Page 67 of Deadly Designs

“Good call on relocating,” Kayne said as they joggedto where they’d left Aja Blue.

“I wish I’d been wrong.”

They jumped inside, and Kayne took off before hecould belt up.

“Did you get him?” Aja Blue asked.

“He got away.”

Christian called BeBe, apologizing profusely forbothering her again in the middle of the night, and requested a newvehicle. She directed him to a car rental company at theinternational airport.

“I hate to tell you this, but this one is damaged.”He explained about the bullet.

“Once again, it happens all the time, so noworries.”

He thanked her and typed the address into the onboardnavigation system for Kayne to follow. Then, Christian scrolled tothe captain’s contact information and hit the call button. It waslate, but he didn’t care.

“Captain Parsa.”

“It’s Christian Zamora. There’s been an incident.” Hetold him about the ambush and the shooter getting away.

“That connects the earlier accident,” Parsarealized.

“Pastor Chet is somehow involved.”

“Herbert is out of surgery, and they’ve moved her toa room. After I see her, I’m headed to the station to see how theinterrogations are going.”

They spoke for a few more minutes and thendisconnected. Christian slid his phone into his pocket and twistedin the seat. Aja Blue’s face was pale, and her hands trembled.

“Are you okay?”

More than anything, he wanted to take her in his armsand tell her everything would be okay. He’d protect her or dietrying.

“Yeah,” she said, none too convincingly.

“We’re here,” Kayne said as he flipped on the signaland turned into the lot.

Christian got out and went inside the building totalk to the person behind the desk. The man handed him the keys toanother vehicle, and they transferred their belongings beforedriving away.

“Pull over here,” Christian instructed Kayne. Heswerved to a graveled area next to a chain-link fence that housedlong-term airport parking. Christian slid out and accessed theTyler-made app on his phone that would tell him if their newvehicle had been bugged. Kayne did the same on his side, and theymet at the hood. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust BeBe, because heone-hundred percent did. But people could be bought.

“All clear.”

The back door whipped open, and Aja Blue jumpedout.

“What are you doing?” He didn’t like her being out inthe open. “Get back inside.”

“Christian, look.” She was pointing at the airportlot.

“What is it?”

“See that silver Camry? That’s Jay’s car.”

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Aja Blue couldn’t believe she’d spotted Jay’s Camryamong the thousands that were parked in the lot, but she’drecognized the Pride flag on the back window and the bumper stickerthat read: “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you goingto love somebody else?” It was a quote fromRuPaul’s DragRace, his favorite show.

Kayne pulled in next to it so they could check itout. Christian wouldn’t let her touch it, but she peered inside.Usually, papers littered the passenger seat and floor, but it wasclean. The only things she could see were a Dr. Pepper bottle inone cup holder and a bag of Reece’s Pieces in the other—his twofavorite snacks.

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