a hint of disbelief in histone.
“What? Why? Collins isdead.”
“Rebecca,” Dax sighed infrustration.
She focused on the firm set of his jaw beneath his dark, thin beard, which led to his pursed lips. Why did she like the way he said her name? What was so different about his tone when he said it, as opposed to all the other things he said? “You’re a smart woman. Surely you can see how this puts you front and center in the case against theothers.”
No, she couldn’t see. “There’s still a case without Collins, without me. I have no knowledge of any of the others or what their involvement was. All of that evidence was found as a result of Collins’s arrest, yes, but you saidyourself—”
“You’re the best subject matter expert on the case. And, you’re the only one who can corroborate his level of involvement. You, me and Diver are the only ones left alive, aside from Thalia, who witnessed him in action with Jauhar before we raided the compound. Thalia isn’t going to jeopardize herself by coming out of hiding to testify, and I can’t blameher.”
No, Thalia couldn’t do that. She’d be painting a huge target on both hers and Grant’s backs if she went anywhere near the media circus surrounding thecase.
“Is Diver alive?” Rebecca asked. She’d tried calling the sketchy hacker genius for help with Sawyer’s case, but all the numbers she’d had for him had beendisconnected.
“I’m sure he is,” Dax said after clearing his throat, the shift in his eyes telling her he was either lying or didn’t want to tell her. Why not was beyond her, but she was done trying to figure out Dax Keller. Beyond caring. “He’s disappeared,” Dax followed up after her disbelieving, impatient sigh. That wasn’t the least bit surprising. Rebecca wrote off the possibility of obtaining Diver’s help. If Diver didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’tbe.
“Okay, but…” Picking at a crack in the edge of the table, Rebecca forced herself to stay in her seat, determined to get to the bottom of what Keller was here to tell her so he could leave and she could get back to the business of finding Sawyer. “I still don’t see what I can tell the jury that ten other witnesses who saw Collins dragged out of that clubcouldn’t.”
“Your testimony puts Collins at the head of the snake. Your time on the case not only completes the picture for the jury, but underscores the viciousness of the crime. The prosecutor would be a fool not to call you. He’ll subpoena you if he hasto.”
“Surely the case is stronger than that,” she said. “Some of the higher-ups were caught red handed, just like Collins, with kids in theirhomes.”
“True,” Dax agreed. “Some were. Those charges will stand on their own merits, but they’ll still call you to testify, and as long as our names are on that witness list, our lives are injeopardy.”
The final piece of the puzzle fell into place. Rebecca’s head snapped up and she could see the confirmation in Dax’s eyes. “No.” She shook her head. “No way. I don’t have time forthis.”
“Three other witnesses have already receivedthreats.”
“No!” She couldn’t drop everything and go into hiding. “I have cases I’m working. People are depending on me.” Sawyer was depending on her. She was Hytha’s last hope of finding theboy.
“Rebecca, you’re no good to them dead,” Dax said, his hand sliding across the table to cover hers. The unexpected touch startled her. Her natural reflex was to pull away, but he curled his masculine fingers around her hand and held it there. Her eyes darted up to meet his. For the first time since she’d known him, she noticed his warm whiskey-colored irises. Behind them swirled a myriad of emotions she didn’t want to name, none of which made sense toher.
Why was he really here? He could have called her to warn her about Collins, about the threats. If the prosecutor wanted her protected, then their office would have assigned her protection or made arrangements for her to staysomewhere.
“Dax,I…”
“I like it when you use my first name,” he said with a flirty grin she’d never seen him use before. At least not onher.
She pulled her hand free from his and bolted to her feet. “Okay, this? This…whatever this is…” she said, swirling her finger in the air over Dax’s hand still resting on the table. “I don’t know what your game is, but I’m not playing.” Holy hell, but she wanted to. Why was he doing this and why-why-why had she used his firstname?
“I’m not playing games, Red.” He rose to his full six-two height. Why hadn’t she noticed before just how big he was?Wait aminute.
“What did you just call me?” Red, a play on her initials, Rebecca Eloise Danes. The only person who’d ever called her that was her brother, Griff, and he wasdead.
Another elusive emotion flashed in Dax’s eyes. He quickly masked whatever it was and fingered a lock of her dark auburn hair. “Would you prefer carrottop?”
Rebecca closed her eyes and let out a long-suffering sigh, turning on her heels toward the door once more. He wasimpossible.
“Freckles?” Once on the street, Dax continued to taunt her like a second gradebully.
“Go home,Keller.”
