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“I’ll bet he hasn’t been the brother you know since he showed up at your apartment.”
She finished her coffee and tossed the cup. “The brother I know would not get arrested in the first place, but I’m not talking about that anymore.”
The bitter coffee stoked his nerves and sharpened his focus. “You’ve been texting Les all along?”
“Ever since he ran out of my kitchen.” She buttoned her coat. “I got all excited tonight because I thought he was finally returning my calls. But what with getting ambushed after we were supposed to meet, I’m starting to wonder.”
“If you’re right and someone stole his phone, then all that person needed to do was stake out the bar with his crony.” Mitch rubbed the back of his neck. “The description I gave the detective on tonight’s gunman fits the physical impression I had of your intruder.”
“I’m beginning to think he’s one of the men who tried to kidnap me at the cemetery. Anyone with a computer could have looked at my website and read what days I conducted that tour.”
“They want you to lead them to your brother.” Mitch swallowed the last of his coffee. “Good thing is, if they’re still after you, we know they haven’t found him.”
“Right.”
They walked through the waiting room and hurried across the street. A mom and dad with two young kids followed them into the garage elevator and got out on the same floor. Mitch waited for them to walk to their car, surveying the rows of parked cars and squinting into the shadows of the ramp. Everything looked normal.
“Is it safe?” Cath whispered.
“As far as I can tell. Our masked men must be getting their beauty sleep.”
His truck flashed a welcome and they climbed in. Cath’s seat belt clicked into place as soon as he climbed behind the wheel. “Drop me at a hotel. Maybe one on Canal Street.”
He stared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“You said those men were shooting at you. Not me.” She spoke as calmly as she might to describe a recipe for spaghetti instead of a shootout.
“They were. Definitely.” He backed from his parking slot.
“That’s why we should separate.”
“No!”
“This is all about my brother.” She pressed a fist into the seat. “There’s no point in you risking your life to stick with me.”
“Matter of opinion.”
Her mouth opened and closed. Her throat moved in a swallow. “You mean—”
Mitch squeezed the gearshift and drove to the exit. “I’m not abandoning you.”
She stared out the windshield, not at all happy.
Tough. He handed over his ticket and waited.
“Does this mean you’re giving me another chance?”
Her betrayal tonight had lost them time, not to mention too much wasted adrenaline and other inconveniences like stitches. Did she understand this wasn’t about him? “There’s only one person here who needs to trust.”
“I get that,” she said after a moment. “I will trust you from here on out because that’s the only way anything will work. We should definitely seal the deal, though.” She held up a crooked finger.
“I’m not pinkie swearing.” He dropped his change into the center console.
“Why not?”
Mitch shoved a hand over his head. “That didn’t work too well the last time. I touched you afterward. Big time.”
“We’re swearing to trust this time, not touch.” But she gave him a Mona Lisa smile that automatically revved his blood.
