Page 22 of Trust No One

Mel shook her head. “Too dangerous, especially if Kingsley suspects someone’s looking at him. I don’t want to take any risks with you or your wife. Only call me if you hear something important. Otherwise, we’ve got this. If we need to talk to you, I’ll call your burner. But if there’s someone else you trust who might be able to help, we’re happy to talk to him or her.”

“I’ll give that some thought,” Simon said. “See if anyone’s a possibility.”

She touched his hand. “I know you’re taking a huge risk, Simon, and we appreciate it. But we want you to stay safe. Leave Kingsley to us.”

Chapter 8

Dev drove out of Donohue’s parking lot, but as he turned onto the road that led to the interstate, there was enough traffic that he had to rely on Mel to watch for a tail. As they got onto the interstate not far from Donohue’s, he said, “Anyone behind us?”

“Not yet,” she said. She adjusted the side-view mirror so she could see the whole road behind them. “Wait. Another car just came up the ramp. Sedan. Silver. A few years old. The kind that blends in.”

Dev’s heart sped up, hard thumps against his ribcage. “Only one person in the car?”

“Far as I can tell. Maybe a male? But I can’t be sure. He’s hanging back.” When he glanced at her, she was frowning. “Going slow. Ease off the gas and let him get closer.”

Dev glanced in the rearview mirror and spotted the car immediately. Frowned. “Is he staring at his lap instead of the road?”

“Possibly on his phone. We might not have to worry about him,” Mel said. “But let’s not assume anything.”

“Agreed,” Dev said. He sped up, putting some distance between the silver sedan and their SUV. But the traffic was steady and the interstate was busy, so it was difficult to get very far ahead of it.

“Still poking along,” she reported after several minutes. “There are several cars between us now. Harder to keep track of him.”

“Some idiot using his phone while he drives,” Dev said with a scowl. “But keep an eye on him. We can’t assume anything.”

“I’m watching him,” Mel said. “Change lanes. I want to make sure he’s not a decoy to distract us from the car really following us.”

“Good thinking,” Dev said as he signaled and moved into the next lane over. Then the one on the far left.

Mel stared into her mirror. “Move into the middle lane,” she ordered. “Haven’t seen anything suspicious yet, but more movement might shake someone loose.”

Dev obediently changed into the middle lane. Stayed there for five minutes, then moved to the far right. Three minutes later, he exited the interstate.

“Good move,” Mel said. “I didn’t see anyone changing lanes with us, but it’ll be easy to see who follows us down the ramp.”

They caught a stoplight less than a block after the exit. As they waited for the light to change, he stared into the rearview mirror as Mel studied the side mirror.

By the time the light turned green, he’d seen three more cars exit down the ramp, none of them a silver sedan. “You see more than three?” he asked her.

“Nope. Three it is. I’ll keep an eye on them and see what they do.”

“I’m gonna stay on this road for a while so we can watch them.”

After several blocks, all three of the cars that had followed them off the interstate had turned down side streets. Dev exhaled and relaxed his shoulders. “We’re good.”

“Maybe,” Mel said. “I’m gonna keep watching. Don’t go directly to the hotel. Make some random turns, especially when we pass neighborhoods where there are mostly houses.”

“Will do,” he said, clenching his teeth. Did Mel think he’d never practiced evasive driving procedures?

After a moment, she reached over and touched his arm. “Sorry, Dev. I know you know that. I’m just jittery.”

He blew out a breath. “Yeah, I get it. Neither of us has had to do this lately.”

“And right now, it’s just the two of us,” she added. “No back-up.”

They wandered through one neighborhood after another, without seeing anyone following them. Finally he turned onto a main artery back to the motel.

His fingers were on the turn signal when Mel grabbed his arm. “Don’t,” she said sharply. “Keep going.”

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