Page 17 of True Valor
What he wouldn’t give to go back in time andnever leave that bar, never pass her car, never go back to help.What a schmuck.He deserved this mess.But, what was his nextmove?
Nic spent the next few hours inching backinto a decent mood.It was easier to just ignore the whole thingthan to face her questions about his silence.He knew damn wellthat if he told her what he knew, he’d be out of time.So, he spentthe rest of the morning skiing beside her and very deliberatelysticking his head in the sand.
“Look, Nic,” Julie smiled a bit uncertainly,“you’re paying for everything.The least I can do is cook.Right?”
“Can you cook?”
“I think so.”Julie had that puzzled look onher face again.But it vanished, replaced by a big grin.She winkedat him.It was rather unsettling when she did that.“Well, I know Imake a mean lasagna.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.My grandmothermade the best lasagna in all of Boston.”
“Oh, yeah?Well, I make the best lasagna inall of...”
It was like she’d get to a point in asentence and almost say something, off the top of her head.Something she remembered.Then she’d stop.
Their eyes locked.He had to admit the girlwas convincing.If she was faking...
“...in all of wherever I live.”Julie turnedaround quickly ending the discussion.She opened cupboards,inspecting the contents.“I’ll make a list.You shop.I’llcook.”
Nic shrugged his grudging approval.“Fine.”
“It would’a been cheaper to order takeout.”Nic grumbled to himself as he shifted the paper bags he carriedthrough the lobby.“And a whole lot lighter.”
Why the hell hadn’t he said “plastic?”
His thoughts were interrupted by someonesaying Julie’s name.He followed the voice.A sheriff’s deputytalking to the desk clerk, photograph in hand.
Hell.
Something hinky here.Trust your gut.Watchyour back.
Suddenly, he felt Julie’s panic at thethought of police.
Nic kept walking toward the elevators, tryinghard to not sprint.Slow and easy.
Hell.
The long, convoluted layout of the hotel hadnever been a problem.Challenge, yes.Julie and Nic had, more thanonce, laughed about having to take one elevator, walk down a longhallway to another elevator, only to go back down another hallwayto their room.Kindergarten kids designed the building.They weresure of it.But now, carrying these damn groceries that would getleft behind, and wondering where they could go, what they coulddo—it seemed an interminable distance to get to her.
He swiped his key card, pushing the door openwith his hip.“Julie?”
“In here.”Her voice came from the kitchen.Well, at least she wasn’t on the phone with the front desk.
“Anyone call?”He tried to sound nonchalantas he came into the kitchen, dropping the bags on the counter,picking out the cold stuff and shoving it in the fridge.For whatthat was worth.
“Why would...”The smile vanished from herface when she turned to look at him.
He should have tried to hide it better.
“Julie,” he said, as calmly as he couldmuster, taking her hand and pulling her toward the bedroom, “weneed to pack and book it out of here.”
Julie stopped, tugging her hand free.“Why?What’s happened?”
There wasn’t time for this discussion now.And how did he explain why he hadn’t told her what he knew?Itcould get ugly.But for now, he needed to get her out of here.
“I’ll explain on the way.”
He walked past her, again taking her hand.“For now, please just come pack your things.”He tried to keep hisvoice even, keep the anxiety down to a controllable level.Itseemed to work.Julie followed him into the bedroom and startedstuffing her clothes into the store bags.
