Page 52 of Bare
This was not the time to fall apart. They could be in danger. But it didn’t make sense. There was no reason for anyone to want to hurt her. It had to be a mistake. However, if what Aleksei was saying was true, they should get moving. Until they figured outexactly what was happening, leaving Ricketts Glen was the best choice.
But she wasn’t just going on faith anymore.
She would call Sage to reassure her that she was okay, and then she’d ask to talk to Christian. She hated asking for favors. She’d spent way too much of her life beholden to all the people who cared for her when she couldn’t care for herself, but with his job in the FBI cybersecurity division, Christian should be able to confirm whether Aleksei was telling her the truth. She needed that answer, even if it meant having to ask Christian for help. If Christian needed a little time to work his magic, she’d sit in the park office parking lot until she heard back from him.
It was head over heart from now on.
She packed quickly, shoving towels and linens into a plastic trash bag. The food she’d brought was quickly tucked into reusable grocery store bags and her cooler. Makeup and toiletries were unceremoniously dumped into her shoulder bag. She hadn’t unpacked her suitcase, so it was easy to shove in the few things she’d taken out. The only thing she was careful with was the wig she’d worn earlier in the day. She hated packing it still damp, but she’d pull it out to dry wherever their next stop was. She slid it into its satin-lined bag and gently laid the bag on top of her clothing, zipping the suitcase closed.
Aleksei had managed to pack, dismantle his tent, and load all his things, the cooler, and the food bags into his truck in the same amount of time it took her to get her suitcase and toiletries together. Annoyance pricked at her as she looked at the neatly covered truck bed barely illuminated by the moon. Night had fallen quickly, and the small, remote overflow parking lot they now occupied was blanketed in darkness. She was glad they were in separate cars. It was hard to think in his brooding presence.
She’d spoken quickly to Sage and more at length with Christian. During her call, she watched Aleksei walk theperimeter of the parking lot, slide a gun from his waistband, slip on a silencer, and shoot out the two streetlamps in the lot. The effortless efficiency of his movements was like being doused with a bucket of ice water.
Aleksei Thompson was a dangerous man.
She should feel unsettled. The gun, the switch in his persona from sweet, wounded potential boyfriend to dangerous protector. She should feel nervous around him, wary, at least until she got confirmation from Christian that Aleksei was who he claimed to be. Instead, his presence made her feel safe and protected.
Head over heart. Head over heart.
She needed to keep reminding herself of that.
She looked at the time illuminated on her dashboard: 9:15. It was time to turn her phone back on again. Christian said he’d call her back in thirty minutes and had directed her to turn her phone off while she waited. The time had passed like molasses, and she had to battle to keep herself from leaving her car and climbing into Aleksei’s truck. She’d let herself fall so fast, believing they were forming an intimate bond. She now knew he didn’t feel the same way she did, but her brain was struggling to convince her heart to adjust to the new reality.
The phone sprang to life in her hands, startling both her and Thor, who lay dozing in the back seat. She answered, and Christian’s voice boomed through the speakers in her car.
“Hey, Rose. You still hanging in there?”
She generally despised nicknames. If people shortened her name, they mostly called her Roe, and she would firmly tell them she went by Rosemary. She only let Christian shorten her name because he was the sweetest future brother-in-law anyone could ask for, and Rose was much nicer than a pile of fish eggs. But when Aleksei had called her his soft, lovely, precious Rosein the lake, her bones had melted. She’d loved the sound of the nickname on his lips.
She forced her mind back to Christian. “I’m OK. What did you find out?”
It felt rude to skip the normal small talk, but time was of the essence. She and Aleksei were in danger, and Christian was still recovering from surgery. He should be resting.
“Good news. I was able to worm my way into the personnel files, and your guy’s story checks out. Aleksei Thompson. Thirty-four years old. Graduated from college in three years at the age of twenty. He was in ROTC. After graduation, he served five years in active duty, receiving multiple commendations. He was Special Forces, but I couldn’t get details on his missions without hacking into the highly confidential stuff and sending off alarm bells. After the Marines, he spent seven years with the bureau. Sky-high marks on his entrance exams. Excellent tactical skills. Glowing annual evaluations. Passed all the psych exams with flying colors. Shifted from active agent to a consultant trainer at Quantico two years ago.”
The vise grip around her ribs eased with each sentence. Her instincts hadn’t been wrong. They might be in a crazy situation, and by taking off her wig, she might have pushed the relationship too hard, too fast, but her heart had read Aleksei correctly. He was one of the good guys.
“Thank you. I really appreciate your help.”
“Of course. Any time. I feel bad for the guy. From the files, it seems like he’s really been through it. It looks like he retired after his partner was killed during an undercover organized crime investigation. I don’t blame him for taking one last shot at putting this Moresco guy away. It seems like the entire team thought Moresco was behind the murder, but there was no proof. The murder hit the headlines, so they had to shut the op down.”
If she wasn’t already sitting, she’d have dropped to the ground. “Salvatore Moresco? From Philadelphia?”
“Yeah. There’s an addendum to the personnel file. It looks like it was added earlier today. It says Thompson initiated contact with an accountant at Pannetone & Associates a few weeks ago to follow up on a lead pertaining to Moresco. Potential money laundering. I assume that’s when he contacted you. There’s no more detail other than a link to an active investigation, which I assume is the explosion at your office that you told me about. That file has a higher classification, so I can’t easily access it. I’m sure I can get in if you need me to. I just ran out of time.”
Her throat constricted. Her blood went hot. She might actually vomit. What was the phrase Christian used?Initiated contact with an accountant.
He’d initiated contact with her all right.
The words made it sound so official, but there wasn’t anything official about it. He’d tricked her. He’d used her. He’d known who she was from the beginning. He’d played her, and she’d gone right along like an eager-for-attention golden retriever, thrilled with every scrap of attention he’d thrown at her.
She’d been gullible. Now she knew better. Step one was making sure Christian knew exactly what Aleksei had done.
“He didn’t tell me he was investigating Moresco. He acted like we were dating.” She hated how weak and shaky her voice sounded.
“Oh shit, Rose. That sucks. I’m sorry.” His tone was sympathetic, but he sounded nonplussed.
“You’re not surprised, are you?” she asked.
