Secret Obsession (Carder Texas Connections #6)(30)

“Another message. Someone else you know,” Noah bit out. “More importantly, he knows where we are.”

“I’m tired of this. Why doesn’t he just give me an invitation to where he wants me to die?” Lyssa said, her voice rising.

With a sharp glance at her, Noah stood, blocking her view of the body. “He wants you to figure it out. He’s courting you. And with his latest offering he’s taking you back to the past. To when he first met you.”

“Jack’s murder. While I was working at the UN.”

“Exactly.” Noah stroked the stubble on his chin. Retreat hadn’t worked. Confrontation would have to. “Change of plans. We go back to the past, back to when you worked for the UN. Back to where Jack died.”

“Connecticut.” Lyssa’s face paled and she clutched at her necklace. “God, no.”

*

ANOTHER CURSE ESCAPED Rafe in the Dallas rush-hour traffic. Lyssa couldn’t blame him. The unusual cold front hadn’t shut down the Texas roads, but Southern drivers couldn’t be trusted on icy highways. Especially those in big trucks with delusions of safety.

Lyssa peered through the strangely dim light.

“How’s the weather?” Rafe asked.

Noah tapped his phone. “Storm front’s moving in. We need to hurry if we’re going to beat it.”

“Tell that to all these idiots.”

The traffic slowed to a crawl. Lyssa couldn’t stop her leg from bouncing, her nerves on edge. Twenty-four hours and Archimedes had tracked them down. The reality had quashed the last flicker of hope surviving inside her.

If Noah couldn’t help her, no one could. To keep her baby girl safe, no choices remained. Lyssa would have to let Archimedes find her.

She would die.

But her baby would have a life. That’s all that mattered anymore. Her heart ached with the truth. She’d let Jack down; she’d let herself down. Except in one way.

Archimedes didn’t know about her daughter.

It would stay that way.

She would miss her little girl’s first day of school, her high school graduation, her college graduation, her wedding, but her daughter would survive. She’d be loved.

Lyssa had picked the perfect person to be Jocelyn’s mother. Someday, it might be safe to reveal the truth. Someday...when Archimedes was dead.

The lane to their left began to move. A man barked into his phone and drummed his fingers on his steering wheel. A woman chanced a look every few seconds in the mirror while putting on lipstick, then eyeliner. A frenzied mom wore pajamas, her unadorned face and four kids in the backseat providing its own tale.

All normal lives. All easy to read.

She stole a glance at Noah. His gaze burrowed into her, unflinching. He’d been watching her, his expression speculative, as if he could see right into her mind.

Knowing she couldn’t allow him any closer—for her sake as much as for his safety—she turned away from him.

He confused her. On so many levels.

A snippet of memory flashed through her. She’d encountered Noah via her UN job, but barely. Once she’d started dating Jack, Noah had vanished for the most part. The few times they’d met, she hadn’t been able to pin him down. She’d said so to Jack.

He’d chuckled. Yeah, Noah’s an enigma, all right. First day of boot camp, he shows up—the only one who’s actually got millions in the bank—and not because he inherited. He ripped through the New York Times crossword puzzle in less than a half hour, made everyone look like an idiot during class, so a couple guys thought they’d teach the ubergeek a lesson. I stepped forward, figured he’d need a hand. Noah had them on the ground in seconds. He didn’t need me. Didn’t need anyone, really. Jack had kissed her palm. Noah’s the best there is, but he likes to work alone. He’s too smart, too good at what he does. I can’t think of one weakness in him, except he can’t stop trying to prove himself. It’s like he’s fighting demons that don’t exist.

She saw the truth of Jack’s words now. And they scared her. Noah wouldn’t stop until he succeeded. Or Archimedes killed him. Noah would never let her fight the battle on her own.

Lyssa would have to find a way.

“Archimedes located us too fast,” Rafe commented. He expertly darted into the right lane toward the exit leading to Lancaster Regional Airport. “CTC owns the safe house. Has he made the connection?”

“We’re either being traced,” Noah said, “or he’s tunneled through Zane’s system at CTC. Take your pick.”

The man in the front seat grumbled. “I swept the place for tracking and listening devices. And CTC is locked up tight. I don’t get it.”

“Beef up the tracking receiver—”

Noah didn’t have time to finish the order before Zane held up a screwdriver. “I’m on it. This guy is pissing me off.”

“I want the plane and everything on it scanned before we take off,” Noah said, his voice curt. His fingers clutched his Glock.

The weight of her .45 in its holster didn’t relax her one bit. Lyssa had the unbearable feeling Archimedes could jump out of anywhere at any moment.

“The guy’s big on symbolism,” Rafe said, his voice wondering. “All these weird icons...plus Frederick.”

“Frederick was obvious.” Noah’s hand tightened on the butt of the gun. “He gave Lyssa the opportunity to speak, and his throat was cut—”