Page 67 of Instinct & New Identity

“No.TheyknewCat’sname.Andtechnically, everything else on the delivery card was blurred and smeared from the ink on the card with the chocolates,”Ipointed out. “Ifthose two sisters talk half as much on their walks home as they do in the office, it wouldn’t be hard for someone who was stalking them orVinceto hearoneof their names mentioned.”

“So, you put her first name on the card, smear the rest, making it look like an accident even though you don’t actually know the rest of their names or address,”Archersurmised, clearly catching on to whatIwas thinking.

“Hide all you want, but he can’t protect you.Yourdays are numbered,”Irepeated toArcher. “That’swhat the card said.Ifthe threat was really against him, they would know he works in protection.Also, if the threat was againstVince, it would explain why a package came for him today, and whenIpicked it up, the man sitting in the lobby, whoIassume was part of this, recognizedIwasn’tVince.Ifthe threat was only for the girls, they may or may not know whatVincelooked like.Oris it still the same threat, but it goes deeper, and they’ve got a lot of outside help feeding them info?”

“What was in the package?”Archerasked.

“A piece of paper that said ‘back off,Vince’ and that was it.”

“Alright.”Archersighed into the phone. “Letme make some calls.Wereyou planning to stay the night again atVince’sor your new place tonight?”

“Mine.Myfurniture just got delivered today.Iwas just here becauseIleft my laptop charger onVince’skitchen table and overnight bag.Youwant me to say anything toVinceyet?”

“Let me make those calls first.Everythingyou’re saying sounds plausible, butIdon’t want to drop our guard onCatandValjust yet.I’llkeep you posted.”

Archer hung up, andIgrabbed my laptop charger and bag and made my way back out again.

After years in the military, you learned to trust your instincts on a lot of things.Myinstinct was telling me something about this just felt off.Ijust couldn’t quite pinpoint what that was.

26

VINCE

We spent the day hiking up the second trail on the property.Itook some drinks and snacks in my backpack so that we could sit along the overlook and enjoy the view.Catwas enthralled with the scenery when we got to the top, peering through the clearing of the trees to see the valley below.Itwas almost winter, so not much was green, but it was still stunning in its own way.

On the walk back,Itold her we were going out to dinner inHimmelbergsoIcould finally give her the proper dateIhadn’t gotten a chance to the other night.

“They really did a great job of making it feel like aBavarianvillage,”Iexplained. “Thearchitecture of the buildings and the names of the shops all look like they pulled them straight fromGermany.”

“Oh, that sounds so cute,” she replied. “Ican’t wait to see it.”Shelooked down at herself and then at me and laughed. “Weboth look exactly like what we’ve been doing—hanging out in nature.”

It was true,Irealized asIlooked both of us over.Leavesand dirt and other forest debris were clinging to our clothes and bodies.

“When we get back to theA-frame,I’llhelp you shower.”Igave her a sly smile.

“You’llhelpme, eh?” she teased back.

“Yeah.Youlook like you could need help lathering that gorgeous body up, and me, being the chivalrous manIam,I’llgladly sacrifice myself for this job.”

She laughed, then joked right back, “Hmm, maybeI’dprefer to do it all by myself.”

I stopped us, then turned to face her, my hands going to her hips. “You’remine now.Thismeans your days oftaking care of yourselfare over.”

Her eyes widened in shock, butIalso saw the way they gleamed in excitement.Igrabbed her hand and started pulling her along with me.

“Back to the house,”Idirected.

We had just walked back into the cabin whenIheard my phone ring.Seeingit wasArcher,Itold her to get in the shower, andI’dmeet her there.

“Yo,”Isaid to him.

“Small situation withJackyesterday,”Archerstarted. “SoImade a few calls and wanted to catch you up.”

He filled me in on all the details of what had happened the previous night at the loft building.Ifelt my anger tick up again, knowing that it could have beenCatwho walked in to get the package while that prick was there.Healso filled me in on the new theoryJackhad come up with.

I was frustrated because that message inside the box could be anything.Yes,Jackwas right, the threat now seemed to be less aboutCatandValand more about me, but from whom?

“I made some calls to both the officers who stopped by the other night and also theU.S.Marshals,” he divulged. “There’sno chatter from within the gang, and nothing else about their names is popping on any crime chatter.”

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