“Then it’s already in the past.” John heaved a sigh of annoyance. “We need the other piece of the keystone to follow her. Keep an eye on her sister. She may have it and not know it.”
“I doubt that, but I will,” he said.
As he ended the call, he stuffed the bag in the pocket of his jacket on the off chance he’d find the other stone. Another quick glance around the room yielded nothing.
Chloe stirred then. He reached for the mug as she rolled over, her eyes blinking open as she looked up at him.
“I brought the tea, lass.”
She waved it away. “Come to bed.”
He replaced it on the bedside table, then slipped off his jacket and his shoes and crawled in bed beside her. He took her in his arms as she snuggled against him. If the other piece of stone was here, he’d find it.
CHAPTER 2
Sunlight streamed in through the opaque curtains pressing against her eyes, waking her. Her head pounded as though she were hung over. Her throat was raw. Her eyes were gritty. Her bandaged upper arm throbbed. She sat up with a start as the horror of the previous night came crashing back to her.
Oh, God, Evie. Where are you?
She rubbed her temples, trying to make the headache go away. When she placed her feet on the floor, she realized she still wore her red sequin evening gown. She also realized Bruce was gone. He had left a note on the bedside table beside the mug of tea that was now cold. The hastily scratched note said he had returned home to shower and change and to call when she was ready to file the missing persons report.
She padded to the kitchen for a glass of water. She paused in the living room where she saw Evie’s shoes still on the floor and her handbag on the low table. She stared at it a long moment trying to make her fuzzy brain work when she realized the blue velvet bag was missing.
The only person who could have taken it was Bruce. Why would he take it?
Shaking her head, she continued to the kitchen where she got a glass of cold water and downed it. She had to pull herself together.
First order of business was to shower and dress, then get to the police station and file a missing persons report. That’s what Bruce had said he’d help her do. He’d said he’d go with her but now she wasn’t sure she wanted him to go.
She thought back to last night when he had arrived. Something was off, but she was unable to put her finger on it. Why did she have a bad feeling about him? What was bothering her?
He seemed…relieved when she told him the cameras weren’t working. And then he had said… She tapped her finger against her chin, thinking. He had said someone cut the cameras and he suspected it was one of the intruders.
Was he guessing when he had said that? Or was there something more?
She shook her head to clear it, pressing her cold fingertips to her forehead and massaging.
Get a grip, Chloe.
Bruce was not the enemy. The men who had attacked the museum were. She refilled her glass and took another sip of water before going back to her bedroom. On her way there, she halted at Evie’s guest room.
Her suitcase was still open on the floor, the pieces of clothing scattered as she had tried to find her black cocktail dress. She had tossed the clothes out in a frenzy looking for the bolero jacket that went with the dress.
Chloe stood in the doorway, remembering their exchange with such clarity, her heart hurt.
“I can’t find it,” she said as she furiously dug through the small carry-on. “Those TSA agents stole it.”
Chloe laughed. “Why would TSA want your bolero?”
Evie stopped to look up at her sister, her brown eyes shining with frustration. When she realized what she said, she laughed, then. “You’re right. I probably left it at home.”
“We better get going. I can’t be late.”
Evie hopped up, her bare feet pattering on the floor behind Chloe as she followed her into her bedroom. She headed right for the closet and started going through her clothes.
“Do you have anything I can borrow?”
“No. Eve…” When she said her nickname, Evie turned to face her. Her wild fiery red hair framed her face as question etched along it. “You’ll look beautiful without it.”
