His surly tone shoved her despair aside and made anger well up inside her.
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
“Do you want to ride to our next destination inside the car or in the trunk?”
Francine watched the plume of smoke spread, drift and dissipate in the sky above the treetops. It did not serve her possible escape to be trapped in the trunk.
“I’d like to ride in the car.” She added a quiet, “Please.”
“Are you going to be nice and get along?”
“Yes.” Thinking hard in her mind, “I will for now,youdespicable crust fish.”
He bent down and cut the zip tie binding her ankles with a small knife he pulled out of his front pants pocket. She scanned her surroundings. She saw only thick, dense woods in every direction, with the exception of the dirt road they were parked on. If anyone else came along, both vehicles would scrape the tree bark on either side of the road and still might not be able to pass each other.
Perhaps this was a private road to the blown-up cabin. She didn’t know where she was. She hadn’t recognized the rustic cabin.
The height of the trees and the canopy above blocked her ability to even tell what time of day it was. Morning? Late afternoon? She didn’t know.
“There’s nowhere for you to run. Besides, I’d find you.”
She nodded, knowing no matter what he said she’d bolt at the first opportunity to do so. Then another thought occurred. “Why?”
“What?” He seemed startled.
“Why would you chase me and find me? We’ve never even spoken before today. You don’t know me. So why?”
His expression of shock grew until he flashed a smile. “You don’t recognize me!” He laughed. “Do you remember seeing me on the flight from Alpha-Prime to the Ossuary Valerian Space Station?”
“No. Were you there?”
He nodded, smiling in satisfaction. She had no memory of him there.
Francine studied his features. He was a bounty hunter. Someone Raphael knew. As she stared, his features shifted and changed, morphing and moving into those of someone else. Her mouth fell open.
Oh my. It was the scruffy, grubby woman from their flight leaving Alpha-Prime. The one with dusty, cut-up clothing that got angry when she wasn’t identified immediately as a first-class passenger. The woman’s face shifted into one of satisfaction as if she wanted to ensure Francine how clever she was, or rather how clever the shifter bounty hunter was.
Before Francine could comment on the shocking revelation, his face melted and changed yet again. It was another man. A different man. A familiar man.
Francine’s mouth parted in disbelief. It was theotherbounty hunter. The one she’d seen at Wyatt and Valene’s house, pushing Raphael out the door. The man she’d labeled a nameless enemy she would never forgive. She had been right about him from first glance.
“Do you recognize me now?” he asked. He held his arms out, inviting her to look. “I’m Charlie Adler. This is the real me.”
“You’re a shifter. How rare.” Stunned, Francine tried to process the possibilities.
The maniacal grin returned. It looked the same no matter what face he wore. “Yes. I’ve hidden that fact my whole life. You’re the first person I’ve ever told.” A look of renewed zeal appeared on his expression.
“Why me?”
“Because I want you. I have since you were one of the Duvall Five. The first time I saw you was at your home in the protected sphere on Alpha-Prime.”
“When was this?” Francine asked.
“Oh, years ago. You and your sisters were having your pictures taken. I was on the hunt for the photographer, but I waited until my prey had completed his task before claiming him for my bounty. I got to keep the pictures he took that day. That’s when I knew.”
“Knew what?” she asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.
“That we clearly belong together. It’s taken me years and a lot of effort to realize my dream to make you mine.”
