Page 33 of Montana Freedom

“No. And with your connection to Simon, we can arrest you and bring you in either way.” Agent Phillips was already reaching for his cuffs, but if he thought Emma would make it easy for him, he was wrong. “So, we can do this the easy way…or the hard way.”

“Don’t worry, Emma,” I said. “Agent Phillips threatens to arrest people as a sign of affection. He’s already done it to me once today.”

A flicker of a smile crossed her face, but she still didn’t quite look at me.

“What does the easy way involve?”

“Coming to the field office in Seattle and telling us everything you know. After that, we’ll see.”

She sat still for a moment, considering. “I want Simon taken down as much as you do. Probably more, considering he wants to kill me. I don’t trust you, but I’ll help you.”

“Good—”

“On one condition,” she interrupted.

Agent Jones slid his hands into his pockets. “And what’s that?”

Emma pointed straight at me. “He comes with me.”

Chapter10

Emma

I’ve never been anywhere.

It was the thought that kept circling in my head as I looked out the plane window and watched Seattle appear. My whole life was Montana. Born and raised, school and college, my mom’s death, and meeting Simon. The only thing that wouldn’t have been in Montana was my death, if Simon had his way.

Oh, and my mom took me on a road trip to see Mount Rushmore once when I was younger, but that was it.

I glanced over at Daniel. His arms were crossed, head leaning back on the headrest and eyes closed.

The FBI had booked us flights under false names, and everything had been a whirlwind since they’d barged into the cabin yesterday. The fake names made me feel better. Simon hadn’t been heard from or seen since that night, but I knew just as well as the FBI he still had resources, and I was glad they were being careful.

I was also glad Daniel was here.

How happy he was to be here, I wasn’t sure. He was still kind and attentive, but I could tell a difference between now and before the cabin. I didn’t know if it was because I hadn’t told him the truth about Simon, or because I was Simon’s daughter, he didn’t trust me anymore? Either way, I felt a distance I didn’t like.

I’d already known I was attracted to him, but I’d convinced myself it was just me. I had no expectations. It was simply my brain painting him with hero status because he saved my life and was kind to me. The ache in my chest whenever I tried to catch his eye and he couldn’t quite meet mine told me differently.

While his eyes were closed, I looked at him. I’d slept in front of him before, but I’d never seen him like this. Watching someone sleep was a different kind of intimacy. I was able to trace the slope of his nose with my eyes and admire the line of his jaw. Little things it might seem strange to examine when you were talking with someone.

Daniel had a little scruff on his face. Since the FBI showed up yesterday, he’d been so busy he’d forgotten to shave.

I was watching him, and I was desperately trying not to look at the special agents on the opposite side of the aisle. Missoula to Seattle was barely a hop, and this wasn’t a big plane. There were only two seats on either side. Thankfully, I was in the window seat, so Daniel was a buffer between us.

My nerves were steadier than I thought they would be. Mostly because they already knew so much. I couldn’t disappoint them the way I could Daniel and the police chief. I might be able to surprise the FBI with what I remembered, but they already thought I was tainted by association.

Something about it was relieving, as fucked up as the thought was. If they already thought I was a criminal, I had nothing to lose. And after losing everything more than once, I was tired of being in that position.

The flight attendant’s voice came over the speaker, announcing how close we were to the ground, and Daniel’s eyes opened. Instantly, they locked on mine, and I realized I was still staring at him, lost in thought.

“Are you all right?”

The sound of his voice roughened with sleep did things to my insides I couldn’t fully explain. I swallowed. “Yeah. We’re about to land.”

He looked over at our dark shadows before scrubbing a hand over his face. “Okay.”

“Daniel?”

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