“What angle are you taking with him?”
Their conversation goes on without me. I can’t stop staring at the slideshow of photos. It’s like a movie playing my worst nightmare over and over. Marie and Javier coming out of Starbucks. Javier putting his arm around her. Her looking up at him. Him leaning into the car to kiss her.
Wait.
Why is he out with her? Why isn’t he isolating her?
I drag the chair under me, open up the Internet browser, and pull up Marie’s Tumblr account. She posted again after getting the tattoo. Something about a fun night out with Daddy. Last night.
“What is it?” Beau asks.
I get my phone out of my pocket and bring up her Instagram account. She posted a pic of the tattoo. Same with her Twitter. All of a sudden her social media is flooded with the image. He wants me to know. He’s got her and he wants me to know it. He wants me to come get her. He knew I’d look for Marie. He’s taunting me, trying to draw me out.
“How close did Nolan get to them?” I ask Cora.
“Close enough to get his license plate.”
“And close enough for him to get Nolan’s plate. He’s going to know Nolan works here. It won’t be hard for him to find out.” I stand so abruptly the chair flies back and hits Beau. “I can’t be here.” My hand automatically goes to the gun strapped to my thigh in reassurance.
“Oh, shit,” Beau says under his breath.
“You think he’s going to come after you?” Cora asks.
“I know he is.”
“Why?” She looks at Beau. “What am I missing here?”
He shakes his head.
“No. Not this time,” she tells him, propping her hands on her hips. “Somebody needs to tell me what the hell is going on.” She turns to me. “Why would he come after you? It’s not just because you escaped, is it?”
“No. And that’s all I can tell you. I have to go.” I pull what’s left of my ready cash from the pocket in my bra. It’s close to two grand. I peel off two hundreds and stuff them back in my pocket, dropping the rest of the bills on the desk. “Please keep searching for Marie. He’s not going to sell her the way he did me, but that doesn’t mean she’s not still in danger. If this isn’t enough money, I’ll send you more when I get to a place that’s safe.” I sling my bag over my shoulder and head for the door.
“Wait,” Cora yells.
But I don’t wait. I open the door and look down the hall. There’s a back door at the other end. I head for it. I can’t get my car from the front of the building. I’m going to have to find another mode of transportation. I’m already thinking ahead about changing my look, my name, my motel room, my everything. I reach for the handle, but a big hand slaps flat on the door above my head.
Beau’s arm slips around my waist and drags me hard against him. He puts his mouth to my ear. “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not leaving without me.”
Chapter 25
Beau
Is she motherfucking kidding me? If she thinks I’m just going to let her walk out and into who-the-fuck-knows-what, then she doesn’t know me at all.
“Don’t do this,” she says.
“You’re not alone anymore. Don’t you get it?”
“I can’t drag you into this. You have no idea what I’m up against.”
“I have a damn good idea what that fucking asshole is capable of.”
“Please don’t make me hurt you.”
“The only way you could do that is if you walk out that door without me.”
She sags in my embrace, her head bent.
“We can help you,” I say. “We can protect you.”
“I don’t see how you can when the police couldn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
She doesn’t answer.
“Vera. Talk to me.”
“I can’t stay here. It’s not safe. He’ll be watching the office. He probably already has photos of us coming in here. He knows what I look like now. He knows what you look like and—thanks to your overprotective streak—what you are to me. You’re going to be a target now too.”
“That’s an argument for us to stick together, not separate.”
“Why do you have to be so damn stubborn and smart?” She tips her head back on my chest. “Fine. Come with me. But that means leaving your cellphone, Cora, your job, everything behind. Are you sure you want to do that? Do you even understand what that means?”
I hesitate. I’m not an idiot. Leave everything and everyone behind. I’ve been toying with the idea ever since I got out, but now that it can be a reality, I’m not sure if I can do it. I’d be hurting Cora. I’d be throwing away an incredible opportunity doing work I actually like and am good at. I’d lose any chance at reconnecting with my parents.
On the other hand, I’d get to be with Vera.
“What’s going on?”