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

front.”
    Gianni’s nostrils flared over his tight lips, but he gave a nod and stepped outside. David waited for the door to shut. He sidled around the rack toward the store’s interior and stood there. Waiting.
    The owner of the store moved to the front door and locked it. Then she whirled and returned to the back of the store. She swept behind a black curtain and David could hear voices. Murmuring.
    He stepped from his hiding place. “Summer?”
    A gasp.
    The woman pushed the curtain aside, her eyes wide and scared. “How did you get in here?”
    “I’ve been here. I don’t want to hurt Summer. I’m here to get her someplace safe.”
    She studied him a moment. “You’re not with those clowns that just left?”
    “No ma’am. Not even close.”
    “It’s all right, Casey,” Summer said as she came from the back. Her eyes met his. “He’ll keep me safe.”
    David winced at the thin thread of sarcasm.
    Casey looked uncertain.
    Summer walked toward him and he took her hand. “They’re covering the front and the back.” He looked at Casey. “Is there another way out?”
    She lifted a brow. “The roof?”

    Summer watched David shove the roof-access door open and climb out. He turned and offered his hand. She slung her purse over her shoulder and grabbed his wrist. He hauled her up and out beside him with one effortless pull—and a gasp. She looked at his white face. “The ribs?”
    “The ribs.” But he shook it off and let his hand slide from her wrist to her finger.
    In spite of his obvious pain, strength emanated from him.
    Strength he’d always used to protect her. Always gentle, always aware that he could hurt her physically. And always careful not to.
    When he let go, she stumbled and reached out to steady herself on David’s arm.
    Her cross necklace slid through her grasping fingers and fell through the opening to the floor below. “My necklace!”
    He stopped her from turning. “Let it go, I’ll get you another one.”
    “I don’t want another one. I want that one.” The admissionsurprised her, revealed things to her. She was still in love with her husband no matter how much he’d betrayed her. She was mad and hurt and not thinking straight, but she still loved him.
    The first moment she’d laid eyes on him, he’d taken her breath away. Today was no different other than the fact that she forced herself to ignore her desire to wrap her arms around him and bury her head against his shoulder. She couldn’t do that. One, she was still hurt from his lies. And two, time was not on their side.
    “This way. Be careful.” He kept a firm grip on her hand and led her across the roof to the next building. Then the next and the next. Finally, he stopped. “Here’s where we go down.” The ladder disappeared in a curve over the side of the building.
    Summer looked over the edge and gulped. “That’s a long way down, David.”
    “I’ll be right below you.”
    “Won’t people think it’s weird to see us coming off the building?”
    “Yeah, which is why we’re going to wait until the coast is clear or until dark.”
    “Dark? That’s hours from now.”
    “I know.” He got to his knees and looked over the side of the building. “We’re three stories up. That’s not too bad.”
    “Might as well be fifty.” He didn’t argue with her. She asked, “Can you see anyone?”
    “Yeah. They keep circling this block.” He watched, his shoulders tense.
    “Don’t we need to let someone know you’re okay?”
    “Not yet. I’m not so sure I need to let any of them know where we are.”
    “Why not? They’re the US Marshals.”
    He stared off into the distance. “Because Raimondi keeps finding us.”
    “But how?” She paused. “You don’t think one of the marshals is telling them where we are, do you?”
    “I don’t know. But it’s something to think about.” He shook his head and turned to watch the area they’d come from. She tried to figure out what he was looking for.