Stuffing it into the pocket of his basketball shorts, he steps closer. “That was Justin. He’s going to be a few days, handling that um…situation. But he called in a favor with the realtor in Escape.”
“A realtor?” I fold my arms across my chest.
“He was able to get us a cabin to crash in until we can sort this out. The keys should be available this evening before they close. We figured a place in the woods would be a better hideout than in an elite neighborhood surrounded by people who are probably eager to know who’s the couple visiting JP.”
I nod.
“The office closes in an hour. I should probably get going,” he says.
“Okay, let’s go.”
“I’m going alone.” He pauses and scratches his brow. “Your face has been plastered on the news. We don’t know if the broadcast made it to Colorado. I’ll go alone, do the walk through with them, and come back to get you.”
I lower my head, somewhat disappointed. I’d forgotten about the missing person’s report. How? I don’t know, but he’s right, and it pisses me off. My chest tightens as the feeling of imprisonment washes over me, the weight of that realization crushing me. Without another word, I drop my hands to my sides and retreat to my room. A moment later, the alarm system announces Liam’s departure. The car engine revs and I listen to the sound of him backing out of the driveway. With nothing to do until he’s back, I lie across the bed, watching two squirrels play outside my window.
The car jerks into park in front of our cabin, and we exit our ride. There are trees surrounding us on all sides. I don’t know how many acres are between us and the next little house, but there’s a bit of a distance. On the drive over, we passed a lake that had frozen over and a row of smaller cabins, I assume are set for tourists. There were a few people out, but for the most part it was quiet and secluded. We crunch through the thick snow, dusting our feet before entering our temporary home.
Cool air pierces my skin, and I wrap my arms around myself. I was in such a rush to get away, I left my coat back at the safe house. I curse myself and Liam for not thinking to at least grab warmer clothing from my apartment. I get we were on the move and only took the necessities, but it’s cold in Minnesota, just as it is here.
Liam slides by me, sitting the bags near the ugly plaid sofa. “I’ll set a fire. I saw some wood on the porch.”
I look around, taking in the space. It’s tiny but the living and dining area is open, separated only by the difference in flooring. The kitchen has tiles throughout while the remainder of the house is a dark wood. It isn’t as stuffy as I expected, which makes me wonder how often it’s been rented. I walk to the back where I find two doors—on the left a tiny bathroom with an oversized tub, and to my right is a bedroom with a full-size mattress. I step back into the hall, just as Liam reenters carrying a bundle of wooden planks. He disappears behind the wall beam but resurfaces the moment I am back in the living room. He’s on his knees, stacking the furnace and tossing in a match. The flames crackle, and the smell of cedar fills my lungs. It’s calming, and I suddenly want hot cocoa.
“I bought some things from his freezer to hold us over until he gets back. He said there should be quilts and towels and stuff on the built-in linen nook in the bathroom.” He wipes his hand on the back of his pants.
“There’s only one room,” I blurt.
“You take it.”
I nod, giving him a fake smile, and turn on my heels.
“Lot— Constance?” He pauses. “I’m going to get us out of this,” he adds apologetically.
I don’t know what he expects me to say to that, so I say nothing and head into the room.
It’s been two days, eight hours, and forty-nine minutes—but who’s counting— since we arrived at this cabin. To avoid going insane, I did two things: eat and sleep. Liam tried getting me to talk but soon gave up. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t continuously be polite to someone who refuses to speak to me. But he can’t blame me either. Whenever I am in the kitchen or leaving the bathroom, I can see how badly he wants my attention. I also see how disappointed he is when I continue to ignore him.
My feet touch the cold floor as I push myself from the lumpy mattress. I hear the door open, and a deep voice speaks out. Liam greets this mystery person, and soon the door shuts again. My brows furrow on the way into the living room to see what’s going on. I peek out at first, growing less concerned when I spot both Liam and Justin.
“Is it done?” Liam asks.
The sofa squeaks before Justin’s vocals ring loud. “Yeah. It took me a while. Did you know they have a missing person’s report out on her?”
Liam nods.
“Before you called me to come out to Kearney, Maxium had just sent me to Duluth,” Justin adds.
I stop in my tracks, pressure building inside me.
“That’s where I was when you called. I didn’t realize the two were connected until you started explaining what happened.”
Liam doesn’t see me standing in the hall, stunned. He rakes his hand through his hair and down over his face. “That explains why Constance didn’t see them mention the two bodies in the report. Does he know about your detour to help us?”
“Naw, I don’t think so. He knows how precise I am. He probably just thinks I was being thorough.”
“Bet.”
“I need out of this shit, L. I know you’ve been working on the case, but at the end of all this…”
“I know. Help me take him down, and I’ll make sure you’re clear of this shit,” Liam promises.
My flesh burns with a mixture of confusion and hurt, but eventually boils into anger and disgust.
“I met a lady, man. She’s beautiful…a writer. And I want to be with her, but I gotta know this won’t put her in—”
“You work for Maxium?” I spew, unable to silence myself any longer.
Liam freezes with his eyes wide, and Justin’s mouth flies open as he jumps from the sofa. They stare at me, panicked like a kid who’s been caught red-handed. I stand there, my chest heaving and my gaze darting between the two while I wait for either to say something.
“Answer me!” I yell.
Liam stands there with the stupidest expression on his face. My anger spills over, and I cuss him out. With each harsh word that leaves my mouth he flinches but is rooted in place, taking all that I have to say. When I glance to Justin, I can see my outburst makes him uncomfortable. He shifts on his feet while rubbing the back of his neck as if he doesn’t know what to do with himself.
“I can’t believe you.” My voice is heavy and laced with vehemence.
Liam’s chest buckles at my words, and though he’s quick to compose himself, pain remains evident behind his eyes. I storm out, needing to be far away from him. The cool, crisp air bites at my exposed skin, and I curse. A groan builds in my throat and everything comes crashing down around me. My hands tremble again, and I squeeze them tight, refusing to have another attack. But it doesn’t help. A gust of wind blows past me, taking what little breath I have with it. I suck in deep several times to keep from hyperventilating.