Page 120 of Moonlit Colorado

“And risk leaving a digital trail? Or having the package intercepted? She already didn’t want to risk contacting a reporter in New York. She said her employers were powerful people with contacts all over the East Coast. These people were willing to kill to keep this stuff secret. As you both have seen.”

Okay, fair point. This whole scenario was bizarre, like a plot dreamed up for a spy movie. But stranger things had happened. When it came to sex scandals, it wasn’t that far-fetched to imagine that someone would kill to keep a witness quiet.

I put my hand over Grace’s on the picnic bench, lacing our fingers.

Norm took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “The night of the grand opening in Silver Ridge, I was on my way to the ski resort when I skidded off the road on a patch of ice. Worst damn luck, and to cap it off, I had no cell service. I couldn’t message Nina on her burner to explain why I was late.”

“So she got scared,” Grace said. “She assumed something was wrong. That maybe her employers had gotten to you and figured out her plan.”

Norm nodded dejectedly. “Exactly. She decided to disappear. Right then.”

“And she gavemeher mask. To create a distraction. She knew Dirk Lancaster would be looking for her, and so would Vincent Brady. She was lucky to slip away at all without Brady noticing.”

I rubbed my jaw with my free hand. “But what about the data she’d wanted to turn over about the escort ring? What did she do with it? Could it have been on her burner phone? If she kept it with her, then her killer probably found it in her motel room.”

Norm shook his head, leaning forward. “No, I don’t think so. Listen. After the grand-opening party, Nina got rid of her burner. I couldn’t reach her for a while. Had no idea what happened to her. I even called around to the local police in Hart County in the hopes of finding her, but I couldn’t risk revealing my name. Otherwise I’d be revealingheras my source.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “So that wasyou. Police Chief Landry mentioned an anonymous call about a missing woman. That’s how we figured out her name, at least the name she was using then. Nina Jamison.”

“But then shedidcontact me again, about a week ago. She’d managed to get access to another phone, and she told me she was in hiding and hoped I could help her. She was running out of money. Didn’t know where to turn. And she said she didn’t have the data on the escort ring with her anymore, but she had an idea of where to find it. Because she’dgiven it to someone else.”

Norm and I both looked at Grace. She sat back. “Wait, you meanme?”

“Did she give you anything else the night of the party?” Norm asked. “Anything besides the mask?”

Grace bit her lip, seeming to think. “No. Nothing. And I don’t even have Nina’s mask anymore. It was stolen.”

“Hold on,” Norm said. “Stolen? When did that happen?”

“About a week after the grand-opening party.”

Grace told him about the break-in at her house. The three of us talked a while longer, trying to fit all these strange puzzle pieces together, but it wasn’t easy.

Finally, we’d exhausted our theories. We exchanged numbers so we could keep in touch and share whatever we found.

“I’d like a more extensive interview with you on the subject of Knightly Global,” Norm said.

“I’ll consider it. Butyouneed to talk to Sheriff Douglas. You have information on Nina’s murder.”

“I plan to come forward. I’m more concerned right now about Nina’s killer coming after me. I have no idea how much they know. Whether they’re aware she was in touch with a reporter. No offense, but I’m not tellinganyonewhere I’m going. Not until I have enough to break this story wide open.”

“Then maybe, after we’re all convinced the danger has passed, I’ll agree to an interview.”

Not long after that, Norm took off in his sedan. Grace and I went to the Range Rover and got in. There was nothing else for us to do but head back toward Silver Ridge.

Hell, it had been a long day. I wanted to do something to make Grace feel better. Fuss over her. Take care of her, because the truth was, it mademefeel better too.

I wanted us to take care of each other, and I was hoping she’d give that to me forever.

Yet at the current moment, Grace didn’t seem like she wanted a pleasant distraction. She looked like a woman who meant serious business.

“What’re you thinking about?” I asked as we pulled onto the road.

“Nina. Remembering when we met. She seemed upset and distracted. She didn’t know what to do. I wish she’d asked me for help. Maybe I could have…” She trailed off.

“It’s awful what happened to her. But I don’t like the fact that she used you as a pawn.”

“Nina was scared. The strap on my mask broke, and she decided to use it as an opportunity.”

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