Page 92 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“I’ve got it,” the Planner said. “You and I won’t talk again until after.”

The Builder gripped the Crusader’s shoulder and squeezed, then walked out.

It was just the two of them. He took her hands and leaned close. “I’m worried about you. I think maybe it would be best if you stayed?—”

“I have to be there.” She quit the fidgeting, though it seemed to take great effort. She met his eyes and bent toward him. “I’m under control. You don’t have to worry about me.”

That she felt she had to convince him scared him more than anything. She was self-aware enough to know she was spinning out.

But he was doing this for her. He wasn’t about to rob her of the joy of seeing her dream come true.

“Meet me Thursday at nine o’clock. We’ll go together from there. We can’t take the back way in.” The Builder had told him the device was stable, but he wasn’t about to go bouncing on an old logging road with it in his arms. “We’ll take the main entrance, make sure the lot is empty, then set it up where the Builder said.”

The Crusader’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. Her complete lack of fear was as admirable as it was terrifying.

Did she really understand what they were doing?

Of course she did. This whole thing had been her idea.

“We’ll take the logging road when we leave. We should be out of the woods before it goes off. We’ll go straight up to the spot. You drop me at my car and then meet him.”

“It’s perfect.”

“You remember what to tell him after?”

“That he has to say I was with him. If he doesn’t, my partner”—she kissed the Planner’s cheek and giggled—“will send the evidence to the police, and he’ll be implicated.”

She seemed to understand. Despite the wild look in her eyes—some combination of glee and excitement—she comprehended the gravity of the situation.

He hoped.

“We won’t see each other over spring break. You’ll be questioned. When they come to talk to you, you only need to remember one word.”

“Lawyer.”

“Exactly. You have the number I gave you?”

She nodded.

“He’s good. If your husband won’t pay him, I will.”

There were benefits to having a trust fund.

“He’ll pay.” Her confidence in her husband only irritated him, though it was probably merited. Despite everything, it seemed her husband loved her.

After she left, the Planner finished his beer, tipped the bartender, and made his way out. It was dark by the time he reached his car, so he didn’t see the figure leaning against his driver’s door until he was almost to it.

Hiding his surprise, he stopped and crossed his arms.

“I think you should call it off,” the Builder said.

“Why didn’t you say that inside?”

“She’d have blown a gasket and alerted the whole bar.”

The Planner made a show of looking around the nearly empty lot. “It’s not like anybody was there to hear.”

“It wasn’t empty. That bartender and a couple of the customers have been here every time we’ve met. When our pictures are on TV?—”

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