Page 55 of Nicole's Shelter

She’d done some stupid things with long-reaching consequences, but falling for the man holding her now would top the list. He had a life and a team, and she knew he wouldn’t just walk away from that, no matter what threat Clifton posed.

There was a dignity, an honor about Rick she admired and knew she’d never be able to emulate. She’d been running too long. As much as she wanted to make a stand, she didn’t know how to live through such an effort.

“When have you been around gangs lately?”

“I haven’t. I really don’t spend any time where gang bangers hang out.”

“But they were at the fire.”

“You’re thinking about the kid with the knife.”

“There were some others in the parking lot.”

She sat up, taking the sheet with her, and ignoring the dizziness that accompanied the swift movement. “I thought you made that up for the investigators poking around the scene.”

“You didn’t see them?”

“I was looking for suits and badges, not hats, tattoos, or colors.”

“Understandable.” He laid his hand over hers, stilling her nervous pleating of the blanket. “But I don’t believe you.”

“That’s insulting.”

“With your eye for composition and detail, I don’t believe you miss many details whether you’re looking for them or not.”

Caught, she sighed. “Fine. I did see some familiar colors.”

“Familiar how?”

“People sport similar colors sometimes near the high-risk community clinics. But I’ve never met any of them personally.”

“Were you on the packaging team for the new drug coming to market?”

“No. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Eva copied me on an email she sent to Allie. Photo arrays of gang bangers.”

“Why?”

“Allie was attacked—she’s fine,” he assured her when she gasped. “The fingerprints taken from the perps matched known gang bangers in the Virginia area.”

“That’s insane. Allie doesn’t have any gang—oh.” She clapped a hand over her mouth.

“What?”

“It has to be the charity thing we did at the clinic. I went with her to take the publicity shots. It’s a new program that donates essential meds to communities in need.”

“Two gangs.”

He was moving too fast for her. “Two gangs,” she repeated dumbly.

“I’d bet a month’s salary the apartment building fire is related to Allie’s case and has nothing to do with your past.” He rolled out of the bed and she watched the big shadow of him cross to the chair and rummage around.

“Why burn down my apartment? What did I do?”

“Your job is all it would take. You knew where Allie was going. Whoever is setting Allie up was trying to eliminate loose ends.”

“Like the instant messaging record on my laptop.” She didn’t like it, but she could see the logic.

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