Page 29 of Crossing Paths
Norah finished her water as she mentally ran over some options. This field trip to Dutch’s was actually good in another way, besides just getting to dance with Dash. It would help her determine the best ways for her sisters to run down skips. There were some things she couldn’t learn by researching rather than going out into the field. She felt a rush of gratitude for Dash. It was only because he was with her that she felt comfortable enough to go to Dutch’s. Last time she’d been here was with Cara, and her sister had almost been killed because Norah had frozen.
Dash took her empty water bottle, distracting her from the painful memory, and placed it with his on the bar. “Dance?” he asked, his small smirk a challenge that something inside herimmediately rose up to meet.
At her nod, he towed her back to their spot close to the small stage. He rested his hands on her hips, but she didn’t need his urging this time to start moving to the music. Still, she didn’t object to his hold. She was surprised by how much she liked the pressure and heat of his broad palms and the firm grip of his fingers. It felt like he was a protective wall, keeping her safe from the crowd surrounding them.
Even as the image crossed her mind, someone bumped against her back, fully groping her butt before shoving her against Dash’s chest. His arms closed around her as he twisted, turning her so that his back was to the threat, protecting her. She peered around him, catching a glimpse of a slim man in a bulky jacket and baseball cap disappearing into the crowd. At the last moment before he ducked around a leather-clad biker, he turned his head, showing his profile.
Devon Leifsen.
Norah sucked in a breath as she recognized him. She moved to dive into the crowd after him, but Dash caught her back.
“Let me go after him!” she yelled. “He’s going to get away.”
“Let me go first,” he ordered, tucking her behind him before plunging into the crowd. Norah grabbed the back of his belt, grateful once again for the way people—even drunk ones—stepped out of Dash’s way. All she could see was his back as they wove through the throng, and Norah resisted the urge to push him to go faster. Leifsen had been right within grabbing reach, and startled by the grope and shove, she’d let him get away.
When Dash stopped abruptly, Norah almost crashed intohis back. “I can’t see him,” he said loudly enough for her to hear. Her stomach sank as Dash craned his neck to see deeper into the crowd, but then she had an idea.
Moving around in front of him, she turned so her back was against his front. “Lift me up,” she shouted. He immediately complied, grasping her waist and hoisting her up. Her small squeak as he lifted her higher than she expected was thankfully drowned out by the music and noise of the bar. She scanned the crowd, but Leifsen’s baseball hat was nowhere to be seen.
Realizing that he could easily have removed the hat, she looked around again, trying to hurry before Dash’s arms gave out. As steady as they seemed, he couldn’t hold her above him forever. Scanning the crowd, trying to examine each person as quickly as possible, she finally saw a bare blond head of someone determinedly working their way toward the exit. The person glanced back, meeting Norah’s gaze for only a brief moment, but it was enough for her to identify him as Leifsen.
Tapping Dash’s forearm, she pointed. “Blond, no hat, ten feet from the door!”
His head snapped in the direction she indicated. “I see him.” He carefully lowered her and tucked her behind him again before charging toward Leifsen. Grabbing his belt again, Norah kept pace with him, her heart thrumming from the chase. If she could always have Dash with her, she wouldn’t mind doing fieldwork. A big part of her was completely terrified, but there was also that small bit that was…having fun? She was starting to understand the thrill her sisters got from chasing skips.
The crowd thinned as they got closer to the exit, and the remaining people jumped out of Dash’s way. Peering around him, Norah saw Leifsen at the door. The skip looked over his shoulder and blanched, staring at Dash barreling down on him for a beat before shoving open the door.
An excited buzz ran through her. They were so close. She was starting to believe they’d actually catch Leifsen. Dash shot toward the door but stopped abruptly. This time, Norah couldn’t halt in time and bashed her face against his back.
Reaching back, Dash wrapped his hand around her arm as if reassuring himself that she was okay. “Move,” he growled.
Rubbing her throbbing nose that had taken the brunt of the crash, Norah looked around Dash’s wide chest to see the bouncer blocking the exit, his arms crossed over his chest.
“I said no causing trouble.”
“No trouble.” Dash’s voice was emotionless, but Norah could feel how tightly he held himself, most likely resisting the urge to physically move the bouncer in a violent way. She understood that desire, since she would’ve tackled the man if he hadn’t been three times her weight. “Just leaving.”
The bouncer stared at Dash for what felt like an eternity before shifting to the side.
Dash didn’t waste time charging outside with her in tow, but it was too late. Leifsen was gone.
“We were so close,” she said, her voice sounding too loud in the sudden silence.
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Dash pulled her against him in a side hug. “Don’t worry. That…weaselthinkshe’s smarter than us, but he’s wrong. We’ll get him.”
With a sigh, she relaxed into his side, disappointed yet reassured that Dash wasn’t abandoning the hunt. “More almost swearing?” Her tone surprised her. She hadn’t realized she could sound quite so…flirty.
“Yep.”
Despite the abruptness of his answer, she still smiled, safe under the comforting weight of his arm as he steered her toward his SUV. They might’ve failed to bring in Leifsen, but somehow the night had still managed to be amazing.
***
Even as Norah was standing in her bedroom a half hour later, emptying her pockets of pepper spray, Tasers, and knives, she couldn’t stop smiling. She kept replaying how it felt to dance with Dash and how incredible he had looked as he’d moved, even when he was bouncing around like an idiot.
Sliding her hands into her back pockets in an automatic check, even though they were too tight to hold much, her fingertips hit a folded piece of paper.
What is that?She knew she hadn’t put it there. Her besotted grin faded in confusion as she pinched the paper between two fingers and fished it out of her pocket. It was indeed a folded sheet of paper, one torn from a notebook, judging by the rough edge. For some reason, her fingers shook as she unfolded it. Paper couldn’t hurt her, but having it slid into her pocket without her knowing felt like a violation.
