Page 56 of A Step You Shouldn't Take

“WHAT’S THE BAG for?” I asked Kim when I tripped over a small duffel in the hallway.

After downing two mugs of strong instant coffee, I was waiting for the caffeine rush to hit, and boy did I need it. Why did everything have to happen at once?

“It’s my overnight bag. I’m coming with you.”

Was she serious? “No, you’re not.”

“Why? Think about it—we can share the driving and take it in turns to sleep. I don’t have a wedding this weekend, just a meeting to discuss floral arrangements, and I already spoke to Annie and she said she’d take that and also pick my car up.”

Kim had really thought this through, hadn’t she? A strange warmth spread out in my chest because nobody had ever done that for me before—dropped everything to help—but I still couldn’t let her come along. Not when I planned to sleep in the back seat and skulk around the bad parts of Cincinnati where I feared Emma had ended up. My sister’s best traits were also her weaknesses—her sweetness and kind heart meant she was easily led, and more than once, that had landed her in trouble. Landed the whole family in trouble. Mom blamed Emma for the break-up of her previous marriage, and our current stepfather refused to have anything to do with my sister.

“I appreciate the offer, sweetheart. More than you’d think. But I can do this on my own.”

“I’m sure you can, but why should you have to? Besides, I hardly ever leave the state, so it’ll be fun. I hate heights, you see, so I never fly unless I absolutely have to, or stay in high-rise hotels, and even tall staircases make me feel a bit sick. Sorry, I’m rambling now.”

“Kim, this isn’t a vacation. It’s work.”

“I can stay in the hotel while you do your thing. I promise I won’t get in the way.”

“I’m not staying in a hotel. I’ll sleep in my car.”

Her lips formed into a perfectly plump circle. “But it’s freezing outside.”

“I’m used to it.”

“Used to sleeping in your car? What, like on stakeouts?”

Oh, fuck it. If we carried on with the invisible man case, she’d find out about my living situation sooner or later.

“I’m between homes at the moment.”

“You’re what?” Determination morphed into pity, exactly what I didn’t want. “You’re homeless?”

“It’s temporary. Just some cash flow problems.”

“But…but…”

I backed towards the front door. “See you in a few days, okay?”

Outside, I heard the door slam and too late, I realised Kimberly was on the wrong side of it. She ran past me, clutching her flowery pink bag, and leapt into my passenger seat. Shit.

“Kim, didn’t you hear a word I said?”

“Yes. I just chose to ignore it.”

“What’s it gonna take to get you out of my vehicle?”

“A dozen firemen, an Ines di Santo bridal gown at ninety percent discount, or an act of God.”

For a moment, I actually considered the firemen. I knew a couple at the gym, and…Forget it.That would take time I didn’t have.

“You’re crazy.”

“We’ve just established I can talk to dead people, and now you tell me I’m crazy because I want to go to Ohio?”

Think positive, Cullen.If I did find Emma, maybe she wouldn’t create such a scene if I had a stranger with me.

“Fine. Come if you must, but if I do anything remotely dangerous, you’re staying in the car.”

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