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“Black is one of the most common colors,” Steele said, answering the question she hadn’t realized she’d said out loud. Steele opened the back passenger door for her. “And they blend in the dark too.”
“Makes sense.” She slid into the seat, setting the bag beside her. “How far is the American Lodge?”
Brock pulled out of the rental car agency’s parking lot as Steele answered. “Ten to fifteen minutes. It’s located in Brookland.”
She wasn’t familiar with Brookland but was glad the motel wasn’t too far. The urge to change into comfortable shoes was difficult to ignore. She was worried she’d be forced to go on the run again in the stupid flat dress shoes.
“Whose name did you use on the rental?” Steele asked.
“Joe’s.” Brock flashed a smile. “He didn’t mind, actually spoke to the rental agent personally.”
She hoped the change would be enough to shake them loose from the brown SUV. “I still don’t understand how we were found at the rental property.”
“Yeah, we need to dig into that,” Steele agreed with a dark frown. “Joe mentioned the two ATF agents were meeting with Rhy. The fact that we were found so quickly tells me the leak isn’t from within the department.”
“It’s possible my SUV was spotted outside your place, Steele,” Brock said. “But tracking my vehicle to the rental property would require access to my credit card.”
“Not impossible, considering we don’t know who Grotto is working with,” Steele mused. “I agree, that’s the only option.”
She wasn’t sure what to think. It wasn’t as if she had money to spare, and obviously using her name to secure a motel or a car was out of the question. The gunmen had put a GPS tracker on her car. Clearly, they knew who she was and how to find her.
They rode in silence as Brock navigated the streets. She found herself looking for a brown SUV but didn’t see any. When she saw a sign indicating they’d arrived in Brookland, she wanted to weep in gratitude.
Brock turned into the parking lot of the American Lodge, a two-story white building. She was grateful to be there and reached for the bag. Once again, though, she was instructed to wait while Steele ran inside to arrange their rooms.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long. When Steele emerged, he held up two room keys as he jogged over. “We have connecting rooms on the first floor, rooms eleven and twelve.”
Sliding out of the back seat, she noticed a room on the second floor directly above their rooms appeared to be boarded up. There was a sign indicating renovations were being done. “I hope the hammering and sawing isn’t too loud.”
Steele glanced up and shrugged. “I don’t hear anything now. I’m sure it will be fine.”
The two men walked on either side of her as they crossed the parking lot. Steele unlocked the door of room eleven, then held it for her. She entered the room, pleased to find it was clean and smelled of pine cleaner.
“It’s nice, thanks.” She dropped onto the bed and kicked off the flats she’d never wear again. After shrugging out of her coat, she stood to head for the bathroom.
“Wait here, I’ll bring towels and soap to wash your feet.” Steele tossed the key to Brock. “Open the connecting door from the other room, would you? And get the new phone working too.”
“Sure.” Brock quickly turned and left them alone.
“I can do it,” she protested, but Steele ignored her. He unlocked the connecting room door, then hurried into the bathroom. While she waited, she rummaged in the bag for the bandages and antibiotic ointment.
Glancing at her bleeding blisters made her wince. They looked worse than before. When Steele returned, he placed a towel beneath her feet and then gently lifted one foot into a warm soapy towel.
Tears pricked her eyes, and her throat swelled with emotion. She knew Steele was just being nice, that he’d likely have done this to anyone he was trying to protect. Yet his care and concern only emphasized the lack of love in her marriage.
She placed a hand on her rounded belly, reminding herself that God had blessed her with a baby. She couldn’t regret her decision to marry Jake, despite everything that had happened.
“How badly do they hurt?” Steele asked. It took her a minute to realize he’d finished with one foot and had started on the other. “We should have picked up some ibuprofen too.”
“No need, I’m fine.” Her feet would heal in time. “I don’t want to take anything other than the prenatal vitamins.”
Steele nodded and finished drying her feet. Then he used the antibiotic ointment on the worst blisters and wrapped bandages around them. The simple act of kindness was oddly intimate.
She quickly thrust that thought aside. No point in noticing what a nice, handsome guy Steele was. She wasn’t interested. And even if she was, she highly doubted any man would be interested in a pregnant woman or raising a child that wasn’t his.
No, there was no point in wishing for what she couldn’t have. She would be satisfied with Steele’s determination to keep her and the baby safe.
That was all that mattered.
