Page 57 of One Wrong Move

Christian shimmied the phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s Joel. I better take this.” He lifted the phone to his ear. “Hey, Joel. What’s up?” A few seconds in and Christian’s face paled.

Deckard’s muscles stiffened. Whatever Joel was telling his brother, it wasn’t good.

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. And keep me posted.” Christian hung up, a dazed look in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Riley asked.

“Alex is dead.”

Harper cocked her head. “Alex?”

“Tad’s assistant at the Jeopardy Falls gallery,” Andi said.

Christian nodded. “They found her body at the bottom of Barrows Point.”

“What’s that?” Harper asked.

“It’s a BASE-jumping spot not far from here,” Christian said, shock still registering in his eyes. “A group of teens were partying in the caves at the bottom of the canyon and found her.”

“Did her parachute not open?” Harper asked.

“She wasn’t wearing one.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

ENRIQUE HAD PROVEDjust as stupid as he’d always been. Cyrus exhaled. And, he’d been right just as he always was—at least for a very long time. Of course Enrique would kill the girl in some over-the-top way. Tossing her over a BASE-jumping cliff? What a showboat. The man lacked all precision, but he was one of Teresa’s thugs after all, so what did Cyrus expect. Luckily, he had no involvement. That was all Enrique. Even if the cops managed to find anything, it couldn’t be tied to him.

Anxious to get going, he fought the restless urge to move. But he waited to get to his feet until the group split off and headed in different directions. Deckard, Harper, and the sister, Riley, were going into the office—wherever that was—to work Andi’s case. Christian and Andi were heading to grab some sleep before conducting interviews. He stiffened in the good way, warmth swelling in his tight limbs.

The beautiful Andi Forester asleep mere yards from his lookout point. Dare he creep in ... take a closer look? He inhaled the pleasure the mere idea filled him with. His gaze tracked to the Neanderthal. How tall was that guy? It mattered not. If he wanted in, he’d get in,period. And right now, he wanted in or as close to it as possible. There was something about her that tugged a part of him he thought long-lost.

¦¦¦

Andi followed Christian down the path that led to Riley’s place. They paused outside.

“Riley said to grab any clothes you wanted. Need something comfier to sleep in?” Christian asked.

“That’d be great.”

“All right, but since we’re the only ones on the ranch, I’d feel better if we slept at my house. It’s my home base. I know where the weapons are ... that sort of thing.”

“You think another attempt is coming?”

“At this point, I’d be surprised if it didn’t.”

That was a lovely feeling—waiting for an attack and not having a clue when it would come.

“You can sleep in my room,” he said.

She frowned. “Where will you sleep?”

“On the couch.”

“You don’t have to do that.” It was super kind, just like the man she was getting to know. “I can stay at Riley’s so you can have your room.”

“I don’t want you there alone. Besides, I’ll feel better being out in the front room. I’ll be better able to make sure no one enters.”

“Okay.” She nodded, letting the threat hanging over them wrap around her mind. It was tenuous walking a tightrope where she couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of her. What awaited her ahead in the dark was unknown, and she hated not being in control.

---