He carried her all the way to the SUV and got in, cradling her on his lap.
“Where’s the nearest hospital?” Riley asked.
Erin turned her head. The same young man stood a dozen or so feet away, still staring at her. She buried her face against Riley’s shoulder and willed him away.
“It’s going to be okay,” Riley muttered.
Moments later they sped off, leaving the unknown man in their dust while Erin struggled for breath.
16.
TUESDAY. SAFE HOUSE, Las Colinas, Texas.
Riley turned the SUV off and glanced around the gated community. Their latest safe house was a bit too close to its neighbors for his taste, with no perimeter fence. He’d have preferred a hotel or something, but this was what Zain had lined up. He had to have his reasons.
Vaughn and Nolan climbed out, stretching after still more hours sitting in uncomfortable chairs at the hospital. At least now they knew the extent of Erin’s injuries. A fractured rib and deep tissue bruising wasn’t fun, but it was better than being broken. The pain she’d experienced was due to knots and tension, both of which would be helped by a healthy dose of muscle relaxers.
“Come on.” Nolan knocked on the roof. “They’re supposed to have BBQ for dinner.”
“Right behind you,” Riley said. He glanced in the rearview mirror.
Erin had yet to move. That haunted look was still on her face, and he didn’t know how to fix it.
Nolan glanced from Riley to Erin, then shook his head. Vaughn nodded at the house and Nolan followed the other man across the stone walk to the front door.
Riley got out and opened Erin’s door, bracing his hands on either side. She’d been closed off from him all day, and he didn’t like it.
“You still bothered about that guy? The one you saw at the airport?” he asked.
“He was looking straight at me.” She turned her head and stared at him.
“You’re a pretty woman. You were also clearly not doing well. Maybe he was concerned and didn’t know what to do? People see shit happening all the time and just stand there taking video instead of helping.” Riley didn’t like the way this unknown man had scared Erin, but he didn’t want to let on to his own concern.
She just kept staring at him.
“If he comes around, we know what he looks like. Come on, let’s get inside.” He nodded at the house.
Erin reached out her hand and he took it. The muscle relaxers must be kicking in. She held on a bit too tight, not that he minded. He enjoyed being the one she turned to. If he could figure out how to make her trust him more, he’d do it. With any luck, he’d get a chance to when he came to Miami. If he had to ask off from work, maybe it was worth it. At least until they knew where they stood with each other.
She got out of the SUV and glanced around.
“Is it just me, or does this part of Texas feel like the Middle East?”
“They share a longitude line with northern Africa and the Middle East, so it makes sense the climates would be similar.”
“Stop making sense.” She set her eyes on the house. “Anyone from NexGen call to see where we were?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Riley and Erin walked hand in hand toward the sprawling ranch style home that would be their safe house for the next twelve hours. Given what they’d discovered while on the flight, he was glad they were postponing the visit to the NexGen offices till tomorrow. They needed to figure out what the hell they were going to do about the video Erin had found embedded in those sub-folders. With any luck, Zain had already cracked that nut, but Riley wasn’t going to hold his breath.
“Hungry?” Riley asked.
“I know I need to eat. Does that count?”
“Sure does.” He opened the door and ushered her into the house.
The smells of dinner had his stomach growling before he even got over the threshold.
“We didn’t leave you any,” Nolan called out.
Brenden wasn’t anywhere to be seen, probably because he’d taken first watch and therefore wanted to pass out on a horizontal surface for a bit.
Grant and Melody were in the living room adjacent to the kitchen and dining area. For once, they seemed to have found a companionable state of existence. They sat on opposite sides of the sectional, both with laptops. Erin’s equipment was on the ottoman with the screen lit up.
“What did you find out?” Erin crossed to the sectional and gripped the cushions.
Grant glanced at Riley. Grant, Melody and Brenden had left the hospital earlier in the hopes of doing some digging. Judging by that look they’d found something.
Erin reached out and waved her hand.
“I’m right here,” she said.
“He doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to tell you everything.” Riley didn’t need Grant to say the words. They’d worked together long enough that some things, Riley just knew.
“Not a good idea?” Erin frowned up at him.
“I’m guessing he’s figured out who the people are.” Riley kept staring at Grant, whose face didn’t change. “He probably even knows who the victims are.”
“Tell me.” Erin turned to glare at Grant.
“It’s not that simple.” Melody set her laptop down and twisted to face them. “Erin, you have to walk into NexGen tomorrow. We don’t know what NexGen’s role in all of this has been. Were they complicit? Were they customers? Are they innocent?”
“I don’t want to walk in there ignorant. Either I was set up, or I was pulled into this. I want answers. I want those people’s families to know what happened to them. I want Thomas and Mark to pay.”
“I get that.” Riley held up his hands. He wasn’t sure if Erin was about to throw a punch what with all that teeth
