Page 26 of Preying Heart
Heath
“Have you checked the news?” Remi asks over her bowl of oatmeal. She’s changed into a plain white shirt over a pair of khaki pants, and I’ve already taken her picture to create the fake identification cards.
Whatever spell she had me under while looking through the lingerie drawer is gone. I sensed she wanted me to kiss her. She was testing me—to see if I’m truly a good guy.
I might be a good guy, but I’m a man, and when I’m presented with temptation, my body reacts. I know what she’s thinking. That I have a constant stream of lonely women rolling through my bed. The truth is harder to take. I have divorce papers to remind me why I should never get involved with a victim.
“Yeah, I checked the news already.” I pour two glasses of orange juice and set one in front of her. “Did that last night. The report is that you and your brother had a dispute with a pair of gamblers. There was a fight and Slade stole the van.”
“What happened to the gray suits?” She sips from the glass and makes a sour face. The juice is stale and has started to ferment.
“Sorry, you want water?”
“Not if it’s well water.”
“I actually catch rainwater and it rolls into a cistern. Have a filtration device. Your choice.”
“I’ll take my chances with the juice. Maybe I’ll get a buzz.” She waves her spoon. “What did the suits say?”
“They gave statements to the police. Said they were two brothers on their way to a bachelor party. Decided to play a hand of cards. Thought Slade was cheating so they came to your room to confront him. There was a fight. Shots were fired in self-defense and Slade made off with their van.”
“They knew you weren’t Slade. They even said it themselves, that Slade ditched me.”
“True, but this way there’s no further questions, and the gray suits can walk off with clean hands and plausible deniability. Doesn’t get linked back to their boss.”
“Neither were injured badly?”
“The guy who fired shots has a broken knee. The other guy I threw off the van has broken ribs and a concussion. They’ll live, but their boss, if it’s Gavin or someone else, can simply send someone else.”
“They got a good look at you.”
“Yeah, but I’m not in any database. They kept me deep undercover.” I pour stale milk over my cereal. “I’m sure they’re looking for us, but they can’t admit to it. It’ll be a different set of guys.”
“You think they’ll track us all the way here?”
“It’s possible, but unlikely. That’s why I ditched the car where I did. They’d believe we stole a boat and headed down the river. It flows opposite the way we went.”
“You think of everything.”
“I have eyes and ears in town, so if any stranger starts nosing around, I’ll know.”
“How?” Her eyelids flutter admiringly, and I wonder what kind of face she’d make while under intense throes of pleasure.
“I have a few friends. Pay them in crypto.”
“What’s this crypto thing you keep talking about?”
“Secret money. It’s why I don’t need what that dude’s paying.” I’m bragging, but face it, the chance to pick up a cool million dollars’ worth of Bitcoin isn’t something to sneeze at. The biggest problem is the high value placed on a woman who is not being trafficked in the conventional sense. She’s not a call girl or an escort, but the mistress of a politician.
“Maybe you can let me have some of that crypto.” Remi’s smile touches her eyes. “Get Gavin to pay up, and I’ll agree to go back. Then we’ll give them the slip.”
“That would be playing with fire.” My expression turns stern since I have to instill the proper fear into her. “Who are you worth a million to and why?”
“Why? I believe they undervalued me.” She tilts her head and blows a kiss. “You have no idea what I’m worth.”
“I’m going to keep it that way.” I decide to go the honorable path. “You’re pregnant, and I took it upon myself to protect you and your baby.”
“True, but the only reason anyone would pay a million is to get rid of the baby. Am I to trust that you’re going to help me keep him or her?”
