Page 2 of Secret (Chicago Underground 6)
“I know Henri better than you or anyone else you have working for you. What if things get tough and you can’t find him or can’t get close? I can. He’ll see me. He’ll talk to me.” It was a low blow. “If it comes to getting information about your sister, no one has a better shot than me.”
He stared straight ahead. “I don’t know if I can do that. Put you in danger.”
After what happened last time, he meant. “I won’t get shot again.”
“You can’t know that.”
There was real worry in his voice, and it shook me. So of course I had to lighten the mood.
“I promise I won’t get shot. Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Surprisingly, that isn’t giving me confidence.”
I sobered. “I need to go. For me, to get closure. There are some questions of my own I need to ask.”
He considered that, watching the rain batter the windshield. “Okay,” he finally said. “But you need to understand there’s no guarantee you’ll get to ask them. I might just shoot him on first sight.”
“As long as I get to watch.”
“Bloodthirsty woman.” He sounded approving.
Chapter Two
We drove straight to a hotel, where purple beaded lighting and black leather couches adorned the lounge. Bypassing the check-in, we took the elevators up.
I tapped the art deco paneling. “Why the fancy place?”
“Not my choice. Major doesn’t like anything affordable.”
“Major?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about bringing another person in on this, even though it seemed a little late for shyness. Mostly I didn’t want to share Luke in the time we had left.
“A guy I know. A few guys willing to help. They’re friends; don’t be nervous. What am I saying? They’re the ones who need to be nervous. Don’t bite.”
“Don’t worry. That costs extra.”
His frown was very intimidating. I wondered if he used that on perps. I considered asking, but that would probably just aggravate him further.
“Okay, okay.” I put my hands up. “I can behave. You know, GFE. The Girlfriend Experience.”
He grimaced. “If you actually were my girlfriend, then we wouldn’t have to pretend.”
Girlfriend? That sounded so high school. Which was easier to focus on than the flutter of happiness in my belly. “I’m sorry, did you ask me to be your girlfriend? Because I feel sure I would have remembered that.”
“What are the chances of you not mocking me for this?”
“Are you going to ask me to prom too? I don’t think I have a dress, but maybe we can go shopping together. That’s probably best. What color is your tux?”
“And this is why I didn’t ask.”
“Pass me a note in homeroom, and we’ll see.”
He snorted, but I detected humor dancing in his eyes.
We rode the rest of the way to the hotel in silence.
Inside, the elevator doors opened to a narrow hallway with light-beige vinyl walls. An older couple left their room and began walking toward us. The woman stared at my boobs, her face puckered in disgust.
I rolled my eyes. Typical closet lesbian.
