Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Where’s your car?”
Gulp!
“Uh, follow me, but please be careful … some of it’s fragile.”
He follows me to my car.
“Here, put it in the boot.”
He laughs. “The boot?”
“Uh …” I shake my head. “The um … trunk I believe you call it.”
He puts it in the boot—trunk. “You’re not from these parts.”
I return a shaky smile, surveying the area for Theo’s truck. “Just moved here.”
“What apartment are you in?”
“Sorry? Oh, uh …” I laugh. “Gosh, I can’t even remember, I just walk right to it. Um …”
“Well, it has to be four-something.”
I nod. “Yes.” I wave my hands around. “The uh … door down the hall like, second or third from the end. Sorry, it’s been a long day and I’m …”
He laughs. “No problem. I’m Kyle, apartment 512. Don’t hesitate if you need help with anything or…” he shrugs “…if you want to get a drink sometime.”
“Lovely. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” I open the door and give him one last smile before closing it, starting the car, and getting the hell out of here.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
My name is Scarlet Stone, and I’m not afraid of death. My mum waits for me with open arms.
Nothing makes one drive like an eighty-year-old woman quite like a bag of weapons in the boot of a car. I drive to the hotel, cursing every twat that feels the need to ride my arse. The last thing I need is a crash. Tied for the last thing I need is to be pulled over for speeding and land in jail when they check the boot. I want the weapons out, but I can’t risk lugging them to my hotel room or worse: having someone else do it for me. My only choice is to leave them in the boot and deal with them tomorrow, so that’s what I do.
Another sleepless night ends in a sunrise that’s blinding and daunting. Now what? I need to figure out who killed Theo’s mum. That’s the only way to keep him from killing Braxton Ames and risking life in prison or worse. The problem is I can’t leave him unattended. It won’t take much to replace his weapons. Americans show great pride in worshiping their Second Amendment like a religion.
Gathering my computer, I put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and head to Starbucks. Like yesterday, I park across the street. Parking next to his flat is too risky, especially since he’s probably on high alert after returning last night to the scene of a weapons robbery. I hope he needs his coffee this morning.
A big pair of black sunglasses cover most of my face. I thought I needed to add them to my hat disguise. I spy him in my mirror, so I scoot down a bit even though he’s on the other side of the street. Again, he has on a long-sleeve shirt, beanie, and sunglasses. He looks around before opening the door to Starbucks. I tip my head down when his head turns in my direction.
When the door shuts behind him, I release the breath I’ve been holding. A few minutes later he comes out, but instead of walking toward his truck the way he came, he heads in the opposite direction, disappearing around the front of the building.
“Where are you going?” My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I contemplate following him versus waiting for him to come back around the corner. A tracking device would be much easier. That’s what Oscar would do. I might have to acquire one so that I have more time to devote to Kathryn’s murderer. I’m not used to leaving my house or hotel room to conduct my business. Mobiles and tracking devices usually do the job, but I don’t have help on this, so here I am, following Theo the old-fashioned way. I’m completely rubbish at it.
“Shit!” I jump when something shakes my car like someone ran into the back of me, but when I look in my mirror, I don’t see anything except the vacant car that’s been parked behind me for the last forty-five minutes. There was a crushing sound, I know something hit me. “Fuck it, what the hell was that?” I mutter, releasing my seatbelt then glancing at the corner to check once more for Theo. As soon as I unlock the door, it opens.
“Ah!” My scream is silenced by a large hand over my mouth.
“Over,” Theo’s gritty voice sends prickly bumps along my skin.
He doesn’t wait for me to move before lifting my body with one hand while keeping my mouth covered with his other hand. My bum lands in the passenger seat.
“Fucking scream and I’ll shove the lone knife you left me right into your heart. Understood?”
No, I don’t understand, but since his massive hand covers both my mouth and nose, I nod because my lungs crave some oxygen. He eases his hand away from my mouth, testing my response. I have no response. What’s happening?