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When Ethan came to a stop in front of the storefront, Sophie did exactly what he’d told her to and soon they were both in the back seat of Ethan’s car. He floored it and was out of there. The entire pickup took less than fifteen seconds.
“Thanks, man,” Owen said when they were two streets away.
“No worries. Where to?”
“Into town so I can borrow my buddy’s truck. He’s deployed.” He gave Ethan directions to a facility where the truck was stored. He didn’t mention that the truck really belonged to him. Sophie would ask questions, wondering how he could afford to own two newer vehicles. The answer to that was something he didn’t share with many.
When they got to the storage place, Sophie went off to use the restroom, giving him a moment with Ethan. “Sorry,” he said to Ethan, “but I didn’t know who else to call, and I needed to get her out of there. Hope this doesn’t cause problems for you.”
Ethan shrugged it off. “We weren’t followed, and I didn’t give anyone a chance to recognize me. Ethan had worn sunglasses and a baseball cap pulled low. “What about your Jeep?”
“I’ll have it towed to a garage.” New tires wouldn’t be cheap, but he had the money. “How’s Helen?”
Ethan’s wife was pregnant and as involved in this mess as Sophie. She’d been the one to find drugs in a shipment of goods sent to the museum. Sophie was already investigating the new designer drugs that had been causing overdoses, but Helen’s find had caused the whole scenario to boil over when she’d realized that someone was using the museum to smuggle the drugs into town. It was when she’d started poking around to find who was responsible that Wilson had shown his hand, accidentally revealing to Julia—his sister-in-law—that he had plans to attack Sophie and Helen. That was what had driven the three women into hiding. “She’s hangin’ in there.”
“You don’t think working on the base puts you too out in the open again?” Owen asked.
“Doubt it. Not much crossover between what happens on a SEAL training base and anyone with ties to Wilson. Anyway, I’m careful. I never stop in town, and I watch for a tail when I’m headed to where we’re staying. If I think being cautious is no longer working, though, I’m taking Helen and going deeper into hiding. I’m not taking any risks with her or the baby. I’ve got my priorities straight now, and I’m never going to lose sight of them again.” Just weeks before, Ethan’s marriage had been on the rocks, but he and Helen had gotten through it and were on solid footing again.
“Wise choice.” Owen had never seen himself as a family man, but if he had what Ethan had, he’d do whatever he could to protect it. Just then, Sophie walked back toward them and gave Ethan a hug.
“Thanks for coming to the rescue. Give my love to Helen,” Sophie said. “Wish I could see her. “
“She feels the same. I’ll convey the message,” Ethan said. “You two take care.”
When Owen and Sophie were on the road back to the retreat, neither of them spoke much. He figured she was plotting her next move, which he hoped didn’t include contacting Razor again. That ship had sailed as far as he was concerned.
He waited until they were back in their cabin before announcing that. She had her computer open, and he could see she was in her email. “Hope you’re not setting up another meeting with the drug lieutenant,” Owen said. As soon as he said the words, he knew that his tone had come out all wrong. He meant to be cajoling, but his words sounded like an order. That wasn’t going to sit well with her.
“I’m not,” she said, immediately defensive, “just asking him what happened today.”
“Don’t bother. You need to consider that lead to be cold.”
Tension made her shoulders edge up toward her ears. “I’m not just giving up.”
“I didn’t say that. But meeting him is clearly a bad idea. I’d rather you give up on him altogether, but if you still think you can get something useful, it shouldn’t be in person. Stick to interviewing him by email or by phone.”
“That’s not how journalism works. You get the best information by talking in person to sources.”
He didn’t doubt her words—but he wasn’t going to back down, either. “That’s likely to get you killed. Nothing in person, Sophie. With Razor or anyone else.”
She took the hairband off her wrist and swept her hair up on top of her head, twisting it up into a messy bun. She had no idea how sexy that action was. Not that he was feeling turned on at the moment. He was more concerned with winning this argument. Hehadto win it because that was the only way to keep her out of danger.
“It’s going to be very difficult to finish this investigation if you keep blocking me,” she stated slowly. “We all can’t live in hiding forever. Ethan and Helen deserve to go home. And what about Julia? I know you haven’t met her, but she’s a sweetheart and things are tough for her, managing the kids undercover. She has no one to help her. They all deserve my best work.”
She was particularly worried about Julia, who’d taken an incredible chance when she’d taken Wilson’s children with her into hiding. As their aunt, Julia had felt the need to protect them from a man she considered to be dangerous and unstable. Now, she was alone with the kids and understandably stressed.
“I understand that, but my decision stands. Getting yourself killed won’t help your friends.”
She glared at him. “I thought your job in this was to keep me safe while I dug for the truth. Are you not up to the task?”
He had to admire her tactic, but it wasn’t going to work. “Of course I am, but I’m one guy. If four or five thugs come at us, I can’t guarantee the outcome.”
“So what’s the ratio? Three bad guys to oneformerSEAL?”
He wasn’t responding to her goading, so he was glad when there was a knock on the cabin door. “Soph? Owen?” Luna called.
“Come in,” Sophie said on a sigh.
