Given his past actions, there was no way it would be the latter. Question was, what was she going to do, let him in or say goodbye at the door?
Chapter Nine
The driveto Marie’s place took longer than Isaac thought it would, and it made him uncomfortable. He was constantly checking his mirrors to make sure they weren’t being followed, which wasn’t impossible even in the middle of a LA traffic snarl.
This was something he hadn’t missed while he’d been living in the wilds of Alaska and Guatemala. The only traffic jam in Alaska was if moose were blocking the road and if cows were crossing over the asphalt to get from one field to another in Guatemala.
“I can see some flashing lights ahead. Looks like there could’ve been an accident. I wonder if they need medical help,” Marie murmured.
“If the paramedics aren’t there we can stop if you want, but if you say there’s lights there, safe bet wouldbe paramedics are on the scene along with law enforcement.”
“Still, even with all the medical knowledge paramedics have, a second pair of experienced hands could help.”
Marie’s need to provide assistance to the injured wasn’t a surprise to him, and in any normal circumstances he wouldn’t have an issue pulling over to help. But the idea of Marie being out in the open and not knowing who or why she was the target of an attempted robbery/assault/kidnapping, curdled low in his belly. She would be exposed to anyone who may be following them. It was a risk he didn’t want to take, but telling her that was going to be like walking through a landmine—something done with extra care and vigilance.
The earrings he’d found sitting in the middle of his desk after he and Marie left the conference room, a gift from Cassandra he was sure, sat heavy in his jacket pocket. The second he’d seen them he’d wanted to rush down to Marie and demand she put them in—something that would not be met favorably.
Just like suggesting she stay in the car if it was an accident, convincing her to wear the earrings for her own safety would need to be treated the same way.
They inched forward, and he saw the lights Marie had been talking about. There were firetrucks and police cars, as well as an ambulance. If there was only one, that had to mean that not too many people were hurt and Marie’s services weren’t needed and he could keep her safe in the car.
As they approached the incident, from the corner of his eye he saw Marie lean forward a bit more, as if that would make the car get closer. “How does it look,” he asked, once again checking the mirrors and not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
“Not bad. The paramedics are standing around, so I’m guessing no one is seriously injured.” She sat back with a sigh as they picked up speed and the traffic spread out.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Are you disappointed that no one was hurt badly? I would’ve thought you would’ve been relieved?”
Marie chuckled. “It’s pretty wrong of me to wish something bad had happened, isn’t it?”
“A little,” he conceded.
“It’s just.” She paused and drummed her fingers on her leg. “I don’t know. Ever since I arrived back, I’ve been so busy getting settled, that I haven’t worked, and I feel a little lost.”
From the little he’d seen of her in San Carlion and the way she’d worked, he wasn’t too surprised by her confession. “I understand that. It took me a long time to not stop being off duty when I firstmoved to Alaska. For eight years I was always on the lookout. Always in the thick of things in terms of what was going on with the cartel, that having time on my hands wasn’t something I was used to. I can’t tell you how many logs I split in an effort to keep busy. I had a good supply of firewood, which was a necessity in Alaska.”
“Did you like it there?”
“It’s a beautiful part of the country, and there are plenty of places where you can be off the grid and keep to yourself.”
Issac indicated to exit the freeway, noting that there was only one car following them off, and it was a minivan he’d only just passed. Didn’t mean that bad guys weren’t possibly using the non-descript vehicle as a way to lull anyone into a false sense of security.
“Is that what you wanted to do? Disappear essentially?”
How much did he tell Marie? How much could she take to hear after everything that had happened to her already?
Now wasn’t the time to unload everything about his life as Javier Cortez and the events leading up to him joining the cartel. He absently rubbed his belly where the scar from the bullet that had almost taken his life was. He tried not to think about that day. Think about how he’d lost so many weeks of his life because he’d been in a coma. One the doctors hadn’tquite been able to explain, because he hadn’t suffered a head injury.
“I needed some time to think things through.” It wasn’t a perfect explanation, but it was all he was going to give her at this time.
“That’s kind of why I went to San Carlion. I needed to get away from everything. Like you, to think and work out what I was going to do.”
“And did you?” he queried as he slowed and found a free spot not far from her apartment building. He would’ve liked to have gotten closer to the front door. Luck wasn’t on his side, but he would remain vigilant until he was sure she was safe.
“In some ways I did. There are always things that can’t be solved, no matter how hard you want them to be.”
“I hear you. Will you stay here until I can come around and open your door?” As an independent woman there was a chance she wouldn’t like him doing that, but he wanted to scope the area before he let her out, and keeping her seated was the easiest way to do it.
“Why?”
