by Sharon Dunn
When he clicked off the phone, he was surprised to see Isabel standing in front of him. Her arms crossed over her chest.
“My friend will come and get us.”
“You owe me an explanation for what happened here tonight. I could lose my job for the mess that house was left in.”
Yes, things might work out for the best with the investigation. But then there was the problem of Isabel’s safety and her demand to know more.
SEVEN
It was still dark when Jason’s friend picked them up. The echo of the snowplows clearing the roads seemed to be everywhere. From the vantage point on the mountain where they stood waiting, Isabel could see three sets of headlights clearing different roads of the snow.
A truck approached them and slowed.
Jason waved and the truck came to a stop. He opened the door for her to get into the front seat and then climbed in beside her.
“Thanks for coming to get us, Larry,” Jason said.
“No problem.” Larry had graying temples and a beak-like nose. Though he wore a ski jacket, something about him seemed very formal or official in some way.
Back at the trailer, Jason had still not offered her an explanation that made sense. He’d been evasive.
She didn’t think he was a criminal or up to no good anymore. He’d kept her alive at the risk of his own safety and stayed with her through everything. Why, then, was he keeping secrets from her?
They were squeezed like sardines in the cab of the truck.
She let out a heavy breath, relaxing for the first time since she’d had a knife put to her throat at the Wilsons’ house.
“I can’t wait to go home, take a hot shower and get some sleep.” A few hours, anyway. She had some explaining to do to her boss about the condition the Wilsons’ home had been left in. The broken vase in the entryway, the shattered window in the studio... The groceries she was supposed to stock were still in her car, which was wedged against a tree. Her stomach clenched. Would she even have a job after all this? She couldn’t tell Mary the truth. It sounded too outrageous. Always there was the fear that because she had a record, she would be suspected if any crime took place in her proximity. Mary had been nothing but supportive of her, but other people hadn’t been so kind.
“Actually, Isabel, I need you to come with me.” Jason’s gaze darted to Larry. “Can you drop us off at Ralph’s Café? I’ll borrow your phone and have Michael meet us there.”
Larry nodded and handed over his phone. Really, their interactions didn’t seem like they were friends, more like coworkers. And who was this Michael person and what was Jason up to? Her stomach tightened. “Wait a minute. I need to get home. I have to be at work in four hours. And I don’t have access to a car anymore.”
Jason gripped her hand. “This is important for both our sakes.”
Something in the force of his voice told her protest would be futile.
She pressed her back against the seat. “Just for the record, I need to keep this job and I need a car that runs.”
They drove toward town in silence as a dozen anxious thoughts whirled through Isabel’s head. She’d been so focused on staying alive, she hadn’t had time to process what all that had happened meant for her future. By this afternoon, the Wilsons would be arriving to a home that was in disarray—or worse, where the thieves were hiding out. She needed to make sure the Wilsons weren’t going into an unsafe situation.
“I’ll go with you, but you have to let me call my boss in a little bit.” Mary wouldn’t be waking up for at least another hour, well before the Wilsons were set to arrive.
“We can do that.” Jason nodded and then pressed the numbers on the phone and spoke to the man he called Michael.
Anxious thoughts pounded through her mind. What would she tell Mary? That thieves had been in the house, and she’d had to flee. The short version would be the best. Still nervous, she laced her gloved hands together.
They pulled up to an all-night café on the edge of town. Jason opened the passenger-side door, thanked Larry and held out a hand for Isabel to step down from the big truck.
He locked onto her with his blue eyes, watching her. “I’m sorry about all of this,” he said.
The soft features of his face, the warmth of his voice. He seemed so sincere.
“Please, my job is very important to me.”
He took her hand and led her toward the café. “I’m going to try to get this straightened out.”
They went inside the café. Only a waitress and the cook were inside. Jason chose a corner booth.
“Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” Her stomach rumbled on cue.
The waitress, who had orange hair, sauntered toward them. She had to be at least in her seventies. “What can I get you two?”
They both ordered burgers and milkshakes.
A car pulled into the parking lot. A moment later, a tall man got out and stepped inside. He held a computer. Jason rose to his feet. “I need to talk to Michael alone.”
More secrets.
A weariness settled into Isabel’s muscles. She needed sleep. The two men took a booth at the other end of the room with Michael facing her. The older man flipped open his computer and started typing while Jason spoke to him. Jason pulled out the bookmark wrapped in cardboard and handed it over to Michael. The conversation went on for several minutes with Jason doing most of the talking. Though she couldn’t hear what they were saying, she could read lips enough to know that Michael had said, “Sun and Ski Property Management.” He glanced in Isabel’s direction and then proceeded to type on his keypad.
Jason turned his head to look at her. Though she believed Jason could be trusted, suspicion and fear niggled at the corners of her mind. She’d trusted Nick Solomon too. She hadn’t dated since Nick, fearing that she might only be able to attract another bad boy. Jason and Michael caused that doubt to come back into her head. Not that she saw him as dating material, but what if she was wrong about Jason? Why was he insisting that she stay close and not letting her go home? What if he was up to no good?
* * *
While Michael pulled up files pertinent to the investigation, Jason tried to push past the tension knotting the muscles in his neck. Would the Bureau be open to the idea of his going undercover or would he be out of a job after tonight’s fiasco?
After a moment, Michael spoke while still staring at the computer screen. “I thought the name Sun and Ski Property Management sounded familiar. It seems they manage a lot of the properties where the thefts have taken place.” He glanced toward Isabel. “Are you sure your new friend can be trusted?”
He’d spent a harrowing night with her, both of them fighting for each other’s lives. “I believe so, yes.”
“Maybe she’s clean, but that doesn’t mean Sun and Ski isn’t somehow involved.” Michael scratched his chin. “They would certainly know when houses were vacant and have security codes.”
“If we could just get her some protection. She saw the thieves more clearly than I did, and they can probably identify her.”
“You said that the thieves think the two of you are partners.”
“Yes, but it’s too dangerous to ask her to become involved in the investigation,” Jason said.
“Look, find out what her last name is. We’ll run a check on her. Meanwhile hang close to her and see what you can find out about Sun and Ski. That will give her some protection. The couriers are pretty low-level thugs. Chances are their desire for revenge will blow over in twenty-four hours.”
“I’m not so sure. They were pretty determined. And now they think we’ve horned in on their profit margin and can identify them,” said Jason.
“Take her to the city police station and see if she can identify the two men she saw at the house. Maybe we can get them picked up for something else.”
“Isa
bel deserves an explanation. All she knows is that I’m a PI.”
“For now, we need to keep her in the dark,” Michael said.
The waitress moved across the floor, holding two plates, but hesitated when she saw Jason at a different table.
“Why don’t you go eat?” Michael closed his computer. “I’ll make arrangements for a ride.” He tossed a set of keys on the table. “You take her down to the police station.”
Jason motioned for the waitress to take the plates over to where Isabel waited. He grabbed the keys and returned to where Isabel was already slathering ketchup on her burger.
He sat opposite her. The aroma of the burger made his mouth water and his stomach rumble.
“Is that guy a policeman?” She took a bite, closing her eyes while she chewed, savoring the taste.
There was something endearing about the way she enjoyed her food.
Jason shifted in his chair. “I still can’t explain everything to you.”
“Secrets make me nervous.”
“It’s for your protection. Please take my word for that.”
She picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth while her gaze rested on him. She didn’t speak until she finished chewing the fry. “Your word has been good so far.”
He relaxed a little. At least she’d chosen to trust him. “We need to go down to the police station to identify the two guys you saw at the house. You got a better look at them than I did.” He didn’t want to worry her that she might still be a target.
“Fine, but I need to swing by work and talk to my boss first. She gets into the office bright and early. Plus, I’ve got to find a way to get my car back into town.”
“Okay, we can do that.” Driving her around gave him the excuse he needed to stay close until he was sure the thieves wouldn’t come after her.
They finished their meal and got into the car Michael had loaned him. The sun was low on the horizon as they drove through Silver Strike, which featured lots of boutique-type shops. Isabel gave Jason directions that led them to the Sun and Ski headquarters, a Victorian house that had been converted to offices. The sign said that a real-estate company also had an office in the building.
As they pulled into the lot, she turned to face him. “I live upstairs. Mary, my boss, was nice enough to rent the one bedroom to me at a low rate.” Despite her blond hair being a little disheveled, Isabel still had the demeanor of someone who had come from money. He wondered what her story was. Why she was so hard to get a clear read on.
“You like your job and your boss.” Sun and Ski was under suspicion. That meant this Mary person wasn’t off the hook yet.
“Yes.” Her smile lit up her whole face.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.”
“It’s the first time I’ve had a reason to smile since you met me.” She let out a laugh that reminded him of songbirds.
“Indeed.” For having known each other for such a short time, they’d been through a lot. The moment of connection between them seemed to make the car warmer and brighter. Guilt washed through him. He wished he could come clean with her. “Let’s go inside.”
She pushed open the door, taking in an intense breath. “I’ve got a lot of explaining to do to Mary for the condition of the house. The Wilsons will be there soon.”
He followed her into an office that had three desks. A fortyish woman with coppery hair stood by one of the workstations, her purse slung over her shoulder.
“Isabel, I’m about to run out to a house but I’m glad I caught up with you.” Her gaze rested on Jason.
Isabel glanced at Jason. “This is my friend. He gave me a ride.”
Mary furrowed her eyebrows. “Yes, I was just on the phone to the Wilsons. They got into town earlier than expected. I guess they told you they wouldn’t be here until the afternoon.”
“But they are safe?” said Isabel.
“Safe?” Mary looked perplexed. “Why wouldn’t they be? They said the house was in order. Only they wondered why your car was parked down the road and how the vase got broken. They found the shards in the garbage.”
“The house was in order?” The Wilsons must not have seen the studio’s broken window or found her clothes in Victoria’s closet.
“You are a great employee and I am sure there is an explanation for all this. I’d love to hear it when I have more time.” Mary tilted her head. “The problem I’m having, Isabel, is that they texted your personal phone to say they were coming early. All client calls need to go through Sun and Ski, regardless of what your relationship is with them. I need to know if one of our clients has had a change of plans.”
“I understand. I’m sorry.” Isabel hung her head. “I guess I was too focused on trying to keep the clients happy.”
Someone must have picked the thieves up. Maybe they’d taken the time to remove all traces that they’d been in the house to protect the smuggling operation.
“I need to run. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Mary winked at Isabel and patted her shoulder. “I do appreciate your going up there on your day off.” Mary hurried out the door. Her anger over Isabel not keeping her in the loop about the Wilsons’ early arrival set off alarm bells for Jason.
Isabel shook her head. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why the place was cleaned up. Mary didn’t say anything about your van being there.”
He suspected the Bureau had already been up there to have it towed. “It’s just good that everything worked out.”
“No, it’s weird that everything worked out.” She studied him for a long moment, as if expecting him to explain further. The phone rang. She picked up. “Sun and Ski Property Management. This is Isabel speaking. How may I help you?”
Isabel listened for a moment. Her face drained of color and she slammed the phone down.
He took a step toward her. “What is it?”
Fear permeated each word she uttered. “That was...a man. He said I have something he wants. And that I better give it back or pay with my life.”
EIGHT
Jason had a hard time focusing on the road as they drove across town to the police station. Any hope he had about Isabel being safe had been removed. Maybe now she wouldn’t be upset if he chose to keep close to her until he could get her some protection.
Had it been the thieves who phoned or someone higher up in the smuggling ring?
He glanced over at Isabel. She offered him a nervous smile and then stared out the window. The problem was someone in the ring had contacted Isabel first. Either because they hadn’t figured out who he was or because she was the more vulnerable one. How was he going to get her out of this mess and make sure she wouldn’t be harmed? Maybe the threat would be enough for Michael to be motivated to spring for some protection.
“How do you suppose they figured out who I was?”
“Is there anything in your car that would have helped them trace you back to Sun and Ski?”
“There’s a logo on the back window. And my picture and name is on our website.” Her voice filled with fear.
He hadn’t noticed the logo.
He braked at a stoplight and studied her for a moment. Her fingers were laced together in her lap so tight that her knuckles had turned white.
“I’m sorry that you got dragged into all this.”
“I can’t live my life looking over my shoulder. A lot of the properties we manage are out in the middle of nowhere.”
“Look, I don’t have a lot going on. I’ll stay with you through your workday if you don’t mind my tagging along.” He kind of liked the idea of being with her.
The light turned green. He rolled through the street checking his rearview mirror. A dark car that had been behind them before followed them as he clicked his blinker and turned up a side street. He didn’t want to alarm Isabel. She was already scared enough.
“Sure.”
“Guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I thought what I was doing was giving a hundred and ten percent to my job. That totally backfired.”
This was his chance to do a little probing. “Yes, your boss seemed more than a little miffed you didn’t keep her in the loop.”
“She’s not usually like that. She’s been very good to me.”
“I just wonder why she was so upset, then.”
She stared at him long enough to make him nervous. “I was in the wrong. I went against our standard practice. She’s a good person.”
Jason checked the rearview mirror. The car was still behind them.
“I see him too,” Isabel said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He turned on the street that led to the police station. The car veered onto a side street. Once it was clear, Jason pulled into the police-station parking lot. No one was going to bother them when they were surrounded by a half dozen armed officers...he hoped, anyway.
* * *
Isabel appreciated the supportive hand Jason placed on her back as they entered the police station. She felt like she’d been trembling from terror ever since the phone call at Sun and Ski. Having him close at least helped her take a deep breath.
“Hey, Jason.” One of the police officers waved at them as they entered the station. He stepped toward them. “What brings you here?”
“This is Isabel...?” He turned toward her raising an eyebrow.
“Connor. My last name is Connor.”
“She needs to do an ID for me. You got your file of petty criminals loaded up?”
“Sure. Come this way.” The officer held out a hand to her. “I’m Officer Nelson. Jason and I went to high school together about fifty miles down the road in a little town no one has heard of.”
Isabel shook Officer Nelson’s hand.
“Come right this way.” Officer Nelson gestured.