Page 76 of See You There
“Why are you staring at me?”
“Just thinking.”
“Thinking or judging?” she asked archly.
Luke grit his teeth. “What did I judge you about?”
“That I’m married, and you didn’t know about it when we were making out.”
“Nobody knows about it.” Luke looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “I googled you before taking the case. A couple of boyfriends, but never a husband. Then there’s the whole fake boyfriend thing—Cara helped with that one. So, yeah… The fact you’re married threw me a little.” An edge had crept into his voice.
“See. Judgy.”
Luke’s jaw dropped. “But youaremarried.”
“Technically.” Dahlia shrugged and looked out the windshield.
Luke considered her. “You asked Victor where Scott was. What was that about? You don’t know where yourhusbandis?” The term was bitter on his tongue.
“I haven’t seen or heard from Scott in seven years.”
Relief poured through him. Luke wanted to look at her again, but the road had narrowed to almost one lane without a shoulder. He didn’t want to risk running off the road and into the dense forest.
“Not at all?”
“I used to get emails or texts. However, he never fails to collect his money each month.” It was Dahlia’s turn to sound bitter.
“Why do you keep paying him? Why not just divorce him?” It was an inappropriate question and none of his business, but the situation made little sense.
“I’ve been trying. He’s done an excellent job of staying out of sight. I can’t find him to serve the divorce papers.”
“There are ways around that.” The knowledge Dahlia was estranged from her husband and had tried to get a divorce loosened the tightness in Luke’s chest. It shouldn’t make him happy… but it did. “Hire a private investigator.”
“Victor did. We can’t locate him.”
Luke didn’t hide his skepticism. “He’s picking up an electronic transfer. There will be a trail.”
Dahlia looked uncertain, but before she spoke, the GPS notified him the turn was a hundred feet in front of him. Luke squinted at the thick tree line, not seeing a road sign.
“There!” Dahlia pointed to a narrow opening in the trees. Luke slowed to a crawl and made a face as he turned onto the gravel driveway with only a lone, rusted-out mailbox as a landmark.
“Dog said it was secluded.” The first curls of unease started. “The word he used wasbasic. It occurred to Luke for the first time to wonder what the grizzled old biker considered basic.
The dirt and gravel path wound at a gentle angle up into the trees. The interior of the car darkened under the thick leaves, casting shadows around them.
“Um, Luke. You aren’t a serial killer, right?” Dahlia’s lips twitched. “Because this has definite horror movie vibes.”
Luke brought the car to a stop in a clearing in front of a small cabin. He sat back in the seat and frowned darkly.
“Dog said it was rustic…”
“Not one of the luxury cabins this area is always advertising, then?”
Any second, Luke expected her to refuse to stay there, so it surprised him when Dahlia swung the door open and hopped out.
Dahlia stood with her hands on her hips, taking in the small structure. Flat pine sides rose into a one-story building atop a lifted foundation. Two windows on either side of a solid door faced them. The cabin was painted a dull brown with a matching sloped roof so that it blended into the surroundings.
“I’ll find us someplace else. James can get us cash and…” Luke’s lip curled.
