Page 27 of Sweet Surrender
Lost in thought, I failed to notice the black SUV with dark-tintedwindows pull up alongside me until it came to a stop. Two men in suits got out before stepping in my path and stopping me from going anywhere.
“Miss Miller?” one of them said. He was the elder of the two, with saltand pepper hair, and a hard face.
“Yes,”I replied, anxiety spiking as I looked between the two. The other man appeared onlya few years older than me, but his face was just as mean.
“I’m Agent Peterson,” the older guy said, flashing an FBI badgebefore he snatched it away. “This is Agent Lawes. We’re going to need you to come with us.”
My heart started hammering against my chest as all manner ofthoughts began to race through my head.
Was this to do with Liam and the fraud?
Did they think I’d made it up and had somehow scammed the bank?
Why would the FBI be involved?
“Erm…what’s this about?” I stuttered, my mouth drying up. Iwondered if I stood a chance of outrunning them, but as I took in their athletic frames, I knew it would be pointless to even try. Besides, I’d only end up face-planting in the snow.
“We have some information about Liam Olsen’s whereabouts. Ourboss would like to talk to you.”
My brows shot up as hope bloomed in my chest for the first time inmonths. Did they know where he was? About damn time someone found him. Now all they needed to do was arrest his no-good ass, and I could get my life back on track.
“Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed, unable to keep my excitement in check.The hope blooming had now taken root. “Where do I need to go to meet your boss?”
“We’ll take you,” Agent Peterson said while the other Agent openedthe rear door to the SUV.
Not hesitating for a single second, I climbed into the back, lettingmyself dream that come morning, things would start to look a little brighter.
A nervous excitement coursed through me during the drive toPortland, not helped by the minimal information the agents were giving me. I’d long since given up asking them questions, all I got in return was grunts from Peterson.
When the car came to a stop outside averygrand hotel calledAurora Casino & Hotel, another question joined the hundreds already running through my mind.
Why were we here?
Staring up at the bright lights of the casino, a memory flashed in mymind. I’d been here once before. It was about six months ago.
Liam had brought me here thinking it would be a great date night. Iremembered that night vividly because I’d spent the night being ignored by Liam who was too engrossed in trying to win money in poker games.
Only, he kept losing, and by the time the night came to an end, we’dleft with him in the foulest of moods. When we got home, we had a blazing row, something weneverdid, and for the first time since knowing Liam, there was a little part of me that was scared of how he’d behaved.
The next day though, he came home from work with a beaming smile on hisface, and a huge bouquet of flowers. He apologized, but after thatnight, something changed between us. I didn’t know what, maybe I’d lost a bit of trust in him, or maybe I’d seen a side to him that I didn’t like. Either way, the argument lingered in the back of my mind for months after.
Before I had the chance to voice the question as to why we were hereof all places, the agents were out of the car, quickly followed by Agent Peterson opening my door.
“This way, Miss Miller,” he said impatiently.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, battling against my thick coat toget out of the car. The freezing air hit me, and I pulled my coat tighter around me, having gotten used to the warmth of the SUV.
“Boss wanted us to bring you here,” Peterson replied, slamming thedoor behind me.
“Why here? Why not a police station? Or an FBI office?”
“You’ll have to ask him that,” Peterson huffed before heading towardsthe glass doors that opened up into the foyer of the hotel.
Lawes, who was still yet to utter a single word or grunt, raised hishand and indicated to me to follow his colleague. Whether it was intentional or not, I didn’t know, but as he lowered his arm, the gun tucked in his holster flashed from underneath the material.
The sight was enough to get my ass moving. Not that I was asuspect, at least, I didn’tthinkI was a suspect, but getting shot by an FBI Agent for not complying with their request wasn’t on the top of my to-do list, especially as my medical insurance had lapsed.
Following Peterson, with Lawes shepherding me from behind, myeyes widened at the magnificent foyer I was led through. The last time I was here, Liam had rushed us straight into the casino so I didn’t get a chance to look around.
