The Cunning Thief (Stolen Hearts #6)(17)

“You don’t have to get grumpy with me. I’m trying to help.”

“Shae is running off terrified somewhere in the city, and you’re just walking me through facts I already know. If you want to help, why don’t you go find her?”

He knew he had messed up the second the words were out of his mouth.

Toni cocked her head and stared knowingly. “You seem a little worked up there, Tristan. What exactly were you guys doing up here on the beach?”

He knew that if he reacted angrily at her accusations, she would just believe them even more. So he tried to play cool. “You want me to figure out why someone’s trying to kill her. For that, I would need to get to know her better. So we were talking.”

“Talking?” asked Toni skeptically.

“You assigned me this job. I get my jobs done. Don’t fucking judge me for my methods.”

Toni still eyed him skeptically, but she seemed to drop the subject. “You said Shae took off. Do you know where she’s gone?”

“I gave her the keys to my car. I’m assuming you can track it.” Toni had never told him she put any bugs or tracking devices in his car, but he had a feeling someone as paranoid as her didn’t take a lot of chances. The distress beacon watch was just proof of that.

“As soon as we get to my laptop, I can find her and work on bringing her in. I don’t think we can bullshit her anymore. I’ll have to tell her what’s really going on. Are you okay with that?”

“Of course I’m okay with it.”

“She might find out you lied to her.”

Tristan glared at Toni, really wishing she would know when to shut up. “What’s the big deal? I lie to everybody.”





Shae pulled onto the scenic outlook off the highway. She didn’t know how long she’d been driving for. She didn’t know where she was. She didn’t have a phone, or money. All she had was a stranger’s car that she was pretty sure she was illegally driving and the clothes on her back. She would either have to go back to the house or call Daddy. Nope. Even in a life and death situation, she wasn't calling that bastard.

She needed to go back. She needed to find out what happened to him. She needed to figure out who he was.

The drive, as stressful as it had been, had given her some clarity. Tristan wasn’t who he said he was. He was definitely the man she was locked in the closet with. The mysterious John. It wasn’t that normal people wouldn’t carry a gun, but it was how he used it. He hadn’t waited for the other people to fire; he’d fired first. Any other good guy with a gun would’ve waited. They would be on the defense, not the offense. He didn’t know what she’d been dealing with. He didn’t panic or hesitate. He didn’t freak out. He didn’t know the full level of the threats that she’d been getting and ignoring, but still he had done what was necessary.

At least a normal, advertising consultant Tristan wouldn’t. But the mysterious private detective John would. She needed to go back and find out the truth. She didn’t think he was a Blackthorne spy, but he had skin in the game somehow. Shae didn’t like mysteries. She didn’t like being used and lied to. She definitely didn’t like making out with people who were using her. Tristan had to answer for his actions somehow. But for now, that would have to wait.

Shae leaned back in the driver seat and let out a deep breath. She was by no means relaxed, but it was the first second since she took off running that she allowed herself to breathe. As she allowed the tension to creep out of her muscles, the exhaustion caught up with her. She’d worked all day, had a whirlwind romantic dinner, then spent the rest of the evening running for her life. All at once, she could barely keep her eyes open. The little parking spot at the scenic overlook wasn’t someplace she could legally park and take a nap, but right now she didn’t think she could drive. She was low on gas and didn’t know how she’d make it back to Seaside Escape. She locked the doors and let her head fall back as the sun started to rise. Within seconds, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

By the time someone knocked on the door, Shae had no idea what time it was. The sun was shining brightly in her window, and she winced at the unexpected brightness. She looked to her left out the window, half expecting to see a disapproving cop glaring down at her. But it wasn’t. The blonde woman outside the window wore jeans and a T-shirt. She was pale, unlike a native Floridian. Shae squinted, not sure whether this was part of some strange stress dream. The woman motioned for her to lower the window. Shae wasn’t exactly in a trusting mood, but this woman didn’t seem like too much of a threat. Even so, Shae only lowered the window about an inch.

The woman leaned down close to the window, and Shae put her hand on the keys, ready to turn the car on and drive away at a moment’s notice. The woman’s eyes followed the motion, and she was obviously aware that Shae was jumpy. “What’re you doing?” she asked casually.

“I, um, I’ve had a long drive. I was just taking a small break.”

The woman nodded as though it was a perfectly reasonable explanation. “So.... Where you goin’?”

Shae started to become more curious about who this woman was. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

“Possibly. But, in all honesty, I’m here to help you.”

She let out a laugh. “I don’t think you can.” At this point, she didn’t know whether anybody could help her.