Page 47 of Cruel Love

“Good.”

I glance behind him, doing a quick headcount. “Pilot and crew are paid off, too. As far as anyone’s concerned, the flight never happened. Is this everybody?”

He nods. “Yes.”

I want to ask but it’s all in his eyes. He probably could have used more than one night to get his affairs in order but he’s here now and we don’t have time to stall.

“Have you contacted Lutrova?” I ask instead.

“No,” he says. “I remember how to get to his estate.”

“And we won’t be shot-on-sight?” I ask. “Last I heard, he doesn’t like snakes in his town.”

“No. I’m welcome there.”

“And the rest of us?”

The door opens behind me and Lucy steps out of our room.

Her pace slows as she nearly plows into Fox, but she gracefully spins around him. “Whoops. Excuse me,” she says.

Fox takes a step back to let her pass freely.

“Girlfriend?” he asks.

I nod. “Girlfriend.”

“You brought her with you?”

“Well…” I chuckle. “The last time I told her to stay put, she dislocated her thumb to slip out of her handcuffs. Trust me, it’s easier this way.”

He blinks at her in admiration. “Sounds like a handful.”

“The best women often are.”

Fox smiles. “I’ll drink to that.”

* * *

“Say cheese!”

Lucy stares straight ahead from her seat on the small plane and waits for Boxcar to take her picture.

“Cheese!” she says, her eyes locked on his phone in front of her.

I stand over his shoulder, keeping a protective eye on her as he takes multiple shots.

“Perfect!” he says, lowering his phone and poking the screen. “I’ll get these sent over.”

Lucy nods and returns her focus to the magazine in her lap. “Okay…”

Boxcar turns around and runs right into my shoulder. “Excuse me…” he says as he tries to slink past me.

“And this friend of yours is trustworthy?” I ask, arms folded over my chest. “I don’t want you sending pictures of her to some weirdo.”

He clicks his tongue in annoyance. “You and Fox think alike. Yes. He’s trustworthy.”

“I’m supposed to take your word for it, because…?”

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