Page 15 of Allie's Shelter

“Whoever’s tailing you wants the data more than you. At least for now.”

“You know this how?”

“They stopped to search for the phone you pitched. Probably thought it was a hard drive.”

Her palms went damp. She hadn’t mentioned the thumb drive. How had Ross learned that detail? “Good.” It was all she could manage.

“Maybe. We’ll just have to see who’s waiting for us at the sheriff’s office.”

She didn’t even try to reply. Was he her friend…or her enemy?

* * *

Ross hated lying to her, even by omission, but he didn’t see the value in full disclosure yet. She’d despise him when this was over, no matter how it resolved. The thought had his teeth grinding in frustration.

If he had to analyze it, he’d say most of his life had been an opportunity to practice anger and attitude management. He’d learned early on that temper, whether turned outward or kept inside, was equally destructive, so he’d found safe outlets. Joining the military had been a relief on many levels, with the physical challenge and the distraction of doing important work. No, it hadn’t been easy, but he’d come to think of his years in Special Forces as graduate-level work in problem solving and attitude control.

He was particularly irritated—not yet angry—that his client had apparently hired plenty of other talent to track down Allie and the data she’d stolen.

Sure, it was rude and showed a distinct lack of respect. Worse it revealed a deep desperation. In his experience, desperate people only muddied the waters of any conflict.

He was definitely angry that they’d managed to clone his cell phone. He had others of course, but it was the principle of the matter. Rarely did a client get the jump on him and dupe him this way.

They cruised into town, rolling by the sheriff’s office. He didn’t see any sign of the rental car that had stopped to search for the pieces of his cell phone, but they couldn’t be too far behind.

“We aren’t going in?”

He didn’t answer right away, weighing the options. “In a minute.” That’s all it would take to do a circuit of town, to see if Eva had followed his orders or not. His assistant would give him hell if she turned out to be right about hanging around town.

The woman was worth the grief just for the technical savvy she brought to his operation, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear about it for the rest of his life.

They arrived at the sheriff’s office from the opposite direction this time and still saw no sign of the other car. Ross parked around back, next to the sheriff department’s unmarked car. As cover went, it sucked, but it might buy them a couple of extra seconds.

He cut the engine, released his seat belt, and reached for Allie’s hand. “Can I use your phone?”

“If you can get a signal.” She handed it over. “It’s a cheap, prepaid thing.”

“Good.” Smart girl. He sent a text to Eva and handed the phone back. “Did you steal proprietary data or just evidence of the money scam?”

Her mouth thinned to a mutinous line. “You can’t hand it over. Not even to the sheriff.”

“I won’t.”

“But don’t you have to? As an officer of the court or something?”

She had him there. Sort of. “Trust me. I think we can find a bit of common ground before we lock you up and return the banking information.”

Her lower lip quivered and she caught it between her teeth. He stomped on the inappropriate urge to soothe that little bite with his own mouth.

“Let me protect you, Allie.”

“It’s not your team following us, trying to force my hand?”

“No.” He gritted his teeth, breathed in and out again slowly. He knew she was stressed out and didn’t mean to be insulting. The trepidation was clear enough in every little nuance of her body language.

“What’s your plan?”

He smiled. “Simple. We go inside and cooperate. You tell Cochran whatever you want or whatever you don’t want, but I figure no one will take a shot at you in the sheriff’s office.”

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