Page 57 of Snow

“We’re gonna head in and grab chow with the guys,” Dalton said, jerking his chin toward Platform One. “You wanna come?”

“Nah. You guys go ahead,” Snow said, turning back to the junction box. “I’m gonna finish up here with these machines, then I’m meeting my colleague for dinner.”

“You sure?” Voss asked, his brow lifting.

“Yeah, as long as you don’t mind. It won’t take me long.”

Dalton grinned, elbowing Voss. “Dude, would you pass on spending time with that hottie lawyer?”

He then turned toward Snow. “That woman is hot as hell, man. You’re a lucky bastard.” He winked. “I sure as hell hope that you’re tapping that.”

Snow’s jaw tightened, but he kept his face flat and his voice even. “She’s just a colleague.” He had learned a long time ago that men like these fed on reactions, and he wasn’t about to give them one. But the comment sat in his gut like a hot coal.

He made another mental note to tell Nova to watch her back around those two.

Once their footsteps faded down the deck, he exhaled and straightened. He had an hour and a half with no shadows breathing down his neck.

Just as he took a step toward the stairs, movement across the way on Platform Three caught his eye.

Snow pulled his phone from his pocket. He hit the camera and zoomed in until the person came into focus.

Well, well, well, Snow thought as he watched Brett walk toward the catwalk connecting the platforms.

Snow snapped a few pictures, then lowered the phone, his eyes still fixed on Brett. His gut told him that whatever they were searching for was over there. One way or another, he was going to find a way onto that platform.

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Nova stepped into the dining area and immediately felt the weight of many sets of eyes. At least ten men were scattered across the space, finishing up their dinners.

Over the last two days, she had met enough of the crew to start recognizing faces. Most were courteous, if a little curious about the corporate attorney who had invaded their floating workplace. Sure, a handful let their gaze drift where it shouldn’t, but she ignored it.

She smiled and nodded as she crossed the dining room to the kitchen. She spotted Clint at the sink. His sleeves were rolled up as he washed dishes.

It never failed that he appeared wherever she was. It was like he had placed a LoJack on her. The man had been hovering around her for two days straight, popping into the office area every so often with that practiced concern.

He and Brett were always meeting in Brett’s office behind closed doors. She had told herself that she wished she could be a fly on the wall to hear what they talked about. However, earlier she sort of got that wish when they had accidentally left the door cracked, and she was able to catch a little of their conversation. She wasn’t able to hear everything, but she did hear enough that it was worth mentioning to Snow.

She pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen and walked toward the stocked shelves of dry goods.

“Need a hand finding anything?” Clint called out from behind her.

“No, thank you. I’m just going to throw something easy together for Mr. Iverson and me.”

“Dinner together?” Clint said, seeming surprised. “I was beginning to wonder if the two of you ever crossed paths.”

“We pass each other often enough to remember we’re supposed to be working together,” she said as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It seemed as if she and Snow were definitely being watched very closely.

After a few minutes, Clint left the kitchen, and soon after, she heard the rest of the dining area empty out, all of the chatter fading until the entire galley went quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator.

She continued searching the shelves for something to make. She enjoyed cooking. It was relaxing. But cooking for one person felt pointless, and when she and Rick were together, he had always insisted on eating out where he could be seen.

Thinking of Rick, at least, he had stopped calling. But that was only because he was out of town with one of his donors. At least that is what his last text to her had said.

Too bad her mother couldn’t take a trip somewhere and forgot about her. Earlier she had called three times and sent two texts, each one a carefully crafted guilt trip.

She looked at her watch. She had thirty minutes before Snow would get there. She checked the walk-in and saw they had shrimp, giving her an idea of what to make. She grabbed everything from the walk-in and pantry that she needed, set her phone to a music app, and got to work.

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