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“I wish I could tell you my life was squeaky clean, but I deal in a shadowy area. I’m not law enforcement, which gives me some latitude that the law doesn’t have. At the same time, I live with the knowledge that the law doesn’t have to go easy on me if I break it.”
“A shadowy middle ground.”
“It is.”
Since going on the run from Ferdy, there were moments when Nova felt she’d lived an entire lifetime from the day she overheard him in his office. But sitting here with Nikolas, she acknowledged something else.
She could divide her life with Mustang Valley as the reference—before and after coming here. She’d initially believed it was before and after Ferdy. Or before and after pregnancy. Or even before and after her mother’s death. And all of those things were momentous.
But there was something here. Something in finding her way to Arizona that had truly changed her in irrevocable ways even more profound than her circumstances.
Did that mean she was finally where she belonged? And if she was, didn’t she owe it to herself to make a full break? To find a way to solve her past and put it behind her.
“Can you find out more? In any of the databases you use?”
“Find out what?”
“Things about Ferdy. His work. His criminal associates.”
“If he hasn’t been arrested for a crime it’s going to be harder. We may be able to make up a sort of panel of known associates if we dig hard enough. Try to find dirt across all of them and make a connection.” Nikolas quieted, his gaze never wavering off her. “What you overheard in his office will be a necessary piece.”
“To put him away?”
“Yes. And to get someone to listen to you. They have to have some sort of reasonable proof that the man did something. A group of unsavory friends doesn’t quite do it.”
“I know.”
And she did know. Way down deep, it was that knowledge that had haunted her since the day she walked out of his office, so careful to keep her steps breezy and light. So determined that anyone who’d seen her would think she was simply out for the day and had popped in to visit her boyfriend.
But she knew that there would come a day when it would all catch up to her. When the need to do what was right was going to have to outweigh her personal safety. Because she didn’t just suspect him or think the worst.
She knew the worst.
“Can we start small? A few places where I can refamiliarize myself with his life and see if anything comes back to me.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking about our conversation earlier. About social media. For all his potential bad dealings, Ferdy loved being out and being seen around town. Maybe there’s something there. Someone he took a photo of.”
Nova had already considered the events she had attended with Ferdy. He was always glad-handing someone and he loved any opportunity to have his picture taken for a photo op.
Would one of those give them the answers they needed?
“No discretion, eh?” Nikolas asked. “Being that public with his less savory friendships.”
“I think it’s a real possibility. Besides, if he thought he had things set up so he wouldn’t get caught, he wouldn’t think to worry about a photo op here or there. But between that and what you’re digging up, we may be able to put him with some other bad actors.”
“It’s worth a try.”
“Of course, I’m assuming he and I are still connected on social media. If we are I can nose around to my heart’s content.”
“You want to give it a try?”
Now or never.
“Yeah, I do. I’d use my phone but I’ve deliberately kept it off for fear of being tracked.”
“Log in via desktop. I know it’s old school, but it still works.”
