Chapter 29

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE

Stephen still hated everything about this. But the situation was out of his control.

At a pause in the conversation, he turned toward Larchmont. "I want to go with her when she's dropped off. I want to be in the vehicle that tails her. I want to be close in case things go south."

Larchmont observed him a moment before nodding. "As long as you don't get in the way."

"I won't," he promised.

They would drop Heidi off in the closest town. When she got there, she'd find a phone—either at a local business or she could borrow one—and call Rafferty. She'd tell him about her abduction and how she'd gotten away.

They'd already gone through the story several times.

But Stephen knew that in an ideal situation, an undercover operative should live with their cover story a while longer so the details felt more natural. However, in this circumstance, there was no time.

That didn't make him feel any better.

As Heidi excused herself and brushed past him without making eye contact, Stephen stepped closer to Larchmont.

Larchmont glanced up at him, his gaze weary as he seemed to read Stephen's thoughts. "She's got this."

He decided not to mince his words. "She's just a pawn to you, a player in the game. Someone who helps you get what you want."

"That's not true. I wouldn't ask her to do this if so much wasn't at stake."

Stephen leveled his gaze with Larchmont. "If she dies, her blood is on your hands."

Larchmont didn't miss a beat as he said, "If she dies, then we will all have blood on our hands."

Heidi was quiet on the drive to Norton. Larchmont believed Rafferty had stationed himself not far from the town. The place was close enough that he could go into Atlanta as needed but far enough away that he would have privacy.

That sounded like Rafferty.

As they drove, the sky became cloudy, and drizzle fell. It seemed appropriate considering the task before her.

She mentally rehearsed her cover story: Donald had been killed. The men who'd run them off the road had grabbed her. Taken her to a cabin in the mountains.

She'd managed to escape and had run until she could find help. But she feared those men were still after her.

There was enough truth in the story that she should be able to sell it.

However, if Rafferty was the one who'd sent those men after her, then he'd know she was lying. It was a chance she'd have to take.

As Heidi thought through it all, she glanced at her hands in her lap. Smudges of dirt still stained them.

Larchmont had instructed her not to clean up. She still needed to look bedraggled and dirty, like she'd been abducted and escaped. Her shoulder wound had been cleaned up, however. They didn't want Rafferty to know the tracker had been removed, even though he probably already did.

They'd even taken her new shoes and made them look dirty, caking mud on the soles.

Stephen was quiet in front of her as they drove. She could only imagine what he was thinking.

He'd made it clear he didn't approve of her going on this mission. But what choice did she have? She could do this. She had to do this. Too much was at stake.

Every time she thought about how Rafferty may have been the cause of her mother's accident, more anger and determination rose in her. Her mother deserved justice. Heidi would find that justice for her mother, if no one else.

Up ahead, she spotted a narrow main street. From what she'd heard Gage saying, fewer than a thousand people lived in what had once been a thriving coal-mining town.

Before they reached the historic business district, Gage pulled the SUV to the side of the road near a wooded area—far enough away that no one should see her.

The plan was to make it look as if she'd run from the woods and into town.

Gage craned his neck to look at her in the back seat. "This is it. You can do this."

Heidi nodded, though she felt anything but confident. "I'm ready."

In so many ways, she was ready. But that didn't mean she wasn't nervous.

She opened the door and cast Gage and Stephen one last look. Stephen stared at her but still said nothing. His eyes remained icy and cool—and unapproving.

She wished Stephen would say something to her. That he wasn't so angry.

He had to understand her motivation for doing this.

But his expression offered nothing.

He was upset, and she couldn't blame him. But she hated to end things this way.

She pulled her gaze away from him and stepped onto the grass on the side of the road. It was still gloomy outside, so no one was around. That was good. She couldn't afford to be seen being dropped off.

Now, she'd be on her own. This mission was up to her.

A tremble of nerves raked through her.

Just as she stepped away from the SUV, a shadow appeared beside her.

Had she already been spotted? She sucked in a breath, realizing how on edge she was.

She looked up, and Stephen stood there. His gaze still looked tumultuous and his muscles tight as he stared at her.

Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of him.

"Hey." His voice sounded hoarse. "Be careful, okay?"

She nodded stiffly, forcing the action. "I will be."

His concern filled her with warmth. It had been a long time since anyone truly cared about her. She'd been flying solo since her mom's accident.

She'd forgotten about how nice it felt to have someone watching out for her.

As she glanced at Stephen, she remembered his earlier words.

About being more than friends. The idea was intriguing.

In such a short time, their bond had grown strong. She'd come to depend on him. To care what he thought. To look forward to the time she had with him.

Her earlier reaction . . . it had been borne out of the urge to protect her heart. But if she didn't survive this, she didn't want that to be her last conversation with Stephen.

"Heidi . . ." he started.

"Don't," she told him.

"Don't what?"

"Don't say it."

"You don't know what I was going to say," Stephen murmured.

On a whim, she reached on her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his cheek. Electricity zapped through her, and she wanted to hover close. To linger near him for longer and absorb his warmth, his subtle evergreen scent, his burly strength.

But not in these circumstances, she realized. She had to be wise.

Instead, she stepped back, emotion clogging her throat. Surprise stretched through Stephen's gaze.

"You're going to get through this," he told her softly.

"I will." She forced a smile. "And when I do, we can talk about things."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

If she continued their conversation any longer, she might lose it. Change her mind. Jump into that SUV.

Instead, she turned on her heel.

Before she lost her courage, she jogged across the street to look for a phone.

She had to sell this. Her life depended on it.