Whispered Lies

SIX

WHERE IS HE taking me now? Gabrielle sat upright as Carlos pulled into the Peachtree City library parking lot. He obviously knew something about this area.

She swiped away the tear, hating the show of weakness in front of him, but images from tonight kept bombarding her. Such as that poor guy in the warehouse they’d tortured who had died.

And the way Carlos had held the young man, comforting his partner as he drew his last breath. She had a strange feeling few people saw that side of Carlos that conflicted with the hard man who had fought all night to keep them alive.

Where was he taking her and what did his people want with her? Was Durand Anguis at the center of this game she’d become a pawn in? Carlos knew of Durand. Was there a chance anything Carlos had said to Turga was true? That he was delivering her to Durand?

She didn’t think so. Baby Face had clearly been surprised to see Carlos at her rental house.

One thing was clear. Carlos had saved her life. He’d treated her decently even if he had threatened to strip-search her at one point. In hindsight, he’d only been trying to find the Jeep keys so they could get away from the house quickly.

“Hope my car is still here,” Carlos muttered.

“Be serious,” she answered absently, hooking the strap for her laptop case over her shoulder.

“What do you mean?”

She glanced up at his surly tone. “Peachtree City has to be one of the safest cities in Georgia.” She frowned at him. “At least until you came to town.”

The truck’s headlights fa

Her heart did a skip.

That was so wrong. He was the enemy.

Gabrielle searched for anything to look at besides Carlos. Her insides did a crazy somersault routine every time he looked at her. Must be a post-traumatic stress syndrome of some sort.

She closed her eyes. That was a mistake.

Images pelted her of Carlos charging Izmir and Turga shooting his man with the clear intent of sacrificing Izmir to kill Carlos. She blinked her eyes open and found a normal scene of teens clustered outside the entrance to the library on the other side of the fountain, oblivious to any danger.

She’d been just as naïvely happy at that age and hoped they never had to face what she had.

They would be much safer once she left this city.

Carlos parked the truck in a spot and lifted her backpack from the backseat. “Let’s go.”

Gabrielle almost smiled, getting used to his standard limited directions. She followed him to where a silvery blue BMW 750i was parked. Didn’t it just figure a man so hot he could stun women with a glance would drive that land rocket?

“Stand here. I’ll be right back.” He strode to the front of the car and ducked out of view. She’d seen enough tonight to know better than to think she was ever out of his sight.

Besides, she was both too exhausted to try anything and needed that backpack to survive. She doubted he worked for Durand, but that didn’t mean Carlos was completely trustworthy.

He said he was taking her somewhere safe. She could extend that much trust, to believe he hadn’t lied to her about tonight.

Fatigue slugged what energy she had out of reach. With the adrenaline rush wearing off she was both hungry and nauseated to go with a headache that refused to quiet down. All she had to do for now was to stay alert and put a lid on the irritation bubbling up. Then watch for a chance to escape.

Carlos returned with keys and a remote car-door opener in his hands. A soft click sounded before the trunk popped open next to her. He reached in and lifted out a blanket, then dumped her backpack inside.

“Put this on.” He held the blanket out to her, patiently waiting.

She would have snapped at him for giving her another order if not for the concern in his eyes. But she was tired of being dragged around against her will. What was this man’s organization? Now that they weren’t dodging bullets, she should start questioning more, like why he was being so considerate. What did he want from her?

Living on the edge for so long had changed her, but not as much as having married a manipulating liar.

Was all this nice-guy routine just Carlos trying to lower her defenses, invoke a false sense of security? Sadly, it was working. She might keep her mind better focused if he didn’t wink, smile, and comfort her.

They were adversaries and she had best remember that.

He’d keep chiseling at her defenses unless she backed him off. Put some emotional distance between them. She’d never cared to be a shrew, but that was one quick way to chill a charmer.

Gabrielle held her hands out and used clipped words. “What? Worried I’ll catch pneumonia at this point and you won’t get as much for me?”

His dark eyes went from warm-brown patient to black pits of irritation.

She drew back at the shift in him. In fact, he looked tired and seriously a

“No.” He sounded disgusted. “I just don’t want wet clothes on my leather seats.”

His charm turned to icy indifference faster than his wink.

He continued to hold the blanket and now cocked an eyebrow ripe with challenge.

Rather than give an inch or antagonize him, she stepped sideways, lowering the laptop to her feet so she could shove the sleeves of her T-shirt up on each arm. The damp clothes were starting to chafe.

He moved behind her and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders quickly.

The thick material warmed her as fast as a summer day. Her limp muscles would melt into a puddle if she didn’t get in the car soon. She admitted defeat without a word.

Carlos kept his hands on her shoulders and leaned close to her ear. “I’ve had a long day. The last few hours haven’t improved it by any means, so let’s call a truce for a while.”

His deep voice was gentle, soothing the raw edges of her nerves. And there he went comforting her again, his fingers lightly massaging her shoulders. She couldn’t rally a snotty comment when the person who had stepped between her and death now offered a truce and sounded as exhausted as she felt.

Plenty of time tomorrow to battle him.

“Deal.” She waited for him to release her. Sooner would be better than later or she might be tempted to lean back against his wide chest.

His hands dropped away and she had to ignore the disappointment. She lifted her computer bag and followed him to the passenger side, where she sank into the heavenly seat and dropped her head back.

He circled the car with the smooth stride of a man in control. He slid in behind the wheel, filling the interior to capacity with his presence.

The engine roared to life.

Gabrielle focused on staying awake while he maneuvered through the parking lot, then out onto the highway. At Highway 74 he turned north, likely heading to Interstate 85. Heat purred around her legs and soft music shushed through the cockpit.

No sleeping. Watch the route. Her mind knew what she had to do, but her body was not a willing party. She fought to stay alert, observing their route until he reached Interstate 85 and gu

The smooth ride and quiet did her in.

Anxiety drained from her body in one fast sweep. She drifted off. Disjointed images flickered in her overloaded mind. Computer entries whirled around coded messages. Linette’s signature-Jane of Art-appeared on a bulletin board, finally after years of Gabrielle hoping to hear from her again. She lunged to answer the post, but when she typed on the keys, a bloody body hanging against a wall appeared on her monitor.