“It looks as if you’re ready to call it a night,” Ericsaid, holding up a crystal tumbler with a couple of fingers of dark liquor in it. “The night is young.”
It was close to three in the morning, but Zach bit back the urge to correct his host. “We drove a long way today. I’m looking forward to talking business with you tomorrow.”
Eric’s expression didn’t change. In fact, the man hadn’t reacted to anything. It was as if he didn’t have a care in the world as chaos swirled around him. He set his glass on the entertainment center and waved a hand for Zach and Lauren to follow. “I’ll show you to your room.”
Keeping a tight grip on Lauren’s hand, Zach followed Eric through the house, past sweating bodies and loud voices. They stepped through a door and into the cold night. A black Aston Martin was parked in a gravel drive. The headlights were on, and exhaust billowed out the tailpipe.
Lauren pressed against his side when she saw the car. “We’re not staying here?” she whispered.
Eric opened the back door of the car and gestured for Lauren to enter. “You didn’t think you were staying here, did you?” He chuckled.
The team knew there were multiple buildings on Eric’s property, but getting into a car he couldn’t control wasn’t sitting well with Zach. Not answering the question was the best response. There’d be less chance for him to slip up and reveal something he wasn’t supposed to know.
With Lauren in the back seat, Zach sat in the front,and Eric settled into the driver’s seat. The gravel path soon transformed into a paved drive with huge trees lining both sides at even intervals. Lampposts with flickering lights lead the way to a mansion known to be Eric’s private residence.
The tracking device sewn into his clothes might as well have been burning against his skin. One misstep. One wrong word. It wouldn’t take much at all to blow their cover when they were deep in the heart of darkness.
And what did he have to defend Lauren with here? A gun and a prayer that whoever was listening in would be able to get to them before it was too late? Relying on someone else for help was difficult on a regular day. Tonight, his hope was shriveling like a raisin.
Lights pointed at the extravagant home from every direction, bathing it in a daylight glow. Four columns stood like sentries on the front, and a fountain dripped smoothly in the center of the circle drive.
It was the largest house Zach had ever seen in person. The idea that one man lived here was ridiculous, but it wasn’t just any man. It was a man who’d made his fortune from mostly illegal trade and lived the life of a free man.
Eric shifted the car into park. “Welcome to my home.”
He got out and shut the door, leaving the car running. Zach climbed out and quickly opened Lauren’s door. The bright lights shining on the housegave him a full view of her face and the bruise beginning to turn on her cheek, but it was the strained expression on her face that had him on edge. She was taking it all in, and something about the place made her uncomfortable.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Her eyes darted left, then right and back again. She gave him a small nod, but it did nothing to calm his erratic heart.
Zach grabbed their bags and Lauren’s hand as they followed Eric up the stairs to the grand front entrance.
42
Lauren
Lauren catalogued every inch of Eric’s mansion. Everything she could see painted a picture in her mind. Using items for scale, she judged the measurements of rooms as they followed their host through the grand entrance.
“Please, make yourself at home. Your room is right this way.” Eric gestured to a magnificent staircase that was wider than Lauren’s living room. Who needed that much room to walk upstairs?
They passed a large archway leading into an immaculate white and chrome kitchen, and Lauren’s steps faltered. Zoe stood at the island in the middle of the room, wiping the polished stone surface with a rag. She wasn’t wearing the same outfit from the party. She’d changed into a matching set of white silk pajamas, and her dark hair was tucked behind her ears.
The two made eye contact, and Zoe’s mouthturned up in a strained grin. She looked away quickly, turning back to her task and giving Lauren no more notice.
Zoe was officially a person of interest. What was a young girl doing walking around Eric Cross’s house in pajamas? Zach hadn’t paid much attention to her earlier because of Nick, but Zoe was the first person Lauren would ask the authorities about during the debriefing.
They followed Eric up the stairs and down a short hallway where he opened the door on the left and gestured for Zach and Lauren to enter.
“You have a nice place,” Zach said.
“Thank you. What time would you like to meet for breakfast?”
“Eight o’clock?” Zach offered.
“Perfect. And your girl is welcome as well. Mine will be joining us, and I’m sure they would enjoy a chat over mimosas.”
Well, at least she didn’t have to be separated from Zach, but listening in on the two men talking would be difficult if she had to make small talk with a strange woman at the same time.
