Page 11 of Own

Sirens wailed in the distance. It was like someone unmuted the sound and it all rushed back in. Bones glanced down at me.

“You didn’t stay put,” he said.

“You didn’t leave me behind.” To be fair, he had moved across the room, but I got it. He wasn’t abandoning me.

When he extended his hand to me, I clasped his. “We need to go,” he murmured and I followed his glance around the room.

“We didn’t get the box.”

“There are others,” he told me. “C’mon.” With my hand firmly in his, he headed for the doors and jerked his head to Goblin. The good boy trotted right along with us.

“Monsieur!” One of the others called, but Bones just unlocked the door and let us out. Then we were striding down the street. It took no time and forever, then we were back in the car with Goblin.

The sirens were getting closer. I caught the sight of flashing lights behind us as Bones started the car and we pulled away.

“Seatbelt,” he murmured to me and I glanced at him and then down at the gun I was still holding. He covered the weapon with one hand. “Seatbelt,” he repeated.

My hand was still sticky and red, so I used the other to pull the seatbelt over and buckle it in. Then Bones reached to flip open the console and pulled out a pack of wet wipes.

I cleaned my hand, then the hilt of the gun. Another glance behind us showed we were navigating our way from the Place Bellecour.

Away from the bank.

From the robbery.

“Not staying in the car wasn’t safer.”

“No,” he said easily, covering my hand on the gun once more. “But you did good.”

Did I?

Chapter

Five

GRACE

Instead of leaving Lyon entirely after the bank incident, Bones took us across the river Saône, through a quieter neighborhood, to a little boutique hotel calledÉtoile du Matin.

Morning Star.

The name was as lovely as the centuries old building housing it. Though the hotel also offered valet, Bones drove a block over and booked a slot in a parking garage. It also came with a charging station for the car. Smart.

He passed me his blazer to carry over my arm. It hid the blood on the shirt sleeve. The weapon, he tucked into a larger tote that would double as a purse for me.

Bags in hand like a pair of travelers, with Goblin walking with us, we made our way back to the hotel. A light rain had begun to fall, the clouds crowding out the thin sunlight. It was almost as depressing as the day had grown.

“Ask her to book the suite on the top floor?” He handed me a black credit card and a passport.

Having a task grounded me. The woman’s cheerful greeting made me smile. I asked her about the suite on the top floor and she checked to see if it was available.

"Oui, on a cette chambre de dispo. Vous comptez rester combien de nuits ? Et vous serez bien que deux ?"

“She said the suite is available. How many nights?”

“Two,” Bones said, his cool gaze seemed to constantly be on the move, sweeping the area, though he rested it on me at the moment. “We might need to extend to three.”

I nodded, then looked at the pretty receptionist with her warm smile and well-styled hair. She looked so put together and I felt like a bag lady.“Oui, nous serons deux, avec notre chien. Nous aimerions rester deux nuits, peut-être même une troisième si tout se passe bien.”I made sure to include Goblin in the booking. Because he was definitely going to the suite with us.

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