Then the dark clouds really opened up. The rain pelted them, hard and fast, as they ran down narrow streets toward an old motel.
The orange Vacancy sign glowed brightly.
It sure was a beautiful sight.
Drew pushed open the motel’s office door. A little bell jingled overhead.
No one was inside. No one waited behind the narrow counter. Tina shoved back her wet hair. Her shirt clung to her like a second skin and—
“Good thing you two are here.” A woman’s voice came from the back corner of the office, making Tina jump. “No one should be out in weather like this.”
Tina realized that she’d put her hand over her heart. She was ready to stop having so many scares.
“Hi, ma’am.” Drew flashed the woman a smile and tipped back his wet hat. “My wife and I need a room.” He pushed some cash across the counter. More than enough cash to cover a room.
And enough to stop any questions?
But the woman—her white hair and the deep lines near her eyes put her in her seventies—was staring at Tina’s hand. No. At the dark circle on Tina’s wrist.
Frowning, the lady asked, “You okay, miss?”
Tina dropped her hand and forced a big smile. “I’m fine. Just had a little...accident.” With a pair of handcuffs.
The woman’s gaze slid toward Drew. Now she was looking suspicious. A small name tag on her left breast-pocket indicated the woman’s name was Sarah.
“Maverick,” he said softly.
And, just like that, the woman’s face cleared of all emotion. She handed Drew a room key. “Room six. Last one on the end.” She turned around and headed into the back room.
Tina blinked. What was that about?
Drew reached for Tina’s hand. His fingers stroked her wrist. “We’ll get some ice for that.”
A bruised wrist wasn’t especially high on her list of worries right then.
They had to run back into the rain to get to their room. But, less than three blessed minutes later, they were inside room number six. The place was small but clean, so wonderfully clean, and dry.
Lightning flashed outside the window. Thunder rumbled and the window glass trembled.
Drew locked the door behind her.
Tina wrapped her hands around her stomach. “There’s a phone on the nightstand.” A landline. She’d never been so happy to see one of those before. “Are you going to call Mercer now?”
“I don’t need to.” He tossed away his hat and wiped his hand over his hair. The hat hadn’t exactly kept his dark hair dry. Droplets of water fell around him. “Sarah knows the score. She’s already made contact with the base group.”
“Sarah?” Her eyes widened. “That sweet old lady at the desk—”
“She’s ex-EOD. She recognized my code word. She’ll make sure that word spreads fast that we’re here. My team will come for us.”
That was good. That put her one step closer to ending this nightmare. It also meant that she was one step closer to leaving Drew.
Not so good.
>
He turned toward the window. “Why don’t you go shower off? You’ll feel more human after—”
“After I wash the blood and dirt away?” Tina finished. Yes, she would. But she felt as though there was more she should say to him. If the cavalry was coming in to swoop her away at any minute, there had to be more she told him. So she started with the basics. “Thank you.”