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“I can’t. I can’t just leave my car here.”
“We’re not leaving your car.”
Her eyebrows rise, but before she can ask, a tall, dark-haired man emerges from the driver’s side of a car parked in the street.
He must trigger her prey instincts because fear leaps to Sophie’s gaze, and she unconsciously moves closer to me for protection.
“He’s all right,” I assure her. “He’s with me. He’s going to drive your car back to your dorm.”
“I don’t want him to take my car home for me. I want to take it there myself. I want to go home.”
“You’re going home with me tonight, Sophie. End of discussion.”
“Silvan…”
I hold out my hand. “Give me your keys and wait for me in the car.”
She looks uncertain and more than a little unhappy, but I can tell she’s wary of another man being here. Especially one who came at my behest.
To me, it’s crazy she even imagines I would ever let another man hurt her, but I take advantage of her old fears for now because it makes her capitulate to my demands much easier.
She hands me her keys, then gets into my car without further protest.
Dare hangs back while I get Sophie in the car, then approaches when he sees I’m finished. We meet behind her car in the driveway, and I hand over the keys.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate your help.”
“Anytime,” he says wryly.
“I owe you one.”
“Aren’t we up to two now?” he shoots back, his tone light enough, but I know it’s no joke. He’s keeping track, and someday, he’ll cash in on every favor he’s owed.
That’s how it is with most friends in my circle, whether or not they’re honest about it. I’m used to it.
“Of course. Speaking of that first favor…” I draw out the burner phone and the blank tape labels. “I took pictures of the other tapes so she’d have a good sample of his handwriting. Looks like he uses a well-worn black Sharpie.”
Dare glances over his shoulder before grabbing the phone and the labels.
“All right,” he says, tucking them into his jacket pocket. “It’ll take me a week or two to get it done. I’ll have to do this in person, and that means flying back to Baymont. I’ve been thinking about making a trip home, anyway, but it’s not a comfortable favor to call in. I have to get some things in order first.”
“That’s fine.” I glance back at my car, at Sophie curled up in the passenger seat. “Sooner is better just to be safe, but I don’t even know if I’ll end up using it. For now, I think just the threat of it will prove a useful tool in working around my girl’s reluctance. I want to do it right and have the insurance policy in case this guy turns out to be a problem, though.”
He nods without the faintest hint of being bothered by my methods. “I get it. I’d do the same thing.”
I figured.
That’s why I called him.
“I appreciate it.”
He nods, turning and heading for Sophie’s car. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Sophie
The car is cold.
