Page 63 of Dangerous Rhythm

Lina ground her teeth.

“I’m gonna get some sleep. Been up all night, getting things done.” Raul got up. “See you on the flip side.”

“Raul.” Lina stopped him before he walked away. “Thank you. You did me a solid.”

He nodded. “I may need a favor someday.”

“You got it.”

When Raul left the room, Lina turned to the quiet Curtis. His earlier playfulness was gone now that the reality of the situation had returned.

“We’re running again?” he asked flatly.

“See it more like putting more distance between you and the Stilettos.”

“What about my family? Are they still safe in France?”

“We’re drawing the danger away from Europe. We’re leaving just enough trail without actually letting them know where we’re heading,” Lina explained.

Curtis sighed. “How long can we keep running?”

Lina swallowed any typical reassuring speech for a client and honestly said, “I don’t know, Curtis. Once I can get hold of B&Y safely again, we’ll figure out what’s happening.”

Marcus technically couldn’t do much about the Stilettos. B&Y was not a law-enforcement organization. Their job was to keep Curtis safe. But he was right. They couldn’t run for the rest of their lives.

Curtis handed Lina her duffel bag, then hauled his own bag and guitar from the Jeep. They’d driven to a smaller, older airport. He didn’t even catch the name. Obviously, Raul had his connections because he’d driven them right through a barricaded gate with no issue and straight to a small jet.

He followed Raul while Lina walked at his flank toward a tall woman wearing a brown leather jacket, tan pants, and a fedora.She looked like a female Indiana Jones without the whip, though he imagined she could handle one easily.

“Raul,” the woman said with a big smile and open arms.

They embraced before turning to Curtis and Lina. The woman’s face lit up even more when she saw Lina. They hugged even longer.

“Querida, how long has it been?” the woman asked.

“Five years, give or take?” Lina smiled. “I love the look, Carmen.”

Carmen made a pose with her outfit. “You like?”

“The perfect outfit for smuggling,” Raul said.

Curtis’ eyes widened. “Are we smuggling out? Is this illegal?”

Carmen laughed. “Don’t listen to him. Raul jokes, you know.” She eyed Curtis before returning her eyes to Lina. “This is your client,sí?”

“This is Curtis,” Lina introduced. “Curtis, this is Carmen. She’s in transports.”

“You want to go somewhere? I take you,” Carmen said. “Or you need something specially delivered? I deliver.”

“Legally, right?” Curtis asked again.

Carmen glanced at Raul as if asking if this guy was for real. “Of course,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” Lina said. “Raul has taken care of the immigration matters, if that’s what you’re thinking about. We just need to keep you out of the public eye.”

Curtis would have to take Lina’s word for it. It wasn’t like he had any choice. But ever since he’d left his apartment a week ago, everything seemed so surreal—even his moments with Lina. He couldn’t believe this was his life.

He didn’t even look or feel like himself anymore. Lina had buzzed his hair close to his scalp. It was that or the hair dye. The beard had filled in pretty nicely and he didn’t recognize his own face in the mirror. He hated it.

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