Page 49 of True Valor
“I don’t know.Why?”
“We need to load up and get out of here.”Cruz handed Julie the laptop case.He grabbed his duffle bag andled the way to the door.Before he got there, though, she movedaround in front of him.
“Look, Cruz, I don’t even know you.You maybe Nic’s friend, but I don’t even know Nic that well.No way I’mgoing anywhere unless you explain.”
At the shake of his head, Julie put down thecase and crossed her arms.
Exasperated, Cruz pulled up in Julie’s face.“Julie, Nic and I will fill you in later, I promise.But right now,we have to go.”
Julie watched Eric’s smile vanish—replacedwith intensity.She’d seen Nic make the same transition, but it wasmuch more pronounced with Cruz.His flirty, cheerful optimism wasnow tempered with the edge that likely made him a kick-asswarrior.
Julie was convinced.
“What about Nic?”Julie asked as they threwthe gear in the back of the green sedan in the parking lot.
“We’ll leave him a message.”
Julie followed Cruz back into the room.
“Grab a pair of Nic’s shorts,” he said,pointing to Nic’s bag and going again into the bathroom.Instead,Julie followed him.
On the steam-fogged mirror, Cruz wrote three,three, three, nine, nine, zero, seven.Then, he reached into theshower and turned off the water.
“Did you get the shorts?”Eric barked.
His voice sent a tingle of fear down Julie’sback, like when a cop asked to see your driver’s license and proofof insurance.He looked at Nic’s bag and back to her, raising aneyebrow.
“Sorry.”Julie scurried to do as he’d asked.She felt creepy digging through Nic’s clothes and even creepierpulling out his underwear.
“Throw them over the lamp and let’s go.”
Eric managed a typical wicked grin at thelook she gave him.
“Some sort of code?”
“PJ-speak.Nic’ll get the message.”
First things first.Cruz took the opportunityto swing through a fast-food joint.When he took the airportturnoff, Julie came to life.She hadn’t been paying attention.
“Where are we going?”
“Gansner Field.”
“I thought...”
He smiled at her confusion.“We’reflying.”
“Flying?”
“Geez,chica, you can’t think I’ddrive this far, even for Nic?”
Chapter Eighteen
Nic did indeed get the warning.Underwear onthe lamp meant look for a message.Steam the bathroom and read themirror.Then wipe it clean.Three, three, three: SOS.Nine, nine,zero, seven: the last four of Eric’s cell number.
Nic grabbed his phone.
“Cruz.”
