Page 43 of Built of Illusions
Her eyebrow shot up. “You threatening me, Agent Spiffy Suits?”
Nico laughed even as the nearby agent turned an involuntary laugh into a cough. “Nope, but I have a plan. Or the beginnings of one. Midnight Lake.”
When he didn’t continue, she lifted both eyebrows. “You’re going to call in Sam and the rest of his group on this?”
Good idea. “Yes, but that’s not what I meant. That’s a place he won’t know about, a place he won’t find you.”
Something flickered across her face, something that looked a lot like hope before she shut it down. “That’s a nice thought but it’s not possible.”
“Josie, we can bring your art supplies. We can ship anything you need. You can reschedule events you have.”
“It’s none of those things.”
Then what was it? Color bloomed high on her cheeks and he realized what it was. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. “You’re not allowed to refuse the offer of an FBI all-expenses paid trip to Vermont.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “The FBI isn’t going to fly me across the county because someone left a pen on your car.”
The fact that she was probably right wasn’t going to factor in. “It’s more than a pen and you know it. Please say yes.”
Josie studied him for a long moment and then finally nodded.
Relief washed through him and he pulled her in for a hug.
“I’ll pay you back when I can.” Her whispered words showed she’d seen right through him.
“Not necessary.”
“It is to me.”
Nico sighed. “Fine.” But there was no way in hell she was paying him back.
Before Josie had really grasped what was happening, someone had booked them flights and hustled them off to the airport. They’d had a layover in Chicago and landed in Burlington after ten at night. Which made it after one back in Sacramento. They’d crashed in the nearest hotel.
Sam had picked them up this morning to avoid the paper trail of a rental car. Although Nico had probably used a credit card to stay at the hotel. And if the guy could hack that kind of data, she didn’t want to know about it.
She wanted to stay in a safe little bubble somewhere but that wasn’t possible.
Sam and Nico were in the front seat discussing the case and theories about the man doing the killing. While it would have been nice to stick in ear buds and listen to music, she needed to keep up with the case. Her life hung in the balance.
Sam looked at her in the rearview window. “How are you holding up with all this, Josie?”
When she shrugged he nodded. “Just so you know, I’d be scared shitless myself.”
That had her smiling. Sam was a master of a dozen martial arts and well versed in all manner of weapons. Added to that, he topped six feet by several inches and every last part of his body was muscular. Tansy’s man was a gorgeous specimen of humanity. She’d love to sculpt him.
But he didn’t make her pulse race or weaken her knees. To her endless surprise, it was Nico in his shiny shoes and trim suits that did those things. Well, it was the man behind the polished illusion he presented that had her heart in tatters.
“I’m hoping he doesn’t know I’ve left Sacramento and that he’s caught before he hurts anyone else.”
Nico reached over the seat and grabbed her hand. “That’s the plan.”
By the time they parked behind the sawmill on the edge of the Midnight Lake property, Josie felt as if she could finally breathe. Not shallow breaths full of fear, but deep breaths full of peace and hope.
She stood outside the car and took in the changes in the space. It had been over a month and the snow that accumulated before Christmas had more than doubled. Maybe tripled.
The sun was shining and a few fluffy clouds floated so it didn’t look like any more would be accumulating today.
Nico scooped her up into his arms and she let out a squeal. He laughed and turned to follow Sam to the sawmill. “Did you forget you’re not wearing boots?”