No One to Trust (Hidden Identity Book #1): A Novel by Lynette Eason

the glass entrance door to the hotel. He glanced across the street where Summer was supposed to be waiting for him. When his gaze landed on the dark sedan parked in front of the store, his stomach flipped. Fear for Summer invaded him.
    He pushed through the door and crossed the street, his hand reaching for the weapon in the shoulder holster Chase had provided him.
    Once inside the warmth of the store, he stepped immediately behind a clothing rack near the right front corner. Through the slitted opening created by two of the denim shirts, he scanned the area in front of him. Three customers who hadn’t even looked up at the dinging of the bell and one employee talking to the two suits at the cash register.
    No Summer. That he could see.
    He moved closer. David recognized the taller of the two as Raimondi’s nephew, Agostino Greco. A chill swept through him. Raimondi had called out the big guns. Agostino didn’t usuallystep up to the front lines to get his hands dirty. But when he did, he was deadly and efficient.
    The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir, I haven’t seen this woman.”
    “We’ve tracked her to this store. Do you have security video?”
    “Of course.”
    “Then we’d like to see it.”
    “Absolutely not.”
    “Look, lady—” The taller of the two men jabbed a finger at her.
    Agostino laid a hand on his shoulder. The other man let out a curse and spun on his heel to pace and shove aside clothing on the nearest rack.
    “Hey! You’ve no right to manhandle my inventory. Back off or I’ll call 911.” She grabbed the handset from the base and shook it at him.
    David saw alarm on the other customers’ faces. One woman swallowed hard and pulled out her phone as she backed toward the door.
    The others followed, their instinct telling them this might be a good time to get out.
    The bell chimed once, twice. David let out a slow breath. Through the window behind him, he saw the three women pause on the sidewalk. One had a phone pressed to her ear.
    The cops would be here soon. Agostino shot a glance at the door. He knew it too.
    “Ma’am.” Agostino kept his cool as he turned his attention back to the woman. David had never seen the man lose it. “She’s a fugitive. And dangerous. We just don’t want to see anyone get hurt.” The false concern in Agostino’s voice grated all over David’s nerves, and if Summer hadn’t most likely been hiding somewhere nearby, he would have been tempted to do a little bodily damage. Instead, he exercised self-control. And prayed.
    “Neither do I,” the employee said. “I haven’t seen that woman.Now if you want to come back with a warrant, we’ll talk about viewing the security footage.”
    David processed the information. The men had identified themselves as law enforcement. And still she wasn’t talking. Thank you, Lord. Where was Summer?
    Frustration stamped itself on the tall man’s face. He leaned in. “If you’re lying to me, I’ll be back.”
    “I’ll be here.” She stared him down and he turned with a ripple of curses.
    David gave a silent cheer for the woman’s unwillingness to be bullied by the two men. He didn’t think either of them would hurt her. Yet.
    He hung back in his hiding place, keeping his cool, slowing his pulse by sheer will. Relief and worry filled him at the same time. Relief that Summer wasn’t in the wrong hands and worry about her location. Had she seen Agostino and his partner enter and somehow manage to escape the store?
    David saw Agostino heave a sigh, as though by drawing in the air, he could pull in more patience. He gripped his partner’s arm and nodded to the door. “Thank you for talking to us.”
    The two men came close enough for David to reach out and touch. He held his breath as they paused.
    Agostino said in a low voice, “We’ll find her, Gianni, but not if you lose your temper. She’s here somewhere. Let’s get out and bide our time. You take the back door, I’ll cover the