wasn’t safe in the little South American country where we were living. You aren’t safe, my father’d said.
You’re too overprotective, I’d railed.
I’m cautious, he’d countered.
Stifling, I’d retaliated. You isolate us.
It’s for your own good, he’d stated firmly. And that was that.
That’s why I’d been throwing the tantrum the day our car blew up.
My father had been right after all. It wasn’t safe.
Lucas nudged me with his foot. The contact was completely non-threatening and yet it touched off a fear in me. “Give me a name. It’s not like I’ll be able to use the information to get any goods on you.”
I gave the English version. “George.”
He opened a bottle of chilled water. “I bet you broke his heart.”
“I doubt it.”
I hadn’t ever gotten to tell Jorge no. The place and time of our potential date had gone unnoticed while I lay in a sterile bed in a hospital no one knew about.
Pushing away the disturbing memories, I shoved open the door to the van.
Unfortunately, mid-morning Fall in Nevada meant sweltering heat. I stepped out of the van into a dry, oppressive heat of over ninety degrees and hustled into the store.
I wanted a change of clothes, a seriously cold Frappuccino, and a shower. The little sponge bath I’d given myself earlier had done nothing to improve my mood.
I headed straight to the phone aisle, Lucas following.
On an end cap I found the paperwork for buying an untraceable phone. I could activate a number, use the prepaid phone card, and toss the phone when I finished.
I found an empty counter and grabbed a pen. Pretending to stare off into space, I looked at the stacked boxes of paper.
HP, Hammermill.
Sarah Hammer. Perfect.
I filled out the form with my fake name, then pressed Lucas for a few bills.
“Can you spare an extra hundred?”
“You think you’ll need that much air time, Sarah?”
I ignored him. “I’ll pay you back.”
He gave me a long serious look. “Yes. You will.”
He wasn’t talking about money.
I stuck out my hand, palm up. And suddenly I was thrust back to being fifteen again, asking my father for money, wheedling for enough to go buy an outfit or to hang out with my friends-–along with my bodyguard.
Pain speared. I swear I could hear his voice. “Don’t spend it all in one place, punkin.”
I’d roll my eyes and leave out my hand, palm up.
I forced my thoughts back to the present and blew out the breath I’d been holding.
Fortunately, Lucas hadn’t seemed to notice my lapse. He opened his wallet and peeled out five twenties. “There you go.”
I curled my fingers around the crisp bills and headed for the checkout and away from the painful memories plaguing me.
No Frappuccino. I snagged an icy cold coke, paid the bill and walked outside. “Privacy.”
His face broke into a wry smile. “Something I can help you with?”
I gave him a ‘get real’ look.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
My defenses were down. I needed a reminder of who I was, who I’d fought to become. So these weak feelings would go away. “Privacy.”
“Okay. I’ll leave you in the van and I’ll take a walk over to Bargain Barn and score us some new clothes.” He jangled the keys in his pocket. “Don’t take off without me.”
I looked around pointedly. We were in the middle of the desert, right off the freeway. The assortment of fast food joints and discount shopping was an oasis in an otherwise desolate sea of dirt and tumbleweeds.
Besides, at this moment, he was the only one I trusted. Of course, I had no intention of sharing that with him.
“Cash only,” I reminded him.
“I know.” He rolled his eyes at me then jogged off to the store.
I slipped into the van and dialed into a secure location. After a series of beeps and tones, Carson answered his office line.
“Yeah.” The familiarity of his gruff voice centered me.
“Hey.”
“Hallelujah.” I heard the tap of his pen against his cherry desk. “Where
You’re too overprotective, I’d railed.
I’m cautious, he’d countered.
Stifling, I’d retaliated. You isolate us.
It’s for your own good, he’d stated firmly. And that was that.
That’s why I’d been throwing the tantrum the day our car blew up.
My father had been right after all. It wasn’t safe.
Lucas nudged me with his foot. The contact was completely non-threatening and yet it touched off a fear in me. “Give me a name. It’s not like I’ll be able to use the information to get any goods on you.”
I gave the English version. “George.”
He opened a bottle of chilled water. “I bet you broke his heart.”
“I doubt it.”
I hadn’t ever gotten to tell Jorge no. The place and time of our potential date had gone unnoticed while I lay in a sterile bed in a hospital no one knew about.
Pushing away the disturbing memories, I shoved open the door to the van.
Unfortunately, mid-morning Fall in Nevada meant sweltering heat. I stepped out of the van into a dry, oppressive heat of over ninety degrees and hustled into the store.
I wanted a change of clothes, a seriously cold Frappuccino, and a shower. The little sponge bath I’d given myself earlier had done nothing to improve my mood.
I headed straight to the phone aisle, Lucas following.
On an end cap I found the paperwork for buying an untraceable phone. I could activate a number, use the prepaid phone card, and toss the phone when I finished.
I found an empty counter and grabbed a pen. Pretending to stare off into space, I looked at the stacked boxes of paper.
HP, Hammermill.
Sarah Hammer. Perfect.
I filled out the form with my fake name, then pressed Lucas for a few bills.
“Can you spare an extra hundred?”
“You think you’ll need that much air time, Sarah?”
I ignored him. “I’ll pay you back.”
He gave me a long serious look. “Yes. You will.”
He wasn’t talking about money.
I stuck out my hand, palm up. And suddenly I was thrust back to being fifteen again, asking my father for money, wheedling for enough to go buy an outfit or to hang out with my friends-–along with my bodyguard.
Pain speared. I swear I could hear his voice. “Don’t spend it all in one place, punkin.”
I’d roll my eyes and leave out my hand, palm up.
I forced my thoughts back to the present and blew out the breath I’d been holding.
Fortunately, Lucas hadn’t seemed to notice my lapse. He opened his wallet and peeled out five twenties. “There you go.”
I curled my fingers around the crisp bills and headed for the checkout and away from the painful memories plaguing me.
No Frappuccino. I snagged an icy cold coke, paid the bill and walked outside. “Privacy.”
His face broke into a wry smile. “Something I can help you with?”
I gave him a ‘get real’ look.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
My defenses were down. I needed a reminder of who I was, who I’d fought to become. So these weak feelings would go away. “Privacy.”
“Okay. I’ll leave you in the van and I’ll take a walk over to Bargain Barn and score us some new clothes.” He jangled the keys in his pocket. “Don’t take off without me.”
I looked around pointedly. We were in the middle of the desert, right off the freeway. The assortment of fast food joints and discount shopping was an oasis in an otherwise desolate sea of dirt and tumbleweeds.
Besides, at this moment, he was the only one I trusted. Of course, I had no intention of sharing that with him.
“Cash only,” I reminded him.
“I know.” He rolled his eyes at me then jogged off to the store.
I slipped into the van and dialed into a secure location. After a series of beeps and tones, Carson answered his office line.
“Yeah.” The familiarity of his gruff voice centered me.
“Hey.”
“Hallelujah.” I heard the tap of his pen against his cherry desk. “Where
Similar Books
