Chapter 37

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SEVEN

Tori couldn't believe that plan had worked, but she wasn't complaining.

She, Kai, and Gage traveled away from the city—Kai staying low in his seat so it would only look like one person was up front.

Occasionally, Tori spotted a cop car in the distance. But no one seemed to recognize them.

They'd had so many close calls.

Once her lungs loosened enough, she finally asked, "Where are we going now?"

"We need to find a place to lie low," Gage said. "And we'll need to grab something to eat so we can keep our energy up. We still have a few hours until we meet this guy—if he really shows."

"Isn't it too risky to go to any type of hotel?" she asked.

"We'll find a dumpy one," Kai said. "And we'll pay in cash."

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to a beige and brown motel located in a rundown area of town.

Not ideal accommodations, but it would have to do.

Kai went to reserve a room. Then, once he had a key in hand, they all went inside their temporary second-story accommodation. Six other vehicles were parked outside the building, indicating the place wasn't full, but there were other people staying here.

Tori paused inside the room. The orange-and-brown bedspreads and nasty-looking brown carpet didn't do anything to set her mind at ease.

But at least they should be out of sight. For now. That was the important thing.

She sat on the edge of the bed, probably a little too hard. But everything they'd been through was catching up with her.

She was tired. Now that she thought about it, she was hungry also.

Gage seemed to read her mind. "There's a Taco Bell across the street. I can run in there and get us some food and bring it back. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Tori said.

He left a moment later, leaving her and Kai alone.

Tori glanced at Kai, who stood near the window, and frowned. He looked as if he'd aged since she had met him only a few days ago. His eyes looked tired and his body on edge.

She knew his awareness that a device inside him had the potential to kill him at any moment had taken its toll.

"I'm sorry I pulled you into all this," she said quietly.

He dropped the curtain and turned toward her. "You didn't pull us into anything. We were a part of it long before you brought it to our attention. It's better that we know."

He rubbed his hand across his chest near his heart, as Tori had caught him doing several times since the discovery of the pacemaker was made.

"I wish I could do something in order to help you," she said. "But I'm definitely no heart surgeon."

That got a small smile out of him. "I could see where this would require a specialty skill. The truth of the matter is, I'm not sure who I trust to get this thing out of me. The only way I'm going to believe it's really gone is if you're in the room while the surgery is taking place, and you see it happen."

Tori was honored he trusted her that much.

Despite the weirdness between them yesterday, maybe things weren't as strained as she'd initially thought.

Gage returned several minutes later with a bag full of food and a drink carrier with three large fountain drinks that he set on the table. "I didn't know what anyone wanted so I got a bit of everything. Dig in."

Kai reached into the bag and grabbed the first thing his fingers hit. A beef chalupa.

That would work.

Tori was daintier as she peered in the bag and grabbed a soft taco. Even though she'd said she was hungry, she couldn't prove it with the way she ate right now, taking slow, small bites.

Her gaze looked heavy and distracted.

They were mostly quiet as they ate, each lost in their own thoughts.

Meeting this guy tonight was risky. They all knew it. Anticipated it.

After they finished eating, Gage began calling their colleagues to tell them what was going on. While he did that, Kai tried to do some research into this man they were meeting.

Everything had happened so fast that Kai hadn't had a chance to get a picture of the man, nor did he know his name.

He found nothing online, which didn't surprise him. He didn't have enough to go on.

Finally, Kai stood.

They knew what it was time for.

If they were going to meet this guy, they needed to get ready to go.

Kai just prayed they didn't regret this.