“You told me about Zachari once. The way you talked about it, I figured I’d start here. It was the only lead I had since you scrubbed your online presence.”
His head snapped back. “I told you about this place?”
She wasn’t surprised he didn’t remember. They hadn’t discussed childhood memories much, but there was one night… “When you got drunk at the holiday party and I drove you home. You said you came here for vacation as a kid and you loved how it was named after the Greek word for sugar because life here had to be sweet. That stuck with me.”
He grimaced and made an angry noise in his throat. “Fucking stupid. If I’d realized…” His gaze roved the crowd for threats before he faced her. “But how’d you find mehere?” He pointed to the floor.
“The Cowboys game. This was the only place in town for Dallas fans. Well, the only one that’s not scary.”
“Dammit.” He ran a hand through his dark hair and frowned. “I know better.” Gripping her shoulder, he squeezed hard and narrowed his eyes, leaning too far into her personal space. “What do you want?”
Wasn’t it obvious? “I need your help,” she said, unable to keep her voice calm. “Your phone call came too late, but clearly you know something about what’s going on.” She pressed against his chest and he shifted back, letting go. “Besides Duncan, you’re the only one who knows I’m innocent. You can tell the FBI. Maybe they’ll clear us both if you testify.”
Jay gave a bitter laugh and shook his head. “Don’t be naive, Valerie.”
All the fight drained out of her. He’d been her one hope. “You won’t even try? Don’t you want your life back?”
“Try what, exactly?”
“Anything.” Her voice screeched, and she glanced around. The last thing she wanted to do was attract attention. Not that anyone could hear her over the music or the noise of the game.
She took a deep breath, returning her attention to Jay. In the calmest tone she could muster, she said, “We’re smart. I know if we put our heads together we can figure some way out of this.” She held his upper arm. “Please. We can’t give up. We can’t let him win.”
“I’m sorry.” He shrugged free of her hold and shook his head. “I can’t help you.”
Her stomach turned to stone. Without Jay, what chance did she have? “How did you know I was in danger when you called?”
Jay clamped his lips shut and refused to meet her eye.
Well, then.
For a moment she had no words.
Ignoring the knife of betrayal lodged in her back, she said, “You were involved?”
He scowled, but didn’t deny it.
“Why?”
“Does it matter?” He crossed his arms and met her gaze, his dark brown eyes full of anger, fear, and regret.
“Yes.”
His jaw tightened. “Duncan threatened Priya.” The woman Jay was still in love with.
Valerie sighed. “You can’t run forever.”Shesure as hell didn’t want to. She wanted her life back. Her freedom. “Aren’t you tired of looking over your shoulder? It’s only been two weeks, and I can hardly stand it. I’m tired of being on edge, thinking at any moment that Duncan’s goons might find me. I can’t live like this, Jay.”
He narrowed his eyes at her and put a balled fist against the wall over her head. “If you turn yourself in, I’ll be long gone. There are plenty of places to hide out that IknowI never told you about.”
Anger surged through her. Had their friendship meant nothing to him? “You think I would give you away even if I did go to the police?” As if she’d surrender. Without Jay all she had was the emails she’d hidden on the flash drive, and she didn’t even have those in her possession. Now that everyone thought she was behind the deaths of Agents Dresner and Williams, she needed solid proof.
Somehow, she managed to keep her face from drooping in defeat. “You don’t know me at all. Maybe you never did.”
“Valerie, I’m sorry.” Jay stood with his eyes downcast, the anger visibly draining out of him like blood from a cut.
“Me too.” She straightened and nudged him out of her way. “Good luck.” Without looking his way again, she strode to the ladies’ room.
Inside, she ignored the curious look from a redhead at the sink and hid in the nearest open stall. Gulping deep breaths to keep the waterworks at bay, she balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut.
