Page 22 of Lethal Deceit

She chuckles and peers down at my shoes. “These will take a few days to dry out, but I don’t expect that’ll be an issue.”

My heart thumps a little harder. “It won’t be?”

She gets to her feet and starts packing away her medical equipment. “Not if you’ll be staying here for a while.”

I pull the robe tighter, and a fresh wave of panic overtakes me as she pads out of the room.

I get to my feet, a little wobbly but desperate to know what’s going on in the next room. When I hear the nurse’s voice, I position myself behind the door and listen in as she gives her report.

“She’s doing well, but someone needs to stay with her just in case her condition worsens.”

It’s Caleb who answers, confirming that he’s in charge of this puzzling rescue mission. “Mick, you know what to look out for?”

My eyes widen. No. No.No!Anyone but him.

“Of course I do, but I?—"

Caleb cuts him off. “Jake and I need to follow up on the boat. As far as anyone knows, you’re out of town. Let’s keep it that way.”

My toes dig into the carpet. Mick’s supposed to be out of town? That explains the pack I noticed in the Jeep.

“You can’t expect me to stay here with her.Alone,”he says.

Caleb’s reply confuses me even more. “She might be able to identify the cops.”

The nurse seems to be scolding them all. “Whatever you boys are doing this time, she needs time to recover. I can drop by again after my shift, but I’m not leaving until I know she’s in capable hands.”

“She is.”

The nurse still doesn’t seem convinced, but she relents, and the sound of her leaving makes my stomach plummet.

“Isn’t there anyone else at Hightower who can babysit her?” Mick asks.

Hightower? What is Hightower?

“Nope. Relax. Jake will drop some clothes and food off for you in a few hours.”

So Mick isn’t calling the shots? Whoever Caleb is, he has a hold over him.

But that won’t mean anything once Mick and I are trapped here together. I move as quickly as my wobbly legs allow for and unzip my soaking pack. I have no idea if the gun will still work, but I’m not facing him without protection. The idea of spending any length of time with him makes my pulse spike.

As the other two men leave with promises to stay in contact, I slide the gun into the pocket of my robe.

Six

Mick

I stare at the wall and give up trying to rationalize how Hightower thinks I’m the best man for this. I’m cold, wet, and want answers. Usually after a rescue, I have time to shower, get changed, and eat—debrief later, maybe log a report. Not stand dripping in the corner of a dim, coral-painted room with floral curtains and a lamp shaped like a flamingo.

I glance at the door and let out a sigh. I’m not risking taking a shower to warm up, so I settle on filling the coffeepot and switching it on to brew. With my eyes on the door in case she enters the living space, I change as quickly as I can and leave my damp clothes hanging over a chair.

I can avoid her for a while, but the nurse was right. I do need to keep a close eye on her.

Blowing out a breath, I grab a complimentary package of chocolate-covered cookies and pour a mug of coffee. “Either you come in here or I come to you. It’s your choice,” I call out.

No reply.

I strain to hear any sound of movement. Nothing noticeable.

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