Fast Burn (Body Armor #4)(83)
Worse, it was dark as Hades down by the river where she said they were to meet. Not even the streetlamps reached, and with only a sliver of a moon and a few scattered stars, they could easily lose sight of her.
Brand, crouched down on the floor in the back of one of the agency’s SUVs, said, “Park so your headlamps light the way and leave them on.” He’d already disconnected the interior light so when he opened the door and followed discreetly, no lights would give him away.
With nervousness, or maybe excitement lacing her tone, she replied, “Okay. Good idea. I know my way, but still...there could be snakes out there. Or spiders, or—”
“You’re afraid of spiders and snakes?”
“Not when I can see them, but I don’t like the idea of stumbling into them in the dark.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t like that either.” Brand felt the surface of the road change as she drove off the asphalt and bumped over the rocky ground.
“I’ll get as close as I can,” she said softly. “But it’s been a while since I was here, and that was always on foot. I don’t think it’s safe to take the car too much farther.”
They’d driven an hour south along continually narrowing roads that followed the river. In the distance, Brand heard a barge horn echoing over the water.
“It’s really foggy,” Sahara whispered.
“We can cancel at any time,” he said fast, hoping to encourage her to do just that. “Say the word.”
“No. Foggy is probably good, in case anyone is looking for Scott.”
“You have the mic in your pocket? We need to make sure the others can hear every word, too.” The plan was for him to creep closer on foot, staying low in the dew-wet weeds and scrub bushes, while the others encircled the area, Leese on higher ground, Miles and Justice near the road, ready to close in if necessary. They’d gotten there earlier to find their hiding spots, to help avoid detection.
“I have it,” Sahara promised him. “We tested it and retested it.”
Enoch remained at the offices, monitoring the tracer tacked to Sahara’s sweater.
They’d done all they could to ensure her safety, short of refusing to let her go, and he knew well that no man could do that. Sahara was a woman who understood the danger, weighed the risk to each encounter and made her own decisions.
She was a woman who loved her brother dearly and would probably face off with the devil to get him back.
Brand briefly closed his eyes. God, he hated that Scott had put her in this position.
She stopped the car. “I can see the river from here.” She inhaled, then slowly blew out the breath. “Brand?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I believe it’s Scott, I really do. But at the same time, I’m so afraid that he might really be gone and that I’m just fooling myself, and that would be so awful—”
“Shh,” Brand said, wishing he had the words to reassure her. He just didn’t know. If it was her brother, he was a real dick for putting her through this. “You’re the strongest person I know, Sahara. So strong, you leave me awed. You can do this, and however it turns out, we’ll deal with it.”
“Together?”
“That’s sure as hell my plan.”
Silence hung in the humid air, then she whispered, “Did you know I was falling in love with you?”
Jesus, she had a knack for startling timing. A new rush of protectiveness surged through him, making his voice rough. “I was hopeful.”
He heard the smile in her tone when she teased, “That was easier to admit than I expected.”
“I’m glad. Soon as we get through this, I’ll make a few admissions of my own.”
She started to twist to see him.
“Don’t,” Brand warned. “If anyone is watching the car, they’ll wonder who you’re talking to.” Was she stalling to work up her nerve? He imagined visiting the area with her brother at her side was vastly different from a late-night rendezvous under potentially dangerous circumstances. “I’ll be right behind you, okay?”
“Okay. Brand?” She hesitated. “You be careful, too. I couldn’t bear if you got hurt helping me.”
“After what you just told me? You can bet my plan is to have you all to myself tonight in bed, and after I’ve exhausted you, then we’ll do some talking.”
“That sounds nice.”
He heard an odd noise on the roof of the SUV and almost groaned. “Is that rain?”
“It’s just drizzling. I have an umbrella, and I won’t melt.”
From his crouched position in back, he watched her stiffen her shoulders.
“It’s time. Thank you for being here with me.” She opened the door and stepped out, opening her umbrella before closing the door again, giving him no chance to say anything more.
Brand waited until she’d had time to go a few yards ahead, then he slipped from the SUV. Dressed all in black, he blended with the shadows. Midway across, he could see ribbons of light dancing over the surface of the river. Farther away, traffic hummed over a bridge.
This area, though, was nothing but rough bushes, rocks and crowded trees that shrouded the shore in darkness. He could barely see Sahara as she gingerly sat on a fallen log.
Her voice, soft and uncertain, carried to him when she whispered, “Scott?”