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My phone rang. Relieved at the distraction, I closed my eyes and slammed the car door. “Hello?”
“Jake, it’s me, Jager.”
The wind grew louder. I could barely hear the voice on the other end. I pressed the volume button several times. “Jager. What’s going on?”
“I have an update on the delivery guy that went to the governor’s office. He’s on an anti-government watch list. His name is Norman Fields, and he’s attended rallies in D.C. and New York. We’re not sure if he’s followed the governor here or if it’s just coincidence.”
“You know how I feel about coincidences, right?” I replied.
“I know. That’s why I wanted to let you know as soon as possible. I’m sending you a better picture of him in case he’s loitering around Nikole’s office or home.”
My phone vibrated, and a message popped up. Clicking on the icon, a photo appeared. The man in the photo looked like the guy from the governor’s office, only this photo was much clearer. He had a small cut over his left eyebrow and his teeth crowded his mouth. There was no smile on his face, and the dark depths of his eyes drew a shiver down my spine.
I’d faced many enemies in countless countries, but it was the ones with the empty eyes that kept me up at night.
I scanned the street. The same red car was parked in the driveway next to Nikole’s. It belonged to another renter. I’d checked out her background and even had Will follow her to work one day to make sure her story checked out as it should. The rest of the neighborhood was just as quiet. There wasn’t any traffic on this suburban street and the same couples walked each night, which made it easy to keep tabs on them. Despite all this, an uneasiness grew in the pit of my stomach. Someone may have followed the governor from D.C. to New York. Someone who wasn’t just getting a thrill from his keyboard, as Nikole had suggested. This person has gone so far as to disguise himself and enter the governor’s office. I had to assume he would go to greater lengths to reach her or her daughter. If Nikole wasn’t taking this situation seriously yet, that would change soon.
I walked back inside and found her seated on the right side of the couch while Sarah sprawled herself across the loveseat. There was no other place for me but on the couch with Nikole.
The movie had started, and a quiet neighborhood appeared on the screen. “What are we watching?” I asked, placing my hand behind my head and putting my foot up on the ottoman. Nikole turned to me, then quickly looked back at the screen without responding.
“One of Nikole’s favorites,” said Sarah. “Wild Nights.”
Nikole groaned. “It’s not called Wild Nights, it’s called—”
“Wild Hearts,” I finished.
Nikole’s head snapped toward me. “How did you know that? It’s a foreign film.”
I smiled, genuinely amused that she would think so little of me. “I lived overseas for eight years. Most of what I’ve watched is foreign. Besides, this one won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, so it’s not that obscure.”
She smirked. “I guess you’re right. We don’t have to watch it if you’ve already seen it.”
“Well, I haven’t seen it,” harped Sarah.
“I don’t mind,” I said. “This film has some of the most spectacular shots of the French Alps.”
“Strange. I hardly noticed the cinematography.”
“Really? What makes it your favorite, then?”
She shrugged, but a tiny smirk played on her lips that had me intrigued. “Come on now. You know about my Nancy Drew addiction. Tell me one of your secrets.”
She laughed and a tiny dimple appeared on her left cheek. It was the most appealing thing I’d seen in a long time.
“I love how he reveals himself to her in the end. He’s this tough guy on the outside, but he’s a real softie on the inside.”
She stared at the screen, that same enthralling smile on her face, and for a moment, I forgot she was the governor’s daughter, my client, or my sister’s best friend. Or even a kick-ass lawyer. At that moment, she was just Nikole. A woman who loved foreign films and read smutty romance novels. I wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t driven away that night. Would we be sitting here alone tonight? Would she be snuggled in my arms instead of two arm-lengths away from me?
I hadn’t indulged in the ‘what-if’ scenarios in my life for a very long time. I usually convinced myself that walking away was for the best. But tonight, I wanted to know what would have happened if I had stayed.
Nikole fidgeted on the couch, pushing herself higher and rubbing her neck.
“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”
“It’s fine. I’m just winding down after today. I was a wreck before the bail hearing. I stayed up for most of the night double-checking my research and preparing my argument. I guess it’s all just catching up with me now.”
“Lay down. I’ll sit on the floor.”
