Page 99 of Lost Truth
Hayden stepped up beside Cady, ready to take over if she crashed and burned.
“Oh, right.” Cady slapped her forehead. “I probably should’ve led with that, shouldn’t I?” She laughed, sounding very lighthearted as she looped her hand in Hayden’s elbow. “My fiancé and I are in the area to consider it for our honeymoon. Odin is working on a time-sensitive matter. Since we’re both in the same place, we’re meeting up to kill two birds with one stone.”
Hayden admired the way she’d handled Pruitt’s question. She didn’t say why she needed Ivers, so she couldn’t be caught in a lie other than calling Hayden her fiancé.
But Pruitt wasn’t buying her story. He smoothed long strands of hair over his balding patch and eyed them, his distrust remaining in his expression.
Hayden needed to do something before that happened.
He wrapped an arm around Cady and gave her a glance filled with the kind of love and certainty he imagined a groom would have for his bride. She sucked in a breath, her gaze remained locked on him.
As much as he wanted to stay locked in those gorgeous eyes, they had a mission to focus on. An important one. He freed himself to face Pruitt. “This is an irregular request, I’m sure, but I really want to get this over with so we can get back to planning our honeymoon.”
“You both look like you’re eager to get married.” Pruitt relaxed and rested his hands on his waist. “Ivers is here. Been here for about thirty minutes with a small group. They’re taking turns with a trio of rented buggies. I’ll let you through the door so you can talk to him. His group is in the area we call ‘the pit.’”
Cady smiled at him. “We’re sure to remember your kindness.”
“Thanks.” He pressed a buzzer under the counter, and the door to the outside swung open, the revving of engines taking over the room.
“I hope that means you’ll book buggy rentals for your wedding party from me!” he called out to be heard over the noise.
“I’ll be renting those buggies before we leave town,” Hayden said emphatically. “You can count on that.”
And he would keep his word if he could. No point in missing out on an adventure if he could help it.
They exited to the smell of gasoline from powerful engines. In the pit, multiple ATVs in various colors were parked next to three larger dune buggies. To the left of the pit was a boarding area, where several men and women in casual clothes stood chatting.
Ivers wasn’t in the group, and Hayden fought his disappointment. A skinny male employee with worn jeans, a stained white shirt, and red cap with a dune buggy on the front stood by a rope strung across the entrance to the pit.
A bright blue dune buggy came racing in, faster than it probably should have, and sprayed the bystanders with sand.
“Hey, Ivers,” a woman dressed in orange athletic gear and wearing a baseball cap shouted. “Knock it off, or you’re not going out again.”
“Well.” Hayden shook his head. “Guess it won’t be hard to find him.”
Hayden took Cady’s hand and marched through the shifting sand toward the vehicle where Ivers was disembarking. Hayden caught Cady glancing down at their hands, a frown forming on her face.
“The man inside is still watching us,” Hayden said. “And I figured we’d look more like a couple if we were holding hands.”
“Oh, right. Right.” Her frown returned, but it was more of a scowl now.
Was she disappointed he didn’t really want to hold her hand? He did want to and was enjoying it, but they had to keep their full focus on Ivers.
The man lifted the helmet from his head, and Hayden could officially confirm he was indeed their suspect.
“Ivers, for sure,” Cady whispered.
“Yeah,” was all Hayden said. He didn’t want to draw attention to them just yet.
Ivers dropped the helmet on the dune buggy seat and marched over to the woman who’d yelled at him. “Sorry, Pam. I didn’t mean to cover you with sand.”
“Or so you say.” She crossed her arms. “I’m thinking it was payback from our earlier discussion at the meeting.”
“Why would I want to pay you back for a simple discussion?” He blinked at her, an innocent look on his face, but Hayden was seeing right through it to the deceptive man.
“I was being polite when I said discussion.” She glared at him. “It was a heated argument, and you know it. I just don’t understand what you have against discussing shipping routes in the area.”
He ground his teeth together. “I gave you all of my reasons at the meeting.”
