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Max forgave her. He didn’t hate her anymore.
The kiss they shared had felt so much like the past, but also a promise of what they could have in the future.
If she didn’t have a killer after her.
She stared up at the agent. Tom—she remembered his name. “What is it?”
He held up a plain brown cardboard box with a shipping label. “It just arrived.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t open it.”
“Opening someone’s mail is a federal offense. I don’t have a warrant. And I figured since your life is in danger, you’d simply do the honors.”
She liked Tom. Direct. To the point.
And since Max was right behind her, she figured he got the message, too. She was not someone he wanted to be involved with right now.
She took the box.
“What if it’s a bomb or something?” Max asked.
“There’s something hand drawn on the label. I’m guessing it’s a message from Kyle to her.” Tom pointed at the dog treat sketch. “What’s it mean?”
“Ruh-roh.”
Max chuckled. “It’s a Scooby snack?”
“Apparently my brother has regressed to childhood fun and games. I’m also guessing the reference is to let me know he’s in trouble.”
“Like you didn’t already know that,” Tom said.
“I’m also guessing he’s trying to solve a mystery. More than likely, how to get out of this.”
“And he thinks you can help him do that?” Tom asked.
“I don’t know. We’ll have to open the box to solve the mystery.” She took it from Tom just as his phone went off.
He answered the call and went on guard. “Got it.” He hung up. “We have a suspicious vehicle on the main road that’s gone past the entrance three times in the last twenty minutes.”
Max took her arm and pushed her toward the door to his room across the hall. “I’ve got her. You go watch downstairs.” Max opened the door and went to the bed.
He’d changed things after they broke up. All the rock band posters had been stripped from the white walls that looked like they’d gotten a fresh coat of paint. The room was neat, no dirty clothes strewn everywhere. The bed was perfectly made. He’d switched out the hunter green comforter for a dark gray one and added a large matching dark gray area rug under the bed. The hardwood floor looked clean and shiny. No dust bunnies in here.The nightstands had two new lamps, one on each side, the left one had a stack of mystery and thriller books on it, too. The one on top, open and facedown.
Max’s room reflected the grown-up version of him now.
He pulled a handgun out from under his pillow. “Go,” he yelled at Tom. “I’ll barricade us in here.” Max went to the dresser next to the doorway and waited for Tom to close the door on them, so he could shove it in front of the door.
Tom frowned. “The agent canvassing the property is Rex. The cop on duty is Ward. Anyone else comes up here looking for her, shoot them.”
“No one is getting to her,” Max promised her with a look that he’d lay down his life for hers.
She didn’t want that to happen. “You need to get out of here. Tom can protect me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, ever, without you again.”
While that made her heart soar, it also terrified her.
Tom slammed the door, taking the option out of her hands.
