Page 38 of Nicole's Shelter

“What if the fire at your apartment is related to Allie’s case and the agent who’s been after you just happened to catch the news?”

“Why would anyone at the company want to burn down my apartment?”

“Because your camera caught something it shouldn’t.” His instincts were humming. “I really need to get that photo of Roberts to my boss.”

“You’re implying Roberts had someone search my apartment and set the fire?”

“Yes.”

“Then why would the DEA try to snatch my camera?”

“Assuming they know nothing about Allie’s case, they were probably hoping you caught something to lead them to Nicole. To you.”

She picked up the camera and started scrolling through the pictures. “I can upload the SD card to the cloud and send pictures to any email address from there too. We just need to find a computer.”

“I’ve only got an iPad with me.”

She hummed. “That can work.” She glanced around. “In your backpack?”

He nodded, wondering what she was up to as she rummaged around behind the seat before settling back with his iPad in hand. She turned it on and smiled at the screen lock. “Smart man. Can you unlock it while you’re driving?”

“Yeah.” He got it on the second try and handed it back to her. “Just don’t hack me or lock me out,” he teased.

“Not my area,” she said, clearly distracted.

He realized what she was doing, using the iPad camera to capture the image displayed on her camera, but he had no idea if it would work.

“Awesome!” She turned the iPad so he could see it.

“Great,” he agreed with a nod. The image of Roberts talking with the homeless man was crystal clear. “Email it to the Cypress Security addresses in my contacts list.”

“All of them?”

“Please.”

“Any message?”

“Just add the date the picture was taken.”

“Anything else?”

“Nope.” He wanted to let his boss know he had a new case, but he didn’t want Nicole sending that particular email. Eva was probably already on it. Knowing how tangled up their boss was over Allie, and how much Allie worried for Nicole, it wasn’t a big leap to conclude Rick would want to sort out Nicole’s troubles.

“All done.”

“Great. Thanks.” Now to ditch the car. It meant calling Eva again, but it couldn’t be helped. Between the DEA and the federal marshals he wanted to reduce the odds stacked up against them. Eva would give anyone who asked enough of a story to keep them busy, but that wasn’t any guarantee of long-term safety.

They were alone on a two-lane highway and not a traffic camera in sight. “Any chance you’ve got a car stashed on your escape route?”

She shook her head. “I planned to rent one at some point.”

He managed not to gawk at the volunteered information. More progress was a good thing. “Not with your own credit card?”

“No. I do have some common sense. The feds aren’t the only ones who can create an ID.”

He chuckled. “Think of the unemployed forgers if that were true.”

“An entire cottage industry down the drain,” she deadpanned. “Oh, the humanity.”

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