Page 75 of On the Chase
“When Martin Jovanovic is arrested, are you planning on moving back to California?”
Grace went still. Everything had been so crazy recently that she hadn’t wanted to think about what she’d do if she didn’t have to hide anymore. Over the past weeks, it had been enough just to survive. Now, when she thought about returning to the life she’d left in California, she felt a little flat. Even though she missed Penny and her home and her job, she couldn’t imagine leaving Hugh and Jules and the kids and even Theo and Otto. This weird little town had become home.
She must’ve been silent too long, because Hugh spoke again. “That’s fine if you want to.” She sucked in a breath as the words stabbed her heart. “I’m sure I’ll learn to like it there. Maybe I can be a motorcycle cop like in that eighties show. It might be fun to be able to grow oranges in our yard, too. Whatever you decide, we’ll work it out.” He pressed a kiss to her neck as he tucked her closer to him.
Giving his head another stroke, Grace blinked back surprised—but happy—tears. She hadn’t expected that he’d offer to move to California with her, rather than make her choose between him and her old life in LA.
That one gesture pushed her over the line, and Grace knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she loved K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.
Chapter 20
As she glanced around the food court, Grace gave a humorless huff of laughter. Yet again, she was sitting on a hard, uncomfortable chair, scared out of her mind as she waited to talk to someone she really didn’t want to see. At least it wasn’t at a police station this time. She took a tiny sip of her lukewarm coffee, trying to ignore how the cup resisted leaving the sticky surface of the table. Food court or police station—it was a toss-up as to which was worse. At least this coffee wasn’t drugged.
Her knee bounced up and down, and she pressed her hands against her thigh to stop the nervous motion. It would be fine. Even if Noahwaspart of Martin’s evil empire, he couldn’t do anything to her in the middle of a busy Denver mall on a Saturday afternoon. Besides, the FBI agents would be listening from their surveillance van in the parking lot, and Shankle had promised that there would be undercover agents nearby.
Hugh had lobbied to be one of them, but Shankle had told him to count his blessings that he’d be allowed to stay in the van. Grace wasn’t sure how Hugh had finagled his way onto the FBI team, but she was intensely glad that he had. Knowing that Hugh was just a two-minute sprint away was the only thing that kept her in her seat. If he’d hadn’t been there, Grace was pretty sure that she would have called the whole thing off and run, tail tucked, back to the van.
As she scanned the crowd again, Grace tried to turnspot-the-FBI-agentinto a game. Was the woman frowning at her phone, shopping bags piled around her, one of Shankle’s colleagues? Grace cocked her head thoughtfully, but then dismissed the possibility. The woman’s knee-high boots were too nice to be part of a government agent’s disguise. Grace turned her attention to a couple of men a few tables away who were holding hands and whispering to each other, ignoring their plates of fast-food Chinese. Were they on the FBI team? Her fingers drummed on the table as she mentally filed them as definite maybes.
“Kaylee.”
Her pulse, which had settled a little while she played her game, took off again at a dead run. Jerking her head around, she looked at Noah, who was standing right next to her table. How had he gotten so close without her noticing? She’d picked an out-of-the-way table intentionally, and there wasn’t anyone else sitting nearby. She kicked herself for being oblivious to his approach.
His smile faded, turning quizzical, and Grace realized that she’d been silently staring at him with what was probably a horror-stricken expression.
She gave herself a mental slap. This was it. She needed to get this done. If she wanted any semblance of a normal life, if she wanted Hugh and Jules and the kids and everyone she came into contact with out of danger, then she had to go through with this meeting.
She forced a smile. “Oh! Noah, you startled me. Hi.” Trying to hide a wince, she widened her grin, knowing that she sounded—and probably looked—strange. It was just so odd to see him, in all his Disney prince–like glory.
“No hug?” he teased, holding out his arms.
Hug?Her brain rebelled at the idea, but she didn’t want him to think she’d already decided he was Martin Junior. Standing on shaky legs, she reached out to give him a stiff embrace. Although she tried to keep it quick and as casual as a hug could be, he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her stiff body flush against his.
Noah wasn’t nearly as muscular as Hugh, but he was only an inch or so shorter than the cop and had a fairly solid build. Grace used to love Noah’s long, tight hugs, but now she only felt panicky and trapped. Fighting down the urge to struggle wildly, she pushed against his chest with both hands until he shifted back slightly.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, still not fully releasing her. Twisting out of his hold, she offered him another insincere smile as she turned back to her seat. Although she hoped that she hid her fear, Grace knew it had to be obvious to Noah. After all, she used to sink into his hugs, enjoying the feeling of being safe. She almost laughed out loud at the thought that she’d believed thatNoahwould keep her safe.
“Nothing,” she said as she slid back into her chair. “This whole situation just has me really spooked.”
His posture relaxed a tiny amount, and he sat in the seat across from her, immediately leaning across the table. “Understandable. From the little you’ve told me, that had to have been terrifying.”
A small, irreverent part of her wondered if she should warn him about the mysterious sticky spots adorning the table, but she quickly wrenched her brain back on topic.
“Yes. It was definitely terrifying.” She fought the urge to play with her necklace. Although she’d borrowed most of her outfit from Jules, the pendant—and its tiny, hidden video camera—was on loan from the FBI. They’d also hooked a more traditional wire to her bra, and the location was such a movie cliché that it had made her choke out a laugh. To keep her hands from drawing attention to the necklace, she lowered them to her legs, digging her fingers into her thighs right above her knees. “You didn’t tell Martin that you were meeting me, did you?”
His look of horror appeared authentic, but she wasn’t going to take anything from Noah at face value anymore. “Of course not. I still think you’re mistaken about him, but I kept your confidence.”
“Thank you.” She stared at her hands again, wishing for a better poker face. If Noah was involved in—or even knew about—Martin’s crimes, then he was a much better actor than she was.
“Tell me what happened,” he urged, bringing her gaze to his again. “I’ve been so worried about you. Are you okay? Do you have someone you can stay with, or are you alone? You need to come back to California with me. We’ll figure this thing out with Uncle Martin. He’s a reasonable guy. You’ll see when you get to know him.” Leaning across the small table, he reached out to brush his fingers across her cheek.
It was an effort not to jerk away from his touch. Noah seemed so sincere, so caring, but Grace couldn’t bring herself to trust him. That aura she’d always noticed about him—that sense of confidence and self-assurance—was still there, but it seemed hollow now. His standard good looks paled in comparison to the thought of Hugh. The cop had shown her what a true hero was, and it wasn’t this faded copy of a Disney prince who could very possibly be hiding his uncle’s deadly crimes.
“I’m okay,” she said, not sure which question to answer first. Picking up her coffee cup, she pretended to take a sip to give her an excuse to shift back enough that Noah’s hand dropped from her face. She didn’t want to give him too much information. As close as he was to his uncle, she didn’t trust that Noah wouldn’t slip up and give something away. “I’m in a safe place.”
“You mentioned the FBI earlier. Are they protecting you?” he asked, sitting back. He didn’t seem offended that she’d moved away from his touch. “I’d feel better knowing that you had someone watching out for you, at least. Do they have you in witness protection?” He glanced around the food court and frowned. “If so, they’re doing a poor job of it. Did you come here by yourself?”
Hugh’s face immediately flashed in her mind, and she had to push down a sappy smile that wanted to emerge.Focus!“No, not witness protection. It’s nothing official, but I do have friends who are helping me. I’m not alone.”Not anymore.“Plus, I’m meeting you. It’s not like I need the FBI to protect me from you.” Her small, disbelieving laugh was mostly honest.
