Page 47 of Critical Strike
Weston leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “That works as a temporary measure, but unless you plan to be on the run for the rest of your lives, it can’t be permanent. They’ll be after you, too, soon, Luke. Right now, there’s no ties between the two of you but once there is, you could be arrested for aiding and abetting.”
“That could affect...things,” Brax said, his usual charming smile nowhere to be found.
Luke nodded. He knew exactly what his brother meant.
“What things?” Claire asked, feeding a piece of chicken to Khan. “Bad things?”
Luke didn’t want to tell her.
“In this together, remember?” she whispered.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “If I’m charged with aiding and abetting, or any crime really, it could affect a lot of things with our business. The licenses we’re able to hold, our relationship with law enforcement...”
“Oh.”
He wanted to tell her it was worth it to him, all of it...even if it meant losing everything. But it wasn’t just him this affected. San Antonio Security was part of all of them. And he loved his brothers.
“I think you do need to go to ground. Get out of Dodge,” Chance said.
Luke turned to him. “What about the business?”
“Go to the cops first. Clear your name and distance yourself from this.”
Luke could almost see Chance’s strategic mind working.
“Tell the cops the truth, but the selective truth. Tell them that Claire came to you, a pretty lady all big eyes and sad story. You two knew each other as kids. She was broke, but you put her up at a hotel and were supposed to meet the next morning but evidently, she took off in the middle of the night. Next thing you knew, her photo was all over the news.”
Luke caught Claire’s flinch out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed her hand. “None of that is true.”
“All of it is true,” she scoffed.
“Hey.” Brax smiled at her. “Those statement may be true but they’re not all the facts. We know all the facts, and that’s what matters.
Claire didn’t look very relieved.
They all turned to Weston. “Would this work?” Luke asked. “You have the most experience with law enforcement.”
“Maybe. Probably. You keep it as general as possible, giving the cops what they already know. We have a good reputation—you have a good reputation—so there’s no reason for them not to believe you.”
“We’ll get your truck out of the vicinity of the library so nothing is traced back to you,” Brax said.
“Is it possible that they’ll arrest me? Maybe I shouldn’t go at all.”
Because he damn well wouldn’t be able to protect her behind bars. She’d be on her own.
“Think about your life, Luke. This company. You can’t ruin your reputation.”
“San Antonio Security is not more important than your life, Claire. I don’t want to leave you alone unprotected.”
“We’ll keep her safe if something happens to you,” Brax said, and both Weston and Chance were beside him, nodding their agreement. “You’ll probably only be with the police for a few hours, tops. But however long it is, we’ve got your back.”
“Both of your backs,” Weston said.
Chapter Fifteen
Luke glanced to his right in time for amber light to wash over Claire’s face. She was sleeping, which brought him a small measure of peace after a long day.
Weighing everything now as he headed out of town on the last leg of their journey, he knew he should be glad they’d made it out. And he was. But it hadn’t been anything he’d want to do again.