Page 8 of Critical Strike

Still not the whole truth.

“I’m going to get you a hotel room,” Luke said. “I’ll pay for it.”

She parted her lips like she might protest, but in the end, she nodded. “Okay. Thank you. But I don’t want you to think that’s why I came here. I’m not trying to use you.”

“You’re not using me. I’m glad to help out an old friend. Once you get some sleep, we can figure out what to do next.”

She smiled, though it wasn’t without uncertainty. “Okay. Thank you.”

A few minutes later, he had her and Khan bundled into her car and she was following him to a motel a few miles away. He would’ve liked to put her up somewhere nicer—and closer—but she’d explained that Khan liked to go outside to use the bathroom so it would be more convenient not to stay at a traditional hotel.

Damn cat really did think he was a dog.

He took her to a motor lodge where she could let Khan in and out easily and could park right in front of her room. She waited in her car while he checked her in at the front desk, not wanting the clerk to know she was staying alone.

When he came back out, Claire was staring out her windshield, almost glossy-eyed with exhaustion. He’d planned to take her out to a restaurant to eat and talk some more, but instead, he settled for driving her to a nearby fast-food joint where he made her eat. Greasy calories were better than none at all.

Back at the motor lodge he carried her small bag of belongings as he walked her to the door and placed the bag on the dresser inside. She looked like she was about to fall over. “Get some sleep. Everything will feel better after a night of rest, I promise.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, sitting down on the bed.

He didn’t want to leave her here alone, but sleep was the best thing for her right now. And he’d be much more useful back at the office digging into her situation more thoroughly.

“I’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning. We’ll talk more then. Lock the door behind me when I leave.”

She nodded. “Luke, I—” She stopped whatever she was going to say. “Thank you for helping me.”

Unable to stop himself, he softly touched her cheek. “Get some rest, Kitten. You’re not in this alone anymore.”

Chapter Three

Luke’s gaze was stuck to his rearview mirror as he drove away from the motel. Leaving Claire alone went against everything in his gut, but he had to do it.

He needed answers, and at that moment, they weren’t coming from her.

At the first stoplight, he put in a call to his friend over at the San Antonio PD, Rick Gavett.

“Gavett.” The background sounds of a busy police department undercut Rick’s voice.

“Rick, it’s Luke Patterson.”

“Luke! I usually get a call from Weston, not you. Who do you need found today?”

They’d all known Rick for years, although Weston was closest with him. He’d been on the force with Rick before a bullet during an undercover assignment gone wrong had ended Weston’s law enforcement career and almost his life. Rick had always been willing to help out San Antonio Security whenever he could.

“Not trying to find anyone today, believe it or not.” Luke looked in the rearview again, even though he couldn’t see the motor lodge any longer.

“No one? What, are you guys shutting down San Antonio Security or something?”

“Not while I’m alive and kicking.” The light turned green. “I need a different kind of favor from you today.”

“Do tell.”

“I have an old friend I need to check up on. Name’s Claire Wallace.” The name tasted achingly sweet on Luke’s tongue, like he’d gotten one bite of the best dessert in the world and now wanted more.

“A lady friend?”

“A childhood friend. She’s in some kind of trouble and needs my help, but the details are slow coming.”

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