Page 35 of Black Ice
“Me either,” Wyatt agreed, taking the easier trail directly in Baker’s wake.
The screech sounded, this time much closer. A gunshot followed. He turned in time to see Cordell struggling to pull the trigger again.
Wyatt dropped low and skidded into the man’s legs like a big league hitter stealing home. Cordell went down, howling in pain.
Wyatt ran, aiming for the last place he’d heard Evie’s screech owl. His legs were heavy, his cold, wet clothing making the task harder still. It felt like running in a nightmare, when every fiberof his being urged him to move faster and his body wouldn’t cooperate.
Cordell fired another shot and the bullet bit into a tree to Wyatt’s left. He veered away from the shower of snow and bark. Spotting Evie gave him a much needed jolt of adrenaline.
She tugged him down into a hollow created by a fallen tree and the thick blanket of snow. It wasn’t exactly a secure hideout since his track through the snow would be obvious for a little while, but he didn’t hear anyone shouting or tramping behind him.
“Evie.” The break from the blowing wind was almost as wonderful as seeing her. “How did you get ahead of us?” And how much had the weather compromised his judgment if he hadn’t noticed her so close?
“You didn’t think I’d sit around waiting at the SUV.”
“Well, no,” he admitted. What would she do if he kissed her? She’d most likely punch him. Regret followed in the wake of relief. After all of this, she might never let him touch her properly again. “I expected you to head back to the casino.”
“You’re not a criminal.”
She’d spoken with such intense bitterness, he laughed. “And that annoys you.”
“It does.” Abruptly, she pressed a bulky glove-covered hand to his mouth and cocked her head, listening. Her touch, such as it was, sent another jolt through him. He didn’t hear anything but wind-driven snow and the creak of tree limbs bending under the heavy weight.
When she scooted back into the shadows of their hideout he missed that brief contact desperately. “We can’t sit here and wait to be shot,” he whispered.
“We shouldn’t jump out into an ambush either.” She pressed her gloved hands to her face. “He isn’t built for this weather and he doesn’t know his way around the area.”
“Cordell’s greed and worry over Baker will trump hunting us down.”
“Let’s hope,” she said.
“I thought they’d drop long before now,” he said. “Baker’s injured. I told them we could shelter at the mining museum.”
“Without you they don’t stand a chance,” she said. “Come over here and we’ll stay warm while we wait a bit.”
It was the sweetest invitation he’d ever heard. He wedged himself next to her, their combined body heat easing the sting of cold in his fingers and toes. “I’m not a criminal,” he blurted. “Never was. I’m working undercover for the FBI.”
She wrapped her arms around her knees, her gaze a little sad. “You could’ve said something.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I wanted to tell you the second I saw you.”
“You could’ve told me when I stopped by your hotel room,” she pointed out.
His lack of trust hurt her feelings. It should’ve made him sad, instead he was recharged, hopeful that she felt that connection between them coming back to life. “The FBI was listening. Once Cordell reached out to you, they were watching you, too. I couldn’t take the chance and blow everything. You told me you’d stay home.”
“And if I had you’d be out here alone.”
Her eyes flashed and he braced for the punch she would’ve thrown at his shoulder or his nose if they were younger. He deserved that and much, much more.
“Why?” she asked.
He didn’t need her to clarify. “The FBI promised me a hefty payout if I could lead the crew into their net. I needed the capital and connections to start my own business.”
“What business? You should have years left in the army. Is being a trail guide for thieves a viable career?”
He rolled his eyes. Cautiously, he took her hand and pulled off the borrowed glove. Then he placed her hand low on his leg where his calf muscle had once been. “The Army says I’m not good enough to serve anymore.”
“Well, they’re stupid.”
