Page 31 of Doc
Something shifted in her expression -- relief, gratitude, and something warmer that sent a jolt through my system.“Thank you.”
I nodded toward her car.“We should move.You bring everything?”
Nova patted her messenger bag.“Mom’s notes, the partial report, everything we’ve pieced together so far.”She hesitated.“What’s the play here, Doc?What are we looking for at the county clerk’s office?”
I leaned against her car, crossing my arms.“Your mother was tracking financial records, right?Following the money from those shell companies to county officials?”
She nodded.“But most of those transactions were digital.Bank transfers, wire payments.”
“Which leave trails.But there’s always paper somewhere.Signatures, authorizations, receipts.People like to think everything’s digital now, but bureaucracies run on paper.Especially small county offices that don’t have the budget for full digitization.”
“And you think the county clerk’s office will have records connecting the trafficking operation to local officials?”
“I think it’s our best shot.Property records for those motels your mother flagged.Business licenses for the shell companies.Tax records that might not match the income being reported.”I tapped the notebook in her hands.“Your mother was building a case.We just need to find the missing pieces.”
Nova nodded, processing.“How do we get in?I’m guessing we’re not waiting for business hours.”
“Small-town clerks don’t invest much in security systems.Military taught me enough about entry, and I’ve picked up a few tricks from the club’s more… technically inclined members.”
Her eyebrows rose.“You’re going to break in?You?”
I couldn’t help the small smirk that formed.“Surprised?”
“A little,” she admitted.“You always seemed so… by the book.”
“Army medic, remember?Sometimes field medicine happens in places you’re not supposed to be.”
Nova studied me for a moment, like she was seeing something new.Then she nodded toward my bike.“So what’s the plan for my car?”
“Leave it.Less conspicuous if we take the bike.Back roads, no headlights for the last stretch.”I hesitated.“Unless you’re not comfortable riding…”
“I’ve ridden before,” she blurted, then amended, “Well, once.With Uncle Bats a few years ago.”
The image of tiny Nova clutching onto the back of Bats as he tore down country roads almost made me smile.Almost.
“It’ll be cold,” I warned.“We’ll be staying off main roads, taking the long way around.”
Nova was already moving, securing her notebook in her messenger bag and slinging it across her body.“I’m not afraid of a little cold, Doc.”
Five minutes later, she parked her car behind the dilapidated gas station, then climbed onto the back of my Harley.The bike dipped as she settled in behind me, her thighs pressing against the outside of mine.
“Hold on.”I started the engine.“And stay close to my back.Less wind resistance, warmer for you.”
Her arms came around my waist, tentative at first, then tightening as I eased the bike onto the road.The feeling of her pressed against me sent a current of awareness up my spine that had nothing to do with the night chill.I focused on the road ahead, hyperaware of her small body molded against mine, her chest against my back, her cheek resting between my shoulder blades.
We took the back roads as planned, avoiding the highway and any chance of being spotted.The moon provided just enough light to navigate the winding country routes, fields and forests sliding past in shades of silver and shadow.The night air bit at my exposed skin, and I felt Nova press closer, seeking warmth.Her hands linked over my stomach, a point of heat in the chilly night.
Twenty minutes into the ride, I felt her shift, adjusting her position.Her mouth came close to my ear so I could hear her over the engine and wind.
“This isn’t how I pictured my first real motorcycle trip.”Her breath was warm against my skin.
“What did you picture?”I slowed for a curve in the road.
“Less running from corrupt cops.”Her voice held a hint of dry humor.“More… I don’t know.Freedom, I guess.”
I navigated around a pothole, feeling her arms tighten instinctively around me.“Next time.When this is over.”
Her arms squeezed slightly in response, a silent acknowledgment of a future neither of us was certain existed.But in that moment, racing through the darkness with Nova trusting me enough to cling to my back, it was easy to imagine a different ride.One without fear or urgency.One where her arms around me meant something simpler.
