Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead(Finlay Donovan #2)(91)

I pressed down harder on the gas. I could feel Steven watching me. Could feel all the questions building in the tense space between us. Yellow warning signs appeared ahead. I braked into the sharp curve of the road, caught sight of the turn, and killed the lights as I jerked the wheel hard to the left. I took my foot off the brake, praying I didn’t collide with anything in the dark. We both held our breaths. A moment later, EasyClean’s headlights rushed past the rear window.

“I think we lost him,” Steven said, checking over his shoulder. “Let’s get out of here before he circles back.”

I put the headlights on, letting Steven navigate us through a maze of backcountry roads until we finally came to an intersection I recognized.

“Pull in there.” Steven pointed to the empty parking lot of a strip mall. We turned in to an alley behind a grocery store and parked the Aston behind a dumpster. I shut off the engine, the silence in the car sudden and heavy as I rested my forehead against the steering wheel.

Steven leaned against the passenger door to look at me. “You want to start from the beginning?”

“Not really.” I was too exhausted to explain. All I wanted was to get home and hug my kids. “Someone wants to kill you, Steven. I don’t know who. But they were angry enough to post an ad online, offering to pay a hit man a hundred thousand dollars to get rid of you, preferably before Christmas. Any idea who it might be?”

Steven’s face blanched in the dim light. “When I recognized your voice on the security recording the night of the fire, I just assumed this was all some big scheme.”

I rubbed my eyes, trying not to lose my temper. “I was there looking for clues, trying to figure out who wanted my children’s father dead.”

“That’s why you were spying on me at the Christmas tree lot,” he said, finally catching on. “Because you were afraid they would come after me while I was with the kids.”

I nodded, my hands still shaking as I pushed my hair back from my face. “I think the hit man took your phone that night so he could track your movements more easily.”

“The gas leak at the house … the tires on my truck? That was all him?”

“Everything but the fire. That,” I said with a dark chuckle, “was Bree’s mother, but apparently she had nothing to do with the ad or any of the attempts on your life.”

Steven was quiet as he let that sink in. “So that’s why you kidnapped me and took me to the motel. Because you knew this guy was after me and you thought you’d keep me safe.” He shook his head. “Jesus, Finn. Why didn’t you just tell me?” My mouth flew open. Steven held up a hand, closing his eyes, as if he realized his mistake the moment the words were out. “I know. You tried. And I didn’t listen. I’m sorry,” he said, his voice softening. “So what now?”

I leaned my head against the window. “I wish I knew.”

Steven glanced at the alley around the car. “You think anyone will try to shoot me if I get out to take a piss?”

My laugh was weary. “I think it’s probably safe.”

Steven got out of the car and disappeared behind the dumpster.

I checked my phone and found a missed call from Vero. I tapped her number, breath held as it rang.

“Thank god, you’re okay. Did you find Steven?” she asked.

“I’ve got him. The van died a few miles from the Westovers’. I found him just before EasyClean showed up. Any word from Joey?”

“No. The ambulance left with Nick a few minutes ago, and Joey still hadn’t called.”

“Not surprised.” It only confirmed my suspicions. “It’s hard to make a phone call when you’re shooting at someone.”

“Shooting!”

“Don’t worry. Steven and I are both fine, and we got rid of his phone.”

“Speaking of phones, I forwarded a copy of FedUp’s email to EasyClean. By now, he probably knows neither one of us is getting paid. Doubt he’ll waste any more time chasing after Steven.”

“That still doesn’t answer the question of who hired him.”

“A mystery for another day. How’s my car, by the way?”

I glanced in my rearview mirror at the splintered hole in the glass. “I’ll explain everything when I pick you up.”

“Don’t bother. Ramón called. He was pissed when he drove all the way to that motel and the van wasn’t there. He’s coming to pick me up. If he doesn’t murder me when he gets here, I’ll look for the van on the way back and ask him to tow it in. Meet me at the garage.”

Vero disconnected.

I thumbed through the notifications I’d missed during the chaos of the last few hours.

A missed call from Sylvia, two from Julian, one from my sister, and three from my mom. My mom rarely called this late, and a ripple of concern washed over me as I pressed her number.

She answered on the first ring. “Finlay? I talked to Georgia.” Her voice was strangled and panicked, the words flying fast from her mouth. “Is Steven okay? She said someone is trying to kill him. What’s going on? And why are the children with your sister?”

“Steven’s fine, Ma.”

“Are you sure?”

“He’s with me right now. Georgia’s just babysitting.”