Chapter 19

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Tori stared at the apartment building, wondering what was happening.

She closed her eyes and prayed Kai and Gage were okay. Every move they made seemed so risky. Had the potential for danger and harm.

She hated everything about this situation.

She couldn't let herself get so focused on this Alfie guy that she let her guard down. If Larchmont—or whoever was behind these acts—was watching them, then he might see this as an opportunity.

She couldn't let that happen.

How had her life gone from a simple one, doing a job she loved, to this?

Not that her life had been perfect before.

There had been Michael, her fiancé. He was a doctor back in Houston, and Tori had caught him cheating on her with another nurse. He'd begged her to try to work things out, but she'd refused—infidelity was a deal-breaker for her.

Three weeks later, her job in Houston had ended, and she'd taken a new assignment in Seattle.

Then there was everything with Nathan.

Knowing someone may have killed both Nathan and Landon caused knots to form in her stomach. How had everything turned into such a nightmare?

She glanced up and saw Kai still at the door. He hadn't gone inside yet.

Exactly what was this Alfie guy doing? What if he emerged with a gun?

How could she step in and help? Her nursing skills might help them after they were harmed, but those skills would do no good in the heat of battle.

Tori glanced behind her, still on edge and unable to let down her guard.

A dark sedan slowly pulled into the parking lot.

She sank lower in her seat and squinted as she tried to make out the car's details.

Was that the same vehicle that had been following them when they were at Nathan's?

She wasn't positive. But the fact the driver drove so slowly through the parking lot raised some red flags.

She glanced back at the apartment building in time to see Kai running down the steps.

Something had happened, she realized.

She looked behind her again, her heart pounding harder.

The sedan slowly came closer to the SUV where she hid.

The dark, tinted windows didn't allow her to see who was inside.

Her gaze swerved back to Kai again.

He darted toward the back of the building.

Alfie must have tried to run. Now Gage and Kai were trying to stop him.

She twisted her neck to look behind her one more time, unsure which direction to focus on.

The sedan was almost directly behind her and going slower than ever.

She looked back at the apartment complex.

Should she blare the horn?

Or was she just being paranoid?

Her choice could mean life or death.

Kai darted to the back of the building. As he reached it, he spotted Gage chasing Alfie across the grass near the man-made lake.

The man was surprisingly fast as he darted away.

But so was Gage.

His colleague quickly tackled the man.

Alfie didn't give up. He tried to army crawl out of Gage's grip.

Kai quickly stepped in front of him, stopping the man from going any farther.

Alfie glanced up, and defeat filled his gaze. His shoulders slumped as he went limp on the ground. "Okay, Okay. I'm not going to run anymore."

"That's right. You're not." Kai placed his hands on his hips, not bothering to hide his irritation. "What I'm not sure about is why you ran in the first place. We just wanted to have a conversation."

Alfie scowled, still sprawled on the ground. "Look, I'm going to pay Grant back. I don't know how many times I have to tell you guys."

"Grant?" Kai squinted. "Who is Grant?"

Gage climbed off him and stood, jerking Alfie to his feet.

The man brushed the grass from his jeans and scowled at them again. "Don't play dumb."

"Who is Grant?" Kai repeated, not in the mood for small talk.

Alfie's eyes narrowed even more. "Okay, if you're going to play this game then . . . Grant is a man I owe a lot of money to, thanks to some poor choices I made. He said he'd send his goons after me if I didn't pay in full."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "You're in luck. We're not with Grant."

Uncertainty fluttered through Alfie's gaze. "Then who are you?"

"We're friends of Landon Jean-Pierre," Gage stated.

Alfie's eyes widened before he squinted again. "I know Landon. Nice guy. What about him?"

"He's dead."

"What?" Alfie's mouth dropped open. "When? How?"

Kai wasn't sure if this guy was just a good actor or what. But so far, his reactions seemed pretty believable.

"We found him earlier today," Gage said. "Murdered."

Alfie ran a hand over his face before shaking his head, his entire body tensing. "I can't believe it."

"You're saying you know nothing about it?" Kai clarified.

"Of course, I don't know anything about it!" Alfie's voice rose with frustration. "Why would I?"

"Why don't you tell us a little bit about your friendship with him?" Gage stepped closer. "Because how the two of you met is a little suspicious."

"What's suspicious about it? We both liked golf. There's nothing weird about that."

Gage's expression remained stony. "So you didn't befriend him with ulterior motives?"

"I don't know what kind of world you're living in, but I'm simply a guy who likes golf." His voice rose with each word. "I was looking for someone to play with, and Landon and I started to talk. We were a good fit. That's the end of the story."

Kai stared at the man another moment, still trying to ascertain whether or not Alfie was telling the truth.

Before he decided, a horn began blasting in the parking lot.

His breath caught.

Tori, he realized.

She was in trouble.

Kai darted toward the sound, praying he wasn't too late.