like naked. He had such nice olive skin, and big arms. His legs were probably muscular, too, and she could almost feel her fingers raking across that black hair that would dust his torso.
The door whacked open again and two more men entered, then out of the corner of her eye she saw the heavyset man’s pants drop to the floor. Beefy fleshy rolls fell everywhere. She nearly groaned in disgust.
But reality interceded. What if one of these men had been the shooter? What if they’d followed her here and planned to stick a gun to her throat?
She had to hurry.
Her hand shook as she jammed the key into the lock. She angled herself so the men couldn’t see inside the locker as she spotted the small duffel bag of cash and grabbed it.
Her phone began to buzz, and she glanced down and read the text from Paul.
Meet me at Varsity.
Marci almost grinned at his choice. She loved the fast food place which was literally a landmark to natives, but Paul had been too snobbish to eat there. No wonder he’d chosen it as their meeting place. No one who knew him would think to look for him there.
Maybe she should have told the detective.
No…she understood what it was like to be falsely accused of something she hadn’t done. She had to find out the truth herself.
Then she’d decide whether to go to the police or call a lawyer before she wound up back in the pokey.
*~*~*~*
Cade drummed his fingers on his thigh as he waited on Marci. Ten minutes after she entered the gym, she rushed out, her head ducked as she gripped the duffel bag in her hand. She looked nervous, and constantly checked over her shoulder and glanced around the street and parking lot as she tossed the bag in the back seat and jumped in the car.
He gritted his teeth. It certainly appeared as if she was running away with Pendergrass.
Clenching the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip, he punched the gas and wove into traffic to follow her. A few quick turns and they ended up at the Varsity. He couldn’t help but wonder if Pendergrass had chosen the meeting spot or if Marci had.
The parking lot was almost full, the drive-up humming with traffic. His mouth watered for a chilidog and a frosted orange, and he wished he was here for pleasure, not on a stakeout.
Checking his gun to make sure it was in place, he tugged his jacket around him and followed Marci. She darted inside the restaurant, weaving between the rows and lines of people waiting to order their food.
The scent of fried onion rings and French Fries wafted around him, the hum of voices and kids’ laughter filling the space. A mother with two toddlers tried to put Varsity hats on the boys while the teenager across the aisle wolfed down a chilidog as he texted vigorously. A homeless woman parked her buggy outside and situated herself by a pole begging for money.
Marci glanced back once, and he ducked behind a family, then watched as she checked her phone again.
Dammit. Pendergrass must be texting her directions.
She looked irritated as she passed the ladies’ room, then she walked to the other exit and headed outside.
He kept at a distance until he reached the door, then he saw her heading toward a black Explorer parked in a take-out spot.
Suddenly a shot rang out, and people in the parking lot scattered, shouting and ducking for cover. He gripped his gun and raced outside just as another shot pinged off the Explorer.
Marci screamed, and he vaulted forward, grabbed her and hauled her behind another car as the Explorer screeched away.
C HAPTER N INE
Marci stumbled forward, grappling for control as Detective Muller slammed into her. A second later, she realized a gunshot had nearly taken off her head.
She scanned the area for Paul, but he was racing away again.
Her knees hit the pavement as the detective shoved her behind an SUV. Other cars fired up and careened from the parking lot, and the wait staff ran inside for cover. The couple in the SUV must have dove to the
The door whacked open again and two more men entered, then out of the corner of her eye she saw the heavyset man’s pants drop to the floor. Beefy fleshy rolls fell everywhere. She nearly groaned in disgust.
But reality interceded. What if one of these men had been the shooter? What if they’d followed her here and planned to stick a gun to her throat?
She had to hurry.
Her hand shook as she jammed the key into the lock. She angled herself so the men couldn’t see inside the locker as she spotted the small duffel bag of cash and grabbed it.
Her phone began to buzz, and she glanced down and read the text from Paul.
Meet me at Varsity.
Marci almost grinned at his choice. She loved the fast food place which was literally a landmark to natives, but Paul had been too snobbish to eat there. No wonder he’d chosen it as their meeting place. No one who knew him would think to look for him there.
Maybe she should have told the detective.
No…she understood what it was like to be falsely accused of something she hadn’t done. She had to find out the truth herself.
Then she’d decide whether to go to the police or call a lawyer before she wound up back in the pokey.
*~*~*~*
Cade drummed his fingers on his thigh as he waited on Marci. Ten minutes after she entered the gym, she rushed out, her head ducked as she gripped the duffel bag in her hand. She looked nervous, and constantly checked over her shoulder and glanced around the street and parking lot as she tossed the bag in the back seat and jumped in the car.
He gritted his teeth. It certainly appeared as if she was running away with Pendergrass.
Clenching the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip, he punched the gas and wove into traffic to follow her. A few quick turns and they ended up at the Varsity. He couldn’t help but wonder if Pendergrass had chosen the meeting spot or if Marci had.
The parking lot was almost full, the drive-up humming with traffic. His mouth watered for a chilidog and a frosted orange, and he wished he was here for pleasure, not on a stakeout.
Checking his gun to make sure it was in place, he tugged his jacket around him and followed Marci. She darted inside the restaurant, weaving between the rows and lines of people waiting to order their food.
The scent of fried onion rings and French Fries wafted around him, the hum of voices and kids’ laughter filling the space. A mother with two toddlers tried to put Varsity hats on the boys while the teenager across the aisle wolfed down a chilidog as he texted vigorously. A homeless woman parked her buggy outside and situated herself by a pole begging for money.
Marci glanced back once, and he ducked behind a family, then watched as she checked her phone again.
Dammit. Pendergrass must be texting her directions.
She looked irritated as she passed the ladies’ room, then she walked to the other exit and headed outside.
He kept at a distance until he reached the door, then he saw her heading toward a black Explorer parked in a take-out spot.
Suddenly a shot rang out, and people in the parking lot scattered, shouting and ducking for cover. He gripped his gun and raced outside just as another shot pinged off the Explorer.
Marci screamed, and he vaulted forward, grabbed her and hauled her behind another car as the Explorer screeched away.
C HAPTER N INE
Marci stumbled forward, grappling for control as Detective Muller slammed into her. A second later, she realized a gunshot had nearly taken off her head.
She scanned the area for Paul, but he was racing away again.
Her knees hit the pavement as the detective shoved her behind an SUV. Other cars fired up and careened from the parking lot, and the wait staff ran inside for cover. The couple in the SUV must have dove to the
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