Page 18 of Tango
Logan falls silent then leans forward, taking both of my hands in his. “Come with me. You can stay at my place. I’ll take the couch, you can have the bedroom, but you’ll be safe. Let me protect you. Please, Alice. I couldn’t live with myself if something happens to you.”
It’s sweet, but I’m not sure how to tell him he can’t keep me safe—no one can. And I’m unwilling to have what nearly happened to my parents happen to Logan too. “I can’t, Logan. It’s not safe for you to be near me. I’m sorry.”
His gaze locks on mine, but he nods and withdraws. “If that changes, you know where to find me. I’m right here, Alice. Always.”
“I know. Thank you. Please, just keep me in the loop. Anything, no matter how minor.”
“I will.”
With a smile, I stand. He does, too, then pulls me in for a quick hug.
“I’ll see you soon, okay?” he says.
“Okay. Thanks, Logan.”
He nods then turns and leaves the coffee shop. I wait a few minutes before following him out and going down the opposite side of the street, where my mom’s car is parked. I’d gone back for it last night after the police left. I know I can’t drive it to the place I plan on staying, but it’ll get me to a bus stop without being accosted on the street again. So that’s a win.
Eventually, they’ll catch up to me. I just hope it’s not before I’ve found proof and handed it off to someone who can help me. Maybe someone like Tucker Hunt.
Before my meeting with Logan, I’d done some digging into the Hunt brothers. Ramiro talked about them like they were superheroes. He’d never met them but knew of their work from his uncle Frank, who works with them from time to time.
I’d studied the backgrounds of every single one of them, but it was Tucker who truly captivated my attention. From all that I read, every single one of them is intelligent, kind, brave, and motivated by a deep-rooted faith.
But Tucker—there’s just something about him particularly. It could be how selflessly he’d thrown himself into danger at my parents’ house last night, not even bothering to wait for backup before plunging into battle. Or it could have something to do with how he and his dog took down two armed murderers without so much as breaking a sweat.
Honestly though? I think it’s more. It’s the way his bright blue eyes stared straight through me. How he’d held onto me when I’d been so lost to my anger I’d lunged at men twice my size.
Then there’s the fact that he’s a total computer whiz. Likely one of the few who could challenge me. And that’s not arrogance speaking, it’s just fact. God blessed me with an aptitude for coding, and I’ve done everything I can to use those gifts to make Him proud. I’ve protected important information, kept the names of high-ranking police officers and federal agents hidden behind a wall. Shielded those in witness protection.
And worked hard to be a good steward of the time He’s granted me on this earth.
Grief hits me out of nowhere. Ramiro did that too. I’d just started getting him to go to church with me right before he was killed. Even though his mother and the rest of his extended family are devout Christians, Ramiro struggled with his faith—likely because of losing his father at such a young age.
But he’d been close.
So close.
Lord, please let him have found You before— I can’t even finish the prayer before tears well up in my eyes. Please let him have found You. Amen.
I unlock the door and climb behind the wheel of my mom’s Kia, then start it up and pull away from the curb without any hesitation. As I drive, I continue to glance up in the rearview mirror, doing what I can to ensure I’m not being followed. My hope is that I’ll be able to put some distance between me and Web Safe while working to find a way into the system without being detected.
If I can do that, then maybe I stand a chance at uncovering what’s really going on and how deep it truly goes. After all, hackers love to leave their own signature on their work. I’ve certainly dealt with enough of them to know. Some, I’d even recognize. All I need is to get close enough. And if I can’t do it from a safe distance, I’ll have to find a way into Web Safe to do it from the server room I barely escaped last time.
Because, even if it kills me, I will bring Ramiro justice.
Chapter 7
Tucker
“Can you give me a bit more insight into what happened last night?” I ask the Sterlings as we head outside and sit on the front porch. They’d locked up a bit once Frank arrived, but my hope is that a change of scenery will help move things along. I can’t help but feel as though we’re running out of time, and the last thing I want is to bring their daughter home in a body bag. “You said Alice had been shot and that she’d shown up at your house, looking for help.”
“Yes. She showed up in shock. Her eyes were wide, her face pale—she was soaking wet because of the rain.” Jemma takes a deep breath. “We barely had a chance to get her seated at the table before those men were banging on our door.”
“Alice panicked. Said she needed to leave, but we convinced her to hide down in the basement,” Fred adds.
“Did they not search the house?” I question.
“They did, but we had to have some maintenance work done under the house, and instead of backfilling it with more dirt, they created a little shaft around the joint that broke. It’s a small concrete room barely big enough for her to hide in but perfectly hidden from view,” he tells me.
