Page 8 of Talk to Me

Well, that told me who the target had likely been. Still, nothing in the dispatches indicated Remy had been spotted or was being tracked. I checked the church where he would be exiting and kept one eye on it as I documented any close-ups of his pursuers I could.

Snaps of them were added to the files and I lifted information from the police band for names and affiliations.

These men were not security forces only. Not from the looks of it. As tired as I should be, impatience crept through me as I glanced at the clock repeatedly. I was keeping a mental countdown for when Remy should resurface.

Until he was out of the catacombs and into a safe house, I would not relax.

He took longer than I cared for, but the buzz of an incoming call had me sagging a little in the seat. “Talk to me,” I said when I answered.

“It would be my genuine pleasure,” Remy said, the smile in his voice seemed to echo on my face as I grinned. “All clear out there?”

“Yes, it is. Do you need transport?” I probably should have asked that earlier, but we were a little busy. There he was, leaving the church. Limping.

I frowned. The problem with the cameras here, I couldn’t really zoom in. Even if I did, they pixelated like mad.

“I’m good, I figure I’ll just lift a car here. They have a lot of older models. I can find something to hot wire.”

I snorted, but I was already checking the vehicles and registrations that I could read for a square mile around him.

“Two blocks west,” I said. “It looks like the car used to be a rental. I can start it remotely.”

“Luv, have I told you how sexy your magic fingers are?”

“A few times,” I told him, keeping an eye on him as he limped. Had he been shot? Pulled a muscle? Or wrenched his ankle? What? “The gray one,” I informed him when he got there.

It was taking me a minute to find the service codes to get the car open. Master codes existed for mechanics and repossession agents. You just had to know what list they were on.

There we go. The car unlocked and the engine rumbled to life as I disengaged the alarm. They should have had this one changed after they bought it. The codes for the rental company still worked.

Not that they were supposed to without the key being nearby…

“Check the right rear tire well, near the top,” I told him and he circled the vehicle. A moment later, he held up a magnetic box.

“It’s like you left it here as a gift for me.”

The stupidity of some people never failed to amaze me.

“We’ll need to ditch it in a couple of hours, but it should buy you the time to get out of the city. Do you need accommodations or trip planning?”

“You have no idea how much I want to say yes, just to keep you on the phone. I’m aware it’s rather late there.” It was the early hours of the morning there, still too early for sunrise.

“Hmm,” I said. “And I’m doing all of this without coffee.”

“My goddess is the best goddess,” he said. “Thank you for not smiting me.”

I snorted. “Be safe.” On the screen, he was already pulling away and heading east. “Remy…?” I couldn’t help myself.

“Still here, luv.”

“Do you need medical care?” I grimaced at myself for asking, but he had been limping.

“I knew you cared,” he said with a soft laugh. “Go back to sleep goddess, and dream of me. I’ll be fine.”

Then he hung up and I dropped back into the seat, stress and adrenaline drained out of me like someone had pulled the plug on the drain.

Remy was safe. Or as safe as I could make him. He’d also driven away from where I could safely view him. I could track the stolen car, but probably not the best idea.

Checking the clock, I rubbed a hand over my face. Despite the hour, there would be no going back to sleep. I checked the reports from the police for the name of the body they’d found on the street.

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