I’d received a flat stare and a semi-hostile “off limits” before he shoveled a huge spoonful of stew into his mouth. It was clear this was just another thing he didn’t want to elaborate on.
It wasn’t the best thing I’d ever eaten, but the stew was pretty flavorful. At this point, I was so hungry for something that wasn’t snack-sized or ninety percent grease, I’d have taken anything homemade.
I’d washed the dishes after our nearly silent dinner, and then I’d followed his lead, grabbing a beer and joining him in the living room. He was currently taking up one corner of the plaid couch, so I opted to take the floral one. I sunk down to the point I almost had the urge to get up and find somewhere else to sit. How old was the furniture in this room?
“I’ve got to check in with Reed and the team,” he said, blankly staring at the phone sitting on his knee. “Figured you’d want to hear what’s going on. But I have to warn you, there are things we may not want you to know, so if I end up taking part of this call—”
“No,” I snapped. I was teetering on the edge of the cushion before I was even aware I’d moved, leaning forward as if I was ready to strike. “I don’t accept that. I want to know everything. This is an act against me. I’m put under the fire for something I didn’t do. If there’s information you know, I need to know it.”
“I can’t guarantee—”
“If your team doesn’t trust me, then why did Reed say he’d help me? Why did he send you to get me? And why are you still here, going through clearly uncomfortable lengths to keep me safe?” I glared at him, not giving a shit that I’d rudely cut him off twice now.
His nostrils flared as he tore his gaze from mine. I could see his jaw working as he got himself under control.
Austin was calculating… careful… in a way that would typically make me suspicious and on edge.
What I should have been doing was studying him closely so I could predict his next move. But instead, I had a deep urge to move in and calm him with a touch. An urge I definitely fought against.
“Listen,” I said, reeling in my frustration, but this time, it was him who cut me off.
“Because Reed trusts you, and I will forever trust Reed. That’s the reason I’m here. That’s the reason why I brought you to the one place that I don’t share with anyone.”
He didn’t look at me or even give me a chance to respond. All he did was bring the phone to life and dial a number.
“Austin, what the hell happened?!” Reed’s voice was full of concern as it spilled from the speaker.
“I’ve got Agent Priestley here on speaker,” Austin warned. He looked up just in time to catch the cutting glare I sent his way. His lips thinned for a second, but then he pushed his unsettling emotions away. An eerie cheer took over his voice as he said, “We ran into some trouble.”
“I’d say,” Reed said before Austin could explain. “It’s a mess. They know Ford has an accomplice, but they don’t know it’s you yet. They have your car, so once they connect that to you, neither of you is safe.”
“They won’t. The car can’t be traced back to me,” Austin assured us.
“Austin,” Reed said, sounding like both a warning and a question.
“Well, you see, boss, I have a habit of expecting the worst… and, um, I might be prepared with a backup plan in ways that might not make you,” he paused, eyes jerking to meet mine, “or the agent here happy.”
“I’m no longer an Agent,” I said. Pretty sure when the entire agency you worked for was after you, you were no longer one of them.
“I’m going to need more,” Reed said at the same time I spoke.
A crease furrowed between Austin’s brow.
“The roundabout of it is, the car belongs to a dead person and my prints aren’t in the system.” I opened my mouth to ask the first question that popped up, but he stopped me with a shake of his head. “And no, I didn’t kill him. He was already dead when I put the car in his name. Died of a heart attack at eighty-three, I believe that one is.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn’t really thought he’d kill someone just to use their car in order to stay under the radar, but sometimes you just never knew. I’d taken down criminals that lived a double life. Businessman by day, rapist by night. Stay-at-home mom and head of the PTA, designer drug dealer on the side. It seriously took all kinds. I’d learned a long time ago to never trust the appearance someone wants you to see.
“I feel like I should ask more questions,” I said, shooting Austin an unhappy look, “but there are more pressing matters.”
Austin’s smirk was cocky as he leaned back and kicked his feet up on the coffee table, crossing his ankles as if to say he was completely comfortable and in control. I wouldn’t be getting a damn thing out of him that he didn’t want me to have.
I wasn’t used to not being in control of a situation, or at least having some idea of what was going on, but Austin threw my head into a tailspin. I couldn’t read him. Couldn’t pin down anything about him other than the fact that he let you see what he wanted you to see.
“Same,” Reed said, sounding like a disapproving father.
Which reminded me.
“How’s dad life treating you?” I asked. There wasn’t time for small talk, but Reed was the closest thing I had to a friend and I cared about what was going on in his life.
