Page 31 of Countdown

“Yes. Kevin is about six feet tall, but he’s lean. That guy wasbulked with muscle like he works out on a daily basis and has a little help staying that way.” She paused. “Not that Kevin couldn’t have developed different habits since I last saw him, but as much as he claimed to hate the gym—” She sighed and rubbed her head. “Unless that was a lie too. I don’t know.”

“It’s most likely he stuck to the truth as much as possible in order not to trip over his lies. So, it’s very possible he loved snowboarding and hated the gym. And if you say the intruder wasn’t Kevin, then trust that instinct.”

“I quit trusting my instincts a long time ago,” she muttered, thinking about how she questioned and second-guessed every decision. Kevin had done that to her. And she’d let him.

She lifted her chin. “I need to put him in the rearview mirror, Vince. I have to. No more running, no more looking over my shoulder and being paranoid that he’s going to be there when I turn around. I want him out of my thoughts, my life, my ... whatever. I want him gone.”

“Then let’s do whatever we have to do to make that happen.”

????

TUESDAY MORNING

Seated at his desk at the office, Vince shook himself, realizing he’d been staring at his computer with his fingers resting on the keyboard, but he couldn’t get the incident with the intruder in Raina’s house out of his head. When he asked her to let him help her, she’d flinched.

Then nodded.

An agonizing, slow nod, as though she had to battle to make her head move. But it had definitely been a nod. So ... progress. Now, he was doing more than just looking for Kevin. He was going to make sure he kept her safe. He’d made a few notes on how best to do that, and right now, he was waiting for Holt to send him everything related to Raina’s case.

In the meantime, she’d gone in to work in spite of his desire that she not. Then again, being at the base and surrounded by coworkers was probably one of the safest places she could be.

So, first things first.

He glanced at the clock while he sipped his second cup of coffee for the morning. He had time to run a little errand before heading out to the hospital to babysit Fedorov.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the alley where the man they’d been after had disappeared. Vince exited his vehicle and walked up to the fence. He climbed over it and landed with a thud on the other side into the overgrown weeds, grass, and bushes. He didn’t really expect to find anything but couldn’t help wondering where their “fugitive” had emerged. Broken branches and other debris gave evidence that the man from last night had pushed through. So Vince did the same, and following the path—althoughpathwas definitely an exaggeration—he came out behind one of the other buildings. The only way back onto the street was via another side alley. He took it, scanning the area. And stopped when his eyes landed on a camera attached to the corner of the end building. A liquor store. An idea formed and he hurried inside the shop.

“Help you?” The guy behind the counter was in his late sixties, with a full silver beard, a shiny bald head, and kind eyes.

Vince approached with his hands at his side and a smile on his face. “Yeah, I hope so.” There was only one other person in the store, so Vince leaned in. “Last night, there was a guy who may have been stalking a friend of mine. We chased him into the back alley a couple of doors down, but he vaulted over the fence and came out around the corner of this place.”

The man raised a brow. “No kidding.”

“I came back to kind of scope things out and noticed your camera on that side. I was wondering if—”

“I’d show you the footage?”

“Please.”

“You being straight with me?”

“Would it help if I showed you my badge?” He wasn’t here on official business and didn’t want to come across like he was.

“You a cop?”

“US Marshal, but honestly, the guy I’m looking for isn’t a fugitive. At least not one I’m officially after. It’s possible it’s not even who I think it is.” He shrugged. “I won’t know until I can see the footage.”

More hesitation on the man’s part. The bell over the door signaled someone entering, and Vince glanced at the mirror over the counter to see two guys who looked well under the age of legal. He turned and eyed them. They stopped. Looked at him, then each other, then bolted back outside.

The man at the register chuckled. “I guess you are law enforcement.” He glanced toward the back. “Hey, Simone!”

Seconds later, a young woman with purple hair poked her head out of the back room. “What you need, Crank?”

“Come watch the register. I need to check something on the computer.”

“Sure.” She approached, eyeing Vince, who remained silent.

“And let me know if Dumb and Dumber come back in.”

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